Electro-Harmonix Flatiron Fuzz

The Origins of The Flatiron Fuzz

For as long as they’ve been around, Electro-Harmonix have been responsible for some pretty incredible fuzz pedals. From the iconic Big Muff and its many variations to less known, but still worthwhile, pedals like the OD Glove, this company have more than proved their tenure when it comes to classic fuzz effects.
But Electro-Harmonix aren’t the only players in town.
One of the longest-running, and most successful sources of competition for the Big Muff over the years has been the ProCo RAT. Despite their many differences, both pedals played an instrumental role in shaping what a fuzz sound could be, and both have been copied time and time again.
In a way, it was only a matter of time until Electro-Harmonix tried their hand at a RAT clone. Sooner or later, the Flatiron Fuzz was destined to be made.

A Classic Fuzz Pedal

Now we’re not going to beat about the bush any further here: the Flatiron is an op-amp-powered RAT clone from EHX. More specifically, it’s their take on the RAT 2.
It’s a simple, symmetrical fuzz/distortion, with a standard three-knob layout. Volume and drive are pretty self-explanatory, but if you’ve not spent much time with a ProCo RAT, then the filter knob might be something new to you. Essentially, it acts as a low-pass filter, prioritising low-end frequencies and attenuating higher ones.

A RAT Clone or Something More?

So how does the Flatiron Fuzz hold up against the RAT?
Well, that’s a pretty controversial question.
On the one hand, the Flatiron is a pretty great fuzz and we wouldn’t want to knock it. That being said, it’d be almost sacrilegious to side with the RAT clone over the original.
All this to say that, while we could weigh in with a decision here, as far as we’re concerned, we don’t need to. Sound doesn’t lie, and that’s why here on Tonepedia, you can hear both pedals side by side. Give them both a listen and decide for yourself which is the best.
And if you do prefer the Flatiron, then don’t worry – we won’t tell anyone!