BABMusic
Well-known member
I could be wrong in assuming this, but I was thinking that having the bright cap off would get you closer to the BE100 tone, while keeping it on would give you the Jose tone.
Anje
Well-known member
I'm not familiar with the BE100 but I'd be surprised it doesn't have a bright cap?
BABMusic
Well-known member
It has bright switch, but there's no cap in the amp as far as I know. Some people have added them to their BE amps. I like the option of having both because sometimes you might want the teethy bright cap, and other times you want a smoother tone.
SFW
Well-known member
Ok... First off all, absolutely killer tones and playing. Mr. Friedman should really consider your video for his website, as this is the best sounding demo I have heard for this amp. I was almost over my GAS for this thing... Time to sell a kidney...
ChurchHill
Well-known member
I've gone back and forth so many times about having the bright cap on most Marshalls, but I think ultimately, it's part of what makes Marshalls sound the way they do.
Take the Bogner Helios for example. That has a 3-position bright switch and I think it sounds best when it's on the brightest setting. The Helios isn't too far away from the Jose, at least close enough to make me think that, given the choice, I'd leave the bright switch on on the Jose.
I don't have a BE100, but do have the BE100 Deluxe. The Jose is more raw, but I think that's more than just the bright cap. There's a difference in the mids, too, that to me, sounds more like a slight difference in negative feedback. I haven't analyzed the circuits enough to know. They can be dialed in pretty close, but the BE-DLX is always a bit more polished sounding and the Jose is a bit more Marshall-like.
I think the Jose bright cap is only on Volume 1. So, if you turn down Vol 1 and only use Vol 2, you'd get the almost same effect. There are a few other differences between the channels, coupling caps mostly, I think. But, it doesn't sound like a BE. Besides, like a Marshall, you can blend the two volumes to get the amount of brightness and body you want.
I think if I was going to have mine modded, I'd switch between 2 different value bright caps.
BABMusic
Well-known member
Please also elaborate on this if you can. Would you say it's more midrangy or more scooped by nature? What's interesting to me is that when I hear a lot of the demos, the amp almost sounds like it's a bit more scooped with bigger highs. Not scooped like Metallica AJFA, but just some nice 80s post production scooping.
ChurchHill
Well-known member
Well, I'll give it a shot. To me, the Jose has more presence in the mids to upper mids. They're little spiky, not smooth, and just raw, like a great Marshall. They almost smolder. It's not scooped, definitely more midrangey, but not in an overly thick way. It's also a bright amp. It can get clanky like a good Marshall.
In contrast, the BE-DLX almost sounds like the presence is down and the treble is up. The mids are smoother. While the BE-DLX isn't what I'd call dark, it's just not as spikey in the upper mids and treble. I've heard a lot of people describing the BE-DLX and most Friedmans as sounding processed, maybe that's the best way to describe it. The Jose is the opposite of that. The BE-DLX is definitely in the Marshall camp, but I don't think it's nearly as likely to being mistaken for a Marshall where the Jose could.
Hope that helps. There's a video comparison on YT where somebody compares both the BE-DLX and the Jose. He's trying to dial them into similar sounds, so the difference isn't as pronounced as it could have been, but the video does do a decent job of showing that. I'll find it, if you'd like me to, but I think it may have already been posted in this thread.
For me, the differences justify keeping them both, even though I'm sure one could do for the other in a pinch.
Hope this helps!
In contrast, the BE-DLX almost sounds like the presence is down and the treble is up. The mids are smoother. While the BE-DLX isn't what I'd call dark, it's just not as spikey in the upper mids and treble. I've heard a lot of people describing the BE-DLX and most Friedmans as sounding processed, maybe that's the best way to describe it. The Jose is the opposite of that. The BE-DLX is definitely in the Marshall camp, but I don't think it's nearly as likely to being mistaken for a Marshall where the Jose could.
Hope that helps. There's a video comparison on YT where somebody compares both the BE-DLX and the Jose. He's trying to dial them into similar sounds, so the difference isn't as pronounced as it could have been, but the video does do a decent job of showing that. I'll find it, if you'd like me to, but I think it may have already been posted in this thread.
For me, the differences justify keeping them both, even though I'm sure one could do for the other in a pinch.
Hope this helps!
ChurchHill
Well-known member
Not the best video I've ever seen, but it does come close to capturing the differences between the Jose and the BE100-DLX.
