The ProCo RAT 2 is a Proco distortion pedal, currently around $88. Close alternatives include the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi and the JAM Pedals Rattler V2. It pairs well with the Fender Twin Reverb Head and the Marshall Bluesbreaker.
ProCo RAT 2
Proco · pedal
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.
- distortion
- low gain
- bright
- cutting
- filter
- lead
- dark
- fuzz
Price updated Aug 26, 2026
Genres the ProCo RAT 2 is commonly used in
- Alternative Rock
- Experimental
- Punk
- Grunge
- Metal
- Hard Rock
Amps that pair well with the ProCo RAT 2
Fender Twin Reverb Head
amplifier
153% matchRunning the RAT into a Twin Reverb is a documented pairing — the amp's huge clean headroom gives the RAT's distortion somewhere to push without the amp breaking up on its own. — also used together by 1 artist
Marshall Bluesbreaker
Marshall
99% matchThe RAT's Filter control keeps it articulate even stacked on top of the Bluesbreaker's own breakup, from gritty low-gain grind to thicker saturation.
Dumble Steel String Singer
Dumble
45% matchThe RAT's dark, cutting gain is a rawer, more aggressive edge than the Steel String Singer's own liquid, singing breakup.
Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head
amplifier
44% matchThe RAT's Filter control keeps it articulate stacked on top of the JTM45's own vintage breakup, from gritty low-gain grind to thicker saturation.
Fender Bassman Combo Amp
amplifier
43% matchThe RAT's dark, cutting gain is a sharper edge than the Bassman's own vintage crunch offers on its own.
PRS Archon
PRS
42% matchThe RAT's bright, cutting distortion stacks with the Archon's own modern, hard-rock gain.
Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/55 100W Amp Head
amplifier
41% matchThe RAT's bright, cutting distortion pushes the Jubilee's responsive breakup further into gritty saturation.
Bad Cat Cub
Bad Cat
41% matchThe RAT's bright, cutting distortion pushes the Bad Cat Cub's chiming clean voice into gritty territory.
Pedals that stack with the ProCo RAT 2
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Ibanez
35% matchStacking the Screamer's mid-forward boost ahead of the RAT lets its own low-end roll-off tighten the signal before the RAT's Filter control reshapes it.
Jackson Audio Optimist
Jackson Audio
29% matchRun the Optimist ahead of the RAT and its natural JFET compression smooths out the RAT's cutting, bright low-gain drive.
MXR MC-402
MXR
29% matchBoost with the MC-402 first and the RAT's cutting low-gain drive gets pushed into fuller, more sustained saturation.
ZVEX Fuzz Factory
Zvex
29% matchStacking the RAT ahead of the unpredictable Fuzz Factory can tame its gating and noise into something more controllable.
Electronic Audio Experiments Surveyor V2.5
Electronic Audio Experiments
27% matchStack the RAT2's gritty, low-gain distortion after the Surveyor's subtle, round drive for extra edge without losing that transformer-coupled warmth.
MXR Phase 90
MXR
25% matchPairing the Phase 90 with the RAT is a documented combo — running the phaser after the distortion keeps its sweep defined rather than smeared by the gain. — also used together by 1 artist
Lovepedal Purple Plexi
Lovepedal
24% matchStack the RAT's cutting drive after the Purple Plexi for a two-stage push from natural breakup into tighter distortion.
EarthQuaker Devices White Light
EarthQuaker Devices
24% matchStack the RAT2's gritty, low-gain distortion after the White Light's bright, chimey boost for a grungier edge without losing that clarity.
Cheaper alternatives
Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion
Behringer
72% similarityShared character: staple, original_models, high_gain_settings
Boss DS-1 Distortion
Boss
71% similarityShared character: distortion, versatile_sound, staple
Electro-Harmonix Flatiron Fuzz
Electro-Harmonix
71% similarity“based on the hard clipping op amp circuit famously associated with early ProCo Rat and op amp Big Muff style tones”
Donner Dark Mouse
Donner
70% similarityShared character: warm, dark, filter
Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive
Boss
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Wren and Cuff Irkalla Manifest Fuzz
Wren And Cuff
72% similarityShared character: volume, high_gain_settings, filter
Dophix David Overdistortion
Dophix
71% similarityShared character: boost, aggressive_playing, fuzz
Caroline Guitar Company Wave Cannon Zero
Caroline Guitar Company
71% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, noise, aggressive_playing
Fairfield Circuitry ~900 About Nine Hundred Fuzz
Fairfield Circuitry
71% similarityShared character: noise, volume, full
Boss BD-2W Blues Driver Waza Craft
Boss
97% similaritysimilar tone character
Maxon OD808
Maxon
97% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
Electro-Harmonix
73% similarityShared character: staple, dark, singing
JAM Pedals Rattler V2
Jam Pedals
73% similarity“The Rattler V2 delivers a refined version of the ProCo RAT character with excellent harmonic complexity”
Joyo dark flame
Joyo
71% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, dark, noise
Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion
Boss
71% similarityShared character: staple, noise, lead_playing
Catalinbread Katzenkonig
Catalinbread
71% similarity“combining elements of the Rat-style distortion with a Super Fuzz-inspired gain structure to produce a massive, harmonically complex distortion”
ProCo Lil Rat
Proco
71% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, filter, smooth
See all alternatives to the ProCo RAT 2 (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the ProCo RAT 2?+
The closest matches in character are the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, the JAM Pedals Rattler V2, the Joyo dark flame. Budget picks: Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion, Boss DS-1 Distortion, Electro-Harmonix Flatiron Fuzz. Boutique upgrades: Wren and Cuff Irkalla Manifest Fuzz, Dophix David Overdistortion, Caroline Guitar Company Wave Cannon Zero.
What pairs well with the ProCo RAT 2?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Twin Reverb Head, Marshall Bluesbreaker, Dumble Steel String Singer — Running the RAT into a Twin Reverb is a documented pairing — the amp's huge clean headroom gives the RAT's distortion somewhere to push without the amp breaking up on its own. — also used together by 1 artist.
How much does the ProCo RAT 2 cost?+
Around $88 (live listing price, updated Aug 26, 2026).