Orange Rockerverb 50 MKIII vs TH30 vs OR15 (Stoner rock)

[Guitarjon]

I love Orange amps and I have a bunch. They're all cool for different reasons but I wanted to pick a couple that I found suitable for a stoner rock type of sound. The Rockerverb 50 MKIII is an obvious choice but it is the most expensive so I also wanted to try the TH30 out again. It's kind of similar to the Rockerverb in that it has the big headshell and a clean + dirty channel. It has its own sound though but it's more affordable than the Rockerverb. I also wanted to try an amp that was even more affordable and low-wattage so the OR15 was an obvious choice. The preamp is supposedly based around the (mkI or mkII) Rockerverb sound.

I don't claim to be a stoner rock expert but I made some stonery-riffs to try out these amps with using one of my favorite guitars, the ESP LTD NW-44 Neil Westfall with the Bare Knuckle Aftermath in the bridge. LOVE that guitar, easily on of my favorites! That BK pickup is just amazing too!

Anyway, so I thought this would be a cool and fun tone-quest/comparison video. It might help folks out who are looking for a high gain rock/metal Orange amplifier. Check it out:

 

[thebeesknees22]

i'm really digging that th30. They're all great though.

 

[Guitarjon]

i'm really digging that th30. They're all great though.

Yeah! Sometimes I vastly prefer the Rockerverb to the TH30 but in this case they both sound great in the mix, in their own way. Same goes for the OR15 but that one just sounds a little less chonky.

 

[shpence]

Another awesome video! Have had my eye on an OR15 so this is helpful, thanks.

 

[Guitarjon]

Another awesome video! Have had my eye on an OR15 so this is helpful, thanks.

Cheers mate! The OR15 is a very cool amp. As I said in the video, it's a little bit more vintage sounding than the other 2. Have you considered looking into the Jim Root Terror? They don't make them anymore but it sounds a little bit more modern than the OR15. They share the same pcb so they are similar in design, just voiced differently.

 

[shpence]

Cheers mate! The OR15 is a very cool amp. As I said in the video, it's a little bit more vintage sounding than the other 2. Have you considered looking into the Jim Root Terror? They don't make them anymore but it sounds a little bit more modern than the OR15. They share the same pcb so they are similar in design, just voiced differently.

I've wanted to try it out but haven't come across one in the wild yet. I'll keep an eye out!

 

[Legion]

Wow I REALLY enjoyed that tone. Never thought an Aftermath could do Stoner stuff...haha!

 

[Guitarjon]

Wow I REALLY enjoyed that tone. Never thought an Aftermath could do Stoner stuff...haha!

It's one of the best pickups I've ever tried tbh...

 

[Legion]

It's one of the best pickups I've ever tried tbh...

I see!

Presumably the fact that its in your ESP singlecut (probably a monstrously fat sounding guitar) has something to do with it? My brother had a strat with an aftermath in it and it was unbearably thin and had this weird buzz to it that made it sound like a metal zone lol

 

[Guitarjon]

I see!

Presumably the fact that its in your ESP singlecut (probably a monstrously fat sounding guitar) has something to do with it? My brother had a strat with an aftermath in it and it was unbearably thin and had this weird buzz to it that made it sound like a metal zone lol

Oh definitely! In my opinion the quality and amount of wood certainly matters!

 

[c7spheres]

Awesome vid! Would've been better if you "played authentic" by smoking a fatty first though! jk.

 

[Bearitone]

TH-30 was so good. has that meat in the low mids

 

[Accoun]

Nice demo, but (not a complaint, more of a suggestion) since Rockerverb is kind of a benchmark in the shootout, personally it would be cool to see a short segment where you compare other amps with it. As in RV-OR-RV-OR/RV-TH-RV-TH rather than only going through all three in order. Especially since as you mention, the OR is so similar to it. Probably wouldn't be viable in larger comparisons, but since you only do 3 amps in this one, it would fit well.

This only cements further the OR-15 as my current goals amp, although there's still the Rocker 15 Terror...

 

[vilk]

Hey man I always love your videos and this one is no exception. That Rockverb is *chef's kiss*

Just a couple points of criticism that you didn't ask for, and in a way I think you already are aware: that second riff (and maybe the 3rd as well) is literally the opposite of stoner rock like not even in the ballpark. It's tight, abrupt, even chuggy, these are things that I never ever think of when I think of stoner rock or metal. I'm sorry!!!
Also most stoner rock players avoid modern voiced pickups like death. Idk what's in your arsenal, but like 99% of stoner rockers would have wanted to hear a JB or PAF or some other kind of stock Gibson pup, even the right P90 would have been more on point.

Stoner rock and metal is a very popular genre these days and I think if you make more videos like this with your Orange amps they will get a lot of views! So that's why I thought I'd share my opinion, though honestly I'm in no position to since you are the YouTube video master.


I can really sympathetize with not being able to cook up a good stoner riff. I used to be in a stoner doom metal band, and everything I write magically turns into hardcore. We never used any of my riffs

 

[Guitarjon]

Hey man I always love your videos and this one is no exception. That Rockverb is *chef's kiss*

Just a couple points of criticism that you didn't ask for, and in a way I think you already are aware: that second riff (and maybe the 3rd as well) is literally the opposite of stoner rock like not even in the ballpark. It's tight, abrupt, even chuggy, these are things that I never ever think of when I think of stoner rock or metal. I'm sorry!!!
Also most stoner rock players avoid modern voiced pickups like death. Idk what's in your arsenal, but like 99% of stoner rockers would have wanted to hear a JB or PAF or some other kind of stock Gibson pup, even the right P90 would have been more on point.

Stoner rock and metal is a very popular genre these days and I think if you make more videos like this with your Orange amps they will get a lot of views! So that's why I thought I'd share my opinion, though honestly I'm in no position to since you are the YouTube video master.


I can really sympathetize with not being able to cook up a good stoner riff. I used to be in a stoner doom metal band, and everything I write magically turns into hardcore. We never used any of my riffs

I appreciate the feedback! As I said in the video I'm definitely no stoner rock expert (quite far from it in fact haha) but I will make a mental note to use a more vintage pickup and do no chugging next time! Sounds like stoner is less fun than I thought though. Lol

 

[vilk]

I appreciate the feedback! As I said in the video I'm definitely no stoner rock expert (quite far from it in fact haha) but I will make a mental note to use a more vintage pickup and do no chugging next time! Sounds like stoner is less fun than I thought though. Lol

Thank you for taking my water-cooler-youtuber criticism so graciously. If you ever wanted to make another stoner rock/metal video with your Oranges, personally, I'd love to see you set them clean and hear how they take fuzz, especially a big muff style. Fuzz into clean Orange is definitely a thing with stoner bands.

As far as riffage, here are some bands/riffs that are undebatably stoner.










Did you notice that it all sounds like old Black Sabbath? It's my personal opinion that old Black Sabbath influence is the primary identifying factor in "stoner" music.

But dude, I love your videos no matter what, so just do what you do!

 

[Guitarjon]

Thank you for taking my water-cooler-youtuber criticism so graciously. If you ever wanted to make another stoner rock/metal video with your Oranges, personally, I'd love to see you set them clean and hear how they take fuzz, especially a big muff style. Fuzz into clean Orange is definitely a thing with stoner bands.

As far as riffage, here are some bands/riffs that are undebatably stoner.










Did you notice that it all sounds like old Black Sabbath? It's my personal opinion that old Black Sabbath influence is the primary identifying factor in "stoner" music.

But dude, I love your videos no matter what, so just do what you do!

Haha all good man, I appreciate the help!