Boutique Amps Factory Tour

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Mitch Gallagher joins Dave Friedman at the Boutique Amps factory for a tour of the facilities.
#Sweetwater #Friedman #Wampler #Morgan #Bogner
The Zoom F8N Multitrack Field Recorder was used to record the audio in this video, and can be purchased here: www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...

[@spark4039]

I got my first Friedman BE 50 Deluxe yesterday and I'm so proud to own one of Dave's incredible creations 😊

[@xguitar123]

There was a fire on Tuesday June 1st and a wear house was gutted in the fire 🔥. Prayers go out to Boutique Amps, Owners, employees and families.

[@kirabarsmith9353]

Enjoyed seeing the process, thank you. This is like Mr. Rogers for adult musicians.

[@nhudson78]

Dave is so cool. Everything they make is legit. Dave tests EVERY amp!?!!?!?!?

[@konnektlive]

Dave, please take care of yourself... as a session player I'm a proud owner of 5 of your amps which I record with almost everyday. WE LOVE YOU and WE NEED YOU for a long time to come... please stay healthy and take care of yourself the best you can. /cheers

[@cardbored_]

konnektlive this!

[@son0fsocal]

Just say it.. lose weight.

[@gr8guitarplayer]

Just goes to show you, even brilliant, driven, people, who obviously take a lot of pride in what they do, have problems. Somehow, Dave can pour himself into his business, but he cannot make the same commitment to losing the weight.

[@lieutenantdan2217]

You guys are rough

[@TyroneNorthcutt]

Dave Friedman has all my respect. His pedals took me further, his amps are making me love it at another level and he personally takes care of customer service, I know this for a fact. Much respect.

[@alenac7269]

This was interesting! Thank you Sweetwater (Mr Gallagher) and Mr Friedman for showing us whats going on there! 👍

[@D3str0yEviI]

I can absolutely confirm the length Dave goes to ensure a top notch product with top notch customer service. Anytime Ive dealt with Dave it is very easy to get a solution. The fact that he has dealt with countless A list musicians yet takes the time to still work with me directly as a local Jax Beach weekend warrior musician speaks volumes to what Dave means to the amp/guitar community. \,,/

[@MisterTee]

He is also exceptionally skilled at shuffle board

[@jsauce666]

Great facility. Nice job Dave Friedman. Pretty ingenious setup. Love what you’re doing.

[@ScumbackSpeakers]

I didn't know a Scumback DBL was used in the factory for testing of Dave's amps. Lurking in an amp head beneath the headphones at 9:23. Thanks for using my products, gentlemen!

[@jjadams1000]

I've been to this facility when I had my Wampler Velvet Fuzz repaired and it is truly mind blowing...I played one of the Friedman guitars and it was amazing.

[@shiftgears211]

The fact that Dave personally tests and signs the final QC is more than enough reason that my next amp this spring will be a Freidman.

[@jdl2180]

He sits on each and every one of them! 😂

[@cardbored_]

You won’t regret it. I love my SmallBox so much it made me places an order for a Twin Sister. Amazing amps.

[@Stefan-Van-der-Pulst]

A Freidman? Why not a Friedman?

[@philzyqotsa]

I am excited to see them work with and produce Soldano!!!!

[@leocubiasmusiclifestyle7460]

And Mr MG did it again. What a great video definitely makes me appreciate even more the details on my rig 👌

[@sasigark1417]

You guys are simply the best

[@PeterGuitarSound]

I own 2 Tone King.... one comes from this place. Great to see this in-depth tour ! Amazing amps. I will never buy something away from BAD.

[@MisterTee]

Word on the mean streets of Bend, Oregon is that these products are of reasonably high quality.

[@W4TSKY]

Ordered my first Friedman Amp (Twin Sister) yesterday from Sweetwater and it should be here tomorrow! Can’t wait!!

