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Can anyone tell me about their experiences with Laney tube amps?
The reason why I ask is because I want to buy the Tony Iommi signature head if I can get my Marshall sold.

Thank you.

I had a VC30 for a short time amp; it was pretty good...a cheaper Vox, if you will.

There's a guy around here that loves his Laney's amp; knows a ton about them....Wixedmords maybe????

My first real amp was a Pro-Tube 30 master volume amp; 1 channel, 3x 12AX7, 2x 6V6. I still have it! Sounds great, works great, etc

Borrowed a VH100 for a week.
Monsteramp...screamin' and cooking.
Liked it.

Sounds good so far.. The general opinion seems to be in favor for Laney.

I'm not sure what the knock is on them.

I thought I remember hearing or reading that they use cheaper innards amp; have overheating problems, but that may have just been on certain models.

They've been around for a long time, so they must be doing something right....

That guy will chime in shortly

I have a 50th Anniversary Laney AOR 50 head in white tolex. 4 x 12ax7, 2x EL34, with JJ's in it now, E34L's. It is a nice amp and goes from 800-ish levels of gain on the normal channel to an early version of modern high gain on the AOR channel. I usually dime the preamp 2 volume (which would be the gain in the 800 circuit) and adjust the preamp 1 volume (AOR/ boost volume) to taste.

The Laney high gain sound can be a bit fuzzy and low-endy, and some folks modify them to trim up the low end coming off the first triode. But overall, it's a good high-gain british tone.
Psst. Here's a secret. The Tony Iommi schematic looks a lot like an AOR 100, as do most of the 4 preamp-tube Laney's...the major differences are whether they have an passive/ opamp/ opamp buffered effects loop, an impedance selector vs separate speaker jacks, and channel switching.

My experience is with 3 amps from them basically...I don' remember the model #s..but all late 80s stuff

quot;2203 copyquot; (single channel MV)

quot;2205 copyquot; (higher gain 2 channel)

30 watt closed back combo version of the quot;2205quot;

In the general sense I find them british like..but not marshall-like...they are quot;darkerquot; than a marshall with flubbier low end...the top end is not high mids like a Marshall, but increased bite/presence... fizzy...not quite as compressed as a Marshall

I found for my tastes they needed a TS9 or Boss SOD on at all times to tighten up the @$$ and top end.

Way too many choices these days for me to buy another one unless I got one cheap and wanted it to get modded. I'd pick what you already have or a DSL before I bought another Laney.

Good amps, but nothing special IMO.


Originally Posted by chillPsst. Here's a secret. The Tony Iommi schematic looks a lot like an AOR 100, as do most of the 4 preamp-tube Laney's...the major differences are whether they have an passive/ opamp/ opamp buffered effects loop, an impedance selector vs separate speaker jacks, and channel switching.

Hmm, I've read that the Iommi head has 5 or 6 pre-amp tubes, I can't remember.


Originally Posted by JeffBWay too many choices these days for me to buy another one unless I got one cheap and wanted it to get modded. I'd pick what you already have or a DSL before I bought another Laney.

Good amps, but nothing special IMO.

Hmm, I just find the Iommi head very interesting.. I've heard some sound clips, listened to some of the songs that were recorded with it, seen live videos with it etc. and damn..I'm really diggin' it, I know that Tony uses some pedals etc. though.. But I've read nothing but positive reviews of it so far. And there's some switches to tighten up the bottom end etc. And you can choose between EL34 and 6L6 tubes, it has a switch. I actually like the kind of quot;dark soundquot; you're talking about.

Your money, your ears...go for it then!

I have not heard that exact amp Sune, so I cannot say...but of the ones I'm familiar with...meh...heard much better...heard much worse.

Try taking a listen to the new Iommi record.. Then you can hear it's sound, of course Tony uses pedals sometimes, but I have heard soudnclips from others that sound similar, and alot of people say you can dial in a similar tone. Here's a song called quot;Dopaminequot;, it's the first track on his new record. Ballsy tone!:

Windows media player stream from : localhost/www.iommi.com/music/dopamine_128kbps.wax

The thing with the Laneys of new, get the right speakers, I used 4 G12H 30 watts speakers, that way I lost the fizzy highend they can get with some other speakers.
I thought I remember hearing or reading that they use cheaper innards amp; have overheating problems, but that may have just been on certain models.

Actually they do use highquality parts, my tubenut friend thinks that they are very well made, just don't use their own speakers

Thanks Rid.....I wonder if it was just the VC30 or maybe certain models????

I know the VC30 doesn't like certain tubes, like Ei.....


Originally Posted by RidThe thing with the Laneys of new, get the right speakers, I used 4 G12H 30 watts speakers, that way I lost the fizzy highend they can get with some other speakers.
Actually they do use highquality parts, my tubenut friend thinks that they are very well made, just don't use their own speakers

The cab designed for this amp also have 4 x 12 Celestions. But I've been thinking more about a 2x12 with Celestion vintage 30's, even though people say they don't have that much bottom end..would it be wise??

Hmm V30's...don't like them much really, we do use them on our Custom 50 combo, but that is a very different amp fom any Laney.
Dunno if you can try them first??

I put a 12H30 in mine amp; it was a very nice fit

Yeah that is one great speaker

Well, maybe I should look at something else then. I can't remember what is in the Laney cabs designed for the amp, but I remember it being something like quot;Celestion Driversquot;, can that be right?

Most are equipped with highpower celestions 70 Eighty.
And some with V30's.