difference between the BE 100, SS and JJ

[Mixman]

The BE is not a metal amp but could do the 80s glam stuff with the HBE.

What is it with people who say that about BE's? I've come across 2-3 people saying so, on youtube or other forums, and it's laughable to suggest an amp that is a high gain modded Marshall in reality, couldn't do metal.... how many metal bands have used just that, to record metal albums? When I play metal, I play Sabbath, NWOBHM and 80's Thrash - and the sound is there in spades, with more than enough gain.

Agreed the be can def do metal, especially in hbe with the sat switch on. Just through a gate in the loop. If your thing is the scooped sound throw a 10 band in the loop. Sounded heavier than my mesa mark V. IMO

Does the BE have as much gain as the Mark V especially in extreme mode?

 

[Erock4455]

The BE is not a metal amp but could do the 80s glam stuff with the HBE.

What is it with people who say that about BE's? I've come across 2-3 people saying so, on youtube or other forums, and it's laughable to suggest an amp that is a high gain modded Marshall in reality, couldn't do metal.... how many metal bands have used just that, to record metal albums? When I play metal, I play Sabbath, NWOBHM and 80's Thrash - and the sound is there in spades, with more than enough gain.

Agreed the be can def do metal, especially in hbe with the sat switch on. Just through a gate in the loop. If your thing is the scooped sound throw a 10 band in the loop. Sounded heavier than my mesa mark V. IMO

Does the BE have as much gain as the Mark V especially in extreme mode?

In my opinion with in the hbe mode it has close to the amount of gain, especially with the sat switch, i don't have the mark v any more to compare it, but the be can def do metal, but it sounds nothing like the mark v. The mesa is a great amp, but after years of trying different types of mesas i just find that i am enjoy the sound of a plexi or hotroded plexi much more, that is of course just my opinion. I would not say that one is better than the other. I also had a hard time dialing in the mesa amps, everytime I thought i got a good sound the next time i plugged in id find my self tweaking knobs again rather than playing. Hope that helps.

 

[Mixman]

The BE is not a metal amp but could do the 80s glam stuff with the HBE.

What is it with people who say that about BE's? I've come across 2-3 people saying so, on youtube or other forums, and it's laughable to suggest an amp that is a high gain modded Marshall in reality, couldn't do metal.... how many metal bands have used just that, to record metal albums? When I play metal, I play Sabbath, NWOBHM and 80's Thrash - and the sound is there in spades, with more than enough gain.

Agreed the be can def do metal, especially in hbe with the sat switch on. Just through a gate in the loop. If your thing is the scooped sound throw a 10 band in the loop. Sounded heavier than my mesa mark V. IMO

Does the BE have as much gain as the Mark V especially in extreme mode?

In my opinion with in the hbe mode it has close to the amount of gain, especially with the sat switch, i don't have the mark v any more to compare it, but the be can def do metal, but it sounds nothing like the mark v. The mesa is a great amp, but after years of trying different types of mesas i just find that i am enjoy the sound of a plexi or hotroded plexi much more, that is of course just my opinion. I would not say that one is better than the other. I also had a hard time dialing in the mesa amps, everytime I thought i got a good sound the next time i plugged in id find my self tweaking knobs again rather than playing. Hope that helps.

Thanks, so something like a JJ should definitely have the gain of a Mark V, just a different sound of course?

 

[Adambomb]

The BE is not a metal amp but could do the 80s glam stuff with the HBE.

What is it with people who say that about BE's? I've come across 2-3 people saying so, on youtube or other forums, and it's laughable to suggest an amp that is a high gain modded Marshall in reality, couldn't do metal.... how many metal bands have used just that, to record metal albums? When I play metal, I play Sabbath, NWOBHM and 80's Thrash - and the sound is there in spades, with more than enough gain.

Agreed the be can def do metal, especially in hbe with the sat switch on. Just through a gate in the loop. If your thing is the scooped sound throw a 10 band in the loop. Sounded heavier than my mesa mark V. IMO

Does the BE have as much gain as the Mark V especially in extreme mode?

Are you asking about the BE or JJ? I can say after listening to clips from my old MarkV that the Extreme mode might have a hair more gain, but it's that "Mesa" gain. But to put it simple, I think my BE has almost as much gain as the Extreme mode on the MKV. I battled with that MKV for over 2 years and REALLY wanted it to work, but only tone that was usable for me was the Ch1 Clean modes, to die for! If I could have the 20th Shiva Cleans or MKV clean Ch on the BE100, it would be just unbelievable. But the BE's cleans are about the best I've heard from any Plexi style amp.

But yea they are two WAY different amps the MKV and any Friedman amp.

 

[Mixman]

Cool, if a BE has almost as much gain then a JJ should have as much or slightly more than a Mark V in extreme mode. I am thinking about the JJ to replace the Mark V, because now I have more of a modded Marshall type of feeling lately and the JJ seems to fit that bill without me loosing the gain I love on the Mesa.

 

[mark5152]

get the be 100!

 

[JanMan]

I visited the Friedman booth at NAMM '15, and soaked up about 20 minutes of guys switching between the SS/JJ/BE. When I left, I was leaning toward the SS. Then I saw Steve Stevens playing live (with Billy Idol) at two gigs in the LA area. He does a ton of guitar, volume, tone, and distortion changes during his set. After that, I'm even more sold on the SS. A super versatile amp, not a one-trick pony.

I pulled the trigger on an SS100 a few weeks ago. Three guitars: Tele, Les Paul, and Fano JM6 w/ P-90's. The clean channel likes the Tele and the Fano. It rivals my Bassman 4x10 for strong clean tones. The distortion/boost channel of course comes alive with the Les Paul. So many rock tones can be had from late 60's to modern crunch, and even heavier. I haven't heard enough of the BE or JJ to compare, but all of a sudden, my JCM800, Prosonic, and Bassman are getting ignored.