CAN JAKE'S AMP NAIL THESE TONES? Friedman JEL50

[@The2ndProtectsTheRest]

The tonal differences in those three amps are barely noticeable at best and I guarantee 99% of people in the crowd wouldn't know the difference anyway. That said, Dave is the man for doing what he does with these amps, and Pete I want to thank YOU for doing what you for us as players, consumers and connoisseurs of amazing tone! Have a Very Merry Christmas my brother!

[@damonsdeliberatedetour492]

I was shocked at how close they all ran! An amazing demo as usual!!!

[@clausherther]

I appreciate you featuring a red nose reindeer colored amp on Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas Pete!

[@victorvaldenegro4001]

I picked the IR-J about one month ago. I can’t stop raving about how great it sounds through my Freyette PS2! Killer tones!

[@kcsvantasticvoyages9729]

I heard someone play one of those and I was literally blown away by them.

[@jrflattop]

Merry Christmas, and thank you for all of your great content. You work tirelessly as an artist and still have time for videos and viewers. Even when you’re half way around the world you take time to check in and update us with what’s happening. All the best to you in the new year. Your positive vibes produce a lot of motivation and you’re making me a better player and person. Cheers!

[@Zed1984US]

Dave is the man. Thanks Pete. Merry Christmas everyone...

[@lawncuttingplusdelta]

Nice 👍🏻 little demo !! Love seeing and hearing you play that thang !!

[@robertlevasseur8896]

would love to hear you demo the Metroplex II!

[@starblaster77]

They all sound great and fantastic playing as always!

[@tedmen1123]

You are absolutely right about how people run these amps. These circuits need the power amps pushed and as they are pushed you can lower the pre amp gain. All that saturation and aggression is opened up after passing 3-4 on the master volume. I returned my JEL 50 despite it being a fantastic amp, just not what I needed or wanted in my main amp. I didn’t want to rely on volume to get my sound nor did want to have to constantly attenuate it. I got a be-100 deluxe and it’s way more my “vibe.” I wish I had enough money to keep both of them, but yeah haha 🤣 one of them had to go. 😂❤

[@joelspaulding5964]

Merry Christmas, The JEL cops the tones and gives a bit more flexibility. Love Dave's work

[@wimcoppens73]

Hi Pete, your demo answered exactly all my questions about this amp... just ordered one, big thanks for this great video !!

[@Georgechristan]

Great video Pete! And that solo was incredibly cool! More of that style man! Makes my day! 😄👍😎

[@NikolajChristensen]

Hey Pete - we need a minute to collect ourselves after that last solo part. Jesus Christ that was awesome.

[@ReddNashe]

I know I am always so impressed by these guys that play so effortlessly and so beautifully

[@PeteThorn]

Thanks!

[@Mister_Greg]

With all the hype over the Mark IIC+ flooding my youtube feed, this is a breath of fresh air. Well done as usual, Pete.

[@OgamiItto70]

*_Nice_* intro tune! So catchy and fun-sounding. Nice solo in it, too. My favorite heavy rhythm sound is George Lynch's tone on rhythm guitars from Dokken's _Under Lock and Key_ album, made, I believe, with one or more early Seventies Super Leads into cabs with 20-watt "M" Greenbacks and 35-watt "H" Greenbacks. I can hear that the JEL gets _really close_ to that type of tight, distorted-but-not-too-distorted sound and could probably nail it. I'm saving my pennies.

[@kcsvantasticvoyages9729]

Love that tone you getting there Mr Thorn!

[@marks8437]

Thanks Jake, thanks Dave, thanks Pete. You all know how to deliver delicious sounds.

[@jppagetoo]

Dave does nice work. I could play any of those amps and be happy with my sound.

[@johnpierson8398]

Super cool video Pete. I have a JEL 100 and will try some similar tests like the ones you show here. The Friedman JEL amps are special. Really love you and your channel. Happy Holidays to you.

[@willdenham]

Love your tone, playing, amp selection, that you're fond of Marshalls, the whole package.

[@johnnyresistance]

killer review and playing and a killer amp, really close to the originals, amazing. i was worried you were going to bump the guitar behind you off the stand, glad it didn't happen. great stuff as always!

[@revrocks]

Hey Pete, I have a 1978 Fawn 2203 as a matching half-stack. The cabinet has 30w Celestion black backs and the pairing sounds pretty great, very balanced. I’ve always run the preamp back around 2 or 3 o’clock, and pushed the front end with either an old blue MXR 10-band EQ, or Tubescreamer. Still love to take it out when I can get away with it for an outdoor show.

[@extrememike]

Great comp. Thanks Pete. That JEL50 is on my wish list

[@chrishepburn1503]

I ordered a Twin Sister, and I can't wait to get it and turn it up and play. Friedman's rock for Marshall sounds.

