Visual Sound Route 66

This is an update on a post I already made about this great sounding pedal. I don't normally do this but I felt the need to say something about Visual Sound's customer service. It is truly amazing. I had a problem with the overdrive side of my pedal cutting out and at first I thought it was because on my bass boost switch. I emailed them about it and I got a prompt reply. Dana Weaver was very nice and she offered to send me another one right away. Less than a week later I got it and installed it and it turned out that wasn't the problem. I emailed her again and again she was very nice and helpful. I finally figured out that it was the footswitch and again I emailed Dana to tell her and she said she would send me a new one. Not only that I happened to mention that I also owned a Visual Sound Angry Fuzz and I was wondering if they happened to have t-shirts. Guess what? She totally sent me a free t-shirt as well. Customer service like that ensures I will keep buying Visual Sound products for a long time.

This pedal is very easy to use. I like the bass boost switch on the overdrive side which lets me taylor the effect for either the bridge pickup (with the boost on) or the neck pickup (with the boost off). The compressor is also easy to use, and both sides work great together.

I have used the 1st and 2nd versions of this pedal (not the V2) and I like both of them a lot, though the second version is a little better - has a bit more "gain" on the volume potentiometer. I can get very good "Clapton bluesbreaker" type sounds with the bass boost on using the bridge pickup (humbucking pickup), and nice fat bluesy sounds with the bass boost off using the neck pickup. It is a great pedal (the 2nd version gets a 10 and the first version maybe a 9).

No problems with reliability, though I haven't subjected it to abuse, so this is hypothetical to some extent.

Great customer service! They got me some parts (a battery cover and some rubber feet) which had been missing when I bought the pedal (used), and were very pleasant people to talk to. They seemed to appreciate getting customer feedback about their products (including some critical comments). All in all, great customer service.

I just like this pedal a lot - the combination of compressor and overdrive is very useful to have, and I can get the sounds I am looking for (mostly moderately overdriven sounds - blues, etc., with a bit of compression). I would definitely get another pedal 9the same kind) if mine were lost or stolen.

I have the V2 version which is the latest. This latest version includes all the upgrades that Keley would perform which lowered the noise level quite a bit compared to the one I had before. Very easy to use. It was a plug and play to get great sound. The manual shows you where to dial it in for certain styles. It nails the TS-8 sound and then some. The tone is incredible and it is very quite. Loves single coils.

Use a Fender Deluxe Tube Amp and many variations of a Strat. The new version is very quite. What is most striking to me is how much less hiss the compressor side has. They really did a great job at making that the best compressor I have. If you want SRV it is there all day. I can pull some Hendrix out with no problem. With the Fender Amp, forget about trying to nail Metal.

Built like a tank. It is supposed to be built for 20,000 stomps or more.

I did purchase another pedal from them off of ebay. They sell some of their refurbished pedals there. Great to deal with. Very friendly.

I play blues, rock (Hendrix to STP)and anything that catches my ear. This pedal is perfect for early rock and all blues. If you are looking at a TS-808 pedal (everyone seems to have the chip now), this is the best. I have several other brands and this newest version of Route 66 is so much better. I am selling the others as a matter of fact and this will become by main pedal. The compressor is outstanding. It is true bypass. I also just use the compressor with other pedals and it is outstanding as a stand alone. If you want a simple rig, this all in one is so great in front of a tube amp.

Fairly easy to use. works the same as most overdrive/distortion pedals. needs a fair amount tweaking going between humbuckers and single coils though (fair enough really)

really good. i used the distortion side for a nice blues crunch sound, and kicked in the compressor for a bigger, sustaining lead tone. sounds mint.

in a word, terrible. ive had this pedal for about 2 years and i have had everything go wrong with it that possibly could, and all just after the warranty ran out. the LED lights flickered on and off, the overdrive side cut in and out, when the pedal was moved or knocked slightly whilst on it would emit a brain alteringly loud screech. after paying a fortune to get this repaired, the compression side now seems to lose about half its signal when i kick it in.
going on what the other reviews say, i must have just got the dud one made on friday at 4.45, but its still irritating, especially when you're a music student and cant pay for pedal repairs!!

Fantastic sound, unfortunatly its inability to stay functional has left me somewhat suicidal.
go for the route 66 Version 2. apparently, they have the same sound but with most of the design kinks fixed up!

