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Model

Pro Co RAT

Distortion pedal series

The RAT is Pro Co Sound's classic distortion pedal line, with prototypes designed by engineer Scott Burnham and full production beginning in 1979. Built around an LM308 op-amp with hard diode clipping and a distinctive Filter (tone) control, the RAT delivers an aggressive distortion that can range into overdrive and fuzz. It is one of the most recorded distortion effects ever made and spans models including the RAT 2 and Turbo RAT.

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Category

  • Effects pedals

    Guitar and bass effects — overdrive, distortion, fuzz, delay, reverb, modulation, and more, in pedal, rack, and multi-effects formats.

Made by

  • Pro Co Sound

    Pro Co Sound is an American audio and effects company founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1974. It is best known for the RAT distortion pedal, whose prototypes were designed by engineer Scott Burnham and which entered full production in 1979. The RAT became one of the most recorded and influential distortion effects ever made. Pro Co pedals are hand-assembled and tested in Elkhart, Michigan, USA.

Models in series

  • Pro Co RAT 2

    Effects pedal · United States

    The Pro Co RAT 2 is the long-running production version of the RAT distortion, introduced in 1988 with an LED on/off indicator. Its three controls — Distortion, Filter, and Volume — range from smooth overdrive to full, aggressive saturation, with the Filter knob acting as a reverse-sweeping tone control. It is hand-assembled in Elkhart, Michigan and remains one of the most recorded distortion pedals in the world.

  • Pro Co Turbo RAT

    Effects pedal · United States

    The Pro Co Turbo RAT, introduced in 1989, is a higher-gain variant of the RAT that replaces the standard silicon clipping diodes with LEDs for more aggressive, cutting distortion with extra punch and clarity. It keeps the classic three-knob RAT layout of Distortion, Filter, and Volume and is built for players who want a hotter, more saturated version of the RAT sound.

Live listings on Reverb

via Reverb