The Donner Dark Mouse is a Donner distortion pedal, currently around $39.99. Close alternatives include the Aria Lil' RAT Distortion and the Fulltone OCD Obsessive Compulsive Drive. It pairs well with the Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp and the Matchless DC-30.
Donner Dark Mouse
Donner · pedal
The Donner Dark Mouse is a distortion pedal from the Chinese budget effects manufacturer Donner, inspired by the ProCo RAT circuit with a darker voicing. RAT-inspired distortion circuits deliver a distinctive clipping character using an LM308 op-amp and variable filter for bright to dark tone shaping. The Dark Mouse name references the original RAT mouse design while emphasizing a darker, warmer distortion voicing.
What stands out
“The Dark Mouse delivers RAT-inspired distortion with a darker voicing at Donner's budget price point, offering the aggressive clipping character of RAT-style circuits with a warmer, …”
— from the community notes
“RAT-inspired distortion circuits deliver a distinctive clipping character using an LM308 op-amp and variable filter for bright to dark tone shaping”
— from the listing
“The Donner Dark Mouse is a distortion pedal from the Chinese budget effects manufacturer Donner, inspired by the ProCo RAT circuit with a darker voicing”
— from the listing
“Strengths: RAT-circuit-inspired distortion character delivers the aggressive op-amp clipping of RAT designs at a budget Donner price”
— from the reviews
“Dark voicing emphasizes warmer,”
— from the reviews
Trade-offs
“In the signal chain distortion sits before reverb and delay”
— from the community notes
- distortion
- dark
- clipping
- aggressive
- op amp
- filter
- rock
- grunge
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Donner Dark Mouse is commonly used in
- Grunge
- Rock
- Punk
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Donner Dark Mouse
Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp
Vox
30% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
Where this leans dark, Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp answers back bright
Comes later in the signal chain
Matchless DC-30
Matchless
29% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → glassy)
Matchless DC-30 leans glassy right where the dark tone needs it
Comes later in the signal chain
1964 Vox AC30
Vox
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
1964 Vox AC30 leans glassy right where the dark tone needs it
Vox AC30CH Custom 30W Head
Vox
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Vox AC30CH Custom 30W Head leans bright right where the dark tone needs it
Ceriatone Dizzy 30
Ceriatone
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Ceriatone Dizzy 30's bright balances out the dark tone
Vox MSB25 Mini SuperBeetle
Vox
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Where this leans dark, Vox MSB25 Mini SuperBeetle answers back glassy
Laney Richter
Laney
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Laney Richter after it and the dark edge settles into something more bright
Mesa Boogie Subway D-350
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Mesa Boogie Subway D-350 leans bright right where the dark tone needs it
Pedals that stack with the Donner Dark Mouse
Catalinbread Galileo
Catalinbread
24% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
Catalinbread Galileo leans bright right where the dark tone needs it
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Orange King-Comp
Orange
24% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → glassy)
Donner Dark Mouse's dark character and Orange King-Comp's bright voice sit in the same lane rather than fighting each other
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Tech 21 SansAmp
Tech 21
23% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
Where this leans dark, Tech 21 SansAmp answers back bright
Comes later in the signal chain
Wampler Latitude Deluxe Tremolo
Wampler
17% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Wampler Latitude Deluxe Tremolo after Donner Dark Mouse in the signal chain, clear of Donner Dark Mouse's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Strymon El Capistan
Strymon
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Strymon El Capistan after Donner Dark Mouse in the signal chain, clear of Donner Dark Mouse's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Chase Bliss Automatone CXM 1978
Chase Bliss Audio
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Chase Bliss Automatone CXM 1978 after Donner Dark Mouse in the signal chain, clear of Donner Dark Mouse's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Tech 21 SansAmp Oxford
Tech 21
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Tech 21 SansAmp Oxford's bright balances out the dark tone
Aguilar DB 925
Aguilar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Aguilar DB 925 after it and the dark edge settles into something more bright
Boutique & premium upgrades
MXR Prime Distortion
MXR
70% similarityShared character: bright, distortion, aggressive playing
MXR M69P Prime Distortion
MXR
68% similarityShared character: bright, distortion, aggressive playing
JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion
JHS Pedals
66% similarityShared character: warm, dark, filter
ProCo RAT 2
Proco
63% similarityShared character: warm, dark, filter
ProCo Sterling Vermin
Proco
60% similarityShared character: filter, distortion, aggressive playing
DigiTech DOD Overdrive Preamp 250
Digitech
54% similarityShared character: warm, distortion
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Aria Lil' RAT Distortion
Aria
64% similarityShared character: filter, distortion, aggressive playing
Fulltone OCD Obsessive Compulsive Drive
Fulltone
61% similarityShared character: distortion
JAM Pedals Rattler V2
Jam Pedals
61% similarityShared character: warm, dark, filter
JHS Ross Distortion
JHS Pedals
60% similarityShared character: bright, distortion, aggressive playing
RHC Rat Turbo Rat Distortion
Rhc Audio
58% similarityShared character: distortion, aggressive playing
Suhr Riot
Suhr
56% similarityShared character: dark, bright, distortion
See all alternatives to the Donner Dark Mouse (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Donner Dark Mouse?+
The closest matches in character are the Aria Lil' RAT Distortion, the Fulltone OCD Obsessive Compulsive Drive, the JAM Pedals Rattler V2. Boutique upgrades: MXR Prime Distortion, MXR M69P Prime Distortion, JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion.
What pairs well with the Donner Dark Mouse?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp, Matchless DC-30, 1964 Vox AC30 — Where this leans dark, Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp answers back bright.
How much does the Donner Dark Mouse cost?+
Around $39.99 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).