Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Twinfan on November 29, 2008, 12:56:22 AM
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The first test run of the Martamp Orion prototype at gig volume is now complete :D
I booked myself and Martin a rehearsal room for the evening and we did some testing. We used my Martamp 2x12 with Hot 100 speakers as it's a great neutral sounding cab and in the room we had the following amps:
* The (my!) Orion Prototype
* Martin's own JTM45
* My JTM45/100
* My Laney Klipp (it's been modified to Marshall Plexi spec, with a switchable extra gain stage)
Guitar wise, we had:
* Martin's H-S-S Gibson SG
* My PRS McCarty (mahogany/maple)
* My Jackson Dinky with VHIIs
So I guess you want to know how it sounds eh? ;)
It sounds even better than I hoped it would :D Basically, in our opinion it sounded better than all the other amps we had in the room - and they're not exactly bad amps! :o The differences in the guitars and our playing styles really came though, so the Orion is nice and transparent. The clean sounds are sweet and round, and the channel crunches up really nicely for a smooth bluesy tone. The lead channel has a great classic rock rhythm/lead tone, really balanced with some great 'chewy-ness' and a clear top end. Think classic Marshall-style gain levels with more of a growling character than a shrill screamer. With the boost engaged on the lead channel you get a tighter higher-gain tone, where the pinched harmonics really come to life. The master volume works really well and even at really low volumes it sounds fantastic. What more can you ask for?
You all probably think I'm incredibly biased but this is one SERIOUSLY nice amp, and I've played plenty of other good 'uns - Marshalls (and clones), Fenders, Cornfords, Oranges, Matamps etc. None of the others hit my tone spot like the Orion did, the only thing I can think of that comes close is the Bogner Shiva (which I've never actually played myself, only heard in clips). I guess it's not surprising that I really like it, given that I had some input into the design, but there's something for everyone in it. I'd be incredibly surprised if someone tried it and didn't like it. For the superb price Martin has put it at, there's nothing in the same league in my opinion. Where else can you get a fully hand-wired and warrantied two channel amp (three channels, if you include the boost part) for £1095? Amazing. And you can even have it customised to your spec!
The next step is for Martin to put it into a temporary cabinet for me and I'll continue testing it. I'll be using it at home and at band rehearsals for a month or so to see if there's any minor tweaks to be done to it. After that it will be fitted into a 'proper' cabinet and I'll start gigging it :D
I'll see if Martin is happy to have a couple of pics taken so you can get a sneak peak at it before it's finished.....
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This piqued my interest when I saw it on his site a short time back. How much gain can it do? Martins pricing is crazy he is really undervaluing his amps imo, long may it continue :lol:
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This thread is useless without CLIPS!! :)
And uh... when you say you can customize it, does that mean I can order one with oodles of gain added onto the lead channel? :)
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Sounds great Dave !!
All I need is the schematic now (only joking Martin :wink:)
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Interesting.... When are these going into production, and what sort of lead time are we talking about? I'm not going to get excited if you tell me it will be 2010 before I can have one!
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Oops - double post!
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This thread is useless without CLIPS!! :)
And uh... when you say you can customize it, does that mean I can order one with oodles of gain added onto the lead channel? :)
It's not finished yet, so no clips. Yet ;)
Ooodles of super tight gain is not really what this amp is about, so if that's what you're after you should still look at the standard Mesas, VHTs, Engls, Diezels etc. The Orion was aimed at anything up to 'Hard Rock/NWOBHM' type tones.
You can customise Martamps by chosing a different power output/power valves, different voicing including more or less gain. custom colours for the cabinet, Power Scaling (if appropriate) - all that kind of stuff. If you have some specific requirement Martin can usually accomodate it :)
Interesting.... When are these going into production, and what sort of lead time are we talking about? I'm not going to get excited if you tell me it will be 2010 before I can have one!
You can order one now if you want to. Lead time is 8-12 weeks if I remember rightly, but Martin can confirm.
I'm just itching to get the prototype on Tuesday night so I can rehearse with it :D
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Wow this amp does seem like it's gonna be a cracker. I'm an avid Cornford fan, I'm now using the MK50h II having had the MK50 anjd Hellcat before it. To date the MK II is my alltime favorite amp... I actually prefered it over the Bognor shiva and the ONLY amp I would really like to try is an older XTC. Until now that is... I'll keep my open for your updated reports, thanks for re-igniting my amp GAS. :?
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If Martin has any more he want testing..I'm his man *L* sound like it's going to be a great amp
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It sounds great! :D I must definitely start thinking about getting a decent new amp (or two) next year. I think my guitar collection has reached saturation point... maybe it's time to put more effort into playing the buggers.
Sorry to be flippant, but I keep reading the name as Martamp Onion! If the name appears on the chassis, I think it should be in UPPER case...
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It sounds great! :D I must definitely start thinking about getting a decent new amp (or two) next year. I think my guitar collection has reached saturation point... maybe it's time to put more effort into playing the buggers.
Sorry to be flippant, but I keep reading the name as Martamp Onion! If the name appears on the chassis, I think it should be in UPPER case...
You don't like onions?
Onions are great, if they are good quality and fried in a bit of butter, yummieee
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I like onions, they're an essential base for any stew, casserole or curry.
But fried in butter? Eeeewwwww... :x
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* Onions
* Fried In Butter
* Hot Dogs
* Ketchup
I used to love them when I wasn't veggie!
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* Onions
* Fried In Butter
* Hot Dogs
* Ketchup
I used to love them when I wasn't veggie!
