Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Maybe someone can help you date your Orange Amplifier?

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JackCrank
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Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by JackCrank » Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:18 pm

Hi all, 1st time poster. I just won this amp on ebay and can't seem to figure out the year. I've seen a listing saying the serial # (Starting with 120) should be from 1975, but the fact that it has no text and just pics makes me think it's earlier.

Any idea when this amp is from?

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fiveightandten
Orange Master
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Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by fiveightandten » Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:58 pm

Pics only face plate along with laydown transformers and PCB mounted pre-tubes should put that amp around late 1972 IMO. I realize the timeline says the SN should put it to 1975, but the pics-only faceplates were well phased out by then and the later amps were not wired up with the circuit that you find with these types of PCBs.

-Nick
Image
'71 GRO100 || '96 OR-80 || AD30 || '64 AC-50 || AC-30TBX || Hiwatt DR504 || HI-TONE HT30
LP Standard || LP Studio || LP Custom Lite || Ric 620 || Ric 360 || MIA Tele || SG 61 RI

bclaire
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Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by bclaire » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:34 am

Welcome to the forum! Nice score!

JackCrank
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Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by JackCrank » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:05 pm

Wow thanks for the info. I didn't realize that orange had moved to PCB's so early. Thanks for the info and the welcome. I guess my only other question would be why would the serial be all off? Just cause?

Boy am I excited to get this thing.

Anyone have any good base setting suggestions or know where I can find a manual for it?

a.hun
Duke of Orange
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Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by a.hun » Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:25 pm

JackCrank wrote:Wow thanks for the info. I didn't realize that orange had moved to PCB's so early. Thanks for the info and the welcome. I guess my only other question would be why would the serial be all off? Just cause?

Boy am I excited to get this thing.

Anyone have any good base setting suggestions or know where I can find a manual for it?
Best user guides I know of for these amps were written by none other than Nick (5/8/10) who answered you above.

Check out his short articles here:
http://www.geocities.com/diytech_ct/orange.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

+1 on the nice score - that is a great looking old Orange.
Don't worry about the serial number. They could be a bit erratic...


Andy.
aNDyH. :wink:

Ever tried to outstare a mirror?

In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!

JackCrank
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Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by JackCrank » Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:29 pm

Awesome, looking in to it now. Thanks man.

JackCrank
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Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by JackCrank » Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:13 pm

Hey man that's a great page. Thanks for breaking it down in to such easy to understand terms. I always knew baxandall's had a much broader range than FMV's but I never realized just how elegant the controls in this amp are. It's awesome, everything is done using the simplest solution possible and it sounds great.

a.hun
Duke of Orange
Posts: 9765
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2002 1:05 am
Location: Amsterdam, Hollandland.nl

Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by a.hun » Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:09 pm

JackCrank wrote:Hey man that's a great page. Thanks for breaking it down in to such easy to understand terms. I always knew baxandall's had a much broader range than FMV's but I never realized just how elegant the controls in this amp are. It's awesome, everything is done using the simplest solution possible and it sounds great.
Oh great, now the Geocities site has gone! Glad you got to see it at least.

Nick, looks like you might need a new webhost for your site... :evil:


Andy.
aNDyH. :wink:

Ever tried to outstare a mirror?

In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!

fiveightandten
Orange Master
Posts: 3845
Joined: Sat Apr 05, 2003 6:18 pm
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by fiveightandten » Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:31 pm

a.hun wrote:
JackCrank wrote:Hey man that's a great page. Thanks for breaking it down in to such easy to understand terms. I always knew baxandall's had a much broader range than FMV's but I never realized just how elegant the controls in this amp are. It's awesome, everything is done using the simplest solution possible and it sounds great.
Oh great, now the Geocities site has gone! Glad you got to see it at least.

Nick, looks like you might need a new webhost for your site... :evil:


Andy.
Done.

http://orangeampguide.atspace.com/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If I get ambitious, i'll finish that up. Though, when Geocities went down, I lost all the drafts of other pages I had in the works. I also lost the 50,000 word biasing article I had up there. Free web space FTL.

-Nick
Image
'71 GRO100 || '96 OR-80 || AD30 || '64 AC-50 || AC-30TBX || Hiwatt DR504 || HI-TONE HT30
LP Standard || LP Studio || LP Custom Lite || Ric 620 || Ric 360 || MIA Tele || SG 61 RI

stephen120OR
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Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by stephen120OR » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:12 pm

Hey this Or120 looks like mine. I am guessing 75 or 77. Thats what I have been able to get about my own amp. I dont have pic yet as it is in the shop for service but will soon. It is so hard to date these amps but I know mine was bought new in 77, so pre 77? best guess. give me a shout if you find out. Good luck, f-ing great amps! [email protected]

Rally Car
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Location: Canada

Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by Rally Car » Sat Oct 31, 2009 4:43 am

Nice amp! I used to own one..... Very similar sound to the older Orange/Matamp 100 watt heads.....

They made the pix only heads from 1972 to early 73 only... they switched to the pix and text faceplate and new serial number system in 1973.... The 1973 Orange amps have the serial number stamped into the chassis and the serial number will start in the 10000 range along with the pix and text faceplate.

You got a smoking deal on that amp! I wonder what that mod is on the front of the faceplate?

JackCrank
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Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by JackCrank » Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:24 pm

Well, I'll let you know tomorrow where the serial is stamped. The mod on the front is some "impedence" mod according to the dude who sold it to me. Pretty easily reversible from what I've been told. Anyways, I'm stoked. Who wants to buy a sound city 120?

JackCrank
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Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:14 pm

Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by JackCrank » Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:48 pm

The head came today! Can't wait to get off work and try this thing out. What did people need to know to be able to get a final year?

stephen120OR
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Re: Help Dating a Pics Only Original OR120

Post by stephen120OR » Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:56 pm

First of all you got yourself the best clean cranking amp ever! I got one. Date the Orange should be a gearhead gameshow! I have no stamps on the inside. 2 s#'s one begins with120 and the other is 60829. My power cord is factory fixed. non-removable. No date stamps on any of the inside parts at all. The cab has 3 org spkrs with date stamped '71 but my face plate does not have the orange backround. No words only the FAC and pic's on a white faceplate. The whole rig is about 350lbs. Sounds clean and cuts thru. Good playen bro! :D

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