I found that I got very usable sounds out of this right out of the box and just after plugging it in. I got very good sounds out of this pedal after just a bit of twiddling the knobs. Unlike other compressor pedals I've had I was able to get the tone I was looking for almost immediately . The manual also gives you some examples to get you started.

The Route 66 says it's two pedals in one but actually it's 3 pedals in one. The compressor, the overdrive and also a clean boost. I'll start with the compressor. It is very transparent and does not color your tone unlike the MXR Dynacomp. Which I found to be more of an overdrive than a compressor. Pete Townshend once used one for that very purpose. I also found it to be a lot easier to use and get a good sound out of it unlike the Boss CS-3. There is some hiss the more you have the sustain knob turned up but the sustain is great. The clean boost is very transparent. Not quite as warm as my MXR Micro Amp but still very usable. The overdrive is Tubescreamer all the way. I have a TS-9 which I modded to TS-808 specs and when I A/B'd them side by side they sound almost exactly alike. In my opinion the Ibanez Tubescreamer is exactly what an overdrive pedal should sound like. It is the yardstick to which all other overdrive pedals are measured by. The Route 66 has done a great job of nailing that tone and with the added compressor it gives you one thing the Tubescreamer somewhat lacks and that's sustain. The bass boost is a nice feature to give more of a full sound but I found the tone switch to be completely unusable and it muddied up my tone.

This pedal has a very smart design and seems very solidly built. I wouldn't worry about gigging without a backup. Does anyone actually go around with 2 of every pedal when they gig?

Haven't had to deal with them so I couldn't say.

I'm very happy with this pedal. It's cleared up quite a bit of space on my pedal board. I no longer use my MXR Dynacomp, my TS-9 Tubescreamer and my MXR Micro Amp. The 3 pedals I have always used are a clean boost, a compressor and an overdrive. This pedal does all 3 and does them very well. I find this pedal to be very inspiring and if something ever happened to it I'd replace it in a second.

New model with two tone switches.

I'm not trying to get anyone else's sound, I have my own. This delivers clean distortion and compressor is very powerful. I rarely use them together, becuase it is overpowering. I use Am Deluxe strat, Les Paul, GS, and a hybrid semi-hollow body. All sound good, but the SG really stands out with compressor engaged. I use the tone boost on both sides for the strat. The compressor adds a lot of bottom end on my Fender tube amps, Champ and Princeton while still keeping it clean. Sounds very much like an 808 as advertised, perhaps better when you add the compressor.

I have heard of this comapny before so I have no idea.

I hope I never have to deal with them, but I have no idea.

Great pedal, two pedals in one, plus tone (bass) boost for low power amps. Works great with Champ, Princeton, Deluxe, even my Mesa 30 watter. It sounded good through a tranny amp when I bought it, much better at home with tube amps. Not for metal. not enough gain for that. Sweet singing sustain can really make a good guitar sound even better. Sould improve your sound using any amp, i tested with a 30 watt SS Crate amp, and Mexican Tele, so I figured it would sound much better with my equipment and it does diliver, but try it first.

It is simple to use. It's basically two effects in one. Half of the pedal is an overdirve with three knobs (Drive, Tone, Vol) the other half is a compressor with three knobs (Sutain, Tone, Gain).
There is a boost switch for the OD to give it some more low end. And there is also a tone switch on the compressor section to give it some more highs.It's easy to get a wide range of sounds out of it.

It is advertized to sound like a TS808; i can say that this is almost true, 'cause i've played a TS808. The overdrive is very smooth, and very clear. The definition of each note is very clear even on heavier settings. I can get good blues sounds out of it.
The compressor was exactly what I was looking for, very versatile giving a great range of tonal possibilites. From a tight squashed signal, to sustain that last for days. Being able to turn each effect on and off independently of one another is a great option.
My setup:
american standard fender strat > Crybaby Wha Wha> Route66 > Danelectro Cool cat > Behringer Preamp Boost> Electro Harmonix Holy Grail> Boss DD3 delay> Fender Hot Rod Deville 212.

It's made out of steel so it's durable, and I'm not worried about it dying on me.

they are very kind; you can get a very quick reply by e-mail.

