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So I had a good opportunity over the long weekend to pit the "new" 2015 Friedman BE100 up against my 2012 Splawn Quickrod. I recently acquired the BE100 from a friend, who's been content with his Smallbox and Dirty Shirley stereo setup for some time. I actually had the BE in the man cave for a month last year when he was on vacation and wanted me to look after it. It's haunted me ever since. Having owned both the Dirty Shirley and Smallbox myself, I just couldn't shake the BE. It's bigger sounding than the Smallbox, and tighter than the Shirley.
Anyways I first of all did some speaker swapping in the 4x12 that the BE is plugged into. I first I had EVH Greenbacks loaded in the top, and V30s in the bottom. It sounded great, but I felt that there was something just not quite to my liking. So I loaded my H30s in the bottom and left the EVHs where they were. Bingo! Softer and more pleasing to my ears than with the V30s in there. The H30s add a hair more tightness and bass than the EVHs, but are more balanced with them than the V30s were.
I swapped back and forth between my LP R0 tuned standard (loaded with Fralins), and my '91 Studio loaded with Duncan JB/59s, tuned to Eb. The Studio is quite a bit heavier and has a much darker tone. I tend to use it for things like AIC, Tool, etc. The R0 is brighter, and more clear/articulate. It excels at Def Leppard "High & Dry" and ACDC "Back In Black".
The Splawn slant cab is loaded with Smallblocks. The tones I was getting through the Splawn were dryer, tighter, more immediate in response. They were brown, but not as spongey and forgiving as the BE100 tones. To my surprise, the Friedman didn't make me immediately want to power-down the Splawn rig and just keep playing the Friedman. Both had their strengths and weaknesses. Both sounded great for anything from those old school, iconic 80s albums to AIC and Tool. But I felt that the Splawn had the edge for the latter and the Friedman had the edge for the former. In terms of classic plexi amp tones, the Friedman is just so refined. I would happily take either amp to a rock gig of any genre and not be left wanting. The Splawn actually seems much louder than the Friedman. But that could be due to speaker efficiancies and the slant versus straight cab difference.
In short, if you find that you're lusting after a Splawn... you won't be disappointed. If you're lusting after a Friedman... you won't be disappointed. Both are excellent amps that are just variations on a theme.
And by the way... I'm still in love with my Helix LT. After the honeymoon wears off on the BE100, I'll still go back to the Helix for regular daily play just like I had chosen it over the Splawn before. If I had to gear-up for a big outdoor gig that was going to be well-attended and I wanted to really kick A$$ and take names... I'd probably take the Friedman AND the Splawn half stacks in a stereo config (if I could find someone to hump the gear around and spare my trashed back). But in terms of practice and even gigs... I'm still VERY happy with the Helix and just created some more (plexi-based) patches for it on Friday night in fact. If I had to sell everything and just keep one guitar and amp, it'd be the R0 and likely the Helix.
Anyways I first of all did some speaker swapping in the 4x12 that the BE is plugged into. I first I had EVH Greenbacks loaded in the top, and V30s in the bottom. It sounded great, but I felt that there was something just not quite to my liking. So I loaded my H30s in the bottom and left the EVHs where they were. Bingo! Softer and more pleasing to my ears than with the V30s in there. The H30s add a hair more tightness and bass than the EVHs, but are more balanced with them than the V30s were.
I swapped back and forth between my LP R0 tuned standard (loaded with Fralins), and my '91 Studio loaded with Duncan JB/59s, tuned to Eb. The Studio is quite a bit heavier and has a much darker tone. I tend to use it for things like AIC, Tool, etc. The R0 is brighter, and more clear/articulate. It excels at Def Leppard "High & Dry" and ACDC "Back In Black".
The Splawn slant cab is loaded with Smallblocks. The tones I was getting through the Splawn were dryer, tighter, more immediate in response. They were brown, but not as spongey and forgiving as the BE100 tones. To my surprise, the Friedman didn't make me immediately want to power-down the Splawn rig and just keep playing the Friedman. Both had their strengths and weaknesses. Both sounded great for anything from those old school, iconic 80s albums to AIC and Tool. But I felt that the Splawn had the edge for the latter and the Friedman had the edge for the former. In terms of classic plexi amp tones, the Friedman is just so refined. I would happily take either amp to a rock gig of any genre and not be left wanting. The Splawn actually seems much louder than the Friedman. But that could be due to speaker efficiancies and the slant versus straight cab difference.
In short, if you find that you're lusting after a Splawn... you won't be disappointed. If you're lusting after a Friedman... you won't be disappointed. Both are excellent amps that are just variations on a theme.
And by the way... I'm still in love with my Helix LT. After the honeymoon wears off on the BE100, I'll still go back to the Helix for regular daily play just like I had chosen it over the Splawn before. If I had to gear-up for a big outdoor gig that was going to be well-attended and I wanted to really kick A$$ and take names... I'd probably take the Friedman AND the Splawn half stacks in a stereo config (if I could find someone to hump the gear around and spare my trashed back). But in terms of practice and even gigs... I'm still VERY happy with the Helix and just created some more (plexi-based) patches for it on Friday night in fact. If I had to sell everything and just keep one guitar and amp, it'd be the R0 and likely the Helix.
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