Orange OR50 vs. CS50

[casecandy]

Hello all,

I am not exactly "made of money" and looking to buy my first "proper" amp.

I recently tried out the OR50 head with a PPC412 cab and absolutely loved it.

Things I loved about it:

• - Nice, fuzzy, fat gain
  - Crisp cleans
  - Was very useable at bedroom volumes
  - Was also able to level the room with sheer volume
  - Simplest amp I've ever seen, no bells and whistles
  - The classic aesthetic

I see that there's a handwired version of this amp (slightly different) available, but the price is... exorbitant.

The OR50 runs for $2049.99 CAD and is in-stock at virtually any larger music store, whereas the CS50 runs $3099.99 CAD and is probably going to be a special order (with all the "special" financial pains-in-the-butt that you'd think that would entail).

And so I ask... has anyone played both? Care to offer your wisdom on the subject? What exactly are the differences between the Orange OR50 and the Orange CS50/Custom Shop 50?

Feel free to vote in the poll above!

[D.o.S.]

I don't think it's worth the extra $1000 for a Made in _____ badge, myself.

If you like the modern day Oranges, I wouldn't hesitate to snag the OR50. Put the extra $1000 toward a nice cab.

[Ghost Hip]

I don't think it's worth the extra $1000 for a Made in _____ badge, myself.

If you like the modern day Oranges, I wouldn't hesitate to snag the OR50. Put the extra $1000 toward a nice cab.

[fever606]

For that money, I'd buy the OTR in BST forum right now... Even with the exchange rate to Pounds and shipping from The Dark North, it'll still be cheaper than the OR-50, and arguably better made...

[blindrabbit]

My guitarist has the OR50. He says its the best amp he's ever played through, and he's owned some vintage Marshalls and also has a 60s era Bassman. I think its the best guitar amp I've ever heard, and I've played with dude with all sorts of different gear. So maybe there is a "better" version of it, but frig, I sure can't imagine it. The OR50 is awesome.

[frigid midget]

Wait wot...Couldn't $3100CAD easily buy you a vintage Orange OR120?? idk I bet it'll even leave you with enough spare money for an attenuator, though the actual volume difference between 50 and 100Watt isn't that big a deal...

Ptp, vintage mojo, great resale value in case you should decide to flip it,...
I used to have one, and like an idiot I sold it cause it was too loud for me at the time.

If you're dead set on getting one of those two options...I'd say there's no way the price difference can justify the actual quality/tone/whatever differences you'll get if you go with the CS50. In that case you should totally grab an OR50, and maybe upgrade the tubes or something if you insist on spending more

[casecandy]

Wait wot...Couldn't $3100CAD easily buy you a vintage Orange OR120?? idk I bet it'll even leave you with enough spare money for an attenuator, though the actual volume difference between 50 and 100Watt isn't that big a deal...

Hm... I did a quick search of Kijiji (like Craigslist, only Canadianer!) and found this lovely fellow in Montréal... $1800... not bad! http://www.kijiji.ca/v-amplificateur-pe ... nFlag=true

If I liked the OR50... would I like this badboy?

And do you think quiet sounds would be in the realm of possibility? I will not be able to really open it up most times in the year (duplex, neighbours have kids, I have kids). Worth it still? I don't see a Volume control on there...

[casecandy]

My guitarist has the OR50. He says its the best amp he's ever played through, and he's owned some vintage Marshalls and also has a 60s era Bassman. I think its the best guitar amp I've ever heard, and I've played with dude with all sorts of different gear. So maybe there is a "better" version of it, but frig, I sure can't imagine it. The OR50 is awesome.

I demo'd it for over an hour in the store (lucky enough to be the only one in there) and loved it. I was worried it might not be doomy enough (compared to, say, a '90s Green Matamp or something). How wrong I was. Thick overdrive that just felt incredible.

[D.o.S.]

the OR120 will wipe the floor with the OR50 and hold its value better.

But it does not do quiet. It does "loud" and "louder than loud." It's NMV, after all.

[frigid midget]

Wait wot...Couldn't $3100CAD easily buy you a vintage Orange OR120?? idk I bet it'll even leave you with enough spare money for an attenuator, though the actual volume difference between 50 and 100Watt isn't that big a deal...

Hm... I did a quick search of Kijiji (like Craigslist, only Canadianer!) and found this lovely fellow in Montréal... $1800... not bad! http://www.kijiji.ca/v-amplificateur-pe ... nFlag=true

If I liked the OR50... would I like this badboy?

And do you think quiet sounds would be in the realm of possibility? I will not be able to really open it up most times in the year (duplex, neighbours have kids, I have kids). Worth it still? I don't see a Volume control on there...

I guess there's no way to be sure without putting em side by side, but still...I'd be surprised if *any* current production Orange comes close to the OR120's mojo.
It definatelly won't do quiet, but if you'll be playing at home at really low volumes most of the time...frankly speaking I'd say any 50watt Orange head with a 4x12 cab would be major overkill.

I don't know how you feel about attenuators, but I used to blindly believe the "they kill your toan!" cliché...
Untill I got one (Ultimate Attenuator).

Yeah, a good one costs a couple hundred bucks, but if you go easy on it and don't squash the hell out of your tubes, and you forget about being a nitpicky tone corksniffer when you're just noodling at home by yourself, a decent attenuator can turn your fire breading half stack in a practice amp, and it'll help you justify you buying that OR120

Or you could spend that $250 on a small practice amp or a computer based amp sim instead

[casecandy]

I don't know how you feel about attenuators, but I used to blindly believe the "they kill your toan!" cliché...
Untill I got one (Ultimate Attenuator).

Holy crap, I just Googled this. And it really works? Like, REALLY really works? Tell me more. (Ramble on if you will, I'm all ears.)

[indianDYsummer]

Wait wot...Couldn't $3100CAD easily buy you a vintage Orange OR120??

Ptp, vintage mojo, great resale value in case you should decide to flip it,...
I used to have one, and like an idiot I sold it cause it was too loud for me at the time.

I agree the OP should consider buying a vintage OR120. However, they are not PTP amps. The PCBs are good quality though, and likely an upgrade over modern PCB amps. I have a transitional 1973 OR120. I like it. They should be out there below $2k pretty reliably.

[sergiomunoz74]

I have learned one thing from going from a OR120 setup to random amps then to a direct in setup because of home volume reasons, that if you play loud and wanna have that tone fucking get the OR120. I miss it all the time and honestly I wish I would've just gotten an attenuator that had some sort of headphone out/Line out rather than buy something due to it being too loud.

I miss my Orange and any amp I grabbed after that disappointed me. I never felt good about anything else I played and so I decided to just play direct in with a pre amp because it was never gonna be comparable. I gave up on finding a tone that would be better to my ears than that OR120 from the 70's. *sigh*

[casecandy]

Aw Jesus, guys... I think I gotta buy that OR120 and an Ultimate Attenuator... after watching numerous YouTube videos and talking to some users there, too... still love the OR50 though... the official demo for the amp is actually one of the coolest amp demos I've seen in a long time... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFNLMEgVGb8