Wizard of Ozz
Well-known member
I got some new gear today… A brand-new 2011 Fryette Ultra-Lead amp, matching Fryette Fatbottom 4X12 cab with P50E speakers, and a brand new 2011 Suhr Custom Standard. I’ve been somewhat busy.
First up, the Ultra-Lead kicks so much ass… it’s impossible to put into words. I used to own one about 8 years ago, and this one sounds just as good if not better. Tight, tight, tight, tight, tight, articulate, cutting, razor sharp, raw, open, uncompressed high-gain tones is what this monster does with ease. No flub, loose bass chords, dark, spongy, rubbery, feel or overly compressed hard to heard chords running together. Play as fast as you want and hear every note… Wow! What concept. Maybe some other builders might want to look in to it (hint, hint, Bogner). The note attack is super fast and ultra-responsive. It’s been said before, but bears repeating again, the Ultra-Lead is without a doubt the fastest, clearest, tightest, most articulate high-gain channel switcher on the planet… bar none. The red channel has enough gain, different voicing options, and thick, huge, chugga-chugga-bottom end to cover any sort of metal from ‘80s to extreme black and death. It’s all in there. It’s also arguably the best 3 channel high gain amp out there as well. Right up there with Diezel, Engl, Bogner and any other contender… except the Ultra-Lead is much more open sounding, brighter, more cutting, less compressed and congested compared to the competition. The Diezel Herbert was my #1 amp for several years and it was great overall, but the darker, overly compressed tone began to wear on me as time went by. Also the Ultra-Lead is one of the few amps (the Suhr PT100 being the other) where I actually really like and can use all of the channels for my sort of tones. Often you’ll by a channel switcher an only wind up using one, or maybe two of the channels (ie Mesa Mark V)… not the case with the UL. All 3 channels sound great and cover different sonic ground. With the Herbert, I mainly used only channel 3. The second channel on the UL has enough gain, and with the graphic eq, you can dial in any sort of voicing from classic rock to most any sort of ‘80s metal and ‘90s alt-rock easily. No boost needed. Awesome! The clean channel sounds great… very bright, loud, chimey, and smooth. The clean channel also easily balances volumewise with the other 2 channels, no big volume jump or differential when switching channels either… like on a Bogner Uberschall for example. The FX Loop has a series/parallel switch and a instrument/line level switch and is one of the best around. Clear, transparent, and not a tone sucker. One last thing to say, is that the Ultra-Lead is also one of the quietest high-gainers around. Even on the red channel with the gain cranked it is super quiet… even standing close to the amp with your guitar volume pot open. Almost like a noise gate is there… but it’s simply the great design and layout of the amp. I really can’t recall why I sold my old one… but this Ultra-Lead will be sticking around a while.
The Fryette Fatbottom 4X12 I just received today… but the P50E speakers sound great. Sort of like a higher-powered Greenback someone said before, and I agree. Bright, balanced, crunchy with a tight low-end bass response. The frontloaded cab sounds great with the UL… and helps keep channel 3 bass in-check. I ran the UL thru my Greenback loaded Bogner 4X12 (another great cab in it’s own right) but the Fryette Fatbottom has a might tighter, more focused overall sound, and hold the bass together much better on channel 3. No farting, grunting, or suddenly thudding bass noises. More to come on this cab.
Finally, my Suhr Custom Standard… the specs are solid mahogany body, extra-slim maple neck, maple board, jumbo SS frets, Gotoh Floyd, Aldrich in the bridge, and a Michal Landau single in the neck. Just a killer sounding super strat from top to bottom. Just a very fine guitar, to say the least. And it stays in –tune no matter what. Very nice job Suhr.
Well, back to jamming.
Oh... and some porn...
My old VHT Ultra-Lead:
First up, the Ultra-Lead kicks so much ass… it’s impossible to put into words. I used to own one about 8 years ago, and this one sounds just as good if not better. Tight, tight, tight, tight, tight, articulate, cutting, razor sharp, raw, open, uncompressed high-gain tones is what this monster does with ease. No flub, loose bass chords, dark, spongy, rubbery, feel or overly compressed hard to heard chords running together. Play as fast as you want and hear every note… Wow! What concept. Maybe some other builders might want to look in to it (hint, hint, Bogner). The note attack is super fast and ultra-responsive. It’s been said before, but bears repeating again, the Ultra-Lead is without a doubt the fastest, clearest, tightest, most articulate high-gain channel switcher on the planet… bar none. The red channel has enough gain, different voicing options, and thick, huge, chugga-chugga-bottom end to cover any sort of metal from ‘80s to extreme black and death. It’s all in there. It’s also arguably the best 3 channel high gain amp out there as well. Right up there with Diezel, Engl, Bogner and any other contender… except the Ultra-Lead is much more open sounding, brighter, more cutting, less compressed and congested compared to the competition. The Diezel Herbert was my #1 amp for several years and it was great overall, but the darker, overly compressed tone began to wear on me as time went by. Also the Ultra-Lead is one of the few amps (the Suhr PT100 being the other) where I actually really like and can use all of the channels for my sort of tones. Often you’ll by a channel switcher an only wind up using one, or maybe two of the channels (ie Mesa Mark V)… not the case with the UL. All 3 channels sound great and cover different sonic ground. With the Herbert, I mainly used only channel 3. The second channel on the UL has enough gain, and with the graphic eq, you can dial in any sort of voicing from classic rock to most any sort of ‘80s metal and ‘90s alt-rock easily. No boost needed. Awesome! The clean channel sounds great… very bright, loud, chimey, and smooth. The clean channel also easily balances volumewise with the other 2 channels, no big volume jump or differential when switching channels either… like on a Bogner Uberschall for example. The FX Loop has a series/parallel switch and a instrument/line level switch and is one of the best around. Clear, transparent, and not a tone sucker. One last thing to say, is that the Ultra-Lead is also one of the quietest high-gainers around. Even on the red channel with the gain cranked it is super quiet… even standing close to the amp with your guitar volume pot open. Almost like a noise gate is there… but it’s simply the great design and layout of the amp. I really can’t recall why I sold my old one… but this Ultra-Lead will be sticking around a while.
The Fryette Fatbottom 4X12 I just received today… but the P50E speakers sound great. Sort of like a higher-powered Greenback someone said before, and I agree. Bright, balanced, crunchy with a tight low-end bass response. The frontloaded cab sounds great with the UL… and helps keep channel 3 bass in-check. I ran the UL thru my Greenback loaded Bogner 4X12 (another great cab in it’s own right) but the Fryette Fatbottom has a might tighter, more focused overall sound, and hold the bass together much better on channel 3. No farting, grunting, or suddenly thudding bass noises. More to come on this cab.
Finally, my Suhr Custom Standard… the specs are solid mahogany body, extra-slim maple neck, maple board, jumbo SS frets, Gotoh Floyd, Aldrich in the bridge, and a Michal Landau single in the neck. Just a killer sounding super strat from top to bottom. Just a very fine guitar, to say the least. And it stays in –tune no matter what. Very nice job Suhr.
Well, back to jamming.
Oh... and some porn...
My old VHT Ultra-Lead:
I never played a UL but was sold on my CL, alos have the VHT version of the cab with P50e's, perfect match for the 50 CL imho...
