Friedman Brit-50 Head

[JonPearson1994]

Sweetwater really need to hire better demonstrators for high gain amps. Don Carr is a good player but he's completely out of his element here. And Nick Bowcott, well... he seems like a nice guy, but....

It's hard to even tell what this amp actually sounds like.

I actually like that they have Nick there. He isn't an especially tight player but part of the problem with some of the demo crowd is that they are such stellar players, they make everything sound good and you can't really judge the merits of the amp itself.

Of course it would be nice if they had someone that leaned more towards modern stuff.

 

[2dor]

This is quite a cool amp for somebody who doesn't own any Friedman amp yet.

Sucks that the Presence pot is at the back ... just... WHY?!

 

[napalmdeath]

Thanks! That guitarist is just too damn good. After watching that and many others, I’ve come full circle and realized that the “plexi thing” is just too damn bright for my ears - although in a mix it would probably help cut.

I also watch the Pete Thorn vid on the new Suhr 68 and same think. I came across a video of the Marshall modified JCM 800 with the Scary Mod and it opened that amp up. makes me wonder what the JMP 1959 Modified would sound like with the Mr. Scary Mod.

When I went back to Sweetwater video on this Friedman Brit 50, it always sounds way better than all the others. I don’t know if it’s something they are doing with post processing because it also sounds more direct. So it could be that this Friedman is different or the way they are recording

Jack is one of the better you tubers for demos. He doesn't go full-on metal, but he does great demos.

 

[napalmdeath]

I actually like that they have Nick there. He isn't an especially tight player but part of the problem with some of the demo crowd is that they are such stellar players, they make everything sound good and you can't really judge the merits of the amp itself.

Of course it would be nice if they had someone that leaned more towards modern stuff.

Nick is like watching a midget run track.

 

[JonPearson1994]

Nick is like watching a midget run track.

And that's supposed to deter me?!

 

[legend71]

Looks like he copied the Ceriatone JCM 52 all Access.

yes - it does look exactly like that to me ha

 

[CarlF]

I find Nick Bocock very distracting. Talks like he has socks in his mouth.
He'd make a fine Santa however.

 

[SFW]

Maybe is filling a more expensive version of the Runt 50. Thought it does seem like it has a touch more gain available than the Runt.

 

[Rev]

I like it. Seems like a small box v2.

 

[Equ1nox]

yes - it does look exactly like that to me ha

WOW! Thanks for pointing out the Ceriatone JCM 52. 52 is two JCM800s. 51 is Plexi and JCM800, which is more like the Brit-50 from that the demonstration shows.

Yeah, it's veeeeeeery similar in layout speaker in the center instead of off to the left side, the 2 jacks on front including Input and Footswitch, and PPIMV!!! :O One thing is, it doesn't say whether the footswitch is 1 or 2 button!!! If only one button, just switches channels, but I know I personally would not want it unless it's a 2-button footswitch and can turn the FX Loop on and off by the footswitch rather than always on or always off....that would suck!

The Ceriatone has way more versatility with additional switches and defeatable FX loop, and bright channels on BOTH channels, and of course independent Bias controls to really dial in mismatched tubes.

I'm actually a little pissed off Nik stole my amp name "Double Barrel" I had developed like 10-15 years ago!! Everyone steals until it's truly "unique"!

Too bad Ceriatone transformers are the weakness and shit. Take this circuit and put in some good iron and you'd have a really good Plexi/800 amp!!

 

[Bloodrock]

Friedman resale is in the toilet. Great amps, but missing the Marshall kerrang!! Same complaints since forever.. sounds too produced... Ceriatones are much better than friedmans at this point... and 1/4 the price... meh!

 

[ners]

I sold a Marshall reissue that Dave modded to be closer to '68 spec and replaced it with a Ceriatone JCM51 that sounded like garbage in comparison. Tried all sorts of different tubes but couldn't get any good sparkle or kerrang out of it. Wish I still had that Friedman mod but he has since put out three Plex so may just get one of those eventually.

 

[Faded Abyss]

This is quite a cool amp for somebody who doesn't own any Friedman amp yet.

Sucks that the Presence pot is at the back ... just... WHY?!

Yeah, anytime I get an amp that has these types of back controls, I get frustrated with the amp.

Maybe a Deluxe 100 watt version of this amp with added thump and presence on front

 

[Faded Abyss]

This is quite a cool amp for somebody who doesn't own any Friedman amp yet.

Sucks that the Presence pot is at the back ... just... WHY?!

Yeah, anytime I get an amp that has these types of back controls, I get frustrated with the amp.

Maybe a Deluxe 100 watt version of this amp with added thump and presence on the front but I’m guessing 100 BE Deluxe is already too close

 

[2dor]

WOW! Thanks for pointing out the Ceriatone JCM 52. 52 is two JCM800s. 51 is Plexi and JCM800, which is more like the Brit-50 from that the demonstration shows.

Yeah, it's veeeeeeery similar in layout speaker in the center instead of off to the left side, the 2 jacks on front including Input and Footswitch, and PPIMV!!! :O One thing is, it doesn't say whether the footswitch is 1 or 2 button!!! If only one button, just switches channels, but I know I personally would not want it unless it's a 2-button footswitch and can turn the FX Loop on and off by the footswitch rather than always on or always off....that would suck!

The Ceriatone has way more versatility with additional switches and defeatable FX loop, and bright channels on BOTH channels, and of course independent Bias controls to really dial in mismatched tubes.

