Whiskey and Wires: Dave Friedman dishes about Van Halen II, Alice in Chains, Guitar Tones and more.

Shaman of tone - Dave Friedman guides us through his favorite records, tones, and some under appreciated bands in this episode of Whiskey and Wires.
Friedman BE-OD
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Fryette Power Station 100
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[@mrkula]

Amazing interview with Shaman of tones and I hope that we will see more like this in this channel.Thank you.

[@alexc2680]

Dave is one of, if not the best Amp builders today!!! My JJ jr is sick and Dave's customer service and the way he cares for people is second to none!!!!

[@samhillband]

Thanks for the mention Dave. Lots of great memories working with you!!!

[@ITheFight]

Hey Mark! You should get on Tone Talk, with Marc and Dave.

[@adamr8878]

@@ITheFight Yes i agree

[@Marshall-uy2dv]

Couldn't agree more about the Van Halen Tone! It is just Raw Balls to the walls gunned Marshall tone! DOA beautiful girls outta love again, that is Monster tone! Although he had a Little Help from his boss GE 10 EQ pushing the front of that Plexi, for years I wondered how he got that tone I kept trying and trying and then I bought a GE 10 and Bam there it was. Although I don't think he used it on somebody get me a doctor or dance the night away, if you really listen you can hear that they sound a little different!

[@jppagetoo]

I am with Dave. VHII was the best Eddie guitar album. He had it allllllllllll. Riffs, leads, fills, pop, rock, metal, heavy, flemenco(ish), jazz. Just everything I ever liked about his playing is there. The production is there. The songs are there. C'mon... DOA? Light Up the Sky? Women In Love? You're No Good? Dance the Night Away? Beautiful Girls? Somebody Get Me a Doctor? Is there a bad song on VHII?

[@avgjoegat8126]

Thought I’d stay for the VH talk and ended up staying for the whole thing! Nice show

[@nickm.9474]

I can so relate to Dave. I remember having an electrician install a fan and update the panel in our house when I was a kid. I was fascinated with what they were doing. Also my pop was a mechanic so I was always around that stuff too. And now it seems my son can barley hold a screw driver. Haha.

[@nickm.9474]

Speaking of Canadian bands. Big Wreck is an amazing band. And they’re called the Juno awards.

[@JonBingham]

Nick M. I love big wreck.

[@BladeHudson]

BADASS Band

[@Dr.Jekyll]

I don’t care who you are, if you’re a guitarist, you shut up and listen when Dave Friedman talks.

[@logothescanandeffectmaker2122]

Nuno bettencourt favorite tones as well .. invasion , under lock and key and vh 2 .... great tones .. ty tabor as well

[@kushmannyc1495]

Love your channel I used to watch guitar talk always liked your style great interview with Dave Friedman. Great show

[@JonBingham]

Thanks so much!

[@cwhowell369]

Great show! That was awesome seeing Dave visibly buzzed on one of these videos!

[@rmedzoyan]

Friedman’s taste in Scotch (Balvenie Doublewood) matches his good taste in amp tone. I’d suggest trying the Caribbean Cask variety also!!

[@michaelmortimer3784]

Just catching up........Great job guys, painting the flat and drinking a Woodford Reserve old fashion. Can't wait to get out and rock again. Stay well and be safe. Never Underestimate An Old Man With A Guitar

[@pauldzurovcik2259]

Cocktail: Strange Clouds Ingredients: West Cork Irish Whisky, Hickory smoked maple, Applewood Yakima sea salt, walnut bitters, Laphroaig 10 Year Single Malt

[@ryanb94457]

I saw The Darkness and stood 2/3 people back from the front. Their amps were loud, they were definitely going full blast, but, I could hear every instrument on that stage. They had the sound perfect. Just goes to show, you don't need a low stage volume to get the mix right.

[@michaelcross934]

the loudest band, I've heard in my life - Faith no more...... 'cept for 70's arena rock!

[@Mikeys_garage_mods]

Saw Queensryche last year, "The Verdict" tour in Sacramento. I've seen them live 4 or 5 times over the years beginning with the Rage for Order tour back in the 80's. I agree about their current live sound being flat or sterile. Not the same feel and vibe for sure.

