Laney Pro Lead 50 Watt

[scaristei]

Hey, I just picked this up on Ebay (a local pickup) and am "knocked out"!
After selling off all my "pro gear" years ago, and living with about a half dozen "practice amps", I finally go a "grown up amp"! I also picked up that Guitar Research "half stack" (60 watts - 4 - 8" speakers) at the pawnshop for $225.00 - Which is very loud, but definitely not a marshall, definitely not a Laney !

Can anyone tell me about this Laney Pro Lead 50 Watt Amp....?.!

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/stephena310/laneyProLead50Watt.jpg

[Racerx2k]

Been looking for one of these to compliment my Laney cab. Had a 100 watt one, back in the day. How's the gain on this one? Played one, recently, at a used shop at was dissapointed. Wasn't as good as I remembered it being, but it might've been a bad amp.

[nonamemx]

I have the 100w version of that head. Its my favorite amp! (and I've been around the amp block)

They'res not much info on it. There were 2 distinct versions, one was the older type (I think) known as the "master volume" ones, which they simply had 1 gain knob, and 1 master volume knob, and of course bass,mid, treb, prescence.

But the type you and I have, are the "8 knob" types. These are especially cool because of the different tones you can dial in. On the "AOR' channel, its basically like having 2 gain knobs and 2 master volume knobs.

These are 1 channel amps. They're commonly referred to as 2 channel, because they'res the normal "Crunch" mode, and then they'res whats called the "AOR" channel, or "Advanced Overdrive Control" channel. Its not really a seperate channel, its actually just a tube boost that is footswitchable. Its kinda like having a Tube Driver pedal or some sort of tube booster pedal built into the amp.

These are EXTREMELY confusing at first, took me a while to figure out what they did, so i'll help you break it down:

Master Volume is just that.

Preamp 1 Level - is basically another volume knob, for the AOR channel. On most amps, you'd want the master all the way up. I feel that it sounds better when your on the AOR channel to crank the Preamp 1 Level all the way up. Then you adjust the Master volume to taste.

Preamp 2 Volume - Is the main Gain knob. I like to turn this one all the way up, sounds thicker.

Preamp 1 Volume- This is like the gain control for the boost circuit (the AOR "channel") With this knob up high, and the Preamp 2 Volume down low, your going to have a VERY bright overdrive sound. And Vice Versa. I keep this one low around "4" and the Preamp 2 Volume knob around "9-10" to give a nice thick sound. This knob will make things noisy really quick, bear that in mind. The Preamp 1 Volume is also a push-pull pot. Push it in for the normal "crunch" mode, and (gently) pull it out for the AOR mode, to activate the boost circuit. You can also use any footswitch with a 1/4" jack to switch the channels with your foot.

Bass, Mid, Treble- You know what to do. BUT!!. . these are also Push-Pull knobs. They make HUGE boosts in their respective frequency ranges. I usually have the Bass and Mids pulled out, I leave the Treble pushed in, for the amp is bright enough, and it just gets noisy when you boost the treble.

When you've got the amp cranked, and I dont get to crank it much, It might help the overdrive "breathe" a bit with that knob pulled out. Have to experiment with that.

Then they'res the presence knob. I love this knob. Whatever you do, unlike most amps, it DOESNT GET HARSH. What does it do? it gets TWANGY!!

If you've ever listened to some Paul Gilbert, its that sort of funky twang.

Laney has some downloadable PDF manuals. They'res like, 10 of them, and one of them is the correct one. You're just gonna have to dig though them. Most of them are 2 page worthless things, but there is one that is several pages and very in-depth about the amplifier, complete with a circuit diagram, which helps you understand the amp.

[Racerx2k]

Yeah, sounds like you have the same 100w one that I had. Wish I still had it. I'll have to look for one, or a 50 watt version, like he found. I'm a big Paul Gilbert fan, so I know exactly what you are talking about. Kinda what I'm looking for, too.
Any chances of either one of you , posting any soundclips?

[Racerx2k]

Here ya go, man, if you already haven't found it:

http://www.laney.co.uk/manuals/AOR-A...0Issue%201.pdf

Should get you started. Have fun!

[Sanctuary]

Laney convert here too.

[agresivo]

I've got a 50watt AOR too. It may be 50watt, but it sure can kill when I turn the master volume above 4!

I bought it a couple of weeks ago and nonamemx's post is helping me a lot to understand the way it works. Thanks a lot!

[jgcable]

Its a great affordable high gain 80's metal amp. Just ask Warren Demartini.

[Racerx2k]

Exactly. Back in the day, when I had the opportunity to buy one off a friend (he was jumping ship to Marshall), I immediately recalled the guys in Ratt using them, and jumped on the offer. I never regretted it. That was one of the best amps I've ever owned. I sold it when I thought I was getting out of playing. Man, was I wrong! 15 years later, and now I'm kicking myself in the ass, and trying to save up and find one!

[slayer]

I don`t know if anyone is interested, but I know of a guy selling a Laney Toni Iommi(older model I think) single channel for $550. Anyone interested in that one? Jack.

[charvelguy]

The 50 watt you show there has the cascading preamp.. pretty much a concept Mesa put into production.. and that was likely taken from mods Blackmore was doing to his Marshalls back in the 70's.

That version of the AOR has alot more gain than the previous master volume version.. I look at the difference between the two being a progression similar to Marshall conversion from JMP series to JCM800 series.
Altho.. the previous master vol only AOR 100 watts are great candidates for a pedal.. and their 100watts models.. when clipped, are really loud. I threw a Soldano hot mod in mine and it sparked it up quite a bit while making it also alot more controllable.

The cacading preamp version of the AOR can stand on its own for gain..its rather gravel/grainy.. course voiced..not like a Mesa smooth.
I find the gain is 'ok'... not as much to my liking stock as much a cleaner setting would achieve with a decent pedal.

[Racerx2k]

Yeah, I tried one of the "previous" Laneys, and didn't like it at all. I was quite dissapointed. Was very weak and dark sounding, not at all like how I remembered my old AOR being. Mine, however, was the second design.

[MSGfan]

Used a Laney 50 watt AOR head thur older Marshall 4x12's (one loaded with 25 and one with 30 watt Celestions) for about five years. That setup lasted thur two bands until I switched to all rack gear around '91. Now I'm back to useing heads and pedals.

[DonP]

I have both an AOR 50 combo and head.

I'm very tempted to take my 1979 (year) JCM 800 trannies and turn the AOR into a 100 watt monster.

[Racerx2k]

Nah, it would probably only net you about an additional 3db in volume. Besides, the power tubes of the 50 watt will break up sooner an a 100 watt. I'd leave the 50 watter as is. I'm pretty much specifically looking at 50 watt heads, in my search, in fact.