Friedman Runt 50 arrived today!

[napalmdeath]

This is my second go-around with this amp, and to be fair, I didn't give it much of a quality run through last time. I had a Helios 50, DSL50, and Splawn Competition around the same time, and a Marshall 1960 4x12 cab
It was just redundant, and I bought it on a whim, rather than truly "wanting" one.

Fast-forward to this opportunity, I was kind of jonesing for another shot.. Glad I went for it!

This time, I'm armed with a UK Greenback loaded 4x12, and it's night and day. Sure, it's still not a super high-gainer, but the voicing is there in spades, and a boost gets you the heavies with ease... In fact, it takes very little to bring the goods. Oddly enough, my beat up, 15 year old Zakk Wylde Overdrive is the shit with this amp! And, I tried my GT-OD, Savage Drive V3, Hardwire CM-2, and Xotic EP. I'm sure the Savage Drive will reign supreme after I spend more time with it, but the Wylde OD seems to be an aggressive match made in heaven! I'm very easily in my metal comfort zone, and get plenty of heavy chug if wanted, especially with the Duncan Custom in my PRS. Killer amp. Tight as hell, boosted. It has no cons, whatsoever. This amp is set it, and forget it, and has what I felt the Splawn was missing, even though I LOVED that amp!

 

[DragonCrestPC]

Glad your enjoying it! Friedman makes some incredible amps for sure.

 

[napalmdeath]

Glad your enjoying it! Friedman makes some incredible amps for sure.

I'm very pleased. Especially when you get to goose it some. I blasted it for a bit, and had a "holy shit" moment!

 

[sahlomonic]

Awesome you're digging it. I had one for a short while, and at the time also had a MkII DSL100, Splawn QR , and a Friedman BE modded 20 watt Jet City. I thought the Runt 50 was actually pretty "quiet" for being 50 watts. I dimed the Master at a buddy's house and was expecting more volume. But in the end I did sell it because it was too similar to my Friedman modded Jet City amp. I also wanted a touch more gain, but that's something I could have modded myself if I wanted to. It's easy to add the diode clipping SAT switch. But the Runt is a hell of an amp for sure. The way the mids sit is what sets it apart from most other Marshall-esque high gainers out there.

 

[bigangryguitar]

This is my second go-around with this amp, and to be fair, I didn't give it much of a quality run through last time. I had a Helios 50, DSL50, and Splawn Competition around the same time, and a Marshall 1960 4x12 cab
It was just redundant, and I bought it on a whim, rather than truly "wanting" one.

Fast-forward to this opportunity, I was kind of jonesing for another shot.. Glad I went for it!

This time, I'm armed with a UK Greenback loaded 4x12, and it's night and day. Sure, it's still not a super high-gainer, but the voicing is there in spades, and a boost gets you the heavies with ease... In fact, it takes very little to bring the goods. Oddly enough, my beat up, 15 year old Zakk Wylde Overdrive is the shit with this amp! And, I tried my GT-OD, Savage Drive V3, Hardwire CM-2, and Xotic EP. I'm sure the Savage Drive will reign supreme after I spend more time with it, but the Wylde OD seems to be an aggressive match made in heaven! I'm very easily in my metal comfort zone, and get plenty of heavy chug if wanted, especially with the Duncan Custom in my PRS. Killer amp. Tight as hell, boosted. It has no cons, whatsoever. This amp is set it, and forget it, and has what I felt the Splawn was missing, even though I LOVED that amp!

So what does it have your Splawn was missing? I've played these a couple times but didn't give them a long run thru but so far they are my favorite of the Friedman stuff since they aren't so polished.

 

[ultimatemetalguitartones]

Congrats man! Any clips??

 

[napalmdeath]

This is my second go-around with this amp, and to be fair, I didn't give it much of a quality run through last time. I had a Helios 50, DSL50, and Splawn Competition around the same time, and a Marshall 1960 4x12 cab
It was just redundant, and I bought it on a whim, rather than truly "wanting" one.

Fast-forward to this opportunity, I was kind of jonesing for another shot.. Glad I went for it!

