What do you think about Orange Amps?

[Mr. Foxen]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

Many companies get their start by having another manufacturer make their stuff. Even after they are full grown. It's no dig, and doesn't distract from the goal. It's a good thing to focus on the part you can make the most difference in.

Its the bit where they stopped using the really good manufacturer that was the problem.

[nofretdave]

Had one years ago (early 80s) sounded great but wanted to move to a rack.....traded it for a Peavey CS800 power amp. It still hurts to admit that after 30 years.

[Bassman62]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

Orange is brilliant
They have been around 45 years. They aren't one of the many sticker brands that have been bought and sold through the years.
They're keeping to their roots and keeping up with state of the art.
Read this interview
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/forum/vi...hp?f=27&t=2395

Sorry to disappoint you but Matt Mathias came from Europe as a refugee from the Nazis he lived in the Yorkshire town of Huddersfield where he worked in electronics of the day in a shop on King Street.
He designed the original amps Matamp Orange amps. Jeff Lewis Bought the Matamp trade name from the family when Matt died. Jeff still produces hand build Matamps in an old mill not far from Huddersfield
I picked up an early 200 watt Orange Matamp slave amp and let Jeff have it for what I paid.
You can have your Matamp built with your specs quite unlike the orange amps. Jeff Lewis is a straight talking rough and ready guy and dead straight.

01484 854883 usually will get you through to Jeff
01484 859500 usually will get you through to the techs
To call from overseas use +44 1484 854883 or +44 1484 859500
Our address is:
Matamp, Brigg Mill, 5 The Cobbles, Meltham, Holmfirth, HD9 5QQ
This is not an advert but an invite to talk to a great guy who I've a lot of time for.

Meltham is close to 'Holmfirth' where the UK TV series 'Last of the Summer Wine' was filmed.

[Bassman62]

Originally Posted by Mr. Foxen

They started as rebranded Matamps, then they started making them elsewhere, then the name was sold, to I think, Gibson, who started having Matamp make them, then sold the name on again before any of the new Matamp ones were actually released.

Matamp was the one that passed to the sons of the founder, and was bought by one of the workers from the founder's time running it, so that is the one with a solid lineage.

UK Built, UK designed as they always were, that's why I say if you want a real Orange get a Matamp not something that started off abroad and was finished in the UK.

[rpsands]

My bass terror is, so far, one of my favorite amps ever.

[rhopper]

Originally Posted by rpsands

My bass terror is, so far, one of my favorite amps ever.

Me too...

[4StringShooter]

Originally Posted by jp_sousa

Hey guys, i'm currently using a Orange Bass Terror 500 + Orange SP212.

IT'S DEMOLISHING!!!

Anyone tryed other Orange amps?

They sound terrible to my ears.....

[seamonkey]

Originally Posted by Bassman62

Sorry to disappoint you ...

It's no disappointment. Orange is Orange.
Designers/Engineers often get somebody else to build it. Examples right here on this board. Many builders of fEarfull but one designer.
Good design engineer can have the same piece of equipment built by many builders.

[Mr. Foxen]

Generally the designers are supposed to be credited in some way though. Licences and such, to be a commercial Fearful builder you need to have a deal with Greenboy, otherwise the plans are only free for non commercial use. It would also be rude to build a fearful and claim you've always built them since the beginning. Plus the Orange Matamps were designed and built by matamp.

[Bassman62]

Originally Posted by Mr. Foxen

Generally the designers are supposed to be credited in some way though. Licences and such, to be a commercial Fearful builder you need to have a deal with Greenboy, otherwise the plans are only free for non commercial use. It would also be rude to build a fearful and claim you've always built them since the beginning. Plus the Orange Matamps were designed and built by matamp.

Exactly Mat Matthias was the genius behind Matamp/Orange.

[Bassman62]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

It's no disappointment. Orange is Orange.
Designers/Engineers often get somebody else to build it. Examples right here on this board. Many builders of fEarfull but one designer.
Good design engineer can have the same piece of equipment built by many builders.

Who do you think designed and built the extra wattage Orange amps that Fleetwood Mac used on their first US tour?
Who accompanied The Mac on that tour.

You've guessed it, Mat Mathias sole designer and builder of the original Matamp/Orange amps.

Maybe you should go to this site http://www.matamp.co.uk/matamp-usa-canada/, I've visited this factory at Meltham Yorkshire quite a few times, one of the few places where you can actually see you very own amp being built with the extra or alternate specs you've asked for.


Here's a one off that appeared in an electronics shop on a pallet of odds and sods, it had never been fired up as the output xformer had never been wired in there was an interesting story behind it, notice no serial or model number or roll bars

[joelb79]

I had a moment of bliss in Tom B's basement plugging into the Orange 200w Bass head through their 410 and 115. I thought the 115 was the real highlight; what a great sounding 115. They are heavy though!

[Bassman62]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

Many companies get their start by having another manufacturer make their stuff. Even after they are full grown. It's no dig, and doesn't distract from the goal. It's a good thing to focus on the part you can make the most difference in.

But that didn't apply to Matamp/Orange and it still doesn't apply to Matamp whereas Orange I'll leave to your imagination other than to say If I had the money and a good back I'd be off to Matamp tomorrow for their 200 watt Bass head and not the Orange AD200.

[justBrian]

Originally Posted by rpsands

My bass terror is, so far, one of my favorite amps ever.

Totally agree. I love mine...

[Mr. Foxen]

Originally Posted by Bassman62

You've guessed it, Mat Mathias sole designer and builder of the original Matamp/Orange amps.

here's a one off that appeared in an electronics shop on a pallet of odds and sods, it had never been fired up as the output xformer had never been wired in there was an interesting story behind it, notice no serial or model number or roll bars

Was Matt doing it alone? Sort of assumed he employed some people in the earlier days.

The mystery amp would be one built on the chassis made for Gibson owned Orange I'd guess?

The Orange/Matamp deal was that Orange covered the south of England and left Matamp to the North. Thing is, all the important music stuff happened in London, in the South.

[themacinator]

Over-rated and over-priced. My opinion only but there you go.

[kleinenenten]

Played one for the first time today, definitely not for me. But hey, each to his own, right. I used to swear by Ampeg, but now I'm a GK guy. My tastes may change again, who knows?

[Bassman62]

Originally Posted by Mr. Foxen

The mystery amp would be one built on the chassis made for Gibson owned Orange I'd guess?.

That's the trouble with speculation, mostly way off target as in this case.



This was the little beauty after completion at Matamp where I'd taken it to as Orange refused to sell me a sleeve.
When I left Matamp, it stood me £380 in total.

[rodl2005]

Originally Posted by Bassman62

That's the trouble with speculation, mostly way off target as in this case.



This was the little beauty after completion at Matamp where I'd taken it to as Orange refused to sell me a sleeve.
When I left Matamp, it stood me £380 in total.

Looks great! :thumbup:Please explain?

[Mr. Foxen]

Originally Posted by Bassman62

That's the trouble with speculation, mostly way off target as in this case.

What do you mean by that?