Visual Sound Route 808 & Open Road Overdrive guitar pedal shootout w SG & Blues Jr amp

[highpick1]

Who is the music in the opening credits by?

[Menditri]

Help me!

This or Digitech bad monkey???

[Rickirockit]

@Menditri Pick the visual sound!! way better than, digitech, maybe digitech is more affordable but if you want a great sound pedal that you will use for your entire lifetime go for the visual sound!

[JohnPaulCM]

Humbuckies.

[jcoleCRNA]

that Open Road pedal sounds sick!

[JamesAThain]

would the open road drive be similar to a fulltone ocd ?

[iagobroxado]

@JamesAThain I think the OCD sounds muddier, especially if you put the gain past noon. It's a different animal, not as "open" sounding as the Open Road.

[mamealer]

I have the Route 66 which has the 808 and a compressor. After this review I find myself wanting an open-road too..... Heck I just need the whole visual sound pedal ensemble :)

[phriend2spin]

Route 808 is designed to sound like tubescreamear. The open road is designed to be more like an amp OD.

[RawjerLee]

Hey GMD, which one sounds more like a TS?

[slimturnpike]

808 sounds less fizzy

[BricksAndBonesMusic]

gearmandude, you are the man! you sound exactly like Jack Black, you know your shit, and you give a solid fuckin review. I was on the fence about buyin the Open Road, but after your review I'm sold on it! Keep up the good work Brother!

[RyanTheWest]

Awesome. This comparison is exactly what I just got on youtube to look for, with little hope. Thanks

[KearBear93]

i like the open road =D more bite =]

[pierrot36]

the open road has more treble! more aggressive

i think

[DirtyCityMick]

this german dude is ubiquitous to you tube

[slimturnpike]

i'll take the 808

[ManoliXios]

After all the pedal I have gone through The OpenRoad is the best with my Les Paul and Marshall Bluesbreaker....thanks gearmandude.

[bigfish0886]

While the transparancy of the Open Road is very cool, Ill never get tired of that fat mid boost in the 808 circuit!

[thePlunkett]

herb alpert for the win

spanish flea is the song ♫

[The1970sInfatuate]

Herb Alpert & Tirijuana Brass - Spahish ...somethin'

[intheblues]

The gear man dude abides!

[branch1234]

jack black?

[erosar10]

I would say the open road sounds more...... OPEN!

[Geetarfreak1591]

hahaha.....humbuggies..

[peeblesj1131]

this might be a dumb question, but how do you go about getting the gear you demo? do you work for some company and get the stuff for free to demo it or are you just rich as hell? just curious

[NHBluesMan]

@peeblesj1131 probably buys stuff to demo then re-sells it to buy other stuff. I doubt that he keeps EVERYTHING he demos on here. Plus being as popular as he is on youtube now some companies probably send him free or discounted stuff for the advertising :-P

[BOOMheadshootBOOM]

lol i want both over my OCD

[skitheport]

haha, by far your best intro music choice so far

[wakomura7]

yup...u right.we must buy both of this pedal..

[Ncuab]

ROUTE 808 - sounds middier and slightly more transparent

OPEN ROAD OD - sounds brighter and slightly distorts on the pick attack

***like always, it depends on what other gear you're using, how all of your gear complements/works against each other, what sound you're looking for, how it feels, and what you're willing to pay.***

[BradSpead7]

@Ncuab its funny, cause normally the Open Road sounds more transparent... thats actually what they were going for when they (Visual Sound) designed it.

And for as good as these sound in this demo (props GMD) they sound 10 times better in person! The Open Road is one of the best overdrives i've ever tried

[texasff630]

I know you tube sound quality compresses everything, in your opinion which one would you recommend?

[TheFunkyGlasses]

do you rekon the coilly cable adds or subtracts anything from ur tone?

[Teutonic1250]

best intro song ever?

[TIT22]

@Teutonic1250 yeah.. what's the name of the song then?

[IamPeavey]

i agree... get em both. AND STACK EM! (or cascade em...whatever)

i'd go 808 in front and then the Open Road for Gain and/or Volume Boost.

[MrMoustaffa]

I run the Open Road through an Epiphone Valve Standard with an Epiphone Les Paul Custom SG, and I can deffinitely say that it can rock just as hard as the 808.

Really depends on your amp and your guitar as to which you will want to get. I think the 808 will be better for Fender stuff, while the Open Road is better for Gibson/Marshall gear

[draxisace]

I dig th visual sound stuff and I am realy looing forward to their new cheaper Garagetone pedals.

[41224jason]

keep in mind, the 808 sounds a little better on a fender blues jr. because it's got a slight midrange boost (like a tubescreamer), and the open road has a flatter frequency. if this same demo was played on a marshall, or any other amp with dominant midrange, it would be a totally different story. for now i gotta say i like the open road better, but i'm gonna end up getting the route 66 (route 808+comp)

[telemaestro268]

808.

[paulosilvamusic]

Man, great demo!

What is the name of the song at the start of the video? hilarious!

Cheers

[MostBever]

@paulosilvamusic, the song is called "spanish flee"

[beantowntwanger]

I also think tht was the them song the 70's game show, "The Dating Game"...

[abradfordajb]

Thanks for another fun demo. On this clip (and based on the sounds I (EYE) like, the "Open Road" is the richer, juicer of the two. Better clarity and top end. The "808" sounds flat. Just my ears (and what they HEARS).

Best Rgds.

