What to buy? Rockerverb, OR, OD, ?!

gimpymcsquibble · Post by **gimpymcsquibble** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:56 am

I've been playing guitar for awhile, and dove into the wonderful world of tube amps in 2002 with the purchase of my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. It's a wonderful amp for playing guitar if you want the typical fender sound, without completely blowing people away in terms of loudness. But the clean channel breaks up too soon for my liking, and I'm getting tired of the signature fender over drive, anyways I've been looking at getting something new for awhile.

I played a vintage or-100 through an orange 4X12 cab, enjoyed it of course.

Anyways I am just confused as to what the different amps offer, I'm looking for something that has a loud clean channel that won't break up but can still give me that tube overdrive, and it seems there are various amps that are one channel in which you have to dial in the drive you want, or you have to get a dual channel amp.

Basically I'm just wondering what people reccomend in terms of amps that offer both clean and overdrive that I can control with a stomp pedal for live performances and such, what I'm looking at right now are an OD 80 head and an orange 140AD.

It seems 140 watts though would be considerable overkill, but I may be able to get either of these amps for cheaper than say a 50 watt rockerverb, and I'm worried the rocker won't be able to handle my clean channel needs at high volume.

Anyways, I can get away with cranking my hotrod deluxe up to max volume, and it doesn't do it clean. So I'm looking for something with more power clean wise, and that I can footswitch to overdrive. The best thing about the hotrod is I can get good tube overdrive without making myself deaf, is that possible with the 140? I know you really gotta dial up an amp to get the best tone, and I'm wondering if 140 watts is just too much, (less I get an attenuator...)

Just wondering what people recommend and what would be prices to pay for those two amps given they'd be used.

gimpymcsquibble · Post by **gimpymcsquibble** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:05 am

Simple explanation:

I want something with a loud perfect clean channel, that has a footswitch so I can move over to overdrive and get the perfect overdriven tube sound.

The 40 watt hotrod deluxe doesn't do it for me clean, and I want a new kind of overdrive.

orangeape · Post by **orangeape** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:09 am

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by gimpymcsquibble

The 40 watt hotrod deluxe doesn't do it for me clean, and I want a new kind of overdrive.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I wouldn't think so , either. Welcome!

zac_crocus · Post by **zac_crocus** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:16 am

GET AN RV 100 !

BUT I AM BIASED !

gimpymcsquibble · Post by **gimpymcsquibble** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:23 am

thats great, but I guess I'm looking for a technical explanation in the differences between the amps and such, as I don't know.

rrrajobizarro · Post by **rrrajobizarro** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:24 am

I am partial to the OR50.

Heartsndspades · Post by **Heartsndspades** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 4:00 am

+1 get the rockerverb 100

MartinC · Post by **MartinC** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:08 am

I can't give you a technical explanation ... I haven't played the whole range and, although I came very close in my last amp search, I've never been an owner. However, I'd concur with the others who have said try the rockerverb. Two channels, clean is really great, OD channel is really great and covers a huge range of OD levels (all levels sound good). And you've got built in reverb and effects loop.

Cha-ching!

Aslan · Post by **Aslan** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:21 pm

It depends on what you want the amp for. If you play a little bit of everything (Jazz-blues - rock) then the Rockerverb 50 is the most versatile amp on the planet. If you just play straight ahead Rock then the OR50 is my favorite. I played a gig for 500 people last week in a huge ballroom and the OR50 & PPC212 filled the room with volume to spare (we mic everything). Our sound was the best I've ever heard it, the OR50 is more than enough power for anything I'll ever play, but the clean channel on the RV50 is outstanding and with the effects loop, channel switching & reverb you can add a few pedals and play just about anything you want. I was lucky and able to try the amps before I bought.

gimpymcsquibble · Post by **gimpymcsquibble** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:14 am

thanks!

rrrajobizarro · Post by **rrrajobizarro** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:11 am

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Aslan
. If you play a little bit of everything (Jazz-blues - rock) then the Rockerverb 50 is the most versatile amp on the planet. ....<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That is testiment.

Andy H. · Post by **Andy H.** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:13 am

OD80? You mean an old 'Overdrive' model?

The Overdrive 80 (OR80M) is a terrific amp but not what you are after. It is single channel amp so no footswitch to overdrive. Also the master volume is pretty primitive (the Overdrives were amongst the first amps to feature them) and they only really sound good with the volume most of the way up, where you are talking LOUD! Trust me on that - I have an OR120M and when run as an OR80 on two valves it are still capable of major demolition work.

The more modern Oranges have great master volume controls though so can sound really good at basically any volume level.

Rockerverb, yes. Super versatile amp.
Thunderverb might also be a possibility. You can set either channel up for clean or dirty.
The new OR50 is a single channel amp but has a footswitch which takes your master volume control out of circuit. (How much boost that'll give you depends on how the MV was set!)
With a good efficient speaker cab any of these 50 watters should get you plenty clean volume IMO.

For an idea of what these amps do check out Rob Chappers' YouTube reviews:
http://uk.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=RobChappers

The AD140 you have seen, is that a single or dual channel model? Most production line ones were twin channel, but the single channel AD140 Lead was a hand built Custom Shop model. Well worth thinking about if you come across one as you'd have plenty of clean volume, could use pedals for more drive, and you'd have one of the best built best sounding amps ever made!
The 'standard' AD140TC is a great amp too of course, and you would have plenty of clean headroom to spare and the ability to switch between clean and dirty with the amp alone. (Well, you'd need a footswitch and lead, but you know what I mean!) Some people complain that they aren't as loud as they expected for 140w - probably not bad thing IMO!

Anyway I wouldn't discount it at all, especially at a good price. (Don't ask me for figures though - best just to see what they have been going for on EBay for a good idea of the current market trends.)

Hope that helps gimpymcsquibble.

Andy.

enigma · Post by **enigma** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:15 pm

From my experience RV100 has awesome overdrive channel - by far the most natural. The cleans, on the other hand, pales in comparison. I actually think RV50 has better cleans.

Borderline Productions · Post by **Borderline Productions** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:43 pm

I think the answer to your question is the RV100 or the RV50. You need to try them side by side because are different sounding. I preferred the clean channel on the RV50 (The 6V6s sound different than the EL34s) and that it warmed up and started to break up at reasonable volume. The RV100 was TFL when the cleans got to where I liked them. The dirty channel on both will send you to ebay to auction off your distortion pedals - you won't need them anymore.

There are some amp demonstrations on youtube made by Orange Amps. They do a decent job of showing how the amps are different.

Brutalitarian Supremacy · Post by **Brutalitarian Supremacy** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:19 pm

looking for ultra clean (w/ headroom to boot)but a nice breakup late in the pot.....an old Orange OR80 or OR120 (prob. too much headroom for ya)....but if ya buy an Orange make sure it's an old one....the new one's DO NOT have the Baxandall tone circuit!!! The new "Oranges" have a standard fender/marshall/vox (FMV)style tone stack that most popular amps use. They still sound "good " to me, but after hearing an old OR80 beside a RV100 theres no way the Oranges of today sound anything like the old ones...just my 2 cents!!!!!

What to buy? Rockerverb, OR, OD, ?!

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