Friedman BE review in GP

Wildwind

Experienced
Y'all probably saw this - old news as it was in the November issue. But I just read it today. This has been a fave of mine from the start of my Axe-Fx II experience.

I am curious about the clean channel. Admittedly we can't complain with the embarassment of riches we already have, but I'd love to have this in the Axe. Is there a model that already gets this tone? I realize this is a Marshall-class boutique amp, not some new invention.

GuitarPlayer: Four High-Power Heads from Egnater, Fender, Friedman, and Mesa-Boogie
 
Y'all probably saw this - old news as it was in the November issue. But I just read it today. This has been a fave of mine from the start of my Axe-Fx II experience.

I am curious about the clean channel. Admittedly we can't complain with the embarassment of riches we already have, but I'd love to have this in the Axe. Is there a model that already gets this tone? I realize this is a Marshall-class boutique amp, not some new invention.

GuitarPlayer: Four High-Power Heads from Egnater, Fender, Friedman, and Mesa-Boogie

If you like the Friedman BE model, then I would highly suggest loading up the Friedman BE amp model in the axe fx lol.

Factory Preset 23 I'm pretty sure is the BE.
 
I'm already using two Friedman patches - BE and HBE - very happily. But the clean channel of the real amp hasn't been modeled - unless I've missed something.
 
I'm already using two Friedman patches - BE and HBE - very happily. But the clean channel of the real amp hasn't been modeled - unless I've missed something.

Ah, sorry for the confusion. I have played the BE in the real world and didn't know that it had a clean channel :p I would recommend for marshall style cleans the JTM45 probably, and since the BE is plexi based maybe the plexi normal model.
 
From the review, the current BE's clean channel may be unique - no EQ, just a three-position bright switch. But somehow it evokes a wonderful description, which does peak my curiosity. I don't know Marshalls very well - one of the few amps I've never owned - so to be honest, I'm not sure what a great Marshall clean is supposed to sound like and thought this one sounded like a great one to chase down. I do like to stay "on planet" when changing presets - preferring not to incite radical change when going from one gain structure to another. Since I'm already using the Friedman twice already...
 
dont read too much into it. Theres no need for the BE clean channel on the AXE2 because you can get what youre looking for in the already existing models. If you want to hear really great Plexi cleans my choice would be the 50 Watt Plexi bright or jumpered. Awesome cleans with personality and a little bit of dirt
 
I'm with you Wildwind. That description was pretty passionate. The reviewer didn't make any comparisons. Made it sound quite unique. Marshallesque cleans are not something we have an over-abundance of with the Axe II. If Cliff has access to a BE, then I say add a model of the clean channel to our wish list.
 
I have a clean patch using the Friedman BE (not HBE) model. Just back off the gain (2 or 3) and back off the Master (2 or 3) and it cleans up pretty nicely.

Oh, and BTW, the Friedman BE 100 DOES have a clean channel. And it's VERY clean, very comparable to my 1969 Marshall Superlead.

Here's the patch:

Axe-Change - Download Preset - Frieman BE Clean - by mrstrat

Here's the sound clip:



Just for the record, this tone is not the same as the Friedman BE clean tone, but I love it just the same. :)
 
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I tried the BE at Gain 2 and MV 2 - still not real clean. Kicking the gain to down to 0.5 and MV to 7 cleans up pretty nicely, not sure this is the tone you're talking about. I did reduce the Xformer Match to 0.4 as well. A good tone, but not one that matches with the GP description - again realizing the rhetoric value in the writing (I'm a writer too - I know how that goes).

So if I'm doing something wrong, give a shout.

As for the Plexi 50W Jump, I did much better with that. Still not sure I'm "getting it" though. Back to my regularly scheduled Fender-y cleans for now.
 
At the end of my tweaking, I swapped out the Plexi 50W Jump for the 100W Jump. Both were quite good, but I liked the 100W a little better. Still, it wasn't watering my mouth the way the reviewer did on the Friedman. I know Dave Friedman and Cliff are tight, so I'm sure getting his hands on a BE (though he probably has one anyway, if the one reviewed isn't a new version) won't be that tough.
 
How about a jumpered BE? I have seen pictures of BEs with 3 inputs on the front, looked to be jumperable. mmmm
 
I own a Friedman Marsha 50 watt BE/HBE which was upgraded to 100 watts, updated the preamp section and added an FX loop. I like the Axe FX 2 Friedman BE and HBE and both are my favorite amps, but it doesn't duplicate the real Friedman BE/HBE sound. The real amp has more complex harmonics and it feels more " spongier " especially whe using the " Sat " switch.I have to adjust my playing when switching to the Axe Fx 2.
The real amp is more responsive plus the C45, Fat option gives you different tonal options. With the Axe Fx 2 I need to do some tweaking like setting up the graphic eq properly to get it closer to the real amp, but once your done tweaking the Axe Fx 2 sounds nice.
 
This review is not really up to date because the BE100 now ships with a full clean channel, no longer just the simple clean like in the review. The front panel now has 9 knobs instead of 7 because of this change.

The BE100 is an amazing tube amp. So are the Naked, Dirty Shirley, Steve Stevens & Pink Taco. Friedman is the man!

The day any modeler/profiler sounds & feels as good as these amps do will be a happy day for sure......
 
I also own a Marsha and agree the Axe II and Marsha do not sound alike, I don't even use the BE patches in the Axe II, I much prefer the Brit Brown. Oh and back to topic the "Full Clean" on the Marsha is most closely describes as a Fender clean. The "Simple Clean" on the Friedmans' is best described as a Voxish clen. I prefer the "Deluxe Verb" in the Axe II for clean tones FWIW.
I own a Friedman Marsha 50 watt BE/HBE which was upgraded to 100 watts, updated the preamp section and added an FX loop. I like the Axe FX 2 Friedman BE and HBE and both are my favorite amps, but it doesn't duplicate the real Friedman BE/HBE sound. The real amp has more complex harmonics and it feels more " spongier " especially whe using the " Sat " switch.I have to adjust my playing when switching to the Axe Fx 2.
The real amp is more responsive plus the C45, Fat option gives you different tonal options. With the Axe Fx 2 I need to do some tweaking like setting up the graphic eq properly to get it closer to the real amp, but once your done tweaking the Axe Fx 2 sounds nice.
 
How about a jumpered BE? I have seen pictures of BEs with 3 inputs on the front, looked to be jumperable. mmmm

Mine only has 2 inputs: one for BE and one for HBE. Not sure why you'd want to jumper them, it's not like a Marshall 4 input. The BE comes with a foot switch that allows you to switch between clean and lead tones. I just bought a Tonebone switcher so I can switch between the BE and HBE inputs.
 
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