How would a Smallbox compare to the Dirty Shirley?

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eddiespaghetty

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Since I saw a couple of clips of the Dirty Shirley, which relly impressed me, I would like to know, what the differences (regarding tone and play-feel, not technical) between this and the outcoming Smallbox would be.

Is there anybody, who could play both amps already and can give his impression? It would help me to decide, which of the Friedmans will be the one to order.

Thanks!
 
They both have great feel and sound.
The Plexi side of the smallbox can kinda do what the Dirty Shirley does, but it's not as gainy nor does it have the same feel.
The BE side of the Smallbox is tighter and stiffer feeling, made more for modern hard rock.
The Dirty Shirley has a swanky, spongy vibe to it, but is still tight, and has the best vintagey rock sound.

Honestly, both amps are perfect for what they do. The Smallbox is more versatile with the two channels and you can do what the Dirty Shirley does on the plexi side of the SB with a pedal pushing it, imo. But, the DS has a unique feel that is just "it" for that thing it does. Hard to describe, gotta play it.
For me, the SmallBox is about the perfect amp.
 
Thanks a lot for your answer!

Is the Dirty Shirley a little more on the treble side of sound compared to the Small Box? Or ist it a wrong impression?

And does the the second channel of the Small Box continue, where the "Plexi"-channel ends? Are both channels similiar in tone and feel or are they completely different? I mean, can I use channel 1 eg. for some rhythm-stuff and switch to channel 2 for some lead-lines? Or are the two channels of the SB made for different kind of playing styles?

If you would be so kind, LPMojoG ....
 
In my brief time with the DS, I wouldn't call it more trebly, just a different feel.

The two channels on the SB can have the same eq, or with the bright switch on the Plexi side you can make it more chimey. But yeah, it can be a smooth transition from rhythm to lead switching between channels without any change in eq. It's like everything you ever wanted a DSL50 to be without any of the drawbacks.
 
The Dirty Shirley is more vintage and open like a old Park 75 or Hiwatt. Quieter and more defined. The Small Box is more of a Plexi modded Marshall voice with its own flavor. I think of Paul Kousoff playing a Les Paul R-8 thru a Dirty Shirley. The Small Box 50... Van Halen to Alice in Chains.
 
Thanks for your answers.

Seems that both amps are interesting for me. Hopefully I'll have the chance to play both and hopefully the Small Box is available soon.

If you don't mind to answer another question:
How does the Dirty Shirley take pedals, especially ODs or boosters?
I have experience with the BE and Pink Taco, those like ODs, but get along with Boosters very, very well. Does the DS take pedals as well?

Greetings and thanks again!
 
Very well, maybe even better without the higher gain compression. I think the Shirley is the most pedal friendly of the punch on the front end :thumbsup:
 
Seems I am in trouble now! No way I could afford both :cry: .

I was convinced, that the Small Box was the amp for me, but since I heard some clips of the Dirty Shirley and read some reviews, I am not sure anymore. The BE 100 was too much amp for me (and too big), I am leaning a bit more to the classic side of rock.

Cheers
 
Take a look at the SS-100. My friend has one with the latest updates that I played last weekend in Chris Hendersons studio. More open sounding then the BE-100 with a fantastic clean. Might be your balance between the Small Box and Dirty Shirley. Friedman doesn't make a bad amp. Either amp is a WIN :thumbsup:
 
Greg Riley":93hpa7e5 said:
Take a look at the SS-100. My friend has one with the latest updates that I played last weekend in Chris Hendersons studio. More open sounding then the BE-100 with a fantastic clean. Might be your balance between the Small Box and Dirty Shirley. Friedman doesn't make a bad amp. Either amp is a WIN :thumbsup:
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Hey Greg,

what do you mean by "the latest updates"? The new models with FS-switchable Channels and SS+?
 
The SS-100 is the Steve Stevens Signature amp. It has more gain and I think the voicing is a little tweaked better. The newer BE-100 has a full clean and switchable with Clean/BE/HBE.
QOTSA_Lover":1ch7kquu said:
Greg Riley":1ch7kquu said:
Take a look at the SS-100. My friend has one with the latest updates that I played last weekend in Chris Hendersons studio. More open sounding then the BE-100 with a fantastic clean. Might be your balance between the Small Box and Dirty Shirley. Friedman doesn't make a bad amp. Either amp is a WIN :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Hey Greg,

what do you mean by "the latest updates"? The new models with FS-switchable Channels and SS+?
Click to expand...
 
