Fryette Pittbull Ultralead II

[Greazygeo]

Ah, got it. Thanks for clarifying and I didn't mean to be snippy.

I completely agree with you on the studio and touring use case. That is likely where this product makes the most sense, especially for players who already live in rack-based workflows with Fractal, Two Notes, or similar setups. In those environments, consistency, recall, and integration matter more than form factor. A VHX is a great fit if you're playing the same set every night and want instant recall in a tube amp format.

Where I still have some hesitation is with the broader hobbyist market, which is where most sales are at. Bedroom players and weekend warriors tend to gravitate toward simplicity, smaller footprints, and fewer moving parts, especially digital. That said, the industry is clearly shifting toward digital, fully mic’d stages, and silent rigs, so the addressable market may be growing faster than it appears.

For context, I own an Axe-FX III Mk II Turbo and absolutely love it. If I’m being honest, I probably play it more than my tube amps. I have also bought several tube amps specifically because of how good they sounded in the Axe-FX models. That is where my internal debate comes in. If I already have a Deliverance model, extensive EQ, and near-limitless tone shaping, could I achieve a very similar result by running the Axe-FX into a power amp? And if so, is this a four-thousand-dollar problem worth solving?

I am not saying the product does not make sense. I am just saying it occupies a very specific lane, and it will be interesting to see how many players decide that this hybrid approach is the right tradeoff for them.

No worries, I didn’t take it as snippy. I’m thinking the next Malcontents episode will be interesting.

Ive been trying to find a lighter, easier setup for gigs. Been messing with Tonex, small combos with a Revv pedal etc. My Wizard is awesome and perfect for me, just getting tired lugging it around and need more options for a clean channel with it. This UL being lighter, having irs and presets is pretty interesting. Never went down the AXE III route cause I know how I am with too many options…Im sure it is awesome.

With my old UL I only ever used the 2nd channel, if this has that tone, that will be great for me.

 

[Code001]

I'm interested and intrigued. However, I'll be pretty bummed if this is his answer to the updated GP3 he was teasing a good 6+ months back.

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

Have they really gotten better? They used to be pretty well known for not answering emails or returning calls. That has always turned me off.

I had an issue with a power station a couple of years ago, sent an email and got an rma within a few days. Sent out and returned repaired within 3 weeks.

 

[ZEN Amps]

Have they really gotten better? They used to be pretty well known for not answering emails or returning calls. That has always turned me off.

We had two separate issues with our PS2A, Fryette were unresponsive both times. This was in the last two years, maybe they've improved?

I feel like for a lot of us, we are going to see a lot of stuff made that just passes us by. I think it is smart to put all this IR/digital stuff in the amps for the new generations.

Yep the younger players are certainly more open to innovation, unsurprisingly. I've also been heartened to meet and talk to many under 25's in recent years that love and value tube amps - and this is why I welcome the addition of digital when it doesn't compromise on tone.

That new Friedman load box thing for example could be pretty cool, except that it goes beyond "digitally-controlled analog" and actually digitises the signal before. Not sure about this new Fryette box - hopefully they had the sense to keep the signal in the analog domain, and use the digital side for control only - or as a fully-bypassable option.

 

[nightlight]

I look forward to clips. I'm of the opinion that Fryette wouldn't take short cuts with the tone when it comes to the OT, and there must be some of the wizardry he's famous for in that rack unit.

Probably won't be very light though, that's my thinking. Lighter than an amp head, sure, but put that thing in a rack and it's likely to just be just 5-7kg lighter.

I would definitely be on the market for one, but it's the same way I have been on the market for a VHX, and sellers on Reverb and other places somehow seem to think that because it was used, they can command more than the market price.

I definitely would be gutted if they only make a small number of these and then they become unavailable, as with many Fryette products.

Quite happy with my GP3 and 2902 setup, so good for now. But yeah, I would love to own one of these.

