VHT/Fryette experts, help me choose!

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jayd41

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I've decided it's time to get a Fryette. Everything I've heard and all the clips sound amazing.
Now I need to pick one.
There aren't any close by so I can't play them or I wouldn't need to ask for advice.

These are all available within a half-days drive...
Deliverance 60
Deliverance 120
Ultra Lead without EQ
Sig:x
Just about every Classic variety made

I think I want one of the first 4 options because I love the KT88 power section.
I really only want this amp for tight, defined metal.
I don't use FX loops on any of my amps and I don't NEED all the options on the Sig, I have a Road King for that. Not that I wouldn't use the other sounds, but like I said, the primary purpose of getting a Fryette is to play crushing modern metal and progressive metal through it.
I do have boosts on hand and will use them if necessary but I generally prefer to avoid them and plug straight in.

There, I think that should help you understand where I'm coming from.

Which is the Fryette amp best for me?

Thanks!!!
 
Am I allowed to say you won't miss the KT88s? Get a CLX Masterbuilt. They are KILLER. My partner in tone brought one over here yesterday and it sounded great. The graphic eq option is a standout (I know other models have it too, but I felt like it needed to be said).
 
I love the D60 but I don't really play crushing modern metal. I think it can do it, but I just don't generally go there. I've been in the studio recently recording tracks for a thrash album and the engineer likes to boost everything so he's got a boost in front of both the D60 and a Diezel VH4. Both are pretty crushing that way, although I prefer the straight in tones of the D60.

My next preference would be the Sig:X.
 
I have both the UL and the Deliverance 60.....i think the deliverance's tonality is hard to beat, there are many many tones by just messing with the knobs, i have jj 6550 tubes on it and its perfect with a fatbottom cab, less gain mode and a boost...i play death metal and it works perfectly...the UL is awesome as well but i think the deliverance's tone is just way thicker in a band context
 
Bob Savage":3qdl5v48 said:
I love the D60 but I don't really play crushing modern metal. I think it can do it, but I just don't generally go there. I've been in the studio recently recording tracks for a thrash album and the engineer likes to boost everything so he's got a boost in front of both the D60 and a Diezel VH4. Both are pretty crushing that way, although I prefer the straight in tones of the D60.

My next preference would be the Sig:X.
Click to expand...

Hey Bob,

Do you think that the D60 is suitable for thrash without the boost?
 
I have to vote for the Ultra Lead, brutal tone, without eq just add a clean boost.
 
Hmmm, was the CLX also ludicrously tight even with the EL34 power section?

Apophis, you used to have that FJA metal-ed out Windsor too didn't you? I loved the tone of that thing... Deliverance is better?

And a vote for the UL... I've heard that the voicing really needs a boost to hit modern metal type tones without the built in eq option and sounds like you agree Thor.
 
my vote is for the d120 with a boost.
i owned a couple of them and thought it was a great amp for metal. i boosted mine to get the tone i wanted but theres people who dont use the boost and really like it.

i wanted to vote for the ultra lead but if it doesnt have the eq then i like the d120 or d60 better. i had a couple ultra leads with eq and thought it was one of the finest amps ever.
the built in eq was a really nice feature.
 
Bob Savage":rxbbqyqs said:
I've been in the studio recently recording tracks for a thrash album and the engineer likes to boost everything so he's got a boost in front of both the D60 and a Diezel VH4. Both are pretty crushing that way, although I prefer the straight in tones of the D60.
Click to expand...

Bob, can't wait to hear it! :rock:
 
Any of these amps can do heavy - I highly recommend trying them & see what fits you best. Personally I prefer the Deliverance 120 & Sig-X - But I play a very wide variety of music & heavy is only part of what I do. I would be more than happy with any Fryette amp.
 
I have owned a D60, D120 (with effects loop mod), Classic (what became CLX) combo with graphic EQ and a UL with graphic EQ.

My impression is that the UL is the best amp of them all for really tight, metal rhythm guitar. The Deliverance amps go anywhere from old school Marshall sounds to 5150 style sounds, except, IMHO, better sounding on both fronts. The Classic was the best metal/prog lead guitar amp.

Of them all, to me, the Classic/CLX was the best. It did not lack any type of tightness, but, even within just heavy styles, it was a better amp for lead work while not seeming at all lackluster on rhythm.

The D120 is a great amp if all you need is one distortion sound for your foundation, while using your volume knob and boosts to vary your intensity.

