Green Likes Orange

[michelej1]

This is from an article about Clifford Cooper of Orange in the UK from Musical Instrument Professional:

http://www.mi-pro.co.uk/features/45/Life-begins



Placing his first orders with Matamp towards the end of 1968, the first 100-Watt, valve-driven Orange amps began to arrive back in London just in time for a couple of strokes of luck for the fledgling company. “The long and the short of it was that we had the amps built, and they started selling really well,” continues Cooper. “One of my favourite players was Peter Green with Fleetwood Mac – I used to go and see them whenever I could, I was a big fan – he came in the shop one day, and I managed to ask him if he wanted to use our gear. Fleetwood Mac bought a complete set of equipment, and the first record they made with it was Albatross, which went straight to number one. We took out a full-page advert in Melody Maker, showing that Orange amps had gone to number one, and that was it.

[slipkid]

Less than a year later, most of FM (except McVie) stopped using Orange amps, and went to Fender's. The complaint was that they sounded too much like Marshalls. Jeremy Spencer had discussed this on an older thread. In fact he's gone back to Orange, using an AD-15.


I always wondered why they never tried Hiwatt amps. That's clean power.

[Cussion]

Originally Posted by slipkid

I always wondered why they never tried Hiwatt amps. That's clean power.

Actually, they did.. Danny used Hiwatt amps, after Peter had left, though.
During the "Future Games"/"Bare Trees" era. There are pictures of him playing through Hiwatt amps.

[slipkid]

Originally Posted by Cussion

Actually, they did.. Danny used Hiwatt amps, after Peter had left, though.
During the "Future Games"/"Bare Trees" era. There are pictures of him playing through Hiwatt amps.

That's right, the Beat Club "Dragonfly" video. I always thought it was Bob Welch's amp not Kirwan's (news to me). Anyway, it's ashame Green and Spencer didn't use them. David Gilmour still uses Hiwatts to this day, and Pete Townshend went back to using one of his custom amp heads on the Who's 2006 tour.

[chiliD]

Even Lindsey used HiWatts a lot on stage between 1975 - 1978.

[zoork_1]

Originally Posted by slipkid

[...]... I always wondered why they never tried Hiwatt amps. That's clean power.

Can't say I know much about Hiwatt, but it seems to me that Fender Showman/Dual Showman just KILLS! I've just bought a Bandmaster 1967, but I'm still looking for a nice Dual Showman... :-)

[slipkid]

Originally Posted by zoork_1

Can't say I know much about Hiwatt, but it seems to me that Fender Showman/Dual Showman just KILLS! I've just bought a Bandmaster 1967, but I'm still looking for a nice Dual Showman... :-)

There's one on Ebay right now for $400 after six bids. Bidding ends Monday after 5pm EDT.

I have to say PG's tone for "I've Got a Good Mind to Give Up Living (All Over Again)" 1/30/70 in New Orleans is one of the best tones I've ever heard in my life. If that's just a Dual Showman alone, and not other pedals and effects, I'm sold. Can it really produce THAT much reverb? Maybe it was the best amp for his style.

[zoork_1]

Originally Posted by slipkid

There's one on Ebay right now for $400 after six bids. Bidding ends Monday after 5pm EDT...[...].

Thanks, I'll take a look!

Hmm, If I'm right they didn't use "pedals" that much. However, I've heard separate Fender (Orange?) reverb tanks/units were used.

BTW Matamp GT-120 is another nice amp. Though, I rarely play mine these days. It needs "some" vol. to break up, and the guys in the band couldn't stand that..... :-)

[doodyhead]

Originally Posted by slipkid

There's one on Ebay right now for $400 after six bids. Bidding ends Monday after 5pm EDT.

I have to say PG's tone for "I've Got a Good Mind to Give Up Living (All Over Again)" 1/30/70 in New Orleans is one of the best tones I've ever heard in my life. If that's just a Dual Showman alone, and not other pedals and effects, I'm sold. Can it really produce THAT much reverb? Maybe it was the best amp for his style.