I've been playing for 18 years, I play blues,classic rock, and jam music. (Hendrix, SRV, Dire Straits, Led Zeppelin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, etc..) This overdrive is what i was looking for, nice thick and smooth, just the right ammount. And the compression is amazing. I've played several other pedals both compression and OD, and other combinations. This pedal blows them all away. The T-Rex Alberta maybe is the only other pedal that is better.This is the best pedal for the money, it combines two effects, and does a great job of keeping them independent of each other, and at the same time offers great possibilities when they're combined.

Very easy. The compressor is great and TS is just fabulous in this NEW Rt66 pedal - well done Bob !

It is 9.5 actually but Ok I give it 10.

I still have my old Rt66 that was noisy and muddy in the TS scetion and this is a major improvement.

My Barber TonePress or Keeley moded MXR are probably better compressors and my Keeley BD-2 phat is probably better than Rt66 TS but overall this pedal is hard to beat and I like it a lot - a keeper.

I play since 1960 and have all the very best gear in the world.

I wrote to Bob that Rt66 Mk I is not good enough and they delivered this Mk II model. It sounds great.

So I wrote to Bob again and asked for the Mk III model that will cost $250 but will have perfect compressor and perfect TS in one box :-)

Still, if you gig a lot then this is a must purchase.

Its very simple to use, push the button, turn a few knobs and go!

The sound of the compressor is absolutely heavenly, I've never heard a better clean sound than this compressor added with the tone control
"on". Ik play on a strat deluxe (ash) and a fender bassman 59 reissue.

It enhances the sound really bringing it to another level.
I play on 2 effect setups:

the first is a combination of the visual sound H2O (chorus and echo/delay), a jeckyll and hyde (high gain distortion and overdrive) and the route 66, finished with a volumepedal and a RMC wah.
All together in one flightcase ready to get almost every sound I need. I play rock, blues, pop and so on...

I recently wanted to get a sep higher and bought a G-systen (TC electronics) als a very nice peace of effects!!! But after programming several sound I kicked the Route 66 in the effects loop replacing the TC electronics compressor to maintain that unique sound I only managed to get by using the Route 66...

The overdrive section is also super... This pedal has it all...
Very nice work!

It's build very rugged, never had any problems...

Never needed them...

My advice is , if your looking for that one killer sound that not shapes but supports your guitarsound, don't hesitate get this Route 66 pedal.
(I should send a fee tot visual sound for promoting their products, haha.. but its really that good.)

A combination of the H2O, The jeckyll and hyde and route 66 is like having a threesome .. perfect sound.

Off course, you should also look a t the rest of your gear, it has to be ok to.

easy to use overdrive, the comp is rather noisy though.

I use strats and early metal panel Marshall amps.
I have used all types of drives in the past and used to also own a J&H.
I like the Route-66 much more and it seems to have more gain on the TS side which I didnt know.
Pedals that have been on my board in the past are as follows, OD-3, OD-1, DS-1, SD-1, Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive, GT-3, Mi Audio Crunch Box [still on the board] H.B.E Germania, Juice Box, OCD

I just picked mine up this evening after being blown away with the creamy amp and pedal combination, lots of gain on tap and really seems to make a good tube amp work hard. think Eric Johnson tone.
I dont use the compressor side, its very noisy when used in conjunction with the TS side plus I have no need for a comp.

I didnt think I would ever come across another drive pedal that would beat or equal the Crunch Box but this one equals it and gives me a creamier tone by a tad.
If youre a toneful player you will most likely enjoy this pedal.
the buffer seems to sound good and makes all my other pedals and amp sizzle a bit more without being harsh.
great for classic rock and blues stuff.

dunno but you would think it to be a tough pedal.

Ive heard good things.

Ive been playing for about 20 years and am a professional player.
We do the cover band thing for the most part aswell as other side projects.

I consider myself a true tonehound in every sense of the word, spend my time on amp and pedal forums alot because I just love all things tone.
this pedal is a keeper,
big tone, bass boost switch which is a good feature for combo amps,
lots of gain on tap, [I run mine with volume at amp unity and gain at 12 o'clock, tone at 3/4.
if you have a good amplifier and are happy with your base tone, this pedal will take you into tone heaven.

