CAN JAKE'S AMP NAIL THESE TONES? Friedman JEL50

This is a simple comparison between a couple classic Marshall amps and the Friedman JEL50 Jake E. Lee Signature amp. For info: friedmanamplif...
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[@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.

[@xprophet9]

Thank you for your critique. I’m buying both now. At almost 70, every minute is precious!❤️

[@paulberger6540]

DUDE! LOOK BEHIND YOU!! Great comparison/demo. Love the tones and your knowledge of these amps and the subtle differences in the circuits. Your ears are better than 99.99% of the rest of us, and we appreciate you!

[@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!

[@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!

[@ledjon]

I love it when Pete does amp focused videos.

[@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.

[@Zed1984US]

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

[@xprophet9]

Holy Shite Mr. Thorn! That was spectacular. I’m convinced you get tone out of a turnip! Congrats on the Satch-Vai tour-you are my favorite of the “new guys”!

[@BillHillard]

I LOVE Mr. Thorn's videos. He always does such a great job with production and really shows what the product can do. Thank you, Mr. Thorn.

[@vicmizzy3000]

That solo was RIDICULOUS. Full of surprises. You’re such a great guitar player! Longtime fan in LA; originally from Ottawa! (I’m a bass player.)

[@lawncuttingplusdelta]

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

[@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

[@starblaster77]

They all sound great and fantastic playing as always!

[@extrememike]

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

[@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.

[@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! 😄👍😎

[@Sonicblue1922]

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

[@willdenham]

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

[@marks8437]

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

[@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!

[@robertlevasseur8896]

would love to hear you demo the Metroplex II!

[@kristopherkrahl1597]

Thanks Pete, much appreciated! 👍 🤘

[@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

[@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!

[@jppagetoo]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@kcsvantasticvoyages9729]

Love that tone you getting there Mr Thorn!

[@maryannmoran-smyth3453]

Marshall amps were hand wired up to about 1972, I have two Marshall hundred watt with the extra tall cabinets, I have a good clean sound and a good distortion sound through my paddle board these amps are beast… Anyway, keep on rocking😅

[@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!

[@BigBendBlues]

That solo was killer

[@PeteThorn]

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

[@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. 😸

[@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!

[@coreyclark6505]

Dave nailed it with the JEL.

[@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.

[@arminh8428]

its probably the same amp george was lent by warren demartini, which was also used on the ratt detonator album and the single nobody rides for free. incredible solo on this tune!

[@TavaresProject]

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

[@HeathFoley]

Merry Christmas Pete from Canada.

[@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!

[@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

[@uutooyu]

Mr Pete Thorn thank you once again brother !

[@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.

[@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.

[@roscoepcoltrane23]

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

[@BrianSGuitars]

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

[@Cantstandtherock]

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

[@evanmiller2579]

No perceptible difference over youtube. Great tones.

[@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.

[@ianorourke6320]

Merry Christmas brother as well

[@PeteThorn]

Merry Christmas to you too!

[@rcoveyduc]

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

[@empirelight5477]

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

[@PeteThorn]

I love it!

[@brianmartin8479]

Jacob Deraps could use a shout out off your platform bro. He's younger and rippin it solid through tough times in the industry. Dweezil got him on stage years ago in Quebec while on tour, yet he stayed true to the flag. I love your demos, your style not to mention how Ed influenced you supreme. He's not rock bottom in life but this kid needs more deserving recognition for his attributes. Like I said different times but the same

[@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!

[@SlimeyGuitarStrings]

The JEL sounds so good.

[@JockeLundgrenTV]

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

[@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.

[@Mr.Pink1996]

My favorite Friedman amp

[@rikshredder]

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

[@Ron-ni8uu]

Love this great licks pete.

[@PeteThorn]

Thanks man!

[@Tony-w5x]

Crazy great, the amp and you!

[@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

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

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

[@TVtubeamps]

Great solo!!!

[@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! 😂

[@harleyosterlund5796]

lol you made me laugh on that one great creativity

[@davidbabington7225]

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

[@billdeakin9399]

Awesome !!

[@Nightjar726]

The Jake sounds a bit drier. Still sounds great. The Plexi is supposed to collapse, that’s the power section distorting and why it sounds and feels great.

[@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)

[@markkinney5030]

Sweet tones 👍

[@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 . 🎸

[@KrstovicNikola]

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

[@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! 🎅🏼🔎

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@AmericanNationalist852]

@@scottmcgee9469 he uses a Fryette Powerstation, likely the PS-100

[@scottmcgee9469]

@ I’ll look into that brand, cheers

[@worldwarmini3919]

How are the amps routed into your DAC?

[@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

[@bart26188]

Ratt - Lay It Down

[@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.

[@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 😆

[@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!

[@ssommerfeld677]

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

[@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

[@male3083]

Yes, developing an understanding and feel for the Bright Volume & its big bright cap is key to dialing in that amp. As a side note, the UA Lion doesn't include the 4700pf bright cap in its SLP emulation. I've never played one, but I don't see how it can an accurate SLP without that big bright cap on the Bright volume. No way can that work correctly.

[@PeteThorn]

Well, once you have the volume up to 8, won't really matter, but ya if u like the big bright with the volume at 6, it's a thing....

[@sandercompeer9674]

Hey Pete, which speakers did you use in this demo? Sounds killer!

[@PeteThorn]

G12M blackback

[@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.

[@sjolson68]

Lay it Down, Pete. 🥳

[@davidbabington7225]

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

[@krispatel1]

How would you dial in these tones on the be100D?

[@jimshomestudio]

Inspiring! 👍😜