Rat Distortion / ProCo Teases Lil' Rat Mini Edition
Actually more correctly - one of the dealers has announced a diminutive version of the Rat 2 pedal - containing the exact same circuit - with the now usual OP07DP opamp chip in place. I’ve been waiting for the Rat Distortion Website / Webstore or Instagram Page even to publish the final details - but those have still to materialise.
We know near enough everything we need to - courtesy of a YouTube demo by ACT Lighting - as below. The unit Is only 2 inches / 51mm wide - which is still wider than your typical mini pedal - which is around 38/39mm wide in comparison. I do though quite like this new iteration - apart from those obviously cheap knobs - with are even lacking indicator markers. Rat Distortion could easily have provided very slightly nicer knobs - which actually work as intended. Those default knobs tend to cheapen the whole affair.
Interestingly the RRP on a Rat 2 is $99.99, while Sweetwater pricing has it at $69.99. I would assume the mini version would have an RRP of around $69.99 - with a street price probably somewhat closer to $50.
It’s not like there’s a shortage of mini Rat pedals anyway - BYOC makes a decent one, as does Mooer, a dozen other Chinese manufacturers and a fair few boutique builders. My mini Rat of choice would probably still be Dave ’Pickdropper’ Friesema’s 4-knob version - also with Turbo / RED Led clipping switch on the side.
Obviously there is a range of prices and quality out there and I’m sure this Lil’ Rat will be a success. I would only get one though if they changed up the knobs! I’m really not a fan of those raw plastic stalks as such - please consider putting some sort of proper knobs on this unit!
What about you dear readers - does this new version hold any appeal for your good selves?
