Wampler Ratsbane Distortion Pedal (Rats Bane)

Wampler Finally Delivers a Rodent-style Distortion Pedal Back in the 1980s, a certain rodent-based distortion pedal was ubiquitous — every hard rock guitarist worth their salt had one of these stompboxes parked in front of their amp. The Ratsbane is Wampler's interpretation of this much-loved circuit. Like the effects pedal that inspired it, the Ratsbane is incredibly flexible. Everything from subtle overdrive to metal-ready high gain and fuzz-filled anarchy is well within its capabilities. That said, true pedal aficionados know that Brian Wampler doesn't construct mere clones. Accordingly, his Ratsbane includes a 3-stage Gain switch and two voicing options, in addition to the expected Distortion, Volume, and Filter controls. What's more, the Ratsbane's TL071 op-amp delivers a sound much like a vintage LM308-based unit, but with a warmer lower-gain tone. The end result is a praiseworthy update of a timeless distortion stompbox that blues players, arena rockers, and metalheads alike

• 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.
• Turn the filter control 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.
• The Gain switch offers three distinct choices. In the middle gives you the “stock” gain for this pedal. 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.