Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

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leeowensoas1
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Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by leeowensoas1 » Wed Aug 28, 2019 8:31 pm

Hey all, trying to sort through the different Orange models and figure out how their clean tones differ. These are the main ones I've heard having good cleans:

*TremLord
*TH30
*Rocker 15 Terror
*Rockerverb MKIII
*Crush Pro 120

Can anyone share their experiences comparing these options for cleans? Any good amps missing from this list I should be aware of?

Les Paul Lover
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Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by Les Paul Lover » Wed Aug 28, 2019 9:25 pm

The AD30 has stellar cleans.

The Rockerverbs and TH30 have very similar cleans, though the EL84 lend the TH30 a little more chime, and the Rockerverb with its EL34 is a little more stout and has more headroom.


The AD30 has the sweetest cleans I know, I haven't tried the tremlord mind you.
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

ArchDill
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Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by ArchDill » Thu Aug 29, 2019 2:17 am

I am currently on the Clean tone search with my AD30 combo and it is sounding pretty good right now.

I took out the Vintage 30's and put in a G12H 70th Anniversary and an Alnico Blue and I put in some Tung-Sol 12AX7's. It seems to be a bit more chimey. I have some new EL84's coming that are supposed to help a bit with headroom.

It sounds pretty good. It is not as good as a Fender clean but I think it will work for now. I am either going to put a Dr Z Brake Lite on or sell it and get a Princeton Reverb.

If you are looking to buy and want a good clean tone, I would say to get an amp known for having good cleans.

Les Paul Lover
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Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by Les Paul Lover » Thu Aug 29, 2019 7:03 am

ArchDill wrote:
Thu Aug 29, 2019 2:17 am
I am currently on the Clean tone search with my AD30 combo and it is sounding pretty good right now.

I took out the Vintage 30's and put in a G12H 70th Anniversary and an Alnico Blue and I put in some Tung-Sol 12AX7's. It seems to be a bit more chimey. I have some new EL84's coming that are supposed to help a bit with headroom.

It sounds pretty good. It is not as good as a Fender clean but I think it will work for now. I am either going to put a Dr Z Brake Lite on or sell it and get a Princeton Reverb.

If you are looking to buy and want a good clean tone, I would say to get an amp known for having good cleans.
Funny, i much prefer the cleans 9f my RV50 or my AD15 to fender cleans. Don't get me wrong, fender cleans are wonderful.... but the Orange clean tone I have are my cup of tea. I love the warmth, the fullness.
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

afjungemann
Rocker
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Location: South Dakota

Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by afjungemann » Fri Aug 30, 2019 4:53 am

+1 on the AD30TC. The amp is so damn spanky when you the volume up a little and get a little hair on it.

The TH30 and AD30TC have the best orange cleans to me. Also haven’t tried the tremlord so that could also be great.
Rockerverb 100 MKIII
Rockerverb 50 MKIII combo
AD30TC combo
TH30c
Fender Bassman
Fender Princeton
gibson explorer custom
gibson es355
gibson es359
gibson sg custom
gibson les paul custom
gibson les paul standard
gibson les paul studio
gibson melody maker

beninma
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Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by beninma » Fri Aug 30, 2019 3:31 pm

I've got a Rocker 15 Combo and am very happy with the cleans on the natural channel. At least in the case of the Oranges with a natural channel with no EQ the clean sound is going to be very revealing in terms of:

- Do your pickups sound good clean?
- Are your pickups adjusted well?
- Is your playing technique up to par?

With no EQ if you're hitting extra strings or overhitting some of the strings you're going to hear it a bit more. Very revealing with my playing, I think playing those cleans on such a revealing channel has told me a lot about my playing.

Fender cleans are not everything.

Turning on reverb can really affect your impression of what the clean tones sound like. Classic Fender clean almost always includes Reverb and possibly Tremolo, if you use those on your Orange it gets a lot closer to that sound. It's perceptual but it works.

I think a compressor can really help as well if you're trying to keep transients from breaking up. If you're strumming big open chords & such that can be somewhat of an issue with Orange cleans I think.. it's easy to get the amp to have a hint of breakup.

