Synergy Friedman HBE – Two-Channel Tube Preamp Module

Dave Friedman is the man behind some of the most impressive tones in rock ‘n’ roll, and has been for over 25 years. Throughout that time, luminary players such as Jerry Cantrell and Steve Stevens have been relying on Friedman’s amplifier modifications, repairs, and builds to keep them sounding at the top of their game. With that expertise in tow, Friedman moved into crafting his own line of top-shelf electric guitar amplifiers, instruments, and effects, and in doing so has built one of the most enviable rosters of artists out there. Whether discussing the plexi-on-steroids tone of the BE-100, the pedal-platform versatility of the Buxom Beauty, or the fire-breathing Bill Kelliher signature Butterslax head, Friedman amps are undoubtedly taking over as the premier rock ‘n’ roll electric guitar amplifiers.

Few modern amplifiers carry the intrigue of Friedman’s flagship BE-100. The amp’s ability to dish out thick waves of overdriven power while simultaneously keeping the nuanced character of your individual style have made it the go-to amp for players and bands such as Dave Weiner (Steve Vai) and the Foo Fighters. One of these players’ favorite features is the amp’s HBE boost circuit. With a flip of a switch, the BE-100 slides from toothy hard rock amp to a high-gain fire-breather without ever losing its calling card tight lows and clear note separation. When players talk about Friedman amps, the BE-100 is always at the top of the list.

Thanks to the Synergy Friedman HBE preamp, the exact tone and feel of the HBE-boosted BE-100 can be at your fingertips. Far from modeling or emulating, Dave Friedman himself designed this module, nailing every detail of his amp’s to-die-for tone and impressive touch sensitivity. The HBE preamp boasts a pair of 12AX7 preamp tubes to power its two channels. Whether you’re switching between a high-gain rhythm tone and a boosted lead sound or just want two channels of over-the-top sonic destruction, your tone will always be present, aggressive, and hopelessly addictive. When it’s time to give your Synergy rig cream-of-the-crop high-gain British tone with an extra kick, you’ll want to grab an HBE Preamp.

The Synergy HBE pre-amp features two channels. Each channel has a gain and volume knob with a shared three-band EQ.

The Friedman HBE module includes a three-position switch that allows you to configure the input tube bass response to match the original circuit of the selected module Patent Pending. Switch setting will affect the feel and tightness. Each amp designer has a specific combination of components that makes up their input tube circuit. We have selected the three most popular combinations which you can access with this switch. You can experiment and try any of the positions to see what you prefer. The Friedman HBE module will come preset to Dave Friedman’s preferred setting which is switch position 2 (2.7K resistor and .68uf capacitor).