SFW
Well-known member
Friedman JJ vs BE Deluxe... go!
J
Junk Yard Dog
Well-known member
Had the JJ100. Played both back to back A/B style through same Friedman 4x12.
Can’t go wrong with either. From a fuzzy memory, all EQ the same, they are close. JJ seemed to have slight thicker mids.
You could get the DLX to do JJ close with all the options. DLX has more gain, it seemed to me.
I’d gladly own both. I had to downsize so I sold my Friedmans and got a Splawn Comp. I love both.
Can’t go wrong with either. From a fuzzy memory, all EQ the same, they are close. JJ seemed to have slight thicker mids.
You could get the DLX to do JJ close with all the options. DLX has more gain, it seemed to me.
I’d gladly own both. I had to downsize so I sold my Friedmans and got a Splawn Comp. I love both.
DanTravis62
Moderator
They're really similar, and can be dialed in near identical, too. Good for leads, like all friedman stuff, great feel - but pretty dark and pretty modern. Rhythm sounds are high quality but a bit bland on both - JJ is slightly better because of the increased low mid focus, but the BE could be dialed in that way probably.
Honestly if you want that modern recorded marshall sound, you could snag either one.
Honestly if you want that modern recorded marshall sound, you could snag either one.
B
braintheory
Well-known member
Agreed on all. My preferred way of getting a recorded Marshall tone is to actually record a good vintage Marshall lol (or Naylor), but many ways to skin a cat as they say
With my smart ass comment out of the way (they’re not my thing if you can’t tell lol), I would just add that the BE Deluxe obviously gets a little edge in versatility/options and I remember the 50 watt Deluxe for whatever reason sounding a bit better
DanTravis62
Moderator
Same, i prefer an actual marshall (or larry in my case) but if you want an "easy" to deal with modern recorded marshall tone the friedmans are both good shouts. The only criticisms are about my personal playing style, only.
HarryCooter
Active member
BE
C
Clp45
Active member
I’m biased but BE
Saying that the JJ is no slouch either
Saying that the JJ is no slouch either
Bxlxaxkxe
Amp ho
Hard to beat the versatility of the deluxe. Three channels is a must for live use for me as we cover a wide range of music. BUT the JJ can be modded for the JBE to have it’s own footswitchable master so you can have clean, BE, and JBE at your feet. I did compare my deluxe to the JJ jr. because I happened to have both and the deluxe cops the JJ sound for sure.
SFW
Well-known member
Thanks for the input guys!
Bardagh
Well-known member
I have a JJ and I like it quite a lot. In the BE mode as far as I know it sounds the same or almost the same as the other Friedmans in BE mode. The JBE mode is supposed to be a little unique although Dave Friedman has said the BE DLX can be configured to sound about the same with all it’s various options, so if all other considerations are the same, the BE DLX is the way to go IMO.
J
Junk Yard Dog
Well-known member
If I had/could do it again, I'd go DLX. My JJ had the foot-switchable JBE & feel it would have benefitted from Response, Thump, & Frequency.
Bardagh
Well-known member
It would be nice to have more control over the low end response of the JJ.
A
Apex1Rg7X
Well-known member
One of my buddies did the Thump and Response mods to his JJ100 and said it woke that amp up a ton! Almost a night and day difference.
MetalHeadMike
Well-known member
Never played the JJ...well owned the Jr. which I liked, but could not get into the 100DLX at all. Just wasn't my thang.
Bardagh
Well-known member
The other way to wake it up is to turn it up. Friedman master volumes work great and you can totally play these things at quiet/reasonable volumes when that’s what you want to do, but I’ve seen people say that the master is so good that Friedmans sound “the same” at any volume and that just isn’t true. Speakers themselves don’t sound the same at any volume.
A
Apex1Rg7X
Well-known member
Yeah volume helps, but it's not the same as what these Response/Thump knobs are giving you. Especially at reasonable volumes for most home players.
cragginshred
Well-known member
This is when I had the JJ -for me it needed a mid boost for 'my tone'
Be Deluxe I own still and plan to gig with at the local casino this Sat pm! I will get some live vid from that. Really depends on the tones you want. BE is more suited to the style I play.
**Sounds better thru my Friedman 4x12. The only way you can call this amp too dark or compressed is if your running the Thump so high it kills your mids. Don't do that
I see videos where guys have the bass 3/4 the way up and mids turned down, ruins all the glorious tone -to my ears!
Be Deluxe I own still and plan to gig with at the local casino this Sat pm! I will get some live vid from that. Really depends on the tones you want. BE is more suited to the style I play.
**Sounds better thru my Friedman 4x12. The only way you can call this amp too dark or compressed is if your running the Thump so high it kills your mids. Don't do that
I see videos where guys have the bass 3/4 the way up and mids turned down, ruins all the glorious tone -to my ears!
Last edited by a moderator:
Bardagh
Well-known member
For sure. At low volumes the JJ sounds too dark and mellow for my tastes, not that it isn’t a good sound, but it doesn’t work for me. Turning up the treble/presence doesn’t really have the right effect on the amp to resolve it. Thankfully when you turn it up, between speakers and the amp actually working, it starts giving up more of what I am looking for otherwise I honestly would have sold mine on down the line.
