The Perfect Friedman Amp?

MistaGuitah

Well-known member
Can you buy an amp from Friedman and have them customize the channels? I've been thinking I want a Smallbox with a resonance knob or depth switch and channel 2 sound just like a Butterslax. This brings me to some questions.

I'm assuming the Smallbox and Butterslax have different transformers so the question is whether a Smallbox can sound just like a Butterslax with a mod?

Another question: Assuming, generally, a 100w transformer would accommodated a 50w amp (but not the other way around?), what would a Smallbox sound like with Butterslax transformers?

Lastly, let's say transformers are a negligible factor, then how much modification would it require to wire a toggle switch for channel 2 that lets you do JJ and Butterslax modes?
 
The depth control / switch is a simple mod.
If you are OK with Slax channel 2 and JJ, then you just need to add the clippers and maybe a few tweaks to the circuit. ( Depth is one of the tweaks )
If you want to get Slax channel 3 as well, you'd need to add one more 12ax7. Then you'd have a sort of BE/HBE with clippers out, and Slax channel 2/3 with clippers in.
Smallbox, BE100, SS, JJ and Slax are all just variations of the same basic thing Dave has been doing for a while.
The 50watt opt Friedman uses in the smallbox will sound good. A 100watt opt will have the wrong primary impedance for 2 x EL34's
Pretty sure Dave could do all variations of this no problem, subject to price & time available to do the mod.
 
Reza had a custom Friedman amp done and it sounded really aggressive and awesome. Not sure if those custom requests are open to everyone?
 
crankyrayhanky":2j0o7i40 said:
Reza had a custom Friedman amp done and it sounded really aggressive and awesome. Not sure if those custom requests are open to everyone?
From the clips, my favorite by far is the Jake amp.
 
fusedbrain":3hulvls0 said:
The depth control / switch is a simple mod.
If you are OK with Slax channel 2 and JJ, then you just need to add the clippers and maybe a few tweaks to the circuit. ( Depth is one of the tweaks )
If you want to get Slax channel 3 as well, you'd need to add one more 12ax7. Then you'd have a sort of BE/HBE with clippers out, and Slax channel 2/3 with clippers in.
Smallbox, BE100, SS, JJ and Slax are all just variations of the same basic thing Dave has been doing for a while.
The 50watt opt Friedman uses in the smallbox will sound good. A 100watt opt will have the wrong primary impedance for 2 x EL34's
Pretty sure Dave could do all variations of this no problem, subject to price & time available to do the mod.

Thanks man! I appreciate the good info.

crankyrayhanky":3hulvls0 said:
Reza had a custom Friedman amp done and it sounded really aggressive and awesome. Not sure if those custom requests are open to everyone?

I checked out a couple of those videos but thought his Butterslax video sounded more appealing. His videos are good, and I don't know if it's the amp or whatever factor in recording/mixing but it sounded kind of ordinary. What I mean is, it sounds great and you can tell it's a real high quality tone, but to me seemed a little more generic than say a Butterslax or JJ which are rather unique in my perception. Good question too because I imagine Friedman doesn't get around to custom amps very often. Reza says he's a friend of Dave's and I think he has a recording studio or something so that's probably an industry privilege or something.

Racerxrated":3hulvls0 said:
crankyrayhanky":3hulvls0 said:
Reza had a custom Friedman amp done and it sounded really aggressive and awesome. Not sure if those custom requests are open to everyone?
From the clips, my favorite by far is the Jake amp.

I'm not a Jake E. Lee fan, or a fan of the red tolex, but I too thought the Jake E. Lee sounded great. I wasn't expecting the clean channel to sound like that so it's pretty impressive.
 
Racerxrated":2136ojhl said:
crankyrayhanky":2136ojhl said:
Reza had a custom Friedman amp done and it sounded really aggressive and awesome. Not sure if those custom requests are open to everyone?
From the clips, my favorite by far is the Jake amp.

I like the gain on tap in my JJ Jr. but I agree, the Jake captures something that reminds me of the old days. I wish there was a "poor man's BE deluxe". LOL! I need a tiny amp with a billion switches on the back. Haha!

I was one of the last people to get a Marshall modded by Dave right before the BE 100 came out. Although the mod was great that Dave did, I didn't give him the best amp as a base. It was a Plexi reissue but not a good year for it. Still, he did some amazing things. Those switches just added so much and was like playing with presets.

I'm a Friedman fanboy for sure. I'm not ready to yet to get one of the bigger amps but that is only because I'm a bedroom player. If I was playing loud all the time, I would definitely pick one up. I still think I need a Friedman 4x12 with my tiny JJ Jr....LOL
 
There is customization available but I do t know to what extent. For what you're looking for, I would assume the recommendation would be for you to buy a butterslax and have channel 1 modded. Dave does a mod to the slax which adds a switch that turns the clipping diodes off/on on channel 1. Another member here has had this done. If I remember correctly, Dave's explanation of this mod was that it was more of a plexi or smallbox clean than say a buxom betty clean.
 
