Dave Friedman on Digital Modelers

[Whizzinby]

It almost time for the Neural Christmas party and for Whizenby to remind them of their shortcomings in 2022

The annual airing of grievances

 

[Jarick]

He’s fairly active in the couple FB groups I‘m in with him, but I’m not sure if we have enough EVH content here for him.

Just make an EVH sub forum

 

[la szum]

Just make an EVH sub forum

Or get Pete Thorn, and Dave will follow.

 

[Elric]

I’ll take the other side on Dave Friedman. He’s built amp mods and rig building into a highly successful business. Products are good quality. I don’t think he claimed to design all of his mods and stuff. And he’s trusted by the biggest names in Guitar to do amps and rigs.

As for the podcast, it’s good information he’s putting out and it’s free. He’s documenting a lot of unique and important history with Marc on some pretty legendary names in the amp business.

For modeling obviously it’s cutting into his business so he’s not going to be a fan. Doesn’t have to be. I would guess if he came out with something it wouldn’t be digital but would be some kind of analog unit. Maybe like a Simplifier crossed with Friedman preamp designs.

+1. Pretty much same as my take.

Modelers are awesome but I didn't hear anything unreasonable... It's hardly unexpected for a guy who has built his livelihood on traditional amps to feel like they are not equivalent. A lot of his take boils down to Amp where I'm at vs "FRFR". IMHO.

He's always struck me as a pretty cool guy overall and pretty passionate about gear, etc... seems approachable and non-douchy.

Still chomping at the bit for the BE deluxe Syn module to drop; will day one that sucker. Have been withholding my Christmas list for that hoping it'll drop before it's tool late.

It'd be cool if Dave did a programmable tube power amp for modelers/rack rigs... that's something I would have trouble not GASsing for... Although I think your idea, @Jarick re an analog 'modeler' is more likely. I wouldn't have much interest in that TBH.

 

[hippietim]

Another name for analog modeler is "preamp".

 

[hemmelight]

I’d love to see Dave’s take on something like the Triaxis / X88R

 

[Baba]

 

[JiveTurkey]

You're gonna need to photoshop that Tech 21 in at some point

 

[Baba]

You're gonna need to photoshop that Tech 21 in at some point

I think I just need to stay in my lane, and this isn't it, lol.

 

[Jarick]

Another name for analog modeler is "preamp".

I'm more thinking about the power amp and cabinet modeling. Friedman already has an analog cam sim as part of their smaller amps and load box. Not sure if it's all that great or not though.

I don't think you need to go as in depth as the Simplifier, but I do think if an analog "modeler" was built, there should be some controls to recreate power amp sag (something like a compressor with threshold and attack knobs), and then replace the cab sim off axis switch with an axis control (similar to the Simplifier).

Maybe there's some kind of low end depth knob to help with "feel" (negative feedback?), but the rest of the controls should be handled by the preamp tone stack.

 

[Elric]

I’d love to see Dave’s take on something like the Triaxis / X88R

He has done a bunch of preamps for Synergy:

• DS
• BE
• HBE
• BE/BB
• 800
• Plexi

Coming soon (rumored): BE Deluxe

 

[hemmelight]

Yeah, the Synergy stuff is cool! I'd like to see him make a 'big' version that has three or four of the best ones in a single unit.
I guess the point of the Synergy is that you can do exactly that yourself.

 

[Bruce]

He has done a bunch of preamps for Synergy:

• DS
• BE
• HBE
• BE/BB
• 800
• Plexi

Coming soon (rumored): BE Deluxe

They sure do sound good, too. I’ve toyed with the idea of the single desktop housing for a few years now, myself.

 

[Bruce]

Another name for analog modeler is "preamp".

A BE100 esque single or double rack space pre is actually a really good idea. I think rack gear has fallen out of vogue. A lot less (next to nothing) on the market for us guitar players rackmount in comparison to what it was a few decades ago. I guess with units like the AxeFXIII you dont need 10x1 rackspace pieces of gear with 7 miles of cabling and your own generator to get these sounds, anymore. But it would be cool to see.

 

[GTR37]

He has done a bunch of preamps for Synergy:

• DS
• BE
• HBE
• BE/BB
• 800
• Plexi

Coming soon (rumored): BE Deluxe

Be deluxe will be sometime in Q1 2023 along w another great module according to them and new hardware mid to late 2023
My guess is they will rebrand the Egnater m4 and call it Syn4
And possibly the old 100 watt 3 mod head will return as syn100

 

[Jarick]

That old 3 mod 100 watt head was a dream rig of mine back in the Randall MTS days.

Billy Corgan runs a pair of the 4 rack units with custom modules I believe.

 

[Piing]

I want to see a Friedman modeler modeling the FAS amps.

Or even better: Friedman amps replicating the FAS amps. If I ever had to use a real amp, a version of the FAS amps would be my fist choice.

 

[DrewJD82]

I want to see a Friedman modeler modeling the FAS amps.

Or even better: Friedman amps replicating the FAS amps. If I ever had to use a real amp, a version of the FAS amps would be my fist choice.

Those models don’t get enough attention, even by me because I always go back to my old favorites, but they’re killer amps. Actually, I use the Buttery in a few presets and I have one of the high gain amps, I can’t remember what it’s called, Brutal III or something? That one is a ripper. I need to check out the modded Marshall one.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Uhh, no. He didn't design a powered speaker, and there is no evidence that he has that capability. He's rebranded powered speakers that were already being made and sold (as B-52) and charged substantially more money for them. FYI, that's not the same thing.

The linked segment of the video is just inflammatory crap from a person with skin in the game and should be considered in that light.

100% agree. He slags Mesa Boogie any chance he gets, because they're a competitor, and can manage to make a 3-channel tube amp in the same state for far less, with more features.

 

[Elric]

Be deluxe will be sometime in Q1 2023 along w another great module according to them and new hardware mid to late 2023
My guess is they will rebrand the Egnater m4 and call it Syn4
And possibly the old 100 watt 3 mod head will return as syn100

Those would definitely be good adds to the ecosystem. I figured a 100W head might be released at some point to compliment the 30 and 50.