The Will Sledge FX Last Adam LM308 Distortion is a hand-wired, RAT-style distortion pedal built as a single one-off unit. Pedal of the Day described it as "a vintage RAT clone with an added Feedback Loop", the added Feedback Loop being the feature that sets it apart from the distortion pedals it is modeled on1. It is a small-builder pedal through and through: one unit was made, and the reviewer at Pedal of the Day owned that lone version1.
A RAT-style distortion with a feedback loop
The Last Adam belongs to the family of compact pedals built around the LM308 chip, the same op-amp used in RAT pedals2. TC Electronic, introducing its own LM308-based pedal, put the chip's appeal this way: "By keeping the slew rate slow, harsh unwanted harmonic overtones and interference are eliminated, leaving you with a smooth layer of pure distortion whilst cranking the gain"3. The Last Adam takes that familiar foundation and adds a Feedback Loop, which Pedal of the Day's reviewer Mike B called "a whole new sonic dimension to this already rad RAT"1.
The controls and the Ruetz Mod switch
The pedal keeps the classic RAT control layout and adds two extras of its own1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume, Distortion, Filter knobs | The three main controls, similar to the RAT itself1 |
| Feedback Loop blend knob | The knob on the far left sets how much looped signal is blended in with the regular fuzz, from none to full oscillation; click it and the loop is gone1 |
| Ruetz Mod toggle switch | Turns the Ruetz Mod off and on1 |
The Ruetz Mod lifts an internal resistor and reduces the signal a bit, giving a warm, more overdriven-type sound, as the Pedal of the Day review describes it1. More broadly, the mod allows for more low frequencies in the input profile, at the expense of some gain, as GuitarPedalX's 2024 buying guide puts it in its coverage of another LM308 pedal, the Foxpedal Wrath LM308 OpAmp Distortion4.
What the Feedback Loop mode does
The Feedback Loop is the pedal's signature feature. When the switch is engaged, it sends the pedal's signal back into itself, creating a wall of sonic texture1. The reviewer's take on playing it:
"You could basically just freak everyone out with a thick, dirty sound wall and feed it back over and over."
The blend knob on the far left lets you pick how much oscillation and mayhem you want, and if you want none, you just click and it's gone1.
Build, bypass and the one-off question
The Last Adam is true bypass, and the review ties that to the build overall: "The true bypass, hand-wiring and overall look and feel of Will's pedals really show the time and effort he puts into each"1. The unit reviewed came wrapped in what the reviewer called "the coolest relic-y, grunge-y, scratch-y enclosure you're likely to come across this year"1. The reviewer also found the controls deliver: "Those controls do what they say they do, very well, too, I might add"1.
This is a one-off pedal. Will Sledge FX made a single Last Adam, the only one of its kind, so it is not a production pedal you will find at dealers1.
For players comparing RAT-style pedals, the wider field includes production takes on the same idea, such as the PastFX Mischief LM308 Distortion and the Walrus Audio Iron Horse LM308 Distortion - 2025 Thunder Horse Edition, the latter built around the LM308 chip as found in a Pro Co Rat56.
Questions
Is the Will Sledge FX Last Adam true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's reviewer noted the true bypass switching along with the hand-wiring and overall build quality, saying they show the time and effort Will puts into each of his pedals. The pedal is hand-wired in a relic-style enclosure.
What does the Ruetz Mod do?
The Ruetz Mod lifts an internal resistor and reduces the signal a bit, giving a warm, more overdriven-type sound. More generally, the mod allows for more low frequencies in the input profile, at the expense of some gain. On the Last Adam it is switched on and off with a toggle switch.
What does the Feedback Loop mode do?
When engaged, Feedback Loop mode sends the pedal's signal back into itself, creating a wall of sonic texture. The reviewer described it as a thick, dirty sound wall that can be fed back over and over, with a blend knob setting how much looped signal mixes with the regular fuzz.
Is the Last Adam a one-off pedal?
Yes. According to Pedal of the Day, Will at Will Sledge FX made this one pedal, the only one of its kind, and the reviewer owned the lone version.
Is the Last Adam based on the RAT?
Yes. Pedal of the Day described the Last Adam as a vintage RAT clone with an added Feedback Loop. Its three knobs, Volume, Distortion and Filter, are similar to the RAT itself, and the LM308 chip it is named for is the same one used in RAT pedals.
Sources (6)
- Will Sledge FX Last Adam LM308 Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2015-03-26
- Walrus Audio Iron Horse V2 Distortion pedal, gearnews.com, 2017-06-22
- TC Electronic unleashes the Magus Pro high-gain distortion pedal, Guitar.com, 2021-05-07
- Guitar Pedal X, GuitarPedalX, 2024-08-30
- 10 New Gain Pedals You Need to Know About, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2022-03-03
- Iron Horse LM308 Distortion, Walrus Audio
