Pro Co RAT2 Distortion Pedal



zZounds Gear Experts Say...
Turn heads and shred faces with the Pro Co RAT2 Distortion Pedal. This Rat is radically different from any "distortion" you've ever heard before.
Overview
Do you straddle the fine line between the traditional guitarist and the constant innovator? Are you just as comfortable laying back in the pocket as you are taking a solo with a foot up on the monitor? If this sounds like you, The RAT 2 will be your go-to distortion pedal for every gig, whether it's rock, blues, punk, or jazz.
This is the classic RAT tone. The standard that all other distortion devices are measured against. Heard on thousands of recordings, it has helped define the sound of the past three decades' most influential bands.
The beauty of the RAT 2 lies in its versatility. Used as a primary distortion, it excels at arena rock rhythm tones and soaring leads. Do you have a powerful amp with too much headroom for the gig? The RAT 2 nails that sweet spot where a tube amp goes from sparkly clean to warm overdrive. Maybe you already love your amp's distortion. Use the RAT 2 as a boost for solos and get the extra kick you need.
The RAT 2 features the legendary the legendary RAT Filter control. Turn it to the right to roll off brittle high-end frequencies. Having trouble cutting through the mix? Turn the Filter down and allow the natural brightness of your instrument to shine through. The Distortion and Volume controls dial in the perfect amount of gain while keeping the level consistent with your clean tone. While there's no mistaking the legendary RAT tone when the pedal is on, true bypass switching guarantees that no extra noise will creep into your signal when it's… read more turned off.
- Pro Co's classic, virtually indestructible steel enclosure
- Heavy-duty, industrial footswitches, knobs, and jacks
- On/Off LED indicator
- Sloped face for easy stomping
- Glow in the dark graphics
- Military-spec glass-epoxy circuit board
- AC jack (RPS-1 power supply sold separately)
- "No tools required" battery compartment (9 volt not included)
- Five-year limited warranty
read less
This is the classic RAT tone. The standard that all other distortion devices are measured against. Heard on thousands of recordings, it has helped define the sound of the past three decades' most influential bands.
The beauty of the RAT 2 lies in its versatility. Used as a primary distortion, it excels at arena rock rhythm tones and soaring leads. Do you have a powerful amp with too much headroom for the gig? The RAT 2 nails that sweet spot where a tube amp goes from sparkly clean to warm overdrive. Maybe you already love your amp's distortion. Use the RAT 2 as a boost for solos and get the extra kick you need.
The RAT 2 features the legendary the legendary RAT Filter control. Turn it to the right to roll off brittle high-end frequencies. Having trouble cutting through the mix? Turn the Filter down and allow the natural brightness of your instrument to shine through. The Distortion and Volume controls dial in the perfect amount of gain while keeping the level consistent with your clean tone. While there's no mistaking the legendary RAT tone when the pedal is on, true bypass switching guarantees that no extra noise will creep into your signal when it's… read more turned off.
Features:
- 100% analog signal path- Pro Co's classic, virtually indestructible steel enclosure
- Heavy-duty, industrial footswitches, knobs, and jacks
- On/Off LED indicator
- Sloped face for easy stomping
- Glow in the dark graphics
- Military-spec glass-epoxy circuit board
- AC jack (RPS-1 power supply sold separately)
- "No tools required" battery compartment (9 volt not included)
- Five-year limited warranty
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.p65Warnings.ca.gov.
Specs
- Input Impedance: 1 Megohm
- Equivalent Input Noise: -110 dB
- Output Impedance: 1 Kilohm
- Maximum Gain: 60 dB
- Filter: 6 dB/octave low-pass
- Power Requirements: 9V battery or external DC power supply (RPS-1)
- Battery Consumption: 3.0 mA/160 hours
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2-7/8 inches (73mm)
- Depth: 4-1/16 inches (103.2 mm)
- Width: 3-1/8 inches (79.4 mm)
- Weight: 1.7 lbs (0.8 Kg)
- Shipping Weight: 2.0 lbs (0.9 Kg)
- Equivalent Input Noise: -110 dB
- Output Impedance: 1 Kilohm
- Maximum Gain: 60 dB
- Filter: 6 dB/octave low-pass
- Power Requirements: 9V battery or external DC power supply (RPS-1)
- Battery Consumption: 3.0 mA/160 hours
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2-7/8 inches (73mm)
- Depth: 4-1/16 inches (103.2 mm)
- Width: 3-1/8 inches (79.4 mm)
- Weight: 1.7 lbs (0.8 Kg)
- Shipping Weight: 2.0 lbs (0.9 Kg)
- Dimensions and Weight in Packaging
- Base Item
- Shipping Weight: 1.5 lbs
- Shipping Dimensions: 5 x 4 x 3 in
- Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): RAT2
Things To Know
Pro Co RAT2 Distortion Pedal
Updated May 9, 2025 13:49
by Myles Bacon
Hey everyone, this is Myles from Zounds with some things to know about this ProCo Rat 2 distortion pedal. The thing I love most about this pedal is that when you push it to the max, it's essentially a JCM800 in a box. You can achieve that sort of spongy, saturated tone that the JCM800 is really known for, and it just sounds really great. But if you want to dial it back and achieve more of a subtle, sort of overdrive tone, you can do that with this pedal as well. It's really dynamic. Also dynamic are the distortion and filter settings, which do a really great job of helping you shape whatever distortion tone you want to achieve. So if you prefer to get your distortion tones from a pedal rather than from your amp, I would highly recommend this ProCo Rat 2 distortion pedal.

