From Legendary Amp to Synergy Module - with Steven Fryette

From the Mesa Mark I to the the Mark IIA, B, C and then C+, a lot of changes had to be made in order to come up with the amp that defined the sound of some massively influential players. Steven Fryette was there from the start, repairing them at Valley Arts in LA... he talks about those days and how it influenced the new IICP Synergy module.
#mesamarkIIC+ #kirkhammetsound #petrucciamp
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[@shadesofgold24]

Man I had a tough time listening to this interview and I wasn’t even being interviewed. Kudos to Mr. Fryette for his patience

[@ajohnhayes]

Amazing, incredible conversation. Thank you so much for this. I own a Pod Go, live in a small apartment, and I play through headphones, but I want to throw money at Fryette products out of respect for the man's level of knowledge and dedication to his craft. I want a Pitbull so much! Perhaps when I get a house of my own, I can realise that dream.

[@raywade4719]

Mr Fryette. You are a very patient man. At the beginning of this interview , I thought you we're on the verge of walking out. I expected you to do so. But you came around and toned down the narrative with your sober minded character. You brought your interlocutor ie., interviewer as close to the ground possible without making him crash.. You're a kind soul! Thanks. I just bought IICP. Will be going through the power side of an Ampeg VT22. God Bless you. :Like the German thirst for hi tech, Good job.

[@nickx1754]

Absolutely; well said.

[@TechMetalRules]

Agree! I'm just here for Steve

[@TheOtherJohnBrowne]

Serious nerd here. I cold listen to Steven Fryette talk for days. I'd give a lot to learn from him

[@CheddarKungPao]

This is a great interview. Thanks for doing it Henning and Steven!

[@208414]

Steve is a true expert when it comes to tube amplifier design and repair. This was a great interview!

[@stephencline685]

Man, Steven Fryette is a true renaissance man. As someone who fixes/mods/builds amps I would LOVE to just have his brain to pick, every time I watch an interview with him I learn a ton!

[@HowardFrischer]

Incredible documentary to 40 to 50 years ago to the future of the present day what was then and what is now. Incredible! Absolutely incredible!

[@SHREDTILLDEAD]

Was recently watching an interview of Petrucci and he basically confirms what Steve says about a fixed eq change in the jp2c. Petrucci mentioned that they made the pull deep master setting from the original iic+ permanent on the jp2c (always in circuit).

[@arkistriph1]

Thanks HP, thanks Steven this took me back to the late 70s early 80s hanging out in the local music store for these types of conversations.

[@earthshine402]

I watched the whole vid just to get Steve Fryette's take on all sorts of things. very cool!

[@nickx1754]

While uncomfortable / tense at first, things eased and this was a fascinating and very informative interview. Eyetch, you seemed like you did your research and asked some good questions but I think your interviews would benefit by interrupting your guest a bit less. I enjoy your channel and only bring this up as constructive criticism. Maybe you were just excited because you gave ample space later on in the interview. Keep up the good work.

[@scottpeters4401]

Brad Gillis had one of the best tones ever recorded on Ozzy’s Speak of the Devil using a couple of MarkIIC’s in stereo with a chorus and a 10ms delay in one side…

[@judoka227]

I believe that was actually a IIb…

[@hipmetalworx]

The best live guitar sound on album live....no contest...feedback at will...heavy...thump you in the chest...the best Ozzy album nobody knows about. Studio vocals, bu the band is live....and slays....

[@larslevinberget9558]

I believe the Lexicon PCM41/42 rack was part of that great sound - Watson, Jake E, Campbell, Lynch, DeMartini, Morse, Metheny, DiMeola, Landau, Lukather, DeVille, Stevens, Schon, Holmes and Beck - they all used that digital delay

[@Sailor_Man_Music]

I love the honesty Henning your an absolute gem. This was such a fun video and very informative.