BABMusic
Well-known member
I saw a guy with a channel named Metal Head Productions and he compared the BE50 and Jose. The only problem was, he dials his amps in a way that I would not. I'm not even sure how he gets the amps to sound the way he does because it's very different than how my BE50 sounds. So in other words, it's tough to find something useful on YT. Probably my favorite clip of the Jose is this short one. This guy dials in a way that I would want it to sound.
Corey James
Well-known member
Call me crazy, the more I hear the Jose the more I appreciate my Plex.
Fiesta Red
Well-known member
ChurchHill
Well-known member
Yeah, it's not a flattering video, at all. The one @BABMusic posted above is pretty good, much much closer to how the amp sounds IRL. Still like Rocco's the best, not just the tones but how he shows how he's dialing it in. Almost like a tutorial.
H
harddriver
Well-known member
There are some attributes and tones Plexi's do better than a Jose modded Marshall.
I say this owning a HG/LG Jose amp.
BABMusic
Well-known member
I think the reason I've been dragging my feet is because I've been secretly afraid I would want to sell my BE50 if the Jose proves to be much more my thing. The truth is, had I just waited a few months, I would have likely bought the Jose instead of the BE50. Of course, I had no idea the Jose was coming at the time. I wanted something with the most flavors of high gain Marshall tones from a Friedman, and the Jose with all its switches and options seems to be it. If I do sell my BE50, I'm going to lose my ass on it, as the used market is a buyer's market.
I bet pretty soon, you'll just respond with "STFU and just buy the Jose."
mentoneman
Well-known member
having played the Plex and spent quality time with the Jose,
i understand.
the Plex is more of an idealized gained up version of a classic plexi sound.
the Jose is tighter and more modded 80s metal rhythm crunch machine imo. i can play leads with it but would prefer soloing with the SS or JEL or Plex.
ChurchHill
Well-known member
Nah, I get it. Having the Jose doesn't make me want to sell my BE-DLX, but it does make me question how much I'll actually use it.
BABMusic
Well-known member
This is an interesting comment that I just re-read a few times trying to understand. When you say it makes you work for it, that's not at all how I feel when I play my Mark IV. Now, the Mark IV is very unforgiving, but it's an easy amp to play if you have a more lighter-medium attack, as apposed to having a Jake E Lee kind of attack. I actually find the IV much easier to play than the BE50 I have. So, were you saying that the Jose is very unforgiving? I can certainly handle that without any issue. It's mainly the interest in a more immediate Marshall tone that I'm interested in.
The BE is very interesting because I've never had an amp that is tight like it is, yet also a little less immediate (spungy?). It's kind of hard to describe. Some people say the BE is like a mix of a Marshall and Recto, but it's tighter than both of those.
ChurchHill
Well-known member
Unforgiving is a good word for it. Not very tolerant of inconsistencies in technique, especially dynamics. It shows mistakes, doesn't cover anything up. But, this isn't a bad thing. Given what you said about the Mark IV and BE50, I think we're trying to describe the same thing. And yeah, if you're used to that, it's just as easy as a Mark can be.
I'm going to assume that your BE50 is at least somewhat similar to my BE100-DLX. The Jose is more immediate than my BE-DLX. Part of that is its much closer to the original Marshall circuit. In your case, since the Jose is 100w, the extra power will also contribute to immediacy.
Hope this helps!
I'm going to assume that your BE50 is at least somewhat similar to my BE100-DLX. The Jose is more immediate than my BE-DLX. Part of that is its much closer to the original Marshall circuit. In your case, since the Jose is 100w, the extra power will also contribute to immediacy.
Hope this helps!
BABMusic
Well-known member
Appreciate it, Mr. Church Hill. I also did not know that 100 watt amps have a more immediate thing to them. I do feel that 100 watts do have a little more low end in them.
ChurchHill
Well-known member
Not always, but many times... 100w usually have more filtering, which recharges faster. Mostly, though, 100w is more punchy because they have more reserve power from the additional filtering. That's also why they usually have more low end. And then there's the additional headroom. All related.
Someone else would probably explain this better than I do. But in general, 50w'ers are sweeter and more giving, where 100w'ers are punchier and faster. Both are equally valid, and I go back and forth about which I like best. All depends on the situation, I think.
