Opinions on Splawn Super Sport 50 vs. Friedman Runt 50 (or other alternatives)?

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Deleted member 27935

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Hi guys,

I am looking for a "hot-rodded JCM800" voiced, smaller sized 50W head for tight and bright high gain sounds (old school Thrash Metal). Currently I am considering two options I would like to get some opinions on:

1. Friedman Runt 50W
2. Splawn Super Sport EL34 50W

I am a little bit concerned that the Friedman might be too dark/congested and under-saturated, but I guess my Maxon OD808X boost could compensate that. The Splawn should have more gain, but I have read that it can sound a little bit weird because it's much more dynamic, less compressed than most other high gain amps. There seems to be the option for an "Old/New" switch on the Super Sport, but I coulnd't find any information about it. Does anyone know what it does?
 
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I don’t find the Runt to be dark, congested or undersaturated. It’s actually less dark than most other Friedman models and definitely don’t think it’ll be a problem given you’ll boost it with that Maxon and it takes boosts great. I’d choose the Runt between just those 2, but an old 50 watt JCM800 or JMP2203 with a boost would smoke both or a 50 watt Monomyth and no boost needed. All those are much better sounding and feeling amps than either that Runt or Splawn

The 50 watt Engl Artist Edition or 50 watt Dover are also good choices and may be up your alley, but I’d still easily take a Monomyth or stock boosted 50 watt over all those. The 50 watt Helios is also quite good, but a little pricy
 
The ENGL Artist Edition is something I thought about, too. But it's not available in a smaller chassis and the couple of ENGLs I have played so far had a very strange low end - kind of "cinematic", but lacking thump.
 
The runt 50 is actually the only Friedman that I like. It's the least compressed and refined sounding, most raw and open and it just sounds like a great classic marshall with more gain, imo.

I'm a Splawn guy, so I'll always go the Splawn route. Take my opinion with that information. I have both a supersport 50 and a runt 50. To my ears, they sound surprisingly similar, but the Splawn sounds way bigger in the low end, with more immediacy in the attack. It also sounds more broad in the mids, with more gain on tap, an od1/od2 mode to modernize the tone a bit more, and a very good clean channel. The runt has similar features, but not quite as much variety. Overall, it's spikier in the frequencies to my ears, which is not a bad thing, but makes it seem a bit more thin and sparkly than the Splawn.

I prefer the Splawn overall but they're pretty damn close as far as 2 amps from different builders and I think either would fit your purpose.
 
I have the 22 watt 6V6 Supersport and absolutely love it. I have not tried the EL34 SS, but I do have a QR, PM, and Nitro so I can get my head in the ballpark.

I played a runt a while back and enjoyed it. Which is awesome as I don't honestly have a whole lot of experience with Friedman.

For me it comes down to whether or not you like the Splawn flavor or the Friedman flavor. I personally prefer the sound of the Splawns to the sound of the Friedman so I have the Splawns.

I do at some point want to get a BE100, and enjoyed the ones that I have played, but it hasn't happened yet. But it will when I find the right opportunity.

Good luck!
 
Another thing to note is that is a little fussy with speakers, but not as bad as some of my other Splawns. The Smallblocks are my favorite speakers to pair with Splawns, they just work so well. I have heard a lot of people like cream backs with Splawns, but I have not tried that.

If you were to get a Splawn, Are you shopping used or getting one built?
 
skullfxr said:
[...] If you were to get a Splawn, Are you shopping used or getting one built?
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I‘m buying new. There is exactly one (!) Super Sport in stock and available from a european dealer and it would have to be shipped from Italy to Germany. I could order the Runt from a music store just 50 km from my home town, so I guess that would be a much safer purchase. Both amps are about the same price, approx. 1800 Euros. Unfortunately we‘re still in lockdown so I can‘t just drive to the store and try the Runt. But that might change next week.
 
TheTrueZoltan! said:
I‘m buying new. There is exactly one (!) Super Sport in stock and available from a european dealer and it would have to be shipped from Italy to Germany. I could order the Runt from a music store just 50 km from my home town, so I guess that would be a much safer purchase. Both amps are about the same price, approx. 1800 Euros. Unfortunately we‘re still in lockdown so I can‘t just drive to the store and try the Runt. But that might change next week.
Click to expand...
Look at all of the options that Scott can do for you. Tons of choices in shells, tolex, piping, etc. That's one thing I love about Splawn.
 
Also look at a Ceriatone. I really enjoyed playing thrash with the Molecular. Think of it as a well balanced hot rodded 2203/4. Not overly gained up just tight, punchy goodness. It could also do classic rock pretty easily too. But between the Friedman and Splawn, I would take Splawn hands down. I have had a quick rod and nitro but I havent tried the Supersport which if Im not mistaken is the quick rod minus 1 gear.
 
Also if you are handy with a soldering iron build your own jose type with a Headfirst Amplification Jose based PCB. I'm finishing up a Jose based(he calls it a "Cali") build that I am trying to work out some of my mistakes but it sounds phenomenal. Im pretty certain that I have my mistake figured out and once its completely back together its going to be a keeper.
 
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