[@irvan36mm]

Good to know my BE-OD & Dirty Shirley pedals were made in USA. 13:28 The guitar manager mentioned “Grover”........ as in Grover Jackson?

[@b27001]

Gosh ! The owner Dave is such a nice guy, would love to hang out with him at this facility 😋

[@Wade6242]

Dave's cool, always responds to my e mails. Love my Pink Taco!

[@clintn6677]

I cant wait for the new amps.

[@patrickcarroll1754]

Fascinating.

[@paulr.4968]

Groovy ❗️

[@Bobby_Digital37]

Awesome!!!!!! Need one of everything Friedman!!!!

[@_RLP]

Really nice. And Dave is a cool dude.

[@satinwhip]

The soon to be home of the Soldano SLO 100. So glad I bought my Soldano (made in Van Nuys 1992) before they went assembly line.

[@rubentrevino6288]

Great job guys

[@6120orange]

Magnanimous of Dave to keep referencing the other brands. He’s ever present at the BAD stand @NAMM and I always say something stupid to him, like a fan boy, which he copes with very well. How he manages those 4 days is testament to his stamina. Good to see him having the ability to have such a large range of products due to BAD and the worldwide recognition that results.

[@cardbored_]

6120orange underrated comment

[@jppagetoo]

Day after NAMM.... Dave looks like he is completely zoned.

[@andrewbettis4247]

Wow I'm in Downey... who would have though that all these amazing amps and guitars are being built or at least assembled in Huntington Park right around the corner from me!?... if only I could afford one...lol

[@charliebe28]

NOTING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT HIGH-QUALITY BRANDS THAT ARE MADE BY THIS ONE FACTORY, reminds me of the company "World Musical Instrument Co. Ltd,". of Incheon, South Korea. It is the fabled manufacturing company that (reputably) _actually makes_ the "Made in South Korea" instruments that are sold by the companies: Gretsch, Schecter, PRS SE, LTD, B.C. Rich, Chapman, Line 6, Dean, et al.

[@richfiryn]

OK lets go shopping, i'll take one of these, and we need one of those and oh look better grab that while we're at it. And look over there might as well grab that, and a couple of those.........

[@redstrat1234]

Interesting tour and interview. Also interesting that as we go through the tour, the Sweetwater guy is regularly giving credit to the skills of the actual workers but Friedman doesn't, he only agrees when the Sweetwater guy reminds him of it, rather than Friedman bigging up the skill of his workers as a courtesy/moral booster without having to be regularly prompted by the interviewer. Great products but I Don't think I'd like to work for this guy

[@cardbored_]

You sound like an employee who’d complain a lot so I’m sure he’s fine not being your boss.

[@redstrat1234]

@Spiral Architect You know what I think it is - I worked in a company making components for civil aircraft - we had visitors from time to time who were interested to see our work and processes and would hopefully place orders with us. As they were shown round, the small group were intorduced to workers in different departments. Our supervisors introduced us to the visitors and we explained what we did and how we did it. In doing this, our managers,supervisors etc made us feel very valued and connected to the company, so we took great pride in the things we made. If the company needed short notice extra work to be done, pitching in with stock counts, even helping assemble extra storage racking for the warehouse, we were happy to do because we felt valued as more than just a pair of arms assembling something. Friedman seems like a cunt

[@elmuan]

Assembly line boutique amps? For some reason I thought "Boutique" meant one guy in a room doing everything by hand. It makes sense and I'm an uninformed person.

[@ronj9448]

I feel the same way. This is an assemby line that is making Friedman amps on Monday then Tone King on Tuesday. So I go into my local music store (Chicago Music Exchange) and I'm really seeing the same thing except with different cosmetics. I actually did buy a "boutique" amp for less than a Friedman (Sweet). I bought it from the guy who was making them in his little shop. Sounds great built like a tank and have a story to go with it.

[@wrongfuture]

@@ronj9448 They're not the "same thing except with different cosmetics". They're designed and function completely differently, and they're just being put together by the same hands.

