Pete Thorn demos the Friedman Jose amp

[Alpha Stryke]

I know who worked on the M. Mars amp before he sold it.

 

[mentoneman]

I've seen that video many times and it's very close to how I would hope I could make the Jose sound.

One of these days, I need to fly back to LA and go into Dave's new amp room. I would try out the SS100v2, Jose, Twin Sister and JEL50.

great idea. i have played all of those amps and would be happy with any of them.

they are all fun and different enough to able to find one that fits your style and requirements more closely than the others.

 

[BABMusic]

great idea. i have played all of those amps and would be happy with any of them.

they are all fun and different enough to able to find one that fits your style and requirements more closely than the others.

I'm envious. Just curious, I'm also somewhat interested in the SS100v2, and would you say it's very different than the BE100? I keep reading that it's tighter, and that's interesting to me. I wonder if the BE response knob/switch could be set to sound like that amp.

 

[mentoneman]

I'm envious. Just curious, I'm also somewhat interested in the SS100v2, and would you say it's very different than the BE100? I keep reading that it's tighter, and that's interesting to me. I wonder if the BE response knob/switch could be set to sound like that amp.

when i think of the term tight the Jose and JEL comes to mind. my friend had the BE100 v1 and played his a bunch and also played Mark Day’s finely tuned BE100 rig when he worked at Tone Merchants/Rack Systems.
when the SSv1 came out it was in my mind the new flagship amp—better cleans and more articulate gain than BE. i convinced my buddy with the BE to try one and he was super impressed and ditched the BE. he also had the SSv2 for a while and that had a thicker darker lead tone gain capability—more modern sludgemetal— but we both prefer the v1 vintage leanings.
i’d say the SSv2 and BEDlx have way more in common with the low mid girthy underpinnings. i could play leads in my sleep on those amps. the JEL and surprisingly the Jose make you work for it more.

 

[BABMusic]

@mentoneman Very interesting that you liked the original SS100 much more. Also, I was surprised to hear you say the Jose makes you work for it more. I read other people say that the Jose "sticks to your fingers" when playing leads. I would say my BE doesn't sound quite like Mark's in his videos, although it's close.

I also completely agree with you that the BE makes lead playing super easy. It's much more forgiving than some other amps, and the sound remains very balanced without being too thin or too thick.

 

[BABMusic]

Someone on this forum mentioned that they like to turn the presence up to 10 and then put the treble wherever it needs to be. I tried that last night and was surprised that it actually sounded good. Treble ended up being at about 3. This makes the amp sound a lot closer to a real Marshall amp. I would have never thought that this setting would sound good.

 

[MYLILSS]

Someone on this forum mentioned that they like to turn the presence up to 10 and then put the treble wherever it needs to be. I tried that last night and was surprised that it actually sounded good. Treble ended up being at about 3. This makes the amp sound a lot closer to a real Marshall amp. I would have never thought that this setting would sound good.

This is actually the way that I always ran my Mesa Dual Rec's. I'd max the presence and then use the treble as a presence control.

 

[mentoneman]

Someone on this forum mentioned that they like to turn the presence up to 10 and then put the treble wherever it needs to be. I tried that last night and was surprised that it actually sounded good. Treble ended up being at about 3. This makes the amp sound a lot closer to a real Marshall amp. I would have never thought that this setting would sound good.

this afternoon my friend asked me how i’d set his Jose and while he played i ended up diming everything except the mids on 4 and bass on 3.

it sounded more aggressive for rhythms than his SSV1 but less legato greasy for shreddy leads. you really have to attack the notes on the Jose.

 

[BABMusic]

this afternoon my friend asked me how i’d set his Jose and while he played i ended up diming everything except the mids on 4 and bass on 3.

it sounded more aggressive for rhythms than his SSV1 but less legato greasy for shreddy leads. you really have to attack the notes on the Jose.

That is good to know, and might be a reason for me to pass on the Jose. I've also heard others say that notes "stick to your fingers" when playing leads on the Jose, which does not sound like your experience. I don't really want an amp where I have to attack it very hard to get sustain for leads.

I've also found a new setting on my BE50 that sounds great. Mids at 0, Pres 5, Response 4.5, Treble 6.5 and the rest to taste.

 

[ChurchHill]

For me, it depends on how it's set and how hot the pickups are.

 

[BABMusic]

For me, it depends on how it's set and how hot the pickups are.

There you go again, getting me all hot and excited for the Jose.

 

[mentoneman]

That is good to know, and might be a reason for me to pass on the Jose. I've also heard others say that notes "stick to your fingers" when playing leads on the Jose, which does not sound like your experience. I don't really want an amp where I have to attack it very hard to get sustain for leads.

I've also found a new setting on my BE50 that sounds great. Mids at 0, Pres 5, Response 4.5, Treble 6.5 and the rest to taste.

when the Jose was announced i was hopeful it would be an amp that really nailed the tones and my experience with the cameron atomica. it was not what i expected but it is an aggressive modern marshall sound when wound up like i had it.
Rocco’s vids imo does the best job of capturing the variety of qualities of the amp, however i think this guy gets closer to nailing the tones he’s trying to emulate:



and this rundown just came out

 

[mentoneman]

For me, it depends on how it's set and how hot the pickups are.

true—i started with the stock bc rich mockingbird pickups which sounded fairly hot and had more of a wall of grind tone with lots of low end,
then switched to the LP with its stock lower output pickups and preferred that articulation.

the ss was way more conveyor belt sustain and boogie greasy.

 

[mentoneman]

one more thing-
my friend is running his wdw rig with 3 barefaced 2x12s loaded with celestion creamback 90s

i think a 4x12 with a v30/gh30 X might bring out better results.

 

[Metalhex]

I liked Rabea's demo much more then again he can make anything sound great

 

[BABMusic]

Rabea's mics seem to capture the amp the most clearly so far. There's been other great vids, but I appreciate him getting the amp to shine through somehow.

 

[mentoneman]

Rabea's mics seem to capture the amp the most clearly so far. There's been other great vids, but I appreciate him getting the amp to shine through somehow.

Rabea and Doug Rap always bring the most natural grinding breathing thing i associate with hearing a high gain amp in person.

 

[2dor]

If anybody's interested, these are the 2 useful pages from the manual (can't seem to find it online

 

[Alpha Stryke]