A revved-up, rodent-based circuit proves wickedly versatile.
Great fundamental RAT-like tones with useful enhancements and interesting alternative gain and EQ profiles. Compact size.
Tiny toggles in proximity to knobs make some operations tricky.
$149
Wampler Ratsbane
wamplerpedals.com
Though it gets its due in boutique circles more frequently these days, the Pro Co RAT, for all its stature as a classic, still verges on unappreciated and underrated. Maybe the fact that you can still get a relatively decent new RAT 2 for 70 bucks has something to do with the lack of hype. That's cool—car nuts don't really get excited about ubiquitous and highly functional Toyota Corollas, either. But a good, basic RAT can be a source of everything from creaky, organic, and amp-ish overdrive to searing fuzz and wooly filtered distortion. And with its new mini-sized U.S.-built Ratsbane, Wampler expands that flexibility exponentially.
RATs in the Kitchen
Brian Wampler is clearly a dedicated student and master of pedal circuitry. You also get the feeling that he's a discerning listener. The evidence for that is ample in Ratsbane's additional voice and gain options, which cleverly fill holes in an original RAT's performance envelope. Many of these additions tend toward giving the Ratsbane more focused tonalities. But the Ratsbane's sensitive controls mean you can extract many variations of those extra tones that sound alive and rich with character.
Fender Telecaster via Wampler Ratsbane into black panel Fender Tremolux and Universal Audio OX (with black panel Deluxe 12-inch cabinet sim) and Universal Audio Apollo Twin, UA "Galaxy Echo" (Space Echo emulation) and UA Luna.
If you've ever used a RAT for more than five minutes, you'll recognize the Ratsbane's core controls. There's a master output volume, a gain knob (labeled distortion), and the low-pass filter, which, to my ear, is the key to the original RAT's multi-faceted personality. Wampler's additions to this formula look simple, but they are transformative. The small left toggle shifts the Ratsbane's gain profile. In the center, the Ratsbane assumes the gain characteristics of a vintage RAT: dry, mid-forward, but full bodied and chock full of overtone detail. To the left, the distortion is more focused: heavier on the mids and top end. It can sound a lot like bumping the presence on a Marshall, though some filter settings can render it quite nasal—no bad thing when you're trying to find a slot in a busy mix. In the right position, the Wampler re-introduces low-end and a gain boost. It lends body to lyrical and more languid soloing, though power chord riffing can sound a little more muddled.
No Tone Traps Here
The Ratsbane's alternate voice switch isn't, as you might suspect, a take on another vintage RAT incarnation like the Turbo RAT. Instead, Wampler introduces his own tailored EQ formula that gives the alternate voice a more compressed and focused output with fewer of the messier and somewhat random peaks and fractured overtones that the Ratsbane's fuzzier side can produce.
It's also a highly cooperative and cordial stacking partner for fuzzes and other distortions.
While the Ratsbane is versatile and well-rounded enough to serve as your only gain pedal, it's also a highly cooperative and cordial stacking partner for fuzzes and other distortions. At cleaner settings, it adds focus and clarity to muddy or octave-rich fuzz like Shin-ei FY-2 clones and Russian Big Muffs (particularly when situated in front of a fuzz). And experimentation with the alternate gain and voice profiles will extract copious additional fuzz, distortion, and overdrive flavors from whatever you place downstream. The Ratsbane may not be as flexible as an EQ paired with a fuzz for whittling precise tone profiles, but the wide range of subtle-to-extreme shading it contributes from five simple controls sometimes makes it feel pretty close.
The Verdict
Wampler's Ratsbane does great service to the RAT's legacy, underscoring its flexibility, personality, and potency. But the additional features truly enhance the already abundant character in the basic circuit. Its small size and stacking-friendly nature make it an easy fit for any pedalboard in sonic and spatial terms. The quality is top notch. And, at just 149 bucks, it delivers a boatload of tones for the price.
