NAD - Fryette Goodness

[cwhitey2]

I have been looking for another amp to add to the collection.

This was on reverb for a while and finally decided to pull the trigger on it...plus I haven't made any really big purchases since my 652KFX, which was like 4 years ago already. Oh, and it has a flight case...it was screaming buy me.

I'm a Fryette fanboy and will own them all at some point.

I think most people know most of the features on these amp but I'll give a quick run down.

2 channels -clean to heavy crunch and crunch to crushing---each with there B,M,T knobs
Each channel has 3 push buttons for tone shaping: Boost, Edge, Shift
Each Channel has high gain and normal switch
There is a master 5 band EQ as well (I really wanted a CL with this, just for more tone shaping options )
The front is certainly more straight forward than my SIG:X is, but once you understand what those switches do it's set and forget...for me anyways.

The backside has some unique features you don find on most amp (that's why I love Fryette).
Master Presence along with a Depth knob. Also has an effects mix knob.
The most interesting/coolest part of the amp for me is the power section. It has a Dual class mode which = "In Class AB mode all 4 power tubes operate in Class AB. In DUAL-CLASS the 2 outside power tubes are Cathode Biased while the inside 2 remain in Class AB. This produces a fatter midrange and smoother top and bottom end response."

BUT by far the coolest feature of the amp is the power amp off switch. I have no idea why other amp makers don't put this on their amps and I have no idea why we never talk about it especially here (I have never seen on eon another amp). It essentially removes the power amp completely from the amp and you can use the pre amp without a load box or cab connected (I confirmed this with Fryette).

I don't have a cab at my house right now, so that's how I have been using it and it's freaking awesome (using the effects out). The only thing I think it needs for recording is a power amp VST. I also haven't tried this with any pedals as they are at my drummers house. But so far I'm in love.

 

[Jacksonluvr636]

Incredible amp.

Out of all the amps I have owned this is the one I want back, congrats.

One thing I am curious about is how does it handle low tunings? Back when I owned a 100CL I used a 6 string in C and now I am on 7's in G.

 

[cwhitey2]

Incredible amp.

Out of all the amps I have owned this is the one I want back, congrats.

One thing I am curious about is how does it handle low tunings? Back when I owned a 100CL I used a 6 string in C and now I am on 7's in G.

I haven't played it with my 7 sting, which I only tune to drop A, but I have been messing around with it in drop B and it sounds decent, I just need my pedal board to make this baby shine. I will report back on Sunday or Monday, after band practice

 

[Jacksonluvr636]

I haven't played it with my 7 sting, which I only tune to drop A, but I have been messing around with it in drop B and it sounds decent, I just need my pedal board to make this baby shine. I will report back on Sunday or Monday, after band practice

Maxon 808 with 75/30 combo was insane with that amp. Enjoy it, very brutal sounding amp as you already know.

 

[cwhitey2]

Maxon 808 with 75/30 combo was insane with that amp. Enjoy it, very brutal sounding amp as you already know.

I was looking for a 2nd cab, possibly a 2x12 and was thinking that exact combo.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

Saw this on Reverb a while back, so it's cool to know it went to another forum member they're killer amps for sure! I've got a 50/CL and a UL and there's nothing else quite like them

 

[Meeotch]

HNAD! Is it true the Pitbulls are the "driest" sounding of the Fryette line-up? I know that word gets thrown around a lot, but I mean in terms of saturation. If so, does the 808 in front solve this?

 

[DudeManBrother]

HNAD! Is it true the Pitbulls are the "driest" sounding of the Fryette line-up? I know that word gets thrown around a lot, but I mean in terms of saturation. If so, does the 808 in front solve this?

It can sound dry if you don’t attack the strings with your pick. I think about it in terms of compression personally. It’s very uncompressed. If you dig in, it saturates beautifully. But yeah, an 808 up front will help compress it more, which makes the notes saturate with a lighter picking force.

 

[Hollowway]

Saw this on Reverb a while back, so it's cool to know it went to another forum member they're killer amps for sure! I've got a 50/CL and a UL and there's nothing else quite like them

Those are the two I have, as well!

These amps are godly. Super articulate, and QUIET. And Steve Fryette is a super nice guy.

 

[protest]

Nice!

My favorite VHT. I'm on my second one right now, and this one won't being going anywhere.

 

[MetalHead40]

Killer amps! Listed my 50CL the other day, but after plugging in last night I decided to keep it. Amazing amps!!! From Classic rock to death metal.

 

[MetalHead40]

HNAD! Is it true the Pitbulls are the "driest" sounding of the Fryette line-up? I know that word gets thrown around a lot, but I mean in terms of saturation. If so, does the 808 in front solve this?

They saturate wonderfully with an OD out front. And as stated, you just have to dig in harder than most amps. I've had a D60, UL and CL50. The UL was the most compressed and saturated of the three by a mile. That amp did not fit the typical VHT/UL description in terms of being dry or lacking saturation. It had gobs of gain/saturation/compression. I like the CL50 a bit more...throw an OD out front and it's tight, saturated, articulate, crunchy and punchy.

 

[Trainwreck]

Congratulations on the Fryette. The Pittbulls are my go to amp for everything heavy. They are so tight yet so organic. True tube overdrive.
The only way to make it heavier is with snakeskin. Snakeskin makes everything better.

 

[BryanM7]

Very clean. Congrats.

 

[cwhitey2]

Steve makes the best quality amps on the market, i don't care what anyone says.

My sig:x is so quiet i dont use a gate.

I will find out tomorrow how quiet this thing is cranked

 

[Trainwreck]

I've got three Pittbulls and all three are super quiet. I don't bother with gates either. In my opinion they're the best amps of all time.

 

[Hollowway]

Yeah, I don't use a gate either, and it's not until I plug into another amp that I realize how quiet these things are. Like, modeler level quiet.

 

[cwhitey2]

So just a little update.

This is most crushing fucking amp I have ever played in my life I cannot believe I waited so long to get one

Easily the most articulate and least saturated amp I have played. No matter how much gain you have you can still hear each note clear as day. For big bared chords this things is amazing. So much growl to it, it's unreal.

I honestly didn't mess around with the EQ to much. Pretty much set the controls to noon to start. Later in practice I bumped the mids and treble up around 2-3 o'clock. I reallly noticed you have to find the sweet spot on the power section. I bumped it down for a song or 2 and it was like it lost it's magic, but once you find it...holy shit. This amps sweet spot is around 11 o'clock on the master volume.


I'm thoroughly satisfied with my purchase and I'm playing a show tonight in Rochester and can't wait to use it

 

[Deadpool_25]

11:00 on the master volume? How loud is that?? Congrats on the new amp! I know nothing about VHT amps other than the glowing reviews I’ve seen on here.

That power amp off switch sounds like a pretty cool feature.

 

[cwhitey2]

11:00 on the master volume? How loud is that?? Congrats on the new amp! I know nothing about VHT amps other than the glowing reviews I’ve seen on here.

That power amp off switch sounds like a pretty cool feature.

Each channel has its own volume knob as well. So balancing the 2 is key. It honestly was not "too loud". The other guitarist in the band basically left his 6505 on the last setting we used at practice, so I did have a reference point to shoot for. I can see it definitely getting out of control if I go any louder though