Framus Dragon Top

100 watts all tube amp,5 ECC 83 by JJ & 4 EL 34 by Electro Harmonix,3 channels (Clean, Crunch and Lead),Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble and Presence controls for each channel and Volume control per channel,Parallel effects loop,Deep control to set the amount of low end in the power amp stage, Master 1 and 2, switchable, Integrated MIDI interface,4,8,& 16 ohms speaker output impedance, switchable

There were no Framus dealers in my area when I bought this amp,so I had to base my decision on reviews,forums,and what Derek at Rock Solid Amps told me about it. I love the Marshall sound,but I didn't want to buy one because of their bad reputation for reliability problems. From what I read,and was told,the Dragon,sounds a lot like a Marshall,but still has it's own unique sound. So I decided on the Dragon and I'm glad I did. This is a very versatile amp. It's like having three amps in one. I can enjoy a Fender clean,a Marshall crunch,and a Mesa Triple Rec roar. What also impresses me is how quiet this amp is. For a 100 watt amp with the amount of gain it has on tap,it's extremely quiet. Usually EL34 valve amps aren't exactly known for a great clean tone. The clean channel on this amp is very nice. As far as getting a Marshall type tone,it's there. This amp can sound like a vintage Plexi and a JCM800. I love it! If I want to play 70s hard rock and old school metal,I use the Crunch channel. If I want a more modern metal tone,I use the Lead channel. The lead channel can be brutal. If anyone says this amp doesn't have enough gain to do metal,then they don't know what they're talking about. It's there if you need it. What I also love about this amp is that it loves pedals. One of my favorite tones is running a Maxon OD-9 and a Snarling Dogs Veri-Tone pedal through the clean channel. Plexi tone for days! Think AC/DC,Zeppelin,you get the picture. And then if I go to the other two channels with those pedals,forget about it! It's unbelievable! This amp responds so well to overdrive and boost pedals.
This amp is a tone monster!

I've owned this amp for four years now and have never had a problem. It's German engineered. If this amp were a car,it would be comparable to a BMW or a Mercedes. It's built like a friggin Sherman Tank!

When I first bought it,I had a little trouble dialing it in,so I e-mailed Framus. When I e-mailed them,it was pretty late at night. I didn't expect to hear from them until the next day. They responded to my e-mail in less than a half hour and then directed me to someone who could help me. They're awesome!

As I said previously,I've owned this amp for four years now,so the novelty has worn off. This isn't a I've had the amp for a week now review. I think after four years I would've known by now if this amp was problematic. It isn't. This amp should outlive me if I take care of it. I also want to mention that I switched out the Electro-Harmonix tubes and put in Mullards and that really put the tone over the top. I highly recommend that. This amp is a little pricey,but it's well worth the extra money. If you're like me,and are really particular about your tone,then you owe it to yourself to check out this amp. It's a classic.

i don't know what year it is, but apparently it was bought off of george lynch or something like that. the amp is extremely versatile, with a beautiful clean channel and two great dirty channels

my lead guitarists uses this head with a VHT Fat Bottom 4x12, and a Gibson SG Gothic special. the amp sounds very brittle and harsh. we wish the crunch had just more gain. we dont like to use tube screamers or boost pedals, we like it old school, plug and play. we play metal, but not ridiculous gain type metal, we have very tight crunchy tones. we love the tone on the crunch channel, but it just needs a tad bit more gain. We've tried getting the same tone out of the lead channel, but just cant get it right. we would go back to the 6505+, but that sounds a little too compressed

the amp seems really reliable, i would have no problem gigging without a backup. but just to be on the safe side, we bring the 6505+ along. we haven't had the head for to long so i cant really say that its a trooper, but it does have some years on it.

never had to deal with them

this amp is great, no doubt about it. but if its not the tone you're looking for, then its just not for you.

I picked up this Dragon off a friend of mine, I'm not 100% on the year but its serial indicates its a V5.

I play a variety of music, but tend to focus on Death Metal. I have definitely given all channels a run for their money though. A little RHCP through the clean channel will put a smile on your face just like the dirty channels will.

The Dragon has 3 channels, Clean, Crunch, Lead. It also has an Effects loop, and 2 master volumes. A unique feature is the deep knob, which not channel specific, but brings out the "chunk" in your tone nicely. All of this is Midi or oldschool foot switchable.

This amp has no reverb. If you're looking for something with reverb, you probably aren't going after an amp with this tight of a tone anyway. No bright switch either, although the ton controls can achieve fairly biting cleans just fine without it.

I use this amp in a tiny apartment. This is entirely too loud for said apartment, but worth it for the times I take it elsewhere. This thing is deafening with the master above 4 through my Framus CS 2x12 cab, I don't even want to know what it is like through a 4x12.

I'm playing it through an Ibanez 2620, with the stock Dimarzio IBZ pickups. These pickups are similar to a Dimarzio Super Distortion, and a Jazz.

You can get many different heavy tones out of this amp, but it needs a boost. Many criticize this for being low gain, for something sold as a high gain amp. I can get everything from KSE, TBDM, Some Metalcore crap, All That Remains, to some of the more saturated nu-metal crap tone. The crunch channel tends to get the most use from me, boosted with a TS9 it is tight as a... (use your imagination)

The clean channel is apparently a ripped off AC30 tonestack, and it shows, its actually amazing to find a clean this damn good in a high gain amp. Not much to say about the lead channel, its a bit smoother but can get fizzy and over saturated.

Sadly, this amp still has the original Electro Harmonix tubes in it, which are not a good mate for this amp. This means it's been going at least a year and a half on that original set of tubes without a problem. Has not broken down, would play it without a backup based on reputation, but not on personal experience.

I'm third owner, have not dealt with Framus or Warwick. Have not needed any repair work. I'm pretty sure finding an authorized service center would be very difficult considering my location, but the circuit is very very simple. Not sure on Warranty length either.

I've been playing guitar for about 15 years, on and off. I've got a Pod XT which is also great, and I've been through a couple Ibanez and Fender guitars. This is actually the first quality amplifier I've owned, the last two were cheap solid states, purchased before I knew much about what was good and what was bad.

