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Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page

Builder: 
Matamp
Model: 
Orange-Matmap head 200W
Serial Number: 
OR 264 - OR 247 (preamp)
Year: 
1971
Color: 
Orange
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page
Story Behind The Guitar: 

 

About the Builder:

Founded by Cliff Cooper in 1968, Orange celebrates over 40 years of rocking history!

The actual birth of the Orange brand was not the shop but the basement of 3-4 New Compton Street in early-summer 1968 where, equipped with little more than a Revox tape recorder and Vox reverb unit, Cliff opened Orange Recording Studios.

Because the major music companies refused to supply his shop with their products, he had no choice but to become a manufacturer as well as retailer. Luckily, the market for quality second-hand guitars was booming when he set up shop. The first Orange amps were supplied by a small north of England company called Radio Craft (later Matamp) which made a versatile, top-spec 20/30-watt valve guitar/bass guitar amp – the Matamp Series 2000. In autumn 1968, Cliff placed an order with Huddersfield-based Matamp (named after founder Mat Mathias) to amps for Orange.  

Cliff was also friendly with what was then a premier blues band called Fleetwood Mac. Mac became the first chart group to go Orange in late-1968 when they took with them to America the very first half dozen Orange 100-watters ever made.

But the Orange Matamp era would be relatively brief as stars as big and wide-ranging as Stevie Wonder, BB King, Jimmy Page, John Mayall, Ike and Tina Turner, and James Brown joined the client list and helped to establish the brand. In the beginning these amps were modified Matamp Series 2000. Over the time the power rose to 80, 100, 120 and finally 200 watt. 

Matamp is still active. Visit them on: http://www.matamp.co.uk/

See here Jeff Lewis the actual owner of Matamp making a speaker cabinet:

See video
See video

When watching these videos you can understand very easily that Matamp produces only high end musical devices.

About this Amp:

This amp was assembled from 2 different serial numbers OR 264 - OR 247 (preamp) in 1971. The amp face plate reads custom build for Jimmy Page. It is paired with an Orange cabinet 4*12 with Celestion speakers. It has 4 KT-88 tubes delivering 200 Watt of cheer power. A clean and loud sound!

The 200 watt model was extensively used by Led Zeppelin's Jimi Page on stage during the first half of the '70. This can be seen in the latest Genesis Publications book: Jimmy Page. In this photographic autobiography, a visual history of his career as one of the world’s most iconic guitar players, can be seen that on the far left of the stage were always two 200 watt Orange-Matamp amps with their respective 4*12 cabinets.

Orange-Matmap, – head 200W – head custom build for Jimmy Page