What is a Jose style amp?
- Thread starter Orvillain
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I think a guy in the 80's named jose had a popular marshall mod
hemmelight
Roadie
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Jose Arredondo, one of the 'big names' in LA during the eighties that modded amps for people. Added more gain to old Plexis, etc etc.
Popular legend says he modded EVH's amps back in the day, but some believe that Eddie simply mentioned his friend Jose in interviews to give the guy some more business, and that he never actually touched Ed's amps at all.
This is a really great video on a super famous example of his work, an amp that was modified for Steve Vai during the Dave Lee Roth days. It's worth a watch for Pete's playing and the interviews with Dave Friedman and Steve himself:
Popular legend says he modded EVH's amps back in the day, but some believe that Eddie simply mentioned his friend Jose in interviews to give the guy some more business, and that he never actually touched Ed's amps at all.
This is a really great video on a super famous example of his work, an amp that was modified for Steve Vai during the Dave Lee Roth days. It's worth a watch for Pete's playing and the interviews with Dave Friedman and Steve himself:
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It wasn't just one thing, per se. Generally speaking, though,
it seemed to usually involve adding another gain stage to a
Marshall circuit (some diode driven, some tube). Or adding
a Master Volume to a Non-Master Volume Marshall.
By all accounts he touched a lot of other amps not named "Marshall,"
but modding Marshalls is, arguably, what he became famous for.
it seemed to usually involve adding another gain stage to a
Marshall circuit (some diode driven, some tube). Or adding
a Master Volume to a Non-Master Volume Marshall.
By all accounts he touched a lot of other amps not named "Marshall,"
but modding Marshalls is, arguably, what he became famous for.
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That vid is great!
Bruce
Shredder
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Some guy in the 80s pissed on a Marshall and made it sound decent. In short……just buy a Friedman if that’s what you’re after. You’ll save yourself a lot of trial and error because Dave’s amps are great from the start. Unless you personally like tinkering with amps. Then go for it.
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A BE-100 DLX is on my amp bucket list for sure.
Bruce
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That’s right where you want to be. Doesn’t have to be the latest and greatest. A used regular BE100 sounds amazing too. I have a 2016 ish one here and it’s a GREAT amp. He really gets the modded Marshall sound right. Maybe better than right.
MirrorProfiles
Rock Star
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I love my BE100, definitely one of my favourites. But it doesn't beat the rawness of a Marshall, its just its own great sound. You get so much more with the Friedman, the Marshalls are basically one trick ponies, but thats the beauty of them. The Friedman, gives different channels and lots of mods, as well as a great FX loop and master volume. Also the way Friedman implements the clipping diodes is a little different to the Jose way. I think Jason Tong explains the difference here:
That said, Dave Friedmans take on a Jose amp is brilliant, its voiced in his way and I love it for what it is. He's had his hands inside many of them and knows it probably better than most out there. Definitely heard a few Jose mods that I didnt think sounded great, but the good sounding ones are pretty unbeatable. Wouldn't mind another amp modded to that Mick Mars spec.
That said, Dave Friedmans take on a Jose amp is brilliant, its voiced in his way and I love it for what it is. He's had his hands inside many of them and knows it probably better than most out there. Definitely heard a few Jose mods that I didnt think sounded great, but the good sounding ones are pretty unbeatable. Wouldn't mind another amp modded to that Mick Mars spec.
hemmelight
Roadie
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God, that Mick Mars amp was wicked. Another Pete Thorn video giving me GAS 
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Yup. Been saying this for a long time now in the face of much derision and contempt.
Friedman took the "Marshall" right out of his line of amps. Works for some. Not for others.
To prop it up as a be-all, end-all is missing the mark.
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RaceU4her
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Bruce
Shredder
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It all comes down to monitoring. The Friedmans happen to have a fantastic MV. But every amp live can basically sound fantastic one night and awful the next by moving a mic 1/4” and standing a foot in the other direction.
Life Eats Life
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The sound of Mick Marrs.
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It's like a Joe amp but spicier... and a side of guac
KingsXJJ
Roadie
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I’d love to see a BE-100 DLX Jr. Full blown copy. My JJ Jr’s are killer. Hoping my man Dave, chooses to release a SS V2 Jr.. I have a PT V2 head on the way once they catch up in prod.
Man I wish I had listened to my Sweetwater rep years ago. Friedman is the Marshall I wanted from the beginning.
Bruce
Shredder
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Said it before and stand by it: the best Marshalls say Friedman on them.