If this was stolen or lost I would buy the same thing if it was out there available.

This product has everything I could ask for, except for reverb..But since I don't use reverb for EVERYTHING, using outboard FX is always an option. Apart from the reverb, or therefore lack of, this amp has, and is everything. Channel one is a sparkling clean to a fat, warm sounding bluesy, overgained sound. Beaute. Channel two is a crunchy rhythm/blues sound. Beaute. Channel three is anything from a crunchy rhythm/blues sound, upto a hench, sic sounding crazy metalfest. Anyone who says that there isnt enough gain is clearly an eejit, and has a desire to feedback constantly. The gain is plenty, and since I hate adding pedals/outboard distortion (I think it ruins the natural sound of valve amps and trans amps in general) it is perfect. I play mainly metal/proggy metal (influences of tesseract, meshuggah, textures, bulb, periphery and monuments) and in home, live and studio conditions; this thing is fucking crazy. I also play a lot of jazzy/indy/krunk/rock/blues stuff, and after quickly dialing in settings, this thing sounds brill. Oh and another thing I forgot, was the "Deep" pot; it changes the sound so much, and sounds amazing in context.

I use a hohner arbor series with a ZW EMG set on (yes .. yes .. you may be thinking "oh..a hohner.." but this thing shreds - trust) and using the bridge pickup maily, its great for all manors of death, thrash, tech .. whatever you want really. Moving onto other styles, having middle select or the neck select, its a much warmer, thicker sound which is great for blues on this amp.
As I've already said, its so versitile for every music style, and especially (though the other model is meant to be better for it) metal.
Oh and just to itterate; this thing is brutal. The lead channel on high volume slays, and this is just on a 2x12 ENGL (i prefer it to the 4x12)

Iv never been one for backing up or being over-prepared, but with this thing I dont think i'd need to be. This thing is built like a ******* tank.

Never had to deal with them, and hope never to!

Some small background of myself..I'v only been playing four and a half years or so, but in my time i've played a lot of amps, recorded a lot of music, and played a hell of a lot. I own a gibson 1974 custom, a hohner, a custom emg-laden LP, and various acoustics and basses. Before owning this I owned various marshalls, and theve always been *****. Iv never wanted to go back to them, so I decided to go with a more obscure brand. I was tempted by mesa, diezel, orange etc, but after playing all, I decided that i would go for a Framus. And after playing both the dragon and the cobra, I decided on the dragon for the above reasons. If it were stolen id hunt the ****** down, then buy another one. I love everything about it; the colours, the green "dragon's eye" looking on-button, the depth, the brutal sound, and the shimmering cleans, which are brill for experimental. Eversince my old band shared the stage with a band called InterLock, I've craved a framus, HARD. After considdering the price though, at 16 I was thinking that I could never afford something like this.. So I sold everything I could, and came up about..??600 short haha. Thankfully right place, right time; I found it on ebay and struck up a bargain.

This head is insane. Instant classic! Well worth every penny. Three channels of love. This amp brings it everytime. Very tight.. very loud and the lows grab you deep and demand respect.

Get real. Its never noisy. The distortion is adaptable to every kind of rock music. I use sg's and les paul's through it and its a dream combo... esp with the dragon cab. Yeah.. I know.. im pretty special arent I? lol

I've used it without fail two times a week (on average) for over a year. Its awesome!

I havent had to contact them

best ever

This amp is great. It has 3 channels, all of which have their own EQ which is great when you are looking to have different sounds between channels. One of my favorite features is the volume 1/2 selector which basically gives you 6 channels as far as I'm concerned. I don't use effects, but I know it has an effects loop. Everything about this amp is super high quality. I heard these were hand made... it looks like it got a lot of TLC, because its rock solid. I must say, I have used the COBRA as well which seemed a little less road worthy, so I was happy when I tried this one out. I use 2 amps, and the amp has a Ohms selector for those days when I am too lazy to bring my second cab and I need to run the amps stereo into one cab. Lots of good features.

This amp kills babies. Its loud, its got a really heavy edge, and the "deep" knob adds a lot of depth to the sound. I actually find myself using the OD channel cranked up with the deep knob at about 7 to get a really heavy sound that has a lot of low end. For heavier, louder stuff, I go with the lead channel. To be honest, when I heard the amp by itself I was not very impressed with how the distortion sounded, but when I play it with the band, it sounds amazing.

At this point I use a Fender Prosonic and the Dragon at the same time with an AB switch and it sounds great. I think the Dragon mixes really well with other amps. For a guitar I use a PRS standard 22 with dragon 2 pick-ups. They are really middy sounding pickups, so I am sure that the sounds I get a very specific to my set-up.

Don't know... I have only had this amp for a month. So far so good.

I don't speak German, so I don't know about international! I did email Dana B Goods tho, which is the US distributer and I must say... they sucked. They sent me an email back and didn't even answer my question. I was disappointed.

I don't even play guitar really, I am just a drummer so my opinion is pretty much worthless, but I think this amp rocks. I would buy it again. I like my prosonic better, but its nice to have something unique.

Just a side note - this amp was originally owned by the guitar player from godsmack... good or bad... i don't know.

The Dragon has features that are perfect for rock, blues, metal, and jazz.- Three channels with gain, bass, treble, presence, middle and deep. It's versatile and you can find many tones with it. Like all quality tube amps, tweak and be rewarded. However, there is no reverb.

I used this amp for about two weeks and gigged with it once. I was rewarded with some fantastic metal/rock tones. The Dragon is very close to a Marshall when it comes to the amp breaking up and distorting. Its raw tube distortion and punchy tone that felt great to play and the Dragon had alot it. I have to say though that a major dissapointment was the lack of sustain that the amp gave me. It was like pulling teeth trying to get some and when it did, it petered out on me. That was the only dissapointment although it's a pretty big one!. I would ave given the Dragon a 10 had the sustain been a more dramatic feature.

