2018 BE 100 vs New Suhr PT 100

John4021

John4021

Well-known member
Trying to decide on selling my Friedman BE100 and get a brand new PT100
First off. Is the BE100 price going to increase (not that it matters) since its not offered anymore.

I listened YT videos of the Suhr and it does sound right up my alley.
Used to have the CAA version years ago but cant remember much about the tone.

So,
hit me with your thoughts.

p.s. I do dig the Friedman but. Well you know once a gear whore....:LOL:
 
I had the newer BE100 and now have the Suhr PT100. I thought the BE was too compressed and clean channel was just bland. PT is less compressed and has a killer clean channel. Channel 2 is crunch to high gain and 3 is just a little more compressed than channel 2 but the overall tone is pretty much the same with the gain level at the same setting. Feedback control really changes the feel of the amp and overall tone. Fun to play with. Loop is as good as a metro loop . Boost is a mosfet type and can be adjusted if you pull the chassis. Amp takes pedals like a champ, I run 5 different ODs and you can hear every nuance between pedals. Great master volume just like Friedmans. Build quality is impeccable. Thats all I got. Good luck.
Check out this vid…
 
I just watched that Video a few days ago Is that you?
Killer tones with the Thornbuckers....which I never liked
LOL
 
Ha I wish. This guy is really an accomplished player. I think the PT100 is more marshally upper mids whereas the CAA was more lower mids and darker.
 
do you still have to run the bass way down on the PT? it seems all his circuits have way too much bass involved
 
Hey John,
My question is why don’t you already have BOTH of these amps?
As you said, “gear whore,” plus, I don’t know anyone who has much cooler gear than you my friend.

OK, I can see reasons to have both, that’s my current situation. The PT is a really nice amp, with a sweet clean and crunch that kills. Very touch responsive as the video above shows nicely. Quite versatile with the foot switching available.
IMO, the Friedman tone is too good not to have as well. Although, you may be able to work with the PT and a couple pedals to get you almost all the BE tones. Still, I have the BE AND the SS :rolleyes:
My BE was modded by Dave, so it is more versatile for me and very usable across the channels. I like the clean here as well, yet the PT has it’s own clean thing going, dare I say more “jangly.”

You might find you are happy with either/both, as I find for myself. As far as value increase, I couldn’t say. Prices are currently raising on many things...the BE DLX has some extra stuff, like thump I think. I haven’t played one of those. I lean toward more classic tones these days with less gain in general. In that way, both the BE and the PT have plenty for my tastes.

In the end, you will need to play a PT and decide what works best for you. Pete has a cool style and these amps lend themselves to his classic “Marshall” vibe, again my opinion.
Best to you brother
 
I have a Martin modded JMP with the SE Crunch mod and an FX loop. Its a lot different than a friedman. The bass gets flubby and there isnt as much gain (vs be no sat). They all have uses.
 
Absolutely love my PT100se.(I run it through a Friedman 4x12 with Greenbacks and V30s)
Ch.1 clean sorta reminds me of a Twin Reverb. So clean and detailed.(I can dial in sort of a Cult "Electric"
rhythm tone with the on-board OD circuit goosing Ch.1)
Ch.2 is what I use for rhythm tones. Think AC/DC live in Paris('79), up to early Van Halen rhythm tone.
CH.3 total flamethrower. No OD needed for leads. Just ridiculous amounts of usable gain.
I couldn't recommend the PT100 highly enough.
 
BE very open, many tones from vintage to modern - fooled me into thinking I was hearing a plexi from the other room (high volume)
PT has a narrow sweet spot. you'll either love it or not. The old one was beefier and more modern, which I preferred.
 
I'd own both and dial them in to be different and you'll cover a crap ton of sonic ground..Even run em simultaneously with an a/ b box..thats when things get really cool...im on my 3rd BE 100- the deluxe,and it's by far my favorite friedman. I always thought bout adding the PT too.
 
motorboy1 said:
Ha I wish. This guy is really an accomplished player. I think the PT100 is more marshally upper mids whereas the CAA was more lower mids and darker.
Click to expand...
This was my experience as well. Much stronger low mids emphasis when I had my CAA. It also was more modern than the Suhr version. The CAA was Still Marshall but came across as a grindier modded JCM 800. The negative feedback was the best part of that amp. There was something going on in the mids that eventually put me off of it. Still an awesome amp.

The Suhe PT is less modern, more open, and sounds more modded plexi for sure. It also sounds a lot less compressed than the BE100. And in my opinion a lot more raw. The BE100 can sound a little round at times for my liking. I would personally rather have the PT100 over the BE100. But again, that’s a preference thing. Alternatively I would be curious about the SL68 (never played one though)
 
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