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Orange Rocker 30 Amplifier Head Review

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Orange Rocker 30 Amplifier Head Review

This review was submitted by Guitar Jar contributor: Nate North

I play lead guitar in Dallas, Tx based nationally touring band Page 9. I am always looking for a richer thicker amp tone and Orange really hit the nail on the head with the Rocker 30.

The leads are clean and crisp and rhythms stay meaty and rich. I’ve never been more satisfied with an amp than with my Orange.

On a recent tour I was playing through Bugera V-55 head; the clean channel tone was perfectly balanced for me but the distortion was lacking. Yes, i know the v-55 is a vintage styled amp and high gain isn’t what it was designed for. That being said, the amp really pushed no power whatsoever.

After tour I started looking around for a more versatile rock amp. I had always been a fan of Orange amps but hadn’t ever really given one my own personal test drive. I went to a local music store that I knew carried Orange and checked out what all the fuss was about.

I absolutely fell in love with the Orange tone. A week later I was able to pick up a Rocker 30 head and 2×12 cab at a really good deal.

Features:

I am playing with a standard Orange Rocker 30 head and closed back 2×12 cab with Vintage Celestion 30’s which come stock, I believe. I purchased the head used and the stock tubes had been replaced.

The amp face has (from left to right) an off/standby/on switch, natural/dirty switch, dirty volume, dirty high, dirty mid, dirty low, dirty gain, natural volume knobs, and a front input.

Ease of use:

This amp is very much a plug and play amp. The amps overdrive is great at whatever setting you place it at. It is very much idiot proof. I have yet to find a setting that sounds horrible.

Sound Quality:

This amp has a tone all of its own and it’s hard to find something to compare it too that is British-voiced.

Modern Marshall amps sound nothing like Orange, nor do they try to and outside of a boutique amp wired and setup the same way, I doubt it’s possible to find something similar.

At live shows I rarely have to adjust the volume over halfway and if I do my ears are ringing for days. By far the loudest amp I have ever played on.

Reliability:

I care a lot about the condition my amp is in and I don’t like just having the amp sitting out on stage or in the trailer without protection.

I had my friends over at Brady Cases design a road case for me that would protect my amp and keep it from taking a beating during load on and off periods. Brady Cases does a great job on their road cases and I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to keep their amps protected.

Overall Rating:

The Rocker 30 has become my go to amp both on stage and in the studio. The leads are clean and crisp and rhythms stay meaty and rich. I’ve never been more satisfied with an amp than with my Orange.

The Rocker 30 has been discontinued but I would definitely recommend everyone interested in one to go out and pick one up second hand.

This review was submitted by Guitar Jar contributor: Nate North

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