HV mod -- I highly recommend it

[BABMusic]

Back in August 2024, I bought a BE50 head, which aside from the custom exterior, was just stock. In the winter, I asked Dave what could get close to the JEL50 tone as an optional switch. He said the C45 was "similar, but not exactly" the same as the JEL tone. I had him add it, and It sort of made it sound like a JCM800, but not quite what I was wanting. I found myself playing most of the time with the C45 turned off. So later in the spring of this year, I found out that a thump frequency mod of the JJ/Slax tone could be added to the amp. This really did make a big difference in the tone, but you have to turn the thump up pretty high to hear it. This mod was worth it. However, Dave knew that I wanted the JEL tone and he surprised me with this HV switch. The high voltage switch does something to the highs and the lows of the C45 which really does make it sound like a JCM800. It just magically adds some of those higher Marshall-ish frequencies that people sometimes wish Friedman's have. It also fills out the low end just a bit more in that the sound is punchier. The C45 by itself does add some punch to the tone, but this adds those higher frequencies that are missing. It still has a little bit smoother tone than an actual 800, but it sounds so good that I find myself almost always playing with this HV on.

 

[SpiderWars]

I had a Friedman Jose-modded 100w Marshall and went back n forth between the C45 and ‘regular’ mode. I mostly preferred the regular mode but liked the C45 mode better for rolled-back clean up.

It just seems to vary amp to amp on what the optimal mod is.

 

[BABMusic]

It just seems to vary amp to amp on what the optimal mod is.

I think this is true too. I have no experience with a Marshall with a Friedman C45 mod, but some people claim they sound very different in how I hear my own C45. My C45 without the HV sounds sort of "tubby" or punchier, but not tighter. The HV somehow makes it more focused and slightly tighter while making it sound so much better in the high frequencies.

 

[BABMusic]

Just thought I'd share something very strange about this amp. I'd been struggling with the Response knob for a long time. I would usually keep it on 3 or on 6. I found out that setting it on 3 will give you the original BE100 sound, according to Dave. Setting it at 6 will increase the cut of the amp, but it also does something to the sound that I don't love. Just from random trying, I found out that I prefer the Response setting on 0. That's right -- on zero. I just keep the presence at about 7 or 8 and the treble at about 7. This creates the best high gain tone to my ears. Perhaps it's just a sign that this amp is not ideal for me and my ears. Very strange.

 

[LP Freak]

Just thought I'd share something very strange about this amp. I'd been struggling with the Response knob for a long time. I would usually keep it on 3 or on 6. I found out that setting it on 3 will give you the original BE100 sound, according to Dave. Setting it at 6 will increase the cut of the amp, but it also does something to the sound that I don't love. Just from random trying, I found out that I prefer the Response setting on 0. That's right -- on zero. I just keep the presence at about 7 or 8 and the treble at about 7. This creates the best high gain tone to my ears. Perhaps it's just a sign that this amp is not ideal for me and my ears. Very strange.

I never cared for the response on the BE 50 either. It seemed to really choke off the amp IMO

 

[BABMusic]

I never cared for the response on the BE 50 either. It seemed to really choke off the amp IMO

Very interesting to know. I never had a negative feedback knob on any of my previous amps, so it may just be one of those things I don't need for my tone. I was thinking I would sell the amp, but it sounds so much better with the response at 0 that I might just hold onto it.

 

[BABMusic]

Just received my amp back from Dave and he pointed out a few things that I did not know could happen. Even though I had new preamp tubes in all the slots, two of them were not performing as normal (weak). I did not know that slots V3 and V4 are just as important as V1 and V2 in terms of the amps overall tone. I had crappy tubes in V3 and V4. I'm not buying Tung Sol tubes or EH preamp tubes again, and not buying tubes from Amazon again. The JJ tubes I bought from Euro tubes were performing fine. A sign that I ignored was that I was having to turn up the presence and treble to 8 on this amp, which I thought was odd. I assumed it was my humbucker, but it was the crappy tubes. Now, I only need to turn them up to 5 or 6. Dave also added just a hint of more gain to the amp, although it's only slightly more aggressive. Sadly, one of the corners of my amp got slightly dinged from the shipping -- this is why I avoid shipping amps unless it's really necessary. Not really a big blemish that anyone would notice aside from me. Another sign I had bad tubes is that the response knob sounded bad in any position other than 0. And, another sign of bad tubes is that using an overdrive boost sounded bad. Now the response sounds good and my SD1 actually sounds good with this amp.

Lesson learned: even new preamp tubes can be crap.

 

[Techdeth]

HIV is not a fun topic I know ..,oh wait . HV mod . I need my glasses on . My bad . Never mind

 

[BABMusic]

Funny that since I installed the Black Winter Duncan humbucker in the bridge, it's now as if my amp has 30% more gain than before. N ow I don't need to turn the gain all the way up. I didn't think there would be such a dramatic difference, but wow.

Also, to you guys who own a JEL50 -- does that amp sound flubby or too bassy? I found that when I use the JEL switch on my amp, I have to turn down the bass or it's just too flubby. I can use an overdrive and then it's tight and all is well, but anyway, yeah.

 

[Fretwire]

Nice !!

 

[csguy0]

Looking to have some mods done on my Smallbox, I wonder how close I can get to a JEL 50...

 

[BABMusic]

Looking to have some mods done on my Smallbox, I wonder how close I can get to a JEL 50...

If money is no issue, I'm sure he could completely replace the board with a JEL circuit, but if he's modifying an existing board, it might not sound exactly the same. I've found over time that I use the regular BE mode more so than the JEL mode on mine, but I almost always use the JJ thump frequency option. I'm not sure if my JEL mode is exactly like the real thing because it does sound a little flubby when palm muting with humbucker guitars. I mean flubby like a JVM410 -- not super flubby.