If youre not happy with yours, chances are youre playing the wrong amp, amps n cabs/speakers are at least 70 percent of your overall sound so get with the program.
If you dont believe me, try this.
play a cheap guitar through a cheap amp aswell as the most expensive guitar you can find. then repeat this with the same guitars but through a good amp. voila.

Not plug-and-play, but neither is it rocket science.

I play a semi-hollow guitar into a Fender amp.

I like the range of adjustment that's available on both the OD and comp sides of this box. My "normal" settings tend to be on the low end of the range of the drive and sustain controls. Higher settings can be musically useful, but I don't have as much use for these sounds (saturated OD and serious "squish").

The tone controls are a nice touch.

The bass boost switch can add some girth to the OD. This is really nice for playing at lower volumes. The boost becomes a bit overwhelming as the amp volume goes up; this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has figured out that they need to turn down their amp's bass control at higher volumes.

The buffer sounds really good to me. I think I can hear a small difference between the buffered signal compared to plugging my guitar straight into the amp, but it's subtle and not at all unpleasant. The complaint that I have about most buffered pedals -- that the high-end is veiled -- is definitely not present with Visual Sound's buffer.

The other nice thing about a good buffered pedal is that you get absolutely clean switching with none of the glitches or pops that seem to be unavoidable with true-bypass switching.

It's too early to tell how well this'll hold up with long-term use.

I had a question about the pedal and was very pleased with the rapid, courteous and thorough responses to my emails.

I play improvised fingerstyle guitar, drawing freely from old-school rock, folk, jazz and classical styles. I first picked up the guitar in the mid-`60s, and have been playing "seriously" for the past six years.

My main rig is a Koll Custom DL Thinline through a Fender Vibro-King. I have a small assortment of special-purpose pedals in addition to the recently-added Visual Sound Route 66 and H2O. If the Visual Sound pedals hold up under regular use, I may consider selling the rest of my pedals.

The most important things to me are that the pedal sounds good and is easy to adjust.

The real stroke of genius is packaging two related effects in a single pedal with the stomp switches close together. With one press you can turn either or both effects on or off or toggle between one effect and the other.

The "home plate" shape of the pedals may also be useful. I have both the Route 66 and the H2O and have experimented with placing them at 45 degrees to each other so all the stomp switches are in a cluster. I've been able to toggle useful combinations of three or four switches at once.

The Visual Sound product line is basically 2 pedals in 1. The Route 66 is a Tube Screamer like OD and a compressor in one unit. Fairly easy to use indiviually, but takes a little tweaking to set up the OD and compressor to complement each other when both are turned on.

I use this with several guitars including a '73 Les Paul Deluxe, a Strat clone Frankenstien I built myself, and an ES-335 clone with Seymour Duncan Pearly Gate PUP's. I have used the Route 66 with my Mesa Boogie Mark 3 and a little solid state practice amp I use at home. It obviously sounds better with the Boogie, but even makes the little practice amp very sweet.
The OD is very Tube Screamer like (I think they even use the same OP Amps as the old Tube Screamers). It won't do metal distortion, but I wouldn't expect it to, since its an overdrive. I can get a very thick grindy type of tone similar to Billy Gibbons with the Les Paul. SRV tones are also avaialble using the Strat clone.
The compressor is very fun. With full saturation and the gain set so that there is no volume boost when it kicks on, a full almost infinite sustain is available. I get a sweet musical feedback on sustained notes even at moderate volumes with the Boogie and this compressor. It makes leads jump out in the mix with a full band. Running clean and using the strat, this compression setting produces a very authentic spanky country chicken pickin' tone.

All metal construction, it is very solid. I did have a problem with the compressor footswitch, but I'll cover that in the Customer Support section. Otherwise, I see this thing lasting a long time.

As I said, the footswitch for the compressor started acting up. I suspected the footswitch and planned to replace it. I sent an Email to the Visual Sound website outlining the symptoms and asking if there was anything special about the switch or if I could replace it with one from the local electronics shop. Within a couple of hours I had a reply confiming that the switch was the likely culprit and instructions for how to replace it. The rep siad there was nothing special about the switch except it needed to have a long enough neck to reach through the housing. He said to send my mailing address and he would ship me one. 2 days later the switch showed up and it took all of 30 minutes to swap out. Problem solved and I didn't even have to pay shipping.
This is my first review. As good as these pedals sound (I also have a Visual Sound H2O liquid chorus/delay pedal which also sounds great), it was the great customer service that really prompted me to submit this review.

