JHS Packrat Multi Mode Distortion Overdrive Fuzz Pedal

In 1978, the most versatile and influential distortion pedal of all time was invented in Kalamazoo, MI. Scott Burnham and Steve Kiraly first had the idea after playing, repairing and modifying all the available distortion pedals on the market. They wanted something that didn’t exist in the then mainstream throes of MXR, DOD and even BOSS’s product line; they wanted a pedal that could go from overdrive to distortion and then all the way to fuzz. By 1979 Scott had perfected the circuit in his RAT-infested basement workshop, and the rest is history. 

The PackRat is the ultimate tribute to the 40+ years of rodent evolution and its impact on the guitar’s sound. Artists from every genre have used the iconic tones in this unassuming black box to create their sounds, including Nirvana, John Schofield, Pink Floyd, Metallica, REM, the Eagles, Jeff Beck and Radiohead. 

Building on our Multi-Mode pedal series that includes the Muffuletta and Bonsai, the PackRat uses the same unique digital runway system to direct the paths of 261 components through 40 individual switches. This means that when you choose one of the nine legendary or rare modes, you are playing fully analog circuits that perfectly replicate that mode, even down to the aging components (also known as component drift). If you purchased these nine hard-to-find pedals on the used market right now, you would pay around $4,000.

THE PACKRAT MODES:

THE WORDS RAT, WHITE FACE, TURBO, BRAT, YOU DIRTY RAT, IBANEZ, LANDGRAFF, AND WAVE CANNON MAY BE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS. THE JHS PEDALS PACKRAT IS IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH OR ENDORSED BY PROCO, IBANEZ, OR LANDGRAFF.

1. THE OG (1979-83)

The OG mode is a perfect recreation of the first production RATs ever made. This era of roughly four years covers what is referred to historically as the V1 models. 

Early V1s are also known as the Fringe Logo model and can be identified by the letters R-A-T being in all capital letters with a slight fringe graphic coming from the typeface. The V1 also has small silver capped knobs and a Tone knob instead of the more familiar and later produced V2 Filter control labeling. From a circuitry standpoint, the V1 and V2 Big Box models are practically identical except that the V1's Tone control increases treble as you turn clockwise while the V2's Filter control decreases treble in that direction. 

When switching to the OG mode, you are activating the exact circuitry of my 1979 V1 Fringe Logo model, including the accurate Tone control rotation and taper. 

Let me take a moment here to clarify: the V1 and V2 models are the exact same circuit, and simple adjustments to the Tone/Filter control can achieve identical sounds from each unit.

I know that the super nerds are going to ask why we didn’t include a Bud Box mode. Basically, I’d consider the Bud Box RAT to be a V1, because it is almost identical other than having an input buffer as well as a couple of extra parts.

2. WHITE FACE V3 (1984-1986)

In 1984, the RAT transitioned into a smaller square enclosure with a new white rectangle logo. The word RAT was in all black caps inside the white rectangle; this model gained the “White Face” RAT nickname due to this aesthetic. In 1986, this same model had a logo change that simply inverted the white and black colors, resulting in the more familiar white rectangle outline and font on the black enclosure. 

This “White Face” model has gained a reputation as one of the holy grail RATs, and it even spawned a reissue in the nineties. The irony is that it is the same exact circuit as the previous Big Box V2 and the following “Black Face” 1986, as well as the 1989 RAT2. The “Wh