Welcome to the world of tube amps, my friend. You will never go back! You shall be a tone snob moving forward, like the rest of us.

Tube amp overdrive has a 'warmth' to it that I just don't always get with solid state. For me, the biggest difference is in the dynamics of the overdrive. I feel like I have so much control of my gain by my pick attack, as well as volume rolloff.

If you are ever looking to shape the tone of the amp, you can play with your cabinet. The Vintage 30 is very popular. I believe I would prefer the Vintage 30 for Orange amps because I always found them to be very trebly. The Vintage 30 has a good warm low end, good upper mids, but reserved high end: https://celestion.com/product/vintage-30/

I would highly recommend a 2x12 cab. You can pair (2) Vintage 30s or even mix and match speakers. You would be surprised by the difference in your tone between a 1x12 and a 2x12 cab.

I notice the Epiphone back there. My questions would be:

A. Are you using the stock pickups?
B. Are you using the stock electronics?

If I had an Epiphone LP like that, I would look at upgrading those. You're looking at about ~$90-$115 to upgrade the pots, caps, jack, and switch. A good set of pickups can range from $90 to $200, depending on what you're looking for. I also always upgrade the nut to true bone.

Better pickups and electronics will also provide you so much better tones when rolling volume off to clean up your tone. Imported pickups and electronics tend to get very muddy when doing so.

If it were me, because I am a snob, I would also probably upgrade the bridge and tailpiece to Gibson OEM. I believe the Epiphone's are made of aluminum. I am personally a fan of nickel hardware, because I love how grimy it gets over time.

hell yeah! welcome to the best thread on texags.

Orange amps have that unmistakable Orange crunch sound. Nothing else sounds quite like it.

It's the LP standard pro, 100% stock. I bought it new several years ago. As far as the pots and switch go, they feel solid. The pots are the push-pull to split the coils in the pickups between single and hum bucker. I can see upgrading in the future, but I'm still overwhelmed by the difference the amp makes.

I can see how a 2x12 can would sound better than 1x12, but can you still play at relatively low volume?

Or is there some way to rig a headphone output to this and still keep the awesome tone?

Texicurean said:

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It's the LP standard pro, 100% stock. I bought it new several years ago. As far as the pots and switch go, they feel solid. The pots are the push-pull to split the coils in the pickups between single and hum bucker. I can see upgrading in the future, but I'm still overwhelmed by the difference the amp makes.

I can see how a 2x12 can would sound better than 1x12, but can you still play at relatively low volume?

Or is there some way to rig a headphone output to this and still keep the awesome tone?

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Two speakers would actually be a little bit quieter than one, though not by much to really notice.

If you are in an environment where you want to play at reasonable volumes, you need an attenuator. I have used the Tone King Iron Man II and the DrZ BrakeLite. Both allow me to get my master volume of my 18W amps around 10 o'clock, and not break 90db. At the end of the day, lowering volume will eventually stop moving the air the way you do at higher volumes, so it doesn't fee as powerful.

I personally believe attenuators are a must for anyone trying to play at reasonable levels at home. That Pedal Show has an hour and a half video about them, but they tend to get into way to much for most people. This is a great video from Jay leonard J about them.



As for the pickups and pots, those are things than you don't truly get, until you play or hear higher quality gear. Again, it's all small adjustments here and there, but I'm at the point where I love those little differences. I want my pickups to have a certain punch. I want to roll off volume on my guitar to clean up my sound, without making my tone muddy and dark. You just don't get the same dynamics as that with the less expensive parts.

But, not everyone's a tinkerer, like me.

Pete Thorn goes a little more into them. I have an Iron Man II built into my Tone King Falcon Grande, and at max attenuation, you could play my amp at full throttle at midnight, with people sleeping in the house.

I'm going to show my wife these videos.
I bet I get an attenuator as a Father's Day present!

They aren't cheap. The Iron Man II can get over $600, even used: https://reverb.com/item/40750015-tone-king-ironman-ii-100w-attenuator

Check out this badass, limited Gibson LP Special. I'm GASing for this sexy thing...

https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/USAXZT41/Les-Paul-Special/Olive-Drab

That's a pretty badass looking instrument and not insane on price.

love that color combo.

