Fryette Power Station

I had one to use with my 72 Trem. I also have a 'pulse' attenuator which is a clone of the Jettenuator. It's a non reactive load vs the Fryette. The PS is great in it's own way; to add a loop to a vintage amp or re amping/WDW power amp. But as a standalone attenuator I actually liked the tone from the cheaper Pulse better. But, ultimately I just don't care for the attenuated tone period. So I returned it. My 72 has a great volume off tone with pedals that's perfect for low volume playing...and I can still pick my times to let it loose every week.
But the PS has so many great uses that I can see it being a must have for many.
 
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alund said:
I like this idea and I believe it wholeheartedly; but I’m too stupid to understand it. My brain doesn’t work like this. I’m a better plumber than electrician. So when it comes to power, bias, tubes etc , I just use something that sounds good enough to me then fiddle with the preamps that I have for color. Maybe I could get my sound right with 1 power and pre- if I had an electrical/physics mind. Instead I use 2 preamps and 2 power amps all the time and add a 3rd for solos. It works. Probably overkill BUT.
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What amps do you have?
 
I've had PS100 for about a year now. Solid unit, sees lots of use. Lately I've been using it as a power amp/load box to silently record. Peavey rockmaster > PS100 > PS speaker out into its load box and then line out into my interface.
I think I got mine from Westcoast guitars in Vancouver, but Fryette was also willing to ship directly to me when they had stock.
 
Nigel said:
What amps do you have?
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True heads; SLO 100, evhiii, Xxx combo, H&K gm40; sold off the Mesa DR and archon 100 after acquiring the power amps below.
Poweramps: Fryette PS100, Soldano SM100R, mesa50/50, atomic reactor stereo 50/50. Preamps (Caswell/Myasnikov superlead/Axe Fx). The axe runs into the atomic reactor in stereo for wet effects. The Soldano/Caswell is dry. The superlead and PS100 is solo only.
 
I have a ps-100. Amazing piece of gear. I've us3 it to control a plexi I built a Mesa dual rectifier and I have also used it to upscale a fender Princeton to higher wattage. The fact that it works as a awesome reactive load is a huge bonus for me and I love recording with it for that reason. I use it with my dual rectifier and use the loop on the power station to help not destroy the tone. I will say that the xlr out on mine went out, and I have been having to use a 1/4 out to record with. I spoke with fryette about repairing it but never sent it in cause it is still functional.
 
alund said:
True heads; SLO 100, evhiii, Xxx combo, H&K gm40; sold off the Mesa DR and archon 100 after acquiring the power amps below.
Poweramps: Fryette PS100, Soldano SM100R, mesa50/50, atomic reactor stereo 50/50. Preamps (Caswell/Myasnikov superlead/Axe Fx). The axe runs into the atomic reactor in stereo for wet effects. The Soldano/Caswell is dry. The superlead and PS100 is solo only.
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The Mesa 50/50 has a lo power switch that knocks it down to 15 watts. I bet it cuts the B+ I half just like my Rivera. Break out a bias probe and make sure. If so, you can use the low power and underbias the shit out of it (14~15 watts per tube idle OR HIGHER!) and have all the sextone you can handle.

I believe I’ve coined a new term! Sextone!
 
Nigel said:
The Mesa 50/50 has a lo power switch that knocks it down to 15 watts. I bet it cuts the B+ I half just like my Rivera. Break out a bias probe and make sure. If so, you can use the low power and underbias the shit out of it (14~15 watts per tube idle OR HIGHER!) and have all the sextone you can handle.

I believe I’ve coined a new term! Sextone!
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Ha. Sextone! I guess the main reason I have not fiddled with volume/power/bias etc is because I live in the middle of nowhere and neighbors are not an issue. In the summer we will open up one of the bays and neighbors come to listen but I live hundreds of yards away from anyone. It’s nice. As for ear protection I use my sound cancellation earbuds. Gives me just enough to hear well and feel it too
 
I like my PS100. I've used it mostly with my amps that have a crappy master volume... you know the ones that 1 is too low and 1.1 blows the windows out. Recently though I've been using to put some more balls behind my few low watt EL84 amps or ones without presence and resonance controls.
 
alund said:
Ha. Sextone! I guess the main reason I have not fiddled with volume/power/bias etc is because I live in the middle of nowhere and neighbors are not an issue. In the summer we will open up one of the bays and neighbors come to listen but I live hundreds of yards away from anyone. It’s nice. As for ear protection I use my sound cancellation earbuds. Gives me just enough to hear well and feel it too
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Nice. If you’ve never experienced low voltage overbias, you should try it at least once. Just run the bias all the way up on one channel of your 50/50 in low power mode & profit sextone!

Guise shall we call EVH’s greatest technical contribution to guitar THE Sex Tone?
 
alund said:
True heads; SLO 100, evhiii, Xxx combo, H&K gm40; sold off the Mesa DR and archon 100 after acquiring the power amps below.
Poweramps: Fryette PS100, Soldano SM100R, mesa50/50, atomic reactor stereo 50/50. Preamps (Caswell/Myasnikov superlead/Axe Fx). The axe runs into the atomic reactor in stereo for wet effects. The Soldano/Caswell is dry. The superlead and PS100 is solo only.
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You could also variac the atomic down and adjust the bias on it right from the front of the unit!
 
The PS1 is the best, most versatile piece of auxiliary gear I own

I don't need it for attenuation with my Larry, the master volume is too good, but it's great as a power amp for wdw

And the attenuator is fantastic with vintage amps
 
Love mine. Use it as a power section for my Kemper and to tame bigger amps. All-around fantastic piece of gear.
 
JLR said:
PS-100 is the best piece of equipment i have bought in awhile. Incredible functionality. I have some vintage amps without loops so the fx loop in the 100 was a real treat. I never liked the delay/reverb going through the front end. Redirecting these type of effects out of the amp into the 100 makes your pedals shine. It allows me to push the power section on my Marshalls to the sweet spot then tweak with the Fryette EQ. Having the 2nd channel as a boost solves the age old problem of boosting single channel amps with no loop which are the type of amps I prefer. Research this item and these benefits seem to stand out amongst many users. Old school volume knob rider 50's wiring guitar player here so this unit is a blessing for me. I had to wait 4 months for mine last year and worth the wait. Seems to be some issues surrounding the customer service with Fryette but haven't had to go there myself. Small company with big surge sales so their appear overwhelmed.
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I don’t like delay and reverb in front of the amp.
 
ZEN Amps said:
If you're a man of fine tastes and not on a thrifty budget then yeah, a PS sounds like it would be a worthwhile addition.

A thought though - as someone who knows their way around a soldering iron you could always just make a DIY reactive load and then pair it with a decent SS power amp. For low volume playing, another tube amp in the chain is pretty unnecessary IMO. You don't really need a loop for this, your FX go between the load and the power amp.
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Yes though i have a powerstation now i briefly did a suhr reactive load to effects to ehx 22 caliber.
Worked great
 
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