I only used it for about three weeks. The guy who I borowed it from said he had played with it for at least a year and gigged with it and used it several times a week. I would feel good about using it if I were the owner for sure. It appears to be constructed very well and it worked fine for me. As a player for over 30 years and one who has used several amps, I can say that this amp is a quality tube powered amp and that Framus has built this line of amplifier for professionals. It's tone and functionality is strait from the construction and isn't modulated in anyway way. I could tell that the amp was constructed by a designer who also is a player and demanded quality.

I've been playing for 30 years and played my Les Paul Custom through the Dragon. I also have an American Deluxe Strat and a Marshall JCM 2000 TSL with a 1960A cab. What I loved about this amp was it's "deep" sound and it's balance with the treble strings on the crunch and lead channels. It reminded of the Marshall but didn't live up to to it as the lack of and sustain were isssues with me. I like to hold and bend notes during my solos to create tension. As a result, I had to re-activate a string. Not a big deal, but there it was. If the Dragon were less expensive, I could live with the sustain issue and I'd buy it in a second. I know I could tweek it a bit more to resolve it. The Dragon is an excellent amplifier and is a very close neighbor to, "The Marshalls." However, for the price of the Dragon, I could get a Marshall and a half stack. LOWER YOUR PRICE FRAMUS!

Great design - 3 independent channels, MIDI controllable. Same complaint as the others with the footswitch not lighting up - MIDI makes up for this. The FX loop could be a tad better. It colors the sound a bit, esp in the mids.

Here is why I am writing.

These are fine amps that compete in the Range of VHT, Bogner, Marshall and the like. The thing is you have to mess with the settings and tweak a bit.

This amp really could use an onboard EQ. It is VERY BASSY and almost hard to get right in the mix because you have to work to roll the bass back and push the highs. Otherwise, it's versatile and toneful. Nice nasty mids, huge sound, EL34 goodness - you will NEVER LACK BASS, trust me.

Here is the big part - TUBES! These ship with EH EL34s now. BAD CHOISE if you ask me. It makes the amp a bit harsh and unbalanced. The EH 12ax7s are nice and nasty but I found much better choices. I have seen that JJ EL34s add some balance and glassiness, and E34Ls add nice aggressive attitude. In the Preamp JJ's are great. I found a preference for Mesa Boogie Russian -2 12ax7s in V1 and V2 OR Chinese 9th Gen. 12AX7s in V1 or V2.

If you want more of a classic tone with nice break up, Ei 12Ax7 Elite Golds are a great choice, though you might lose some volume and they can be microphonic.

THESE TUBE CHOICES CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO TONE.

A solid amp with a decent range of possibilities. I still have a slight preference for brands such as Bogner over this amp.

I will say, I love that this amp gives high gain flavors while still being toneful.

Framus Dragon 100 watt EL-34 tube amp:

Made in July 2005, I bought it used on New Years Eve 2005. Serial number 704!
I was a bit skeptical about buying an amp I hadn't yet played, and whether it would have enough gain. I like alot of thrash and death metal. The old Metallica sound, Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage (whom I understand recorded "End of Heartache" with a Dragon), Meshuggah, Death, Pantera etc. etc. This amp is great for all of them. I really wonder how the Cobra compares. the Lead channel has more than enough gain. I keep the bass and the Deep knob low, because the bass is wow....tons of it. The Crunch Channel sounds like a pushed JCM 900, great for 80s metal, blues, rock, etc. I like the Clean channel, its sparkly. I like Chorus on my cleans, and havent had the chance to use it yet, but im sure it'll be sweet. Anyway it has Midi in/out, FX loop, line out and an ohm switch 4/8/16. Another cool thing about it is the fact that it has dual Master volumes which are footswitchable.

I really wish that it had a bias switch to use other tubes, and reverb would be great. Also if there was a loop on/off button. If it had a parametric EQ or perhaps a better midsweep thatd be useful.

I use the amp at home.I havent had a chance to gig it, but I plan on it. Its got more than enough power. At level 5 with the master volume all the way up, it seems to have its best tone....the tubes sound absolutely immaculate

My main guitars are an

- 83 Gibson Flying V with aftermarket Seymour Duncans
- 87 ESP Maverick (M-II pre-lawsuit model, with a Jackson shaped neck?), DiMarzio Super Distortion and ESP Hotrails in neck.
- Les Paul with EMG 81s

My style is mostly of a metal nature. My guitars sound great through the amp. The Seymours tend to be a bit quieter than the EMGs, but they still have great sound. The EMGs have a bit more clarity, and bring out some pretty sweet pinched harmonics. The DiMarzio Superdistortion is a brutal &^$%#@! pickup....loads of bass, it just destroys.

The amp is quiet as a mouse. You turn it up to 5 or 6 and you couldnt even tell it was on. I mean, it makes a little bit of noise, but nothing like any other amps out there. For the amount of gain it produces, it sleeps like a baby when you palm mute.

The amp has alot of variety, from your clean sound to a kind of bluesy sound with the distortion all the way up. On the Crunch channel it goes from a JCM 800 to a pushed 900. It has a very fair amount of gain....i like to play Iron Maiden, Eric Clapton and general classic rock/blues/80s metal on this channel. The lead channel is metal up your ass bliss. The tubes just scream on this channel. I can't quite describe the sound, but theres alot of clarity and it just makes you want to jizz yourself as the amp assaults your ears. Despite what you'll read on here and elsewhere, this is a great metal amp, it will accomodate even the heaviest of sounds. It has a distortion of its own.

I feel very comfortable with this amp. I would gig it without a backup and feel at ease. I've only had it for about 2 and a half months, but it sounds great like when I first bought it. Tubes are still very stong.

Haven't talked to them yet, but for the price the amp runs for, you'd expect them to come to your house, fix it, and return it on a silver platter.

I bought it used, so, I don't have a warranty on it.

I've been playing for about 7 years.
I've gone through several amplifiers searching for the one that I can call my tone;

Crate GX-2200H, Crate 212, Randall Warhead, Marshall Mode Four, Marshall JCM 2000 DSL, B-52 AT-100, Mesa Triple Rectifier 2 channel, Line 6 Spyder II... I really liked the Mesa Triple Recto, but I thought it was really loud when palm muted and I needed a 3 channel amp (and I hear that the 2 channels were made better....but i cant verify that for sure).
If the Randall Warhead was a tube amp, and it didn't suck so much with all the constant bugs it has, that would be a great amp...it had some of the most brutal distortion, but it was very problematic; It produced an insane amount of feedback.