I play in a classic rock cover band, in a 2 man acoustic project, as well as classical and gospel music at my church. I've been playing for about 25 or so years (you would think I would be a better player than I am after all that time; oh well....). I have used this pedal in all those situations (except the classical music in church). I would definitely replace if lost or stolen. I normally view a 10 rating on this site a little skeptically, at least until I read the review and see what it was based on. I would give the OD a solid 7 or 8 if it were an individual pedal, and the compressor an 8 individually. But with both in one reasonably priced pedal, and with the awesome cutomer service to boot, I have to give the Route 66 a 10 overall.

The individual effects are easy to use, combining them can be tricky, but, there are some incredible results available when doing so.

8 is very good for me. I don't give anything a 10. The compressor can be very transparent by kicking in the tone feature and dialing in. The sustain feature works well w/o sucking hi freqs too much.

The overdrive is classic ts808 with more, more volume and more bass.

One of the best things about this pedal is how clean the throughput is. I was skeptical, but it really does make my downstream effects sound better.

Seems to be built like a masonary commode, but I haven't had it very long

I play funk, gospel, blues, jazz. This pedal in front of my THD Univalve turned that rig into a 3 channel tone machine. I'm very happy -- the value to cost ratio is over the top on this box.

It's easy. I didn't look for or at a manual. I didn't check the upgrade status but I looks like a more recent rev than the one pictured here. Mine has two black switches on the top.

I did a side by side comparison with four overdrive pedals. I think I'm pretty tone sensitive. For the test I used a new Gibson SG and some kind of boutique blackface circuit amp that had fancy decorations. I compared it to the Prescription Electronics and Maxon overdrives. All three sounded good. This one was my favorite because I liked the sound and the combination of overdrive and compression.

Currently I use it with a little 66 Princeton hotrod blackface, and a Martin electric. I'm very happy with the range of sounds.

Don't know yet.

Couldn't say.

I've been playing for a long time and I'd love to share all kinds of data with you about who I am and what I spend money on. I did compare it with many other products. It helps me make music. It also helps my housemates question why they choose to live with a guy who enjoys the sound of feedback and overdriven vintage tube amps. Try that on for your psychographic profiling.

Its got three knobs for each effect....turn them until you like what you hear, eventually you'll learn the limitations and extremes of each knobs function. Its that simple, two effects, three knobs each, spin'em until it sounds good and then try combiniong the two effects for more sustain or boost etc etc. Its up to you!

It really doesnt matter what I use because Im writing a review of this effect. I have a myriad of SC and Humbucker guitars, around 12 classic amps and too damn many effects ranging from "boo-tique" to "pawn shop prize" to list and really have no desire to write a little "Vanity" review by listing my gear. Im talking about the Route 66!

The bottom line, this is a very afforable generic double effect box built in an overseas Pacific Rim country, complete with generic sounds and a generic build. The "feet" and "battery" cover are nothing special and could easily be improved on, but are not as bad as some FX boxes.

Its good for Monday night jams for dragging along one box with two FX when nothing very critical is on the line or for sitting on the practice/work bench next to your favorite guitar, PC, amp and CD player. Sitting in the bedroom next to your Crate or PV amp is a good place for it too. The shame of it is, it could really be GOOD...and I dont care HOW NICE the guy as VS is to talk too about his product, he needs to quit talking and upgrade his OD and Compressor with better parts, components and redesign the stupid box...then even I would have something to talk to him about.

I REALLY REALLY like the idea he has here (OD plus COMP in one box) but what a shame that its so generic and dull sounding and the box is folded alum in a weird shape that was built to specifically accomodate no known pedal board. I wont eve discuss the painted graphics that disappear in days after you useit a few times. The Comp is only slightly better than the OD and the OD is basic generic OD. But, its only a few pennies or a couple of dollars in parts from being GREAT, so WHY doesnt he do it!! You figure it out!! I'd buy one mmediately!

I have many backups, non by VS though for the reasons above. The H2O could be cool too, but for the same reasons its the same generic deal.I'll give a generic 5 since thats the key here.