[@robertkidd6270]

Greetings from Scotland 😊 my favourite whiskey is Balvenie single malt from Speyside as it comes or with an ice cube but old guys have it with water . There's a vodka made here called Valt which is quadruple filtered single malt which will sure draw your cheeks together but it's smooth mmmm num num ☺

[@robertprice5039]

Saw Queensrych about 5 years ago and I have the same opinion. It wasn't like the Warning Tour, when you felt the amps. I think it was the same when I saw King Diamond in the fall. Tube Amps Rule!

[@TheOldBoy101]

One minute in and I am loving this interview.

[@aaronator8007]

The sun went down FAST…and so did the whisky/scotch lol. Dave keeps it very real…love it. Cheers ;-)

[@TVoltG]

So much truth at 37:10. You got to feel it!! That's rock! That's metal! That's Blues!! That's music!! No matter what style.. In ears is bullshit.

[@MrAletube]

I've heard a Chickenfoot open air concert,all i was hearing was the amazing acoustic sound of Chad Smith's drums,the rest was drowning,

[@gregaltenhofel7326]

So you posted this a couple weeks ago and I just found you. I don’t know if this post will Garner your attention. I hope it does. There were some very big truths you and Dave had said, and perhaps it is attributed to age or, perhaps experience, maybe background. I think I’m going with all of the above. You’d mentioned your age when what you two were talking about really woke me up. Your age, being just a few years younger than my oldest. I didn’t learn Dave’s age. But, I was born in 1958, New Years Eve to be exact. The guitar God’s I grew up listening to would still consider me a mere baby, an infant, a new born, if not younger. Most were born just after WWII if not before. Of course they grew up listening to and idolizing greats much older than they were and so the story goes. But I did learn from them. You said something about Moving air. And both of you couldn’t be more correct. If your Amp Cab/speakers aren’t blowing your pant leg around, it can’t be Rock & Roll. At.least not what I was taught was Rock & Roll. And by taught I clearly mean watched listened and learned. I observed these Icons of musical history and did everything I could to emulate everything they did. Though I never got into destroying my guitar or equipment. That was a lot more to do with economics than me not being a showman. Though I learned from club owners to be great booze salesmen. That kept us booked weeks and months in advance. But, because they did teach me to be a showman, and entertainer. And volume was part of it. I just didn’t have the money to douse my guitar with lighter fluid and set it ablaze (thank you Jimi) or destroy most of our equipment ( thank you “The Who” with special thanks & a salute to Kieth Moon, I also had a great drummer in a band that past out during a set and was replaced by someone in the club. I do miss you John B, I wish you were still with us and not with Kieth Moon) And doesn’t The Who still hold the record for the loudest concert ever? I left music or preforming and playing all together for the most part after getting a Music Degree in 78. Yeah I can’t believe it either looking back. I turned into a pool builder. Which was a good bit more conducive to a relationship and marriage than coming home from a club at 3 or 4AM. I recently retired though and I bought an electric guitar after only owning an acoustic a Taylor 855 12 string. I’d found the guitar (one just like it) which had been stolen (along with a literal truck load of other equipment) but had gigged with for nearly a decade in high school and college. After buying an electric guitar what do you do? Well? When I went amp shopping and researching, all I knew I wanted was loud. No mater how much technology had changed. I WANTED, I NEEDED LOUD. I wanted to feel it in my chest, my rib cage, my heart and my soul. Fuck I wanted it to kick me in the ass. I’d put off buying an electric guitar because, well, you don’t just buy an electric guitar. You must also buy an amp. Then maybe a pedal or two. Then well maybe another guitar. And that is just about what I’ve done. So, in less than a year. I bought that Guitar I found on Reverb. That original one I’d purchased in 73 or 74. Then the 1st amp was a modeling amp ( the jury “me” is still out but I do like it so far) the Boss Katana 100 watt MKII the 2 X 12” combo amp. While waiting for that to come in the mail (they sent the wrong one the first time and the damn thing turned around and went back when it had gotten to within 10 miles of my home) Anyway while waiting on that, I ran across a 1st generation modeling amp another 100 watt 2 X 12” combo amp (I’ve since given that to my son who plays (younger than you)) yes a pedal and an expression pedal. A stage piano because well I’m retired and it’s time I learn to play piano. I’ve bought another Katana 100/212” MKII because stereo delay and both controlled with one foot switch. And it’s now 2 100 watt combo amps hooked to my guitar. I did run across just yesterday, a pair of Altec Floor monitors 15” driver, with a huge horn in each. I feel like those would really polish the sound of that amp to an unbelievable sparkle. So yes LOUD is part of it. It’s not all of it but it a big part of it. It’s being a showman. An entertainer. And even though I don’t have a desire to gig again. Just have some fun with a few people (if I can find any it used to be easier) a garage band if you will. Only not in a garage because well, my big formal living room / dining room is only used at thanksgiving and Christmas and it’s climate controlled. It gets hot here in Baton Rouge, LA. To have some fun. LOUD = FUN Then there is my step daughter’s faience. He want’s me to believe, one single guy who has never played an instrument in his or her life. With a laptop and a DAW is all that’s needed. That the computer is his instrument and he’s a musician. Everyone has things in their life they wish they didn’t have. He’s one of mine...

