PSA: Cheap VS Route 808 (V2) at Thomann

DarnWeight

Currently £52 @ Thomann (link here)...looks like they're at least £70 everywhere else, so pretty good deal I reckon.  Postage will push it closer to £60, so might be a good one for those of you with one of those 5 Euro vouchers they like to dish out for product reviews.

Just got mine this morning...solid chunky build, slick switching, good buffer, lots of boost on tap, really nice sounding tube screamer.  Bass boost fuzzies things up nicely, but might be too much at gig volumes...not wound things up loud yet.  First impressions?  A definite keeper!

guitarfishbay

They're good.

I'm thinking of selling my Route 66 V2 which has this and the compressor but I haven't worked out a price or taken photos yet.  Will try to do this over the weekend.  Selling because I've gone digital and I'm just keeping what is on my real board and selling what isn't on it.  I've got other drive pedals I use on my board because they've got smaller footprint.

Dave_Mc

Yeah I saw that the other day... not sure. I mean I already have a joyo, part of me wonders/suspects the VS would be better, but then another part thinks that any time I get one of the "improved" TS-types, I often just prefer the original for how I use it, and I might just be happier to bite the bullet and get the Maxon OD9...

But agreed, ~£52 is a good deal compared to what they go for elsewhere. If I didn't already have too many TS-types already I'd probably have one by now. ) And I still might well renege and cave in.

Fortheloveofguitar

I have one. Bloody good pedal

Dave_Mc

^ How close does it get to a TS? I have no problem with improvements (I'm all in favour of them), as long as I can still get the stock TS tone as well.

DarnWeight

Don't have an original to compare it with personally, but there's a fairly exhaustive side-by-side on youtube...

...definitely more output level from the VS.  Demo dude should probably have compensated by upping the volume on the Ib a smidge.  That aside, sounds pretty close to me.

guitarfishbay

They're a modded 808 type - more output and a bit smoother (but you can run the tone slightly higher to compensate for the most part).  Also there's a bass boost switch which defeats the bass cut a TS type pedal usually adds, can't remember if it adds extra bass too or not, but it is noticeable vs the regular mode.  The bass switch is more for players who use them with cleaner amps and want something a bit fuller sounding for their overdrive rather than for higher gain players using the pedal as a boost (those people are probably happier with the switch off).

ThePrettyDamned

guitarfishbay said:

They're a modded 808 type - more output and a bit smoother (but you can run the tone slightly higher to compensate for the most part).  Also there's a bass boost switch which defeats the bass cut a TS type pedal usually adds, can't remember if it adds extra bass too or not, but it is noticeable vs the regular mode.  The bass switch is more for players who use them with cleaner amps and want something a bit fuller sounding for their overdrive rather than for higher gain players using the pedal as a boost (those people are probably happier with the switch off).

The bass boost is kinda neat, too, in that it seems to remain relatively clean - in other words, it's quite a usable overdrive for bass.  

Not amazing, but it does sound good and does me as a 'dual functioning' pedal. 

Dave_Mc

Thanks DarnWeight. Should've thought to check youtube )

Thanks guitarfishbay. I've heard they're meant to have more output (which would be useful, as long as it can be dialled back if it's too much)... I thought there was more info on the VS site, I could've sworn they used to say how it differed from a TS, but maybe they got rid of it when it got discontinued (or else I just imagined it).

Slightly smoother... again, not a problem if it can be dialled out. Ditto the bass boost (which I think it can, at least assuming the non-bass-boosted setting is stock for a TS).

^ Yeah, I don't mind having extras (in fact, all in favour of them), as long as I can get the stock TS thing too since that's most likely how I'd use it.

hugbot

The V3 series are meant to be coming out pretty soon, an interview said they're ditching the single stomps for it and going back to exculsively double pedals.

ThePrettyDamned

Dave_Mc;384493" said:

Thanks DarnWeight. Should've thought to check youtube )



Thanks guitarfishbay. I've heard they're meant to have more output (which would be useful, as long as it can be dialled back if it's too much)... I thought there was more info on the VS site, I could've sworn they used to say how it differed from a TS, but maybe they got rid of it when it got discontinued (or else I just imagined it).



Slightly smoother... again, not a problem if it can be dialled out. Ditto the bass boost (which I think it can, at least assuming the non-bass-boosted setting is stock for a TS).



^ Yeah, I don't mind having extras (in fact, all in favour of them), as long as I can get the stock TS thing too since that's most likely how I'd use it.

I have a v1 and it does regular tubescreamer tones.

I think of it as having the same sounds, but more. It goes darker and more muffled, and also brighter and clearer, it has more output but can be turned down and it has more gain, but again, is capable of being a semi clean boost, just like the original.

Improvements in every way. But I still use mine like a regular tubescreamer!

Dave_Mc

^^ Thanks. Yeah I wondered why they were discontinued... that makes sense, but I don't need or want a double version.

^ Thanks. When you say it has more gain, do you mean at higher gain settings? I need it to be able to go fairly clean (as clean as a regular tubescreamer, at very least) as I normally use it as a boost (I think you implied that it does go as clean as a regular TS by what you said, I'm just making sure).

ThePrettyDamned

Dave_Mc;385263" said:

^^ Thanks. Yeah I wondered why they were discontinued... that makes sense, but I don't need or want a double version.



^ Thanks. When you say it has more gain, do you mean at higher gain settings? I need it to be able to go fairly clean (as clean as a regular tubescreamer, at very least) as I normally use it as a boost (I think you implied that it does go as clean as a regular TS by what you said, I'm just making sure).

Yeah, it goes down to a dirty boost (I use hot pickups that overdrive any tubescreamer at minimum gain, but single coils stay clear with a touch of grit). The extra gain is really from the 2/3rds up point.

Same for the tone - you won't want to max the tone as it goes very bright! However, if you roll the tone knob down on the guitar and have the od set bright you get a great garage rock tone with the gain up. Fizzy and raucous

Dave_Mc

Excellent, thanks.