The Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head is a Friedman amplifier, currently around $4299.99. Close alternatives include the Strymon Iridium and the Diezel Herbert MkIII. It pairs well with the Browne Amplification Gritador and the Browne Amplification Carbon.
Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head
Friedman · amplifier
The Friedman SS-100 V2 Steve Stevens Signature is a 100-watt all-tube 2-channel guitar amplifier head from Friedman Amplification, developed with Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens. Two channels provide the versatile clean and high-gain range Stevens requires for his diverse playing style — from clean to heavily saturated lead — in a Friedman hand-wired professional chassis. The V2 designation indicates the second revision of the Stevens signature platform.
What stands out
“two channels provide the versatile clean and high-gain range stevens requires for his diverse playing style”
— from the listing
“The high-gain channel covers the saturated lead tone Stevens uses for rock lead playing”
— from the reviews
“The clean channel provides the headroom and clarity for Stevens clean and rhythm tones”
— from the reviews
“friedman hand-wired quality provides the reliability and tone that a major touring guitarist demands”
— from the community notes
“The Friedman SS-100 V2 Steve Stevens Signature delivers two-channel professional performance with Friedman build quality tailored to Stevens diverse professional requirements”
— from the reviews
- high gain
- lead
- clean
- rock
- touring
- clarity
- headroom
- reliability and tone
Good for
- Live
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head is commonly used in
- Rock
- Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Hard Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Punk Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head
Browne Amplification Gritador
Browne Amplification
26% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)
The transparent tone has headroom to spare — Browne Amplification Gritador leans it toward mid-forward to fill it in
Goes in front of the amp
Browne Amplification Carbon
Browne Amplification
24% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → low gain)
Browne Amplification Carbon is voiced for Marshall-style amps — Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head gives it exactly that
Goes in front of the amp
Nobels ODR-1
Nobels
23% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)
Into a transparent tone, Nobels ODR-1 brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing
Goes in front of the amp
T-Rex Sweeper 2
T Rex
17% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → lush)
Put T-Rex Sweeper 2 after Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head in the signal chain, clear of Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head's own gain stage
Goes in front of the amp
Fender Hammertone Reverb
Fender
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head's high gain voice out front: Fender Hammertone Reverb goes in Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head's effects loop so its lush voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Seymour Duncan Vise Grip Compressor
Seymour Duncan
11% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)
Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head leans toward high gain, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Goes in front of the amp
Walrus Audio Fathom
Walrus Audio
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Keep Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head's high gain voice out front: Walrus Audio Fathom goes in Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head's effects loop so its ambient voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Browne Amplification Ethane
Browne Amplification
tonal matchGoes in front of the amp
Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head leans into Marshall-style amps, precisely the platform Browne Amplification Ethane wants
Cheaper alternatives
Soldano SLO
Soldano
72% similaritySoldano SLO recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp
Friedman
72% similarityFriedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Friedman IR-D
Friedman
72% similarityFriedman IR-D recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Blackstar HT Stage 100 Head MkII
Blackstar
55% similarityShared character: two channels, clarity, high gain settings
Blackstar HT Studio 20H
Blackstar
46% similarityShared character: two channels, clarity, high gain settings
Engl Powerball II
Engl
44% similarityShared character: clarity, high gain settings, clean
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Strymon Iridium
Strymon
72% similarityStrymon Iridium recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Diezel Herbert MkIII
Diezel
53% similarityShared character: two channels, clarity, high gain settings
Fryette Deliverance 120H II
Fryette
51% similarityShared character: two channels, headroom, clarity
Diezel Herbert Mk3 3-Channel 180-Watt
Diezel
51% similarityShared character: high gain settings, clean, lead
Orange Amplifiers OR100 100W Dual Channel Tube Guitar Head
amplifier
47% similarityShared character: two channels, headroom, clarity
PRS Dallas 50W Tube Guitar Amp Head
amplifier
46% similarityShared character: two channels, headroom, high gain settings
See all alternatives to the Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head?+
The closest matches in character are the Strymon Iridium, the Diezel Herbert MkIII, the Fryette Deliverance 120H II. Budget picks: Soldano SLO, Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp, Friedman IR-D.
What pairs well with the Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Browne Amplification Gritador, Browne Amplification Carbon, Nobels ODR-1 — The transparent tone has headroom to spare — Browne Amplification Gritador leans it toward mid-forward to fill it in.
How much does the Friedman Steve Stevens SS-100 V2 Head cost?+
Around $4299.99 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).