Try this again. Ordered a custom overdrive from an Austin-based amp builder. He just sent me a photo of the tank. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

Was looking at Brian's Guitars and saw this in the background on their homepage so I had to look it up. For your consideration as the ugliest guitar ever made:

https://briansguitars.com/products/paul-reed-smith-private-stock-custom-408-signature-22-magenta-sparkle

Tried to add a photo directly but TexAgs doesn't want to do it for some reason.

That is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen...

Ranger #007 said:

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Was looking at Brian's Guitars and saw this in the background on their homepage so I had to look it up. For your consider as the ugliest guitar ever made:

https://briansguitars.com/products/paul-reed-smith-private-stock-custom-408-signature-22-magenta-sparkle

Tried to add a photo directly but TexAgs doesn't want to do it for some reason.

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Damn it!! Sold out??!!! Just when I was ready to buy...

That is absolutely hideous!

The description has it as a Private Stock made for a famous musician, but the back of the head stock is signed to Brian's Guitars. It may have just been commissioned through them. That horrid shape had to have been a ton of work. Private Stock starts around $10k and I'm guessing that one probably ended up being $15k+.

any guesses who that would be for?

does lady gaga play guitar?

My quick google search earlier returned nothing. Lady Gaga would be a good guess and she seems like the type that's probably somewhat proficient on every instrument imaginable.

haha i just threw her name out because it looks like something she'd wear.

My brain went to either glam metal or some kind of ridiculous pop.

Prince would rock the hell out of that guitar.

It looks like someone stretch armstrong'd it.

Pink? She play guitar?

I'm really GASing for that olive drab green LP Special. Being such a rare color for a special, I don't know if the future used market ends up depreciated to a standard used price for a special, or if it appreciates in value because of the novelty.

I sold my olive drab ES-330 because my other 330 was all around superior, but I do miss looking at it. I had bought it used for $2,700 and sold it for $2,800. Some of those rare colors definitely can go up in price, for the right buyer.

Kind of in the same boat with my ocean spray green Les Paul Classic. Way too bright/harsh to enjoy playing it, for me. Doesn't feel or sound even close to my Standard. But I just could never sell it because I love green, and it is such a rare color for a LP.

DallasTeleAg said:

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For you PRS fans: https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/products/prs-custom-24-violet-2020-1234462

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That's nice.

DallasTeleAg said:

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Welcome to the world of tube amps, my friend. You will never go back! You shall be a tone snob moving forward, like the rest of us.

Tube amp overdrive has a 'warmth' to it that I just don't always get with solid state. For me, the biggest difference is in the dynamics of the overdrive. I feel like I have so much control of my gain by my pick attack, as well as volume rolloff.

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This is the one I bought a little over a year ago. Prior to owning this I just had some basic $99 Acoustic 20W amp I got at Guitar Center (again I'm still very much a beginner). I couldn't believe how much difference it made.

I'd think that would increase value with the right buyer, but it all depends on how many people like that green. If this thread's an indication there are probably quite a few.

https://wildwestguitars.com/electric/fender-custom-shop-kyle-mcmillin-masterbuilt-flame-maple-60s-stratocaster-nos-royal-blue-hand-wound-pickups

I like blue but that's too much even for me. Then there's the $10k price tag to boot.

that is an abomination.

Yeah... i'm gonna have to go with, no.

Nice. What circuit type is it based off of? What type of transistors or is that a tube on there?

It's not a copy of anything, just this dude's version of an overdrive. Can take either a 12AU7 or 12AT7.

My wife is much more agreeable to things when I talk to her first. Have a couple things up for sale and PayPal pushes this out to January for payoff so I'll be able to pay it off by then. Should be here next week sometime. Thought the figuring on the back was cool since it's usually pretty plain. At some point in the midterm this will get either their Tremonti set or their metal pickups.

as a fan of green i approve but i think it's safe to say you definitely have a type.