Orange Amps Forum

Hi all,

Been away from here because, well, I'm away. Hiding out at a friend Dave's place near Oxford for a few days. Having a great time, lots of musical goodness.

Main fun bits...

Just being here. Good to be off work for 5 days, and Dave is a great guy to hang out with. (Recent Orange convert too, TT combo which he loves. I'm getting the blame of course. I usually do...)

Bought myself a cheap bass yesterday to leave over here. Dave is left-handed so I can't play his instruments and always get itchy fingers staying here. I've done it before but bringing a bass over just isn't handy. Just wanted something cheap and effective, new or s/h didn't matter. Tried quite a few of both and ended up with a £150 Ibanez (new). Very good.
http://www.ibanez.co.jp/products/eb_pag ... color=CL01" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Really decent wee bass, different shaped 'Jazz' really, sounds / plays great. Beautifully set up too - I genuinely couldn't improve on the shop setup last night.

Tried it out in the shop through an OB1-500. First play, first impressions = !!!
It works and sounds pretty much exactly as I hoped it would. Great amp, nice of them to let me shake the shop a little with it! (They turned it up lot louder than I would have! Big thanks to the guys at PMT Oxford!

(Had ordered something fretless online which is going back. Warped neck, no allen bolt on the truss so I couldnt even try to fix that, two badly sunken board dot markers - utter junk! Confirmed my 'try hands on first!' thing - first and last time I'll mail order an instrument.

Dave also bought a wee bass combo yesterday, old Peavey Minx 110, 30 watter. Cost next to nothing and sounds great. Cool, hadn't expected that at all - thought I'd be playing through a guitar combo. He got it in a great wee corner s/h guitar shop nearby, 'The Music Box'. Another friendly place where I'd tried out some basses just beforehand. Would have bought one there but the Ibanez was just spot on and fifty quid cheaper too. No brainer. Went back to the corner shop again today though...

I'm getting the blame again. Dave just bought himself a beautiful old Gordon Smith SG2. It's an 'SG', he wanted an 'SG', the GS 'SG' is the best 'SG' for the money, or for a lot more money frankly. (Genuinely better players than most Gibsons, I've raved about them before here!) And yep, it was left - handed, so no brainer. I spotted it while checking out the s/h basses (including a GS bass - first I've ever played). It was - as always for GS guitars - perfectly set up, no neck problems at all. Fantastic guitar, I'm well pleased for him.

BTW Turns out that Gordon Smith Guitars are (sort of) stopping. John, Chris and Linda (that's them!) are retiring. Didn't know that until yesterday, but after 40 years I can understand. They are however handing over to some new makers who will be carrying the name on, so that bit should hopefully be good news. Apparently John will be working with them until he is totally happy, so the name should be in safe hands.
http://www.gordonsmithguitars.com/news/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

BIG THANKS to GSG for my own lovely guitar, and those of a couple of friends too now. Enjoy your retirement time people!

Icing on the cake for me was a s/h Hiscox case for my new bass. Forty quid, safe as houses!

Better go and make some noise. Later!


Andy.

Hopefully there's something right-handed with which you can try out that Tiny Terror combo. They really are incredible amps, which I'm sure is partly due to the G12H-30.

What sort of bass cab was the OB1-500 running through at the shop?

60W VoW speaker in the TTC now. Sounds fine to me. No, I haven't put the bass through it yet, (nothing else right-handed here ), but I'm sure I will.

The bass cab was the new OBC212 isobaric job.


Andy.

Enjoy your stay!

I don't think the weather is being too kind though.... Especially after a heat wave in Spain this week. Why can't we have some of that

Shame you're not up't North Andy. Enjoy your stay

Sounds like a very productive visit Andy. Sad about Gordon Smith, my brother has one, lovely guitar, nice player. I'd quite fancied one of their LPJ guitars, they do come up second hand now and again so maybe one day.
Don't know about the English weather but NW Scotland is enjoying fine wet, windy and cold spell which started in November and refuses to leave

This is a message from doug at Auden, who have taken over Gordon Smith:

"The full GSG range will be made in Higham Ferrers, Northants - along with some of the Auden range (the Austin range being the first to go into full UK production).

For GSG we are building from the wood up using the same tools and models that John, Linda and Chris used for many years. We are winding the pick-ups from the same materials on the same winder...

Essentially the equipment, the raw material stock, the IP and the brand name is what we have bought. We haven't taken over the business as a going concern - the assets now sit in a new company called Gordon Smith Guitars Limited.

Our workshop is open to visitors Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm and weekends by arrangement - 01933 391234. Everyone is welcome to see what we do and how we do it.

I hope that helps.

Cheers
Doug"

Ronnie Robinson wrote:Enjoy your stay!

I don't think the weather is being too kind though.... Especially after a heat wave in Spain this week. Why can't we have some of that

Plenty of sun today, no complaints there. Heading back to base (= basses) tomorrow afternoon, but it's been a good visit.

OrangePaul wrote:Shame you're not up't North Andy. Enjoy your stay

Cheers. Whereabouts are you anyway Paul?
Will be a bit too far up't north next month - Iceland! Maybe not see too many GS guitars there.

jasondunringill wrote:Sounds like a very productive visit Andy. Sad about Gordon Smith, my brother has one, lovely guitar, nice player. I'd quite fancied one of their LPJ guitars, they do come up second hand now and again so maybe one day.
Don't know about the English weather but NW Scotland is enjoying fine wet, windy and cold spell which started in November and refuses to leave

Have to say Jason that GS guitars are one make I might well take a chance on online. I've yet to try one which was less than brilliant. Really stable necks, they obviously use well seasoned woods. I'm now jealous of two friends with their SGs, the model I originally intended to grab when I got my LP based one. One of their Juniors would be brilliant too, hope you find one!

John, it looks promising. If John Smith is actively working to hand everything on (knowledge too) to Auden than it'll hopefully not just be the name but the quality too which carries on. Fingers crossed, they really are brilliant players guitars.

Catch you guys when I'm back home. Cheers for now!


Andy.

Sounds like you had a good time!!
How was that OB1 blend control working?

Let us know if you are ever around Derby - you or any other forum member for that matter!!! I've had the great pleasure of meeting Le Chat Noir's Teddy and Kerry (kmlabs), it's always nice to meet forum members !!!

Thanks, I'll bear Derby in mind if I'm anywhere near. I'm sure you know where Amsterdam is, same for everyone here of course!

Liked the blend a lot. Even with zero gain set on that side it does something subtle but nice. I tend to go for a pretty subtle level of overdrive and that was easy to get. Felt great too, nice and touch sensitive. Gets pretty mad quite soon on the gain front - lot of fun. As someone said recently it isn't so much about sounding great in isolation but how it'll work in the band mix. I think that'll work great.

Didn't spend a whole lot of time playing about with the amp though TBH, it was the bass I was buying!


Andy.

My wife and I will be in London for four days bookending around a trip to the south of France in August. Staying in Lancaster Gate - 16 & 17, 24 & 25 August.

bclaire wrote:My wife and I will be in London for four days bookending around a trip to the south of France in August. Staying in Lancaster Gate - 16 & 17, 24 & 25 August.

Super the South of France is very beautyful.......London is ....err.....good for looking at historical buildings and shopping.

Ronnie Robinson wrote:

bclaire wrote:My wife and I will be in London for four days bookending around a trip to the south of France in August. Staying in Lancaster Gate - 16 & 17, 24 & 25 August.

Super the South of France is very beautyful.......London is ....err.....good for looking at historical buildings and shopping.

I'd agree with that!!!
Where about are you going in the south if France? Whilst small compared toothed states. There are bid differences between places!!!! Will you be driving when there?

If your path are crossing around there (Aix Les Bains) feel free to let me know.