EarthQuaker Devices Barrows Fuzz Attacker vs ProCo Fat Rat
The EarthQuaker Devices Barrows Fuzz Attacker and the ProCo Fat Rat are both pedals sharing mid-forward, full, transparent. The EarthQuaker Devices Barrows Fuzz Attacker leans sustaining and saturated. The ProCo Fat Rat leans crunchy. Current prices: $119 vs $169.99.
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Blended 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.43% — somewhat different
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Genres both listings are associated with.- Rock
- Blues
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Derived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.- mid-forward
- full
- transparent
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$119via Reverb
$169.99via Reverb
The EarthQuaker Devices Barrows Fuzz Attacker is a germanium-transistor fuzz pedal based on the classic Tone Bender MkII circuit, representing a modern 21st-century take on that foundational 1960s fuzz design. It delivers cutting mid-focused tones with brilliant top-end grind and low-end authority from vintage germanium transistors that are responsive to guitar volume attenuation. At lower gain settings the Barrows sings with amp-like distortion and superb touch sensitivity; at higher settings it builds to crushing, sustain-drenched fuzz. Associated with blues, classic rock, and psychedelic styles.
The ProCo Fat Rat is an enhanced version of the classic ProCo Rat, adding switchable clipping between silicon (the classic Rat voice) and MOSFET/germanium options, with the MOSFET setting smoothing and subtly scooping the upper mids for a more amp-like, natural character. It delivers depth and character reminiscent of a nice tape machine, with a tone that can be both heavy and soft, crunchy without masking tube warmth or single-coil pickup character. Reviewers praise it as a killer-sounding pedal with a ton of distortion that still retains clarity, particularly excelling on heavy, down-tuned riffs where it outperforms a basic Rat 2. It suits players wanting the classic Rat foundation with real added tonal flexibility from silicon-to-MOSFET clipping options, spanning blues to metal.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Classic Rock
- Stoner Rock
- Metal
- sustaining
- saturated
- crunchy