Its very hard to review this amp...... mainly because i specified everything i wanted to get from it so it would reflect badly on me if it was crap when it turned up.......Spoiler --- it definitely wasn't.<
Anyway i'll start with the ordering process, i have to say it felt like i was a star buying an amp from howard dumble. thats not to say martin is a recluse or rotund, he is neither of those two attributes. What he is though is a decent bloke with an encyclopaedic understanding of amplifiers. For me i wanted the holy grail, fender cleans (more tweedy than blackface), marshall drive (jtm45/plexi) and a soldano inspired boost channel. It had to be purple and it had to be a 2x12.
so the specs were fixed as:2x12 combo
2 channel amp with separate EQ's
2nd channel would have an underboost (i.e. wired for soldano then a preamp tube removed from the circuit to give the default drive)
Power scaling
4xKT66 delivering 50 Watts.Switchable channels with a compact footswitch using din and...... parallel TRS option for an external switch controller.
Purple tolex
White piping
salt/Pepper cloth purple jewel light
white chicken heads.
Metal side grab handles.
So, the build progressed and i received awesome pics along the way, the most exciting of which for me was the gutshot. Clean wiring with an immaculate layout.... shortly after the amp was finished and martin delivered it to my house in swindon. This was a nice touch and as he said, worked out cheaper and safer than trusting it to the delivery monkeys.
Once id had a thorough run though of the specs it was time for a business lunch and then time to rock the amp solo. I spent the next couple of weeks, testing the amp, with pedals, without pedals. at loud and quiet volume. over this time it became well broken in and was ready for the Guitar show as the platform i would have my pedals running though.
I think as a test for an amps solidity the Guitarshow is pretty damn brutal. 0930-1700 for two days at a moderate volume would be enough to make most amps cry, however the Orion did
@martinw proud and was still sounding tremendous at the end of the weekend, albeit hot!!!
So, if you fancy having a kickass amp, then give
@martinw a call and treat yourself to a bespoke tonal monster.
Comments
I'm on it, in the next month I have a video planned to do just that.
We use the trade mark 'Orion' for one of our finest vehicles- the booted version of the Escort sold fro 1987-1993.
Please cease and desist using our trade mark.
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
brilliant
Feedback : https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/58125/
I've also just had a letter from BSA about the Goldstar and Bantam
Not sure what the protocol is for manufacturers commenting on these threads? Is it rude to ignore them or spamming to reply?
Anyway, thanks @ThorpyFX for the review and others for the support!
Yes, but as Adrian hinted at, not with 4xKT66. I have an order for a 1x12 custom version for @simonk that will involve a new chassis size and should be an interesting amp. It will have a pair of EL34s in fixed bias for 50W, but other options would be available.