NAMM 2018: Highly flexible, super-desirable Friedman Amps BE-50 Deluxe 50-watt All-Tube Head announced

NAMM 2018: Friedman Amps, the brainchild of Dave Friedman, the amp savant behind some of the best tones of such luminaries as Eddie Van Halen and Steve Stevens, and a favoured backline supplier to the likes of Dave Grohl and Joe Bonamassa, has announced the ultra-versatile Friedman BE-50 Deluxe Amplifier.

The amp combines the well-established tonal palettes of his BE and HBE circuits, and the cleans of the Buxom Beauty in one highly desirable all-tube package.

Friedman himself has called the BE-50 Deluxe 50-watt all-tube head, “The best amp I’ve ever made.”

BE and HBE overdrive channels
Housed in the BE-50 Deluxe, Friedman’s BE and HBE drive channels are renowned for high-gain crunch, clarity, and nuance. With independent volume and gain controls, as well as some of Friedman’s most popular amp modifications, you’ll be switching between these worlds of grit, on the fly.

• Footswitchable BE and HBE channels
• Independent volume and gain for each channel
• 3-position voice switch dictates the top-end response of the dirty channels
• Fat switch adds low-end girth and warmth
• 3-way gain structure switch determines the channels’ overall gain

Buxom Betty-like cleans
The clean channel of the Friedman BE-50 Deluxe is directly inspired by the chime, glassy top end, and full body of the Friedman Buxom Betty amplifier. 

• Clean tones inspired by the Friedman Buxom Betty
• 3-band EQ to shape your clean tone
• 3-position bright switch tailors the sheen of your sound

Flexible power section
From the front panel, you’re able to tune the amp’s overall character with a trio of variable controls. Turn the amp around and you’ll find a half-power switch and the most transparent effects loop in the business.

• Presence knob attenuates high frequencies in the amp’s power section
• Thump adds or removes low-end rumble
• Response control allows you to determine the amp’s feel
• Transparent series effects loop with bypass switch always maintains your core tone
• Power toggle selects between 50-watt pentode operation and 25-watt triode mode

Specifications
• 50/25-Watt all tube head
• Three channels
• Handwired in the USA
• 2 x EL34 power tubes
• 4 x 12AX7 preamp tubes
• SAT, FAT, Bright, and Voice switches create a multitude of unique textures
• Gain Structure switch lowers overall gain
• Clean Ch – Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble
• BE Ch – Gain 1, Master 1, Bass, Middle, Treble (shared with HBE Ch)
• HBE Ch – Gain 2, Master 2, Bass, Middle, Treble (shared with ch BE Ch)
• Ultra-transparent series FX loop
• 4, 8 and 16 ohm Impedance selector switch
• Custom USA made transformers
• Limited Lifetime Warranty
• Dimensions: 10.5″ (D) x 24″ (W) x 10″ (H)
• Weight: 30.5 lbs.

Friedman Amps' BE-50 Deluxe 50-watt All-Tube Head MAP and MSRP for BE-50 Deluxe Amplifier is $3,499.99 USD.