Retro 50 Schem.

timboardman · Post by **timboardman** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:28 pm

Before I call up Orange and ask for one... does anyone have the Retro 50 schematic that they could send me?

Thanks,

Tim

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:14 pm

Not that I know of: I have a feeling they haven't released it.

timboardman · Post by **timboardman** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:29 pm

well. that's dashed my hopes of cloning one.

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:56 pm

I suspect that was the general idea of them not releasing it!

timboardman · Post by **timboardman** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:12 pm

true, true.. but it's just a bit of a hassle trying to make one from mine, by looking at the wiring. they gave someone (kannibul?) a RV schematic, as he owned it and wanted to check something, so it could work like that for me and the retro, but it's unlikely, i fear.

fiveightandten · Post by **fiveightandten** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:02 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by timboardman
 true, true.. but it's just a bit of a hassle trying to make one from mine, by looking at the wiring. they gave someone (kannibul?) a RV schematic, as he owned it and wanted to check something, so it could work like that for me and the retro, but it's unlikely, i fear.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Ehh...just draw it out.

If you own the amp it won't be that difficult. It's a single channel amp, probably a pretty simple circuit if it's like every other Orange amp out there. I bet you can do it in an hour.

-Nick

timboardman · Post by **timboardman** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:13 pm

quite possible.. but i don't really want to take it apart and hurt it... i'm treating it quite like a child.. which is a little embarrasing.

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:16 pm

Ask a friendly tech to do it if you're not confident...

fiveightandten · Post by **fiveightandten** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:48 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by timboardman
 quite possible.. but i don't really want to take it apart and hurt it... i'm treating it quite like a child.. which is a little embarrasing.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I mean this in the nicest way...if you can't pop the chassis out of the headbox on that Retro 50 without hurting it...you probably shouldn't be attempting to build an amp.

-Nick

timboardman · Post by **timboardman** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 7:13 pm

oh, it's not the popping in and out or the writing out of the schematic.. it's just that it's brand new and a little special.. i'd happily do it with my OR80, but the Retro 50 is nice and new, so i'm a little hesitant

fiveightandten · Post by **fiveightandten** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:07 pm

Gotcha.

Actually...if you don't mind me asking...why do you want to clone the amp if you already own one. Don't get me wrong, i'm quite curious to see a schematic as well...just wondering.

If I ever get a few hours with one i'll be sure to pop it open and trace everything out. Though I doubt that'll happen any time soon.

-Nick

timboardman · Post by **timboardman** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:49 pm

basically because i'm not playing the nicest venues, and i've had a couple of friends on the circuit who have had their heads stolen from the backstage area, or someone put a pickaxe through the side of their van and made off with their amps and guitars. so i'd quite like to have an amp that sounded like my retro 50, without the worry about the fact it was my actual amp that was worth a lot of money and in a bit of danger..

fiveightandten · Post by **fiveightandten** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:24 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by timboardman
 basically because i'm not playing the nicest venues, and i've had a couple of friends on the circuit who have had their heads stolen from the backstage area, or someone put a pickaxe through the side of their van and made off with their amps and guitars. so i'd quite like to have an amp that sounded like my retro 50, without the worry about the fact it was my actual amp that was worth a lot of money and in a bit of danger..
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Ahhh, I see. Well, let me know if you get a schematic...i'm real curious to see that one.

In all honesty, and not to take any business away from Orange. But for your purposes, you can just take the amp to a good tech and have him clone it for cheaper than you bought the real one. I'd make that amp, from scratch (having to do all the research and trace the real one out) for $1500US, top notch parts. You may be able to find someone to do it cheaper.

Or...just get a road case with a lock, and chain the handle to your 4x12 when you're not around it.

-Nick

timboardman · Post by **timboardman** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:38 pm

i've done electronics to a-level standard, which means all my soldering and putting together should be up there... it'd just be my first valve project, which puts me off a little.

fiveightandten · Post by **fiveightandten** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:49 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by timboardman
 i've done electronics to a-level standard, which means all my soldering and putting together should be up there... it'd just be my first valve project, which puts me off a little.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">If you know how to solder and you've been inside some well built amps so you know what's good and what isn't...you'll be fine.

For my first amp I built a Hiwatt DR504 clone. Right off the bat, it worked fine and sounds fantastic. You can't even tell it's a clone. People who see it say, "what year is that Hiwatt?". Even from the chassis pics, it's hard to distinguish it's not real.

If you take your time and do it right, there's definitely no worries if you know what you're doing. You have the real thing right in front of you. You can even order an extra set of transformers from Orange, and buy the same caps they use. There's no reason why you can make it technically, exactly like the real one.

I don't normally encourage people to build an amp (it's not an easy task). But if you know what you're doing, go for it. They don't make the Retro 50 anymore, so I don't really see anything morally wrong with cloning it for yourself.

-Nick

Retro 50 Schem.

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