Who cares, Id talk if he wants to improve it. DOES ANYBODY MOD THESE! Id pay good money for that. Imagine the sound of really sweet TS od coupled with a Maxon Comp. Wow! Im not saying they are THE best, just a huge improvement over generic.......Rt 66! And they have the nuts to name this box built in Koreapanpines after the hiway I LIVE A MILE FROM IN THE USA! again...a generic 5 rating

Nothing about what i do or what I play matters, this a review of a pedal I thought MIGHT work for me and I hoped it would have!

>>>Its a great box to take to the Monday night jam along with two cords and one guitar unless you get there and theres something REAL cool to plug into. Except its hard to pack in anything since its shaped like a Yield sign. Come on guys, take the leap and use your money to upgrade these pedals!

Very easy to use, all analog controls (nice), 3 controls for the OD and 3 controls for the compressor and 2 tone switches, and the pedal switch for each. I set the gain and volume on mine so that there is minimal change in volume switching it in and out. Just use your ears and the rest is easy.

I play jazz guitar on various archtops, I wanted to "beef up" the tone and sustain a little without going overboard or adding distortion. I use the compressor alone when playing solo chord/melody style ballads, with these types of arrangements the chords can get too thick with OD, the compressor adds sustain without robbing clarity. BUT, I use both stages, the compressor and OD, when doing single-line soloing. This is just the ticket for me because I dont want distortion playing jazz but do want that little bit of "hair" on the tone that adds richness behind a vocalist, etc. I keep the tone controls on mine below 12 o'clock to get a nice jazz tone, I keep drive at minimum, gain below 12 o'clock and volume at a level that does not cause me to have to re-adjust the guitar volume when clicking it out. I get a nice Pat Martino or Jimmy Raney tone with this thing, I like it a lot. This effect is capable of being subtle and it's all analog which generally sounds better than digital as it does not have that "thinness" nor rob dynamic range like digital effecs usually do.

Built like the proverbial brick #$%@ house.

Never needed support.

I play jazz guitar and it is a good box to have because it can be subtle. I use very few other effects, I believe tone is mostly in the hands of the player. I would replace this if lost. I really have no complaints about it once you understand the logic behind how the controls operate. I heard a sound clip of this on Reverend web site and liked it. It is subtle enough that I dont have to change my playing technique to us it, a plus. I like the bass boost switch as it will really warm up the tone kind of like the Joe Pass recordings where he accompanied Ella Fitzgerald solo. I like getting 2 effects for the price of one.

Very easy, just work few minutes and use your ears.

Excellent, nothing to complain about. You guys who have just tasted some sounds should keep your mouth shut. It is one of the best OD in the world. I hate to read your complaints, you should rather play golf instead of guitar and use your ears instead of .ss.

Its great, built like a tank.

Best ever.

I have played everything in 40 years. RT66 has great organic sounds for real, talented musicians. There are only artists who can really appreciate it. It helps my music a lot. It really pisses me off to read hundreds of words you most guys use to write about the things you are not capable to hear, know and understand. You should be banned from this site.

As easy as pie to use. Noboby should have any trouble using either side of this pedal. All the controls do exactly what they say. Getting a good sound is easy. If you are using the compressor for a bit of clean boost, just toggle between having the compressor on and off, and then set the gain accordingly for the amount of boost you want. As for the overdrive side, it is an overdrive! Not much to understand there. More gain = more distortion! It can be set for a slight breakup or for a much gnarlier sound. Turn on the bass boost switch and you will be rewarded with a huge, beefy sound.

I use a Godin LGX-SA or a Parker Fly Deluxe running into a Visual Sound Jekyll and Hyde pedal. This runs into the Route 66, then to a Visual Sound H20 pedal, then into a Digitech JamMan, then into a Yamaha Magic Stomp (for the amp models). From here it goes straight to the PA system. The Pure Tone circuit really keeps things strong and clean, especially while running so many pedals. I run the Jekyll and Hyde first because Bob Weil told me it gives a different sound to run a distortion before a compressor. He is right.
The only bad sounds one can coax from this pedal is if you turn the compression too high with too much gain on the overdrive side. This will be noisy (as it would be for any setup like this, no matter the brand of pedals). Otherwise, it is hard to get a bad sound from this pedal. Use some compression for a bit of clean boost, or for smoothing out those transients. Use the overdrive side for that old Tube Screamer sound.

