Friedman BE or Marshall Astoria

[BadCat]

Which one would you prefer and why. Let`s throw in the silver jubilee too.

 

[Chester Nimitz]

The Dirty Shirley or Small Box 50 would be great for blews.


Marshall features dont justify the cost IMO.

 

[BadCat]

The Dirty Shirley or Small Box 50 would be great for blews.


Marshall features dont justify the cost IMO.

Thanks for answering. Marshall Astoria over here is 2300 Euro, Friedman smallbox 3000, BE 3900.- Euro. Silver jub is 1400.-.

 

[mniel8195]

I own a smallbox and it covers a ton of ground but i would love to have a dirty shirley for blues/ old school rock. The smallbox is more of a hardrock machine for me.

 

[Chester Nimitz]

ew ...

You're in the UK ?

 

[mniel8195]

The silver Jub has a munch better price point i would skip the Friedman line unless you can pick one up used.

 

[Racerxrated]

The silver Jub has a munch better price point i would skip the Friedman line unless you can pick one up used.

Exactly this. Throw a clean boost in front of a Jubilee and it can get as heavy as the Friedman. More open sounding than the BE IMO...Friedman's sound compressed to me, with the Dirty Shirley and Phil X the exception. Great sounding amps but I can't justify the price difference even used between a Friedman and a Jubilee. The reissue Jubes can run any octal power tube as well, and the loop is much better than the original.

 

[BadCat]

ew ...

You're in the UK ?

On a side note: Love your credo: "Trying to be balanced in an insane world"- really hits the nail on the head.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Find a used JCM2000 DSL cheap and call it a day...

 

[Chester Nimitz]

ew ...

You're in the UK ?

On a side note: Love your credo: "Trying to be balanced in an insane world"- really hits the nail on the head.

Thanks man, 15 years sober next month, life isn't what you want, it is what it is.

Living a dream ...

 

[BadCat]

ew ...

You're in the UK ?

On a side note: Love your credo: "Trying to be balanced in an insane world"- really hits the nail on the head.

Thanks man, 15 years sober next month, life isn't what you want, it is what it is.

Living a dream ...

 

[severinsteel]

Wow, definitely the Jubilee. That price difference is insane. Throw a boost in front, and you are 90% there. Plus, you can use different pedals in front for different tones!

 

[messenger]

I'd go Jubilee. But I've never tried any of the other amps but I've been missing my jubilee since I sold it a number of years ago

 

[sg guy]

-Jube-

-& quitters never win-

 

[chadprsman]

...

 

[Rick Lee]

This thread has me thinking. I've been shopping for a Small Box or BE100, just depends on what crazy good deal I can find. But do you guys really think a Jub compares? I haven't played any of the three, only seen the YT demos and heard two BE100s at gigs that sounded heavenly. For less than half the money, I could grab a Jub tomorrow and call it a day. Which sounds best?

 

[sg guy]

-I believe its the price difference for you, I have a FRIEDMAN,... but I wouldn't sell my 2203KK-

 

[BadCat]

This thread has me thinking. I've been shopping for a Small Box or BE100, just depends on what crazy good deal I can find. But do you guys really think a Jub compares? I haven't played any of the three, only seen the YT demos and heard two BE100s at gigs that sounded heavenly. For less than half the money, I could grab a Jub tomorrow and call it a day. Which sounds best?

My experience with both Marshall and Friedman is quite limited. I had a Marshall JVM and YJM. I thought the JVM was a hell of an amp but only when played really loud. I think the JVM kicked my other amps asses when turned up. Played at bedroom level- The JVM is not a bedroom amp at all.
I only have played the Friedman BE at moderate levels so i cannot really make a reliable comparison based on that experience. The BE has as the JVM a very good clean channel (i actually was majorly surprised and impressed over how good the clean channel on the BE is).The BE has thereover a more refined sound. I would guess the BE doesn`t cut like a Marshall.
And what i mean by a Marshall cutting in the mix is this:

From my experience the Friedman is a fantastic amp but i find it a bit too expensive over here. I can buy exactly 3 Silver Jubilees for the price of 1 BE. And when it comes to build quality i have to say that i had more trouble with my high end hand built amps than with my cheapo Marhalls. Not that this is a statistically useable experience, but it is what it is.
From my expereince i find the best videos on YT that highlight the differences of these two amps are these:
( I find the Marshall to sound a lot more saggy and raw)- but again i love the Friedman`s too and wish i could own both:

And another demo of (not the jubilee we are talking about) but what one can do with a JVM (this must be the best demo on the net

 

[Chester Nimitz]

What button do we hit to ignore fat dan aka Chester Nimitz ?

This is the one you want buddy boy ...

 

[Racerxrated]

I've played 2 BEs, heard a Dirty Shirley live and then I have the clips of the rest of the Friedmans to go by. None of those experiences wowed me over my experiences with a Jubilee. But I like a more open, less compressed amp and that's not the BE from my experience. The BE seems darker than the Jubilee, and I've read others saying the same thing. Maybe you can dial the BE to be more cutting but I think the D Shirley is the most Marshally of the Friedman line. If cost isn't a consideration then you have a tough call. But if money matters the Jubilee wins. Just needs a boost to get into BE territory.