Hi MrIVOcat, and welcome to the forum!
Yeah, nice present!!! Is it the OR120M 'Overdrive' model? Then it'll be a factory fitted master volume. The 'Overdrive' was basically exactly that - the MV version of the OR120. There are plenty of Oranges out there though which have had an MV control modification fitted, some better than others.
Agree that you'll need speakers rated for
at least 120 watts power handling. If you go for Celestions that is a safe enough minimum, but for any other makes I'd go for a rather higher power rating! See here, especially post #7:
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... p?t=277137
Personally I'd avoid the G12T-75 type speaker with Oranges. IMO they just don't suit Oranges too well tonally and are also less efficient (less loud) than many other Celestions. A Marshall 4x12 cab with the '75s made my own 120 Overdrive sound like a rather ill 50 watter!
If going for a 2x12 or 4x12 then Vintage 30s would be fine. A 4x12 with G12H-30s also sounds great with these amps. There are plenty of other possibilities of course, but these would be my choices.
Going to (politely) disagree with Gladmarr on the attenuator question. Thing is that the Oranges own master volume circuit was a very early and very simple MV design, and frankly isn't that effective. It is fine if you just want to take an edge off the volume, but below about 8/10 the amp just doesn't sound nearly as good as it should. I've found the THD Hotplate attenuator works pretty well with Oranges - including my own Overdrive. Also being rated at 180W+ power handling it is one of the few models out there which will actually reasonably safely handle a cranked OR120. With attenuators you really need to make sure that they are rated high enough to handle the full cranked output of the amp, and with a properly tweaked OR120 with good power valves that can certainly be
well over 150W! Main disadvantage of the Hotplate is that the attenuation levels are in 4 decibel steps, each roughly equivalent to cutting the output power to 40% of the previous. So for a 120w amp you are talking (roughly) 120W unattenuated, 50W @ -4dB, then 20, 8 and 3 watts at -8, -12 and -16dB. When set to -16dB a rotary control is switched in to then give you stepless control down to silence.
Only fair to say that most people do find that the harder you attenuate the less impressive the sound seems. It is fine if you are going to stick a microphone in front of the cab (for recording or PA). But to the human ear strongly attenuated amp sounds are less full and have less impact. This is mainly because the ear hears louder and quieter sounds differently. Mics don't react the same as your ears though. That was discussed a bit here:
http://forum.orangeamps.com/viewtopic.php?p=437186
Effectively what this means is that if you use the -4dB setting you'll have a great sounding 50 watter. Or you can take it down further and mic it up for great sounds. Just don't expect to be able to get really great sounds at bedroom levels - ain't going to happen!
Your main problem though is that these amps do need a bit of maintainence now and then, espeically for setting the bias current in the right sort of range for new sets of power valves. Due to the LETHAL voltages in valve amps (often even long after being powered down!) this really
isn't do it yourself stuff unless you know
exactly what you are doing. The risk of death or serious injury is very real, so do try to find yourself a good amp tech - you are going to need one!
Andy.
hi to all,
Gladmarr AND a.hun THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HELP!!!!!! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND GOOD IDVICE FROM PEOPLE HERE IN GUATEMALA,, WHO ACTUALY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT....