VHT pro's come in. Old UL vs. New UL???

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maddnotez

maddnotez

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Can you tell me what are all of the differences between the older UL model and the new?

I just put a down payment on an Ultra Lead from GC used site, the price was so low I jumped on it fast and the ad was so new they didnt even have pics up yet.

The guy was kind enough to text me pics after our call but wow.

I got the pics and it is the OLD Ultra Lead. No eq, does not look like there is a place for a footswitch, has the 6l6/KT88 switch and appears to be 2 channels and I am a little upset about this.

Thinking about cancelling the transaction but was curious to what all of the differences are. I had a 100CL but never played an Ultra Lead.
 
maddnotez":1nnp4mp6 said:
I am a little upset about this.
Click to expand...

Don't be. My friend had a 1992 UL halfstack that absolutely decimated some late 90's UL amps I've tried. The oldie had so more much punch, detail and authority. Not a subtle difference at all. I understand the old ones had a simpler circuit and higher plate voltage among other things. And his V30 loaded VHT 4x12 was 'pre Fatbottom' specs, so unbelievably tight that a V30 Fatbottom cab could be considered loose by comparison.

If this amp is in good working condition, get it.
 
thegame":3ciajrk2 said:
maddnotez":3ciajrk2 said:
I am a little upset about this.
Click to expand...

Don't be. My friend had a 1992 UL halfstack that absolutely decimated some late 90's UL amps I've tried. The oldie had so more much punch, detail and authority. Not a subtle difference at all. I understand the old ones had a simpler circuit and higher plate voltage among other things. And his V30 loaded VHT 4x12 was 'pre Fatbottom' specs, so unbelievably tight that a V30 Fatbottom cab could be considered loose by comparison.

If this amp is in good working condition, get it.
Click to expand...


Thanks, I am hearing the same type of "good" feedback from some people over at GAB.

Was just a huge curveball thrown at me and it made me sick to my stomache.

I feel a bit better, IF the EQ is the only thing missing I am fine with that. I never used the EQ on my CL100 anyway but I am curious about all of the differences now between the new UL and old UL, especially the used price value on a resale if I am not digging the amp.
 
Personally, I wouldn't buy one unless it had the EQ. Mine sounds like crap with the EQ off.

It has 2 channels? I wasn't aware that the old ones weren't 3 channels.
 
RJF":z690g6gg said:
Personally, I wouldn't buy one unless it had the EQ. Mine sounds like crap with the EQ off.

It has 2 channels? I wasn't aware that the old ones weren't 3 channels.
Click to expand...


It's 3 channels, I was wrong. Lead and Rythym appear to resemble only one channel. Not sure how that works.

I know it's the UL and not the CL but I never used the Eq with my CL. Sounded great without it.

I sent an email to Fryette and await the reply but I have heard this older UL has a higher plate voltage and is more punchy and defined as the game stated so that's a big plus to me. Also heard there is a Footswitch but it goes into the front with 2 1/4" cables which is pretty odd but whatever.

Hopefully Fryette gives me more info but at the price I paid I will not be upset about an eq.
 
Yeah, lead and rhythm channels share EQ pots. IDK, I still wouldn't want one without the EQ. Same goes for the Mesa mark amps for me.
 
Dig around over at the Fryette user's forum (I saw your post over there). ULs havent changed much, other than the change at PI for awhile. Steve Fryette is usually easier to track down by phone or on Facebook.
 
Found the article I was lookin for...

Props to NoGodsNoMasters for this info:

The "One Hundred" was the predecessor of the UL. Basically configured from the pre of the Classic head, 3 channels, and one output side of the 2150, thus two power tubes, using an output transformer from a 2150.

Tube config was:

Preamp, 1 Sovtek 12AX7WB, 3 Chinese 12AX7A.
Power amp, 1 Chinese 12AX7A, 1 Chinese 12AU7.
Power tubes: 98 wattss

Svetlana began having troubles and we only had Chinese KT88 to fall back on which didn't hold up well so we went to 4 power tubes and a modified output transformer to run 4 tubes.

