Amptweaker AT Fatrock vs ProCo RAT 2

The Amptweaker AT Fatrock and the ProCo RAT 2 are both pedals sharing bright, mid-forward, full. The ProCo RAT 2 leans low gain and fuzzy.

Similarity
citedBlended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.

46% somewhat different

Shared genres
citedGenres both listings are associated with.
  • Rock
  • Alternative Rock
  • Metal
  • Hard Rock
Shared tone character
citedDerived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.
  • bright
  • mid-forward
  • full
Citation fame
citedCitation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.
0%
70%
Price

$88via Reverb

Description

The Amptweaker FatRock is a warm-voiced rock distortion pedal designed by James Brown, creator of the Peavey 5150 circuit. It is the darker, lower-mids-focused sibling of the TightRock, featuring a fixed Fat boost at the front end that reduces high-frequency aggression and extends the low range of its Tight and Tone controls. Aimed at players with bright guitars or amps who want warmer rock distortion, it includes three-band EQ with a PlexEQ switch for vintage stack tones, a SideTrak loop that activates when bypassed for clean effect routing, and a standard effects loop with Pre/Post switching. A retweaked noise gate handles the reduced top end smoothly. Best fit for classic rock and hard rock players seeking a thick, cab-like low end without excess sizzle.

The ProCo RAT 2 is a classic hard-clipping distortion pedal whose circuit dates to the late 1970s, built around an LM308 op-amp and silicon diode clipping. Its three controls are Distortion, Filter, and Volume, with the distinctive Filter knob acting as a reversed tone control that runs from bright and cutting to dark and warm. Capable of far more than its name suggests, it spans gritty low-gain overdrive, thick midrange distortion, and nearly fuzz-like saturation while keeping notes present and clear even at high gain. It is a staple of punk, grunge, garage, stoner, doom, and alternative rock, and has been used by players from Jeff Beck and Thom Yorke to countless heavy and experimental guitarists. Dynamic and harmonically rich, it cleans up with guitar volume and stays articulate rather than overly compressed.

Genres
citedGenres this gear is documented as being used in.
  • Classic Rock
  • Experimental
  • Punk
  • Grunge
Tonal lean
  • low gain
  • fuzzy
  • gritty
  • dynamic
  • saturated
  • transparent

Related searches

Amptweaker AT Fatrock vs ProCo RAT 2 — Shared Character & Differences — NodeTone