Soldano SLO vs Friedman BE100

[Mr. Willy]

I would take a SLO over the HBE simply because I can build myself a HBE, but I can't build an SLO. Those DeYoung trannies really make a difference. Here is my demo of an SLO:

Do I need to remind you of the Port City, Greg Howe debacle Carl? That pretty much would sum up your amp design and manufacturing capabilities.

 

[Bronco]

You SLO guys like your amp with generic MArshall cabs? Curt's demo sounded awesome through that slant Randall 4 x 12 with V30's.

I prefer Greenbacks generally...as such I actually have Scumback M75s into a Port City OS 2x12 and an OS 1x12.

Really works well for me...

 

[twenty4_7spy]

Hmm, I just happen to possess both. Well, soon, anyway. Hilariously (to me), they are both ex-steve_k. Steve's BE-100 is currently making an Atlantic Crossing, where it will join his old Red SLO, amongst a few other oddball heads I happen to own. And I am local, in hot hot hot Glendale, AZ. Perhaps we should corral Ned and have a a meeting of the heads, so to speak . . .

Matt

Obviously power tubes are different (5881/6L6 vs EL34's). But both are farely popular and straight forward rock amps being toured with by some big names! Has anyone owned both and compared these amps? I already know what an SLO can do (crank the master and it stays tight and just blossoms...). Are these amps similar in tones at high volumes/low volumes? So many other amps (beside the SLO) start to "fart out" when cranked up.

SLO = Quality parts and killer tones from blues to hard-rock. Silky and punchy tones that stay tight when cranked up.

BE100 = ???

 

[6CA7]

Some great discussion here and clips!

Now watch..the $$ of SLO's just jumped....

I've had a BE-100 now for about 2 months and I'm still liking it and dialing it in (find a cool new setting all the time). But I must say I've wanted to score a SLO-100 for a long time. Been to the Soldano shop too as they are in my backyard. Mike was a great guy and took the time to chat with me. He showed me around the shop and some almost completed SLO's. He just didn't whisk me out the door and I'm obviously not EVH or Clapton or Lynch.
Pretty cool.

 

[pstar]

what if we throw a wizard modern classic 11 in this pot ?

 

[Anonymous]

edited in order to keep peace...


Proof is in the puddin...

 

[Anonymous]

Damn Scott that's Chubtone on an SLO, never saw that sounds killer.

That very SLO right there resides with me...Curt gave me a great deal on it, and it's never going anywhere.

Can't vouch one way or the other WRT the 'which is better old SLO or new SLO' argument, but mine is serial #90302, which = 1990.

And it fawkin' rocks. [/quote]

I used to service amps for Chubtone and I had the privilege of servicing your SLO before he put it on the market. Awesome amp. It should provide you with many, many years of great tone...

Here is a partial gutshot of your amp:

 

[Aristocat]

Damn Scott that's Chubtone on an SLO, never saw that sounds killer.

That very SLO right there resides with me...Curt gave me a great deal on it, and it's never going anywhere.

Can't vouch one way or the other WRT the 'which is better old SLO or new SLO' argument, but mine is serial #90302, which = 1990.

And it fawkin' rocks.

I used to service amps for Chubtone and I had the privilege of servicing your SLO before he put it on the market. Awesome amp. It should provide you with many, many years of great tone...

Here is a partial gutshot of your amp:

[/quote]

That is beautiful.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

That is beautiful.

Beautifully simple, and that's where the tone comes from.

 

[Bronco]

Hey Fusionbear, I know man! When I was asking Curt about the state of the amp, he said that you'd checked it out and given it " "; so right then I pulled the trigger.

 

[richedie]

Dave's amps are over priced for what you get. I would take a Splawn first!

 

[sjk]

Dave's amps are over priced for what you get. I would take a Splawn first!

Never played a Friedman but by most accounts and clips I've heard they sound killer. As far as price goes Bogners are just as expensive new, are they not? Same can be said for alot of amp, just happens to be that Splawns seem to be insanely cheap for the caliber amp you get.

 

[LP Freak]

Dave's amps are over priced for what you get. I would take a Splawn first!

Not me. Tone is in the wallet.

 

[hunter]

Dave's amps are over priced for what you get. I would take a Splawn first!

I played a Splawn and thought it was lifeless and stiff. I'd rather shell out the big cash for one of Dave's creations. But to each his own.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey guys, let's not turn this into a pissing match please! We all have different tastes. There is plenty of room at the Inn

 

[Philo Beddoe]

Dave's amps are over priced for what you get. I would take a Splawn first!

Tried a Splawn once..sounded like a piece of cardboard..dull..lame..stale..fizzy can of bees

 

[richedie]

Dave's amps are over priced for what you get. I would take a Splawn first!

I played a Splawn and thought it was lifeless and stiff. I'd rather shell out the big cash for one of Dave's creations. But to each his own.

What can I say? I find his amps very average. The Marsha is average sounding and harsh. Any Splawn I have heard or played next to it, sounded better and basically destroyed it, for me persnally. More life, more fun to play! The Naked? I played as well and hated it. Very blah. Any Bogner destroys it. I have had some of his modules as well and two had to be repaired because the work was sloppy.

I also wouldn't pay that kind of money on an amp just to jam at home and play in an 80s tribute cover band. Now, if you play professionally and make a living playing guitar, then I can understand spending that kind of cash on an amp.
But there are much better amps out there for much less.

 

[IntenseJim]

What can I say? I find his [Friedman] amps very average. The Marsha is average sounding and harsh. Any Splawn I have heard or played next to it, sounded better and basically destroyed it, for me persnally. More life, more fun to play! The Naked? I played as well and hated it. Very blah. Any Bogner destroys it. I have had some of his modules as well and two had to be repaired because the work was sloppy.

I also wouldn't pay that kind of money on an amp just to jam at home and play in an 80s tribute cover band. Now, if you play professionally and make a living playing guitar, then I can understand spending that kind of cash on an amp.
But there are much better amps out there for much less.

No need to be coy.

 

[steve_k]

Dave's amps are over priced for what you get. I would take a Splawn first!

I played a Splawn and thought it was lifeless and stiff. I'd rather shell out the big cash for one of Dave's creations. But to each his own.

What can I say? I find his amps very average. The Marsha is average sounding and harsh. Any Splawn I have heard or played next to it, sounded better and basically destroyed it, for me persnally. More life, more fun to play! The Naked? I played as well and hated it. Very blah. Any Bogner destroys it. I have had some of his modules as well and two had to be repaired because the work was sloppy.

I also wouldn't pay that kind of money on an amp just to jam at home and play in an 80s tribute cover band. Now, if you play professionally and make a living playing guitar, then I can understand spending that kind of cash on an amp.
But there are much better amps out there for much less.

There's quite a few amps out there that are not within someone's financial means - and fortunately, there are more affordable amps available in the marketplace. I seriously doubt Dave Friedman, Mike Soldano, Mike Fortin or Rick St. Pierre, set out to design and build an amp to chase the masses. They choose to set the bar higher, and leave it there...

 

[SLOgriff]

My original intent for starting this post was to showcase the differences and/or similarities in tones of each amp. Maybe I wasn't clear in my original post. I obviously know what an SLO can do.... This was meant to find out what the Friedman BE100 does compared to what the SLO does. I was thinking of buying another amp for a little different tone, but nothing else is interesting me these days.

SLO = This...


BE100 = That...

Make sense?