The Badlander is such a rock machine.

[TubeStack]

Yeah tbh, fuck that noise. Nobody does that. Imagine if Marshall sent the boys round because I had the temerity to put a JJ in the preamp. It is ludicrous.

Especially preamp tubes? I think it's pretty hard to F anything up switching them around, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Stratzrus]

Yeah tbh, fuck that noise. Nobody does that. Imagine if Marshall sent the boys round because I had the temerity to put a JJ in the preamp. It is ludicrous.

A different brand is one thing, a different type of tube is another. I hear what you're saying though and many people were upset about their policy, particularly if they didn't know about it in advance.

I'm skittish about doing anything that might void a warranty, thus my hesitancy to do the chip swap on my Fender FR-12, but clearly it was an unpleasant surprise finding out about Fryette's warranty policy after the fact.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Especially preamp tubes? I think it's pretty hard to F anything up switching them around, if I'm not mistaken.

Well yes, and no. Not all noval tubes are created equal. Some have a different pinout. 12A_7 varieties are usually interchangeable and safe though. Although performance could suffer depending on position etc, and some tube brands do better in certain positions where the voltages could be higher. So it's good to have some basic knowledge before just willy nilly swapping.

 

[Orvillain]

A different brand is one thing, a different type of tube is another. I hear what you're saying though and many people were upset about their policy, particularly if they didn't know about it in advance.

I'm skittish about doing anything that might void a warranty, thus my hesitancy to do the chip swap on my Fender FR-12, but clearly it was an unpleasant surprise finding out about Fryette's warranty policy after the fact.

That is the kicker. The manual only talks about power tubes voiding your warranty.

They really have no leg to stand on with this.

Well yes, and no. Not all noval tubes are created equal. Some have a different pinout. 12A_7 varieties are usually interchangeable and safe though. Although performance could suffer depending on position etc, and some tube brands do better in certain positions where the voltages could be higher. So it's good to have some basic knowledge before just willy nilly swapping.

I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't have seen their official support guy tacitly sanctioning it in their user forum.

Anyway, this is all mostly water under the bridge. It was years and years ago, and I've owned a Sig:X amp since then. My real point is, their products are great, but I think their support is pretty poor. Certainly one of the worst experiences I've ever had.

Contrast with Marshall. I took my original Satch JVM on the train up to Bletchley, met some of the team, and they were gonna replace the mainboard same day but they had none in stock. I only had to wait 4 days or so, and they shipped it back to me free of charge.

Or Diezel... who sent me a midi controller for my VH4 completely free of charge, and has given me many bits of input in the last few years when I was curious about a mod or a tube replacement or whatever.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't have seen their official support guy tacitly sanctioning it in their user forum.

Yeah, that was pretty lame on their part.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I think part of it is Steven doesn't trust anyone else, runs a small family-centric operation, and doesn't
want to sub-contract out the work. Being constantly overwhelmed with demand, and behind on service
is kind of built into the operation as a result.

I mean, whatever floats his boat. But considering he’s good buddies with Dave Friedman, I’d think going to BAD would make him a lot more dough in his later years. But to each their own.

 

[la szum]

 

[Orvillain]

Yeah you!! Damn snob!! Wanting amps to easily be serviceable without having to remove 20 knobs and three circuit boards!!

 

[laxu]

I think part of it is Steven doesn't trust anyone else, runs a small family-centric operation, and doesn't
want to sub-contract out the work. Being constantly overwhelmed with demand, and behind on service
is kind of built into the operation as a result.

For me the issue with Fryette has been always the service part. Not answering emails, then if you do get a communication going they might just stop answering out of the blue. They do seem to work like an old fashioned mom&pop store where you have to call in, which is not something I'm going to do all the way from Finland.

Fryette would not address the issue when I asked if my PS-100 was faulty because it would emit a low frequency hum at about 130-180 Hz (peaking at 150 Hz) and just blamed the power network, whereas the PS-2 I had never did that and all my other gear was dead silent. When I pressed the matter they just stopped answering.

Then of course there's the whole "Support forgot to answer for months" issue when my PS-100 failed after I accidentally dropped it on its feet about 10 cm. No physical damage, tubes still worked, load still worked, lights come on but no sound through the poweramp.

Local tech couldn't figure it out without spending way too much time on it (which would mean high bench fees), and would receive no answer to requests about schematics. Even though I give Fryette some leeway because apparently they were in full COVID lockdown at that time, it's still pretty crappy to not double check that you answered your support emails when you get back to work, I basically had to call them out on The Other Place to get a reply. We are not talking about rocket science here, but basic support stuff.

I have a busted PS-100 here because I got my money back from home insurance. I'm tempted to spend the money to get it fixed, but at the same time I'm not looking forward to doing the whole "will they answer, will they provide the tech schematics" dance. Last time Fryette claimed they never received any emails from my tech.

I don't see myself buying any more Fryette products. When they work, they are good, but it's a terrible process when you have issues.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Oh Steven!

 

[Stratzrus]

I think part of it is Steven doesn't trust anyone else, runs a small family-centric operation, and doesn't
want to sub-contract out the work. Being constantly overwhelmed with demand, and behind on service
is kind of built into the operation as a result.

For me the issue with Fryette has been always the service part. Not answering emails, then if you do get a communication going they might just stop answering out of the blue. They do seem to work like an old fashioned mom&pop store where you have to call in, which is not something I'm going to do all the way from Finland.

I've seen posts that mentioned the difficulty some have had with service. It's been a real issue.

I've been fortunate in that however I sought to communicate with Fryette, and the times when I did, I was able to get my concerns addressed expeditiously.

I've read some real horror stories over at the other place about people who ordered amps or pedals from small builders and received no communication and didn't get what they had ordered for more than a year if ever, and sometimes got no replies, no gear, and their money was lost. I'm thinking of SOB strings which I loved or Shad at Bludotone. There are several others.

With Fryette the concerns have centered around service after purchase. They have not been universal but have been notable in number. As with any company, on gear forums we tend to read posts about the bad experiences. Not too many people post about their positive experiences with getting their gear repaired.

But yes, as I understand it service at Fryette has been a mixed bag and a truly negative experience for some. I'm not here to defend them or make excuses, only to say that I really like their gear and have been able to interact with their support in a way that was satisfactory and timely.

The problematic interactions are not universal. As mentioned before, if I was living out of the USA these concerns would weigh more heavily and would be taken into account when considering purchasing one of their products. You may be on your own regarding repairs that will be at your own expense and may be frustrated if you want to get your gear fixed under warranty in an expeditious manner.

To some this is unacceptable. I fully understand that.

All I'm saying is that hasn't been my experience nor that of many other satisfied Fryette gear owners. My Sig:X and Deliverance 120 deliver tones and feel that aren't Marshall, Fender, or Mesa clones and to me that has a distinct value. I'm truly happy with their gear.

Hopefully exchanges like ours will encourage them to be mindful of the concerns about service and will inspire increased attention to customer satisfaction in this area.

 

[Orvillain]

The Sig:X is a fantastic amp, no question. I never got to play a Pitbull. Probably never will at this point!

 

[Stratzrus]

The Sig:X is a fantastic amp, no question. I never got to play a Pitbull. Probably never will at this point!

I hope you have the chance to play a D120 full stack at volume someday. I've always said if the Sig:X is a scalpel the D120 is a sledgehammer.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I didn't realize I started a thread titled "This dry-a$$ amp that doesn't hide mistakes with a snarky circuit board that has some historical issues of prone to defect and getting repair support is such a rock machine"

 

[Stratzrus]

I remember playing a Pitbull combo when when they first came out in the early '90s and thought "Damn! This thing is dry as hell and I sound like crap."

When I got the Sig:X which was not nearly as dry as the Pitbull I still had to tighten up my chops significantly and play more precisely to get the most out of it.

Ultimately it was a growth experience and made me a better player. Of course adding some reverb and delay made it all the better.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I've wanted to try a VHT a time or three but never had enough of an urge to pull the trigger.

 

[spawnofthesith]

my pittbull 50cl was one of the best amps I ever owned. Had it for longer than most amps stick around with me. I traded it for a sig x that was also dope, but I stupidly sold it. Never had any issues with them so I can't speak to the support thing