Fryette Ultra Lead II

[Orvillain]

Ahh, so it's an emotional distaste for Steve not an actual technical concern. In that case never mind, it simply can't be done and they will all break within a week.

Talk about emotional, mr Chocco!

 

[Chocol8]

Talk about emotional, mr Chocco!

Uh no. Just not going to waste my time arguing about something that has obviously been done successfully multiple times when there are no real technical concerns.

 

[Orvillain]

Uh no. Just not going to waste my time arguing about something that has obviously been done successfully multiple times when there are no real technical concerns.

Yeah, done before... but not by Fryette.

I'd be quite dubious about buying a Fryette thing that has the entire kitchen sink and the wife's flip flops attached to it.

 

[MatrixClaw]

Uh no. Just not going to waste my time arguing about something that has obviously been done successfully multiple times when there are no real technical concerns.

I've never seen a 2U rack head. Link?

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I've never seen a 2U rack head. Link?

I've never seen a 120 watt one, but for reference, gut shot of Laney IRT studio which is a 3-channel (arguably just 2) 2U amp w/ 3 12AX7s and 2 EL-84s (I've time stamped for convenience)

 

[JiveTurkey]

^The only amp I've played with EL84s that I have liked.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

^The only amp I've played with EL84s that I have liked.

Those old school TM videos were like magic ASMR for me. Could put me RIGHT to sleep on an insomnia night.

 

[MatrixClaw]

I've never seen a 120 watt one, but for reference, gut shot of Laney IRT studio which is a 3-channel 2U amp w/ 3 12AX7s and 2 EL-84s (I've time stamped for convenience)

EL84s are just slightly larger than 12AX7s, though. The 5 tubes in this would be just over the size of just the preamp section of this amp, plus it's a 15w EL84 amp, which doesn't require nearly the same sized iron that 2 EL34s and 2 6550s would.

Still, totally forgot this existed, I'm just not sure it's an apples-to-apples comparison, but it DOES satisfy my original question, so I'll give you that!

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

EL84s are just slightly larger than 12AX7s, though. The 5 tubes in this would be just over the size of just the preamp section of this amp, plus it's a 15w EL84 amp, which doesn't require nearly the same sized iron that 2 EL34s and 2 6550s would.

Still, totally forgot this existed, I'm just not sure it's an apples-to-apples comparison, but it DOES satisfy my original question, so I'll give you that!

All valid points; I was simply sharing the only other 2U head of which I'm aware.

 

[Elric]

Based on Fryette's track record this should be:

• Completely awesome
• Available for purchase sometime after 2036 or so

 

[maddnotez]

Pretty wild that changing a preamp tube can void the warranty.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Pretty wild that changing a preamp tube can void the warranty.

Also “pretty untrue” Inwould imagine, but ain’t nobody got time/money to sue over that crap. Too much good gear available to deal with that mess.

 

[MatrixClaw]

Nick from The Axe Palace just confirmed to me that the price is $3999.

 

[Mongillo19]

Nick from The Axe Palace just confirmed to me that the price is $3999.

Expected but still so expensive

 

[MatrixClaw]

Expected but still so expensive

At least if you compare it as $200 more than the Triple Recto, it isn't terrible

 

[maddnotez]

At least if you compare it as $200 more than the Triple Recto, it isn't terrible

True but I compare it to a used Wizard instead.

 

[GTR37]

I can only tell my own tales:

1. May 2021. Asking about low frequency hum on the PS-100. No answer to email.
2. June 2021. Asked about the same issue. This time they answered and claimed it was mains hum. I measured and showed the hum was much higher up in frequency. They stopped answering.
3. August 2021. I email them again with more details after testing the unit in multiple places, multiple outlets. Fryette never answers.
4. July 2022.
   • PS-100 has stopped working. I take it to a local tech. Tech then tells me Fryette has not got back to them with schematics.
   • I try to contact Fryette as well, but receive no answers.
   • After complaining on TGP much later, Fryette says they were in COVID lockdown (which they never mentioned on their website), but then they forgot to get back to me and claimed they never got any messages from my tech.
   • I had just moved cities and local techs in my current city were on holiday so I couldn't get anyone else to look at the PS-100.
   • I pack up the PS-100, then pretty much forget about it.
5. January 2025. I open up the PS-100, see if I can notice any component is broken. Nope, put it back together. Surprisingly, it starts working. So I just use it.
6. May 2025. PS-100 stops working again.
   1. I ask about the issue on Fryette's forums.
   2. It takes 11 days for Fryette to answer asking for details. Their solution is just take it to a tech, which is fair.
   3. My local tech is backed to kingdom come so again just leave the unit for later.
7. December 2025. I figure out the control board is somehow wonky and manage to fix it by adjusting the load switch nuts so that the board is bent slightly which fixes the issue. It's been good so far.
   1. This time Fryette has given some helpful advice on how to reduce potential noise and what resistors to change for a few other parts.

I'd still consider that poor service rather than an isolated incident. This is also in line with other people's experiences on TGP, finding it hard to get them to answer support requests.

They make cool gear but god damn, it's not so hard to answer some emails!

So sorry Laxu , sounds similar to many experience w Bruce Egnater

 

[Whizzinby]

Nick from The Axe Palace just confirmed to me that the price is $3999.

 

[laxu]

Nick from The Axe Palace just confirmed to me that the price is $3999.

Well, into the "never buying unless I somehow win the lottery" pile.

 

[aaltool]

So finally it got released. At least now the comments on related FB groups and Fryette Youtube videos will focus on something else. Steven Fryette himself said at somepoint in his Youtube show that when the UL2 will be released, it is going to piss off a lot of people and impress the others. Seems he was not wrong. Eye-watering price tag was to be expected, I am not surprised of +4k€ in Europe at all.

Sound-wise, I absolutely love Fryette products. I have a VHT-branded Sig X, which is the best amp I have ever owned, and a PS-2. Great stuff... when they work as they should.

Both have had issues - with the Sig X, the 40w/100w switch stopped working, so I contacted the Fryette support asking for troubleshooting advice and schematics for my local tech. Their only response and suggestion was to send the amp two thousand kilometers away to a repair shop (from Finland to Germany) and see if it can be repaired. I did not want to risk the hassle and cost of international shipping for what seemed to me like a minor issue, so I took it to my tech anyway. By some miracle, the tech already HAD the schematics of this amp, diagnosed it to be a broken relay and fixed it quickly. The amp is working fine ever since. Knock on wood etc.

The PS-2 however had something strange going on. Even with the lowest volume available on the pot, it was way too loud for home use. In addition to this, it was crackling and volume levels where varying insanely. It worked completely normally as a reactive load, the problems were only present when using the power amp section of it. I changed all the tubes but the problems remained. Again, I contacted support, this time through their forum, as they now advise instead of emailing them. I recorded a video of the problem and posted it there. I got some responses from them, mainly more questions. I answered all and their recommendations where each time to try a different guitar/amp head/room/electrical outlet. After saying I've tried all those, they concluded that the problems were not actually problems, but normal features of the unit. I gave up and took it to the same tech who fixed my Sig X, and have not yet received it back. Really hope it gets fixed, as the product is great and super difficult to find second hand here in the Nordics.

Clearly aftersales is not their priority, which is just a damn shame.