[@thecordovaband]

Lol. We got booked to open for Lit recently. The venue didn't realize that they've gone country until we showed up for load in.

[@earworm]

Hey thanks Jon! @ 1:05:00 Awesome interview. I think its the juno awards.

[@JonBingham]

Steve Longworth he’s a great guy. He’d like the Encom 50!

[@lcwatts2971]

"A rock band onstage with in-ear monitors is like a blow up doll"...couldn't agree more! ROCK bands have to have "stage volume"

[@DeathMetalGuitar]

John5 rocking a BE100 Deluxe now? @42:55 AWESOME!

[@rodgoodbrand5359]

I just never get tired D. F. He is a Friggin' Legend

[@JonBingham]

Rod Goodbrand the best

[@curtisprice9806]

Van Halen 2 and Woman and children first had the greatest tones, because the first was great, but the super distorted guitar plus phase 90 gives me listening fatigue after a while. So, the second and third VH albums were hands down the holy grail of distorted guitar tone for me! Bottoms Up and Fools ...what?!!!

[@RichardFriendartist]

Dave rocks...thanks this is a very fun listen~!!

[@robertprice5039]

I am close to Dave's age, and Dave is right about the JCM 800s versus the Non-Master-Volume JMPs. Most of my friends thought the JMPs were better. I think my favorite was the Model 1986 50 Watt Bass Head, used for guitar. I had an old Ampeg V4, and had the Doom Metal Sound way before it was cool.

[@TVoltG]

My 73' Superbass is still to me a monster. Still mostly stock but a couple caps had to be replaced. I bought it for $500.

[@huncysound]

Amazing interview, I subscribed immediately. Thanks for the video, Dave is a tone magician. He pulls Tubes out of top hats.

[@TavaresProject]

Great interview!!! Dave is the greatest amp builder of the modern era.... I will eventually be getting one.

[@michaelcross934]

'my 1st 4 records' (of the early 70's) - Alice Cooper - Killer; Led Zep 2; MC5 - Kickin' out the Jams; Black Sabbath - Paranoid. He, he, Cheers from Mike in Fernwood, BC

[@nickm.9474]

Under Lock and Key guitar tone was sick too.

[@ianorourke6320]

My 77 jmp2204 is a fantastic sounding beast.

[@TVoltG]

I agree with Dave about Sponge too.. They fucking kick ass. They are amazing live.

[@shorerocks]

Great talk, Jon! There is always something to learn from Dave. On thing that is driving me nuts - Kemper is not a synthesizer. Modellers are. Kemper is a sampler. That's why it is so good. But as you said - Queensryche had no guitar cabs on stage. Sure enough, depending on how they set up their Kemper it can sound flat or strange or whatnot. My point being: It is not the Kemper. I play tube amps for +35 years. I know how they sound and feel. And from the new tools only the Kemper compares in a rehearsal space. BTW the right profile cleans up just nicely rolling your volume poti.

[@michaelcross934]

That's why there's no R'N`R anymore - no dangerous, menacing guitar tonz!

[@n2musc]

Dave... you're the man and you rock!!!

[@ian1eh944]

The Canadian Grammy is called a Juno! :)

[@rmedzoyan]

I agree, VHII is clearer and more defined, as far as the guitar tone.

[@butchjones3497]

Nice job, Jonny Boy!

[@MrRockinson]

I remember that Laphraig at a tasting at the local bottle shop, paint stripper. Was like $150 a bottle in 1989

[@passionplayer7]

Balvenie all day! Sherry cask 12 years=best Scotch yet imo and its all Dave’s fault, haha Everytime I listen to Dave’s thoughts I am always entertained or educated. Love my Runt 50 with intentions for a BE Deluxe amp. Thanks for doing this!