Pro Co RAT2 Distortion Pedal
Updated May 9, 2025 13:59
by Justin LaForte
Hey everybody, this is Justin with zZounds, and this is a "Things to Know" video on the Pro Co Rat Distortion. The Rat is just such a classic pedal, both in looks and sound. I feel like we've all seen one of these on people's boards, but it's for a reason. They are very versatile and can do anything from a boost to a crunch to an absolute snarling fuzz that’s out of control.
That’s the main reason why I love this pedal. Some things to know, though, are the filter section. The filter is why everybody, I feel like, loves the Rat. You can actually roll off all the high end by turning the dial to the right, but if you want, you can go to the left and add in a lot more sizzle and sparkle. This works really well when you're using the distortion at higher gain settings, so you can tame some of that harshness.
But please, use this as a boost too. I’m actually a big fan of cranking the level and keeping the gain low with my tube amps. On the other hand, you can get those wall of fuzz tones when you absolutely dime the gain as well.
It is a versatile rock machine, so if you're looking for that, look no further than the Rat.
That’s the main reason why I love this pedal. Some things to know, though, are the filter section. The filter is why everybody, I feel like, loves the Rat. You can actually roll off all the high end by turning the dial to the right, but if you want, you can go to the left and add in a lot more sizzle and sparkle. This works really well when you're using the distortion at higher gain settings, so you can tame some of that harshness.
But please, use this as a boost too. I’m actually a big fan of cranking the level and keeping the gain low with my tube amps. On the other hand, you can get those wall of fuzz tones when you absolutely dime the gain as well.
It is a versatile rock machine, so if you're looking for that, look no further than the Rat.

Reviews
Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
(81 ratings)
Submitted October 20, 2006 by a customer from ideacircus.com
"plug in, turn on, be a rockstar."
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Need just a little dirt or a lot of sludge? It does both. Even good on Bass.
Sound
Frigin great distortion, subtle, to very harsh. Melvins to Molly Hatchet. Full on old school rat sound. And true bypass to boot. I love it. I have a Big Muff, and this can mimic it as well, but another level of distortion that the Big Muff cannot seem to do.
Features
3 knobs. Black. Excellent for blunt force trauma.
Ease of Use
plug in, turn on, be a rockstar. Simple Pedal.
Quality
Everything seems just fine. Well built and constructed. The battery wiring is a little jammed in this little box, that's the only issue I have.
Value
I was looking for a little better price, but after noodle-ing with it for a bit, it's waaay worth the price.
Manufacturer Support
Hopefully it won't be an issue. It's damn sturdy.
The Wow Factor
I've been shopping for a nice distorion pedal for a while, and have done my homework. (The only good kind of homework.) Check it out.
Musical Background:
Active Musician
Musical Style:
Rock, Metal - Doom & psych
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