Is this a 72-73 Orange OR80 head - now with some pics!

[Shoegazers Anonymous]

Hi!
Im new here and also a new Orange-fan. Just bought a head by a friend that needed a little love and understanding. So, after a trip to the amp-healer and some new valves aso it works well and sounds great! Love it! It´s the perfect second amp to my old Vox ac30. I run it to a Orange PPC212 cab.

The amp-tech told me that it was an early OR80, and I like to know if anyone here can tell. It has the serialnumber 80021 at the back under the modelnumber or80.

So, does anyone know?

[PopnFresh]

I think we'll need pictures of the outside and insides to confirm!

[Shoegazers Anonymous]

I think we'll need pictures of the outside and insides to confirm!

Yeah, I saw the "read first" after I wrote the question. Sorry for that. I´ll send pics as soon I have photograph it.

[Shoegazers Anonymous]

This might be the bump of the year! Found some old crappy pics, hope that it helps. If anyone can help med with year etc I will be really glad. I can take some more pics next time im at the rehearsalroom. It´s not nearby and it´s soon christmas, so it can take a while.

Question 2:
The amp has been modded. Some freak have add something on the back that sets the headroom. I have it set at the point where it creates less ditortion, but it breaks up quite early anyway. And the treable-knob works almost as a treablebooster. When over 12 o clock it distorts, and only the treble and not in a pleasant way. If I add a effect pedal the sound is not good. It sounds just crappy and use a wah is not possible, it just sounds bad. It feels like I am stuck between clean and good overdrive. I want headroom so right now it does not fit very well. So, how is it suppose to sound. Does it have much headroom and is it the modding thing that makes is sound not som clean? I wish I could tell what the mod is, but I just know the swedish name and do not know the english.

About the pixs. The HF drive-knob is replaced with a original and the innovation stuff on the sides is removed. It now looks right and I will have it restored to original specs all the way I guess.

[Shoegazers Anonymous]

About the break up mentoined before... I was a jackass. I bought a new axe a while ago - a Gibson LP - and have only played with that specific guitar the last times. I have only played singlecoiled fitted guitars before. Ricks, Strats, Teles, Jaguars and Jazzmasters. All have worked out well. Now I found out that it was the LP hot picups that made the unpleasant breakup. My bad...

Anyway, seems like a lot of people have read the topic but no one barely have any clues? Am I doing something wrong here? Tell me in that case. I guess that you guys need more pics from the inside - I will fix it some time. But until then and with the given info - don´t you have any idéa?

Cheers from a cold snowy sweden.

[a.hun]

Hi Stockholm,

Well we can't really help diagnose any mods until we get some more (inside) pics. These amps should stay clean to a fairly high volume then pretty suddenly start to distort. The point of distortion will valry depending on the EQ and FAC switch settings and as you've found the guitar and pickups you are using. The character of the distortion is very agressive and prickly.

The back of the amp has unfortunately been painted black, relabeled and some strange sticker attached. That really doesn't help with dating.

That serial number was possibly originally on a backplate on the headbox. Those numbers were pretty meaningless for dating though. There was another (lower) serial number on the chassis itself which is now unfortunately invisible...
See pics of amps here:
http://www.orangefieldguide.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More pics would definitely help.

Amsterdam out,
Andy.

[bclaire]

Well, judging from the front panel, it would be made somewhere between 1972- 74. In 1974 they changed to a combination of pix and text. Yours is pix only so that makes it older...

If it was mine, I would try to CAREFULLY remove the black paint on the back panel of the chassis. The serial number of the chassis should be there but I'd be worried that whatever you use to remove the black paint might remove the serial number, too. Look at some pictures of the location of serial numbers on the Field Guide website that Andy referred to above to see where it would be.

The word Innovation is interesting - I wonder what that referred to - might have been something Orange did but too late now. (thinking music show amp?)

In regards to the modifications, I'd take it to an amp tech and have them put it back to normal. You never know WHAT someone might have done and we can't tell over the internet, that's for sure! You'd at least know what was done if you bring it to someone and have the opportunity to put it right.

[Shoegazers Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply!

Yes, I will take it home next time rehearsal and take some more pics. Then take it to a tech and give it some more love and caring. And off course restore it to original specs.

Edit:
Noticed one more thing on my pics from the back. It has 5 fuses and what is called slave on other models is labeled Footswitch. Strange... I guess I really have to take it to a tech to get things sorted out.

I´ll keep you updated further on.

Cheers!

[Shoegazers Anonymous]

Hi again!

Today I took some photos. Maybe it´s not enough, but anyway:

[bclaire]

Is it Sweden with the crazy electrical requirements that necessitate all the fuses? I'm thinking of that Marshall Club & Country that had 14 fuses...

What is "motuoppling?" and is that a switch above it? Translation anyone?

I think that there is something very unique and special about that amp and would sure like to know more....

If it's working fine, I'd hold off on modifying it back to "stock" since it might be a special one-off.... until we find out more info.