DSL - use the Bass booster button or not?

[axl2]

On second thought, The last few days I've been using the bass boost. And actually not using the EQ Pedal now, just tube screamer. I roll the bass back on the amp EQ, treble up around 5-7 Mid even higher and I bring the Presence up a little bit, maybe 3-4.

The trick to it is eqing the amp right, you can't keep it eqed the same way with and without. Also if you use a pedal you can flip the tone whichever way is appropriate. Definitely gives your tone a more FULL feel. Palm muting stuff sounds awesome and solos have a little more fullness in the notes.

I however don't use the tone shift, and turning on both bass boost and mid scoop sounds like a mess to me.

 

[dcooper830]

I never use the Bass Boost because I always have more than enough bass as it is even with my BASS control at 5.

I never use the Tone Shift in when I'm gigging live because it takes too much body away from the tone.... but it actually sounds really cool at bedroom volumes when I'm home practicing.

And I find that the DSL 100 sounds AWESOME even at bedroom volumes.

 

[Brett Blackmore]

an awesome amp! I would never sell it (unless the JVM comes my way and is a lot better!)

I now use the bass button all the time - it pushes the hairs back down my neck!

ps. I asked Vinnie Moore on his forum how he set his DSL (Showtime - 2005) and he very kindly answered - he stated that he thought he had the left one 'out' and the right one 'in'. This sounds to me just so wrong and I think he mixed up the bass-boost and the cut-mid switches. Still, it is what he wrote...

Cheers Brett

 

[riffdrive]

I have a DSL 50 and I almost never use the bass boost. Maybe when I'm playing by myself in the bedroom I'll use it, but never when playing with other people. You can have the fattest sound in the world, but if you're competing with the other instruments, what's the point? Unless you're a guitar god, your playing doesn't deserve to dominate the mix like that.

I hate to see any band where one instrument is overpowering another. To me, that shows a lack of respect for the other musicians in the band. Know your place in the band, listen to the other instruments, and find an unoccupied pocket that your sound can fit into. Also, the bands you mentioned don't really have a lot in the way of low-end frequencies in the guitars. They left that up to the bass player, as it should be.

 

[Purgasound]

I've never...

 

[axl2]

Don't a lot of people complain about the lack of low end with the DSL's? If that's the case maybe the amp was made with the intentions of having it in use. I don't think the bass boost is too crazy as long as you take the bass EQ down and treble up.

 

[Ken]

I have a 50 watt DSL that I've had only a month. It's now my main band amp, and it's a learning curve. There are so many tones with this amp you don't know where to start. At first I had the deep on all the time and thought the tone shift was useless. Then I played a week with the tone shift on and loved it; and off and on with the deep. I dicovered what I didn't like at first are usable tones too; I just wasn't in the right context when I fist discovered them. So my advice is try everything for all your styles! This amp is a 10 trick pony and you have to get to master the subtle tricks as well as the obvious full gain beauty of it!

Ken

 

[solarburn]

Don't a lot of people complain about the lack of low end with the DSL's? If that's the case maybe the amp was made with the intentions of having it in use. I don't think the bass boost is too crazy as long as you take the bass EQ down and treble up.

I won't play lead 1 without the deep button in. The green channel is bassy enough its not needed. Guitar and speakers are a big part of how this amp is EQ'd. I set the amp to what its hooked up too. Big EQ adjustments going from my strats single coils to my HH Tele.

Its not the same across the board making EQ adjustments from what others are runn'n through the amp unless you have the same speakers/cab, guitars and even effects.

Love the amp though!

 

[LPJohnny]

I don't play with the deep switch on with my Les Pauls.
Humbucker's don't sound good to me with that on. I use
the classic gain channel for all rhythm parts and only use
the high gain channel, set in the lead 1 position, for solo's.
I'm not that found of the high gain channel, it sounds kinda
brittle to me, and doesn't "sing" like my Mk III's lead channel.

Hope this helps. LPJohnny

 

[Vintager12]

Havnt got a DSL head, but on my DSL combo I put bass boost in the loop. I use it at low volume but I dont need it at band volume.

Something else ... Are you useing the 8412 cab under the dsl 401 ?

 

[JohnH]

Something else ... Are you useing the 8412 cab under the dsl 401 ?

Yes, about 1/2 the time. It fills out the low end and then no need for boost in the loop. But I also like the punchy sound of the combo on its own.

John

 

[axl2]

I don't play with the deep switch on with my Les Pauls.
Humbucker's don't sound good to me with that on. I use
the classic gain channel for all rhythm parts and only use
the high gain channel, set in the lead 1 position, for solo's.
I'm not that found of the high gain channel, it sounds kinda
brittle to me, and doesn't "sing" like my Mk III's lead channel.

Hope this helps. LPJohnny

Smart eqing and you can get either channel sounding good. It might be a better idea to just get an EQ pedal in the loop and boost it slightly through that. When you crank a DSL the EQ fills out way more then lower levels.

 

[Vintager12]

Why don't use it ? just do what you like more...

 

[carnada]

i Let Mine In All The Time Also. I Also Play The Same Bands Music As You. I Use A Highway 1 Strat Done Up To Be Like Dave Murrays Strat And My Mexican Hybrid (has A Highway 1 Neck),it's A Hss With Dimarzio Super Distortion3 In The Bridge And Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues In The Neck And Middle. I Have Mine Setup So I Think It Sounds Good At High And Low Volumes, I Just Adjust The Gain As I Get Louder.

Long Live Iron Fucking Maiden!!!!!!!

 

[solarburn]

Long Live Iron Fucking Maiden!!!!!!!

This must be doubled!

 

[neilrocks25]

Like Solarburn I boost my DSL on the Green channel, mostly with a Blackstar HT-Dual.

I DO NOT use the bass boost button unless I am at home, the reason, let the bass plaer do their job. just use the EQ.


Unless your playing nu metal

 

[kebek]

i have a bass player and a drummer... never engaged that bass boost and the level of bass is set to 5... i got plenty of bass like that... i tried it, bass on 5 and bass boost, too much bass, palm mutes are killing the rest of the band... how do you manage to play with your band with that much bass...

 

[underliner6]

I always have it on. On my clean channnel, my amp gets really bright so the deep switch is nice. I wish I would have bought vintage 30's, but the 1936 only came with
G12T-75.

 

[Ken]

I've had my DSL since last winter and find I don't use the bass boost when I'm playing with the volume over 4. For quiet playing I do use it.

Ken

 

[DSL troubles]

I liked the bass boost when clean, but dirty it sounds like shit....too deep. I am going to beat that DSL like it owes me money!!! Cant Marshall use a decent transformer for Christ sakes?