 

[skoora]

I would be more interested in a UL style tube pedal like the Toneking Imperial and the new Royalist one. A way to get the UL tone for a reasonable price. I could just run it into the return of an existing amp. Nielsen’s clip of the Royalist pedal/pre into that small Wampler power amp was pretty impressive.
I don’t care about IR’s either but I could see for live use, not needing a second device to D.I. To FOH would be possibly welcome. If the GEQ is digital that would a turnoff for me. But to be honest, I rarely used it when I had a head in the 90’s.
Ultimately I’m super curious to hear one but I don’t have any store near me that carries Fryette as a stocked item, so probably never
I dig they’re trying something different. Whether it finds a market is up to folks a bit younger than me with more disposable income I think.

 

[mnemonic]

going to be hell on your local Tech if you have a problem ..... what if the digital interface section of the amp has issues ... who you going to call then ?

you'll have to ship it right back to Fryette ... you won't have a choice ...

I think it's cool .... but like anything else ... there's definitely some cons to consider

That was my first thought when I saw it. It’s gotta be awful cramped in there with everything in two rack spaces.

Short term I’m sure they’ll be reliable but I don’t know about long term with complex stuff like that. For example the GP3 has all sorts of digital control in it and if I recall correctly Fryette won’t fix them anymore if they break due to unavailability of components.

 

[cobrahead1030]

I’m very interested to hear it.

Not the sexiest thing aesthetically, but the feature set in a small rack space looks very appealing.

 

[hellzington]

We had two separate issues with our PS2A, Fryette were unresponsive both times. This was in the last two years, maybe they've improved?

I’ve had two interactions with Fryette support over the past three years and both were ultimately positive. The first was an issue with the Amp In jack on my Power Station. They responded quickly over email, issued an RMA, and had the unit repaired and back to me within about two weeks.

The second situation was a bit more involved. A buyer of my Deliverance claimed the amp was not working correctly, so I had it sent directly to Fryette for evaluation. They found nothing wrong with it, but still gave it a full tune-up and returned it to me. The only downside was that the support request had to be initiated through the Fryette forum, which is not ideal, but it did get the job done.

In hindsight, I should have kept that Deliverance. Instead, like an idiot, I sold it again. Ironically, I was later contacted by a friend of the current owner, who is very cool, and I’ve been trying to buy it back ever since.

 

[RockyStar]

Tough crowd...

Guitar players - I want an ultra-lead! Where is my ultra-lead? I have been waiting forever for an ultra-lead, where is it? Damn it, I want an Ultra-lead!

Steve Fryette - Here is the new ultra-lead. We are looking forward, not backward, and made some positive changes to the product enhancing it's usability and versatility.

Guitar players - I don't want that ultra-lead. Where is my ultra-lead?

What if it has a massive flat transformer that still fits in that form factor? Would that be ok? What if it sounds great? What if the heat dissipation from the tubes is not an issue in that size chassis and it is only as big as it needs to be so you aren't lugging around something larger than you need to be?

Do you really think Fryette is going to release something that doesn't work or sound good? Especially his flagship amp after all this time? Give the guy a little credit.

 

[skoora]

Bottom line will be how it sounds. If it kills, people will not be so concerned it’s different. Have played a few, feature laden amps, that it doesn’t get past 5 minutes because they don’t actually sound all that great (personal preferences of course). Revv and KSR come to mind, as well as some Engl’s.

 

[hellzington]

Guitar players - I want an ultra-lead! Where is my ultra-lead? I have been waiting forever for an ultra-lead, where is it? Damn it, I want an Ultra-lead!

Steve Fryette - Here is the new ultra-lead. We are looking forward, not backward, and made some positive changes to the product enhancing it's usability and versatility.

Guitar players - I don't want that ultra-lead. Where is my ultra-lead?

I’d argue you’re describing most guitar players. Guitar gear is one of the few product categories where innovation is often viewed with suspicion rather than excitement. You would never walk into a car dealership and ask for a modern recreation of a 1950s vehicle because the expectation is that newer cars are objectively better. Guitar players do not think that way. Many actively want things built the old way, even when modern manufacturing can produce instruments that are more consistent, more reliable, and often sound and play better.