This time, I'm armed with a UK Greenback loaded 4x12, and it's night and day. Sure, it's still not a super high-gainer, but the voicing is there in spades, and a boost gets you the heavies with ease... In fact, it takes very little to bring the goods. Oddly enough, my beat up, 15 year old Zakk Wylde Overdrive is the shit with this amp! And, I tried my GT-OD, Savage Drive V3, Hardwire CM-2, and Xotic EP. I'm sure the Savage Drive will reign supreme after I spend more time with it, but the Wylde OD seems to be an aggressive match made in heaven! I'm very easily in my metal comfort zone, and get plenty of heavy chug if wanted, especially with the Duncan Custom in my PRS. Killer amp. Tight as hell, boosted. It has no cons, whatsoever. This amp is set it, and forget it, and has what I felt the Splawn was missing, even though I LOVED that amp!

So what does it have your Splawn was missing? I've played these a couple times but didn't give them a long run thru but so far they are my favorite of the Friedman stuff since they aren't so polished.

The Splawn didn't have the searing lead tones, and harmonic detail. Also, kinda dry.

 

[bigangryguitar]

This is my second go-around with this amp, and to be fair, I didn't give it much of a quality run through last time. I had a Helios 50, DSL50, and Splawn Competition around the same time, and a Marshall 1960 4x12 cab
It was just redundant, and I bought it on a whim, rather than truly "wanting" one.

Fast-forward to this opportunity, I was kind of jonesing for another shot.. Glad I went for it!

This time, I'm armed with a UK Greenback loaded 4x12, and it's night and day. Sure, it's still not a super high-gainer, but the voicing is there in spades, and a boost gets you the heavies with ease... In fact, it takes very little to bring the goods. Oddly enough, my beat up, 15 year old Zakk Wylde Overdrive is the shit with this amp! And, I tried my GT-OD, Savage Drive V3, Hardwire CM-2, and Xotic EP. I'm sure the Savage Drive will reign supreme after I spend more time with it, but the Wylde OD seems to be an aggressive match made in heaven! I'm very easily in my metal comfort zone, and get plenty of heavy chug if wanted, especially with the Duncan Custom in my PRS. Killer amp. Tight as hell, boosted. It has no cons, whatsoever. This amp is set it, and forget it, and has what I felt the Splawn was missing, even though I LOVED that amp!

So what does it have your Splawn was missing? I've played these a couple times but didn't give them a long run thru but so far they are my favorite of the Friedman stuff since they aren't so polished.

The Splawn didn't have the seating lead tones, and harmonic detail. Also, kinda dry.

Cool, I have one of the original Promods with el34s and it’s definitely tight but it rips for leads. The Friedman stuff definitely has a lot more going on around the notes. Congrats on the amp.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I give it 3 weeks and it'll be up

 

[LP Freak]

I give it 3 weeks and it'll be up

You beat me to it

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I give it 3 weeks and it'll be up

You beat me to it

 

[splawner]

I give it 3 weeks and it'll be up

You beat me to it

 

[motorboy1]

I give it 3 weeks and it'll be up

You beat me to it

 

[romanianreaper]

My Friedman JJ Jr. is still on backorder for awhile but I don't mind waiting a few more weeks. Will make me appreciate it more when it actually comes in. LOL!

I had a Splawn Competition years ago and really liked it but definitely a different animal than the Friedman stuff, although both amps focus on that modded Marshall vibe. It is almost like Splawn is Channel 1 on an amp and Friedman is Channel 2. I always struggle to actually describe what it is I hear in the tone but Friedmans seem to live more in the lower mids than a Splawn to my ears and have more of a deep growl to them.

 

[napalmdeath]

My Friedman JJ Jr. is still on backorder for awhile but I don't mind waiting a few more weeks. Will make me appreciate it more when it actually comes in. LOL!

I had a Splawn Competition years ago and really liked it but definitely a different animal than the Friedman stuff, although both amps focus on that modded Marshall vibe. It is almost like Splawn is Channel 1 on an amp and Friedman is Channel 2. I always struggle to actually describe what it is I hear in the tone but Friedmans seem to live more in the lower mids than a Splawn to my ears and have more of a deep growl to them.

I feel kinda the opposite. The Splawn seemed to have a bit more in the low mids in 2nd gear.