[@cardbored_]

Do you guys realize how many amps Friedman sells a year? You think Dave himself could build that many amps?

[@lkssatch]

9:46 that awkward moment when you realise the guy who test your "boutique amp" uses a Chibson :P

[@edwardmonsariste4050]

lucas San Miguel. I saw that!!! It looked like it wasn’t a real Gibson. Like the shape was off. But then I realized.... It’s the same thing with those old Yamaha white cone monitors for mixing. If your amp can sound great with a lesser quality Les Paul, it will definitely sound awesome with a true Gibson Les Paul.

[@lkssatch]

@@edwardmonsariste4050 they could use an Epiphone then. I do not think it is good for an american company to show they use another american company fakes.

[@hikinguphigh]

Looked like a Gibson to me

[@lkssatch]

@@hikinguphigh shape is wrong, bridge post are wrong, the quality of the inlays an fretboard is wrong, no fret nibs. Be carefull if you are buying a Gibbo, you could be scammed.

[@lkssatch]

@@danielcannon4727 man, that thing is a fake. Look at the shape of the body, the truss rod cover, it is so evident. And i insist i do not have problems with chibsons but i think they should not show it in this kind of video.

[@DelReiRock]

Looks like Cris (09:46) have a great job...

[@american_psycho1147]

this video is the last thing you should ever watch if you were considering buying one of these amps. this is a classic "what not to do" kind of video

[@prasanthselvadurai3450]

came here after hearing about the fire in the factory.

[@TheHirade]

👍

[@reverb508]

Dave Friedman is the Leo Fender of the 2000's. Change my mind.

[@alanwoodwind5265]

Leo innovated. Dave copied and refined.

[@scottfleming6166]

I never knew all those products were made in the same factory, economies of scale I guess

[@DelReiRock]

Man, what’s that tolex finish in 04:27???

[@hikinguphigh]

They are Morgan amps.

[@fuzzboxx3700]

i.c.e.

[@DelReiRock]

Why do they paint the wood before tolexing...?

[@whatisthis__95]

They only paint the inside. Which is not covered by the tolex

[@DelReiRock]

@@whatisthis__95 Yeah, that's what he said but at 02:42 I can see they painted outside too. Not a big problem, I was just curious.

[@whatisthis__95]

@@DelReiRock Yeah that part is weird. I don't know what those two "boxes" are. I don't think they are the actual cabinets, as they have the corners rubbed off, maybe they are some kind of support for the actual cabinets

[@absinha6209]

Friedman needs to listen to 65amps talk about how cabinets are assembled.

[@Grasley09]

65amps were made in that exact facility and the exact same people until just very recently

[@edwardmonsariste4050]

I didn’t know they moved. I like how smaller amp companies can work together so they will be able to stay in business and share cost. Like that massive expensive 4X8 CNC machine.

[@ronj9448]

@@edwardmonsariste4050 It doesn't look like small companies working together - it looks like one massive company that churns out a product that they then label a brand "boutique" at the end for a premium price.

[@edwardmonsariste4050]

Ron R. You may be right. I thought at the start of this factory, that it was a few small boutique amp companies pooling their resources together to help keep cost down to be able to survive. Kind of like a Farmer’s CO-OP. But it well may be just one company now, doing jobs for certain amp brands. I think Mojotone does this for quite a few small build amp brands.

[@ronj9448]

@@edwardmonsariste4050 It seems like "Boutique Amps Inc" is the company and they could create a full line of "product" for you starting next week. You supply the marketing!

[@limerot]

Where are the guitars made?

[@elvis_chen]

Grover Jackson's workshop

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

Elvis - same guy who builds Abasi Guitars

[@sweetwater]

Tour of that facility coming shortly!

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

limerot - the tour is in the cards of this video

[@davidvesseur2161]

That moment when you realise all these 'boutique' companies are all making their stuff out of the same factory...