Anyway, I still have the Triple Recto, but I have to sell it to pay off the Dragon.

If the Dragon were stolen, I would hunt down the *&^%$# and *insert violent things here*, and then I would likely buy another, or better yet, id shell out a few extra hundred bucks and get the Cobra. Im really interested in a Mesa Mark IV too.

I saw that Lamb of God stopped using the Mesa Mark IVs and switched to Framus amps. I initially read that Killswitch Engage plays them....and very intrigued by their pinched harmonics, I looked into the Framus line. Once again, if it had reverb, an FX loop switch, and a bias switch, that'd make this a much cooler amp, but im extremely happy with it as is. I think if it were combined with a Mesa Triple Recto, it would be unbeatable. You'd have just about everything you want in one amp.
This amp usualy runs for $2399 and i got it on ebay for about 1300 shipped, so I can't complain.

+ Made in 2004
+ 3 Channels plus two Masters
+ MIDI for the Channelswitching and Master 1/2 (very easy to handle)
+ Use it for GrungeRock

- No Bright-Switch

Guitars: PRS Singlecut with Duncan HB, Strat with Duncan SC and HB, Ibanez SZ 520

I use the Dragon with a Boogie 4 X 12 Rectifier Cabinet

Clean Channel:

I do not use the clean channel very often. For this reason I can live with it. I miss a Bright switch! But it is ok for every kind of rock

Crunch Channel:

This is the sound I have searched for so long time! Real Crunch! You can go from little crispy to a brutal Rythm Crunch Sound and play even Lead with it! The Gain is enough! Better than a Double Recty

Lead Channel:

How can I say - too much Gain :) I don?t do Santana solos and other crab like this - the Lead Channel is ONLY good for Lead - no way to get another Crunch-Channel with different sound. Ok it is a Lead Channel.... I will bring it to a Tube Pro and turn down the Gain a little.

Overall Sound: As I said before - I do Grunge / Rock / Hard and this amp is extremly versatile for what I do.

Compare to other Heads I have tried and played in my life (the ones I remember):

Engl Powerball = More brutal, more Heavy
Groove Tubes Solo 75 = Better Clean Channel
Engl Savage 60 = More Mids and much more noisy
Engl Fireball = More cracklig sound, more hi
Marshall DSL = Crunch sucks, Clean is more thin
Boogie Double Recty = Much better Clean Sounds, Lead is nearly the same sound

Noise:

The Dragon is really a noisless Tubehead! Ok, if you put alot of gain on the Lead channel there is noise - but compared to other amps it is no noise!!

It is looking very solid! I use it with a case and handle my equipment with care.

I would like allways to have a backup but without the backup money....

Here the big minus is coming! I have asked for a blueprint by email and didn?t got a answer! Due to this was my first contact - a 5!

@Framus! Your german homepage tells lies about the Dragon :-) !!! Think it is the Cobra Description!

This is my amp (for now)! I would recommend this amp for Grunge Rock to Hard Rock - not for Metal and not for really bluesy or funky music. It is a real Rocker with the right Character for this.

DONT use it with a Marshall Cab! It sucks! Best experience with the Boogie 4 X 12 (even better than the Framus)

I think you already know the main features, three independent channels, two master volumes, all midi-switchable, FX-way, deep-switch...
Most versatile amp I've ever played! Don't know the year the amp was made, bought it used.

I'm using exclusively Framus Guitars (Camarillo Custom, Panthera Studio Custom) and this amp kicks ass with both of them! I've never heard a warmer clean sound before and the crunch channel beats every Marshall in my opinion. The lead channel also sounds great. I play mostly hard rock to metal and it has great gain reserves so that everything is possible. For death metal the distortion might be to "soft", but with an EQ in the loop everything is possible!

This Amp is built like a tank, I just need a new quad of power amp tubes.

Very nice people, never had problems with them!

I'm playing now since five years and owned many amps like Marshall 8100, Laney GH100L, Engl Screamer 50 and this amp is the holy grail of tone for me! I was always searching for an amp that fits my style and this amp's got everything I need!
If it was stolen I'd find the bastard and beat the hell out of him before I'd get another one!
For me it's the ultimate amp!

Faily versitile 3 channel amp that I use for Hardcore, Rock, Blues, a bit of metal. Parallel effects loop with blend, Deep knob(adds lows), Midi input, 4,8,16 ohm selections. Footswitchable channels and 2 volume selections(better this then a boost...you can use it to bring down your volume OR boost it). Can be to much gain for some applications. Plenty of volume that needs to be attenuated for smaller venues.
A couple of places this fall short is:
1. Lack of lights on the foot switch and crappy cable-this means you have to look at the amp to see what has been clicked on
2. Lack of switchable effects loop (like mesa Dual rectifier)
Besides these, great amp with lots of features

I have used lots of guitars with this one. Godin Flat Five, Ric 330, USA Strat, 52 reissue tele and it has sounded great with all of them. I get excited every time I get to play a show with this amp because it sounds so dang good!! It is so thick and warm..even on the clean channel!! I like the clean channel as much as my fender combo. Channels 2 and 3 do make a little noise when you aren't playing but I think it is an issue. This amp needs to be cut up loud to sound really good. It doesn't quite have the balls when it's low in volume. It fits my band very well and made everything sound thicker. Being only a three piece the added thickness is a plus!!
The distortion is killer! Plenty of Gain. I run it about half way on channel 3. Channel Three has a good bit more thickness then 2 but I think it makes for a good sound going from 2 to 3 for a verse chorus change. I give this a nine because sometimes it has 2 much gain. Even channel 2 does but I have noticed what preamp tubes that are put in it make a diffrence.

I've had it about 3 and half months now and have had no problems with it. Just the other day I did burn out a preamp tube but other then that it has been great. (I here the preamp tubes run very hot so I guess this makes them wear out quickly) I gig it regularly (1 once a week or sometimes more) and have practise 1 or twice a week. These both are pushing the amp hard. No problems.

