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Average Price: $84
Budget/Beginner
$150
$601+
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Description
Embark on a sonic journey with the Visual Sound Route 66, your quintessential companion for crafting the most evocative tones on the music highway. This multi-effects pedal cleverly combines overdrive and compression, allowing players to explore a vast landscape of sounds, from subtle nuances to bold sonic statements. With its intuitive design, the Route 66 offers separate pathways for each effect, giving musicians the freedom to dial in their perfect sound. Whether you're after the warmth of a bass boost or the clarity of a clean boost, this pedal ensures your playing is always in the spotlight, without any unwanted noise.
Key Features:
- Dual effects in one pedal: Overdrive and Compression
- Separate controls for each effect for precise sound shaping
- Bass boost switch for enhanced overdrive tones
- Built-in noise reduction for the compressor
- Clean boost feature for crystal-clear sound amplification
Product specs
| Brand | Visual Sound |
| Model | Route 66 |
| Finish | White |
| Year | 2010s |
| Made In | United States |
| Categories | Compressor Pedals, Overdrive and Boost Pedals |
FAQs
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What are the main features of the Visual Sound Route 66 pedal?
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The Visual Sound Route 66 pedal combines a compressor and overdrive in one unit, offering both noise reduction and a bass boost switch on the overdrive channel. The overdrive is modeled after the classic Tube Screamer sound, providing versatile tonal options for guitarists.
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Is the Visual Sound Route 66 pedal suitable for live performances?
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Yes, the Visual Sound Route 66 is suitable for live performances due to its robust construction and dual-functionality, allowing guitarists to seamlessly switch between compression and overdrive effects on stage.
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Can the Visual Sound Route 66 pedal be used with a bass guitar?
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While the Visual Sound Route 66 is primarily designed for electric guitars, its compression and overdrive features can also be effectively used with a bass guitar, especially with the bass boost switch enhancing low-end frequencies.
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How does the compressor on the Visual Sound Route 66 pedal work?
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The compressor on the Visual Sound Route 66 pedal helps smooth out dynamic range by reducing the volume of loud notes and boosting softer ones, providing a balanced and consistent sound.
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Does the Visual Sound Route 66 pedal require a specific power supply?
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The Visual Sound Route 66 pedal typically requires a standard 9V DC power supply, which is common for many guitar pedals, ensuring easy integration into most pedalboard setups.
Videos
Anarchy Audio
VISUAL SOUND ROUTE 66 AMERICAN OVERDRIVE & COMPRESSOR V1 Effects Pedal
VISUAL SOUND ROUTE 66 AMERICAN OVERDRIVE & COMPRESSOR V1 Effects Pedal
Anarchy Audio
Visual Sound Route 66 | Review Guitar Interactive Magazine
Guitar Interactive Magazine
Visual Sound Route 66 Demo!!
MarshallGTV
Visual Sound Route 66 Overdrive Compressor | Pedal Demo
low level.
Haar guitars Demo - Visual Sound Route 66
HaarGuitars
Reviews
PROS
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Favored overdrive pedal for many years by users
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Compressor and overdrive work great individually and together
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Offers separate boost channel for clean sound
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Works well with a variety of gear, like Mesa/Boogie Mark IV
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Combines two pedals into one for convenience
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Allows for tone customization with control switch
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Capable of producing soft-fuzz to rock-star thrill
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Includes a bass-boost for too bright tones
CONS
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Size may be too large for some pedalboards
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Distortion level may not meet everyone's needs
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Compressor considered good but not exceptional by some users
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Visual Sound Route 66.
Build quality
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The footswitches on the V2 model are highly durable, rated for approximately 10 million stomps, making it exceptionally reliable.
Source -
Some users dislike the feel of the stomp switches, noting they lack an audible 'click' despite their high durability rating.
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The original enclosure design is criticized for its unattractive, pointy ends, resembling a road sign or motorcycle aesthetic.
Source
Features and functionality
User experience
Comparisons
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The Route 66 fits well with high-end pedals like the Robin Trower Overdrive and Keeley Java Boost, despite its lower price point.
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The overdrive section is likened to a tubescreamer, suggesting a familiar tonal quality for those accustomed to that sound.
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The Route 66's compressor is compared favorably to the MXR Custom Comp, highlighting its impressive sustain and settings suitable for country soloing.
Source
Use cases and applications
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The pedal is highly recommended for indie, blues, and funk styles, especially when paired with a Telecaster and Fender Deville amp.
Source
Mods and upgrades
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An owner successfully rehoused the pedal using a blank enclosure from Small Bear Electronics and applied custom graphics through screenprinting for a personalized appearance.
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A high mesh screen (160) and tight contact were crucial for achieving fine details in the custom screenprinting process on the new enclosure.
Source
Critic Reviews
4.0 out of 5
Based on 3 Reviews and 10 Ratings
61
An essential if you're starting out guitar.
The route 66 is two phenomenal pedals all in one; An always-on tone control pedal to allow you to fully customize what sound that you want out of it and then a drive. The drive can be dialed all the way down to allow for a soft-fuzz on strum or you can crank the drive all the way up to get a real rock-star thrill.
It includes a tone control switch to add some compression as well as a bass-boost if you feel that no matter what you do, your tone is too bright.
