Volume knob with 20 dB boost
Bias knob
Bias control
Gain control
EF86 tube-
driven circuit
FRYETTE
S.A.S. AND
BOOSTASSIO
BY ADAM PERLMUTTER
A couple of decades ago, Steven Fryette built the prototypes that
would become VHT’s Pittbull series—
handbuilt tube amps that became known
for their crushing sound and great durability. VHT became both a well-respected
amp company and a leader in the rack
revolution, with their rack-mountable
power amps becoming the weapons of
choice for heavy bands like Metallica,
Alice in Chains, and Megadeth.
In 2009, Fryette parted ways with the
VHT brand and began making gear that
had originally been offered under that
moniker—including the Valvulator I line
buffer and power supply, the Pittbull amp
line, and the popular Two/Ninety/Two
and Two/Fifty/Two power amps—under
his own name. Soon thereafter, he also
introduced a new design—the 30-watt,
class-A Memphis Thirty, a 1x12 combo
capable of handling everything from spar-
kling clean tones to the most pulverizing
metal sounds. More recently, Fryette has
extended his product range with a line of
valve-driven effects pedals. We checked
EF86 tube-driven circuit
out the first two offerings, the S.A.S.
distortion and Boostassio boost. Both
true-bypass designs are made in the US
and come in compact, heavy-duty steel
housings that incorporate a single EF86
tube (which cannot be swapped out for a
more familiar tube, like a 12AX7) and an
internal power transformer.
Boostassio
The mint-green Boostassio is designed to
generate everything from a transparent
clean boost—up to 20 dB’s worth—to