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Jackson's new Pro Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut guitars, including the HT6 and ET6 models, are designed for classic and progressive metal players. Featuring premium construction, innovative pickups, and advanced bridge options, these guitars deliver the modern sound and performance needed to ignite your tone. Visit jacksonguitars.com for more information.
Jackson is once again partnering with Misha Mansoor to release three new signature guitars, The Pro Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT6 in Red Crystaland Blue Sparkle and The Pro Plus Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut ET6 in Riviera Blue. Developed in close partnership with Misha, these Juggernaut metal guitars are built to withstand the demands of Misha’s steadfast and fleet-fingered technique. Perfect for both classic and progressive metal players, these guitars deliver the modern sound that every shredder needs to ignite their tone.
“This refresh came about because every few years we want to see what we can do…these guitars travel around the world and they need to be road ready,” said Misha Mansoor on his new signature guitars.“It’s a no-nonsense guitar that looks good, sounds good, and plays good.”
Djent forefather, Misha Mansoor, has gained widespread acclaim as the mastermind behind the axe-centric progressive metal band Periphery. Based in Washington D.C., Periphery is renowned for pushing the limits of progressive metal, using detuned, extended-range instruments to craft a sound that is both technically complex and unapologetically heavy. Misha Mansoor, guitarist and producer, co-founded the band in 2005. With the same precision and innovation that defines Misha's playing, the Juggernautsignature gives players the power to transform their sound.
The premium Juggernaut models feature a 25.5” scale length, poplar body, and bolt-on caramelized maple neck with graphite reinforcement, wrap-around heel, and oiled back finish for greater playing comfort. With a 20” flat radius ebony fingerboard that features rolled edges, fans can enjoy blazing fast leads. These models feature 24 jumbo stainless steel frets and offset dot inlays. Lastly, the Luminlay side-dots will guide the guitarist's path even on the darkest of stages, while the heel-mount truss rod adjustment wheel allows for convenient neck relief tweaks.
Misha worked closely, as he did with past models, to develop the exceptional uncovered direct-mount Jackson MM1 pickups. Unwilling to sacrifice tone, these pickups can be shaped with a five-way blade switch, single volume control, and a single tone control with push/pull feature that allows for players to engage or disengage tone options. Designed for articulate heavy picking, the humbuckers deliver a well-balanced sonic range with rich dynamics, intentionally left uncovered to enhance brightness and clarity.
The Pro Plus Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut ET6 comes equipped with an EverTune F6Model bridge, engineered to maintain perfect tuning and intonation across the entire neck, even with low tunings. Its counterpart, the Pro Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT6, features a string-through-body hardtail bridge that delivers enhanced sustain, rock-solid tuning stability, and simplified string changes. Both bridges are built to withstand intense playing conditions, providing the unwavering stability essential for Misha's signature heavy metal style.
“We’re beyond thrilled to be partnering with Misha Mansoor on his latest signature guitar collection. His innovation and vision perfectly align with our passion for pushing the boundaries of tone and design, ”said Jon Romanowski, VP of Product of Jackson Guitars. “This collaboration reinforces Jackson’scommitment of providing for players who demand nothing but the best.”
For more information, please visit jacksonguitars.com.
Introducing The Pro Plus Series Misha Mansoor 6-String Juggernauts | Jackson Guitars - YouTube
Matteo Mancuso's first headline national tour of North America includes stops in major cities such as Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, and Denver, showcasing his unique talent and original sound. Don't miss the opportunity to witness this rising guitar virtuoso live in concert.
Matteo Mancuso has announced his first headline national tour of North America. The itinerary brings Mancuso coast to coast in the US, and into Canada for several annual marquee events. The tour begins on May 20 at Boston’s City Winery and wraps on June 30 at Le Festival International de Jazz de Montreal. With the on-sale being staggered, please check local box offices for on-sale details market to market.