[@GuitarFinds]

My thoughts exactly! Haha I never knew.

[@cardbored_]

It's not like they're different amps suddenly. If you thought the amps sounded great before, do you not think they sound great now because they're made in a factory in California?

[@jvnktube]

No ESD protocols with boutique amps? I wouldn't trust my money with a lack of insurance like that...

[@edwardmonsariste4050]

jvnktube. What is ESD Protocols?

[@cardbored_]

Huh?

[@Stefan-Van-der-Pulst]

@@edwardmonsariste4050 Electrostatic Discharge control

[@Tomorton]

Comment n1 nice amps

[@RowdyGrunt]

Dave looks like he was going to take a bite out of our good friend from Sweetwater :-)

[@slickfrictionless]

I had a Friedman amp until I opened it and looked inside. Cheap circuit board assembly and horrible Chinese tubes! It was junk so I returned it. The amp had no depth to the tone but assembly like that is the reason! With mass production you’ll always get lower quality!

[@mikejamieson419]

If he tried Friedman could be a Gilmour clone

[@CNCTEMATIC]

Tone King amps are badass, I have an Imperial II and it is amazing. BUT, the after sales service is atrocious. They just don't I think whoever bought the brand from Mark Bartell is purely in it for the numbers. They keep building his designs, but there's no passion for the players

[@russellorourke2242]

Terrible soldering practice at 6:45

[@russellorourke2242]

Bob Newhart Firstly, he carries the solder to the workpiece. This should not be done. The pieces to be joined should be heated simultaneously and then solder applied. Secondly, he shakes the board to remove excess solder. This is terribly bad practice which can cause dry joints and even shorts.

[@bldlightpainting]

Wow, that poor man is really morbidly obese - very very unhealthy. I pray he cares about himself better, learns to eat the correct foods in the right amount, which is 90% of the battle, and will bring him into a proper weight very quickly, as I am living proof of.

[@59LesPaul]

American hand built amp being tested with a Chinese "Chibson" Les Paul knockoff 9:46... lol awkward

[@GuitarFinds]

Yes! I noticed that too haha.

[@59LesPaul]

@Bob Newhart Peg head, truss rod cover, nut, fingerboard, frets (nibs), pickup covers and rings, bridge posts but MOSTLY! That goofy body shape! The thing screams Chibson! Just thought it was a bit awkward showing American Built amps being tested with a Chinese knockoff Les Paul.. lol

[@stuartjohnston4044]

: )

[@randyheath8566]

Probably way better than Gibson

[@modelcitizen1977]

Most generic company name award goes to...

[@firemarshal2629]

Leo (fender), Jim (Marshall), Dave (Friedman), sounds good to me. How about we judge companies by their products and not the name on the box eh?

[@betty4774]

@@firemarshal2629 i think he is talking about Boutique Amp Distribution lol

[@MisterTee]

They were going to name the facility Frthirlojcjnrndkosikmejrn Ndndjjdiosjdiurnfnfnioodl Amp Distribution bit it’s hard to fit on swag.

[@jdl2180]

@@MisterTee sounds German?

[@davidrg1550]

This isn’t boutique! It’s a mass production facility for several brands and the companies they “distribute” would have you believe their products are built in facilities with dedicated staff. It’s the same as that old supermarket quote “it’s all the same stuff with different labels” and that’s exactly the case here. Freidman don’t build their amps, Boutique Amp Distribution do! If you want Boutique look to Mesa who build it all IN-HOUSE and that’s where the big bucks go. I’d be interested to check their amplifiers and see if anywhere it’s noted “built by Boutique Amp Distribution” No difference here between these and a PRS SE “Built by World Musical Instruments” apart from the price point. VERY eye opening.

