EDIT: IT'S OUT! - Friedman Amps announces Jake E. Lee JEL-50 amplifier Head

[tbonesullivan]

Only seen talk on the Book of Face so far, but this has got me kinda pumped. My planned next amp purchase after I sell off some was to be the JEL-20, but I've already got a plenty of EL84 amplifiers. Having a "Marshall type" 50 watt amp with EL34s has been something I have tried to get for a long time, but really wanted something more than the Runt 50 or an old Marshall JCM2000 DSL50. This looks like it will fit the bill. It seems more based on the JEL-100, and the knobs only go to 10. It also has bright switches on both channels, and the SAT switch is gone. Still has the shared EQ, but I'm pumped.

https://fb.watch/tTn1O7O_Fn/

Edited October 31, 2024 by tbonesullivan

[RobB]

That looks rad. I’ll be watching the release vids of this one closely. 

I’m leaning towards a Vintage Modern 50w, too. KT88s got da thump…

[tbonesullivan]

It's out! Looks like it is probably more of the hand-wired type, as opposed to the PCB style JEL-20, so it's retailing at around 3K. This is the intro video, which is ok, but doesn't really get much into the real sound
 

This is the demo video I found the most useful, especially with the comparison with the JEL-20.
 

The Sweetwater Demo is also definitely useful.
 

 

[Cboss]

The 100 W has been out for a while, what would be the differences with this one tone and headroomwise? What are the typical differences between a 50 and 100 w head? I've got a 50 watt now and it's glorious but I am curious

[tbonesullivan]

2 hours ago, Cboss said:

The 100 W has been out for a while, what would be the differences with this one tone and headroomwise? What are the typical differences between a 50 and 100 w head? I've got a 50 watt now and it's glorious but I am curious

The original JEL-100 I think was a limited run of only 100 amplifiers, and they go for around $4000-5000 used on Reverb right now. 100 Watter had full tone stacks for each channel, and a reduced power switch on the back. All of the controls were on the front, and instead of a pull pot it had a mini switch for the channel 2 gain boost. Like the 50 Watt it was made with higher end USA made transformers, was hand wired.

I think the 50 Watt is a bunch closer to the original JEL-100 than the JEL-20 is, which has PCB based construction, and the EL84-based power section. They also now have a bright switch on both channels for the 50 watt, and it is more than enough for most live situations. The 20 Watt amplifiers can have some trouble keeping up, depending on the room, situation, cabinet, and drummer.

My experience with 50 vs 100 is mainly headroom, and "thump", in the "medium" volume range. Larger amps just have more of it. However if you want smoother and more compressed, the lower wattage amps are definitely a better choice.

Many people are perfectly happy with their JEL-20 amplifiers, and I don't see them wanting to upgrade to a much heavier head, which also costs almost twice as much, when the preamps are pretty much identical.

And of course you can also now get the preamp in a pedal as well, as Friedman released the IR-J Tube Preamp two weeks ago. People who already have some good power amps or heads may just use that to punch into the power section.
 

 

[Disturber]

Looks like a solid build. I bet that amp can take a bullet or two.

[alantig]

50 minutes ago, Disturber said:

Looks like a solid build. I bet that amp can take a bullet or two.

Not all day.

[RobB]

Both the 50 and pedal sound killer. I’ve watched many of the pedal videos, developing a serious case of FOMO in the process.

In the meantime, very much enjoying the sounds from the IR-X (especially with the addition of the SoloDallas Storm pedal). It has everything I need for home DI use, and the new OwnHammer IRs sound great. 

[tbonesullivan]

5 hours ago, RobB said:

Both the 50 and pedal sound killer. I’ve watched many of the pedal videos, developing a serious case of FOMO in the process.

In the meantime, very much enjoying the sounds from the IR-X (especially with the addition of the SoloDallas Storm pedal). It has everything I need for home DI use, and the new OwnHammer IRs sound great. 

I always am looking at those, but I just question how much I would actually USE them. I have both of the Carvin guitar preamp pedals, which are really nice, and I have a Two notes CAB M+ speaker IR loader, which also does have poweramp and even preamp emulation. I was gonna use it for recordings and yada yada and kinda never did that. If I had a great tube power amp, maybe it would work, or I could run the preamp through one of my other amps, but somehow I just have never gotten into the pedal thing. Probably too busy obsessing over having the perfect "arsenal" of guitars and amps.

[RobB]

Sounds like you already own the gear to do what the IR-X does (esp. the 2Notes). Never played a Vai amp but I did have an X100 head for a few years. Killer grind and very underrated. 

[HoboMan]

On 10/31/2024 at 2:45 PM, tbonesullivan said:

The original JEL-100 I think was a limited run of only 100 amplifiers, and they go for around $4000-5000 used on Reverb right now. 100 Watter had full tone stacks for each channel, and a reduced power switch on the back. All of the controls were on the front, and instead of a pull pot it had a mini switch for the channel 2 gain boost. Like the 50 Watt it was made with higher end USA made transformers, was hand wired.

I think the 50 Watt is a bunch closer to the original JEL-100 than the JEL-20 is, which has PCB based construction, and the EL84-based power section. They also now have a bright switch on both channels for the 50 watt, and it is more than enough for most live situations. The 20 Watt amplifiers can have some trouble keeping up, depending on the room, situation, cabinet, and drummer.

My experience with 50 vs 100 is mainly headroom, and "thump", in the "medium" volume range. Larger amps just have more of it. However if you want smoother and more compressed, the lower wattage amps are definitely a better choice.

Many people are perfectly happy with their JEL-20 amplifiers, and I don't see them wanting to upgrade to a much heavier head, which also costs almost twice as much, when the preamps are pretty much identical.

And of course you can also now get the preamp in a pedal as well, as Friedman released the IR-J Tube Preamp two weeks ago. People who already have some good power amps or heads may just use that to punch into the power section.
 

 

 

I did my first gig with my IR-J on New Year's Eve. 

Haven't used anything since. KILLER TONES.

[tbonesullivan]

1 hour ago, HoboMan said:

 

I did my first gig with my IR-J on New Year's Eve. 

Haven't used anything since. KILLER TONES.

The Friedman preamp pedals are all killer. I also love how Friedman has really helped put a great player like Jake back in the spotlight. The boost on the IR-J, along with the cabinet modeling, really makes it a one stop shop for a direct to board rig. I had looked at the IR-X and IR-J hard for a while, but ultimately decided a head would work better for me. I've already got the Carvin Legacy Drive and X1 pedals sitting in boxes that I never use, and pretty much know if I got an IR-J it might end up sitting as well. The JEL-50 is a great head, and I've got some nice boosters to really slam the front end, not that it needs it.