The UL maybe just wasn't my thing. GREAT amp, don't get me wrong. But it lacked some of the character the other VHT's have. Maybe user error, but I could not get a lead tone that made me want to play. I like to go for a more Chris Poland style lead sound... that vocal, liquid sound (best represented, actually, on The System Has Failed). I couldn't achieve that through a UL but I can with the other VHT amps I've had. Meanwhile I can still get as mean as [I believe] necessary with the other amps.

I've never tried a Sig:X, but from the descriptions I've read, I think it would potentially end up being my favorite of the bunch.
 
Wouldn't say I'm a Fryette expert but I had an original VHT pitbull CLX with the EQ and it was bad ass.
 
I'm no expert on Fryette but have played D120 and SigX. Both great amps. I didn't try to get a heavy modern sound from either.

I did catch Helmet for the Size Matters tour. Both Page and Chris were using UL stacks. I'd say it's one of the best heavy guitar sound that I've heard.
 
I'm most likely in the minority :lol: :LOL: but my mid 2000's VHT UL with EQ didn't have the string separation on channel 3 (for rhythm) that internet lore led me to believe with all the comments about tightness and unforgiven playing.

For my needs channel 2 with the graphic EQ engaged and a boost pedal got me where I needed to be with that amp for rhythm tone.

Channel 3 seemed voiced more for leads as the string separation despite VHT's reputation as uber tight/dry amps wasn't there. However I did like channel 3 for leads.

I always wanted to try a CLX and/or a newer UL to compare...
 
I could not imagine a more brutal sound than what I get using my Deliverance 120 with full-stack and using a Fryette SAS pedal with the gain set very low on the pedal or off & using it as a boost. Just a huge thick sound.....only problem is when you get it up to dB's where the sound is happening it vibrates stuff off the walls.
 
jayd41":106uhk2y said:
Hmmm, was the CLX also ludicrously tight even with the EL34 power section?

Apophis, you used to have that FJA metal-ed out Windsor too didn't you? I loved the tone of that thing... Deliverance is better?

And a vote for the UL... I've heard that the voicing really needs a boost to hit modern metal type tones without the built in eq option and sounds like you agree Thor.
Click to expand...

The Deliverance smokes the FJA Windsor, in fact a friend of mine has that amp still locally and we have actually played both in the same room, no contest, the fryette is a very fine amp, with proper eq settings , some volume on the master (this amp is very loud)and boost.. i really love the UL at all volumes, and yes, channel 2 plus boost and graphic eq is the ticket in that amp for awesome heavy rhythm sounds, but i believe im more into the simple 5 knob eq options in the deliverance.
 
Fryette Support - " CLX has a single 12AX7 driver stage, a different power transformer, a different output transformer and Dual Class Mode. It breaks up easier and has a bit more give - besides the EL34 voice.

UL does not have DualClass switch. Never did. Neither model has ever had Enhance Mode - the switchable tube/ss rectifier function.

The differences between the 2 models has varied over time, but has been stable over the last roughly 10 years. See: http://www.fryette-users.com/forums/...-of-the-vht-ul

Difference between the D60 and D120 is the driver stage. The 120 has a 2-tube driver/PI stage similar to the UL. The 60 has the single stage like the CLX. Preamp voicing is the same, but because of the difference in output and driver stage, the 60 sounds more pissed off compared to the 120 which sounds more like a bulldozer coming down your street."
 
jayd41":3lvwduz9 said:
Hmmm, was the CLX also ludicrously tight even with the EL34 power section?

Apophis, you used to have that FJA metal-ed out Windsor too didn't you? I loved the tone of that thing... Deliverance is better?

And a vote for the UL... I've heard that the voicing really needs a boost to hit modern metal type tones without the built in eq option and sounds like you agree Thor.
Click to expand...

I would probably want to boost it for modern metal if it did not have the eq. I have owned three ULs and one CLX.......I preferred the Ultra Leads with a tung sol in the main gain stage.....awesome amps :rock:
 
I have a '91 UL without the graphic eq.
It may not have the graphic eq, but it does have presence and resonance dials and a shift button for them that boosts the sound a bit. Less tweak, more set and forget IMO. I don't discredit them for not having an EQ. I haven't played any of the other Fryettes,
 
Ultra Lead. I have one and it is the tightest amp out there for modern metal. Like a witch's cleft! Very unforgiving though.

-C
 
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