Friedman Vintage Series Plex Valve Amp Head

Dave Friedman’s personal 1968 JMP Super Lead “Plexi” kicked off his lifelong quest for tone and inspired the entire Friedman Amplification product line. Friedman has earned the reputation of a master amp builder and capturing the magic of this unique amplifier has been his unrelenting passion-project for years. The Friedman PLEX head is the realization of that dream.

The PLEX is a “verbatim sonic-twin” of Dave’s all-time favorite amplifier - that special ‘68 JMP. Sparing no expense in time and effort, Dave took great care in defining and utilizing the best modern construction techniques, sourcing the exact parts and finding the perfect tubes to reproduce this amp’s character. The Friedman PLEX is, in Dave’s own words “my favorite.

The Vintage Collection

The PLEX is the first model in the Friedman Vintage Collection – a series of unique amp designs based on the classic amplifiers that influenced and shaped Dave’s Friedman tonal signature. The Vintage Collection captures the sonic nostalgia and authenticity of yesteryear, while infusing decades of Dave’s knowledge into each design.

Authentic Plexi Tone

The PLEX is a 50-watt, 2-channel, EL34-driven design that meticulously captures the genuine Plexi tone and feel of Dave's revered 1968 JMP Super Lead. Distinct Lead and Normal channels, each equipped with their own Volume controls, replicate the non-master volume performance of its predecessor perfectly. The harder you push these channels, the more the amp responds with increased saturation, harmonic richness and sustained brilliance.

Internal Channel Jumpering

The Friedman PLEX features internal channel jumpering, replicating the external blending technique used with vintage Plexi amplifiers. This feature lets you easily blend the Lead and Normal channels to perfection with the turn of a control knob. It’s a seamless and convenient sound-shaping method that pays homage to the amp’s history.

Friedman Post-Phase Master Volume Control

A modern twist on the PLEX's vintage heritage is Dave Friedman's master volume control. As the Normal and Lead channels' gain increases, so does their volume. Dave’s innovative approach lets you bring the amp back to manageable levels, without sacrificing the tone or dynamic feel, he worked so hard to replicate. This unique post-phase master volume design ensured that, whether you're unleashing the PLEX's full power, or dialing it down for quieter settings, the amp's inherent character and tonal richness remains intact.

Tonal Flexibility

Completing the PLEX’s sonic palette is a vintage-style tone stack comprising of Presence, Bass, Middle and Treble controls. This tone stack and the inclusion of Hi and Low instrument inputs allows you to sculpt a wide range of sounds and gain levels. The 3-position Bright switch further enhances the PLEX’s flexibility, fine-tuning the amp’s top end to different guitars, pedals, and pickups.

True to the Friedman standard, the PLEX boasts a bullet-proof design, unwavering build integrity, and top-tier components, guaranteeing that it will be a lifelong companion on your musical journey.