Rock solid construction. I would definitely use it without a backup.

Best in the business. They will quickly answer emails. They are very friendly on the phone, too.

I play adult contemporary Christian-themed music that is very guitar oriented. This pedal is the basis of my main sound. I would definitely get another one if I lost this one. It has a classic tone that I love, and is very versatile as well. You should buy one of these pedals; you will not be sorry!

Two effects in one pedal...Overdrive and compression. Three knobs on each along with a selector switch. Compression is very easy to use and get a great sound out of. The overdrive not as much.

I use a Fender Strat w/ Duncan Hot Rails into the Rt. 66->Fab Distortion->Modified Crybaby Wah->Cool Cat Chorus->Ibanez DE7 Delay->Peavey Heritage VTX. Like I said before, the compressor is great, I added in a little high end with the tone and really brought my sound to life. On the overdrive side, there is no clean to be found. I understand this is an overdrive, but there was a bit too much for me even with the drive all the way off. The bass boost gives the overdrive too much, really muddies up the tone. I sent this off to Keeley to get modified, and now it sounds fantastic. Stock, was wishing that I had kept my OD-3.

Built like a tank, quality parts.

Quick with the e-mails for general questions.

Having the two effects together is great, you can step on both switches at the same time. The compressor really helps to develop your overall sound. If you get this pedal, send it immediately to Keeley to get the overdrive modified, you will not be disappointed.

EZ as pie...

The point of this review...As VS recommends, I placed the 66 first in my signal chain...I had avoided doing this before as I did not want OD before my Wah...I did, however, want the compressor, and decided to take a shot and see if Bob was telling the truth about the "Pure Bypass" circuit...He claims that placing this pedal first in your chain will buffer everything else and improve your sound...I had been having trouble with my 6 pedal setup, noise, hiss, etc...I placed the 66 first, then as follows: Dunlop 535Q Wah->Zoom PD-01 Boost/OD->Zoom HL-01 Distortion->Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus-> Peavey DDL-1 Digital Delay...All powered by a VS One Spot...Wired them up with George L's and THE HISS IS GONE...Just to see if this was a fluke, I took the 66 out and the sound deteriorated...The circuit really seems to work...The rest of my chain is dead quiet...

As for the effects in the pedal, I have finally made peace with the compressor...It sounds just right now that I have it dialed in...Works great in front of the Wah...The OD is okay, and I set it for lighter OD...I do not use it as my main OD/Boost, as that assignment belongs to the Zoom PD-01, after the Wah...the Zoom is just so good as the eq and clarity are superior to anything else I have ever tried...Having said that, let me emphasize that the Route 66 is a great pedal, even if you only use it for the compressor and "Pure Bypass" functons...Most folks really love the OD as well, I am just spoiled...

I feel it is very roadworthy and I have it in a NYC pedalboard...

The best...Called them with a couple of questions recently and they were great...A plug here too for the One-Spot...Just a great power solution for very little money...After searching for years for a pedalboard power source, let alone an affordable one, this thing is just unbelieveable...it is both functional and economical...The daisy chain and adaptors work perfectly...I recently bought a second one just to have on hand...

I play classic rock and this pedal is very useful in my set-up...I can get the compressed quack, slam my wah and chorus, and a little volume boost with the compressor...The OD is great for light OD sounds, and as detailed above, the "Pure Bypass" solved my pedalboard noise troubles...I wish Bob would make some "split" pedals, for those of use who want them, but I understand his marketing plan...I like VS just because they are who they are, and they provide good affordable products and great service...

2 switches, 3 knobs for each. not so bad if you've got some experience.

i've never been much of a comp. guy, but this one is great. (unfortunately, this pedal is old, and the comp switch is starting to go bad, but to that later....)

the distortion is more of a rock/ "marshall" type of sound, and it's great. boost is good, infact better than the j&hyde, which i also own.

this thing is beat to hell and still going.

a true 10. website is very informative, they have support by phone, email, plus can im via aim. responded within a few hours about switch going bad... with very reasonable repair cost via company.

i got this free from a coworker. he's more into metal- he gave me this. it's a few years old, pretty beat, but still works well and sounds good. the comp switch is sometimes iffy, but i'll get that fixed. i love this pedal. doesn't really have enough gain if you're strictly into metal, but works well for alt rock, rock, classic rock, blues, etc.....the comp is great for both clean and distorted applications. customer service for vs is beyond belief!

