VHT Special 6 Ultra

[woemoejack]

This thing looks awesome. All these features for just $329??? Sign me up

Features
6 watts
One 6V6 output tube
Two 12AX7 preamp tubes
Overdrive and Normal gain inputs
Overdrive gain control
Variable Watts control
Depth control
3-position texture switch
Tube-driven effects loop
Line out jack
Volume and tone controls
Footswitchable Boost mode
High/Low power switch
4, 8, and 16 ohm speaker jacks
Hand-wired
Mod-friendly, eyelet-type board
12" VHT ChromeBack speaker (16 ohm)

Link

 

[mwalluk]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

I heard it's not too bad, HOWEVER it's not the same quality build as FRYETTE.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

This is not a VHT, this is a chinese import at the same level as Bugera, but carries the name VHT.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

It's still VHT, but under new managament. Once Fryette left and took all his designs and quality control, VHT bombed....

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

This is not a VHT, this is a chinese import at the same level as Bugera, but carries the name VHT.

Bugera's have cheap PCB construction, whereas the VHT S6 and Ultra 6 have point to point hand wiring. That is certainly a cut above anything Bugera has to offer.

VHT didn't bomb...the name was sold to another amp company, so Freyette is out of the picture altogether.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

VHT didn't bomb...the name was sold to another amp company, so Freyette is out of the picture altogether.

Assuming you mean Fryette is no longer with VHT with that statement.

Fryette is still in business, but under his name.

 

[DankStar]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

dang point to point for just over 3 bones and low wattage for household jamming. no biasing for tube changes. this is looking really cool to me. I'd like to hear one. And by hear I mean play through.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

Sounds like a lot of you guys have never been inside one of these VHT amps. I would much rather work on one of these than any modern day Peavey, Fender, or Marshall. They are real mod/user friendly.......and that is by design, not by accident.
I would encourage anybody, that needs an amp in this ballpark, to consider one of these VHT amps.
Not saying it is Roccaforte, Two Rock, or Dr Z. But at this price, it would be about impossible to find a better amp, if it meets your needs.
Best

 

[woemoejack]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

gain control, effects loop, hand wired eyelet board, footswitchable boost and a 12" speaker... thats a lot of feature for a little price.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

I like everything about it, except for the fact it sounds like dog crap. :blackeye:

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

I don't know anything about them except they apparently screwed Fryette out of the VHT name somehow, and that their amps sound very good. I played the 36 watt handwired head several times and I dig the sound of it. The one they had at Guitar Center took a lot of abuse and didn't have any problems. It sat there for about 2 years before someone bought it. I was tempted to buy it and probably should have since they marked it down to $599.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

They didn't screw anybody out of the name...he SOLD it to them.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

They didn't screw anybody out of the name...he SOLD it to them.

He didn't sell it to them. What I heard was they sued Fryette over some kind of financial dispute but Fryette ran out of money and was forced to give them the VHT name in order to settle the dispute. That's what I heard anyway.

 

[Mattallica]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

Bugera's have cheap PCB construction, whereas the VHT S6 and Ultra 6 have point to point hand wiring. That is certainly a cut above anything Bugera has to offer.

VHT didn't bomb...the name was sold to another amp company, so Freyette is out of the picture altogether.

It's funny that you say this, because high-dollar Fryette amps like the deliverance have PCB mounted tubes, and PCB construction in general.

Not to mention, the PCB construction in my Blackheart Hothead looks WAY better than the PCB construction in a Bogner Ecstasy. What's more, The new Mesa Road King heads now have pcb mounted tubes and ribbon cables. Mesa Mark V? PCB mounted tubes again. The ENGL special edition? Looks more like a computer in there than an amp...yes once again alot of PCB and ribbon cable. The peavy 6505, one of the most highly regarded metal amps, has the preamp tubes actually inside of the amp chassis mounted sideways on...you guessed it...a PCB. The Marshall JMP Preamp? Once again, preamp tubes inside of the unit mounted on a PCB.