Ronnie Robinson
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Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by Ronnie Robinson » Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:33 am

The ad30tc certainly has really nice orange clean tones but also likes to be wound up, recently Ive been using a rocker 15 terror in a funk / pop band (where not really high volume is needed) and the natural channel sounds great but I like it especially when mixed with a suhr Koji compressor pedal and a good strat and it is very pedal friendly.
Orange AD30 HTC
Orange Rocker 15 terror
Orange Tiny Terror HW,
Fender elite Start, Gibson SG 61,fender telecaster

Previously Owned - Rocker 30
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adkguy07
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Location: Upstate New York

Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by adkguy07 » Sat Aug 31, 2019 11:37 am

I'd consider adding the Dark Terror to the OP's list up top. Yes, I know. Owners of this amp are not buying it for its clean side. Being just a single channel Orange with a SHAPE knob as its e.q. is not for everyone. And, what beninma posted about Orange cleans with no little to no e.q., and how revealing this is about your guitar's pickups, playing technique, and pickup adjustments are actually quite true for the Dark Terror also. So, potential buyers of it should keep those aspects in mind.

After almost 3 years of owning this Dark Terror I can say with certainty that workable and satisfying cleans can be had from many Orange amps. I happen to prefer an Orange clean that will get a bit of breakup if I decide to use extra picking pressure, yet will clean up just from applying less pressure from my picking hand....then quickly flip a Les Paul's pickup selector to get that “nasty” Orange grit that I dial it in for. It takes practice, but if pickups are adjusted for it, and your playing technique is firm and steady, some great result can be achieved.


adkguy07

adkguy07
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Location: Upstate New York

Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by adkguy07 » Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:27 pm

beninma wrote:
Fri Aug 30, 2019 3:31 pm
I've got a Rocker 15 Combo and am very happy with the cleans on the natural channel. At least in the case of the Oranges with a natural channel with no EQ the clean sound is going to be very revealing in terms of:

- Do your pickups sound good clean?
- Are your pickups adjusted well?
- Is your playing technique up to par?

With no EQ if you're hitting extra strings or overhitting some of the strings you're going to hear it a bit more. Very revealing with my playing, I think playing those cleans on such a revealing channel has told me a lot about my playing.

Fender cleans are not everything.

Turning on reverb can really affect your impression of what the clean tones sound like. Classic Fender clean almost always includes Reverb and possibly Tremolo, if you use those on your Orange it gets a lot closer to that sound. It's perceptual but it works.

I think a compressor can really help as well if you're trying to keep transients from breaking up. If you're strumming big open chords & such that can be somewhat of an issue with Orange cleans I think.. it's easy to get the amp to have a hint of breakup.
I spent sometime with my Dark Terror today and just used the neck pickup by itself with the amp set for a slightly crunchy tone. This allows me a crisp sounding clean from the neck Burstbucker I pickup and from the bridge Burstbucker 2, that recognizable crunchy Orange tone. It's definitely not a Fender clean, but I can get it warmer just by either using the neck pickup tone control, or the amp's shape control. I purposely put lower wind pickup in both my Les Pauls because I think that they give me more options when using my Dark Terror's controls. It's much easier to set the amp up for either a cleaner tone or, if I need to, a really good crunch.


adkguy07

ArchDill
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Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by ArchDill » Sun Sep 01, 2019 10:25 pm

To add to the AD30, you can get a more chimey clean when using channel 2, in my experience.

Hubaxe
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Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by Hubaxe » Tue Sep 03, 2019 7:05 am

I choose the TH100 over others for the clean tone.
Through a good 4X12 the headroom and bass percution is great. Like a grand piano.
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ArchDill
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Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by ArchDill » Tue Sep 03, 2019 11:38 pm

Ok, so I just put an SP Compressor by Xotic and my clean is so chimey now. I had to mess with it a bit. I finally got the clean tone out of my AD30 that I have been wanting. The downside is that the compressor puts out some noise. I have it on the medium setting.

beninma
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Re: Talk to me about Orange Clean Tones

Post by beninma » Thu Sep 05, 2019 8:23 pm

adkguy07 wrote:
Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:27 pm
I spent sometime with my Dark Terror today and just used the neck pickup by itself with the amp set for a slightly crunchy tone. This allows me a crisp sounding clean from the neck Burstbucker I pickup and from the bridge Burstbucker 2, that recognizable crunchy Orange tone. It's definitely not a Fender clean, but I can get it warmer just by either using the neck pickup tone control, or the amp's shape control. I purposely put lower wind pickup in both my Les Pauls because I think that they give me more options when using my Dark Terror's controls. It's much easier to set the amp up for either a cleaner tone or, if I need to, a really good crunch.

adkguy07
I put lower output pickups into my Telecaster as well to get better cleans out of my Rocker 15. I also changed my preamp tubes from JJ to EHX after about 2 years of using the amp and I think that improved the amp overall but specifically helped the cleans.

The volume control on the guitar can obviously be used to lower the output and clean things up.

I have a Kongpressor and a Keeley Compressor+. Both can help with clean tones. The Kongpressor is way underrated, I think it's better than the Keeley.

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