I bought my amp from Josh Sage and he has been a great help and has answered any and every question I have had. I have been able to call him any time to ask him questions. I have not dealt with Dana B so I don't know about them a 10 goes to Josh Sage

I've been playing for 7 or 8 years. I love this amp. If it were stolen I would track the person down and drop the amp on their head. It could take it. I like the cosmetics, the sounds, the features, and the service I have had with my Dragon. This is a world class amp~!!

This amp has a ton of features. It's 3 channels, and each channel has gain, volume, 3 band EQ, and presence. Very nice. The presence feature is probably what I like the most. Most amps have one global presence control, which can be a problem dialing in overdrive/distortion sounds. The dragon head lets you get a nice chimey clean sound without having to live with a buzzy lead sound. It's also got 2 switchable master volume levels, extremely handy. The midi capability is pretty cool, I've used it for channel switching, but that's about it. It's a 100 watts, plenty loud enough for anything I've played, and very versatile. I've used it for alt-country, jazz, fusion, R&B, rock, the works. One thing that keeps it from being a 10 is the footswitch. The manufacturer doesn't make it yet, so the U.S. distributor had to come up with a footswitch on thier own. That comes under customer support, I suppose, so Dana B. Goods gets a 10 in that category.
One last thing here is the effects loop. It's a parallel loop, with a separate global control and tube driver. It's good, but a series/parallel option might have been better.

This thing sounds pretty amazing. I give it a 10 because it's the only 3 channel amp I could find that gave me all the sounds I needed to hear. I tried out several amps, and would always end up comparing them to the Framus, so there it is.
I'm using Framus guitars, a couple by Ibanez, a Heritage, even a couple of Samicks (!). They all have either DiMarzio or Gibson pickups, and they all sound dynamite.
The Clean channel stays nice and clean to a very high volume. Since it's a tube amp, you can push the power section to the point where the power tubes will break up, but then you're starting to maim and kill small animals and children with the sound pressure level.
The distorion sounds are very flexible, with tons of gain on tap. The Crunch channel gets a nice blues growl to an Angus Young grind, to a Matchless throaty howl with the gain maxed. I'd actually like a little more girth in the Crunch channel at low gain settings, but it's still good. So I actually use the Crunch as my Lead channel, and the Lead channel as a Rhythm/crunch channel...kinda backwards from what they intended, it would seem.
The Lead channel has way more gain than I can really use, but with the gain on 2-3 or so, it gets the chunky Marshall vibe really well, better than the Crunch channel, I think. It can get rather brutal, but since I'm not a metal/nu metal/etc., player, I can't really comment in this respect. The amp is very quiet, even with gain settings cranked.
I give it a 10 because of the flexibility and quality of sounds all in one package. I really could not find an amp that could do what the Dragon can do. I think of the Dragon more as a modern high-gain, channel switching amp that also does very good vintage sounds - if that isn't too much of an oxymoron. For those wishing to inflict more sonic mayhem, the Framus Cobra would probably fit the bill.

Very reliable at this point. I've had it for two years, and not one problem. I have done gigs without backup. I did have a couple of modifications done, which actually lowered the power output a bit, from 100 watts to maybe 80 watts. The amp comes from the factory with a fixed/adjustable bias, and the B+ supply is set at about 500V. I had the power tubes converted to cathode bias, and the B+ was lowered to 450V. These two mods warmed the amp up quite a bit. It's definitely my main amp for just about anything. Since it's a tube amp, something's going to happen sooner or later. This thing is built really well, so it'll probably be later. I just brush well, use floss, and see my amp tech regularly.

Customer support in the Southwest USA is awesome. Dana B. Goods is the U.S. distributor, and I live about 2 miles away, so I've got it easy. I always get answers to questions. I never had to have it repaired. Like I mentioned above, they ended up making a pedal to go with the Dragon head, since Framus was dragging its feet on that issue. Framus is owned by Warwick, so product quality is going to be top notch. But dealing directly with Warwick/Framus can be iffy, so the 10 rating is for the U.S. distributor, not Warwick itself.
The warranty was one year, but didn't have to use it. With the mods it's kind of a moot point.

I've been playing for about 25 years or so. I own several other amps - a Valvetech (which I like a lot, just not as versatile or as powerful as the Dragon), some vintage Gibsons, vintage Silvertones, a vintage Fender, plus some wierd stuff. So the Dragon is able catch enough of the vintage vibe that I want as well as do the modern high gain thing as well. Two things that I might want to modify, and one is the effects loop, rig up a series option. The other thing is the Crunch channel - I might change a cap or two to give it some girth, but I'd hate to lose it's midrange quality, so I may just leave it alone...I dunno.
Like I mentioned earlier, I compared it with Boogies, Marshalls, Fenders, a Framus Cobra, and Matchless. I didn't A/B it with a Bogner, but there seemed to be reliability issues with many Bogners listed in the reviews here on the HC, so I didn't go there. Anyway, through all the playing/listening tests I always came back to the Framus Dragon as the amp able to capture the sounds in MY head.
I did get this amp on an endorsement deal, but that wasn't why I went with Framus. I decided to go with the Dragon AFTER all of the amp testing and comparisons, and then talked to them about getting the Dragon head.
And yes, if it were lost/stolen, I'd get another, no question.

This amp is all tube, 100watt which uses EL34's and 5 preamp 12AX7's one of which is a buffer for the FX loop. 3 Channels, Clean, Crunch and Lead with gain, volume, treble, mid, bass and presence for each individual channel. It has two Master Volumes which are switchable for a boost. Also has a midi interface so you can change amp channels and FX patches at the same time which is fantastic...I hate standing on multiple footswitches. Apparently it's mostly free wired by hand aswell. It also has a global Deep pot for low end and an FX mix pot.