My point? All of this hubub about amp construction is bull****. Mesa and Bogner, all of the big names, don't make them any better than the Blackheart Head that I paid $450 for.

Getting back to the theme of this thread, the VHT special 6 ultra looks like a killer little amp, and I am definitely going to pick one up. Rock on dudes. :headbang:

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

All of this hubub about amp construction is bull****. Mesa and Bogner, all of the big names, don't make them any better than the Blackheart Head that I paid $450 for.

Getting back to the theme of this thread, the VHT special 6 ultra looks like a killer little amp, and I am definitely going to pick one up. Rock on dudes. :headbang:

You just might have missed the point, which is that...

If they both work, and that's your only consideration, then then build vs build point is moot.

If they both FAIL, then you and your amp tech are faced with two choices

1. Replace the entire board, which takes 2 weeks. You play the gig with a scrounged amp.

or

2. Replace that little part located right there, in an easily accessible place, with another part of the same value which the tech has in one of the little drawers in his parts bin. This takes ten minutes and you play the gig with your amp instead of some crap amp you scrounged in a big hurry, which makes you play a better gig.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

He leveraged his name, and he lost. Nobody screwed anybody.
Far as I know, Steven kept his pride and his circuits, and is doing fine when I saw him at last NAMM.
Best

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

It's still VHT, but under new managament. Once Fryette left and took all his designs and quality control, VHT bombed....

It's not under new management, it was a name swap. There is no similarity or association with what we know as VHT. I won't even utter those letters without a descriptor such as: VHT (Freyette)

The price tag should be a clue. It is an entirely different company trying to sucker you in with a well known name and a below average product.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

I like everything about it, except for the fact it sounds like dog crap. :blackeye:

:chairshot How dare you judge an amp on what it sounds like! This is the internet! :laugh2:

 

[mwalluk]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

Let's clear somethings up here.



AXL's bought the VHT brand, but not rights to the products.

Fryette made in USA, VHT (post fryette) manufactored in china, assembled in USA.

VHT Changes Name to Fryette Amplification

December 19, 2008
Effective January 1, 2009 VHT Amplification, Inc., will be known as Fryette Amplification, a division of Steven Fryette Design, Inc. Fryette Amplification will continue to manufacture all of the VHT models currently in production including the award winning Sig:X amplifier, Deliverance amplifiers and speaker cabinets, Pittbull Ultra-Lead amplifier, FatBottom speaker cabinets, Two/Fifty/Two and Two/Ninety/Two power amps and Valvulator I Buffer + Power Supply.

In making the name change, founder and CEO Steven Fryette states: "Much like a musician who finds his own voice, my more recent designs have really captured what I've been searching for ever since starting VHT 20 years ago. These designs represent my personal vision of how an amplifier can interact with a player in a truly musical way. We'll be introducing the Memphis Series amplifiers at Winter NAMM and these new products exemplify the use of our patented technology, years of experience and commitment to quality all in an affordable format. For years I have thought about putting my name on a product and finally I feel comfortable enough to do just that."

As Steven Fryette Design Inc., Fryette plans on continuing working with others as a design consultant in addition to building Fryette Amplifiers and accessories. “Earlier this year, I had consulted with AXL and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of working with another manufacturer. In a surprise move, AXL offered to buy the trademarked VHT brand name and logo. They will now manufacture their own product under that name. The offer to buy was also an opportunity to rebrand the company under my name.” says Fryette. All of the original VHT intellectual property, patents, designs, and trade dress have been retained by Steven Fryette Design, Inc.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: VHT Special 6 Ultra

It's not under new management, it was a name swap. There is no similarity or association with what we know as VHT. I won't even utter those letters without a descriptor such as: VHT (Freyette)

The price tag should be a clue. It is an entirely different company trying to sucker you in with a well known name and a below average product.

I used the wrong words, but read the later off my post you quoted.

Fryette started VHT, then was in a partnership w/ AXL in VHT and eventually sold the company to AXL (who may have sold the name to another company afterwards, not sure). AXL purchased rights to company name, not products.

I don't disagree with you. VHT is COMPLETELY different.