[@thomasstankiewicz9730]

You see people soldering components in the Video right? That’s why they are so expensive

[@unhinged17]

Hand soldered and constructed, worth a bit more than Chinese produced but otherwise “boutique” in name only. I used to build one of these lines before they were sold to BAD, much care and craftsmanship went into them back then.

[@robclute]

This is the most awkward interview ever produced. Mitch should let Dave tell him where they are in the tour.

[@fvg6421]

Love the sweet water interviews! However this vid is one one of “the lamest” one in their catalog. They picked the wrong person to represent this company - answers were not proficient nor interesting. Essentially repeated every question from the interviewer.

[@GaryKissinger]

They make Egnater amps------crappy ass service and support. Do not buy an amp from Boutique Amps if you ever think you might need service and support. I have an Egnater and needed some repair......no one was able to respond to me. Unbelievable........ I called them. I emailed them........I spoke to a rude condescending guy named Bladamir, who is in the Tech Dept. I thought it was a joke in how he handled my questions.

[@cardbored_]

Gary Kissinger well Dave Friedman himself answers emails, so... I’ve spoken to him a couple times regarding mods I’m looking to get on my SmallBox.

[@Stefan-Van-der-Pulst]

​@@cardbored_ Exactly! I got my mail to him answered in a couple of hours. I know from several people that he always answers.

[@herxu06]

A push to sell real amps since everyone is going digital. Lol. Kemper/ helix.

[@cardbored_]

Xu Her i went Kemper and am switching back to “real” amps. Deciding on if I should sell the Kemper or keep it around for recording.

[@dtaylor6000]

This guy knows nothing about his factory.

[@camerond8176]

Sadly, another "Boutique" amplifier built by semi to low skilled labor while the man who collects the licensing/branding fee's never gets his hands dirty and make off like a mad man with all the money while the workers make peanuts. You can see the workers there know their place, and they know their easily replaceable. The fact he doesn't know how long it takes to tolex or even build an amp is telling. As a true "hands on business owner" he should know how to and how long each process takes. He should be one of the most skilled hands in the factory floor able to step into ANY job at ANY time and run at over 100% efficiency. This is a overpaid pencil pusher, who looks at graphs, profitability, and their own paycheque before their workers or ensuring every amp is right. He is licensing his name, and taking his cut................easy peasy, 1hr max a week job for a large take home cheque. The only benefit Friedman and the "Boutique" factory have in their favor is on the fly customization..................but is it worth 1000x the price for it? Maybe if you have thousands to blow on nothing else I guess, sadly many people including those very workers do not.

[@whatisthis__95]

If it is such an "easy peasy" job then why don't you mount your own factory and earn a couple millions a year?

[@ssmoore69]

He does a lot more than that. He designs the circuits, selects the components, sets the specs and designs and builds the prototypes . Then he handles marketing, goes to shows and he tests every amp that leaves the factory plus other stuff im sure. . One man cant do all that plus actually build the amps and why in the hell should he care how long it takes for them to tolex a cabinet? Its not his factory and he probably has a fix price bid per unit based on how many he buys. The amount of time it takes would be a concern of the factory not dave.

[@cardbored_]

That’s called creating a company. Unlike you bottom dwellers who just bitch about everything some people are creating successful businesses BY working hard for years, like Dave. Dave built amps and pedalboard for high profile artists for decades before finally building a reputation good enough to create a brand like Friedman. You think people just start with a name and have instant reputation and marketing value? FFS maybe learn how to create value in a market instead of bitching about other successful entrepreneurs and you might be able to have employees yourself one day.

[@labamba23]

Marketing is everything right? An extremely messy shop with apparently no quality standards to be followed..."do they follow anything or they just know what they are doing with all the experience they have?" and the guy replies " oh man, this guys know what they are doing". Then you just call it a custom shop for boutique amplifiers and price it 3x more. Thumbs down! 👎

[@AnonContributor]

2 years later, summer of 2021, this whole place burnt to the ground... geez. What a loss that one was...