Dave Friedman has talked about this at length. What he has learned over decades of amp building is that most players are not actually chasing innovation. They want familiar, classic tones with thoughtful refinements around the edges. That distinction matters.

Because of that, I remain skeptical that fully analog tube heads with embedded computers will ever see broad adoption. We have seen this play out before with products like the Diezel VHX. Once you introduce software, screens, and digital control into an amp, you are no longer competing only with other tube amps. You are competing with technology platforms.

By the time the VHX launched in 2020, Fractal, Kemper, and Line 6 had already defined the digital category. Compared to an Axe-FX, the VHX felt constrained from day one. A small screen, rotary encoder navigation, and no true computer-based interface made it feel dated almost immediately. Meanwhile, the Axe-FX offered deeper control, a far better user experience, and an entire ecosystem of amps, cabs, and workflows.

If I were an amp builder today, I would focus on analog designs. Once you enter the technology race, you are dealing with disposable platforms that can be quickly outpaced. Classic analog amps age well. Tech products rarely do.

 

[RockyStar]

I’d argue you’re describing most guitar players. Guitar gear is one of the few product categories where innovation is often viewed with suspicion rather than excitement. You would never walk into a car dealership and ask for a modern recreation of a 1950s vehicle because the expectation is that newer cars are objectively better. Guitar players do not think that way. Many actively want things built the old way, even when modern manufacturing can produce instruments that are more consistent, more reliable, and often sound and play better.

Dave Friedman has talked about this at length. What he has learned over decades of amp building is that most players are not actually chasing innovation. They want familiar, classic tones with thoughtful refinements around the edges. That distinction matters.

Because of that, I remain skeptical that fully analog tube heads with embedded computers will ever see broad adoption. We have seen this play out before with products like the Diezel VHX. Once you introduce software, screens, and digital control into an amp, you are no longer competing only with other tube amps. You are competing with technology platforms.

By the time the VHX launched in 2020, Fractal, Kemper, and Line 6 had already defined the digital category. Compared to an Axe-FX, the VHX felt constrained from day one. A small screen, rotary encoder navigation, and no true computer-based interface made it feel dated almost immediately. Meanwhile, the Axe-FX offered deeper control, a far better user experience, and an entire ecosystem of amps, cabs, and workflows.

If I were an amp builder today, I would focus on analog designs. Once you enter the technology race, you are dealing with disposable platforms that can be quickly outpaced. Classic analog amps age well. Tech products rarely do.

I understand your point but if the needle is never moved the needle never moves. I would prefer digital stay with digital and analog be left alone, etc. At the same time I don't think Fryette is going to put out a product that doesn't work well or sound good. All of his other recent products are great. Just because the majority is thinking a thing doesn't mean it is right or better...(it may be better for them though). To each their own. I just don't understand while people are so quick to judge and criticize something they haven't personally tried out and pick it apart. If it is good it is good, if it is shit it is shit. Play it and decide...but not before.

 

[WizardAmpIphoneClip]

Wow that's depressing
To me, when he had to switch to the Fryette nameplate, it was RIP

 

[hellzington]

I understand your point but if the needle is never moved the needle never moves. I would prefer digital stay with digital and analog be left alone, etc. At the same time I don't think Fryette is going to put out a product that doesn't work well or sound good. All of his other recent products are great. Just because the majority is thinking a thing doesn't mean it is right or better...(it may be better for them though). To each their own. I just don't understand while people are so quick to judge and criticize something they haven't personally tried out and pick it apart. If it is good it is good, if it is shit it is shit. Play it and decide...but not before.

I think most of the pushback here is really about form factor and digital integration rather than sound quality, and on that point I agree with you completely.

A quick example: When I bought my old 1983 Mark IIC+ DRGX, it was housed in a rack style headshell. That alone made it about two thousand dollars cheaper than comparable IIC+ units already in traditional headshells. I spent roughly $400 on a standard headshell, moved the amp over, and its value immediately increased overnight.