This wasn't intended to be a massive gain amp, although a lot by the standards of the time. As things progressed we responded to requests for more gain and power amp saturation. We tried making the driver tube (12AU7) interchangeable to help tweak power amp distortion, but ultimately it created as many problems as it solved so that idea was scrapped in favor of a softer sounding driver stage. The new tube config was:

Preamp, 1 Sovtek 12AX7WB, 3 Chinese 12AX7A.
Power amp, 1 Chinese 12AX7A,
Power Tubes: 4 Chinese KT88.
Output power: 105 watts.

This was met by our beloved clan with either great enthusiasm or extreme anger. If you were in a band and wanted one just like the other guitarists, you either appreciated the difference and it worked well for the overall sound of the band, or you were pissed because yours was not as aggressive.

After a year of this, the UL went back to tow tubes in the drive/phase inverter stage, but with a difference. A new driver design using a 12AT7 in place of the 12AU7 for the driver. The idea being to restore the tightness and aggressive UL trademark but retain some of the fatness of the 12AX7 only style. By then the Sovtek KT88 became available and that became what is still the standard tube for the UL: New Tube config:

Preamp, 1 Sovtek 12AX7WB, 3 Chinese 12AX7A.
Power amp, 1 Chinese 12AX7A, 1 Chinese 12AT7.
Power Tubes: 4 Sovtek KT88.
Output power: 120 watts.

For those who liked the softer more saturated power amp quality of the 5 tube UL and wanted even more, the Classic head was redesigned using the 5 tube preamp config and renamed the CLX at the request of Mr. Hartley Peavey who owns the trademark for the use of Classic on guitar amplifiers. New CLX tube config:

Preamp, 1 Sovtek 12AX7WB, 3 Chinese 12AX7A.
Power amp, 1 Chinese 12AX7A
Power Tubes: 4 Svetlana EL34s.
Output power: 110 watts

Keep in mind that at the time all of this was going on, tube supplies were very erratic and unstable. The Tesla factory got bombed, or so they say, new 6550 designs were all over place in terms of quality and reliability, and we were constantly having to shift gears in order to maintain a performance level that depnded ontop quality tubes.

Obviously the tube scene has settled down and has been stable for quite a while now. As a result, there have been no major changes in the UL or CLX power plants since mid 97.
Last edited by support; 03-17-2011 at 05:53 PM.
 
Kelly":2u3sp76c said:
Found the article I was lookin for...

Props to NoGodsNoMasters for this info:

The "One Hundred" was the predecessor of the UL. Basically configured from the pre of the Classic head, 3 channels, and one output side of the 2150, thus two power tubes, using an output transformer from a 2150.

Tube config was:

Preamp, 1 Sovtek 12AX7WB, 3 Chinese 12AX7A.
Power amp, 1 Chinese 12AX7A, 1 Chinese 12AU7.
Power tubes: 98 wattss

Svetlana began having troubles and we only had Chinese KT88 to fall back on which didn't hold up well so we went to 4 power tubes and a modified output transformer to run 4 tubes.

This wasn't intended to be a massive gain amp, although a lot by the standards of the time. As things progressed we responded to requests for more gain and power amp saturation. We tried making the driver tube (12AU7) interchangeable to help tweak power amp distortion, but ultimately it created as many problems as it solved so that idea was scrapped in favor of a softer sounding driver stage. The new tube config was:

Preamp, 1 Sovtek 12AX7WB, 3 Chinese 12AX7A.
Power amp, 1 Chinese 12AX7A,
Power Tubes: 4 Chinese KT88.
Output power: 105 watts.

This was met by our beloved clan with either great enthusiasm or extreme anger. If you were in a band and wanted one just like the other guitarists, you either appreciated the difference and it worked well for the overall sound of the band, or you were pissed because yours was not as aggressive.

After a year of this, the UL went back to tow tubes in the drive/phase inverter stage, but with a difference. A new driver design using a 12AT7 in place of the 12AU7 for the driver. The idea being to restore the tightness and aggressive UL trademark but retain some of the fatness of the 12AX7 only style. By then the Sovtek KT88 became available and that became what is still the standard tube for the UL: New Tube config:

Preamp, 1 Sovtek 12AX7WB, 3 Chinese 12AX7A.
Power amp, 1 Chinese 12AX7A, 1 Chinese 12AT7.
Power Tubes: 4 Sovtek KT88.
Output power: 120 watts.

