70's ORANGE Super Bass(not marshall)???????????

[ledyard]

I have seen ONE of these ever. Its for sale right now for about $3k. Supposed to be early 70's.
can anyone enlighten me? Its got 4 el34's so I assume its 100 watts or maybe 120 tops. It appears to have the selectable voltage dial on the back so it can be used in the USA without conversion.
Its all origional and pretty much mint. But my concern is that it wont be loud enough. I use a 70's SVT at rehearsal on 3-3.5. I assume the Orange would need to be about dimed all the time which would really wear on the power tubes. Or will it have enough poop?
Does anyone know how rare these really are?

[Spinal Tapper]

Orange "Super Bass"? Pretty damn rare if you ask me.

I imagine it could get real loud, but it also depends on the cab you're using, and I'd assume it would break up a lot sooner than the SVT, so you might lose that cleaner low end the SVT gives you.

[LuvMusic]

Seems to be very rare. I've never played through one so can't help on the "loudness" comparison. Here is some infom from the Orange forum:

Orange Amps Forum • View topic - OR112 Superbass

[KramerBassFan]

Sounds cool but not so cool for $3k.

Even for a super sweet old Vintage Orange.

[walterw]

vintage oranges were famous for being really over-built mechanically but blowing up a lot.

(i had a non-master 120 head that was blown when i got it, and blew again soon after i traded it.)

it might be cool for rehearsal, but it's no SVT. (your guitar player might dig it, though.)

[ledyard]

Originally Posted by walterw

vintage oranges were famous for being really over-built mechanically but blowing up a lot.

.)

That right there is the exact kind of info I am looking for. Probably the only 100 watt bass head I would own again is another Superbass (marshall). Buying a vintage orange even an OR120 makes me very nervous.

I'm really on the fence about the MKIII AD200B. After reading through almost every page of the Orange owners club on TB I think I would rather find a MKI or MKII AD200B. If I could find and buy one while keeping both kidneys.

Heres the Superbass. Only one I have ever seen in my life.
http://www.vintageandrare.com/produc...BASS-1970-4840

[bertbass666]

The story that went round at the time of the birth of Orange was that after Vox went bust Orange bought all the old Vox stock and re-badged it Orange. May be true, may be false. Perhaps we'll never know.

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by walterw

vintage oranges were famous for being really over-built mechanically but blowing up a lot.

(i had a non-master 120 head that was blown when i got it, and blew again soon after i traded it.)

it might be cool for rehearsal, but it's no SVT. (your guitar player might dig it, though.)

A few facts!
Orange was just a music shop in denmark street in the early
70's they had matamp from Yorkshire make all their amps for them. If it don't say matamp on it, it ain't a real vintage Orange really.
And matamps are in fact, extremely reliable, mine is 1968 pre orange vintage with all original partridge transformers.
So no problem there!
What blew up exactly? I know the US firm mesa boogie felt they cant really trust repair shops over there with fixed adjustable tube bias systems.
I wonder what the exact number of milli amps quiescent current the bias was set at? just before it blew up?.
Was it red plating per chance?.
Or weather someone had bothered to connect the output to the right impedance cabinet or anything at all.
6L6"s are not in fact a EL 34's direct equivalent and 6550's are not exactly the same tube as KT88's.

[Happy Face]

Originally Posted by ledyard

I'm really on the fence about the MKIII AD200B. After reading through almost every page of the Orange owners club on TB I think I would rather find a MKI or MKII AD200B. If I could find and buy one while keeping both kidneys.

There are a few handwired Mark IIIs floating around. And at least one firm that will rewire your Orange. Pricey, but probably more afordable (and assessible) than a Mark I or II.

Or, for a cleaner soiund, looks at the Reeves.