The JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion is a JHS Pedals distortion pedal, currently around $249. Close alternatives include the JHS Pedals JHS Kilt V10 and the JAM Pedals Rattler V2. It pairs well with the Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp and the Marshall Bluesbreaker.

JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion

JHS Pedals · pedal

The JHS PackRat is a boutique multi-mode distortion pedal from JHS Pedals based on the ProCo RAT circuit, one of the most influential distortion pedals in rock and alternative music history. The PackRat includes a rotary mode selector that provides access to multiple historically different RAT circuit configurations, including vintage LM308-chip variants, the Turbo RAT, and other notable RAT iterations. Each mode calibrates the clipping character, gain response, and filter behavior according to the specific circuit variant it reproduces. JHS designed the PackRat as a comprehensive RAT-based distortion reference for players who want access to the full range of RAT circuit history in a single pedal. It suits classic rock, alternative, post-punk, grunge, and hard rock where ProCo RAT distortion is central to the sound.

What stands out

  • “Each mode calibrates the clipping character, gain response, and filter behavior according to the specific circuit variant it reproduces”

    — from the listing

  • “It suits classic rock, alternative, post-punk, grunge, and hard rock where ProCo RAT distortion is central to the sound”

    — from the listing

  • “The filter control at extreme low-frequency settings can produce an unusably dark tone in the vintage modes”

    — from the reviews

  • “from the vintage lm308 chip character to turbo rat-style compressed saturation”

    — from the community notes

  • “Works well with both single-coil and humbucker guitars across its mode range, with different modes favoring different pickup outputs”

    — from the community notes

  • distortion
  • filter
  • dark
  • compressed
  • classic rock
  • warm
  • bright
  • hard rock
$249View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 23, 2026

Genres the JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion is commonly used in

Amps that pair well with the JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion

Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp

Vox

35% match
$799via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)

Run Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp after it and the dark edge settles into something more bright

Comes later in the signal chain

Marshall Bluesbreaker

Marshall

34% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → glassy)

The Bluesbreaker's natural, round breakup gives the PackRat's dark, filtered Rodent-style distortion a warmer classic blues foundation.

Comes later in the signal chain

Fryette Lxii Tube Stereo Power Amplifier

Fryette

19% match

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Blackstar M1 2-Channel Tube Combo

Blackstar

19% match

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Mojotone Lerxst Omega Special Edition Head

Mojotone

19% match

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

Run JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion into that dynamic platform and it finally leans toward compressed

Comes later in the signal chain

Supro 1697RH Galaxy 2-Channel 50W Head

Supro

18% match

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

The dynamic tone has headroom to spare — JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion leans it toward compressed to fill it in

Comes later in the signal chain

Crate VFX 5212

Crate

17% match

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

Run JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion into that dynamic platform and it finally leans toward compressed

Comes later in the signal chain

1964 Vox AC30

Vox

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

1964 Vox AC30's glassy balances out the dark tone

Pedals that stack with the JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion

Ashdown Velvet Compressor

Ashdown

33% match
$243.31via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Catalinbread Galileo

Catalinbread

30% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)

Push the PackRat's dark, compressed distortion with the Galileo's bright boost stacked after it to cut through without losing that grunge-y low end.

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster

Dallas

29% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)

The PackRat's dark, compressed distortion gives the Rangemaster's germanium treble boost a much heavier front end to push into.

Comes earlier in the signal chain

EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master V2

EarthQuaker Devices

28% match
$199via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Orange King-Comp

Orange

28% match
$164.01via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → glassy)

King-Comp's bright, chiming compression ahead of the PackRat evens out attack before the pedal's own dark, filtered distortion.

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Cry Baby Jimi Hendrix Wah

Cry Baby

24% match

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

Into a dynamic tone, JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion brings a pull toward compressed that's missing

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Dunlop "Dimebag" Signature Wah Crybaby

Dunlop

24% match
$200.29via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

Into a dynamic tone, JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion brings a pull toward compressed that's missing

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Wampler Latitude Deluxe Tremolo

Wampler

23% match
$169.95via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Latitude Deluxe's modern, bell-like tremolo pulses on top of the PackRat's dark distortion rather than stacking any gain.

Comes later in the signal chain

See all 39 pedals that pair with the JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion →

Cheaper alternatives

Donner Dark Mouse

Donner

66% similarity
$39.99via Reverb

Shared character: warm, dark, filter

ProCo RAT 2

Proco

65% similarity
$86.97via Reverb

“offering nine distinct RAT circuit variants in a single enclosure, spanning the major production eras and revisions of the ProCo RAT”

Black Country Customs Monolith

Black Country Customs

59% similarity
$119via Reverb

Shared character: three modes, hard rock, distortion

Maxon SD-9 Sonic Distortion

Maxon

58% similarity
$162.43via Reverb

Shared character: alternative, distortion, aggressive playing

Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion

Boss

54% similarity
$89.47via Reverb

Shared character: three modes, wide range, hard rock

Black Arts Toneworks Forest

Black Arts Toneworks

54% similarity
$189via Reverb

Shared character: wide range, response, classic rock

Boutique & premium upgrades

ISP Technologies Michael Sweet Signature Empyrean

Isp Technologies

50% similarity
$400via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, response, distortion

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

JHS Pedals JHS Kilt V10

JHS Pedals

69% similarity

Shared character: three modes, wide range, hard rock

JAM Pedals Rattler V2

Jam Pedals

57% similarity

Shared character: wide range, dark, filter

Menatone None More Black

Menatone

54% similarity
$249via Reverb

Shared character: dark, hard rock, distortion

Catalinbread CB-Distortion

Catalinbread

50% similarity

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, aggressive playing

Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion

Sonicake

50% similarity

Shared character: wide range, alternative, distortion

JHS Angry Charlie

JHS Pedals

48% similarity

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, aggressive playing

See all alternatives to the JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion?+

The closest matches in character are the JHS Pedals JHS Kilt V10, the JAM Pedals Rattler V2, the Menatone None More Black. Budget picks: Donner Dark Mouse, ProCo RAT 2, Black Country Customs Monolith. Boutique upgrades: ISP Technologies Michael Sweet Signature Empyrean.

What pairs well with the JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp, Marshall Bluesbreaker, Fryette Lxii Tube Stereo Power Amplifier — Run Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp after it and the dark edge settles into something more bright.

How much does the JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion cost?+

Around $249 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).

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