[@2500BC]

Guys like Steve are a huge value not just for their own engineering but being in LA in the 80’s/90’s and being a part of what was going on. Mike Soldano, Lee Jackson, Dave Friedman, many others are great to listen to and a lot of their knowledge will be lost

[@leeh5150]

Henning, this was great! As you know I'm still designing and building that bass amp. Even though you and Steven were talking guitar amps. Most of what you were talking about was pertinent to bass design. Steven is a wonderful source of amplifier design and he was just skimming the surface of his knowledge base. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

[@lyricbread]

Hats off to Henning for playing livestream producer while doing an interview! A man who wears many hats… well, actually…

[@levanchikvaidze3519]

Steven is true sonic professor. Glad to be Ultra Lead head owner. Hope to test some Synergy system sometime

[@TudorAdrian]

Wow! Steven is a living amp encyclopedia! Very good vid - great watch!

[@ultimatemetalguitartones]

Last year I was lucky enough to find a mint original 1984 Mark 2C+ SRGX and it sounds glorious!

[@allengarrow6295]

Steven, thank you so much for all the insight! I realized after listening to a few of your interviews that I had become staunch in my “this is what works and this is my sound”. EL34’s have been what I’ve looked for in power amps… if the amp had anything else it wasn’t for me. My wife bought me a synergy system for my birthday. Syn 50/50, Syn 2 rack preamp, Vai module and the Engle power ball. I have it dialed in and once I focused on the tone versus focusing on the tubes… I found it liberating. I can use my Carvin Legacy 3 and my synergy system and love what I hear. It had been until hearing you say what the true sonic differences are between EL34 and 6L6’s I was splitting hairs… it was liberating to say the least. The forums and every other form of knowledge and opinions got very confusing and halted me from truly finding that “sound”. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and true understanding of the amps and modules! I just received the Synergy 2CP for Christmas and I’m about to plug it in! I have a much clearer understanding now thanks to you! ~A

[@einjarjar]

Thanks for this. It was really interesting. Kudos for doing this interview. And thanks for being quiet for a longer time than usually. Even if the topic goes way over your head. ;)

[@75YBA]

33:20 What a great guy. This is what keeps kids playing and prevents them from feeling discouraged.

[@boogierandy7547]

Thank you Steven for this very interesting history!!

[@JETGuitars]

Thank you so much for this video! And thanks for not cutting it short, either!

[@heldersguitar489]

I am a nerd, but I stayed until the end because I was enjoying the intelligent conversation, not (just) because I'm interested in this module. Thank you both for this! Ps: the things at the end are animals. Your animals! Please see a doctor for your memory :-)

[@VatroCramer]

Great conversation and great information! Thank you both for doing this! Watched the whole vid and enjoyed it very much!

[@DeathMetalDevin]

This was great, enjoyed hearing all of this

[@charlesrocks]

Steven Freyette is an absolute genius and a legend.

[@brandonbuell3519]

Is that a 1U powerstation I see behind him!? That would be awesome!

[@TechMetalRules]

Are you maybe talking about the LX II... it's pretty cool to have a Fryette power amp in a 1U size!

[@TechMetalRules]

Hey, I'm gonna do an almost two hour interview about a certain amp, but I don't think I'm gonna familiarize myself with it beforehand.

[@gabrielstevens41]

Ah Valley Arts. Still have a 4x12 cab from them

[@75YBA]

Steven Fryette is a bloody genius. Go watch The Malcontents on the Fryette channel folks!

[@janiniiranen4860]

That’s some serious knowledge. Luv this

[@EliPorterMahn]

Fryette is very humble and intelligent

[@austinfailz]

Anthrax, John Sykes, Metallica, Rocky George of Suicidal Tendencies, and Petrucci used the Mark IIC+ and III (Sykes also used the Colliseum).

[@theprisonier]

Synergy is awesome. But I have one question, which unit sounds more accurate, more real to the original. The 30 watt head, the 50 watt head, or the syn 1-2 with the 5050 ? Because some have depth, some have SAG, some have density. So if I want to buy something that will sound near the original, which plateforme is the best sounding ?

[@gearoidwalsh8606]

This was extremely interesting.

[@kennethmeeker6369]

Does the length of wire between components in an amp effect tone ?

[@JimijaymesProductions]

Now I have an attenuator I dime my amps all the time, mainly 'clean' amps driven to hell. I don't play for so long and my amps live to see the next day but for certain tones thats what happens. Also the difference in some amps between half and full is barely anything both is pretty much cranked (my ac50 for example).

