Just spent 30 minutes with a Dirty Shirley...

[JerEvil]

Good LAWD!!!

This has to be one of the greatest sounding amps that ever heard in my life! Played it with a vendor American Standard Strat and a matching Friedman cab. I was blown away by the Sound of this amp. Anyone here want to comment on how well it takes is external drives? I really feel like I need one of these.

 

[RedPlated]

I've had two of them. The 40w version. I love the amp but I ended up selling both for some reason. I think I just default to my BE and Butterslax more...

 

[JerEvil]

I've had two of them. The 40w version. I love the amp but I ended up selling both for some reason. I think I just default to my BE and Butterslax more...

How much overlap in sound would you say the DS and BE have?

The DS just seems to ooze classic rock tones with a good bit of punch. Would the Small Box cover more similar tones to the DS?

The DS just seems like with a few boosts it would KILL for lots of applications.

 

[Erock4455]

Wish I never sold that amp. Such a great feel and although I kept my be100 the shirley was just super dynamic which i really prefer these days

 

[Gadzz]

My favorite of all the Friedman amps just got my DS 40!! had the SS-100 and the DS mini .... the DS 40 is perfect

 

[tripstan]

Doesn't overlap that much with a Smallbox.
DS has more low mid thump, I've never played a JTM but I think that's it's thing.
SB pushes more in the upper mids. Ch. 1 kills it for the Plexi tones.
Both take pedals incredibly well. TS, Klon and most any boost will sound good. Some sound just glorious with the right guitar/PUP/ speaker combo. Koko boost and Klon clones are my favs. Putting an EQ in the loop is another great sound.

 

[mixn4him]

DS is a JTM45/JCM 800 2204 hybrid, takes pedals incredibly well but no where the gain of the BE...

 

[Rdodson]

Dirty Shirley is, for me, the most FUN amp I've ever played, even more than the SLO. It can sit in that space between Cream, Eric Johnson, and even Fair Warning-era VH...which are my dream tones. If you dime the master and use the gain knob as volume, you get a gorgeous clean tone.

I really dig this demo/review:

 

[JerEvil]

Dirty Shirley is, for me, the most FUN amp I've ever played, even more than the SLO. It can sit in that space between Cream, Eric Johnson, and even Fair Warning-era VH...which are my dream tones. If you dime the master and use the gain knob as volume, you get a gorgeous clean tone.

I really dig this demo/review:

Yeah that's killer!

 

[atrox]

God damn it. Why do these things have to cost money???

I love my BE (and will even more when i get it back from Dave), but i want a DS so bad too.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

Jer,

The DS sounds nice!! Check out Germino amps if you already haven't.

I just picked up the head version of this amp and its the poster child for classic rock and takes pedals like a champ. Pedals feel and sound like their just absorbed and part of the circuit. I've only had mine for about a week but hot damn it exudes classic rock tones. Greg makes a lead circuit version too, the Lead 55 Lv that has more gain than the one I picked up.

 

[Rdodson]

I would assume that the Dirty Shirley has much less negative feedback than a BE100, so that is what gives it a less "tight" feel but also what makes the transition from clean to distortion so smooth.

I haven't really analyzed the circuits, but other than the tube rectifier in the DS, I would guess than the NF and power amp filtering go from less to more with the DS, SB, then BE. I think that is why the NF is getting backed off in the latest circuit revision of the BE, but I'd be interested in Dave commenting on the filtering. The power section of the DS is really special.

 

[JerEvil]

And Dirty Shirley 40 incoming!

 

[atrox]

And Dirty Shirley 40 incoming!

Jealous

 

[JerEvil]

And Dirty Shirley 40 incoming!

Jealous

LOL! Dude you have a monster rig!

 

[atrox]

And Dirty Shirley 40 incoming!

Jealous

LOL! Dude you have a monster rig!

I want a DS so bad though. Love my BE and will love it even more whenever it gets back from Dave, but a DS is in my future. My Tele needs it

 

[JerEvil]

And Dirty Shirley 40 incoming!

Jealous

LOL! Dude you have a monster rig!

I want a DS so bad though. Love my BE and will love it even more whenever it gets back from Dave, but a DS is in my future. My Tele needs it

Yeah the DS plus LP is gonna be rock heaven! I was wanting to go all "pedestrian" for the Dunky's vids using super affordable gear and all, but really... won't this make a GREAT pedal platform? LOL!

 

[danburton]

LOVE my DS40. It often surprises me with how many different sounds it can make. Sounds great, looks cool...what more could you possible want?

 

[CrazyNutz]

I would assume that the Dirty Shirley has much less negative feedback than a BE100, so that is what gives it a less "tight" feel but also what makes the transition from clean to distortion so smooth.

I haven't really analyzed the circuits, but other than the tube rectifier in the DS, I would guess than the NF and power amp filtering go from less to more with the DS, SB, then BE. I think that is why the NF is getting backed off in the latest circuit revision of the BE, but I'd be interested in Dave commenting on the filtering. The power section of the DS is really special.

The DS has the exact same NFB circuit as the BE. Differences are in the preamp, and the tube rectifier. The preamp has .022uf (BE uses .0022uf) coupling caps, this gives it a fatter tone, the cathode bypass caps are lowered to .47uf to keep it tight, and the preamp filtering is lowered, also keeps it tight. The first gain stage has a 220k plate resister, this makes the gain get gnarly, also makes it tight.

 

[Rdodson]

I would assume that the Dirty Shirley has much less negative feedback than a BE100, so that is what gives it a less "tight" feel but also what makes the transition from clean to distortion so smooth.

I haven't really analyzed the circuits, but other than the tube rectifier in the DS, I would guess than the NF and power amp filtering go from less to more with the DS, SB, then BE. I think that is why the NF is getting backed off in the latest circuit revision of the BE, but I'd be interested in Dave commenting on the filtering. The power section of the DS is really special.

The DS has the exact same NFB circuit as the BE. Differences are in the preamp, and the tube rectifier. The preamp has .022uf (BE uses .0022uf) coupling caps, this gives it a fatter tone, the cathode bypass caps are lowered to .47uf to keep it tight, and the preamp filtering is lowered, also keeps it tight. The first gain stage has a 220k plate resister, this makes the gain get gnarly, also makes it tight.

Well I'm impressed - what a killer circuit. Thanks for the insight!!