For sale is a Rat 2, serial number 290600.If you Google around, apparently the Rats with a serial number have a different build. Categories, Distortion.
The origins of the Pro Co 'The RAT' can be traced back to the mid-1970s, when Pro Co engineers Scott Burnham and Steve Kiraly repaired and hot-rodded existing distortion pedals, such as the . Burnham decided he could build a superior product from the ground up, and designed 'The RAT' pedal.
In 1978, 'The RAT' was being built as a custom-order product. Only twelve of these pedals (including one prototype), commonly referred to as the 'Bud Box' RAT, were produced. Each pedal was built in a standard project box, hand painted, and hand drilled. In 1979, Pro Co began mass-producing them. This iteration was built in a custom designed, rectangular sheet-metal enclosure, with an L shaped removable top/back section giving access to the internals. The top panel was labeled with Pro Co Sound 'The RAT' and the three control knobs as Distortion, Tone and Volume.
In 1983, Pro Co switched to a smaller, U-shaped enclosure. Finally, in 1988, the RAT2 was introduced, which included an on/off LED. Various RAT2 circuit board layouts and wiring configurations have surfaced in the last few years, including the noted 'RAT3 version A and B' all under the RAT2 moniker. The RAT2 model is still available today, but in 2008 production moved to China and is now manufactured by Neutrik for Pro Co Sound.
The distortion is produced using a with shorting the output to ground at a certain voltage level to produce hard of the input waveform. Originally, diodes were used, which were later replaced with since RAT2. The 'Turbo RAT' pedal uses red for this purpose (red LEDs have about a twice as high forward voltage as the original silicon diodes), while the 'You Dirty RAT' pedal uses 1N34A diodes (clipping at a lower forward voltage). The distortion stage is followed by a passive 'reverse' tone filter and volume control.
The general design is very similar to the distortion pedal. A major difference is the opamp used (the LM308). Known for its poor , it largely accounts for the sonic difference between the two pedals.
SMALL BOX RAT
The switch to the “Small Box” RAT was essentially just a cosmetic makeover. While the circuit remained the same, the enclosure evolved into a more compact version, with a 12-gauge U-shaped base. The Pro Co logo sat next to the RAT logo on the pedal top, silk-screened in black inside of a white box. In 1986, the logo was reversed to white on the black, painted metal.
The switch to the “Small Box” RAT was essentially just a cosmetic makeover. While the circuit remained the same, the enclosure evolved into a more compact version, with a 12-gauge U-shaped base. The Pro Co logo sat next to the RAT logo on the pedal top, silk-screened in black inside of a white box. In 1986, the logo was reversed to white on the black, painted metal.
RAT 2
The RAT 2 signaled the next generation of RAT pedals. While the enclosure remained the same, the silk-screened logo gave way to a Lexan/Mylar overlay with glow-in-the-dark graphics. A red on/off LED was also added. In 2003, Pro Co converted the RAT 2 to a sloped enclosure, which had been used on the Turbo RAT since its introduction.
The RAT 2 signaled the next generation of RAT pedals. While the enclosure remained the same, the silk-screened logo gave way to a Lexan/Mylar overlay with glow-in-the-dark graphics. A red on/off LED was also added. In 2003, Pro Co converted the RAT 2 to a sloped enclosure, which had been used on the Turbo RAT since its introduction.
Everything works, and as with all of my vintage pedals, I'll externally clean them up best I can, service the pots and the footswitches before I send them out. I will also check the battery clips as well to see if they need changing out, and do so if needed. Rats are my favorite pedals of all time, and I take extra time to baby and enjoy them, especially on their way out!
All the ProCo Rats (except where noted) take the 1/4' pin adapters (like a headphone jack for your media player), also found on a lot of the older Electro harmonix pedals - does not include the adapter.
This one is not accurately dated, somewhere around 1997-98 after they stopped using the '137date' pots but still had LM308 chips, and has no serial
Check out my other listings for more cool vintage, boutique, ProCo, LM308 Distortions, overdrives, other RAT's of course, and other guitar pedals! Buy my Ponomarev clone for charity as well why don't you? Any other pictures needed or questions please ask!
Free ship to continental US