Mancuso hails from Sicily, nestled in the Mediterranean Sea to the South of Italy. The island has always had a rich cultural heritage, from poets, writers, philosophers, and architects to painters and musicians. Born in 1996 and raised just outside the capital Palermo, the pedigree runs deep in the veins of those from the region. Had his family relocated to the US, he might be the best-kept secret in the lineage of great Italian-American players like Zappa, Vai, Satriani, Di Meola, Petrucci, and Gambale.
During the 1970s, his father, Vincenzo Mancuso, made a name for himself as a gifted session player on the domestic scene, and the young Matteo looked up to him as a primary source of inspiration. While still in high school (music), he picked up classical guitar and transverse flute. It didn't take long for everyone to understand that a child prodigy was blooming.
At the age of 12, Matteo took his first steps onto the stage at a local jazz festival. Since then, his acquaintance with live performances has seen him blossom and develop through various line-ups and collaborations with the finest local musicians, including a duo with his father, where they explore the complexities of Django Reinhart's repertoire and contemporary jazz classics.
As a multi-faceted player, either classical or electric, what is astounding is his one-of-a-kind technique and use of his fingers instead of regular picking. With an impressive tone, original sound, and humble demeanor, you have the guitarist no one has ever seen and whose talent puts him in a different league. Many of the world's most iconic, ground-breaking, and legendary players are declaring Matteo as a force to be reckoned with, from Joe Bonamassa and Steve Vaito Al Di Meola.
In 2019, Yamaha Guitars became the official endorser of his appearance at the NAMM show in Los Angeles. He was invited as a judge on the panel for the "Young Guitar Festival" in Bangkok and a masterclass tour in Russia – calling through Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Perm. In 2020, Matteo put together a new trio and began developing his solo work, pushing his compositional boundaries and original material. When the pandemic brought the world to a standstill like many, Matteo experienced difficulties as it took a significant toll on the music industry, like many others. In 2021, as soon as live gigs became possible, he hit the road as part of the new trio, culminating in two exhilarating sold-out nights at the Blue Note in Milano. The name Matteo Mancuso was beginning to reach the ears of the most prominent people in the industry and those in the know. Offers came up from the north to the deep south.
In 2022 he played at the Bremen International Festival at the Auditorium Parco Della Musica in Rome. After a short break in June last year to graduate in jazz guitar from the PalermoConservatory of Music with honors and honorable mention, he resumed touring. He shared the stage with Al Di Meola on classical guitar on the closing night of the Eddie Lang Jazz Festival and played at the Lugano Jazz Festival in Switzerland, as a guest with prog-rockers PFM and an incredible performance at the New Ross Guitar Festival in Ireland. He appeared in a major prime-time slot on Italy's national Rai TV, at the Uppsala Jazz Festival in Sweden. Finally, he rounded off the year at the Spoleto Jazz Festival back in Italy.
His debut titled The Journey features nine original songs which were recorded at Fico d'IndiaStudios Casteldaccia, Sicily, by his father, Vincenzo Mancuso – a gifted player who also played on the record and co-wrote two songs, "Polifemo" and "Blues For John." The album also features Stefano India (Bass) and Guiseppe Bruno (Drums), with additional musicians Riccardo Oliva(Bass), Gianluca Pellerito (drums,) and Guiseppe Vasapolli (Piano/Organ).
Mancuso began writing songs for the album around 2020. "I didn't really have a specific concept behind the album, but I wanted to do something that wasn't associated with only one genre, so there are some rock-oriented songs like Drop D and some modern Jazz tunes like Polifemo," he says."Drop D" was one of the first songs written for the album, which pays tribute to his teens' hard rock and prog influences such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and Dream Theater. "It is a mix of typical rock and prog elements and one of the most fun songs to play live," he says.
In front of the album’s release, he shared, "I just want people to hear it," he enthuses. "Music has always been my favorite form of communication, and the thing I love about instrumental music is that there isn't a language barrier. I'm sure that people who don't usually listen to instrumental music can find something interesting from this album."
