ProCo 1985 Rat Distortion Effect Pedal - Used LM308 Chip From Other

Legendary Distortion Pedal! Blackface Graphics with the famed LM308 chip! Excellent condition!

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This specific item was photographed by us here in Durham, North Carolina. We are a very small team dedicated to providing you the most accurate photos possible, through our obsessive focus - individually photographing nearly everything that comes through the door. Questions about what you see? Want more information, photos, or just a friendly conversation with someone that cares and who has actually had their hands on this exact item? Contact us now!

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Sound Pure's dedication to pre-owned products is unprecedented in the industry. We are a small team of dedicated experts that buys, trades, and consigns. We are trusted by customers all over the world. Our curated collection, is thoroughly tested and inspected by some of the best in the business. Our inventory is constantly changing, ever-evolving, with some items sold before reaching the website. Looking for something specific? Have questions about this product's condition or history? Want more photos, or to simply chat with an expert who's had his hands on this actual piece? Contact us now.

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What We Think

A defining sound of underground rock bands of the 80's, the ProCo Rat has become legendary in its own right. Initially designed to capture the arena rock tone of an amp cranked beyond reasonable levels, ProCo created one of the hairiest, grimiest sounding distortion boxes ever to end up on pro player's boards. Used by players as varies as Jeff Beck, Thom Yorke, and Thurston Moore, the ProCo Rat will turn your guitar into a massive, screaming force to be reckoned with...or else.

One of my first pedal purchases was from a friend looking to offload some gear before he moved out of town, one of those pieces being an evil-looking black and red box labeled 'Turbo Rat'. I plugged it in and...well...I may have angered my neighbors a little. It was the gnarliest, snarliest distortion I had ever heard. I cranked the gain, dialed the filter knob to make it as bassy as possible and used it with my octaver to beef up some guitar parts I was writing for my band. While the Turbo Rat has a touch more gain available than the one pictured here, don't think for a second that you won't be able to smash open a portal to the darkest of dimensions with this one.

This particular Rat was born in 1985 and features the blackface graphic scheme and the famed LM308 chip, the key to its iconic sound. Wrapped up in a box that has withstood the test of time excellently, you're sure to crank out all the hair metal and blistering distortion you could ever imagine.

Call Soundpure today before this one crawls back into the alley it came from!

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Manufacturer's Description from Other

From the very beginning, the RAT was destined to define “The Sound of the Underground.” It was, after all, born underground in the cavernous basement of the Pro Co Sound factory in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. From these humble origins, the RAT has evolved from a single, hand built prototype into a family of the most versatile and most recorded distortion pedals in the world.

Small Box RAT

The switch to the “Small Box” RAT was essentially just a cosmetic makeover. While the circuit remained the same, the enclosure evolved into a more compact version, with a 12-gauge U-shaped base. The Pro Co logo sat next to the RAT logo on the pedal top, silk-screened in black inside of a white box. In 1986, the logo was reversed to white on the black, painted metal.

About Manufacturer

Here at Sound Pure we hand-select used and vintage pieces of gear for our inventory. Our used selection always reflects the high standards of quality and craftsmanship that we expect from all of our manufacturers. We are a small team of dedicated experts, located in Durham, NC. We buy, trade, and consign instruments that we truly believe in. Because of this, we have developed a reputation of quality and trust with our customers, located all over the world. Our best customers are the ones that truly understand our personal touch and commitment to everything we sell, and range from hobbyists and enthusiasts to some of the biggest names in the business. Our passion bridges the products we love with the real relationships we develop with our customer - whether they are a lifelong musician, or they are just getting started on their musical journey but care about value, quality, and being treated right.

We vigorously test everything we take in to ensure authenticity, functionality, and reliability. We are supported by one of the most well-respected luthiers in the Southeast, guaranteeing products that come in are thoroughly vetted, and that products that go out our in premium, performance- ready shape. We are so confident in our ability to provide the highest quality music equipment in the industry, we even invented our “Try Before You Buy” program where we can ship out a product before collecting actual payment.

Sound Pure's inventory is constantly changing, ever-evolving, with some items sold before reaching the website. Looking for something specific? Have questions about this product's condition or history? Want more photos, or to simply chat with an expert who's had his hands on this actual piece of gear? It is truly our pleasure to talk with our customers, please do contact us now.