Orange OR120 Overdrive for bass and guitar

[TheodorJ]

When I sell my Boogie combo I'll have enough money to get a new amp, preferably a nice head useable with both bass and guitar. There's someone selling a '75 Orange OR120 that I've been drooling over and I wanted some input. First, how's the amp for guitar? I imagine it has a lot of clean headroom and volume, being 120 watts and all, but is it possible to get a good overdriven sound in the preamp without cranking it too loud. Also, does it work well with bass? I imagine so with the FAC and all, but I'm not sure.

[bubbles_horwitz]

is it the overdrive model with a master volume control?

[TheodorJ]

Yes, indeed it is.

[bubbles_horwitz]

then you should be able to get overdrive sounds at (relatively) low volumes. these things are still loud as hell.

[TheodorJ]

Yeah, I've heard the master volume is very effective and doesn't have the tone suck a lot of other master volumes have.

[i love sharin foo]

My OD120 is a '76 model. I use it for everything.. MMBass, Bass VI, the 12 string, baritone, etc. It does everything well IMO. They definitely have a unique tone that the newer ones don't capture so well. One thing that I have always loved about it is how even with the preamp gain turned up, it doesn't mush out and become dead sounding like a lot of other MV amps can. I think part of that comes from the healthy power amp ahead of it. The FAC won't do much to alter gain other than sculpting the tonal spectrum though. It can work wonders and is great for getting a really different sound without having to turn a lot of knobs to do it. It is a great amp for when you are need to get sounds quickly. Plus the volume controls have always seemed real progressive to me where they gradually do their thing (as they all should imho). They don't have a huge tendency togo from quiet to LOUD as many do. I know I've sold my opinions on these amps up and down both sides of the street, but I've never been happier with an amp in my life.

justin

[mynameisjonas]

a friend of mine who played both bass and guitar in his old band used an OD120, and it sounded fantastic. all he did when switching from one to the other was to change the FAC a notch or two.

[TheodorJ]

How does it compare to newer Oranges? I've only tried the AD30TC and the Tiny Terror, which I both really like. Am I right thinking it's louder and has a lot more low frenquecies? How's the range of the tone controls? Can it go from bright, trebly tones to round, fat, bass/mid heavy ones?

[Snake Hips]

I play mine mostly clean (guitar) could use a bit of reverb I think, the gain cranked up is intense think orange sound. Vintage oranges and new oranges  sound completely different. I play my bass through it as well but I need to get a bass cab for it so that I am not destroying my speakers any more then I have.
TheodorJ
what kind of music are you going to play?