SOLD Friedman DIRTY SHIRLEY DS40. Mint.

Frankel84

Cash, transfer, PPG, PP with you covering fees - all good. Collection preferred (with cash or cleared funds) from just south of Luton. Shipping at cost depending on your location and whether you want insurance or not (entirely at your risk).

Ok, so I've tried a few of the Friedman range now, JJ, BE, Smallbox and have decided the DS is the one I'm sticking with. It's the most natural, organic and realistic to my ear. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the range is awesome, but they're all quite focused on what they do, where as the Shirley seems to cover more bases. And the head's very slightly more practical for my needs than the combo, although I've not heard a cab that sounds better with it than this. But one has to go, so you choose...


My Friedman story: So I've been minding my own business (for longer than I'm prepared to admit to on a public forum) playing indie-shmindie jangle crunch through overpriced American EL84 chimers. Then out of the blue, this...

It started when my mate bought a BE-100 and then a Wildwood Smallbox. I ripped him about turning into a Friedman fanboy. Well that kinda threw the gauntlet down. But being a valve rec kinda guy I had to have the Shirley. Of course, the minute I started looking they vanished from the second hand market, and new is just silly. Typical.

Finally this 'ere combo popped up on this 'ere FB, courtesy of the esteemed @rockmonster of this parish. Knowing how addictive Friedmans appear to be (if the Friedos on here are anything to go by) I joked with him that this might be the start of a slippery slope. He laughed, but in the style of a man who had seen many a Friedman virgin lose their cherry to Dave's delights, only to spiral into the abyss of addiction.

Sure enough I was blown away by the amp. Stuck a 'bucker in my Strat, dropped my E to D (baby steps) and started adding devil horn emojis to my emails. Jeez Louise. WTF?

Then a Shirley head appeared on the bay of E. I stuck a bid on never thinking I'd win it, but I did.

Was the lunacy of owning two Shirleys enough for me to seek help? Not a bit of it.

But it does mean though that this beauty is up for grabs. It's in A1 condition, no scuffs, scratches, dings or evidence of use. Comes with a Roqsolid cover. Sounds bigger than any 1x12 has any right to, but is pleasingly light for what it is, making it a great grab-and-go amp. Believe the hype, these really are something special. I've never been a guitar volume pot player cos it's never really worked for me. But it does with this amp. Wide open for lead, 7-8 for crunch that sounds just like the records you love, 5 for clean that's touch sensitive enough to push. Awe. Some.

rockmonster

And so the Friedman GAS begins!

Pablocrackers

Frankel84

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i_b_tulloch

Free bump for the best amp out there.

Frankel84

Yes indeed. So good, in fact, I bought two!!! Wish I could justify keeping both for a monster stereo rig.

Lew

Looks really tasty but they could've put all feet on in the right place ! :-]

Frankel84

The feet are deliberately asymmetric to offset the weight of the transformer.

Not.

Lew

:-D

jackio

Is it the newer one with the 3-way switch? Or is that a different friedman??

Frankel84

No switch on this one, it's an original version. The gain 'structure' switch (lives under the high input) was introduced around the middle of last year on this model, having been introduced previously on the DS Mini. It reduces gain in two stages allowing the amp to run a cleaner, early JTM tone.

The other way to achieve that (on earlier models like this) is to use the lo input and turn the gain down. Or simply turn down the volume on your guitar. This amp cleans up amazingly without losing any sparkle, something I've never managed to achieve with any other amp. Usually the tone gets all muddy and lifeless.

Now if the 'S' switch was footswitchable, that I get. But as it stands, any versatility it adds is all available in the amp anyway. If you're desperate to have the 2016 spec, Dan Gower would be able to do the authorised mod for not a lot of cash. General consensus appears to be it's not essential though. Hope that helps.

guitarmanessex89

Had a DS combo. Astonishingly good. I had gear gremlins attack my pedalboard and plugged straight in with the volume dimed one night. Such huge tone! 

rockmonster

Great amp that!

rockmonster

I have a custom made head box for the dirty Shirley 40 if anyone wants the combo/head option?

Frankel84

Arguably the best amp in the Friedman range. Fantastic tones across the whole gain range.

Frankel84

I'm the April fool here. One of these gorgeous amps has to go, so somebody's gonna get a bargain.

Frankel84

Heads you win, er... combo you win too!