AOR: After much deliberation, I have decided....

[Iommic Pope]

....I'm psychotic.

I love my AOR.
I really do.
I've been flip flopping between getting all these unobtainium unicorns when really, this guy will do the lot.
The pre just rules.
However, it's only a fifty watt job, and I like kt88 outputs.
It seems that it may be possible to convert the out put to do those tubes, but I'm dubious as to how simple it is.
So, questions:
1. Fairly certain that Laney didn't pull a Marshall and stick the same OTs and PTs in both 50 and 100w models. Do I hunt for a suitable upgrade/used/NOS replacement or do I need to get something specifically designed for an 88 style tube.
2. Does this involve rebuilding the entire power section? I've heard mixed reports ranging from, "just a couple of bias resistors" to, "kt88 outputs are an entirely different beast". What are the facts? I know there are differences in the way a model Ts output section is designed as opposed to others.
3. Is there any hope of doing this for a cost far less than just buying something else that already does this? Should I just keep slaving towards unobtanium?
4. Do I need professional help for what is clearly a deteriorating condition?

Thank you all.

[HeavyXIII]

1. They didn't. I checked. Not sure.
2. I'm not a tech, but I'm pretty certain it's more involved than just putting a bigger transformer in there and rebiasing for KT88s.
3. In short, no. Buy another AOR. It will likely be cheaper even with shipping charges. Unless you have a tech that pretty much works for beer, you'd be better off just getting the 100W. They're not uncommon.
4. Not sure I understand.

My tech griped endlessly about fixing mine and how it wasn't "built like a Marshall". Aggravating, but he made a good point about some of the parts being out of production. I'm considering having him rebuild my 100W to some kind of deranged milspec device. Swapping the pull switches for a 3 band active EQ and streamlining the circuit.

[Iommic Pope]

Hmmm, that's what I thought.
Dang.

They don't pop up all too frequently down here, nothing decent does like in the US or EU, but I managed to find one guy on Gumtree selling three for either $500AU each or trade for dirtbikes or chainsaws. Neither of which I have.
Plus he is halfway between Sydney and Canberra, I'm in Queensland.
There was another one going for $800AU, which is honestly way too fucking much, considering you could get a JCM800 around about the same price.

I hate living here sometimes.

[HeavyXIII]

Until I looked, I didn't realize shipping costs were as ridiculous as what they are. I rang up a $300 tab to have a head shipped from here to Queensland. FUCK.

Other solutions: PA Equipment. It doesn't have a super cool factor, but it will make your 50 louder more cleanly and be a billion times cheaper, probably easier to come by as well. Or just buy a JCM and have it modded.

If my exchange rate isn't totally whack, $500AU should be the same as a little under $400USD, which is average market value for one in good shape. Definitely not too many "deals" to be had (like my sub $300 one), but I paid around $375 for my 50W 4 years ago..

[Iommic Pope]

Yeah, I got a total steal when I got mine off goroth.
Am now thinking about slave amps.
Not too many options in the kt88 end of town.

[frigid midget]

I actually just scored an excellend condish AOR100 today

Based on what I read and heard online, I wasn't even expecting it to sound THAT fucking stellar. Only tried it for ten mins or so, but so far it's beyond me why they go for almost half the price of a JCM900

Having owned all kinds of vintage fender/marshall amps, I'm not too impressed by the AOR's cleans, but that's not what I bought it for anyway.

What's the deal with KT88's though, I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to the differences between output tubes and stuff...

[HeavyXIII]

Many of them have been modded because there's no collectors value. I didn't realize my 50W wasn't stock until I brought it in for repairs. Apparently there were some subtle mods. Also a lot of the parts and values for parts are pretty out there, and discontinued, making botched mods a PITA to repair. My 100W came with 6550s and a shitload of mods (some of which don't work) and the seller saw how crazy it looked and had a super low price.

[tashiattack]

I know this is blasphemy, but my 100-watt 8knob AOR got modded, more than I wanted. My tech basically removed, what he said, "all the useless diodes, components, and push/pull switches", and turned it into a 70s style JMP with a pre-master and gain volumes. He did not, however, replace the transformer.

Admittedly it sounds REALLY fucking good, much better than the original. I found the original volume sweep hard to control, and the notes were way too buzzy. The tech solved all these issues. It doesn't have nearly as much gain as the original, but I use pedals so it doesn't really matter.

[HeavyXIII]

Oh, I have nothing against mods, that just explains why the prices are so low. Pretty much players that just want shit to work, rather than worshipping the vanilla circuit.

[Iommic Pope]

Yeah I have a six knob, it's totally vanilla and I love it as a pedal platform.
The eight knobs are gain town, these ones do that old laney clean thing.
Horses for courses. It really loves being fed dirt pedals.

[samzadgan]

Why not see if a pedal builder can do you a clone of the aor in a pedal...use it as preamp into a 100power amp of another amp that has KT88's

[goroth]

This thread makes me happy.

Isn't there a line out on your amp dude? Just run that into a big fuck off power amp.

[Iommic Pope]

Why not see if a pedal builder can do you a clone of the aor in a pedal...use it as preamp into a 100power amp of another amp that has KT88's

As genius as that is, maybe I could see if someone could do the gain in a dirt box?

This thread makes me happy.

Isn't there a line out on your amp dude? Just run that into a big fuck off power amp.

Yeah, I tihnk that's how I'll go eventually.
I'd really like one of those old OrMat KT88 Slave heads.
AOR into 4x12, slaved into 6x12.
Boners.

[samzadgan]

Tym would probably do the AOR gain pedal, but for the price tag you may as well buy an amp!

[HeavyXIII]

I had forgotten about the line out, since some AORs have them and others don't for some godforsaken reason and I don't need mine. My vote is now towards power amp power. Should be someone trying to get rid of one in Aussie land!