Mancuso has become one of the hottest guitarists on the planet following the release of his debut album in 2023, The Journey, which featured the singles "Samba Party," which channels the excitement and jubilation of Rio de Janeiro during carnival – but the song itself is anything but samba. Also, "Silk Road, which was dedicated to his hometown Palermo and his Arab-Norman roots and was the follow-up to the album's lead single "Drop D,"
The YouTube sensation has already adorned the front cover of magazines such as GuitarTechniques, which called him "The Hottest Guitarist on the Planet ", and Total Guitar, which hailed him as the "World's Hottest Virtuoso." He has picked up plaudits from some of the world's most iconic, ground-breaking players who are declaring Matteo as a force to be reckoned with, from Joe Bonamassa and Steve Vai to Al Di Meola. They share:
"The evolution of guitar is firmly secure in the hands of these kind of players... it's just a new level, the tone, the touch, the notes!" - Steve Vai
"An absolute talent; his improvisational ability is light years ahead. It would take two or three lifetimes. It was like when Jacko (Pastorius) came on the scene...how did he get so good and so fast?" - Al Di Meola
"All the kids are talking about it, and I blanked when answering who my new favorite guitarist is... here he is, Matteo Mancuso. I have not seen anyone reinvent like this since Stanley Jordan" - Joe Bonamassa
For more information, please visit matteomancuso.net.
Confirmed Appearances Include:
- 5/20 Boston, MA City Winery Boston
- 5/21 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl
- 5/22 Ardmore, PA The Ardmore Music Hall
- 5/23 Red Bank, NJ The Vogel
- 5/24 Washington, DC The Hamilton Live
- 5/25 Cumberland, MD Allegany County Fairgrounds
- 5/27 Pittsburgh, PA City Winery Pittsburgh
- 5/28 Lansing, MI Grewal Hall at 224
- 5/29 Ferndale, MI The Magic Bag
- 5/31 Cincinnati, OH The Ludlow Garage
- 6/01 Kent, OH The Kent Stage
- 6/02 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
- 6/04 Minneapolis, MN The Dakota
- 6/05 Milwaukee, WI Vivarium
- 6/06 Chicago, IL Garcia’s
- 6/07 Chicago, IL Garcia’s
- 6/10 Denver, CO Cervantes’ Other Side
- 6/13 Sante Fe, NM The Bridge at Sante Fe Brewing
- 6/14 Phoenix, AZ MIM
- 6/15 Tucson, AZ The Rialto Theatre
- 6/16 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
- 6/17 Highland Park, CA Lodge Room
- 6/18 San Juan Capistrano, CA The Coach House
- 6/20 Berkeley, CA The UC Theatre
- 6/22 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
- 6/23 Seattle, WA Neptune Theatre
- 6/24 Vancouver, BC Rickshaw
- 6/25 Victoria, BC Wicket Hall
- 6/28 Syracuse, NY Syracuse Jazz Fest
- 6/29 Buffalo, NY Electric City
- 6/30 Montreal, QC Le Festival International de Jazz de Montreal
In this episode of 100 Guitarists, we’re talking all things surf rock, from reverb to tremolo picking and much more. And while “Misirlou” is undisputedly his most influential work, maybe Dale’s best records didn’t come until a few decades later.
“All the kids in all L.A. / Come to hear Dick Dale play,” or so goes the title track from Dick Dale’s Wrecking Crew-heavy 1963 album, King of the Surf Guitar. Immodest though it might seem to proclaim such a status, he was indeed at the top of the heap.
For many, Dale’s legend precedes him. His sound, first heard in a So Cal beach ballroom, created the surf guitar vocabulary and transformed the guitar universe, starting with the 1962 release of his take on the traditional song “Misirlou.” Ever the showman, he worked closely with Leo Fender developing the right gear for the gig as he played his ripping instrumentals to larger and larger audiences. He also inspired a Hendrix lyric and had a late-career renaissance thanks to Quentin Tarantino.
In this episode of 100 Guitarists, we’re talking all things surf rock, from reverb to tremolo picking and much more. And while “Misirlou” is undisputedly his most influential work, maybe Dale’s best records didn’t come until a few decades later.
