NAD Orange Rockerverb 50 Combo (Neo)
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2023 12:47 am
Several years ago I was out to see a local cover band. At one point I was ear level, unobstructed and about 12 feet away from the guitarist’s rig. It was an Orange Rockerverb 50 head through a Mesa 4x12 cab.
It was simply the best tone I’ve ever heard. It slayed all the classic rock hits (my fav music). The tone was at once gritty, chimey and articulate. Chords were “chordal” yet every string’s note was clearly defined within.
The only embellishment he had was a boost pedal for solos. Nice dude, killer player. Awesome rig.
In the ensuing years I have acquired a bunch of gear, always chasing the perfect classic rock through 90’s rock tones in my head. I felt like I was close, but never quite there.
Add to that the fact that I currently play guitar and bass in a LOUD bar band (ie, super loud rehearsals) where there is little inclination to run guitars through the PA to improve overall balance. So a ripping loud amp is not a bad thing to have.
My primary amp for that scenario has been a Tonemaster Twin Reverb with one or two dirt pedals in front. Certainly not bad.
Today I got the amp of my dreams! An Orange Rockerverb 50 Mk III Neo.
Orange has been making the Rockerverb for 20 years now. The third generation has been around for a while. The “Neo” is the latest thing. A thinner birch cabinet (still substantial) and Celestion Neo Creambacks (made in England), eliminate 20 percent of the weight from this notoriously heavy amp.
It arrived today. I plugged in and, as expected, immediately got glorious tones out of both channels with little fuss.
Let me unpack both of the previous points:
Tone
I know not everyone wants to replicate that AC/DC, GNR, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Alice In Chains vibe…but a lot of us do. For those of us, this is seriously perfect tone. Chimey cleans, and the best dirt channel possible.
Ease Of Use
I have a Mesa amp that is built like a tank and is capable of some amazing, searing lead tones. But it’s a beast to dial in, and when it’s not on point it’s really not on point. The Orange is the opposite. Very simple control layout, and easy to dial in. For example, once you’re cooking on some Zep, just dial up the gain a notch to nail some Skynyrd, Free, Bad Co. Another notch and it’s Oasis territory (watch for flying f bombs). Beyond that it’s GNR then AIC. Mind you, that’s all by adjusting the gain a notch or two at a time. Doing that doesn’t require resetting the entire tone stack each time. Maybe just a bump in volume to compensate for the reduced gain.
Functionality
50 watts, 2x12 combo.
Switchable: channels, reverb, attenuator.
Attenuator
Once you have set the tone for each channel you have the option to attenuate the volume. This is after the power section so you can get the power tubes cooking as part of your tone and still have control over the volume.
One obvious purpose is to set the volume for the particular room. The other option is to set the lead volume with the attenuator off, then back it off to rhythm volume with the attenuator. The footswitch lets you toggle between the two levels.
There are a few good demos on Youtube, mostly leaning a bit too heavy for my taste. To really experience this you need to be in the room feeling the power and hearing the clarity. I am in tonal bliss! First gig with it is on Saturday.
It was simply the best tone I’ve ever heard. It slayed all the classic rock hits (my fav music). The tone was at once gritty, chimey and articulate. Chords were “chordal” yet every string’s note was clearly defined within.
The only embellishment he had was a boost pedal for solos. Nice dude, killer player. Awesome rig.
In the ensuing years I have acquired a bunch of gear, always chasing the perfect classic rock through 90’s rock tones in my head. I felt like I was close, but never quite there.
Add to that the fact that I currently play guitar and bass in a LOUD bar band (ie, super loud rehearsals) where there is little inclination to run guitars through the PA to improve overall balance. So a ripping loud amp is not a bad thing to have.
My primary amp for that scenario has been a Tonemaster Twin Reverb with one or two dirt pedals in front. Certainly not bad.
Today I got the amp of my dreams! An Orange Rockerverb 50 Mk III Neo.
Orange has been making the Rockerverb for 20 years now. The third generation has been around for a while. The “Neo” is the latest thing. A thinner birch cabinet (still substantial) and Celestion Neo Creambacks (made in England), eliminate 20 percent of the weight from this notoriously heavy amp.
It arrived today. I plugged in and, as expected, immediately got glorious tones out of both channels with little fuss.
Let me unpack both of the previous points:
Tone
I know not everyone wants to replicate that AC/DC, GNR, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Alice In Chains vibe…but a lot of us do. For those of us, this is seriously perfect tone. Chimey cleans, and the best dirt channel possible.
Ease Of Use
I have a Mesa amp that is built like a tank and is capable of some amazing, searing lead tones. But it’s a beast to dial in, and when it’s not on point it’s really not on point. The Orange is the opposite. Very simple control layout, and easy to dial in. For example, once you’re cooking on some Zep, just dial up the gain a notch to nail some Skynyrd, Free, Bad Co. Another notch and it’s Oasis territory (watch for flying f bombs). Beyond that it’s GNR then AIC. Mind you, that’s all by adjusting the gain a notch or two at a time. Doing that doesn’t require resetting the entire tone stack each time. Maybe just a bump in volume to compensate for the reduced gain.
Functionality
50 watts, 2x12 combo.
Switchable: channels, reverb, attenuator.
Attenuator
Once you have set the tone for each channel you have the option to attenuate the volume. This is after the power section so you can get the power tubes cooking as part of your tone and still have control over the volume.
One obvious purpose is to set the volume for the particular room. The other option is to set the lead volume with the attenuator off, then back it off to rhythm volume with the attenuator. The footswitch lets you toggle between the two levels.
There are a few good demos on Youtube, mostly leaning a bit too heavy for my taste. To really experience this you need to be in the room feeling the power and hearing the clarity. I am in tonal bliss! First gig with it is on Saturday.
