DSL - use the Bass booster button or not?

[Richman1]

That's for you to decide. I don't see how anyone on the internet would dicate how you should setup your amp.

That being said, I almost never use it. I do use it expectionally on the green channel, mode 1 to get a bit more balls on the clean sound. I will roll off the bass control if I engage the deep button with a Strat on the neck pickup.

You speaker cabinet's resonant frequency might be accentuating some of the bass frequencies, making things worse at louder volumes. I've used the deep switch with the mid scoop at loud volumes, live, with the bass control at 6-7 and had no issues.

That was with a 4x12 cab, loaded with 2 G12T-75s and 2 Centurys. I can't see a problem with Vintage 30 speakers either.

Now if you look at the sound you are trying to achive, there is very little bass in the guitar sounds of Halen, Dokken and Maiden. For those styles, the deep switch is complete overkill.

I have to agree with you... Those bands mentioned would not require that bass boost...Just to throw my two cents in...my buttons are never in unless I'm using my greenback cab in my bedroom at low volumes...other than that the bass boost is overkill with my Les Paul and will walk on your bass player's freq's in certain rooms live....

 

[slowhand]

well, I used my dsl live for the first time last weekend. It was up against two other amps I had on stage because I was only planning to use the DSL on one or two songs, but it did better than expected. Bass boost was in most of the time mainly because it is not easy to change since we go right from one song into another one. I also found that the mid cut really drops the ability of the amp to "cut through" the mix without a volume tweak so I used a volume box in the loop to help. Overall I got the most grins when I really cranked the green channel. I was playing mainly my PRS and Suhr guitars through a 4x12 Bogner with V30's and G12m's.

 

[solarburn]

well, I used my dsl live for the first time last weekend. It was up against two other amps I had on stage because I was only planning to use the DSL on one or two songs, but it did better than expected. Bass boost was in most of the time mainly because it is not easy to change since we go right from one song into another one. I also found that the mid cut really drops the ability of the amp to "cut through" the mix without a volume tweak so I used a volume box in the loop to help. Overall I got the most grins when I really cranked the green channel. I was playing mainly my PRS and Suhr guitars through a 4x12 Bogner with V30's and G12m's.

You tried it with the mid cut button out too right? Up there live with the Tone shift button in I wouldn't imagine it cut through very well at all.

The green channel is fun and has a great foundation for using OD pedals to get even more gain choices than what the amp offers by itself. Hell I can get three gain options using 3 different OD pedals just on that crunch channel. I can roll off guitar volume with each pedal to get a clean tone as well. Course I'm not going heavier than hardrock.

It doesn't hurt hav'n those guitars and cab/speakers either hehe.

 

[el zilcho]

To the OP question: NO! I never use the deep switch unless I'm playing at bedroom volume. Only time I would ever use it at band volume would be with the bass set on 0, you can get a different sound that way since you're not hitting the preamp with any bass (deep switch is post all pre gain stages, I believe). It also lets you cut the mid-bass while retaining the low bass (useful with some guitars).

I play a Les Paul studio and 1960a cab with some poly-fill stapled to the inside walls. The band I'm playing with right now sounds kind of like Red Hot Chili Peppers but heavier (more punk power chords and singer has a deep scratchy voice). I see way too many bands in small clubs/bars where the guitar players have too much bass, too much gain, and not nearly enough mids. Makes it hard to tell what they're playing, even when they're amps are set too loud.

 

[lucidspoon]

I've been kind of the opposite of a lot of people on here apparently. I've usually used the deep boost on the red channel, and I've thought that it muddies up the green channel too much. Today at practice, I thought I'd try out turning it off all the time. It took me a bit to get used to, but after increasing the bass in the EQ some, I think I got it sounding good for both channels. Once I get an EQ pedal, I'll probably be able to fine tune it more and stop using the deep boost altogether in a band situation. I'll probably still use it when I'm alone just to fill out the sound some though.

 

[RazorDave]

I had a dsl since it came out! I always used the bass boost on. However, since my stage volume was always about 11 oclock, I would back off the bass to about 12 oclock. It automatically gets bassier as you turn up!