Wampler Pedals Ratsbane Distortion

The RAT. In all its forms and iterations, it has remained one of the most popular distortion circuits in the world for more than 40 years, with many companies tweaking and trying their hand at improving it. We’ve got one of the best throwing their hat in the ring today, as we bring you the Wampler Pedals Ratsbane Distortion. Small in size but big in stature, this mini effect brings all the thunder of the original Rat sound, with a couple of modern, tone-enhancing options on board…

The full, dynamic range, and sheer sonic force of this circuit is what makes the Ratsbane a true king amongst distortion pedals. Turn the Distortion control all the way down for a deep but powerful gain booster. Crank it up and you will find rich harmonic overtones and a throaty, fuzz-like distortion. The “secret sauce” for this circuit has always been the Filter control. Turn it counter-clockwise to cut straight through the mix with precision and high-frequency attack that lets your tone soar with absolute clarity. Turn it clockwise to filter the top end, for a warm, buttery, yet clear tone. This natural full-range distortion, mixed with its unique filter control, delivers a classic cranked tube-amp sound that crosses genres and generations of music.

In typical Wampler fashion, Brian improved the circuit’s flexibility by adding two new switches. The Gain switch offers three distinct choices. In the middle gives you the “stock” gain for this pedal. Flick it either right or left for 2 additional turbocharged gain stages you can play with. The left position offers a firm, yet smooth boost in gain, whereas the right delivers an insane level of creamy distortion. The Voice switch subtly alters the compression and clipping of this pedal. It tightens the distortion to be more manageable with greater levels of gain, while rolling back some of the fuzz qualities, to deliver a modern, high gain distortion.

Small. Bold. Dirty. Expressive. Nasty. Beautiful. The Ratsbane Distortion encompasses all of these, and more, bringing a new vitality to a classic sound. There are tones aplenty here, and they just get better as they get heavier. Thanks to Brian and all at Wampler Pedals for sending this little gem our way – be sure to check out their website for a HUGE lineup of incredible effects…but first, be sure to see and hear the Ratsbane in action as we deep dive in and see what sounds are available in our demo video below and on our YouTube channel! Cheers!

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