Well, the specs of The SS sound good to me, but since I have to carry my amp around (and won't play big venues most likely), I would prefer a smaller size and less weight - so I am waiting for the Small Box - or would try the Dirty Shirley as well. Not sure, which would fit me better.
Small Box will be a bit more versatile though, I guess, giving the good things of two worlds.
 
I have the Dirty Shirley and the BE-100. Have not tried the Smallbox.

I don't know what music you play, but the Dirty Shirley can do almost everything. I had to keep one of both amps I think it would be the DS.
Its perfect for Rock and Hard Rock. And it has such a unique voicing. It's the real deal! As they said Friedman does not make a single bad amp. He is amazing!

I like simple one channel amps the most, I think they sound the best. You can get excellent cleans by lowering the volume and they are more organic and open usually.
 
Thanks!

I play mainly Blues Rock, Rock, sometimes Hard Rock (I think of Saxon, Judas Priest, no downtuning or extreme metal ...), sometimes clean.

Since you play both: Is the Dirty Shirley more difficult, harder to play (someway stiffer) - or are both amps comparable in that way?
 
eddiespaghetty":20pcsvts said:
Thanks!

I play mainly Blues Rock, Rock, sometimes Hard Rock (I think of Saxon, Judas Priest, no downtuning or extreme metal ...), sometimes clean.

Since you play both: Is the Dirty Shirley more difficult, harder to play (someway stiffer) - or are both amps comparable in that way?
Click to expand...

The DS sounds like the amp for you! It is a classic Rock N' Roll amp like no other!
I have the combo version. With a Celestion Creamback H75. It sounds HUGE! It is not heavy nor big in size.

It's not stiff or hard to play, and the notes just jump out. On the LOW input you get anywhere from great chiming cleans to AC/DC and Led Zeppelin tones. Classic brown tone!
If you go into the HIGH input of the amp you go from there up until Guns N' Roses, Whitesnake, Ozzy, Maiden...
You don't need pedals. It takes the clean boost extremely well. If you put a Koko Boost in front of the amp you can have some of the BE-100 gain available as well...
Different guitars really change the sound of the amp. It seems pretty obvious but I notice the difference like I've never did before. , I love the amp as you can tell already.

As I said the Smallbox also sounds like a great amp too, very versatile too! Don't worry if you go Friedman you'll be happy either way!
 
Thank You for your answers!

So it will be a Friedman, but a shootout (due to my financial situation no marriage) between those two.

I am wondering which one it will be and let you know then!

I have one more question: The two Dirty Shirley inputs are only to use seperately - you cannot use an a/b box or bridge them, do you?


Cheers
 
eddiespaghetty":b19crh97 said:
Thank You for your answers!

So it will be a Friedman, but a shootout (due to my financial situation no marriage) between those two.

I am wondering which one it will be and let you know then!

I have one more question: The two Dirty Shirley inputs are only to use seperately - you cannot use an a/b box or bridge them, do you?


Cheers
Click to expand...


Yes they are separate inputs in the DS. You can't bridge them...
 
Just one further question about the Dirty Shirley:

Is it possible to make the H & L Inputs switchable with an separate AB-Box?

Greets
Thomas
 
Yes Dave makes a box that will switch between the two inputs. contact Rack Systems.
His is wired in a way that won't take away any of the tone. An a/b box would work too but you won't know how it's wired. I would just go with the one Dave Friedman makes.
 
It's a tough call between the two. I own the BE100 and DS40. Ive played the SB and it's a fantastic amp but it over laps with the my BE. The DS is a vintage voiced BE channel with pretty close to the same levels of gain. The DS is warmer, has more fullness overall due to those big coupling caps like a jtm45 and has a trampoline type feel on the attack. The SB is brighter, more karrang in the mids and faster attack. It's more AC/DC to Van Halen where as the DS is more AC/DC to Joe Bonamassa. Here are some vids of my DS.





 
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