Everything Guitar Project:Guitar Pedals
Distortion pedal manufactured by Pro Co, company based out
of Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Rat was created 25 years ago and many boxes
from that initial production run are still around - these pedals are really
built to last. Nowawadays, this pedal can be found in several varieties:
Vintage Rat
A reissue of the original Rat, features a steel chassis with a military-specification
epoxy glass PC board, and a pretty tough footswitch too. A great example of how a relatively
simple design can outperform far more "modern" designs, the tone runs from a light crunch
to some seriously messed-up distortion. Also has a true bypass system so it doesn't
interfere with your guitar sound when off. Very recommended, and I've yet to hear of a
malfunctioning Rat.
Rat 2
An updated version of the original Rat. Features mostly the same characteristics as the
Vintage Rat, but with fluorescent controls and an LED. Also a little heavier (weighs in
at 1.7 lbs, where the Vintage is 1.5)
Turbo Rat
This pedal takes the Rat 2 even further and, though I've never played one, features
"more than double the maximum output", according to the manufacturer. A favorite of
bass players, along with the . . .
Juggernaut
This bass-oriented pedal features both a distortion circuit and effects loop capability,
for further external processing.
Deucetone
This is one I'd love to get my hands on - two separate Rat pedals in one casing, with
Vintage, Turbo, Dirty and Clean Rat settings. You can run the pedals separately, in stereo,
or cascade them together. "Four sounds, two channels, one Rat" goes the slogan.
Sources
Pro Co (http://www.procosound.com/musicians/rats/index.htm)