[@Eelbackwards]

The Marshall sounds just a tad darker, but I am impressed with the J.E.L. and it's ability to dial in very similar tones. It seems like it has just a bit brighter headroom as it breaks up. Thanks Pete and have a rocking New Year!

[@Sonicblue1922]

And now watch me as I sell 75 JEL 50s! Great video as always, Pete. Happy Holidays.

[@kentjackson3830]

Pete, Not sure how much applies to the JEL 20. I'm guilty of running the Master of the Plexi channel down around 8:30 or 9:00 and the gain dimmed or close to it. Honestly no real complaints. I always run some type of boost in front. Decided to give what you were saying a try. Now I'm not sure how much my ears were influenced by what you described but I heard it with the JEL 20 as well. Just a home player so I've managed to not require buying a Power Station. Now I have two reconsider. Love to see a JEL 20 vs 50 video. Maybe I could short hand the question to Dave on the next ask Dave version of Tone Talk. Thanks for the great video, Merry Christmas

[@HeathFoley]

Merry Christmas Pete from Canada.

[@Echoplexi.]

Watched this video last night, then dimed my JEL 50 through a power station with a Strymon DIG into some EV12Ls. Can confirm it’s a killer tone! Nice job, Pete!

[@reddsrecords7167]

Yeah yeah yeah great tones.... but come on, who was betting he was going to knock over the tele behind him. I actually said WHOA out loud that second time he pushed the chair back. LOL I'm glad I lost my own bet & she's safe. Happy holidays Pete! Thanks for all the great videos this year & in the 2025!!

[@PeteThorn]

Haha so many people made this comment! It's on a super solid Hercules stand... no worries

[@ziggyscatworld]

Outstanding demo. Love how you took time to passionately compare Friedman JEL50 to your lovely Marshall amps. Indeed, very close in comparison. JEL50 is one wicked cool amp. Happy holidays everyone. 😸

[@e.r.559am7]

Sounded like you had some kind of Wah active on the 2203 right at 10:43. All the amps sounded great.Thanks.

[@Stefan-mz2sc]

I got a Pink Taco V2, such a great little angry amp 😂. The JEL will be next on my bucket list . Friedman Amps are killer

[@barrymurphy5548]

Merry Christmas Pete ! Wow this is superb, so well done. Incredibly close match to both Marshalls, also great to see you dial in the sounds and what you're listening for, absolutely amazing just like your playing !!

[@PeteThorn]

Many thanks!

[@TavaresProject]

Great video Pete. Awesome comparison. They are so close that it's impossible to tell. Love that JEL... Merry Christmas!!

[@ianorourke6320]

Merry Christmas brother as well

[@PeteThorn]

Merry Christmas to you too!

[@ianorourke6320]

I've expressed my love for my 77 2204 in fawn. Mine is redone to run EL34 again and I drive it with the hot mod evo. I love these sounds and I concur. Great relative tones

[@brettreeves8410]

Intro sounds deadly! Perfection!

[@JimG27]

Great comparison Pete. They both sound very similar. Loving that new signature guitar of yours. Wanting to get one bad! I’m normally a Les Paul or a Jackson player as well.

[@uutooyu]

Mr Pete Thorn thank you once again brother !

[@roscoepcoltrane23]

Amp sounds great really great but the opening song was awesome. Very nice.

[@stilllifewithguitar184]

It's really a do it all of those Marshalls. Great sounds with great features. I have the JEL20 but mostly use my 50w plexi with the band, there's just something bigger sounding about it, and it doesn't compress so early. I may have to spring for the JEl50 though, it just does so much. Still would need some kind of attenuator dealio though for the plexi side. LIke the 20w, it needs to be dimed to sound closer to a real plexi.

[@rcoveyduc]

You really tapped into something here Pete ;). Happy holidays man.

[@Cantstandtherock]

Thanks Pete! Merry Christmas to you and a happy 2025!

[@6StringBuckeye917]

The JEL tone is very close to the Marshall. I just got the Friedman IR-J pedal and am recording some excellent Marshall plexi and hot rodded Marshall tones with it. Im definitely wanting the amp now!

[@rikshredder]

JEL plexi channel really, really close to the 72 Marshall!

[@BrianSGuitars]

Excellent Demo! I have JEL-20, and for me it's perfect!

[@SlimeyGuitarStrings]

The JEL sounds so good.

[@jonmoreno9703]

Whatever you do, Pet...don't get rid of that desk lamp, it's way cool vibe needs to be in all your videos.