For those who liked the softer more saturated power amp quality of the 5 tube UL and wanted even more, the Classic head was redesigned using the 5 tube preamp config and renamed the CLX at the request of Mr. Hartley Peavey who owns the trademark for the use of Classic on guitar amplifiers. New CLX tube config:

Preamp, 1 Sovtek 12AX7WB, 3 Chinese 12AX7A.
Power amp, 1 Chinese 12AX7A
Power Tubes: 4 Svetlana EL34s.
Output power: 110 watts

Keep in mind that at the time all of this was going on, tube supplies were very erratic and unstable. The Tesla factory got bombed, or so they say, new 6550 designs were all over place in terms of quality and reliability, and we were constantly having to shift gears in order to maintain a performance level that depnded ontop quality tubes.

Obviously the tube scene has settled down and has been stable for quite a while now. As a result, there have been no major changes in the UL or CLX power plants since mid 97.
Last edited by support; 03-17-2011 at 05:53 PM.
Click to expand...


Cool info thanks. It's hard to tell which tube set it has from the pics.
 
So looks like there is one year there to avoid the UL. Sounds like that "bad" year must be mid 90's somewhere?

You could ask GC to count the preamp tubes for you, but I wouldn't put a lot of faith in what they say. I bought my Herbert from GC, over the phone. Asked what tubes were in it and he said definitely 5881's. It had winged C 34's.

I don't really care what driver this, or ua or ta tube that, all I know is my mid 2000's UL freakin' rocks.
 
VC4Ever":1izrcr79 said:
Does Fryette make amps anymore? I hardly see any for sale new.
Click to expand...
Low numbers at the moment. They just finished a run of the Aether, and are getting ready to launch the new power amp and 1 watt recording amp. Also rumors of revamped Deliverance and power attenuator of some sort.
 
RJF":2uj5tfzb said:
So looks like there is one year there to avoid the UL. Sounds like that "bad" year must be mid 90's somewhere?

You could ask GC to count the preamp tubes for you, but I wouldn't put a lot of faith in what they say. I bought my Herbert from GC, over the phone. Asked what tubes were in it and he said definitely 5881's. It had winged C 34's.

I don't really care what driver this, or ua or ta tube that, all I know is my mid 2000's UL freakin' rocks.
Click to expand...

Yea :(

The picture was conveniently taken to where I can't see the 12ax7's

Judging by how far the Power Tubes are to the middle idk, this maybe the 5 preamp tube version. 2 in front that you can see and 3 in the back. Something tells me they're not squeezing 4 preamp tubes back there. Hopefully I'm wrong.
 
Not really a bad year, just different. The CLX and Deliverance 60 use the 1 PI tube, the UL and D120 use 2. Still gonna be a great amp, especially if you got it cheap.
 
This is GC? If it sucks, take that f'r back to your local GC within 30 days.
 
It's cool to know how the 4-KT88 power section came about. It crushes in my D120H.
 
RJF":1iswrhp8 said:
This is GC? If it sucks, take that f'r back to your local GC within 30 days.
Click to expand...

Good info.

I was thinking I'd have to pay for shipping back to to location I got it from.

Haha I'm extremely retarded today.

I guess I'll never know until I either receive the item or until Fryette emails back, whichever is first.

Really do think it's the 5 tube due to the Power Tubes being dead center and also every clear pic I've seen with a 6 tuber had the Footswitch input on the back.

I'm sure I'll still be ok either way.

The only thing that bugs me is the 5 tube being described as the "softer sounding driver stage". Fuck that I bought an ultra lead, why would I want anything soft involved lol.
 
the UL is a hell of an amp. play it, and if you like the VHT/Fryette tone, get your money back and grab a 3 channel one with the GEQ and footswitch. fully loaded, a UL is tough to beat.

looks like JJ6550's in that amp of yours and years of dirt to clean up on the chassis. he still will make the two channel set up like this one. it's not a matter of old vs. new with the amp.
 
Dude, the footswitch jack is not on the front of that amp, it's in the back.
 
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