Deliverance One Twenty and Deliverance D412-P50E Cabinet
Tested by Art Thompson

Much like the dentally challenged riverbank dwellers in the 1972 film with a similar name, the Deliverance One Twenty looks simple, but means serious business. The KT88-equipped beast continues FRYETTE’s tradition of aggressive-sounding tone machines, but this model also flaunts some cleaner textures that sport a character all their own. At the core of this carnivorous creation are the Gain I and Gain II controls, and the More/Less switch (which activates an extra gain stage). Using a PRS McCarty, I turned Gain II all the way down, and tried to find the Deliverance’s softer, more sensitive side. Even at its cleanest setting, the Deliverance has a lightning quick attack that generates a tactile buzz under your fingers. A strong, even overwhelming, upper-midrange component penetrates every note, but the amp’s musical, yet intense treble bite maintains a detailed shimmer that allows complex chords to speak with clarity and punch. I found these tones to be especially delicious with single-coil guitars.

Make no mistake, however, the Deliverance is not a jangle-machine. Far from it. The amp’s true calling is intense distorted tones, and, damn, does it deliver. The sheer aggressiveness of the midrange was breathtaking as it snarled and barked each time my pick struck a string. The Deliverance’s punchy low-end response also proved remarkable, as it stayed tight and focused no matter how much volume and gain were present. The EQ is beautifully voiced, and Strats and Teles were treated with as much tonal favor as humbucker-equipped guitars—not an easy task for an amp with this much gain potential. The character of the high-gain tones is surprisingly malleable, considering there are no footswitchable EQ or gain options.

The Deliverance is an amp with subtleties that can only be revealed by the dynamics and stylistic nuances of the player. It’s kind of an open-ended proposition in that regard, but it’s precisely why this seemingly feature-challenged amp can do just about anything you ask of it.

Deliverance indeed!