[@RikJSmith]

Hi Pete . Great Video . Thanks for sharing this . Have you ever used a 12AY7 or 12AT7 for your Phase Inverter ? I've been using a 12AT7 in the P . I . spot in my Randall RM 20 Tube Amp for a few years . And it definitely sounds less compressed and the Gain sounds " cleaner " to me . And I use all JJ Tubes . I hope you're doing well and staying safe . 🎸

[@TVtubeamps]

Great solo!!!

[@Ron-ni8uu]

Love this great licks pete.

[@PeteThorn]

Thanks man!

[@empirelight5477]

Dude..., that guitar... is freakin' sick! 😮

[@PeteThorn]

I love it!

[@Stef140]

The JEL sounds close but the palm mutes on the Marshall JMP feel just crisper and more ''present''.

[@PeteThorn]

Try a Shuguang 12ax7 in the JEL instead of the stock JJ. Literally the difference could be that. JJ, always a hair dark to me.

[@nicholastotoro7721]

My drummer has a master volume JMP in that same fawn color that is the best sounding Marshall I have ever played. Had it serviced a few years ago definitively correctly and the thing rips! 😂

[@Tony-w5x]

Crazy great, the amp and you!

[@markkinney5030]

Sweet tones 👍

[@Polentaccio]

Ive been saying it for years..my secret sauce is a 2204 or 03 with the master on 7, preamp on 4 . That is all you need. As good as a plexi and less compressed. Demartinni's n#1 is a cascaded 2203/04 preamp so you know it delivers...

[@JockeLundgrenTV]

JEL sounds a little bit more open. Great job, thank you! ❤

[@herecomesaregular8418]

Love the Friedman stuff, but is there anything cooler than a late 70's JMP?

[@herecomesaregular8418]

Also, I thought they sounded damn near identical. And amazing playing as usual.

[@myuncle2]

I love both. I would say that the Marshall AFD 100 is even a bit better than any Marshall plexi (I know, the Slash logo is annoying😁), it should become their flagship amp. And the Friedman amps are a great flavour of the Marshall sound, with less hum or hiss.

[@boddumblues]

I DON'T NEED MORE GEAR!! but, that JEL 50 is a dream amp for me, And 2 halfstacks in stereo would be perfect. I wouldn't get a chance to play them live, so no go..... and my rehearsal space is maxed out.

[@craiglizt8074]

Damn. In equal parts I need this video and I don’t need it. It’ll just fuel the fire to get a JEL50.

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

I love Marshall sounds. However they get got. I’m Old Skool. Sounds great man. 🔥🤘🎸

[@KrstovicNikola]

Would be awesome if u could do couple of DI captures for Quad/Nano cortex 🤘

[@davidbabington7225]

Btw, merry Christmas all, from down under in NZ!!

[@billdeakin9399]

Awesome !!

[@willdenham]

Dave's amps are a little tighter and that could be the reason the Marshall gain sounds the way it does in comparison. Dave makes a refined, focused Marshall.

[@tbonesullivan]

I was already convinced I needed one, and now I KNOW I need one. It's got ALL of the Marshall sounds I really want. The bright switches are great, and it's awesome to have one on both channels. Which position on those is "stock" for a Marshall style circuit?

[@PeteThorn]

It would be the big aggressive cap on channel one for late 60s through early 70s tones, And for 2203, the first bright setting (slightly less aggressive one)

[@LeStraTele]

So many great sounding amps out there. But I think a small box Marshall just looks coolest.

[@PeteThorn]

I love the look of them for sure

[@maxcr0wn]

Thanks for your excellent video and playing. I always ask myself whether 99% of the musicians may not discover the real amp versus the profiling version of it made even by cheap tools like Tonex or Kemper or similar!!!

[@metallover8]

What song was that at 12:22

[@digitalchris6681]

So now you need to compare the IR-J to the IR-X

[@Hoxle-87]

Is he using an attenuator?

[@PeteThorn]

Fryette Power Station on the way to my cab. Transparent as possible

[@Bill-iy4fc]

Thanks Pete, merry Christmas! Do you think the JEL20 would do the same? Always thanks for all the hard work!!

[@PeteThorn]

20 is a little different but similar

[@JockeLundgrenTV]

Looking forward! 🎅🏼🔎

[@ssommerfeld677]

Merry Christmas Pete! Great review! I've always known that I "need" a Friedman JEL amp...what are HELOC rates at???

[@markcornell6544]

I've listened to this clip multiple times with good speakers. They are damn close. I'm super curious what the Friedman sounds like with a different v1 tube. The sounds in this vid sound darker compared to the Marshall. It is missing the zing that we crave from that sound. Also, I'm staring at my 78 2203 and it's saying, "I can do that."

[@PeteThorn]

That's the JJ in the Friedman I do believe. Vs. the shuguang in my Marshall- they always have more hair!

