It’s not uncommon for guitarists to chase the tones of vintage amps when it sculpting their signature creations.
When Orianthi teamed up with Orange to create her signature Oriverb 2×12 combo, her inspiration was nothing less than the best: Alexander Dumble’s amp collection. And with good reason: The Adelaide-born guitarist had personal experience with it.
“I had the honor of sitting with Alexander Dumble long ago when he was alive,” the Orianthi tells Guitarist. “I went to his home, plugged into all his amps, and he let me play the first amp that he ever made. I never forgot the sound of that amp.”
And she certainly wont now that it’s part of her Oriverb’s sonic fingerprint, along with other amps she’s had to pleasure to use.
“It’s got a bit of the Dumble sound mixed with an old Marshall and a Fender Twin,” she says. “It’s got a sound that cuts through and has high-end when you bring up the mids and the treble. But ultimately it’s warm-sounding and well-rounded.”
Best known for her tenures as lead guitarist for Michael Jackson and Alice Cooper, the PRS signature artists says the new amplifier pays homage to her bluesy roots. And while she says some players have dismissed her amp as “just another Rockerverb combo,” she and Orange’s Pat Foley spent a good deal of time making it the unique amp that it is.
“We went back and forth to dial it in,” she says. “We’ve changed a lot of things, from the speakers to the tubes to the reverb and the distortion. You can really push it like a vintage amp.”
Their experimentation, which lasted “a couple of years,” ultimately paired Celestion Neo Creamback speakers with EL34 valves as Orianthi looked to build on the “guts and clarity” of her Rockerverb.
Since the 1970s, Dumble amps have been favored by artists across the spectrum of rock and blues. When building his signature PRS amp head, Mark Tremonti had always craved a little Dumble magic for its dirt channel, while a “Fender Twin on steroids” was the aim for its clean tones.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd had 11 Dumbles built for him, believing “they elevated my playing and creativity. It freed up so much energy for me to express myself.”
Joe Bonamassa, meanwhile, spent 15 years tracking down Lowell George’s Dumble Super Overdrive, having originally sold his Dumble collection in 2014. He soon realized he couldn’t live without them.
For new PRS artist Keith Urban, he says he’s working on pickups with a “Dumble-esque range” for his signature guitar.
Grab a copy of Guitarist from Magazines Direct to read Orianthi’s interview in full. The issue also features chats with Steve Hill and Billy Morrison alongside its top gear picks of 2024.
In related news, Orange Amps has revealed why it won’t enter the amp modeling market and explained why it doesn’t want its products to be described as “retro”.
