The Unofficial Orange Dating Page

Last update 27 February 2005

The serial numbers on Orange amps have known a few different numbering systems.
Matamp Oranges
Orange MatampOR100??005Sept 1969
Orange MatampOR100??119Jan 1970
Orange Graphic - pics only
GRO50 pix onlyGRO50151
GRO100 pix onlyGRO100449
GRO100 pix onlyGRO100568 (cab OA3010)
ORS100 pix only
OR120 pix onlyOR120120387 1972
OR120 pix onlyOR120120578 (cab OA3421)
OR120 pix only, preamp tubes on pcbOR120120596 (cab OA3421)
OR120 pix only, preamp tubes on pcbOR1204229 (cab OA7390) ???
OR80 pix only, preamp tubes on pcbOR8080039(cab OA2453)speakers Dec '72
OR80 pix onlyOR8080211 (cab OA3191)speakers March '72
Orange Graphic - pics and text '70s
Thanks to forum member Orange at plexipalace.com there's finally some clarity in the Oarnge serial numbers. Apparently in 1973 all amps started with 10xxx. This numbering was incremented yearly until 1979. The theory is verified by Inspection tags, speaker date codes and capacitor date codes.
10000-110001973OR120 pix and textOR12010005 (cab OA3824)
1973OR80 pix and textOR8010966 (cab 4556)
GRO100 pix and textGRO100703 (cab 4617)
11000-120001974
12000-130001975OR120 pix and textOR12012842 (cab 61838)
13000-140001976OR80 ReverbOR80R13839 (cab 62089)
1976OR120SL Overdrive mod with 3 12ax7sOR120SL13969 (cab 62501)
14000-150001977OR80 Overdrive ReverbOR80R14010 (cab 62192)speakers date from oct '77
15000-160001978OR80 OverdriveOR8015583 (cab 63699)inspection tag inside dates from 6/7/1978
1978OR80 OverdriveOR80m ??15681 (cab OA2134)
16000-170001979Overdrive Series IIOR112M16218inspection tag inside dates from 9/7/79
1979Superbass112SB16315
Hustler
Hustler 1251251274 (cab 63050)speakers date from 19 dec 1977
Hustler 1251251261Inspection tag: 16/1/78
Orange Graphic - pics and text '90s reissue ;-)
OR80 pix and textOR80712<1995?
OD120OR12012191996
OTR80OR8016212002
How to date amps?
- It seems that some Orange amps have inspection tags on the inside that have the inspection date. This is of course of very good way to date your amp.
- by parts: several parts in a guitar amp have dates. The most obvious part to have clear date codes are the speakers in combo amps, since they are always made by specialized firms and need to have some kind of identification including a date code.
Dating Celestion speakers
Dating Eminence speakers
Some brands of pots have date codes and maybe even the transformer serials can provide dating info.