The 40th Anniversary (2008)

Limited to 40 hand-wired heads, Orange’s 40th Anniversary amps featured unique voicings, vintage tone, and collectible custom-shop certification.

The 40th Anniversary Series was introduced in 2008 as a limited run of 40 non-master volume 50-Watt heads, each with a 30-Watt Class A switch built in. These amps were uniquely voiced by the Custom Shop; some closely resemble the original Pics-Only tone, while others offer something quite different.

Every head in the series is hand-wired, point-to-point, and has its own individual character. Instead of serial numbers, each amp is given a girl’s name, with the name chosen only after its tonal character, playability, and response had been thoroughly evaluated. Among the first to ship were Sally and Edith (Germany), Michelle (Canada), Christina (Spain), Judy (Holland), Lina and Mia (France), Betty (Norway), Jennifer and Isabelle (USA), Roberta (Italy), and Diana (England).

To confirm their uniqueness, each amp includes a photograph of the underside of the chassis, officially recorded and authorised by the Custom Shop.

Custom Cabinet Design

The 40th Anniversary Limited Edition cabinet is loaded with four 16-ohm Celestion Anniversary Edition speakers and includes a baffle centre post, just like the original Orange 4×12 cabs. A commemorative 1968–2008 logo appears on a nameplate in the lower-right corner of the grille cloth.

The OR50: Vintage Feel, Modern Features

Released alongside the limited run, the OR50 is a single-channel production model that gives more than just a nod to the classic 1970s Pics Only. It blends the best of the original Orange design with modern enhancements. Construction-wise, it mirrors the early amps with a hybrid of point-to-point wiring and PCB.

We did everything we could to keep it feeling vintage. When the footswitchable master is either cranked to 10 or bypassed entirely, the amp offers considerable overdrive, courtesy of the dual-function HF Drive control.