History of the ProCo RAT Pedal and Myths Debunked

The ProCo RAT might be the most beloved distortion pedal in guitar history. So what happens when you give a pedal nerd like Josh permission to give a TED Talk on the RAT? This episode happens. Josh studied over 100 different RAT pedals in preparation for this week's episode, and it shows. This is the deepest dive on the ProCo RAT you're ever going to see.

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Version Walk Through:
Bud Box 1977-78
Dual Bud Box
Scott Burnham Ring-Mod Prototype (Bud Era)
1979 / Version 1-A "Fringe Logo"
1979 / Version 1-B "Tone Knob / Fringe Logo"
1979 / Version 1-C "Tone Control / Metal Knob"
1979 / Version 1-D "Tone Control"
1979 Juggernaut (and Reissue)
1981 / V2 "Big Box Filter"
1984 / V3-A "White Face"
1986 / V3-B "Black Face"
1986 / V3-C "No Brackets"
1987? / RAT2 - LED Prototype
1987-88 / V4-A "RAT2-LED-Flat Top"
1989 V5 "Turbo"
1991-2005 "Big Box Vintage Reissue"
1997 V6-A and V6-B "Roadkill / BRAT"
2002 "Duecetone"
2002 Era? "ProCo Preamp Prototype"
2003 "25th Silver Anniversary"
2004 V7 "You Dirty RAT" and Proto
2006 V8 "Solo" and PROTO RATZO
2008 V4-B "RAT2 Chinese Made Slope Enclosure"
*We're aware Josh calls it the "Chinese Slope" in this video. We were unaware that was considered a derogatory term and have changed it on all content since this video was recorded.
2010 "1985 White Face Reissue"
2014 V9 "FATRAT"
2015 V4-C /4-D / 4-E "IKEBE 40th Anniversary Exclusive Colorways" (Japan Only)
2021 V10 "Lil' RAT"

#jhs #thejhsshow #procorat

[ahriik]

The image of Josh with an armful of RATs, crying while eating Subway, trying to figure out why they all sound the same, is a funny one for sure

[Greg-omhb]

I was introduced to the Rat by an amazing busker in San Francisco’s financial district around 1981. It was a shocking and humbling experience, because he had withered arms, only one hand and only two fingers. (Lookup Thalidomide.) He wore a tubular slide held on by a rubber band, over a terry wrist band. He held the pick between two fingers has been crafted into opposing pincers through surgery. He setup the lap steel, Rat, and a battery powered amp on a small stable on the sidewalk. With that rig he played thunderous, high energy electric blues far beyond anything I have been able to summon using two hands and ten fingers. I saw him playing on several occasions, and I took away several lessons from that experience.

[corpse-in-orbit]

Nick – on the Tone/Filter pot taper question, I've always guessed that the people who designed the Rat realized that it sounded best with Tone below 50%, but they quickly realized that guitarists don't want to set Tone low. They want more, uh, Tone. So you flip the wiring, and now setting it at 70% is actually setting it at 30%, and bang, classic Rat.

[Sailingfortuitous]

JHS should make a pedal called the Rhatt Shull that is specifically designed for mediocre slide tone.

[davydawg]

This is an amazing article and video. My father bought a RAT in the 80s and has had it since. I started playing guitar in the early 2000s and the RAT was my first distortion pedal handed down by my dad. After watching thus video I have identified it as a 1979 version 1D. Very cool history!

[TheTVstew]

Did jhs save anyone else’s life lmao these people are treasures

[Unusualsuspect]

Josh man, you're a great guitarist and it's time to accept it. When you talk down on your playing; those of us who can't play even half as good, feel twice as bad.

[chrismilligan]

There’s something heartwarming that someone can produce a 1h40 video on a series of pedal and over 100, 000 people will watch it

[tr]

This is why I subscribed and hit the bell for JHS Pedals channel years ago! THIS. RIGHT. HERE.
Love these history classes :)

[josephwright]

If the world doesn’t implode or explode, 50 years from now, guitarists and pedal builders will still be watching JHS videos.

[sammonroe]

I know I'm asking for a lot of work, but I'd love more of these deep dives into the history of circuits or whatever else inspires you! I haven't watched it yet but I already know it's amazing. ALL HAIL THE RAT

[erichsixnine]

The excitement Josh exudes in this episode is, I think, infectious. I wish I was this happy more often. The whole crew is exceptional, and I feel privileged to watch so many great shows.