[@stratabuse1124]

I have 68,69, 74 Plexi, I love them however the BE-50 does everything I ve ever needed in an amp, plus I’m not much of an effort guy however his EFX is the best bar none!!

[@chuajsjs2853]

Hi Jon... watched the Steven Fryette interview you had... thx! Thats alot of inspiration... and am watching Dave Friedman now..... just wonder if you be able to do an interview with Peter diezel too...? :)

[@JonBingham]

Peter Diezel doesnt speak English very well, and I don't speak German at all. Maybe his partner Peter Stapfer? I can try!

[@chuajsjs2853]

@@JonBingham thanks Jon !! Yes Peter Stapher be great !! Or both !! Lol....

[@JMPRocker]

Interesting about the Dirt album. I always thought Cantrell used a Shiva on that album

[@TVoltG]

Jon, Dirt record is in my top 5 too. 👊

[@mooseknuckle9662]

Tooth and nail had a killer guitar tone.All the Dokken records have a tone that was off the charts but Back For The Attack does have a tone all of it's own.I wouldn't say the other records have an alright or not quite there tone at all.There all better than 99% of the hard rock tones out there.

[@PatrykdeRosa]

agreed! Tooth gives special thanks to Gary Sunda, the main man at Randall that designed the Randall RG. Tooth also lists Randall as an endorsement. that album is 100% Randall RG with an SD1 boost. my favorite amp tone.

[@tfreppis]

Laphroig... YES! Cask Strength!

[@75YBA]

Marty plays those concerts in his store!

[@raypokorny466]

Fantastic show!

[@jeffjoy738]

Try just adding a drop or two of water to your Laphroaig--- no need to mix or add ice! Adding ice to Laphroaig to me at least is like using an attenuator on a Roland Jazz Chorus because it's too loud.

[@peterschaefer1665]

Wow!! Yes July talk love it!! Also really like Metric!

[@justinespinosa7878]

Love whiskey and Friedman

[@nickm.9474]

Funny thing about Offspring is they still use huge analog mixing consoles but aren’t using real amps.

[@frankcorcoran9619]

Yeah I really enjoyed the show

[@CalebRapoport]

Great job!

[@nickm.9474]

I am yet to hear a modeling amp sound good live.

[@gabrieltoneguitars9365]

Try listening to Def Leppard

[@TomorrowsChild77]

@@gabrieltoneguitars9365, Def Leopard? Bahaha!

[@sbanville4761]

Dave, Try Oban 18. :)

[@JuddLofthouse]

Great show thank you 👍

[@JonBingham]

You bet

[@bootyholeman5659]

Hah, we had On tv when I was a kid. It was a single channel. A box with one button on it that said "ON"

[@cabotnunlist2077]

If you've never played through a Friedman amp you don't know what you're missing. KZbin videos don't do it justice - although the original PhilX demo video comes close.

[@ricktoney1551]

i didnt know Brian Dennehey built amps!!!

[@Roger8176]

Hello. Under Lock And Key is indeed one of the best tones ever. Have thought this ever since I we 12. Back For The Attack was a little rawer and great as well, but ULaK is the best.

[@BAJARACER43X]

They were talking about ON TV which later turned into SELEC TV, they used to have concerts about once a month, we used to have parties over some of these concerts. gone are those days now its all YOU TUBE

[@robinhansen292]

Awesome video! Just about everything Dave talked about I agree with him on, except the Van Halen 2 being the best VH tone, VH1 still is the best imo 😎 Rock`n Roll has gotten tame and watered down, with no danger, no power and with the use of kemper and all of that shit, concerts most the time these days just don`t have any balls to it. I went to an Airbourne show, where they used 4 Marshall FULLSTACKS EACH cranked to shit and they had LOADS of energy, now that was a fucking show let me tell ya 😎🤘

[@JonBingham]

Thanks Robin! Sounds like Airbourne is carrying the torch.

[@robinhansen292]

@@JonBingham They are indeed 😎👍

[@peterschaefer1665]

Van Halen 2 for me. I agree Dave.

[@sld67869801]

Too much plate reverb on VH 1 for me. VH 2 is the best to me as well.

[@tylerbrittan593]

I’d love Dave to get Jerry on here!

[@frankquinn1296]

You guys need to try Lismore

[@MrAletube]

3dB in power from 50 to 100,what changes is the speakers used and how hefty is the power supply and the output transformer

[@gabrieltoneguitars9365]

What color is Dave's hair today?

