Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

[BloodRose]

I saw a mention of these in the Dirty Shirley thread, but got a Sweetwater newsletter in the snail box yesterday and was an article in there about the Friedman Runts.. So, figured Id go ahead and ask Red Label for the official report on the amps (20 and a 50, 50 has a fourth 12ax7). correction: little one has el84s, bigger one has el34s

So... Whats the word amigo? And how do they compare to Dirty miss Shirley??

 

[xxxplorer]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

They have one at my local guitar center. Was stoked to try it, but I was really underwhelmed. Just didn't do it for me.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

The cleans are the best cleans I've ever experienced on a Friedman (including my Smallbox). Very jangley and Fender-like.

But the OD channel isn't as "3D" as on the P2P models. It's fizzier. But Dave actually said that he designed it for that tone over in a thread on Rig-Talk a few weeks ago. I really need to spend more time on this channel to fully develop an opinion. But I do love that clean channel. Besides Fender, it reminds me of Hughes & Kettner... with along with Fender and Bogner (Shiva) are my favorite cleans.

I still think they're great though and it's possible that there could be one in my future. The 1x12 50-watt combo down at the store has my interest at the moment.

Btw... so far, the Dirty Shirley and BE100 are my favorites of all Friedmans though (or of any amps in existence).

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

I played the Runt in a Guitar Center and actually had the opposite reaction; I preferred the drive channel to the clean one. As far as Marshall-flavored amps go, it was great. I'm definitely keeping an eye out for deals on it.

I preferred the drive channel with the boost engaged - a lot more balls that way.

Choice of cab might matter - I was playing it through an Orange 2x12, and it sounded beastly.

 

[bearded madman]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

They sound good in the videos I've seen but I watched a vid of the pink taco today and man that thing sounds good. Has the potential to cause a serious case of G.A.S

 

[xxxplorer]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

It just had no oomph to me at all. My tiny terror I thought destroyed it... Now, I don't give a $#1+ about clean channels... I use my volume knob, but the gain channel just had no balls and no oomph for me. I unno. I'm the odd man out here lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

They sound good in the videos I've seen but I watched a vid of the pink taco today and man that thing sounds good. Has the potential to cause a serious case of G.A.S

I had a Taco for one, or two days. It sounded nice, but was a one-trick pony IMO, and had absolutely NO headroom whatsoever. I think that the Mini Shirley destroys it for just about everything. And evidently my buddy's customers agree, as he's sold maybe two Tacos, and towards a dozen Shirleys. I had a Mini Shirley at my house last week and loved that little amp. It doesn't sound little at all and kept pace with my Smallbox up to a point. Best chunky, crunch rhythm tone out there IMO, and a helluva hairy blues sound as well.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

I liked the cleans on the runt but found the gains to be brittle compared to hand wired Brown Eye style circuits.

I compared the 20 watt Runt with a PT 20 (I own one) and liked the PT more, it was more articulate and beefier. I actually appreciate the one trick nature of the PT because it is a great trick and I use Fenders for my cleans.

 

[bearded madman]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

I had a Taco for one, or two days. It sounded nice, but was a one-trick pony IMO, and had absolutely NO headroom whatsoever. I think that the Mini Shirley destroys it for just about everything. And evidently my buddy's customers agree, as he's sold maybe two Tacos, and towards a dozen Shirleys. I had a Mini Shirley at my house last week and loved that little amp. It doesn't sound little at all and kept pace with my Smallbox up to a point. Best chunky, crunch rhythm tone out there IMO, and a helluva hairy blues sound as well.

Interesting. I'm going to have to make a trip to the Arlington Guitar Center one day and see what these Friedmans are all about.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

I liked the cleans on the runt but found the gains to be brittle compared to had wired Brown a Eye circuits.

I compared the 20 watt Runt with a PT 20 (I own one) and liked the PT more, it was more articulate and beefier. I actually appreciate the one trick nature of the PT because it is a great trick and I use Fenders for my cleans.

I totally agree with all you posted. Dave's higher-end stuff (including the Taco) are all top notch. My biggest complaint about the Taco was its lack of headroom. I received it the same day as I received my Ceriatone Chupacabra 50-watter. And while it's not a fair comparison, the Chup spanked it soundly for headroom and punch. So I just wasn't into the Taco and sold it to my music store manager buddy (we'd gone in 50/50 on it). Had I bought the Taco during a period where I could have focused on it, and appreciated it for it's own qualities, it might have stuck around longer. At any rate... I've spend time with more Tacos at the store and for my tastes I much prefer the versatility and bigger sound of the Mini Shirley. But the Taco is still a Friedman and as such is a great-sounding amp.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

Interesting. I'm going to have to make a trip to the Arlington Guitar Center one day and see what these Friedmans are all about.

I've owned nearly all of the hotrod Marshall type amps and for my money, the Friedmans are hard to beat. They definitely have their own thing going, like a very refined Marshall. Some people don't like that kind of refined sound, but most do. I still love my Splawn Quickrod as well, but prefer the Friedman sound.

 

[Lampy H]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

Red, have you spent much time any Bogner amps? Those and Friedmans seem to go hand in hand.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Friedman Runts? Red Label, got yer ears on???

Red, have you spent much time any Bogner amps? Those and Friedmans seem to go hand in hand.

I've owned an EL34 Shiva and an XTC Classic. Also had long-term possession of an XTC 101B and Uberschall Twin Jet. All were amazing amps. I also owned an XTC Blue pedal and two XTC Red pedals. They really do capture the magic of that amazing amp when run into a decent sounding pedal platform. The Blue and Red pedals running into my old Fender SuperSonic Twin sounded just like my XTC Classic.

The thing with Bogner (like Friedman, Splawn, etc) is that you get "the Bogner sound". Each of those great builders puts their own flavor into the Marshall sound. Some guys don't like that. In which case, they should just get a Marshall. My current preference is for Friedman over Bogner and Splawn. But all are awesome. I've always wanted to spend some time with a 20th Anniversary XTC. Hopefully one day I will. I also wouldn't mind trying a Helios out at some point.