CRUSH ’EM
There are four models in the new series: Crush 12, Crush 20, Crush 20RT and Crush 35RT. Apart from the Crush 12, each has the same high-gain four-stage preamp design as the original Crush amps, and as you move up the line you get more and more features and power. The 35RT is 35 watts with digital reverb, a fully-buffered low-impedance effects loop and a 10” speaker, Orange’s custom Voice of the World driver.
The controls are Clean Volume, Dirty Gain, Bass, Middle Treble, Dirty Volume and a channel selector switch, with the integrated chromatic tuner and Reverb located below the main controls. The reverb is voiced to sound like a spring unit and it features an analogue dry-through signal so your natural amp tone runs alongside the reverb instead of getting swamped by it. The tuner’s LED array might be a bit difficult to see from some angles but for the most part it’s quite visible and very effective.
FRUIT SALAD
One of the great things about this amp is that the clean channel really stays clean all the way up to full volume, which means it loves being combined with overdrive and distortion pedals. Add reverb from the amp or throw on some ambience in the effects loop and you could do a whole gigs’ worth of songs on this channel alone. Dirty channel goes from slight grit to all-out saturated mayhem, and can be coaxed into a big fuzzbox kind of vibe which is great for garage rock and stoner styles. But there are plenty of rock, punk and metal tones in here too.
PANDORA’S BOX
The greatest thing about this amp is that it gives all players access to classic Orange tones in a very affordable, useable, portable format that feels very similar to a tube amp – okay, it’s not exact, but closer than most digital modellers – and in particular it feels, sounds, looks and smells like an Orange, just as it should.
For more information visit www.gibsonami.com.