[lexzbuddy]

I had a rat in the early 90s, I wasn't too fond of it. I gave it away to my neighbour's daughter, she still has it. All's well that ends well. Probably worth a few bucks these days :)
I actually gave her a Fender strat when she started playing. I wasn't a strat fan and never played it so it was like new. The look on her face when I gave it to her was priceless, it made my day. It turns out purple was her favourite colour so that was a bit lucky :) I gave her a wee practice amp too, 25 watts I think with a 10" speaker so it had a bit of oomph for a beginner. I am sure that gave her parents many years of pleasure too. It definitely pays to be nice.
She still plays to this day so definitely a good call. She still has the Fender 20 something years later and she says she plays it all the time. That pleased me to hear.

[pedalgazer]

Holy poop guys- I freaking loved this- and for four solid reasons. 1. You've taken a sort of curatorial (is that a word) view here- and done an incredible service in documenting the history of the proco rat- the people, the designs, the back story- this is a true labor of love. 2. I too am an analytical person and so I strongly applaud your ethic of "let's cut through the B.S. magic and myth with simple science and rational thought. Way too many people indulge in magical thinking- and not just when it comes to pedals. We need this sort of reality check. We could use this sort of thinking in congress to be honest- but that's another story (Josh for congress 2032!) 3. I waited an hour and a half to finally hear about this woodcutter mythology and I was enthralled- so cool. Plus, I'm an English teacher- not surprised at all that a teacher was also the most efficient builder- it's sink or swim out there and only the strong survive. 4. I love seeing how much you all enjoy playing together. Watch the drummers face in the last jam. You guys are a band- in the real sense of the word- aka- not maybe a band with a name, and shows- but a group of people who have forged a musical connection and love playing together. That last jam - more than anything- makes me want to buy another JHS pedal and support such a warm company. Love you all- keep up the incredible

[andkemp]

the very first pedal I ever purchased (Italy, 1999: I was 17, so 22 yrs ago) was a RAT 2, and I'm so proud of that 'cause I barely knew what a pedal was... but I... CHOSE it, by playing and trying it in my town's local shop.
I just entered the shop, and asked to try some stuff, to "make my guitar sound big"... I wasn't even sure if I needed a distorsion pedal.. the guy that used to work there just sit me, put the first guitar he had next to me in my hands, and put in front of me three pedals. He just said: "listen, here's three pedals that you NEED. Play them, choose one, and they're gonna be perfect anyways, so just see what is best for you". They were a Marshall Guv'nor, a Big Muff (big enclosure), and a Rat 2.
I needed 5 minutes, maybe less... I was blown away by the Rat, easy story. And again, I'm proud of myself after so many years, because only much later on, after playing it for years, I discovered what piece of guitar history I had CHOSEN with my ears, and not with stories heard on the internet or somewhere else.
So... thx JHS for celebrating once more this huge pedal, and thx for helping people discovering sounds with their ears, and only with them.

[theoryofthirds]

Thank you for elevating the pedal discourse. Honoring the history, respecting the circuitry choices, and then adding some JHS spice. Projects like these do more than just support/promote a new pedal; they deepen the conversation about sound manipulation.

[JEDCLAMPIT]

I first heard of the Rat and bought mine in the middle to late eighties before the LED version mine has the brackets... I absolutely love the RAT...I have performed as a working musician and its been on my pedalboard from the time I bought it in the eighties until present... absolutely nothing ever was able to kick it off my pedalboard...except for the last four years I performed in a Southern Rock festival performance band and they didn't care for the RAT so I used a BB Preamp instead to accommodate them... but now I'm in a different band and the RAT is back on my pedalboard where it belongs! Great show Josh!

[mercedesescobarmusic]

I read somewhere that Bonnie Raitt uses a Pro Co Rat to add a bit of grit to her tone. What struck me the most about this is the huge missed opportunity from Pro Co to approach her and release the signature BONNIE RAT (or the Raitt Rat)... Am I rite???

[ScottyBrockway]

There's a Bud Box one somewhere in Washington State, I remember seeing it at Al's Guitarville in the late 80s.

[Cavemaaaan]

As a cool part of the adjacent-history to the very first ProCo Rats, Systech which was originally in the same Kalamazoo-MI building as you explained earlier, used the same knobs that were used on the earliest-original Rat pedals that you show. My two Systech Phase Shifters have the silver-insert/black-body "Bud" knobs - used for the Emphasis control knob on my two units :) Dan Gibbs, near Flint, MI :)