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1985 Laney AOR Pro Tube Lead 50 conversion

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  • 1985 Laney AOR Pro Tube Lead 50 conversion

    Hey all, first post on this forum. I'm looking for several things that I seem to have trouble finding.

    1. Schematics for the above mentioned amp (1985 Laney AOR Pro Tube Lead 50)

    2. Information regarding transformers. I am to understand that they are specifically made for a particular amplifier setup, and are unusable in, say a conversion from my Laney to what will hopefully be a clone of a Marshall JTM 45. Is that the case? If so, could you fix the transformer to work with a different circuit, or would you have to buy tailor-made transformers to provide the correct voltage?

    3. I'm looking for just a quality website with help on conversions such as this. Something with some step-by-step processes, pictures, a comprehensive list of schematics, etc.

    Thanks, I know I'm asking a lot here! Just trying to get started on my first conversion project (I picked up a half stack with this head and I imagine a Laney cabinet, but there are no markings literally anywhere besides what impedance to feed her. The amp sounds absolutely terrible, no doubt from years of use by someone with no knowledge of the workings of a tube amp. I jumped on the chance to buy the half stack, though, because the place asked $150 for it and the cabinet houses four Celestion speakers. So I figure I may as well see what I can do with the head, and as this is more of a "Marshall-type" amp; and because I already have a decent Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue, I figure why not see what we can do as far as a conversion. Why waste a perfectly good chassis, right?) So the basic idea here is to gut her, save what could be useful, and hopefully build right into the old chassis, which is surprisingly clean despite the neglect paid to the circuitry.

  • #2
    Also I forgot to mention I am a complete newbie when dealing with Marshall amps, so if the JTM 45 is a bad choice, I am very open to suggestion. I'm more concerned about what sounds the best, instead of ease of building it. I'm a fairly competent solderer and I'm not too shabby at reading a schematic, either, although I'm not a 100% sure how the electronic parts affect the sound and volume in every case. Basically what I'm getting at is I will most likely have many more questions.

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    • #3
      Hi mhill, welcome to the forum.
      What I've heard, the Laney AOR series are quite good sounding amps (although I have no proof).
      Converting it would only make sense, when you change not only the circuit but also the speaker, which is a HUGE part in an amps sound.
      Have you tried the amp with a different cab?
      What sound are you after?
      The AOR and the JTM45 are very similar in most parts of the circuit.
      Look here: http://www.schematicheaven.com/newam...50_series2.pdf
      The AOR has some more gain stages and a transistor buffered effects loop.
      This might lead to the "terrible sound" you describe.

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      • #4
        +1 on the "terrible sound" front. I am almost done my conversion of an AOR lead 50 to a JCM800. I am way more an 800 fan than a JTM45 fan. Stock the AOR sounded like crap, was needlessly complex to control, and overall jsut wasn't up to the challenge.

        I went the easy way and got a Marshall 2204 board kit from Metro amps. put it all together, and installed it. Metro has a great site, with a massive PDF file you can download with instructions if you don't want to buy their kit (though to be honest i think the board kit is a fair price. nice quality components)

        Some changes must be made though, to work with the transformers in the Laney, but nothing earth shattering, and not more than a couple of bucks worth of extra diodes and such. and a few resistor changes in the Bias section.


        My Laney only produced about 428 volts of B+ which is a little lower than i wanted, but again, a few changes and it is fine.

        Still working out the last few bugs, but it is almost there!

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