249
Best overdrive I´ve ever tried.
2 months ago I bought a Fulldrive 2 Mosfet, Jekyll and hyde v3, Green rhino MKIV and I already had a Jekyll and hyde v2, Boss os2, Boss sd1, boss od3, speaker cranker... I tested all those overdrives and I keep the route 66 as my main overdrive. The Comp is not awesome but does a good job. No that kind of comp to use always on
155
Great pedal.
Had it for years. I use it primarily as a second stage overdrive and lead as a lead boost.
Artist usage
Add artist
Featured on Visual Sound's official website. The original and most complete version of the article can be found on U2 fansite U2 Edge Files.
[October 20, 2002]
U2 using Visual Sound pedals!
Fraser McAllister, guitar tech for U2, called us in March 2000, saying that Edge wanted to buy a Jekyll & Hyde and a Route 66. Apparently he had heard good things about them and wanted to give them a test drive. So we shipped off 2 pedals to Ireland and waited to hear the verdict.
A week later, Fraser called back to say that Edge liked both pedals a lot and was especially flipping over Route 66. He also said that Daniel Lanois, U2's producer, loved the Route 66 pedal and "would it be OK if we bought another one?" !! So off went another Route 66 pedal to Ireland. Rumor has it that the pedals ended up being used in several places on their Grammy Award-winning CD! Although Visual Sound does not have any official endorsers, we're honored to know that our pedals are being used by a world-class act like U2.
UPDATE: A reviewer on the Web recently posted the following: "Even the player The Edge of U2 loves his pedals! Saw one of the Visual Sound (H2O CHORUS) pedals on top of speaker-cab at the backround from The Edge when he was playing on the Elevation 2001 U2 Live from Boston DVD." I didn't know he had picked up an H2O, but I'm pleased he's using it! - Bob Weil
Phil Elvrum is confirmed to use the Visual Sound Route 66 Overdrive Compressor pedal, as it appears in an image within the booklet accompanying Mount Eerie's "Night Palace" vinyl release.
For effects, he turned away from an old friend—the Ibanez TS808— and plugged into a Route 66 Overdrive. “They’re similar, but the Route 66 has more headroom.”
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Ethan Luck is seen using the Visual Sound Route 66 pedal during a rehearsal with The Lees of Memory, as shown in his Instagram post.
A Visual Sound Route 66 Overdrive pedal from the personal collection of Mikey Demus of Skindred.
"Besides these two I've got that Sparkle Drive, which is great, and a Visual Sound Route 66, which is a great basic Tube Screamer copy. I had them mod it to be a little cleaner, so I acutally prefer it over the real Tube Screamer myself. " - Osenga about Visual Sound Route 66.
The pedalboard of Gürhan Öğütücü clearly shows the use of the Visual Sound Route 66 pedal, as evidenced by the image provided. It is not correct that he uses V2 as it is written in Equipboard.
Album Usage
The Visual Sound Route 66 has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Visual Sound Route 66, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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Community setups
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Similar
Add recommendation2 alternative and related items for Visual Sound Route 66, curated by the Equipboard community.
The second successor version: https://truetone.com/route-66/
Originally encased in a housing that resembled the historical highway marker of its origins, our completely redesigned and pedalboard friendly V3 version of the Route 66 pedal can be inspiring on either guitar or bass (or whatever musical “thingy” you prefer to plug it into). When connected to this updated version, you will immediately be moved by the most transparent, smooth compressor and wide-ranging overdrive we’ve ever combined in a single housing. With the unprecedented ability to layer the effects of either the Overdrive or Compressor onto the original signal (via “Clean Mix” controls), you are able to have ultimate tonal control and achieve huge, clean, sustained notes that haven’t lost their attack. The fully analog Compressor side of this pedal can range from smooth and connected, to tight and punchy, to the heavy parallel compression sounds that are used by the pros. And this V3 incarnation of our Route 66 pedal now also proudly features a new and reimagined version of the classic Reverend Drivetrain Overdrive originally developed by Bob Weil & Joe Naylor. This multi-functional Overdrive has a dynamic response to the player and offers “Voice” switching as well. This allows the player the freedom to vary the Overdrive tone from bright and open, to a more saturated gritty sound, to a fully saturated overdrive that might even make road-kill get up and run for cover…!
$99.00
The successor version: https://truetone.com/v2-route-66/
In 1999, Truetone made the statement “Our Route 66 is sure to become as legendary as its namesake.” Since then, the Route 66 pedal has become a must-have for artists like Jonny Lang and Kings of Leon.
With broad flavors of Compression and Overdrive, Route 66 sounds amazing with both guitar and bass. Many players leave the compressor on all the time because it just makes your instrument sound better. The overdrive is smooth and crisp, covering everything from mild boost to cranked amp sounds.
The V2 Series Route 66 gives the same great tone guitarists have come to love over the years, plus an added noise reduction system that gives you that quiet ride you’ve always wanted. Classic compression combined with Classic Overdrive – these two effects sound great on their own, but combine them together and get the ultimate compliment to one another in one pedal. Housing and stomp switches designed by Bob Weil himself — and a noise-free experience — this version of the Route 66 has raised the bar for years to come.
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