I've been wanting a Butterslax for ages until I got a JJ jr. I haven't tried the Butterslax but after trying the JJ jr. I kinda felt it was too polished or polite. So I returned it. Having said that I have thought of asking if a be-50 could be modded to sort of a 50 watt slax since I could grab one from zzounds and not be saddled with guilt for dropping 3.5k on one amp. Reza said you could order his custom 50 from Dave for $3300. I have a feeling that would be right up my alley. I'm pretty happy with my modded 2204 now(although I'm gas 'n for a Ceriatone molecular and a mesa mark iv)
 
ClintN667":rc2ffbsc said:
I've been wanting a Butterslax for ages until I got a JJ jr. I haven't tried the Butterslax but after trying the JJ jr. I kinda felt it was too polished or polite. So I returned it.

I wonder if that is the EL84s giving it that feel? I have only Played a BE100 and the JJ Jr. Love both amps. I got the JJ Jr. primarily because of the price, small size, etc. If I could get any Friedman, it would be the BE 50 Deluxe I'm sure. So many options. I'm sure I'd like the Smallbox but from clips I've heard it just sounds like it is missing something for my tastes. Sounds great but a bit of something I like that is not in there and not sure what it is.
 
I am probably in the minority but the BE-100 is the "grail" Friedman for me. Add a couple of different flavored boost and Get all the tones I have ever wanted.
 
The BE100 Super Ultra Mega Deluxe. Seriously there's no end to the updates. 2 or 3 minimum per year at one point, not sure about now.
 
A couple years back I ordered a BE-100 from Dave with the SS clean channel. Having tried most of his amps up to that point, my favorite clean was on the Steve Stevens,,,favorite gain channel was the BE-100. It probably wasn't much for him to do under the hood really,,,, love the amp. I had it dressed up like the SS on the head shell, minus the Raygun logo of course. I'm sure Dave can get you in the neighborhood that you want.
 
I had an ss100 and wanted the gain channel changed and I had the negative feedback control added(great feature, always have it on), as well as a SAT switch and the boost on the amp was turned into a HBE type channel, and I don't have the raygun on mine either. its absolutely crushing, and I have had it for a couple years with no plans to part ways with it. its amazing and ended my amp searching. it does it all, brutal hard rock, classic rock, blues, amazing chimey cleans, so yeah, I am VERY happy with it. Dave is a great amp guy, makes magic.
 
Phil X with switchable extra gain stage like the Wildwood edition of the Small Box .
Keep the presence control on the front.

OR

Small Box WW Edition but with presence on front and third master on the rear.

(Once business turns around and the economy starts to recover I may actually custom order one from Dave if I’m still alive. If I’m not alive that would probably put the kabosh on it.)
 
My perfect Friedman would be something like the Butterslax but with Response knob, System master volume and SAT switch to be able to turn off the clipping.

I REALLY like the Smallbox, too.
 
romanianreaper":3ap7aumj said:
ClintN667":3ap7aumj said:
I've been wanting a Butterslax for ages until I got a JJ jr. I haven't tried the Butterslax but after trying the JJ jr. I kinda felt it was too polished or polite. So I returned it.

I wonder if that is the EL84s giving it that feel? I have only Played a BE100 and the JJ Jr. Love both amps. I got the JJ Jr. primarily because of the price, small size, etc. If I could get any Friedman, it would be the BE 50 Deluxe I'm sure. So many options. I'm sure I'd like the Smallbox but from clips I've heard it just sounds like it is missing something for my tastes. Sounds great but a bit of something I like that is not in there and not sure what it is.


I dont know really. But every time I've played a Kemper, Line 6, or whatever my go to tone is a HBE with a Klon type boost. I love that sound to the point that I didnt even bother with other models. Maybe I need to quit dicking around and just grab a BE. Seems like every single time I try to go the cheaper route I end up just wasting more money.
 
ClintN667":1wgcyogg said:
I dont know really. But every time I've played a Kemper, Line 6, or whatever my go to tone is a HBE with a Klon type boost. I love that sound to the point that I didnt even bother with other models. Maybe I need to quit dicking around and just grab a BE. Seems like every single time I try to go the cheaper route I end up just wasting more money.

Dude, you sound like me. I had a Friedman BE-OD pedal and then on my Fractal, would always go right to Friedman presets. That is my sound. I have to just realize that tone is what I like and what I reach for.

As much as I like the preset tones, hearing the actual BE-100 amp in person, there is a whole different sound you obviously hear with the grind, low end, etc. It is different than having emulations. It is an investment, especially if you are going to enjoy it and know it is your type of amp.
 
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