[@MusicTherapyLaz]

Serious need here! Love it! 🤘🎸😎

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

Feathers ruffled at 1:07:13 🪶 🪶

[@tonymarinelli7304]

In the beginning of this interview Henning would not mention an unethical company. What company was he referring to?

[@2500BC]

Gibson acquired Mess.

[@tonymarinelli7304]

@@2500BC Aah thanks

[@jaycareaga9929]

Steve Lukather used 2cs in his first Bradshaw rig 1984 1985.

[@rrshoeing]

Hey Man What 2 modules would you get for the best versatility? I think I'm going to get the syn 2.

[@austinfailz]

The OS is really versatile.

[@george_richman]

I've got a Pittbull 45 head, and there is a bog pop when footswitching channels! Help! 🤣😛

[@mikeaustin4138]

Regarding speakers: I suspect that the obsession with the technical aspects of speakers is due in no small part to the fact that very, very few music stores even sell more than a few speakers - and only the most popular brands - and there is no way to really audition them. In my town, there's an amp repair shop that sells maybe 8 different speakers in different enclosures and that's it. Consequently, one almost has to buy speakers based solely on reputation and technical specs.

[@maze7_7]

EytschPi42 where's the video of Fryette explaining the module?

[@EytschPi42]

it was a private video… but check on the official synergy channel

[@Jbervel]

No, Steven , this isn't worry! it's great. 1:05:05

[@gregboboski9904]

I wish you would have touched on what wasn't good enough that M company kept on going for the mkIII? after that you got discreet channels but the IIC must not have been a hit right out of the box that they moved on from it. or something about it wasn't good enough.

[@bananabourbonaenima]

1:05:00 It fits perfectly into the slot.

[@stephanematis]

Man, would love a Steve's take on a EQ pedal, perhaps one that can only work in send/return. PS, love this long format video.

[@Eliphas_Elric]

Would absolutely kill for an Fryette Pittbull style EQ pedal.

[@L.Scott_Music]

Brand that shall not be named = Flat top mountain dance.

[@EytschPi42]

SYNERGY Playlist finally added!

[@L.Scott_Music]

@@EytschPi42 Hurray!!! Thank you!

[@davidsmith1784]

seriously, who is he talking about?

[@L.Scott_Music]

@@davidsmith1784 Haha, even I cannot remember. It has something to do with something said in the video. Sorry. Oh, wait now I remember. Flat top mountain is a Mesa. A dance is a Boogie as in "Get down and..."

[@davidsmith1784]

@@L.Scott_Music thanks,,, I couldn't sit thru the whole video, maybe I'll try later. He certainly seemed worked up about Mesa Boogie, I wasn't aware that they were controversial!

[@russellfox5332]

anyone got a link to the video they were talking about around the 1:20:50 mark?

[@EytschPi42]

it's a private training video from Steven for Content Creators

[@FryetteAmps]

To be released shortly. Maybe today or tomorrow.

[@russellfox5332]

Studio tweezers. That will give you full control of the sliders lol.

[@hannibalbarkas1350]

Awww my fav anime crossover.

[@j26530102]

Lol two polar opposites...one never shuts up and one can hardly get his words out at all. Great video anyway 😂

[@KanlydNorge]

Cool video.. but according to Bob Rock the Metallica Black Album sound was the MK3 not the 2C+.

[@ultimatemetalguitartones]

that's incorrect - mark iv and mark 2C+ were used and there are plenty of videos and photos

[@KanlydNorge]

@@ultimatemetalguitartones Well the MK2 and the MK3 look the same only way to tell them apart is to get close and see the writing. I tend to believe a guy like Bob Rock. He had a long Tone Talk with Dave Friedman where he said it was an MK3 not the 2C+. He should know since he produced the album…

[@ultimatemetalguitartones]

@@KanlydNorge Nope , I do believe he is too old to remember all the amps used. Again, you can find all information if you look it up and watch the behind the scenes making of the Black Album. I have yet to find a photo of Metallica playing a mark III but there are so many showing James tracking with a mark IV and 2C+

[@KanlydNorge]

@@ultimatemetalguitartones well he did make a clear statement about it on Tone Talk. Again if you look at a video of them playing you can’t tell if it’s a MK2 or 3 unless they go really close so you can read the text on the pull/push knobs. The amps have identical layout of knobs, same amount of controls. Same size of chassis etc.

