Needless to say, fans of the LM308 chip will find in this article plenty of vintage RAT clones that are employing one.īrowse through the various pedals in our interactive galleries. While vintage RATs might be a bit tough to track down, there are several clones trying to replicate the sound of the early models, while others attempt to recreate a distortion that is at once faithful to the original and also more versatile. They can be found used on Reverb or eBay for around $250. While many classic overdrive pedals get their saturation from diodes and transistors, the RAT circuit was originally designed around an LM308 op-amp, and the pedal’s aggressive distortion is achieved by overdriving this chip, which, in the early aughts, was replaced with an OP07DP op-amp chip (present in the current RAT 2), with its quicker transient response and slightly brighter tone.Ī vintage, “big box” Pro Co RAT from the 90s. No wonder it made our list of the Best Distortion Pedals of All Time!įor those interested in the history of this pedal, look no further than this video by JHS Pedals.Īs successful as it is, the RAT is also a rather misunderstood pedal, as it seems to be too gritty for some, yet not gritty enough for others, and this quality has contributed to the rise of a parallel market of clones that attempt to expand on the original’s sonic palette, or “perfect” its tone, whatever that may mean.
There have been many different variations of the circuit from the original builder, Pro Co, but overall, the line has remained fairly true to the original, delivering thick distortion and borderline fuzz tones adopted by countless heavy rock bands.
With its origins dating back to 1978, the RAT is one of those simple yet unique pedals that are at once legendary, widespread, and affordable.
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