The ProCo RAT2 "White Face" is a distortion pedal produced in 1985, a variant of the standard RAT2 named for the white background of the RAT logo on its enclosure. It carries the classic RAT circuit of the mid-1980s, including the Motorola LM308 chip, and it is the version ProCo chose to reissue as a limited edition in 2010.1
What it does to a sound
Coda Effects describes the White Face RAT2's sound as an aggressive distortion, full of harmonics, that suits grunge music well.1 That places it in the same family as the RAT pedals covered on the distortion page: a hard-clipping drive voice rather than the softer push of overdrive or the loose compression of fuzz.
Controls
The pedal keeps the RAT2's three-knob layout.1
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Distortion | Sets the amount of distortion1 |
| Volume | Sets the output level1 |
| Filter | Acts as a reverse tone knob: more to the right means less treble1 |
Input and output jacks are both on the top of the pedal, which Coda Effects counts as a practical advantage for pedalboard mounting.1
Power
The DC jack input is an old style one, so a 1985 unit may need an adapter to fit modern power supplies on a pedalboard.1
The LM308 chip
Inside the enclosure is the classic Motorola LM308 chip, a double op-amp that Coda Effects reports is now quite difficult to find and quite expensive.1 That scarcity is one reason the mid-1980s RATs hold interest among players: the chip is central to the vintage circuit, and replacements are not trivial to source.
History and reissues
The RAT itself was first created in the late 1970s, and the RAT2 followed as one of its later versions.2 The 1985 White Face is one variant among many the RAT family has produced, from the RAT Distortion with guitar jack to the Juggernaut Bass Rat and the RAT Tail.
ProCo has returned to this design more than once, and the 1985 RAT2 "White Face" remains the reference point for those reissues. It is a classic RAT2, produced in 1985, with input and output jacks top mounted on the pedal, and it delivers an aggressive distortion sound, full of harmonics, that suits grunge music well.1
For players wondering whether the vintage unit is worth chasing, it is worth knowing what one owner's 30 year old example shows: these pedals have lasted, but age catches up with the hardware. This 30 year old little monster had some troubles with switching, and the switch that had been changed made some false contact with the rusty enclosure.1
Videos
Danny Tao
Questions
Why is it called the White Face RAT?
The name comes from the look of the pedal: this 1985 version of the RAT2 carries the RAT logo on a white background, which sets it apart from other RAT2 versions of the era. Coda Effects, in its history of the pedal, notes it is simply called the White Face RAT because of the white background of the RAT logo.
Can I use a standard Boss-style power supply with a 1985 RAT2?
Usually not without an adapter. The DC jack on the 1985 White Face RAT2 is an old style input, and Coda Effects points out it is not really useful today, when most power supplies use 2.1mm Boss-style jacks. Players running one on a modern board typically need the right adapter or cable for that older jack.
What does the filter knob do on a RAT2?
The filter knob works as a reverse tone control. Coda Effects describes it as a reverse tone knob: turning it further to the right removes treble rather than adding it. Together with the distortion and volume knobs it gives the RAT2 its three-control layout.
Why is the LM308 chip in the RAT hard to find?
The RAT2 uses a Motorola LM308 chip, a double op-amp, and Coda Effects reports that the chip is now quite difficult to find and quite expensive. That scarcity is part of why vintage RATs and the LM308 reissues draw attention from players hunting for the original circuit.
Did ProCo reissue the White Face RAT?
Yes. According to Coda Effects, the vintage RAT was reissued with the LM308 chip, and in 2010 ProCo reissued the precise 1985 white face RAT as a limited edition.
Sources (2)
- Coda Effects, Coda Effects, 2016-01
- Pro Co RAT2 Distortion, Pedal of the Day (pedal-of-the-day.com), 2014-09-10
