Help dating OR120. Thanks!

[cruz siberia]

Hello everybody, I´ve recently buyed in a second hand shop an used OR120 amp head, I cant load images at the moment, but I´m going to try making a description as nice as possible:

FRONT PANEL: (Front panel looks almost like picture from 1973 catalogue, except A and N from the logo)

-"ORANGE" Trade Logo: Black, "A" and "N" a bit narrower font than the rest of logo.
-Between "Orange" Logo (left), and Coat of arms (right) neither written "OR120", "OVERDRIVE", nor anything
- two jack inputs (left)
-Knobs: F.A.c, Bass, Treble, (no word written near tone knobs), HF Drive, Gain (No Master knob)
-Tone knobs: small size.
-F.A.C. Graphic: squiggle starts at bottom
-Echo loop "return" and "send", lower case "r" of return and "s" of send.

BACK:
-Union jack flag
-Serial No. 1442 (looks hand written) Made in England
-"On/ Standby" switch
-Voltage switch (100 / 120/ 220 / 240)
-two Speaker jack outputs (1 and 2)
-Impedance switch (4/8/16 OHMS)


Can anyone help me dating my amp, please?
Thank you very much!

[bclaire]

[bclaire]

That should help....

[cruz siberia]

thanks, but this picture dont helps me at all, because here appears amps with "overdrive" written in front panel, mine dont have that, and the model from the 1973 catalogue, very similar to my amp, have the knobs and the signs just that this graphic says about the 90´s reissues...

[a.hun]

thanks, but this picture dont helps me at all, because here appears amps with "overdrive" written in front panel, mine dont have that, and the model from the 1973 catalogue, very similar to my amp, have the knobs and the signs just that this graphic says about the 90´s reissues...

Yes, it sounds as if your amp is a '90s reissue, no not of the '76 - '78 Overdrive, but of the earlier 'pics and text' non master volume model. The 'pics only', 'pics and text' and 'Overdrive' are all just different OR80 / OR120 model variants BTW, which is why Billy's front panel reference was useful!

Check the Orange Amp Field Guide.
(Newly moved new address to bookmark folks!).

From the menu on the left under 'Graphic Series' --> 'pics and text' select the '90s head'. The pics there should match your amp pretty closely including the slightly different text font and graphics used on (all) the reissues. (That one is an OR80, but no matter...)

Don't worry, the '90s amps were fine amps too. Lots of good info (especially from 'fiveightandten') on the differences between Vintage and Reissue amps in THIS HERE THREAD. 'Overdrive' thread, but master volume apart most of the 'Vintage / Reissue' amp info there applies to all OR amps!)

Congratulations on the fine amp. If I were you I'd get a good tech to check it over for safety and reliablity and make sure you always match up amp and speaker impedances right. I'd also strongly suggest using the best EL34 power valves you can find with these amps. They'll eat cheap ones right up and spit them right back at you so it pays in both the short and long term!!!


Andy.

[cruz siberia]

yes, it matches almost 100%.
At the back my amp have also the same "seal of approval" sticker, and the metalic plate at the back is also like in the picture, only differences are that my amp have a standby switch at the back and at front panel dont written "Hz" and "Khz" near tone controls.

Not a problem for me to know that it´s a reissue, it sounds great, looks old schooll, and I´m sure I will enjoy it so much and so long!

Thank you very much!!

Cruz.

[a.hun]

Glad to help Cruz.

Yes they are amazing sounding amps. The looks get you noticed too. If you ever find the amp too loud I can recommend the THD Hotplate attenuator as being good for shaving 4 or 8dB off, which will give you about 50W and 20W respectively. For guitar that'll often be more useful than the full output since these amps do like to be driven hard to get the best sounds out of them - they are seriously loud amps!

Hope you have a lot of great times together!


Andy.