I use a 75 Strat, 96 Gibson Les Paul Standard with Duncan Alnico 2's and a Hamer SS1 with a Duncan JB. For an amp capable of high gain this is the quitest amp I have ever played in relation to background noise. Iv'e been looking for an amp that can cover blues, classic rock and metal tones for quite a while aswell as something that can do a bit of country "twang". This amp can do all this in spades. What surprised me is how great the clean channel is, it can really sparkle or you can dial it in to break up, anyway it's real versatile, you could do funk styles with is aswell. The Crunch channel gets you all those classic Marshall tones with more thick tone. The Lead Channel has a real smooth sustaining distortion, a bit like a Soldano with a bit more flexibility in tone. It's really a great amp as you get mean modern tones as well as real vintage/classic tones. Contrary to what another review said this amp definately can do Metal.

It's two years old, I brought it used and it has'nt had any issues yet.

Have'nt had to deal with them.

Iv'e been playing for 15 years and have worked in guitar stores for acouple of years so iv'e been able to demo heaps of amps and racks.

Iv'e owned a Marshall 25th Jubilee 100watt head, Marshall rackmount pre-amps and power amps, a Rockman Sustainor rack, an ADA MP1, Peavey 5150 (5150'S are awful) and a Gallian Kruger 250ML to name a few. In my search I tried out the Soldano's, Mesa's, Carvins Vai, Hughes and Kettner, Marshall TSL/Mode4 and ENGL's.

The insane thing is I brought this amp without actually playing it as there are no distributors here in New Zealand.

By chance one came up for sale second hand here which was brought in from Australia. I'd heard so many good things about them and found heaps of sound clips (the previous owner sent some clips aswell) on the net as reference.

I don't really recommend blind purchases on any other amps other than a Framus. Really this is the best amp i've ever played. I was close to getting an ENGL. Although ENGL makes amazing amps they sound too clinical and focused for my style.

The Framus Dragon is a hand-wired three channel all tube 100 watt guitar amplifier. Each channel has its own gain, presence, volume, bass, middle, and treble knobs. The master output section has two master volumes, deep knob, and a variable effect mix knob (allowing you to adjust the effects loop in parallel or series). This head can also be used with a midi switcher. No reverb which suits me just fine, I'm not one who likes washing away the tone of great tube amp.

Okay, here we go. This amp slays me. I'm finished searching and purchasing other amps. I've owned Mesa, Marshall, Laney, VHT, Ampeg (Lee Jackson), Peavey, Hughs and Kettner, Vetta, Mitchell and Kittyhawk. I've tested Rivera, Bogner, Soldano, Matchless, and countless other obscure tube amps. Isn't it funny how you play an amp by itself in a store and think "Wow this thing rules" only to take it to a gig and struggle to get a decent sound out of the thing. In the 25 years I've been playing guitar this always holds true. At the gig, that is the true test. The Dragon seems to be voiced with "the gig" in mind. The way this amp sits in the mix has to be heard to be appreciated. It's huge sounding without covering over the vocals. Godzilla-like without crushing the front of house sound. All three channels (clean, crunch, and lead) excell in what they do. I agree with the rest of these reviews when it's said that this amp is quiet. Ever listen to a 5150 on high gain with no guitar playing? You won't hear anything like that with the Dragon. All tone, no noise. If you like to shred this amp is for you. String and note definition is superb without being too unforgiving. Unlike VHT which has great clarity but leaves you feeling as though you're playing naked. The Dragon has wonderful mids which is where the guitar tone lives, unlike Mesa's scooped sound ( lots of low end rumble and lots of top end hiss void of any warmth for soloing). The Dragon's mids aren't harsh like Marshalls are. There's none of the "ice pick in the ear" sound when you are lined up in front of the cabinet. The Framus Dragon gets a big fat 10 for its sound!

I've had this amp for 7 months and I play quite a bit. (3 bands) It's never let me down at a live gig or recording session. Time tells everything, but for now it gets a 10.

Never needed the company's support. I can't really give a rating on something I haven't experienced. No opinion.

Again I've Got to give this amp an overall rating of 10, because it's simply the best amp I've ever owned. If I lost it or if it were destroyed, I'd buy another without hesitation. I will purchase another just to have a back up. I don't think I could live without the tone I've gotten used to.

I have to give this amp a 10 on features. Someone tell me what is missing to rate it at 6 to 9. 3 (Channels each with gain, presence, volume, bas, mid, treble) a master volume, a 2nd master volume for boost, a deep (low-end) boost, separate buttons for each channel and 2nd master volume (and matching footswitch), effects loop with front wet-dry knob, midi capable and ALL TUBE. I bought the 4x12 Dragon Cab too.
The deep boost and master volume let you play this thing at very low volumes and still get an incredible full marshall 4x12 sound.

I mostly play a Fender Custom Shop Showmaster (super strat) with SD 59 humbucker in bridge and Fender CS fat 50's in middle and neck. I also play a Hamer Special with P90s.
The effects I use with it are a Roland Space Echo, Maxon OD808 overdrive, 1980s Ibanez CL9 Compressor, and a Dunlop Univibe.
The clean is the most sparkling Marshall clean I have ever heard. I have always been a reverb nut and I don't have a problem with out it here. The gain let's you change from shimmering to more raw. This isn't a Fender blues channel.
The crunch channel is really versatile. There is every Marshall tone you have ever wished you could have and they are easy to dial up too. You can turn the gain way down and get some of the blues tones that I like.
The lead channel. This thing will cover 90% of the metal tones out there. If you want the other 10% get a Cobra but I think you sacrfice other tones in the Cobra. Also you if you have the crunch channel dialed in for blues you can set the lead channel gain down to get some of the crunch channel tones.
This amp is quiet (really quiet).
This is not a Fender amp. I have a Fender Twin Reverb for that (although I almost never play it anymore).
I am like so many others I read reviews from on HC. I have spent a fortune buying gear (and a lot of high priced boutique stuff). The only 3 rigs that I would classify in the same tone was a Mesa 90//90 stereo power amp + Mesa V Twin preamp + Intellifex reverb + 2 Marshall 4x12 Vintage cabs. Awesome sound but strictly Mesa. I had a VHT Classic 100 (nice but not great). And a 1973 Marshall JMP 50 watt head w/ 4x12 cab (good marshall clean but had to use pedals for distortion since not too many places I could run at full volume).