[eragoncp14]

This guy is my hero. His room is just full of guitars and amps and pedals....and his reviews are the best around.

[DavidLopezJr]

Did you ever find the switches?

[MrMoustaffa]

I think the Open Road might have 808 beat in the perfect Hard Rock Sound, but that 808 might be uber good for Strat style rock stuff.

[myway43]

Both great sounding pedals. The Open Road has more of a "Open" sound.

[MrMoustaffa]

has anyone mentioned you sound like Jack Black?

[jchay55]

only like every user on youtube. lol.

[ironrushscorp]

lolol nice opening music gmd

[MrTheafterschoolshow]

the strokes guitarists uses a jekyll and hyde

[micomf]

how many watts is the blues jr?

[popomczowzow]

15 watts

[ConverseEmo3]

can u play music like the strokes on the route 808?

[scottagalt]

OPEN ROAD FOR SURE!

[ShameofaNation]

What is the opening music?

[troutriver58]

believe that's Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass

[Bulletbyter]

Excellent! Your quick changing between pedals is very good for comparing sounds instead of carrying on and on with each one.

Could you please post a demo with the amp on slight crunch so as to be overdriven by pedals?

[Bulletbyter]

I already own Ibanez tube screamer, soundtank version too, as well as a few other similar midrangey overdrives but your demo makes me want to get an 808 as well! I'd also like to hear some power chords with the open road too.

Thanks again dewd, that was great!

[ayokev108]

you sound exactly like jack black

[airhambone]

i like both for different reasons, stopmonkey47452, you have a case of what we call g.a.s. .....gear acquirement syndrome, some of us like gearmandude and myself are terminal cases......

[bartboop]

Open Road is much better. That 808 sound is so compressed and mid rangy. A tube screamer has it's place but is no the best pedal out there for a million reasons.

[strybel]

Hit the open road Jack!

[cshsfg]

could you compare these with a strat since you've got one now?

[stopmonkey47452]

i have to say, if i had to choose, i would probably go with the 808, but that open road would be an amazing second choice. like once i had the first, i would buy the open road as a compliment. the sound of the two together was exactly what i'm looking for. crap. now i need more money.

[jpmahar]

Open Road

[wiebstar003]

Route 888

[cosmogang]

wow...huh.......open road for sure.......didn't see that coming

[silendt]

seriously what a phenomenal pedal

[ihavenoname93]

i prefer the route 808, but theyre both amazing

[purenectar]

i bought the 'open road' pedal and its amazing sounding. I immiediatly sold my mi audio crunch box on ebay because this pedal sounds so perfect. Saying that, it dosen't sound at all vintage so i might consider a route 808 aswell, for a different sound. The open road has an amazingly tight and full low end and dosen't sound like a pedal. "amp-esque"

[m0joGriffin]

haha "I gotta get me some of those switches!"

You sure do!

Nice demo man! Great playing and a good range of sounds, kudos on showing different settings!

:D

Is it me or does the Open Road have a bucketload more gain? (could just be the high end though...)

[amateurlife]

They sound good.

But I'm curious as to why Visual Sound made them buffered bypass.

[ThePathofHavoc]

Go to the VS youtube channel and watch the True Bypass Mythbusters type vid. Pretty eye opening.

[m0joGriffin]

because buffered bypass is actually better .. when done right. Too basd many cheap ass pedals have ruined the reputation.

Visual Sound's buffer is an example of it done right!

[bpisan]

Anyone thing he sounds like Duey Fin from school ofrock? aka, Jack Black?!?!? lol

[cjse83]

You should demo more visual sound pedals. Keep rockin

[fullmetalbattousai]

Thanks a lot!!!! I has long wanted to know the name of that song because i heard once in the simpsons, other programs and places but I always had this doubt about the name... thanks

[fullmetalbattousai]

hey, greeting from Puebla, Mexico. i want ask you about your song in the intro of this video, what's the name of the song? i will congratulate if you can clear my questions...

[Superstarseven]

The song is called Spanish Flea...look it up here on Youtube.

[vdr200120]

Does anybody know the intro music

[mykarelli]

Something about a "spanish flea" I think

[eroticblack]

yeah different switches!

[phillipislbj]

good call with the spanish flea!

[boxofdrums]

So is the route 808 supposed to be a ts808 clone? Doesn't sound like it if it is.

[gtrtuben]

almost an exact clone

[gtrfreak101]

great demo! but mabey it might be better if you demoed more pedals than jsut over drive. Not like i dont like them i just think it would be cooler to see what you can do with other pedals. Or see if you can demo the visual sound jekyll and hyde distortion box. great vid though love them all

[HKP1994]

Thanks for the Visual Sound demos starting to be more prevalent on your channel.

[ZacVisual]

Very Nice. Good demonstration, and nice TV SG!

[TheBlackCrayon77]

What GMD,

Hope all is going well with the Pink Luther Drive. Did you get a chance to see the post on AWC?

[gearmanndude]

YES!!! Thanks so much for the kudos...love all yer posts on yer blog...all should subscribe...NOW!!

ROCK ON!

GMD

[highsociey]

dear mr Manndude

i think you awt to do a octave fuzz shoot out that would be sick gnarly

[yaksox]

I like the TJB.

[787Bisurdaddy]

I like the chunkiness of the Open Road.

[willievega]

Yeah The open road is kinda like the Luther through these tiny computer speakers anyway. And yeah man, those switches are rated at ten million stomps (so I've heard) . Thats a lot of dancing.