Played a friend's new Friedman BE50 yesterday... WHOAH!!!!

[Red_Label]

I had mixed feelings about posting my impressions here. Kind of selfishly wanted to guard my "secret" so as not to make Dave any busier (so he'll be free to mod my BE100 sooner).

This amp is frigging amazing. The cleans are the best I've ever heard on a channel switcher. So spanky, jangly, punchy. Breaking glass like a great Deluxe Reverb, but bigger and with more punch and headroom. This amp would KILL for a country rock band (which is how I used to butter my bread).

The rock tones are awesome and varied. I especially love the response and thump controls. Amazing variety in there. I also love the separate volume control for the lead channel. I have to use my Cussack More Louder pedal in the loop of my BE100 for lead volume boosts.

I thought my late-model BE100 was the be-all-end-all of Swiss Army Knife channel switchers. But the BE50 tops it. I would say that my 100 might have a slightly tighter punch for stuff like Alter Bridge, because of the increased headroom. But I haven't spent the time at high volume with the 50 to be sure of that.

At any rate, I would LOVE to have the new BE50. I don't think it would be possible to find a better amp for playing in a rock or country rock cover band. If I had all of these features on my 100, there'd be nothing else to want (for me at least). I predict that you will see a lot of these amps on stages.

 

[harsh59]

How did the HBE channels compare . IIRC the 50 Deluxe is supposed to have a more aggressive HBE channel ?

 

[LP Freak]

How did the HBE channels compare . IIRC the 50 Deluxe is supposed to have a more aggressive HBE channel ?

Yes, it is a little more aggressive. I think both the BE and HBE channels both are voiced more aggressive.

 

[Red_Label]

Regarding comparisons... I didn't spend as long on it as I wanted to. Because it was on the floor of the music store that he runs (he's a lurker here and will surely read this thread... LOL). I am no hack player, but I absolutely HATE playing in stores. 1) because I'm considerate and hate playing amps at volume, so other people have to shout over me... and 2) because I seem to go into a mode when I play in stores were I mostly play the same tired licks. I can play inspired at home and on stage. But I can't do it in the store. I am the opposite of the guy who goes in there to shred to impress people. I save that shit for live work.

Anyways... I didn't even get close to maxing out the gain. I've heard that it has more gain on tap than the BE100... But the heaviest stuff that I play on my 100 is Alter Bridge, AIC, Tool, etc. And I play that stuff with the gain set at noon-1:00 in HBE mode. My 100 is more than agressive enough for my needs. I have no doubt that the 50 will do modern metal. Maybe not like a Mesa, Diezel, or Bogner Uberschall. But I think most of those amps sound like ass for classic rock... unlike the Friedman.

I wish I would have felt comfortable pushing the amp in the store to see how agressive it would sound and feel with power amp saturation. But it just would have been too loud. I'm sure that he'll send it home with me for a day or two eventually just so I can get a complete test drive. Playing such an amp in the store is like driving a Ferrari around the block. You lay on the gas and feel that power. But you don't get a full picture of all that it can do and to the full extent.

 

[Beyond Black]

How did the HBE channels compare . IIRC the 50 Deluxe is supposed to have a more aggressive HBE channel ?

Yes, it is a little more aggressive. I think both the BE and HBE channels both are voiced more aggressive.

I heard/played this amp at Paul's and it's glorious. I would agree that it sounds a little more pissed than the BE100.

 

[Red_Label]

How did the HBE channels compare . IIRC the 50 Deluxe is supposed to have a more aggressive HBE channel ?

Yes, it is a little more aggressive. I think both the BE and HBE channels both are voiced more aggressive.

I heard/played this amp at Paul's and it's glorious. I would agree that it sounds a little more pissed than the BE100.

I played both BEs yesterday and can't say that the 50 is more "pissed" than the 100. I just spent three hours with my 100 and it's more "pissy" than I even need with the C45 switch in the up position. Not arguing with you... just not sure who'd need a more pissed-off amp than it already is outside of playing scoopy modern metal. I hate those boring metal tones anyways... so keep in mind that's where I'm coming from. Alter Bridge is about as tight and metal as I enjoy any more. And my 100 does that perfectly for me. I've had drier amps that were better for metal (VHT, Engl, etc)... But they didn't have near the soul and variety of quality tones that the BEs have.

Anyways... the ridiculous cleans are my favorite thing about the 50 at this point.

 

[Anonymous]

I really want to try one of these amps! Hopefully guitar center gets them in before they go bankrupt!