[@ITheFight]

I love Jameson Whiskey

[@nickm.9474]

I’m not evan making this up but when Dave was asked to name his records for the decades I thought the same thing. Except I like bad motor finger better. But I would think of a band and he would say it. But I did say Led Zeppelin III. Of by one.

[@ukguitarnoodle]

I saw Geoff Tate on a silent stage. it was really odd.

[@tomfoolery2082]

I think I'm some older than Dave and I remember tht wldve been a big pile of leaves , cars were bigger then . Lol

[@chrisquinn9104]

Dave’s a little toasty. I usually agree with him though

[@JonBingham]

This show makes people toasty :)

[@robbievalentine8239]

Whiskey will do that to you!

[@nickm.9474]

But I do like loud drums too.

[@viktor86bt]

I like your show, but man, I wish you had let him tell the Layne Staley story.

[@tylerbrittan593]

victor86hm I was thinking the same thing. My ears perked up when he started talking about Layne. And then they moved on.

[@lc11s]

Let the man speak...

[@erniebender7886]

Seen Corn and Breaking Benjamin all had in ears there was no stage volume but the pa was cd quality , no energy looked kinda like there just actor’s now 🙄 🙏🏼bless you Dave

[@lonniezamarripa959]

Then ,Dave you would probably remember the reverb units you could install in your car to really make your 8 tracks sound good. Lol

[@JonBingham]

Bands want to lessen their costs on tour and carrying less gear helps accomplish that... it's at a cost to the audience as well though. we end up getting a less exciting show.

[@robbievalentine8239]

Jon Bingham in defense of "where did the party go" youre guitar playing friends are probably all older. You want me on the show? I'll have a whiskey with you and talk rock n roll live.from nyc! Www.facebook.com/vavavoomrock

[@selowe86]

I have to admit... I poured Tequila tonight... only cause I don’t have any whiskey...

[@JonBingham]

Steven Elowe can’t take you anywhere!

[@chanceterrill5346]

I just watched my hero, the guy who built the best amp ever made, (dirty shirley 40 watt head) getting slurring drink lol...... Amazing

[@JonBingham]

You've got good taste, Chance! DS40 is the greatest.

[@chanceterrill5346]

@@JonBingham got a custom made 412 straight cab built to match perfectly with greenbacks in it...... Running NOS mullard i61 short plates in preamp..... With a mahogany, yes mahagany, carved topped les paul...... Funny thing is it has a maple neck, so the top and neck are flip flopped from the normal lp recipe....... Sounds epic! Nails acdc tones

[@chanceterrill5346]

@@JonBingham also I'm sober now too lol...... The reason why is us rock star types (I'm not a Rockstar, I just partied like one for 15 years lol) have super addictive personalities and drinking ends up leading into shooting speedballs.....

[@MrAletube]

long gone are the days of a Keith Moon with a car in the pool...

[@jamiee172]

Haha, I'd say most kids today wouldn't know what a screwdriver is! But ask them about a smart phone and they'll know everything about it.

[@TheDogPa]

All us old guys know a screwdriver is orange juice and vodka

[@nickm.9474]

Yep. New sound guys suck.

[@TheDogPa]

"So now this 800 is the holy grail, but really, it was a piece of shit." "Forget about anything after 800. To be honest, nothing good after 800" (referring of course to the mods made after others showed them how to fix them after the 90s). So all the dumb kids running around worshiping a Marshal that never was, remember you needed to go through a dozen of those 70s ones to find one good one...that is a fudge factor, not a good amp. Ask Dave...he has ONE good one himself. Boutique amps exist because Marshalls were shit and us adults that were there knew that...as Dave says several times. Ask Eddie about a Marshall that wasn't modded. In fact, ask anyone that actually was there and played them, not the youtube kids...LMFAO! Or ask the guys that helped create them, Townshend or Blackmore. Stop with the Marshall myth. Others took the bassman circuit and modded it properly, not the corporation that bought the name Marshall from a music store owner who accidentally made some good amps.

[@aristocaster]

your dark /strange cloud is quite rich on sugar, yikes.

[@aristocaster]

ok, i checked that, not so sugary after all STRANGE CLOUDS IRISH WHISKY. LAPHROAIG. HICKORY MAPLE. WALNUT. APPLEWOOD SEA SALT.