The Runt is a bit like the Splawn's 1st gear, but less gain. It's also thicker, and livelier. Boosting that gets you near 2nd gear of the Splawn, while maintaining the character of gear one.

Maybe tough to explain, but I truly liked the character of gear 1 of the Splawn, but felt it was kinda thin. The Runt is perfect, as it's got that flavor in a simple format, and is much richer, livelier, and touch sensitive. I really love it.

JJ 6CA7's are going in it today!

 

[Racerxrated]

This is my second go-around with this amp, and to be fair, I didn't give it much of a quality run through last time. I had a Helios 50, DSL50, and Splawn Competition around the same time, and a Marshall 1960 4x12 cab
It was just redundant, and I bought it on a whim, rather than truly "wanting" one.

Fast-forward to this opportunity, I was kind of jonesing for another shot.. Glad I went for it!

This time, I'm armed with a UK Greenback loaded 4x12, and it's night and day. Sure, it's still not a super high-gainer, but the voicing is there in spades, and a boost gets you the heavies with ease... In fact, it takes very little to bring the goods. Oddly enough, my beat up, 15 year old Zakk Wylde Overdrive is the shit with this amp! And, I tried my GT-OD, Savage Drive V3, Hardwire CM-2, and Xotic EP. I'm sure the Savage Drive will reign supreme after I spend more time with it, but the Wylde OD seems to be an aggressive match made in heaven! I'm very easily in my metal comfort zone, and get plenty of heavy chug if wanted, especially with the Duncan Custom in my PRS. Killer amp. Tight as hell, boosted. It has no cons, whatsoever. This amp is set it, and forget it, and has what I felt the Splawn was missing, even though I LOVED that amp!

So what does it have your Splawn was missing? I've played these a couple times but didn't give them a long run thru but so far they are my favorite of the Friedman stuff since they aren't so polished.

The Splawn didn't have the searing lead tones, and harmonic detail. Also, kinda dry.

Really?? Well, the QR must not sound very good then, since I tried a Runt at a GC (brand new) 2 yrs back. It was OK, but still kinda sterile. They had a 2204 next to it. Fired it up, blew the doors of the runt and the BE 100 next to it. Shoulda bought that damn thing. And it had horizontal inputs, from 87.
Maybe the Runt had some crap tubes or something.

 

[Racerxrated]

I give it 3 weeks and it'll be up

You beat me to it

Runt, wait, Diavlo RD45, wait, Jube 25w head, wait, Splawn, wait......

 

[napalmdeath]

I give it 3 weeks and it'll be up

You beat me to it

Runt, wait, Diavlo RD45, wait, Jube 25w head, wait, Splawn, wait......

Yeah, I'm the only one here that goes through amps. Kinda silly.

At least I don't have a laundry list of modded Marshalls looking for an amp that can do Marshall tones. That's even sillier. There's several of those here you could pick on.

Or better yet, a list of Diezels, Bogners, and Mesas, and looking for an amp that can do heavier stuff.

 

[romanianreaper]

I feel kinda the opposite. The Splawn seemed to have a bit more in the low mids in 2nd gear.

The Runt is a bit like the Splawn's 1st gear, but less gain. It's also thicker, and livelier. Boosting that gets you near 2nd gear of the Splawn, while maintaining the character of gear one.

Maybe tough to explain, but I truly liked the character of gear 1 of the Splawn, but felt it was kinda thin. The Runt is perfect, as it's got that flavor in a simple format, and is much richer, livelier, and touch sensitive. I really love it.

JJ 6CA7's are going in it today!

Really?? Wow. With that said, my Splawn was probably a 2005 and I know those amps have so much more to them now. I will say that when I put KT77s in back then, those low mids jumped out of the amp. The Splawn must have alot more gain on tap now because I can't imagine Splawn's first gear having more gain than the Runt. That is crazy!

 

[romanianreaper]

I give it 3 weeks and it'll be up

You beat me to it

Runt, wait, Diavlo RD45, wait, Jube 25w head, wait, Splawn, wait......

LOL! I USED to be like that myself. My band members used to give me so much crap about that. I had three amps within a matter of months and when I would show up at practice, the drummer would say "oh wait, here we go. Let's see what he has now". LOL