Opinions on the Friedman Smallbox Pedal

[Rabelais]

I'm intrigued by it. Has anyone in the forum played it?. How it compares to other Firedman pedals? Thanks.

[Bogner]

Great pedal if used properly to do what it excels at doing. All the Friedman drive pedals are great. I own them all. You won't get the gain out of the Smallbox that you do the BE-OD or Deluxe. If you are looking for a Plexiglas type, not as saturated type of gain (clearer gain) then it is absolutely wonderful. How does it compare to the other Friedman pedals? It compares well but it doesn't sound the same. They all have a familiar sound in a way and a nice feel and response but they also each have their own identity. On some pedals, there could be some overlap in all honesty. The Smallbox is nice.

[Rabelais]

Great pedal if used properly to do what it excels at doing. All the Friedman drive pedals are great. I own them all. You won't get the gain out of the Smallbox that you do the BE-OD or Deluxe. If you are looking for a Plexiglas type, not as saturated type of gain (clearer gain) then it is absolutely wonderful. How does it compare to the other Friedman pedals? It compares well but it doesn't sound the same. They all have a familiar sound in a way and a nice feel and response but they also each have their own identity. On some pedals, there could be some overlap in all honesty. The Smallbox is nice.

Is it heavier than the Dirty Shirley?.

[Bogner]

Is it heavier than the Dirty Shirley?.

I wouldn't say it is heavier. We both have to be careful with adjectives and making sure our adjectives mean the same thing to each other and often times they may not. In modern gain definitions, I would say the DS has more gain. The SB has gain but it is a clearer type gain...think Plexi with the detail, punch and string separation. The DS doesn't have that though it is detailed and has gain and is a bit more of a saturated type of gain. Not necessarily more or less gain, simply different gain. The DS has more mids if you really want to push it that way. The heaviest sounding of the Friedman pedals is the BE by far. It certainly has the most gain. These pedals sound good with various amps but the amps can effect things depending on what you are doing with each pedal and what amp/sound you are after.

What specifically are you trying to accomplish? What amp are you using? Are you looking for a sound from a clean sound to make it a certain kind of dirty or are you using a gain sound as a platform and trying to get more out of the amp by adding a pedal?

[Rabelais]

I wouldn't say it is heavier. We both have to be careful with adjectives and making sure our adjectives mean the same thing to each other and often times they may not. In modern gain definitions, I would say the DS has more gain. The SB has gain but it is a clearer type gain...think Plexi with the detail, punch and string separation. The DS doesn't have that though it is detailed and has gain and is a bit more of a saturated type of gain. Not necessarily more or less gain, simply different gain. The DS has more mids if you really want to push it that way. The heaviest sounding of the Friedman pedals is the BE by far. It certainly has the most gain. These pedals sound good with various amps but the amps can effect things depending on what you are doing with each pedal and what amp/sound you are after.

What specifically are you trying to accomplish? What amp are you using? Are you looking for a sound from a clean sound to make it a certain kind of dirty or are you using a gain sound as a platform and trying to get more out of the amp by adding a pedal?

I use the DS it as the "Dirty Channel" of a small 6V6 combo, and it sounds good with it, because of its mid-range character. Naturally, I like it with the gain knob at about 1 pm. As you said, it has plenty of saturated gain, especially past that range (with the internal trim pot maxed).

I was looking for 70s hard rock and metal tones, and the DS pedal helps you get there. Probably the Smallbox too.

It seems that the Smallbox has the widest gain range of the three, so it may better as an overdrive, and as a different Marshall type of flavor.

I'm not interested in chugga chugga distortion. You need a 4x12 for that, and when you live in a condo, that's out of the question Thanks a lot.

[Bogner]

I use the DS it as the "Dirty Channel" of a small 6V6 combo, and it sounds good with it, because of its mid-range character. Naturally, I like it with the gain knob at about 1 pm. As you said, it has plenty of saturated gain, especially past that range (with the internal trim pot maxed).

I was looking for 70s hard rock and metal tones, and the DS pedal helps you get there. Probably the Smallbox too.

It seems that the Smallbox has the widest gain range of the three, so it may better as an overdrive, and as a different Marshall type of flavor.

I'm not interested in chugga chugga distortion. You need a 4x12 for that, and when you live in a condo, that's out of the question Thanks a lot.

I traditional gravitate to the heavy side of things but I enjoy all of it. Tough to beat the smallbox for rock tones, hair metal type tones is where it probably stops. It won't do Cannibal Corpse...lol.

On a side note, have you checked out the Revv pedals? They are great pedals as well and the G2 pedal is in the family of the SmallBox and the DS. Not trying to add confusion, just another option.

[Rabelais]

I traditional gravitate to the heavy side of things but I enjoy all of it. Tough to beat the smallbox for rock tones, hair metal type tones is where it probably stops. It won't do Cannibal Corpse...lol.

On a side note, have you checked out the Revv pedals? They are great pedals as well and the G2 pedal is in the family of the SmallBox and the DS. Not trying to add confusion, just another option.

I will. Thanks.

[jeremy]

I wouldn't say it is heavier. We both have to be careful with adjectives and making sure our adjectives mean the same thing to each other and often times they may not. In modern gain definitions, I would say the DS has more gain. The SB has gain but it is a clearer type gain...think Plexi with the detail, punch and string separation. The DS doesn't have that though it is detailed and has gain and is a bit more of a saturated type of gain. Not necessarily more or less gain, simply different gain. The DS has more mids if you really want to push it that way. The heaviest sounding of the Friedman pedals is the BE by far. It certainly has the most gain. These pedals sound good with various amps but the amps can effect things depending on what you are doing with each pedal and what amp/sound you are after.

What specifically are you trying to accomplish? What amp are you using? Are you looking for a sound from a clean sound to make it a certain kind of dirty or are you using a gain sound as a platform and trying to get more out of the amp by adding a pedal?

when you describe it like that, it sounds like the small box is less compressed?

[Bogner]

when you describe it like that, it sounds like the small box is less compressed?

The Smallbox is less compressed than the BE. I wouldn't say the DS is compressed nor the SB on a major level. Each familiar, each unique if that makes sense.

[Rabelais]

when you describe it like that, it sounds like the small box is less compressed?

From what I've read, it's the contrary. The Smallbox is some sort of modded Plexi/JCM800 type of pedal. You can access both voices via a toggle switch. The Dirty Shirley is more of a JTM45 to Plexi style of pedal, but it has an internal trim pot where you can adjust the gain.