This episode is sponsored byTraveler Guitar.
Tetrarch, from left: Ryan Lerner, Diamond Rowe, Josh Fore, and Ruben Limas.
The heavy quartet, led by shredders Diamond Rowe and Josh Fore, returns with a second full-length that advances the nu-metal revival.
In ancient Rome, a tetrarch was one of four joint governors in one of four divisions in a country or province. Tetrarchy, as opposed to monarchy, represents shared governance. If there is any question as to which contemporary band can rule the borders and expand the boundaries of nu metal 25 years after its initial peak, Georgia’s Tetrarch might just hold the answer. Their latest release, The Ugly Side of Me, forms a uniquely unified musical front from four individuals who honor nu metal’s foundations with colossal choruses and maniacal guitar riffs, while also infusing the source material with post-modern industrial aggression and a healthy dose of socially conscious lyrical honesty. The Ugly Side of Meis a creative tour de force that should affirm Tetrarch’s status as one of nu metal’s most potent contemporaries, particularly among the genre’s faithful constituents.
Tetrarch was formed in Atlanta in 2007 by lead guitarist Diamond Rowe and lead vocalist/guitarist Josh Fore. As of 2025, the band is rounded out by bassist Ryan “Doom” Lerner and drummer Ruben Limas. Rowe and Fore initially played traditional metalcore before making a notable shift towards a more melodic sound on their independently released 2017 debut, Freak. Blending elements of nu metal and thrash, along with their metalcore influences, they honed in on a distinct sonic amalgamation and style, combining their signature creepy sounding guitar motifs with bone-crushing rhythms, melodic vocal melodies, and sub hooks.Unstable, released in 2021, drew greater comparisons to nu-metal progenitors like Slipknot and Korn, further entrenching Tetrarch within the hierarchy of that lineage.
Tetrarch’s third album, The Ugly Side of Me, features massive, needle-sharp production co-helmed by renowned producer Dave Otero, along with Rowe and Fore, and boasts a deftly executed combination of unrelenting brutality and undeniable charisma. The ’90s-industrial-infused single “Live Not Fantasize” is a real banger, featuring intense electronic flourishes, fast riffs, and Rowe’s dynamic, tantalizing guitar solos. An anthemic second single, “Never Again (Parasite),” balances monstrous grooves and massive atmosphere with incisive lyrics about facing our own darkest criticisms. The hypnotizing, metallic “Anything Like Myself” opens the album, while “Best of Luck” highlights the rhythmically nuanced interplay between Lerner and Limas.
YouTube It
Lead shredder Diamond Rowe takes the spotlight for a playalong to “Live Not Fantastize,” the first single off of Tetrarch’s new record.
Rowe and Fore have known each other since they were about 11 or 12, so it’s no surprise that they are musically so intimately compatible and completely in sync. “I feel like our playing styles melded into each other because we developed together,” explains Rowe. “We learned how to be in a band, how to play music, how to play shows, and how to play guitar together. When you’ve been playing and practicing with someone for so long, you just lock in, and our playing styles really complement each other. It was a natural progression.” Fore says that they would go to the library after school and instead of doing homework, they would play guitar. “We would print off books’ worth of guitar tabs and learn songs together,” he recalls. They’d also go to Guitar Center and “turn amps up way too loud and play for hours”–likely to the annoyance of the employees, he chuckles.
When it comes to their respective assignments within the band, Rowe plays more of the leads and single-note phrases while Fore, who is also the band’s frontman, plays more rhythm. “It’s very much rhythm and lead player roles,” affirms Rowe. “On choruses when Josh is playing big fat chords, I’ll play octaves or some melody lines, or on verses, if he’s playing some rhythm riff, I’ll do some weird creepy lead.” If it’s a riff-oriented rhythm part, they sometimes match up on those, but even then, Rowe often adds some kind of texture on top.