You'e just mentioned 2 of the 3 foodstuffs I hate most in all the world... ketchup and butter. PDT_031
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I used to love them when I wasn't veggie!
Help me here... what's the problem of onion for veggie? it's vegetable, isn't it? :o
And +1 hating ketchup... but butter is good, you can have even non-eating uses of it :lol:
The description of the amps sounds damn nice! Looks like mr Martin will be very busy after launching the amp... 8)
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Onion isn't the problem Fernando, but the sausage in the hot dog is!
I must try them with veggie sausages sometime.....
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Onion isn't the problem Fernando, but the sausage in the hot dog is!
I think the amount of meat in a standard hot dog sausage is only measurable on a molecular level...
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I must try them with veggie sausages sometime.....
I am also a veggie. I can tell you that the veggie hotdogs taste exactly the same as the 'meat' hot dogs.
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I think the amount of meat in a standard hot dog sausage is only measurable on a molecular level...
There was a programme on BBC recently and although they didn't look at hot dogs they did take a closer look at what went into a 'banger'. 5% meat apparently!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mischief/hot_topics/food.shtml
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I used to make sausages as a kid as my Dad was abutcher and I would never eat one. Anyways, back to the amp, sounds very interesting Dave.
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Onion isn't the problem Fernando, but the sausage in the hot dog is!
I must try them with veggie sausages sometime.....
A veggie friend eats veggie burger... not sure what goes in, but looks good and I'm "meat and potato kind of guy" (singing the blues)
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I must try them with veggie sausages sometime.....
I am also a veggie. I can tell you that the veggie hotdogs taste exactly the same as the 'meat' hot dogs.
My brother is Food Engineer (don't know how you call in english) he said the brazilian sausage are most part soybean... Don't know if it's the same sausage you got in England, I hate sausage :lol:
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that sounds pretty cool. not sure if it'd have enough dirt for my liking (i don't really need the real br00talz, but like plenty of gain etc.), i'd definitely like to try one, though. :)
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It'll do early Van Halen no bother, and Iron Maiden sort of stuff (with the boost on) too :)
Wish I had it for our gig tonight :(
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I can't wait to hear this.
Have you tried it with an OD yet?
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thanks dave. i'd need to try it, to be honest. i tend to use a lot less gain than I used to, but still the amount of gain any amp has is subjctive...
:)
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I can't wait to hear this.
Have you tried it with an OD yet?
What do you want to use the overdrive for? If it's to tighten up and boost the lead channel, there's a boost built into the amp ;)
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Sound like you got yourself a great amp Dave. I been looking through your post and I can not see what wattage you said it was. (I bet it there and I have missed it) What wattage is the Orion?
Hope you enjoy would love to here some clips once its gone through all the testing and tweaking .
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I can't wait to hear this.
Have you tried it with an OD yet?
What do you want to use the overdrive for? If it's to tighten up and boost the lead channel, there's a boost built into the amp ;)
Not sure really, without trying it's obviously impossible to gauge how much gain it has but by the sound of it if i was using it I'd mainly be using the boosted channel then using an OD as a further boost for leads/a bit more saturation.
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Another Veggie here but I must admit, I'm more interested in the amp that the composition of hot dog sausages!
I'm currently trying to save up enough money for a Martamp and I'm wandering if there will be a 'mini Orion'
(And I dont mean a 1986 Ford Fiesta.......)
I really like the concept of a KT66 amp but have never found much use for an amp with much above 30 Watts. And even then I get dirty looks from most venues if I'm near full power!
So Dave, do you know if there will be any lower power versions available?
If you plan to gig the Orion around Manchester post it on the board and I'll try to come to have a look.....
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I'll certainly be gigging it, probably it's first outing will be our March gig in New Mills. It'll be used in rehearsals from this week :)
My particular Orion is around 60 watts. I wanted something loud enough for 'DC gigs - for Doppelganger I only need around 25-30. Martin can build you a version to whatever power output you'd like though I'm sure ;)
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I might me tempted to come along and have a listen. Can you let us have some more details nearer the time please?
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Will do mate :)
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*** Update ***
The Martamp Orion prototype is now in my living room!
Housed in a temporary cabinet, it passed its first rehearsal try-out last night with flying colours :) It's a very flexible amp indeed, and combined with my new Cornell Overdrive Special pedal I can get a wide range of gain tones/volumes. Here's how I'm currently using it:
Clean channel - with the volume set lower than lead channel, I use the overdrive pedal for rhythm guitar parts. I also use it clean (with chorus) for the intro "Wanted Dead Or Alive".
Lead channel - this is my solo channel. I have the gain around 65%, and combined with the overdrive pedal this gives a great lead tone. If I need anything extra, I'll stomp on the footswitch and add the gain boost. This is great for the intro lick to "Crazy Train" for example.
Overall it's very responsive to pick attack, as we found out last night. I played something, handed the guitar to Martin, who then played something. I sounded like me, he sounded like him - just what you want in an amp :D It takes pedals really well, has great clarity, and the best 'chewy' texture to the tone that I've heard (which I really love). It doesn't sound like any other amp, it just sounds like my definition of a great tone. The master volume works superbly too, and at quiet TV levels it still sounds fantastic - as I found out around midnight last night when I got home, after Mrs Twinfan had gone to bed. I think we done good ;)
We're having a Xmas Party gig just for family and friends in a couple of weeks so it'll get it's first gig run out then (looking very rock n roll in it's temporary cabinet!).....................