I'm actually a little pissed off Nik stole my amp name "Double Barrel" I had developed like 10-15 years ago!! Everyone steals until it's truly "unique"!

Too bad Ceriatone transformers are the weakness and shit. Take this circuit and put in some good iron and you'd have a really good Plexi/800 amp!!

The Ceriatone iron is as good as anything I've had in recent times.

If you aren't a fan, not sure why, they now offer Heyboer iron for an extra, modest fee.

 

[harddriver]

That makes sense.


It's not that this sounds bad at all, just can't help but think "why?"

I would be way more interested if Dave did like a fully gained out modern style amp like a VH4 or recto except marshally, or a rack pre, or something

It just seems like if I wanted these tones there are already a million amps that could provide it idk

Didn't Friedman have that with the Friedman Butterslax amp, wasn't that considered modern high gain?????

 

[JonPearson1994]

Didn't Friedman have that with the Friedman Butterslax amp, wasn't that considered modern high gain?????
View attachment 438735

Hell, I would say the BE models fit that bill as well.

 

[Equ1nox]

The Ceriatone iron is as good as anything I've had in recent times.

If you aren't a fan, not sure why, they now offer Heyboer iron for an extra, modest fee.

....because with original Ceriatone iron, ALL of the amps I have played or come across my bench sound like shit...that's why!
They do not run at appropriate power (probably because out of China and can't design them to handle higher power and reliably) and are bright, so something wrong (don't care what it is, the ears and Tone dictate - could be wire, wire type, how they are magnatized, lamination stack, whatever).
If you can't HEAR the difference...well, that's where the problem starts, but I'm an electrical engineer masters degreed and have built or modified over 1,000 amps in 16 years and they don't get flipped, so I think I know what I'm talking about and not just happy with a cheap amp in the vicinity! Thanks.

As for people inquiring about higher gain....Yes, as indicated above, the Butterslax should fit that bill and is the highest gain amp Friedman has offered to date. One channel is pre-tonestack (Jose) master designed and the other post-tonestack master (traditional and typical Friedman-style), fyi!

Yes, Friedman resale is in the shitter! People's wages have not been keeping up while expenses increasing significantly. People looks for cheap right now and you have resale market or modelers for solutions, so sales are affected. Tariffs don't help with Ceriatone if getting from across the pond, but if local distributor at AP (asia-pacific) rates....that's the way to go. I would however and again as stated...NOT put in Ceriatone iron! I would either:

1. Order, but with upgraded Heyboer iron across the board (if you can trust it will be authentic and now a typical Chinese inferior clone).
2. Order a completed rolling chassis with boards and everything populated and installed, but NO iron, nor tubes, nor enclosure if you don't like theirs and want your own and as enclosures are heavy and addl $$$ again unless you can get domestic distributor pricing and then get real Heyboer iron and install yourself or have a local tech do it. Then you have good components and build quality with real domestic iron!! One other thing though is the Ceriatone designs though good, many need tweaks and again, you or a tech could do. Hope this helps and in making decisions!!

 

[2dor]

....because with original Ceriatone iron, ALL of the amps I have played or come across my bench sound like shit...that's why!
They do not run at appropriate power (probably because out of China and can't design them to handle higher power and reliably) and are bright, so something wrong (don't care what it is, the ears and Tone dictate - could be wire, wire type, how they are magnatized, lamination stack, whatever).
If you can't HEAR the difference...well, that's where the problem starts, but I'm an electrical engineer masters degreed and have built or modified over 1,000 amps in 16 years and they don't get flipped, so I think I know what I'm talking about and not just happy with a cheap amp in the vicinity! Thanks.

As for people inquiring about higher gain....Yes, as indicated above, the Butterslax should fit that bill and is the highest gain amp Friedman has offered to date. One channel is pre-tonestack (Jose) master designed and the other post-tonestack master (traditional and typical Friedman-style), fyi!

Yes, Friedman resale is in the shitter! People's wages have not been keeping up while expenses increasing significantly. People looks for cheap right now and you have resale market or modelers for solutions, so sales are affected. Tariffs don't help with Ceriatone if getting from across the pond, but if local distributor at AP (asia-pacific) rates....that's the way to go. I would however and again as stated...NOT put in Ceriatone iron! I would either:

1. Order, but with upgraded Heyboer iron across the board (if you can trust it will be authentic and now a typical Chinese inferior clone).
2. Order a completed rolling chassis with boards and everything populated and installed, but NO iron, nor tubes, nor enclosure if you don't like theirs and want your own and as enclosures are heavy and addl $$$ again unless you can get domestic distributor pricing and then get real Heyboer iron and install yourself or have a local tech do it. Then you have good components and build quality with real domestic iron!! One other thing though is the Ceriatone designs though good, many need tweaks and again, you or a tech could do. Hope this helps and in making decisions!!

They sound great to me; as good as the Friedman stuff tbh. Most of this reads like a rant, don't understand why, but - subjectively from my hands-on experience playing a lot of amps in the last years - I rank the Ceriatone stuff as high up as any other boutique builders in the Western parts of the world.
Voltages in the Ceriatones I have are rock solid.

 

[romanianreaper]

I think Nick Bowcott is great for Sweetwater because prior to him, really wasn't a metal guy there. He was in Grim Reaper (back when he had hair, lol) and seems like he doesn't take himself too seriously.