Hello, can you date my OR120 please?

Simon Wicks · Post by **Simon Wicks** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 3:16 pm

Hi there, i've been lurking about for a while now dreaming of getting an Orange amp and now i finally have one off of Ebay, an OR120 head. Didnt cost much since it is broken. I was wondering if someone could take a look at it and tell me roughly how old it is?

Here are some pics i was sent by the seller, they are a little too big for this board so i'd better not post them, here are the links:

http://www.freepichosting.com/Albums/421550705/1.html
http://www.freepichosting.com/Albums/421550705/2.html
http://www.freepichosting.com/Albums/421550705/3.html

Thanks

Simon

Edited by - Simon Wicks on 04 Sep 2004 15:18:49

Andy H. · Post by **Andy H.** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 11:36 pm

Hi Simon, and welcome to the select 'vintage owners club'. <img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

Thanks for not putting those pics up - they are massive. In fact I don't think you'd have been able to as I believe we stumbled upon a file size limit on posts a while back...

Anyway, these things are difficult / impossible to accurately date by serial number, as Orange didn't keep any good records of dates, and also the S/N's show little signs of any logic. (That's unless our resident S/N cryptographer, Sooner, has decoded anything more lately?) Sorry!

Take a look here:
http://users.pandora.be/geertjacobs/orange_page.htm
to get an idea of the history of the various models. You have a 'graphic' model, with pictures and text. (This refers to the pics / text above the front panel controls). This puts it from 1972 to about '76 I think. But don't know much more datewise.

I'd get it very well checked over by a good tech, if you haven't already. Then go out an make some of the best guitar sounds ever heard. When working right, that's an amp to do exactly that! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Andy.

Simon Wicks · Post by **Simon Wicks** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 4:03 pm

Thanks Andy, i have had a look over at Plexi Palace aswell, and according to some pictures that i saw, i thought it looked like a battered 90's reissue. Nice to think that it a lot older than me!

Cheers

Simon

Andy H. · Post by **Andy H.** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 10:38 pm

Yeah, unless someone out there is doing a special line of 'distressed' Orange amps, (like the Fender 'Relic' guitars), I really don't think it's a '90s amp.<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

Andy.

Rally Car · Post by **Rally Car** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 11:33 pm

Hi, I have an OR120 that dates to 1974. I dated the amp using the original speaker cabinet it came with that was loaded with 1974 Emenince speakers. My amps serial numbers are not too far off from yours. You can also tell that it is an early 1970's amp because of the power on light. The early 1970's amps have a big bulb and I think they changed it to a led light around 1975-76. The reissues also use the LED light. Your serial number is about 1000 off from mine. I would guess you amp is anywhere from a couple of months to a year older than mine.

Andy H. · Post by **Andy H.** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:24 am

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Your serial number is about 1000 off from mine. I would guess you amp is anywhere from a couple of months to a year older than mine. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>That may be the case, but don't count on it. The S/Ns can be totally chaotic.
For example I have a 120 Overdrive. It has a date tag inside. Someone came on here with a Series 2 overdrive, a later model (the last I think of the '70s Oranges). Later model, later S/Ns, but a slightly earlier date tag inside...
Not sure if they tended to put these tags inside the amps with the earlier models like your Graphic, Simon, but it may be worth a check. They were just small cardboard labels inside the amp.
SAFETY WARNING:
Don't go poking around in there if it has been powered up recently though - the big capacitors can hold very high voltages for quite some time!

Andy.

Simon Wicks · Post by **Simon Wicks** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:55 am

It hadnt been powered up in years so i was ok having a look. I didnt find any sought of tag to date it with though. I dont fancy powering it up either. I dont know what might go bang.

Thanks

Simon

Andy H. · Post by **Andy H.** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:27 am

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>I didnt find any sought of tag to date it with though. I dont fancy powering it up either. I dont know what might go bang.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>That's a pity Simon, but not a huge surprise. But early 70's will be right enough.
You're dead right to be careful. Get a good tech to put it in proper working order first. At least with this old technology that should be possible. Perhaps if you let us know where you are, someone here can put you in touch with someone who knows their way around the insides of Oranges. Hope that most of the bits are still working well. Let us know how it goes anyway.

Andy.

Simon Wicks · Post by **Simon Wicks** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:16 pm

I live in Manchester. I have e-mailed Matamp and Orange about techs they know of and am waiting for a reply. I will try a few of the music shops around before i think about jumping on a train to Huddersfield or Herts.

Thanks

Simon

Andy H. · Post by **Andy H.** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 1:03 pm

You're probably better phoning both companies as they've been known to ignore e-mails.

(Not meaning to be disloyal, but...) Matamp might be your best bet in fact. They are probably more geared to individual amp repairs then Orange these days, and definitely know the Orange models inside out. I may be wrong, but I think that Orange concentrate more on putting out the new amps, leaving repairs to dealers, unless under warranty of course.

Whatever, try to make sure that the tech you use knows Oranges really well. Many people treat them as Marshalls in a different coloured box, which is wrong and can lead to reliability problems. Some voltages used are rather higher for example and require more robust components, eg transformers, so this is pretty important.

Andy.

Edited by - Andy H. on 06 Sep 2004 13:04:01

dan · Post by **dan** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:53 am

Simon it would be great if you could keep us updated on what you find out about your head. I'v just bought one identical to the photo's you posted, and am trying to find as much info on them as possible

dan · Post by **dan** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:53 am

Simon it would be great if you could keep us updated on what you find out about your head. I'v just bought one identical to the photo's you posted, and am trying to find as much info on them as possible

Simon Wicks · Post by **Simon Wicks** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 10:59 am

Hi Dan, i will. I need to get it fixed though. Not too many who can do it these days. There is one guy in Stockport who apparently can do it - if i get hold of him. Also, one of the formuites offered his assitance and of course theres Orange themselves.

Simon

Hello, can you date my OR120 please?

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