Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

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wrath
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Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by wrath » Fri Apr 28, 2017 2:12 pm

A croatian amp builder (KFX amps) restored my OR120 Overdrive which was aesthetically in a quite beaten up shape. The first owner (I think I'm a third one) did some big chassis modifications which weren't very succesful in my opinion, completely removed the tolex, installed some handles on the side, apparently lost or just threw away the back panel, etc. The amp was also completely serviced from the inside, all new tubes, and echo loop was converted into an fx loop.

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Amplification: 70s OR120 Overdrive, Rockerverb 50 MKI, Rockerverb 100 MKII, PPC412
Axes: Tokai Love Rock LS-80, ESP LTD Viper 400
Synth: Novation Bass Station II

bclaire
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by bclaire » Fri Apr 28, 2017 2:57 pm

Wow!

Nice job!

Les Paul Lover
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by Les Paul Lover » Fri Apr 28, 2017 3:07 pm

Nice work!!!!

Getting an fx loop fitted is a good idea too.
Was the circuit modified before you got it too or was that still original?

You'll need to update your dog pic too.... ! :wink:
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute


Bensnake
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by Bensnake » Fri Apr 28, 2017 7:46 pm

Lovely! Nice job. :)
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RV100 MKIII | '75 OR120 | OR100 | OR50 | CS50 | R30H | TT
2 x PPC412
Bax B. | Amp D.

Marshall 1959 HW + 1936V
Fender '65 Super Reverb Reissue
Vox AC30C2X + V212C

Playing Les Pauls and Teles...

wrath
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by wrath » Fri Apr 28, 2017 8:50 pm

Les Paul Lover wrote:Nice work!!!!

Getting an fx loop fitted is a good idea too.
Was the circuit modified before you got it too or was that still original?

You'll need to update your dog pic too.... ! :wink:
what do you mean by circuit? the echo loop was original...echo loop doesn' t work properly with modern effects. Many things in this amp have been wrongly serviced or haven't been serviced...small things...for example resistors were changed and they were of wrong value, there was something wrong with master volume, there was something wrong with f.a.c. control...all easy fixes, but a bunch of them...caps I think are original and my tech said there's no need to change them, transformers are of course original, the part of the chassis that was left was original, I think the preamp valves were original...they definitely looked that way...but there are all new now. I was about to pick it up the other they but my tech said there's still some buzz that comes and goes that he needs to take care of...this I have not experienced though...I played this amp alot...it always made some noises, especially while it was heating up...once it got to its "comfortable" temperature the noises would go away...but towards the end it started to getting quiet and sounded like it needs fixing. Oh I'll definitely update my pic as soon as I get it home and I'm picking up Rockerverb 100 MK II on Sunday. :D
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Amplification: 70s OR120 Overdrive, Rockerverb 50 MKI, Rockerverb 100 MKII, PPC412
Axes: Tokai Love Rock LS-80, ESP LTD Viper 400
Synth: Novation Bass Station II

Les Paul Lover
Duke of Orange
Posts: 6821
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:08 am
Location: Derby, England

Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by Les Paul Lover » Fri Apr 28, 2017 9:52 pm

wrath wrote:
Les Paul Lover wrote:Nice work!!!!

Getting an fx loop fitted is a good idea too.
Was the circuit modified before you got it too or was that still original?

You'll need to update your dog pic too.... ! :wink:
what do you mean by circuit? the echo loop was original...echo loop doesn' t work properly with modern effects. Many things in this amp have been wrongly serviced or haven't been serviced...small things...for example resistors were changed and they were of wrong value, there was something wrong with master volume, there was something wrong with f.a.c. control...all easy fixes, but a bunch of them...caps I think are original and my tech said there's no need to change them, transformers are of course original, the part of the chassis that was left was original, I think the preamp valves were original...they definitely looked that way...but there are all new now. I was about to pick it up the other they but my tech said there's still some buzz that comes and goes that he needs to take care of...this I have not experienced though...I played this amp alot...it always made some noises, especially while it was heating up...once it got to its "comfortable" temperature the noises would go away...but towards the end it started to getting quiet and sounded like it needs fixing. Oh I'll definitely update my pic as soon as I get it home and I'm picking up Rockerverb 100 MK II on Sunday. :D
Sadly, like yours by the sound of it, a lot of older OR amps have been modded. Good call to get it back to original specs, except for the fx loop - good call again to get a proper fx loop fitted. :)
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

fiveightandten
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by fiveightandten » Sat Apr 29, 2017 12:02 am

Much improved. Good to see amps like that getting the love they deserve. Is he going to put the piping on it?

-Nick
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'71 GRO100 || '96 OR-80 || AD30 || '64 AC-50 || AC-30TBX || Hiwatt DR504 || HI-TONE HT30
LP Standard || LP Studio || LP Custom Lite || Ric 620 || Ric 360 || MIA Tele || SG 61 RI

Jondog
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by Jondog » Sat Apr 29, 2017 12:05 am

fiveightandten wrote:Much improved. Good to see amps like that getting the love they deserve. Is he going to put the piping on it?

-Nick
Bit too late for that....
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wrath
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by wrath » Sat Apr 29, 2017 1:34 pm

The first thing the guy told me is that he's never done piping and he doesn't want to dollywaggle up so he would rather do it without...I said ok, and frankly, the thing turned out to look beyond my expectations...although he's never done piping he's a real pro at what he does. I'm extremely satsified.
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Amplification: 70s OR120 Overdrive, Rockerverb 50 MKI, Rockerverb 100 MKII, PPC412
Axes: Tokai Love Rock LS-80, ESP LTD Viper 400
Synth: Novation Bass Station II

Jondog
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by Jondog » Sat Apr 29, 2017 2:26 pm

wrath wrote:The first thing the guy told me is that he's never done piping and he doesn't want to dollywaggle up so he would rather do it without...I said ok, and frankly, the thing turned out to look beyond my expectations...although he's never done piping he's a real pro at what he does. I'm extremely satsified.
Thats all that really matters!
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bclaire
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by bclaire » Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:30 pm

I don't think adding the piping would be too difficult. But I would have gone for period correct corners myself but they might be harder to source where you are...

wrath
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by wrath » Sat Apr 29, 2017 8:27 pm

bclaire wrote:I don't think adding the piping would be too difficult. But I would have gone for period correct corners myself but they might be harder to source where you are...
well first thing you can't get original is the tolex...well at least I can't...then there's the back panel that has been made new...I mean when someone makes so much modifications to the chassis it's not easy to restore it...especially not to look completely original...those old Oranges didn't have these rubber legs either...and it's definitely not cheap...basically I couldn't believe it could be done...I just wanted to close the damn back...it's not really practical to haul it around opened...then he said he can remove the handles and all that stuff that has been done to it...then we decided we would go for an orange tolex too...well at least too make it look nice...it's not the original look, but it's a nice look.
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Amplification: 70s OR120 Overdrive, Rockerverb 50 MKI, Rockerverb 100 MKII, PPC412
Axes: Tokai Love Rock LS-80, ESP LTD Viper 400
Synth: Novation Bass Station II

Gladmarr
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by Gladmarr » Sat Apr 29, 2017 10:32 pm

I think it looks good without the piping. More minimalist. Makes the amp look a little more monolithic. My old OR200 has no piping, and I kinda like it better that way.

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bclaire
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Re: Restoration of a 70s OR120 Overdrive

Post by bclaire » Sat Apr 29, 2017 11:50 pm

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong it looks fabulous!

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