[@ultimatemetalguitartones]

@@KanlydNorge I choose to believe James Hetfield - again you can read a lot of articles and watch him play a mark IV

[@PooNinja]

Awesome interview , Mr. VHT himself 🤘🏽 21:21 oh my super twin ( older but still) totally blew the original Jensens as I’m a MetaaaaaaaaaL head and I wasn’t paying attention and loud loud loud silent oooh Ffcc😖 so now it’s got a pair of 100 watt drivers for my and it’s own self protection 👍🏽. 1:04:00 bravo on ya self control Sir Rent a smurf EQ services, smurfberries are >= Bitcoin?

[@RodrigoRamirez-eq6gj]

The DRGX is THE best IIC+

[@smashedguitarist]

Not a fan of Voldermort, but Fryette kicks ass

[@EytschPi42]

pretty insulting… you don’t even know me. But hey, that’s the internet.

[@drumnotdrum9262]

Coming from Harry potters big brother! The muggle.......

[@geezberry8889]

is there an EVH module? i'm guessing no because the fat and bloated Fender wont license it?

[@afterthefox7]

Get yourself together. Use your words

[@they_arent_human]

Pretty sure Metallica slaved the 2cp+ into a marshall power amp and cab. Not just marshall cab.

[@CEB7832]

Your friend who wants to sell an amp he loves because he doesn't want to support the new owners of the company he bought it from doesn't seem to grasp that his money didn't go to the new owners who bought the company after he got his amp. That's a bit of a reactionary!

[@EytschPi42]

he has a big YT channel and he is advertising it... for the new owners... and he doesn't feel comfortable with that and I can totally understand that.

[@CEB7832]

@@EytschPi42 I'm certainly not going to pick a fight with you on this. Stopping advertising it and using it for himself if he's happy with the product would make less of a splash than getting publicly rid of it, but hey, someone will be happy to pick it up for what it is, I'm sure.

[@pihuey]

@@EytschPi42 new owners aside i gotta hand it to Steve for doing the impossible. This module is so spot on and for the price and being made in America you just can’t find a better more affordable alternative

[@internetmoney221]

The flat transformers in rack poweramps don’t have the musicality of the larger ones in traditional amps. Prove me wrong

[@davidfaustino4476]

Nope. You're 100 percent correct. That's why a Syn50 head sounds so much better than a Syn50/50.

[@Chugg.Norris]

Whining about the size of the sliders goes to show how ridiculous humans are. They offer all that in an affordable, small package, what do people do? Gripe about the size of the fucking sliders 🤣 Literally.. it's not hard to just slow tf down, and use your finger. It will fit... u less you're a drunken sumo wrestler... I really cant see how it's even an issue. 💯

[@pb25193]

Lol who was the unethical company?

[@Manley156]

Old comment... don't care. Mesa

[@Farhadhp1]

@@Manley156 Gibson, not Mesa. He said his friend doesn't want to support (by keeping their JP2C) the new owners of the company (i.e. Gibson)

[@rocl420]

"There's an amp and we're gonna talk about it but I won't name it because my ethical barometer is x y z..." How off-putting. I guess I don't have the prerequisite knowledge to understand the content of this video. Love listening to Mr Fryette but I'm clicking away at the two minute mark.

[@bananabourbonaenima]

This interview has a very weird vibe: cynical and reverent at the same time. If I never heard a IIC+, I would have guessed it's a piece of shit based on this interview.

[@Trevor23march]

last attempts by amplifier manufacturers to sell unwanted junk.

[@By-Fun-Jokes-Guitars]

He is Angry? And he want a us to buy something from him??? Okay lets wait and see. 😏 I am so tired now. Move on to the next video. 😏 first impression 😁

[@geetarplyr1]

Nobody was angry. It's a great video

[@2500BC]

Dont see any angry here

[@2500BC]

Dont see any angry here

[@jaycareaga9929]

You aren’t buying from him. They are built and sold by Boutique Amp Distribution which he has nothing to do with directly.