No brainer. This subject is really pointless to discuss in relation to this product

A bit noisy (the compressor adds a little hiss) but the idea here is that you get two effects in one...compression and overdrive. Both aren't bad but they don't measure up to something nice like a Keeley compressor and a tube screemer pedal separate. I would say though that since the price is about the same as a typical tube screamer it's worth having the compressor built in for the same money. The fact that it adds a little hiss doesn't make the feature not worth having. Anybody buying a tube screamer should buy this pedal instead for the added compressor feature and the same price...but I have to say that it doesn't compete with buying two separate pedals....

seems well built...hard to tell because it's new.

It sounds like your typical unmodded TS-9 with an added compressor. Not bad...If you are thinking about buying a tube screamer I would recommend buying this instead. If you were thinking about buying a Keeley compressor and combining it with a Keeley modded TS-9 or Klon pedal or something, don't kid yourself that this is just as good.

easy to get used t.. A few controls. If you know how to read your pretty much all set. can be kinda tough to eliminate feedback when both are kicked in.

It gets noisy or feedback when everything is boosted. If you want sustain this is the pedal for you. this is all you need to sound a lot like trey anastasio. comp. alone is very clean. kick in the OD and its a beast.

i can depend on this thing. if someone stole it id probly cry .

VISUAL SOUNDS COSTERMER SUPPORT IS AWESOME. Just today i had a question. I didnt even have to email them they have a screenname that they respond to instantly.

i play jam and rock. its quick to switch channels and has a good sound. iv got a 1970 sg and when it runs thru this its sweet. its also great for les pauls cuz ther heavy which gives you even more sustain ( i really like sustain)

This pedal is very easy to use. You can put it any way you like it. BUT, then, you can misuse it too. if you mess around too much with the tone knob, ik may get mudded up, or too sharp. The compressor part is quit subtle, it takes a while to find your own tone. The overdrive part is pretty straightforward.

I'm using this with an starfire special by DeArmond. r66 is first in line, then comes a Boss SD-1 whijch will be replaced by a delay soon. It runs into an Hughes and Kettner Edition tube amp. In this setup the compressor can make my guitar sound ultra clean, or give it a crisp thats on the edge of distortion. It beefens up, boosts, cleans, or sustains my sound at wish. It can get a little bit noisy when you put the sustain and the gain control on the comp way hi, combining it with a lot of gain from the od part.

I Can depend on this pedal in every situation. It is sturdy and so are the switches and knobs. The only thing that may happen is your battery running out. Thats why I use it with an adaptor. I do have a battery in it for if my adaptor gives up.

Wel I never dealt with them, but their site is neat

I play blues, and espacially the darker and fatter tones are perfect. I play in a coverband too, and the cleaner sounds are good for that. Because my guitar has a higher output level than a strat or tele, I don't get the SRV tones, but thats not what I'm after anyway.If it were stolen, I'd go to the store, buy a baseball bat and 5 inch nails. I'd put the nails in the top of the bat, and track down the thief. That is, after I had gotten a new r66. I compared the comp to the Boss CS-3 and the marshall Edward the compressor. The r66 beat em both. It helps me have an original sound. This is a WONDERFUL pedal.

Straight forward to use - see other descriptions

This pedal works great with my setup - Small class A amp and strat, LP, or melody maker. Set the amp so its on the edge of breaking up with a good bark; Step on the OD side to add harmonics and volume. The compression sounds great with my axe in the clean input for a little treble boost.

I've used this pedal for four years without a hitch until recently; See below

This is why I'm writing this ... I had a problem with the compression side, so I Emailed Visual Sound. Had a reply the next day with an idea of what to check. They were right on! Not only that, but when I told them what it was, they sent me the parts to repair it (two pots), FREE OF CHARGE!!! This pedal's four years old! Been playing 20+ years and I don't know ANY other company that would do that. We need to support companys like this that support us.

I like this pedal. I've owned many OD pedals in my travels, including a Big Muff (an original back when they first came out), and I still have two Boss OD-1's, but this is probably the most versatile and touch sensitive.