Since the beginning of time, there has been no instrument created that has the ability to convey more emotional response than the electric guitar. A guitar player is able to reach into his or her soul and express every sentiment and passion known to man through the vast array of tonal options available. Early on, these options were limited to string gauge, pickups, amplifiers, and unique properties of the wood used in construction. Today, these options have been greatly expanded through the use of rack mount effects and stomp boxes.

When it comes to stompboxes, overdrive and distortion pedals have always been very popular favorites. No longer do you need to turn your amplifier up to an ear splitting levels to achieve a driven tube sound, or heavy clipping distortion. Many great guitar players have based their signature sounds on the type of distortion they use.

For over 30 years, ProCo Sound has been giving guitar players the tools they need to allow their guitar solos to fly high above the rest. Many players have defined their tone and style using RAT pedals as an important element of their guitar rig. As technology has moved forward, so has ProCo Sound. At the 2006 Winter NAMM show, ProCo introduced a brand new pedal called the "SOLO", and I have been given the extreme honor to be the first to take it for a spin.

The "SOLO" by ProCo Sound



First off, the "SOLO" is not a "RAT" Pedal, but rather the first of a new generation of effects pedals from ProCo Sound. While "RAT" pedals have been a staple of the guitar industry for decades, Charlie Wicks and his crew set out to create something new and revolutionary. In this quest, the "SOLO" breaks with some of the time honored traditions of their previous pedals. As you can see from the picture, the SOLO has the added the cosmetic element of a colored face plate in contrast to the popular black stompboxes we have come to know from ProCo. This is only the beginning, and it just gets better from here.

Housed in the same super structure, the steel enclosure that has become a trademark of ProCo pedals, the SOLO is built to withstand the most demanding rigors of the road. While it also features the standard "distortion", "filter", and "volume" knobs of the other distortion pedals in their line, all similarities end there. Two of the most notable changes are:


Asymmetrical Clipping – Three switchable selectable levels allow you to adapt your sound from a low wattage vintage tube amp effect, to a modern high wattage, high gain head unit. These settings are marked as "HOT", "MELT", and "BURN". This is equivalent of having three different distortion pedals in one. These are accessed via the three way switchblade on the top of the unit. ProCo also suggests using the lowest setting to lower the overall volume of the pedal without losing any of the distortion.

Scoop – This allows you to select the amount of mid range frequencies that you would like to remove. Used in concert with the tone control, you have an extremely wide and diverse tonal pallet from which to choose. It is much like having the mid range control of a parametric equalizer at your fingertips.



ProCo has also opted to retain analog circuitry over digital. Analog circuits have long been thought of as having greater warmth and a more lively sound than their digital counterparts. Based on my tests, I think this was a very good decision on their part.

The SOLO runs on a 9 volt battery or with the optional AC power adapter (not included). Like all ProCo effects, the battery compartment is easily accessible via a thumbscrew with no tools required.

Sound Test

I tested the SOLO on various guitars with different pickup configurations. As you may already know, single coil pickups give a brighter biting character while humbuckers add a darker and fatter attitude to the sound. The SOLO gave fantastic results in both instances. The Scoop control quickly became one of my favorite functions. It really allows you to add blistering textures to your sound. I found that I could create a blunt, sledgehammer type feel or give the tone a razor's edge depending on what I was looking for and which song I was playing. I found that I was able to achieve great sounds for anything from blues and country, to classic and hard rock. The variations you can achieve make this a very flexible pedal indeed.

One of my favorite aspects of this pedal was the way it allowed my personal playing dynamics to come though. When playing aggressively, the "SOLO" absolutely screams, but when you back off on your string attack, it mellows right out. This is very similar to the natural effect of driving a tube amplifier but now you can obtain this phenomenon at lower volume levels - which is a blessing if you intend on recording or play through a PA at relatively low stage volumes. In today’s music world, this kind of versatility is an essential element to a player’s style.

I choose guitars based on their unique tonal elements. I have found that many distortion effects pedals actually bury the guitar's natural properties thus making every guitar sound alike. I loved the fact that the SOLO allows the guitars natural tonal characteristics to shine through. I like to use different guitars for various situations, and now I am able to use one pedal and reap the distinctive benefits of the guitar I choose.

The biggest asset I have found with ProCo stompboxes is the ability to go from a warm slightly overdriven sound to nuclear distortion with the turn of a knob. The SOLO is no exception to the rule, and in fact I find it to be even more versatile in this area than any pedal that has come before it. You can squeeze enough hard driving distortion out of the SOLO to please your peers and offend your parents at the same time. This is certainly NOT your Daddy’s distortion stompbox!

Closing Thoughts

I have been a fan of ProCo’s products since I first used their "Guardian" guitar cables. As we moved into reviewing their whole line of Rat pedals, I have continued to gain respect for their commitment to quality, and building products that do exactly what they say they do.

If you are looking to add something different, maybe just a little edge to your sound, or you are looking to awe your crowds with ear blistering distortion, you owe it to yourself to take a "SOLO" flight. ProCo Sound has come through yet again with a pedal that truly deserves the Guitar Gear Heads "Rig Ready" award for 2006. I tip my hat to Charlie Wicks and the crew at ProCo Sound.



Gary Allen

Copyright © 2006 Allen & Halberg Publishing, Inc.
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Guitar Gear Heads is a Division of Allen & Halberg Publishing, Inc.