Fore and Rowe combine to create the band’s creative spark, and handle the bulk of the writing for new songs. For The Ugly Side of Me, they demoed material via their individual Pro Tools rigs and emailed files back and forth before jamming with the rest of the band. “Typically, it will start with me or Diamond coming up with a guitar riff,” explains Fore. “Sometimes one of us will come with a whole skeleton of a song and we’ll get in the room together and take it from there. Every song has its own way of coming together, but me and Diamond usually see it through.”
Tetrarch’s third album cements them as flagbearers of the new nu.
Diamond Rowe’s Gear
Guitars
- Jackson Signature Diamond Rowe Monarkh w/EverTune bridge
- Jackson American Series Soloist
Amps
- EVH 5150III EL34 100-watt head
- EVH 4x12
- EVH 5150III 50-watt head (for backup)
Effects
- Boss CH-1 Super Chorus
- Boss DD-7 Digital Delay
- Boss ES-8 Effects Switching System
- Boss RC-1 Loop Station
- Boss RV-6 Reverb
- DigiTech Whammy 5 Pitch Shift
- Dunlop KH95 Kirk Hammett Signature Cry Baby Wah
- Dunlop Volume (X) Mini
- Electro-Harmonix Small Stone Analog Phase Shifter
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
- ISP Decimator G String X Noise Reduction
- MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
- Strymon blueSky V2
- Two notes Torpedo C.A.B. M+
Strings & Picks
- Ernie Ball Beefy Slinky (.011–.054)
- Ernie Ball Skinny Top Beefy Bottom (.010–.054)
- Dunlop Jazz III black 1.38 mm
- Dunlop Jazz III black 1.35 mm
Josh Fore’s Gear
Guitars
- ESP E-II Eclipse
- ESP LTD EC-01FT
- ESP LTD AA-1 Alan Ashby Signature
- ESP LTD Eclipse
Amps
- EVH 5150III Stealth 100-watt head
- EVH 4x12
Effects
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
- ISP Decimator G String X Noise Reduction
Strings & Picks
- Ernie Ball Mammoth Slinky (.012–.062)
- InTuneGP GrippX 1.0 mm
For tracking, the guitarists mainly rely on plugins, “Mostly because of how easily you can change things on the fly,” explains Fore. For the new album, they leaned heavily on the Archetype: Gojira X by Neural DSP. The final product, what you hear on The Ugly Side of Me, was re-amped through the EVH 5150III. There’s no ego when they’re in the studio, so the decision of who plays which parts is simply a matter of who executes them the best. “Diamond will play some riffs, I will play some riffs,” says Fore. “We just swap the guitar back and forth. We’re like, ‘What’s the most efficient way? Who sounds better on this part?’ We just go with where the session takes us and try to get the best sounds and performances.”
The eerie signature sonic element that runs throughout all Tetrarch albums courtesy of Rowe’s inventive guitar-effects palette has helped establish the band’s identity. “When we first found it, Josh and I were playing around with POD Farm on the computer and it was just a sine wave chorus that nobody makes in a pedal,” recalls Rowe. “We were writing the song ‘Freak’ and looking for a weird sounding tone, and then it literally became a staple of our sound. For this album, we were like, ‘Alright, we’re not going to use that tone very much.’ We literally said that before making this record and yet here we are [laughter].”
As for their newfound status as the torchbearers of nu metal, Rowe says it’s not the label that matters most. “People could call us ‘progressive country metal,’ but what’s important is we’re writing the music that we really enjoy,” she attests. “Some of my favorite bands are Linkin Park, Slipknot, Disturbed, and Korn, but when I started playing guitar, Metallica was my all-time favorite band. And then, Zakk Wylde, Pantera, and Trivium—all of that was in there too, so I wouldn’t say nu metal was the only thing that I listened to, but it was a huge part of what I listened to.” Fore concludes with a similar sentiment: “People are going to perceive us how they’re going to perceive us. If they want to call us nu metal, then hell yeah, that sounds great.”