Marshall DSL and boosts/drives

NelsonP

I've got a Marshall DSL20C and am wondering what boost / drive to put in front of it. I'm looking to add a solo boost to the red channel.

Any suggestions?

WiresDreamDisasters

I'm loving my Boo Instruments tubescreamer right now. It's their 808 clone and sounds mega.

TTBZ

I really like a Klone into a dirty Marshall. It's like a TS but not quite as much compression/mid honk/low cut going on. Soul Food into my Jubilee was thicc.

sgosden

Agree, my old DSL reacted well to a tube screamer or Klone. 

How hard do you drive the amp normally? 

NelsonP

There's a ton of gain on the red channel, so I have the gain around 10 o'clock. That works well for gainy rhythm stuff, but I want a bit more sustain on solos.

77ric

Depends on what you want really but both TS and klon style pedals work brilliantly into Marshalls. 

To me a tube screamer can make a Marshall roar, a klon in the other hand can make it scream. So what do you want it to do? The correct answer is of course one of each, probably not at the same time but you never know. 

fastonebaz

On my dsl I use a maxon od808 for lead saturation with a tc mini spark in the fx loop for volume boost.  Sounds mint. 

rockmonster

Save some money Boss SD1 green channel- sorted!

tabano

I love a T- Rex Moller pushing it, specifically when the amp is “slightly cooking”,
it has a mix pot that allows to take the drive from low to extreme places without loosing the initial pick attack and squash all the dynamics,
really great unit imho,

ICBM

SD-1. There’s something about them which just works really well with Marshalls - they cut through and boost volume even when the amp is already quite overdriven.

rawk100

My Xotic BB preamp works well with my Marshall

Modulus_Amps

Another vote for SD-1, Klon and TS if you want more mid push though.

I like a clean boost in front or a pedal that does not compress much at all

NelsonP

I've got an EP Booster, OCD and Soul Food.

The red channel on the DSL20 has a ton of gain, so I run the gain at about 10 o clock. It's already compressing a lot.

Right now I'm liking the EP booster the best, followed by the OCD. The amp is quite trebly and can get fizzy so the soul food can get a bit much. Sounds nice on the green channel though.

Just wondered whether there was a better alternative, or whether I'm chasing my tail and should just stick with the EP Booster.

riffpowers

I think if you’ve got an sd1 and a ts you’ve got it covered. 
They’re classics for a reason!!

sgosden

NelsonP said:

I've got an EP Booster, OCD and Soul Food.

The red channel on the DSL20 has a ton of gain, so I run the gain at about 10 o clock. It's already compressing a lot.

Right now I'm liking the EP booster the best, followed by the OCD. The amp is quite trebly and can get fizzy so the soul food can get a bit much. Sounds nice on the green channel though.

Just wondered whether there was a better alternative, or whether I'm chasing my tail and should just stick with the EP Booster.

I like the EP boost at low home volumes, but found it got too bassy/loose at higher volumes, once the Poweramp was getting pushed harder . 

NelsonP

sgosden said:

NelsonP said:

I've got an EP Booster, OCD and Soul Food.

The red channel on the DSL20 has a ton of gain, so I run the gain at about 10 o clock. It's already compressing a lot.

Right now I'm liking the EP booster the best, followed by the OCD. The amp is quite trebly and can get fizzy so the soul food can get a bit much. Sounds nice on the green channel though.

Just wondered whether there was a better alternative, or whether I'm chasing my tail and should just stick with the EP Booster.

I like the EP boost at low home volumes, but found it got too bassy/loose at higher volumes, once the Poweramp was getting pushed harder . 

That's interesting.  Obviously at the moment all of my testing has been at home volumes....

rockmonster

If it’s anything like the 100HR when the volume is cranked the fizziness kinda disappears. Crank those volumes! Then hit it with the SD-1 Sorted! Try a CAE mc401 in the loop for clean boost.

Daiganzen

I have and older DSL and it takes drives quite well. Better than my 6505+

bananaman

One of those Demon branded 808 clones from ebay. A fraction of the price of a real one and just as good. I find the SD1 a bit 'hard' or 'papery' sounding and much prefer an 808. Even better is an 808 with a slightly tired battery!

Voxman

ICBM said:

SD-1. There’s something about them which just works really well with Marshalls - they cut through and boost volume even when the amp is already quite overdriven.

This ...It's weird because having owned and used an SD1, I'm actually not a fan of it with other amps and I didn't like it as a pedal, but for some strange reason that I've never been able to fathom, they sound really good in front of Marshalls.  Go figure. 

bananaman

That's worth clarifying. When I say use an 808 (or an SD1), I don't mean use the overdrive from the pedal - it's rubbish. I assume this is common knowledge, but just on the small chance that it isn't, do the following: set the drive to zero, level to maximum, tone to taste (start at half) into your already cooking Marshall and enjoy tonal Nirvana!