This amp is about a year old and I have never had a problem with it. I will rate it a 10 because most gear I have had that had problems di so in the first year.

The dealer (Music Makers in Austin)was straight up with me that outside of their in house amp tech, I shouldn't count on Framus because they are overseas. I haven't had to and the dealer says the customers haven't had to have any work performed.

I have played for about 20 years. I own a bunch of gear (Matchless, Mesa, Bogner, and all of the other "designed to impress someone else" brands) but decided 2 months ago enough is enough and started selling most of it. The single electric guitar amp I have kept is the Framus Dragon. For all of the years of collecting "holy grail" tone, I didn't miss a heart beat making that decision. I haven't stepped into a music store (they use to be my 2nd homes) and turned on another amp since I got the Dragon a year ago. Now how many people who have raved about their "10" rated amps can make that claim.

I would absolutely go out and buy another Dragon if it were stolen (with no stops on the way to check out others).

Words can't describe how awesome this head is, 3 seperate chanels with
a deep knob and a second master volume to control all 3 chanels which
is great for solo's. This head does it all, from early plexi sounds
like VH and AC-DC to an all out assault on metal. it also has built in
midi. What makes this amp my dream amp is this, It has the intense tone, gain and dynamics of a bogner or diezel on chanel 3, but on chanel 2 you can get a cleaner,warmer and still heavy as hell older tube amp sound with the same intense tone and dynamic range. This amp is loud, I mean really LOUD (100W), I play live and use this amp in the studio and it's perfect either way.

I use a 57 reissue LP, and 2 GMP's all loaded with duncan custom pickups. My band is in the vein of Sevendust and Saliva. This amp is not noisy at all, and the clean chanel is awesome, I guess if you like
a Fender then it's not for you, but I am not a Fender Guy. This amp
will do almost anything, Marshall MKII/Plexi/800/900/2000 and boogie
but it does them BETTER. I know because I own all of the above and have used them all in a Pro studio Environment. Another musician on a seperate review said it won't do metal, BS I run the gain on 7 for leads and it's still a little to much, some players use dist as a cruch, and yes a bogner will dist till you can't define the notes, but
this head won't. If you like a bogner with the gain turned all the way
up, then the Framus Dragon is not for you.

I have only owned it for a couple months so I can't say. I have
not had any issues yet.

I have not had to contact the manufacture

I have been playing over 20 years, and have used and owned it all. When I bought this amp, I had a choice between a Bogner Uberschall and
The Framus Dragon. I went with the Framus because it does what the
Bogner does on chanel 3, and chanel 2 does the rest. The bogner will distort more, but like I said the notes get lost. If I lost this head
I would be devastated.

3 channels (clean, crunch, lead). 100 watts. Loud, loud, loud....midi switching, 2 seperate master volumes. Bought mine used for a steal on Egay and it came with an aftermarket footswitch that switches silently. No Led's on the switch. bummer. 4 EL34's. I give it an 8, because there's no reverb and no lower power setting (to switch from 100 watts to 50). But still a hell of a lot of cool features.

I'm playing straight ahead heavy rock stuff. Mostly playing re-issue Dan Armstrongs(a clear one and a smoke clear one). These guitars have a great pickup designed by Kent Armstrong that are simply unreal for high gain rock. (There's a reason Grohl is playing these!!!) Anyway, I've been using a Mesa Tremoverb 100 watt head with a 4x12 Mesa cab (w/vintage 30's). Great clean(way better than the plain Dual recs), and Mesa distortion(a little muddy and compressed, but still usable). Anyway, THE FRAMUS DRAGON SMOKES THE TREMOVERB IN A BIG WAY!!! I've played a lot of amps, boutique(Bogner, Tophat, etc...)and Marshall DSL, JCM 800's. There is no comparison. The Framus amp is noiseless. Beautifully designed. The clean is certainly one of the best cleans I've ever heard using EL34's. Gotta crank it though. The crunch channel is superb as well. Wanna play the blues? No problem. Wanna get a good plexi type distortion? Turn the gain up to 5 or 6. Wanna get an AC/DC, Sabbath distortion? Gun the gain to 9 or 10. And finally, if you need some good Heavy tones (anywhere from Fu Manchu to early Metallica) the Lead channel has some of the most defined high gain tones I've ever heard. No Mesa muddiness, No Marshall treble/mids problem. Palm muting sounds sick. This is what I've been looking for. It was a bit of a gamble, because there's not a lot of info out there on this somewhat new name in amps. The gamble paid off in spades. Oh by the way... there's two master volumes, so this can be used as a volume boost that is completely silent and instant. Gotta give it a 10. Can't imagine what the Framus Cobra sounds like! They say it's a step up. No need.

Only had it for a couple of weeks, but for a 3 channel amp, that has midi capability, Framus has kept it real simple. Tubes, tubes, tubes...Your local amp guy should not have any problems fixing if there's a problem.

Never dealt with 'em. They are in Germany, but there's a couple of US dealers(distributors) that could probably help.

Pretty much covered this in the above. Been playing for 12 years. Played a lot of amps(especially lately). If you can get one under 2 grand it's a steal. If the word gets out and the right players start playing these, it's going to be a very popular amp for SERIOUS players.

2003 Framus Dragon, 100w w/EL34's, three channels, separate eq for each channel, effects loop, two Master vols, depth knob, midi capable. Great features and very versatile.

I use Guild and PRS guitars and play rock/hard rock. This amp is highly under-rated and definitley belongs in the same league as the Bogner's and Soldano's of the world. Every channel sounds great, but I have my favorite. The clean channel is very clean, full and warm. It will not break up, so if clean is what you're looking for it's got it. The crunch channel is my favorite. Nice natural compression, the gain sweep is really nice going from a medium gain crunch to a thick and heavy hard rock tone w/a kind of spongy feel to it. It sounds great with neck humbuckers! The lead channel is a real monster and I totally disagree with the previous poster that said it doesn't do metal, bullsH!t! It has tons of gain and can do 80's, modern or even death metal with the right guitar and pups. Both gain channels are like a cross between a great Marshall and a Soldano with a thicker, tighter lowend. It's got that Soldano sizzle on the topend that really cuts through. I use a footswitch I got for free from a Framus distributor (www.danabgoods.com), and switching is silent and instantaneous. You can also use any midi footswitch as well. From clean to mean, it's all there.

