Legacy Design and Signature Sound
Steve Stevens roared onto the music scene in the 1980s, quickly making a name for himself as he blazed across records with Billy Idol, Ric Ocasek, Michael Jackson, and more, in addition to netting a Grammy for his work on the Top Gun theme. While his masterful chops speak for themselves, his tone is what makes his work continue to shine. The Friedman SS-100v2 is the newly refined distillation of his diverse, decades-long career of sounding out. As you’d expect with any signature amp, no effort was spared by Dave Friedman and his team to realize Stevens’ triumphant tone. Handcrafted in the USA, the SS-100v2 is a 3-channel, road-ready menace that’s brimming with tone. Signature Stevens sound is delivered via EL-34 power tubes and 12AX7 preamp tubes to capture a powerful, dynamic range of sonics. A straightforward design and a 2-button footswitch enable you to easily call up and dial in your sounds, with a suite of EQ, per-channel, and impedance controls to refine everything from crystal cleans to high-octane gain. Guitar gurus at Sweetwater are impressed with the versatility of the SS-100v2 — it produces flexible, articulate sounds that are undeniably Steve Stevens, all the way.
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Making all the right changes
Back in 2011, Steve Stevens and Friedman collaborated on the company’s first signature amplifier, the SS-100. Over a decade later, the pair agreed that an update was in order. Importantly, the SS-100v2 makes changes to improve on meeting the arduous aural needs of Stevens’s sound without sacrificing character or needlessly modifying aspects that already had what was needed. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? You bet. The SS-100v2 retains the distinctive, high-headroom clean channel of its predecessor, boasting shimmering sonics with unmatched articulation. In revoicing the dirty channels, the classic plexi-like, high-gain tones feature a greater dynamism with a more percussive profile, all without sacrificing that iconic output.
Uncompromising craftsmanship
With a redesigned and blacked-out Baltic Birch shell, the USA-made 100-watt head is primed to handle life on the road. As great as it looks, it’s what’s under the hood that’s making the most noise. Armed with Custom USA-made transformers, four EL-34 power tubes, and five 12AX7 preamp tubes, the SS-100v2 is nothing short of a sonic arsenal. Premiere craftsmanship doesn’t end with the collaborative expertise of Stevens and Friedman, as the entire amp was handwired in the USA. Plus, as much as we all love to crank it up every chance we get, flexibility-minded design includes a variable impedance selector switch with 4-, 8-, and 16-ohm options. Moreover, global controls for thump, presence, and system volume allow you to easily manage your sonic front. An optional (included) 2-button footswitch painlessly connects at the back and makes on-the-fly changes a breeze within any stage or studio settings, thanks to the included LED indicators.
Dialed in and in control
Crystalline, high-headroom clarity continues to define the Stevens clean tone, and its channel is given dedicated volume, treble, middle, and bass controls, alongside a 3-way bright switch, providing a balance of signature sounds that are easily tailored to your tunes. Dirty channels come in two flavors: SS+ and SS, sharing an EQ with bass, middle, and treble controls, as well as a fat switch to get the extra oomph when you need it. An incredibly transparent series FX loop makes for seamless integration with the gear of your choosing, maintaining the distinctive identity of the Steve's sound with all of the personal customization you could want! Legends in their own right, Friedman and Stevens pack the signature bunch of both maestros into an uncompromising 100-watt road warrior, fully capable of transforming your tone without sacrificing the personal touch.
Friedman SS-100v2 Steve Stevens Signature 100-watt 3-channel Tube Head Features:
- Signature Steve Stevens all-tube tone, ready to rock the road
- USA handcrafted Baltic Birch shell blends iconic aesthetics with road-ready durability
- 100W and 3 channels of flexible, high-octane sounds thanks to 4 x EL-34 power tubes and 5 x 12AX7 preamp tubes
- Thoughtful designs retain classic Stevens sounds to only make the improvements where they count
- Shimmering, high-headroom cleans give plenty of breathing room with great articulation
- High-gain heavy tones retain their plexi-like qualities with expanded dynamic range and a more-percussive profile
- Streamlined face design and 2-button footswitch ensure unencumbered tonal domination
- Dirty and boosted channels (SS, SS+) share a tone stack while clean is independent for easily managed and versatile output
- Global thump, presence, and system volume controls simplify overall sonic management
- Variable 4-, 8-, and 16-ohm impedance selector switch accommodate many stage and studio settings
- Transparent series FX loop provides plenty of room for personalization and aural exploration
- Custom USA-made transformers deliver unmatched quality and dependable sonic consistency