[@markcornell6544]

@PeteThorn I'm hearing more upper mid sizzle. Pop that Chinese in the Friedman and see what it does. We all want to know, lol. Keep rocking Pete!

[@scottmcgee9469]

Great tip on cranking the Marshall 800, I’ve got the 50w in a sound proof box but still sounds shit. Does the sm57 in the box wig out the sound waves from your experience?

[@PeteThorn]

Yes, I don't really like closed iso boxes

[@scottmcgee9469]

@ confirmed, I’m on a farm and can crank amps in the laundry but it’s loud, what’s the best attenuator in your experience then? Cheers

[@joeloschiavo1237]

My God What A SOLO @ 40 seconds in Must learn

[@joeloschiavo1237]

Genius Improve This must be what happens when you are a Genius And don't think about what your playing ...Just Do It

[@joeloschiavo1237]

Improv 😆

[@davidbabington7225]

Heya Pete… do you bridge channels on the plexi at all??

[@3dsman]

That doesn't look like your signature guitar...?? What's the paint job on that? Gorgeous guitar... with a d-tuna(?) gizmo? What is that guitar man! Great playing as always!! Merry Christmas!!!!

[@PeteThorn]

Merry Christmas! It's my new custom HSS model

[@3dsman]

@ It’s beautiful! The paint is a great touch! I have several Hamer SS’s so I’m a sucker for that style!

[@anthonyjwilkerson]

Is that the Fawn Marshall Jake and Dave were talking about on Tone Talk?

[@PeteThorn]

I dunno! It's Dave's

[@krispatel1]

How would you dial in these tones on the be100D?

[@marksloan9058]

Great video Pete. How are you getting the amp sounds into the DAW? cabinet mic’ed up? Ox box? IR? I would love to know the signal chain. Thanks.

[@PeteThorn]

Mic'd cab! 2 mics, 57 and Soyuz 1973 and a BAE dual 1073 pre to UA interface into logic

[@marksloan9058]

@@PeteThornthanks a bunch for the info! It sounds fantastic.

[@JLE999]

QC captures pretty please? 😂

[@jawsxx8683]

Using any pedals or post processing?

[@PeteThorn]

None. No EQ no nothing.

[@harleyosterlund5796]

lol you made me laugh on that one great creativity

[@MrMan_47]

Hey Pete, with the Master cranked, is your cab about 100 yards away in a sound proof room? 😅

[@PeteThorn]

It is through two walls and in a room that I can basically crank in, yes

[@MrMan_47]

@PeteThorn I want to try that so bad with my 100w Marshall Combo but I'm scared! Lol

[@sjolson68]

Lay it Down, Pete. 🥳

[@reverendg5937]

Each of these amps would sound killer on there own. If anyone brought one these to their gig or practice who wouldn't think it wasn't all of sudden the best sounding amp? Exactly, Nobody.

[@danolivier4899]

Friedman always sounds to me like a plexi already perfectly mixed and an original is wilder with more teeth. Both are different sides of the sound in your head.

[@PeteThorn]

But do you hear that here? Cause I mean...? The JEL has a JJ in V1 and my JMP is a shuguang 12ax7 there so I hear THAT - like the JJ is ever so slightly darker, shuguang a bit more aggressive/bright. But other than that are you really hearing the thing you state in this video?

[@danolivier4899]

@@PeteThorn Here I hear virtually no difference

[@markcornell6544]

The Marshall does sound more "raw." The Friedman has that polished sound.

[@Polentaccio]

​@markcornell6544 100%. Marshall has the teeth, Friedman usually have the hollow/ soft mids. The JEL has more rawness than other friedmans but still, you hear that Friedman thing.

[@nonamejustbecause-b9k]

They are actually awfully close but to my ears the Marshall has something that the JEL lacks...just slightly more musical to my ears.(Maybe the JEL is crisper....that tends to make amps sound sterile when comparisons are made)

[@DV8-q6n]

The two sound exactly the same to me.

[@jimshomestudio]

Inspiring! 👍😜

[@karlsalocks]

I have a smallbox 50. How close is this? Sounds very close. Maybe a bit more bite with this.

[@PeteThorn]

Same channel one different overdrive channel

[@Cr8z4life]

There's something ever so slightly different in the mid- highs..... but so minuscule it doesn't matter especially live.

[@ProfVonW]

Is there a better Marshall amp out there than the JEL series? I don’t think so

[@Firebrandrock]

JEL is made by Friedman 😊

[@ProfVonW]

@ that’s my point.

[@derekchapman5167]

"Sustain for days"....

[@ToneMasterGeneral]

So why so many players sell their Friedmans??????,

[@PeteThorn]

Practice cures most tone issues - John Suhr