RAT-Style Distortion

Blue Colander Tremond Distortion

Blue Colander is a one-dude Polish pedal maker that builds hand-made dirt boxes. The Tremond is the guy's take on the RAT-style distortion, expanded. The control that makes this pedal stand apart from your classic RAT clone is the Blend knob, which, doesn't do what you expect. In fact, instead of mixing…Click on the title for more

Blue Colander Tremond Distortion

New Pedal: Oneder Effects Red Ryder Distortion

The Oneder Red Ryder is a RAT-inspired, made-in-Michigan distortion pedal with a few tricks up its sleeve. Hosting the LM308 chip found in the vintage RAT pedals, its compact case sports a series of controls that allow expanding the venerable distortion's tone in various ways. The pedal has a more…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Oneder Effects Red Ryder Distortion

Now Shipping: Lil’ RAT Distortion (a Mini RAT!)

ProCo's family of RATs has just birthed a lil' one! The Lil' Rat is a miniature version of their recent RAT 2, with the same circuit and the same components, although - due to its dimensions - we can expect a lack of 9v battery compartment. The Proco Lil' RAT…Click on the title for more

Now Shipping: Lil’ RAT Distortion (a Mini RAT!)

Lake Effects FVD Rat-Style Distortion

Many architects like minimalism, preferring few well-placed touches to the maximalism of "more for the sake of more. Chicago-based Lake Effects is a pedal company run by an architect, and - in line with our premise - advocates for "A minimalist and practical approach to gear for less noise and…Click on the title for more

Lake Effects FVD Rat-Style Distortion

Jackson Audio Asabi Mateus Asato Signature Modular Distortion/Overdrive

In the traditionally "analog obsessed" niche of dirt box builders, Texas' Jackson Audio is one of the few pedal companies out there that's been pushing that format's envelope in a direction that incorporates digital innovation. The company's latest pedal, called Asabi, is a Mateus Asato signature pedal that features two…Click on the title for more

Jackson Audio Asabi Mateus Asato Signature Modular Distortion/Overdrive

1981 Inventions DRV Drive/Distortion

Born as a mod of the RAT distortion circuit, the DRV by Nashville based 1981 Inventions slowly "found" its own sound during the three years it took to finalize it. The first batch of the pedal sold out pretty fast, but a second one, with a case slightly different in color,…Click on the title for more

1981 Inventions DRV Drive/Distortion

New Pedal: Zander Cranium V2 Multi-Mode RAT-Style Distortion

If you are a RAT fan and like what JHS did to the Tube Screamer with the Bonsai (a pedal that gathers 9 different historical TS voicings in one pedal), you should be all over the Zander Circuitry Cranium, a pedal that extends that concert to the most beloved rodent…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Zander Cranium V2 Multi-Mode RAT-Style Distortion

BJPress Range 84 Distortion

The BJPRESS Range 84 Distortion is a dynamic and sparkling-sounding, hand-made Rat-inspired distortion pedal hailing from Korea. Check out the video by Shnobel, below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd4twl3IQQo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBBih3karh4 Range distortion is 80s~90s preamp gain type distortion. Wide tone range and versatility and has unlimited possibilities when stacked with other overdrive. It is…Click on the title for more

BJPress Range 84 Distortion

New Pedals: Wampler Ratsbane Mini Distortion

Brian Wampler's love story with the tone produced by classic and vintage distortion and overdrive circuits gave birth to several pedals that strike a perfect balance between quality, tone-authenticity, and price point - in our guides to the best Plexi-Syle Pedals, Klon Centaur Clones and Dumble-Style Overdrives, his pedals rank…Click on the title for more

New Pedals: Wampler Ratsbane Mini Distortion

New Pedals:” Tru-Fi The Rat Pack Distortion

Tru-Fi's The Rat Pack is a homage of this Maine based company to the original Rat box from 1979, which had a Tone knob (instead of a "Filter") wired backward so that it sounded brighter when moved counter-clockwise - a quirk preserved in this pedal. However, the Rat Pack doesn't…Click on the title for more

New Pedals:” Tru-Fi The Rat Pack Distortion

Pine Box Customs Motel Distortion

The Pine Box Customs Motel is a RAT-inspired circuit that aims at widening the palette of tones produced by that popular distortion pedal. It's also the first distortion pedal released by this Memphis-based company that mostly focuses on dirt boxes. The Motel's circuit features an internal voltage doubling circuit that…Click on the title for more

Pine Box Customs Motel Distortion

Pettyjohn Rous Distortion

The RAT Distortion belongs to that very exclusive pedal circuit "elite" that provides seemingly infinite inspiration to stompbox builders. We know something about it, since we've been working for over a year on a comprehensive article about RAT clones, and each and every time we try to finalize it we…Click on the title for more

Pettyjohn Rous Distortion