The Pro Co "The RAT" is a distortion pedal produced by Pro Co Sound. The original RAT was developed in the basement of Pro Co's Kalamazoo, Michigan facility in 1978.^[1] Numerous variations of the original RAT pedal are still being produced today; it has become one of best selling guitar effects boxes of all time, with some retailers placing it in their top-ten most-sold pedals.^[2]

The pedal has changed in appearance over the years, but its tone has remained largely the same. Pro Co has also introduced variations of the RAT, including the Turbo RAT and the You Dirty RAT, among others.