Forgetting tubes , just for the moment, That rendition by Peter that night, was one of the top all time blues guitar solos ever recorded period


vinnie c

[slipkid]

Originally Posted by doodyhead

Forgetting tubes , just for the moment, That rendition by Peter that night, was one of the top all time blues guitar solos ever recorded period


vinnie c

Preach brother preach! That solo is about 48 bars (roughly four minutes), and it has a beginning, a middle, and an end in four parts. I like how in the second set of twelve bars, Green dials it back a little, only to bring down the hammer in the next twelve bars. That's intensity I've rarely heard in any guitar player. I'm glad PG is still with us physically, but that type of guitar playing is lost forever. That song is a perfect example of what should've been included on the new boxset.


Of course 1/30/70 is the night the Grateful Dead were busted in New Orleans. Dennis McNally makes a point in his book "What a Long Strange Trip", that one observer said that FM outplayed the Dead. Oh, I'd say so! McNally also mentions that on 2/1/70, members of FM joined the Dead on stage for "Turn On Your Lovelight" after injesting "electric cakes" and beers. Mick Fleetwood is dancing on stage with a sign wrapped around his neck saying "Out of Order". McNally also points out that FM is a relatively "young" band compared to the Dead. Maybe in the states that seemed to be the case, but we know the story.

[doodyhead]

Originally Posted by slipkid

That song is a perfect example of what should've been included on the new boxset.

Of course 1/30/70 is the night the Grateful Dead were busted in New Orleans. Dennis McNally makes a point in his book "What a Long Strange Trip", that one observer said that FM outplayed the Dead. Oh, I'd say so! McNally also mentions that on 2/1/70, members of FM joined the Dead on stage for "Turn On Your Lovelight" after injesting "electric cakes" and beers. Mick Fleetwood is dancing on stage with a sign wrapped around his neck saying "Out of Order".

As an addendum, Greatful Dead Fans hold that Jam on Lovelight with Peter 2/1/70 as, in the words of the Stage manager after it ends as "The greatest f__king music in the world" the top version in the annals of Dead shows. It was #4 of the Bears Picks.
I believe , as it is covered in our archives that that show is available free at www.archive.org

doodyhead

[zoork_1]

Originally Posted by doodyhead

Forgetting tubes , just for the moment, That rendition by Peter that night, was one of the top all time blues guitar solos ever recorded ...[...]

Well put doodyhead. I would like to add that in my opinion some guitar playing in EUR spring 1970 (Vienna, Berlin, Böblingen, etc,) is state of the art. If the recordings/sound hadn't sucked, I would listen to them daily.

/z

[slipkid]

I'm a drummer who loves guitar porn. I love talking about old discontinued gear that's hard to find. It's more interesting than drums, unless you have a 1961 yellowjacket Slingerland available.


Back "in the day" you had the Fender Showman (later the Dual Showman), the Bassman, the Bandmaster, and the Tremolux. Apparently, the Showman was a live set up only. It was an 85 W tube amp which would make your ears bleed in a closed space. You had to crank the volume (or gain) to 7 to make it sing. I've read that Green used the Tremolux in smaller venues??? This now goes to a question about guitarist Jesse Ed Davis.


Jesse Ed Davis played with Taj Mahal for the Rolling Stones RnR Circus. If you've seen the concert, it looks like he has a Fender twin reverb combo amp as a pre-amp connected to his Fender Showman amp head. The reason this is important is that he gets a bottom out of a stock Fender Telecaster that's incredible. As we all know a stock Tele is supposed to have a thin sound that's suited for country guitarists. Of course Clapton's rosewood Tele with the Strat headstock with Blind Faith was another creature with his Plexi Marshalls. If the Fender amp can produce that warmth with a stock Tele, then it's game over.


Is the Bandmaster or Tremolux good enough for a smaller space (say a house, or a neighborhood), or do you need to get a Bassman, or (Dual) Showman to unleash that great tone?

[zoork_1]

Originally Posted by slipkid

I'm a drummer who loves guitar porn...[...].

I'm doing a P G's FM tribute, where are you from man, get over here I love drummers who loves guitar porn....:-)

Well, in my opinion a Bandmaster, Tremolux or Pro Reverb is good enough for quite big spaces.

I seldom crank my Bandmaster fully (the boys are tolerant, but not that tolerant) but when I do it unleash a great tone, however, as mentioned a good Showman/Dual Showman delivers killer tone......

/z

[doodyhead]

Originally Posted by zoork_1

I'm doing a P G's FM tribute, where are you from man, get over here I love drummers who loves guitar porn....:-)


/z

Dear Zoork,

Where are you doing a Tribure show?

sincerely,
bluesman from Pine bush New York