That experience made it very clear to me how much product design and packaging matters. It is not only about tone. The enclosure, presentation, and perceived identity of a product heavily influence adoption and resale value. When a builder chooses a forward-looking form factor, they are taking on real market risk. In this case, that risk is compounded by the addition of a digital interface, which we can all see is already a polarizing choice.

I love Fryette amps. I have owned several over the years and still have one in my collection today. Steve has a great ear and a rare ability to deliver designs that feel both familiar and fresh. I have no doubt this amp will sound excellent. It is just unfortunate that the quality of the tone may be overlooked by players who are unwilling to embrace the form factor and digital elements that come with it.

 

[skoora]

I think most of the pushback here is really about form factor and digital integration rather than sound quality, and on that point I agree with you completely.

A quick example: When I bought my old 1983 Mark IIC+ DRGX, it was housed in a rack style headshell. That alone made it about two thousand dollars cheaper than comparable IIC+ units already in traditional headshells. I spent roughly $400 on a standard headshell, moved the amp over, and its value immediately increased overnight.

That experience made it very clear to me how much product design and packaging matters. It is not only about tone. The enclosure, presentation, and perceived identity of a product heavily influence adoption and resale value. When a builder chooses a forward-looking form factor, they are taking on real market risk. In this case, that risk is compounded by the addition of a digital interface, which we can all see is already a polarizing choice.

I love Fryette amps. I have owned several over the years and still have one in my collection today. Steve has a great ear and a rare ability to deliver designs that feel both familiar and fresh. I have no doubt this amp will sound excellent. It is just unfortunate that the quality of the tone may be overlooked by players who are unwilling to embrace the form factor and digital elements that come with it.

People will over look it much more because of the price point than anything else. I think you’re reading too much into the form factor being an issue (not disagreeing about the digital aspects though). Your 2C+ was never built to be rack mounted but for eg. Rack Recto’s are still desirable and not looked down upon. Some are even sought after but they were built from the factory to be that way. Just like this is being built to being rack mounted. Plenty of people are still down for a rack SLO as well.
Could be at this price point Steve is expecting it to go in a decent amount of recording and/or live racks as opposed to the home jam player.
If I could easily afford it and it sounded great I’d be glad to throw it in a rack with other gear.

 

[DanTravis62]

People will over look it much more because of the price point than anything else. I think you’re reading too much into the form factor being an issue (not disagreeing about the digital aspects though). Your 2C+ was never built to be rack mounted but for eg. Rack Recto’s are still desirable and not looked down upon. Some are even sought after but they were built from the factory to be that way. Just like this is being built to being rack mounted. Plenty of people are still down for a rack SLO as well.
Could be at this price point Steve is expecting it to go in a decent amount of recording and/or live racks as opposed to the home jam player.
If I could easily afford it and it sounded great I’d be glad to throw in a rack with other gear.

The problem is the price point PLUS the "MoDeRn GuItAR PlAyER" features - 99% of people who would pony up for this already have multiple IR solutions or zero (and desire none) or if they are planning on running it for their live rack (which is what, like 5 people even on RT?) they already have midi controllers.

I don't think it's really complaining about the format except insofar as the aesthetics.

The big complaint here is the price point plus the number of "modern" features people roll their eyes at. Especially when you're paying 4k for an amp, you want 100% of what you want, and 0% of what you don't want, and especially for a rack unit people want things to be customizable like legos, not like 50000 switches on one piece of gear.

I have no doubt it will sound great, and if it sounds great enough people will want it even with the sorts of gripes everyones posted.

 

[Devin]

The cool thing is there are thousands of Ultra Lead heads out there - could always just buy one of those if you don't like the new one

 

[skoora]

Sometimes it’s funny when I catch myself in caring conversation about a piece of gear I’ll never see and never use. Must be the inherent nerd gene.

 

[skoora]

The cool thing is there are thousands of Ultra Lead heads out there - could always just buy one of those if you don't like the new one

No there isn’t. They have been very scarce on the used market for quite a while and if they show up, it’s for a stupid price.
I’d be down for owning one again.
For some reason the same thing happened with 2ch Recto’s, where there are actual 1000’s of those. Used to be so easy to find and cheap to where they really became nothing special.