Fryette Amplification has introduced the Pittbull Ultra-Lead II 120-watt amp head and Valvulator Mini buffer.
From its introduction in 1995 until its discontinuation in 2017, the Pittbull Ultra-Lead had long been the flagship of the Fryette amplifier line, and customer desire for the Ultra-Lead to be reissued has never waned. Following an intensive three-year development process, the new Pittbull Ultra-Lead II is a fully reimagined touring and recording tone machine, specifically designed to be the centerpiece of your playing and gigging environment.
With an eye toward the future of tube amplification, Steve Fryette prioritized the most popular features and functions of his original Pittbull Ultra-Lead and then added a compact, lightweight form factor, flexible three-channel topology, a graphic EQ and super dynamic 120 watt power amplifier. The new amp features the smoother harmonic balance of the former sister-ship, the Pittbull Hundred CLX and imported its personality into the Ultra-Lead platform by way of a Patent Pending power tube blending technology that extracts peak performance out of mixed pairs of EL34 and 6550 power tubes. The Pittbull Ultra-Lead II includes an all-new switching and signal processing platform that offers an array of sonic possibilities in a slick, intuitive sound modification system that can be managed via the onboard LCD display or operated remotely via a custom graphical user interface. “Many amp manufacturers view legacy product reboots in the most literal way possible, offering as accurate a reproduction as possible, given modern regulatory limitations. In our view, that approach is just uninspired and assumes that a great tube amplifier can’t be truly innovative. We believe that the Pittbull Ultra-Lead origin story was about moving beyond, and that is just as true today as it was in 1995” commented Steve Fryette.
The Fryette Valvulator Mini is a high voltage vacuum tube–based buffer designed to preserve and enhance your guitar’s tone by converting the signal from high to low impedance. This process eliminates high-frequency loss and signal degradation caused by cable capacitance, impedance mismatches, and effects pedals. The tube buffer also acts as a tone sweetener, cleaning up and enriching your sound while unveiling subtle harmonics, dynamics and touch sensitivity normally associated with plugging directly into an amp.
In addition to its signal-enhancing buffer, the Valvulator Mini features pickup load switches that allow you to fine tune the mid-range and top end response characteristics of your guitar signal. Housed in a compact steel chassis, the Valvulator Mini provides an unbalanced low impedance output, an unbalanced transformer isolated output and a balanced XLR output for use as a tube direct box, making it a versatile solution for both pedalboards and studio use.
“The Valvulator Mini is the long-awaited evolution of one of our most popular rig solutions, the Valvulator 1 Vacuum Tube Buffer. The Mini features increased headroom and dynamic range, together with significantly lower noise. As always, I wanted a solution for myself that I knew would be a welcome tool for players, especially those who really appreciate the tone and feel of plugging directly into an amp” commented Steve Fryette.
The Fryette Pittbull Ultra-Lead II 120-watt amp head carries a $3,999 street price and the Valvulator Mini carries a $299 street price. For more information visit Fryette.com.