Haven't had it that long, only 3 months but it seems well built. Come on! It's made in Germany, high quality for sure.

Never dealt with the company directly, but the US distributor I mentioned sent me a great footswitch to use with the Dragon for free, so I'm giving them a 10.

Been playing a long time and have been through my share of amps. This is a great amp with great tones that can cover alot of ground. Framus is not a household name in the US yet, but if you get a chance give one a try.

The Framus Dragon is a 3 channel 100w head, made in 2001. Each channel has its own EQ, presence control, gain & volume. Master controls are master vol 1 & vol 2 (footswitchable for solo level), effects mix (parallel effects loop) and deep. Output impedance can be selected (4/8/16 ohm) so a variety of speaker combinations are possible. I use it with a 2x12 cab loaded with Celestion Vintage 30's.

Channels and master vol 1 or 2 are all footswitchable, but the amp does not come with footswitches. A four button footswitch with LEDs would be handy! It also has a midi interface for control of the above, but I don't use this feature.

This amp is loud and I have had it modified by Dave Ulbrick to be switchable down to 50W. This is very useful; Framus should consider a 100/50/25 switch like some Bogners and other high end amps.

An option to switch to low wattage class A (like a Fender Prosonic) would be really cool, but you can't have everything.

I use this amp with a PRS custom 22 (dragon 2's) and a '66 strat with DiMarzio Blue Velvets. Am playing mostly classic rock/pop hits, from Beatles, Doors, Creedence, Bowie, Santana, Matchbox 20, Gary Moore, etc. This amp does it all - jack of all trades, but not master of all...

The crunch channel takes some getting used to, but when you do it is good. a slightly clipped sound with good natural compression, reminiscent of an old valve amp cranked (but not as good as my Vox AC-15). It's gain can be a little grainy if cranked up high; I use this channel with gain on about 3. Great for Roadhouse Blues, Rebel Rebel, Matchbox 20.

The lead channel is where this amp really shines. Somewhere between Santana (recent stuff) and Gary Moore (STill Got The Blues album). With the gain around 6 or 7, there's lots of sustain, smooth and creamy distortion without being grainy. Not for metal heads. I've had lot's of compliments about my tone because of this channel. When I use this channel at lower gain level, say around 3, it's more like Lee Ritenour or Larry Carlton.

But the clean channel I don't like. I find it almost too clean and somewhat unforgiving. The natural compression of the other channels isn't there (even at high volume), and if used with the gain cranked up past 7 it sounds harsh. I've tried using a few pedals including a MXR Super comp, but just can't get it to sing sweetly. I'm now using my Vox AC-15 for most gigs because of this. This channel does stay clean at high volume with the gain at 5 or less.

Still gets a reasonable rating because two out of three channels are great.

Used it for two years without a backup (other than my Boss VF-1) and never had a problem. Seems to be built very well. I've had a few Marshalls that are considerably less reliable.

Never had to deal with Framus or the distributor. There are no dealers in New Zealand, so if it ever needs repair it may have to go to Australia. Fortunately the authorised repair engineer (Dave Ulbrick) is excellent, and very helpful. Marks off because I'd have to pay a lot for freight & insurance.

I've been playing for 25 years, in bands on and off for most of that time. I have a few amps (Marshall, Vox, Peavey & Framus). This is the most versatile and has some great features. If it were stolen I wouldn't buy another one. I might need to look at a BadCat or similar to get that class A sound with the added bonus of a higher gain lead channel.
If you're looking at buying one of these, try it at home with your own guitars & pedals first. Or better try it loud at a gig.

Framus is manufactured by Warwick and as far as I know, the brand is quite new. It has three channels, clean, crunch and lead. All channels can be controled via MIDI or a standard footswitch with a 1/4 plug. Each channel has its own three band EQ with presence, gain and volume. The head has two seperate master volumes which can be saved and switched via MIDI and a deep control. The amp also has an effects loop with effects mix control and a line out. Cabinet Ohm selector is also included. It is a 100 watt class A tube amp and it is LOUD. I play in a metal band and it works great.

I play three different Washburn Custom Shops all with Dimebags signature pickup in the bridge and a Duncan in the neck (model unknown) and the amp handles well with the style of music I play. And with three channels, you can find the sounds that best fit you. The distortion is enough to pop ear drums when turned up and can come back down for a blues type feel. The clean channel stays clean even at high volumes. Great versatility.

I havent had this amp long enough to know if it will hold up. But the constructon is solid and tubes seem to have enough cooling area as not to overheat and they are pretected with an aluminum bar.

Warranty is good, 1 year But never dealt with company. Its Warwick, so Im sure its great

The way I understood it when I bought the amp was that the dealer, Spotlight Music in Fort Collins Colorado, was the first North American dealer so they got some "hero of the day" prices on the stuff, so it was cheap. The head is covered in blue vinyl and I wanted black, but to ship a black one it would have cost me close to 1800 bucks for the head so I took blue and saved 700, but if it came down to it and I needed to buy another amp, this would be the one. All the MIDI capabilities make this amp worth buying.

The Framus Dragon has everything you need for playing rockmusic. It has three channels (clean, crunch and lead). Everyone Channel has its own equalization, gain, presende and volume setting. It has two master volumes and a master deep for adjusting the deeply pressure of the cabinets. The dragon has a adjustable parallel effect loop.
The channels and the master volume are MIDI switchable. This feature I use for having a sound (amp plus effects) with one simple step on my MIDI footboard.
The features certainly could be more, but it is enough.

The sound is compareable to a tuned marshall amp. Every channel sounds great.

Since now I never had problems with this amp. As backup I have a POD.

I mailed one question about MIDI setup to the company. The answer came prompt and friendly.

I would always buy this amp again, because it sounds great and it is for Europe cheap compared to US amps.