Fryette SigX vs. UL

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midgod07

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I have been a hardcore Diezel VH4 player for some time now. I recently acquired a SigX but still feel the pull of the iconic UL. I have a V30 rear-loaded 412 that I play through. Early impressions are that the SigX is great, does a lot of different things, but I'm not sure I still don't prefer the VH4; I definitely think the VH4 is tighter. I play mostly hard rock/metal. There's a lot of Fryette fans who feel the SigX gets in the same zip code as the UL, but can someone explain what the UL has "more" of? I've played a good buddy's UL and it sounded great, but he has a front-loaded cab with F70s. It's going to be hard to do a pure head-to-head analysis because the SigX will be played through my cab whereas the UL through the Fanes. Just looking for some opinions on UL vs. Sig and how critical that front-loaded cab is to the whole process; trying to keep this as scientific a comparison as I can.
 
midgod07 said:
Reckon that holds true with the Sig as well?
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YMMV but I haven't found a cab that makes the Sig sound bad whereas I did find that, when I owned a UL, none of the cabs I had at the time were a good fit for it... and it just didn't sound good to me. For reference I also had D60 soon before the UL that sounded good through the same cabs at the time.

I don't really like the Sig through V30's, but honestly the only amp I like through V30's are Mesa Rectos. I really like the Sig:X with Celestion K100's.
 
i've got a buddy who will sell me his UL and i'm well aware of the hype around this amp . . . just having a hard time figuring out if i'm going to have to buy that amp plus a new cab . . . and if so, what then do i do with the Sig.

clearly solving all the world's most important problems today
 
midgod07 said:
i've got a buddy who will sell me his UL and i'm well aware of the hype around this amp . . . just having a hard time figuring out if i'm going to have to buy that amp plus a new cab . . . and if so, what then do i do with the Sig.

clearly solving all the world's most important problems today
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What cabs/speakers do you currently have? (Is it just that V30 cab you mentioned in the OP?)

Edit: also, if you already have a good friend with a UL... maybe ask if you can test drive his UL through your cabinet before you make the decision.

And why do you want a UL besides the hype? What is it about it that's drawing you in?

I know I'm in the minority but I'm not the only person who has had both and ended up preferring the Sig:X. I also have a D-Moll... so not a VH4 but still a representative Diezel amp. The D-Moll is completely different from every Fryette I've owned (and I have owned many). If you love your VH4 then just stick with it--it's a phenomenal amp!

FWIW the CLX and Sig:X are my favorite all around Fryettes. I've had the Sig:X for almost ten years, and had a Classic for several years that was my main rig... sold it because it was a combo and I have back issues, and missed it enough to find a CLX. Both amps still bring a smile to my face and make me want to play more.

Last point: Fryette used to use Vintage 30's in their cabinets before they started working with Eminence. Supposedly they switched because Celestion changed their manufacturing of the V30 and wouldn't come through on a OEM version for them similar to the old V30's like they did with Mesa. Just because I didn't like a UL with Vintage 30's doesn't mean you won't. I'm generally biased against that speaker on the whole.
 
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I'd find out what year UL. The earliest ones are a little different. Should be fine with v30s, just stay away from the p50es. The new Fanes Fryette uses are great speakers. Not gonna be a massive difference between the amps. Sigs gonna be a little more compressed and forgiving, with better clean channel. UL is tight, can hang with the Diezels at high volume.
 
It's a 2012, so not one of the old old ones.

I don't so much need a pristine clean channel, though I've been really impressed with what the Sig has to offer. Do I think it's light years better than channel 1 on the VH4? I'm not sure.

I've heard that there's not a major difference in the amps, but I had a Pitbull CL50 some time ago and though it's not quite so iconic as the UL, so far I'm not hearing that dry/tight/crystalline tone out of the Sig. It's not displeasing by any stretch . . . it's just not what I remember what I thought the "Fryette" sound was.

I guess what I'm trying to sort out is: should I just start with the new front-loaded cab with Fanes with the Sig, or just go all-in for the whole shooting match and get the UL AND the cab . . . . sell whichever head is the loser (that is A LOT of money though).
 
midgod07 said:
It's a 2012, so not one of the old old ones.

I don't so much need a pristine clean channel, though I've been really impressed with what the Sig has to offer. Do I think it's light years better than channel 1 on the VH4? I'm not sure.

I've heard that there's not a major difference in the amps, but I had a Pitbull CL50 some time ago and though it's not quite so iconic as the UL, so far I'm not hearing that dry/tight/crystalline tone out of the Sig. It's not displeasing by any stretch . . . it's just not what I remember what I thought the "Fryette" sound was.

I guess what I'm trying to sort out is: should I just start with the new front-loaded cab with Fanes with the Sig, or just go all-in for the whole shooting match and get the UL AND the cab . . . . sell whichever head is the loser (that is A LOT of money though).
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I own a late 90's VHT labeled Ultra-lead. Still one of my top 3 amps of all time. A band mate owned the Sig-X, so I have played both alot.

The Sig-X is a killer amp; all three channels sound great and are so easy to fine tune your tone and to some degree the feel of the amp. That said, for aggressive riffing, the Ultra-lead is tighter, punchier....and will maintain those characteristics through ear bleeding levels.

I have also played later model Fryette labeled Ultra-lead's like your friends, and IMO, they are the ones to get.

For cabs, I played (still play) mine through a '99 Mesa cab and it sounded awesome! Sounds equally good through my Diezel v30 loaded cab. Haven't tried the Fane loaded Fryette cabs, but I did not care for the p50E speakers in the old cabs.

Biased opinion, but I would grab that 2012 Ultra-lead all day long! Lol
 
midgod07 said:
It's a 2012, so not one of the old old ones.

I don't so much need a pristine clean channel, though I've been really impressed with what the Sig has to offer. Do I think it's light years better than channel 1 on the VH4? I'm not sure.

I've heard that there's not a major difference in the amps, but I had a Pitbull CL50 some time ago and though it's not quite so iconic as the UL, so far I'm not hearing that dry/tight/crystalline tone out of the Sig. It's not displeasing by any stretch . . . it's just not what I remember what I thought the "Fryette" sound was.

I guess what I'm trying to sort out is: should I just start with the new front-loaded cab with Fanes with the Sig, or just go all-in for the whole shooting match and get the UL AND the cab . . . . sell whichever head is the loser (that is A LOT of money though).
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The Fatbottom cabs are front loaded, but the new Deliverance cabs are rear loaded. Both use the same speakers.
 
If you have someone willing to let you buy his ultralead(with graphic eq), stop posting and go buy it before he comes to his senses.
 
Played an UL as my main amp for quite awhile and played the SigX quite abit.
The UL Clean is more Hiwatt, SigX has a bit more Fender “dirty” clean capability if you want it.
UL gain channel two is really all I used. Overall the UL gain is very clear, bottom end is solid even at high volumes. Very responsive to changes in picking.
The SigX is similar voiced depending how you set it. But it has more “give” in the power section. Abit more compression, not as solid in the bottom end.
Both are cool amps. You could really hammer the UL volume wise and it never gives up. Mine was a 2000 or 2001.
 
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