*** 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!).....................
