Hey guys!
The story:
I embarked on a quest to do an overhaul on my tone since I just wasn't getting what I was looking for... So after some other ventures and attempts, I decided its time for a new amp which wouldn't bring down the house on my head and would give me everything I wanted...
So I visited fellow forumite BluesBrother and sampled his Orange OR15, which turned out to be a very fun amp!
I went on a google adventure and found out that the OR15 and the Jim Root Terror share the same basic layout and PCBoards with only a few component values which are different and the OR15 comes with a nicer enclosure...
But anyway, I gave Marshall music a call and 3 of their branches turned me away, saying that there is almost no Orange stock left ANYWHERE in SA. Gave Marshall music South a call and they were very helpful, offering both the OR15 and the Jim Root Terror... Went there and when I plugged into the Jim Root, I knew that I had found my tone... Walked away a happy customer! (Shout out to Marshall music South ?)
Watched the second installment of the Hobbit movies on the same day and decided to call the amp Smaug, quoting its fire breathing (glowing tubes) and lust for destruction and death (metal tones)
The Amp:
Ok so, it has 3xECC83's, 1xECC81 and 2xEL84's, which is the same as the OR15 and according to orange shares much of the same preamp as the Rockerverb. The key difference between the OR15 and the JR is that the JR is a bit more modern voiced.
3 Band EQ as well as a slightly different preamp, distinguishes it from the Dark Terror, which has a similar voicing. Like the others in the Terror range, the JR offers 15/7 watt operation.
The sound:
Ok so right off the bat I plugged in my Tokai and tuned in the volume to levels at which you would play a serenade to a special lady(9 o'clock) and the gain to 8 o'clock and I was VERRRRY impressed to hear that this amp has a soft side, which gives some nice and sweet cleans. Ok, its not sparkly Fender cleans, but that would have been unrealistic.
Turn the wattage down and you lose some headroom, but it tames it to allow for livingroom playing...
Turn the gain up to 12 and you have some nice rock happening, which is already too much for ACDC (Yeah I know ACDC is more power amp drive).
2 O'clock gives you metal sounds which are just perfect for Black Sabbath and Metallica (Opinion)
And turn it up to take you into chugging territory... at full gain it does get a tad fizzy, but she still sounds gooood...
My 412 does help the amp sound all grown up and this baby is LOUD!
So yeah, my tone overhaul is coming along nicely and I'm very happy with my purchase.
Me and BluesBrother will probably have an Orange Duel some time soon :bopping:
So excuse the honeymoon rant, but its a properly good amp
EDIT: PIX!!!
