vintage orange OR 120 combo

Maybe someone can help you date your Orange Amplifier?

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chili
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Post by chili » Thu Jul 04, 2002 11:00 pm

I own a vintage orange 2 x 12 combo that holds a peculiar amp head. The chassis is labelled Orange 80, but it sports four EL34 tube sockets that (to my eyes) are O.E.M. - the Sprague filter caps, solder detail, etc. - all scream original factory job. The serial # is 0269, and I believe this amp may be an early prototype of the OR 120 combo which followed the OR 80. I bought the amp loaded with white cast frame/black magnet altec 12's which may or may not be original. They did not flatter the amp like greenback celestions do or Vox bulldogs, and I swapped them out. Before I chuck them completely, could the altecs be original orange equipment? What might have been original? It is the loudest amplifier I've ever heard. If anyone could factory date this beauty I'd like to know.

bclaire
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Post by bclaire » Thu Jul 04, 2002 11:19 pm

I've never heard of Altecs in an Orange before- they were a typical replacement speaker back in the 70's.... I put a pair in my Ampeg VT-22 at the time- what a dope- but you couldn't find Celestions at any old music store- Altecs were easier to come by.

It sounds like an interesting head- remember that the 80 watters DID come with the extra two holes predrilled in the chassis for two more power tubes and I'm pretty sure that the transformers were the same between the two heads so it's not improbable that someone chose to retrofit the extra power tube sockets, etc. Still, you never know what Orange did back then but I'd put my money on an owner modded procedure not factory. Billy

melj
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Post by melj » Thu Jul 11, 2002 4:20 pm

I had one of those, with greenbacks, pix only faceplate in metal. Speakers dated it late '72. And yes it was loud. I think they just chucked a 120 head in and whipped out 2 tubes, possibly changed the impedance taps to suit. I figured it was factory, but who knows.

bclaire
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Re: vintage orange OR 120 combo

Post by bclaire » Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:30 am

Yes. Those shipped to the USA were mostly loaded with Eminence speakers.

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