Orange Amps: On Stage With Music's Brightest Stars

If you’re looking for an Orange amplifier, they aren’t hard to find. Just look onstage with Prince, U2, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, or Fleetwood Mac. It’s a little-disputed fact that the Orange Music Electronic Company makes some of the best amps in the business—and if you don’t believe it, just ask the stars.

Orange was founded in 1968 by Clifford Cooper.  He opened a basement shop selling guitars and equipment, but found that because of his youth and his low-profile establishment, large amp manufacturers were reluctant to sell to him.

So he started to build his own.  Mr. Cooper had a background in electrical engineering, and he happened to have a lot of orange vinyl at hand—the type used to cover wooden amplifier and cabinet shells.  Pretty soon, he was selling his own brand of distinctive orange amplifiers.

The orange covering wasn’t the only thing that made these amps stand out, however.  Clifford started manufacturing all-valve amps right around the time valve technology was being overtaken by transistors.  Transistor technology was cheaper and easier to produce, but it couldn’t replicate the warm, rich sound of the old valve amplifiers.

This means that Orange amps didn’t just look cool—they also sounded better than anything else on the market. And word spread fast. Before long, Orange amplifiers could be found in theatres, rehearsal rooms, studios, and auditoriums all over the U.K. And it wasn’t long before musicians caught on. Soon, Clifford was selling his amplifiers to famous acts like Stevie Wonder and Fleetwood Mac.

During the seventies, big-budget tours were all the rage—for the first time, bands were playing to enormous crowds in immense stadiums. They needed a sound system that could stand up to the challenge. Orange stepped up with a gigantic public-address system that had to be delivered via several lorries.  Pretty soon, it was tough to attend a concert or see a band poster without the distinctive orange amplifiers in the background.

Today, Orange is well established as one of the best amp manufacturers in the business. With their long history, distinctive look, and unmistakable sound, Orange amps are truly one of music’s brightest stars.