The prodigal…pedal…has returned. The Proco Vintage Rat Pedal
- Rat Distortion Pedal User Manual
- Tube Distortion Pedal
- Rat Distortion Pedal Review
- Rat Distortion Pedal Schematic
You can't date a rat by its serial number. You'll have to open up the pedal and check the pot dates. There are 6 numbers and the middle two will give you the year. THE RAT serial number RT-135744 Features Vintage classic distortion pedal uses Motorola LM308N chip, heavy steel case, 9V battery powered or has a 3.5mm (1/8') DC power in jack, automatically powers off when input jack is disconnected, Heavy duty on-off switch bypasses the unit, LED lights when unit is active, glow in the dark (phosphorescent. With that in mind, today I may or may proco the rat serial number agree with the post you just read! I believe you can also open up your Rat and look at the pots - the two numbers in the middle are proco the rat serial number year the pedal was made. 1) '77-'81 - middle knob labeled 'tone' 2) '81-'83 - middle knob labeled 'filter' On real.
- The RAT has been the pedal of choice of a number of guitarists including at some stage Jeff Beck. My model has a below 300000 serial number. According to Robert Keeley (who knows a thing or two about effects), the RAT 2 made after serial number 300000 (early 2008) are of inferior quality.
- Get the ProCo Rat 2 here: Carr, Sweetwater Content Specialist, demonstrates the ProCo Rat 2 pedal.
The Prodigal Pedal
As in the story of the prodigal, this pedal has been in some filthy places… Although this is not the pedal that was stolen from me in 2002 (That one was in pristine condition, made in 1995 (LM308), I found this similar ProCo Vintage Rat Reissue at a steal of a price on the e-bay.
I spent the first moments feeling the weight of the steel, and looking inside at the circuit board. They don’t make them like this anymore. I missed the pedal, even if there is no LED to the reissue.
Hardware
Without even playing it, I took it apart and cleaned off every surface. It smelled like old dude.
The pedal has had some rust on the pedal switch, so I brushed out the circuit board for fun. The Circuit Board has the number ‘2492’ stamped onto it, including RAT RE-ISSUE 1991.
Dating this by serial number seems to be a trivial effort by the looks of the boards out there. I did run across some great resources here and here that helped me to find out exactly which model and year this was made by considering the date of the potentiometers. The number on the pot is R1379227, and as the 4th and 5th numbers are the date of manufacture, this one was made in 1992.
LM308 & Woodcutter
The LM308 chip is snugly placed on the board (Looks like a Motorola).
Across the potentiometers there is a sticker with the Dot Matrix Printed name “WOODCUTTER *”
Apparently the WOODCUTTER was the nickname of the person who assembled it.
The board itself holds an inscription:
PRO-CO SOUND INC KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN U.S.A.
FUZZTONES FOR THE CONNOISSEUR THE RAT TYPE B
REV. C CC1 2-0
Interesting.
Rat Distortion Pedal User Manual
I’m going to replace the Carling True Bypass footswitch with the same type, and the jacks must be changed as well. Maybe.
Sounds
The sound of this Rat, when I played it back in 2000 was something else. Gain at 9 o’clock, and volume at 2 o’clock, I would push the preamp tubeys into breakup, as any self respecting overdrive/distortion/fuzz pedal should. I loved i…and looks like I have another chance to love it again!
Conclusion
[usrlist Hardware:5 “Sounds:5” “Vibe:5″ Value:5 avg=”true”]
Love, love, love this pedal.
Get your own Proco Vintage Rat Reissue Distortion Pedal today! It’s updated!
Tube Distortion Pedal
Proco Vintage Rat Pedal
In this ProCo RAT2 review, we’re going to be discussing the pedals features, tone and performance to find out what makes this distortion pedal so highly regarded.
1Pro Co RAT2 Distortion1.1
Available On Amazon – Check Current Price1.2Features and controls1.3Tone and Performance1.4Is this pedal For You?1.4.1Customer Review RatingThe RAT distortion by Pro Co has reached legendary status for their unique drive sounds and is a standard of measuring other distortion pedals. While a lot of the iterations of the RAT existed in many years, most versions have unique similarities: that 3-knob layout, familiar RAT housing enclosure, and a characteristic distortion which has fuzz-like features, fitting since Pro Co began repairing Fuzz Faces before the RAT was designed.
After the original pedals and their 80’s incarnations set the legacy for the foundation of the RAT, Pro Co launched the RAT2, providing classic RAT distortion tones having a convenient off/on LED, easy-access battery part, and carrying bypass switching as well as that signature Filter control.
When they were designing the first RAT box, Pro Co wanted to build something different. It did not just apply to the pedal’s sound, however to its overall appearance too. The result is an enclosure which is anything but standard if compare to modern Boss-like units.
This unusual format n a way made it appealing to people who were interested in something untraditional. The entire pedal consists of thick steel that you can regularly abuse without it failing on you in any way. This claim was proven many times by now. Although it’s quite hefty for an effects pedal, units of RAT are traditionally rather easy.
What you have is an entirely analog circuitry, which delivers quality in all areas, from performance to durability. Just as you would expect, these have true bypass as standard. Alos, the controls are restricted to three knobs. A Volume knob, a Filter knob, and Distortion knob to work with.
One of the absolute best things with Pro Co RAT2 Distortion is how sensitive its control knobs are. It really takes tiny adjustments to change the tone entirely. While it does need you to dial in the tone with care, you get much wider tones to play with.
Based on what kind of tone you’re looking for, Pro Co RAT2 Distortion can be your best friend. It is not about it being bad or good; it’s about how different it is compared to others. You can also get anything from a bit overdrive layered on a clean channel, to full distortion, which is infused with what seems to be an endless number of gain.
Pro Co RAT2 Distortion is one of those effects pedals that you love. There does not look like a middle ground. It’s definitely among the most iconic stomp boxes created in the past many years. The fact that Pro Co has not changed about these pedals is the proof you’ll need for its performance.
That’s a minimal amount of time taken to go over its range roughly. Any more information than that can even take weeks to find properly. Finally, it’s worth mentioning that the whole cost of this experience falls within the category you can afford. Pro Co has rightly kept the prices in that great spot where you’re should invest in one, while it’s a bargain at the same time too!
If you found this ProCo RAT2 review both enjoyable and informative. Comment below your own review or any questions you may have regarding this product.Rat Distortion Pedal Review
Buy On AmazonThe ProCo RAT2 distortion pedal has a rating of 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon –
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Rat Distortion Pedal Schematic
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