Orange Rockerverb 50 MKIII - 50-watt 2-channel Tube Head - Black Reviews

Orange has a long history of producing some of the finest amps that generate the definitive tone for many genres of rock. The Rockerverb 50 MkIII takes everything awesome about this brand and packages it up into a two channel powerhouse tailor made for melting faces.

The dirty channel is everything you would expect from Orange's flagship amp. It excels at high gain tones and is harmonically rich and saturated. People have compared it to other amps such as the Marshall JCM800, and while it is a fair comparison, Orange amps absolutely have their own vibe going on. It difficult to articulate exactly what separates it from other similar high gain amps, but a buddy of mine says "it sounds like a Marshall super lead, but angrier". It's an accurate statement. BUT....the dirty channel can do soooooo much more than having the gain knob parked at 11. When you back it off and experiment with the full, entirely useful, gain range and tone stack it is very easy to dial in everything from 60s type pushed cleans to classic rock crunch as well as hard rock and all persuasions of heavy metal. Lets also not forget that Jim Root uses a couple Rockerverbs, so drop tune your axe, crank the gain and bass, now your playing Slipknot.

The clean channel is probably the aspect of the Rockerverb that was changed the most between the mkII and mkIII models. It is still a fairly simply channel if you are familiar with previous versions, but several tweaks have been made which greatly improve the overall usefulness of this channel. The single volume knob and two band EQ are more than enough to take you from the squeakiest of cleans to a fairly dirty pushed crunch. Compared to the mkII it is noticeably more "chime-y" and has a very VOX AC mojo to it. It should also be noted that this channel is particularly good for pedals. I typically prefer to go direct from guitar to amp, but I have been using pedals more and more with this channel.

The two global controls are what sets this amp apart and above the rest. There is a built in spring reverb that is tube driven and sounds spectacular. At low settings it's great for adding a little ambiance and dimension to your tone, and when you crank it up you go full on surfing in the 60s.

The global one knob, foot switchable attenuator is the most glorious feature on this amp. Simply put you dial in your tone using vol, tone stack, and gain. Then you turn the attenuate knob up until you can shred without your ears bleeding. It is ultra transparent and has a negligible, if any impact on tone. I cannot tell if it's sucking tone nor can anyone else that has heard me play through it. Not only does this save you the need for an external attenuator, it is more effective than any 3rd party unit I've ever tried.

Power section on the 50w is a couple of EL34's. Much like most other non-master volume amps the power tubes only really get cookin' when you have it cranked. This is another reason that the built in attenuation is so great. You can get that full on power tube saturation and EL34 growl at bedroom/neighbor friendly levels.

The last notable feature is the effects loop. I've only messed with it a bit as I pretty much exclusively run my pedals up front, but it is tube buffered and very clear sounding from what I have experienced.

In conclusion, this has quickly become my favorite amp that I own. Its not cheap, but this is a top of the line amplifier from a premier company that will provide you with a highly versatile array of professional electric guitar tones, and IMO is 100% worth the investment. Far from a one trick pony, the Rockerverb mkIII is your go to amp for anything you can think of and because its hand built in the UK the quality is top notch. This is an amp that your grandkids will be rocking out on someday

I love this amp head. It's perfect for small venues. I used to use a series if pedals, but with this I've cut it down to two pedals. The rich sounds that come through this tube amp are deadly. It's great for my detuned sound.

Love this amp; as a (mostly) Marshall JMP/JCM player, the Orange can be a bit tubby for playing faster stuff. Still, I always wanted one of them and now, got one. It has more gain than you will ever need unless you just enjoy howling microphonic feedback when every control is dimed. Maybe a tube change could rectify that, just haven't got around to it yet. Built-in attenuator is F'ing awesome. Every high-wattage tube amp should have one. Even with midrange control turned all the way down, it has a lot of midrange which is one of the keys to the creamy Orange sound. The so-called "Clean" channel has no separate Pre/Post gain, has no midrange control and starts to break up at around half volume; this will definitely not replace a Fender Twin, Roland Jazz Chorus or give them any competition in that area. This amp is made for loud, fuzzy, in-your-face ROCK all the way. Go ahead and get one...if you dare.

I've played a lot of amps through the years. Including this guy I now own 6 that I've kept and let me tell you this thing covers the spectrum. This is the 3rd Orange I've owned, always felt the others shined in one area but missed somewhere else. Not the case with the Rockerverb Mark 3. Both channels are fully usable and I don't have a single complaint. I usually use a pedal for reverb but the reverb in this amp works incredibly well. It's also plenty loud enough for any situation. Amazing amounts of headroom. The built in attenuator works very well.

You pay a premium for an amp like this but it's absolutely worth every penny. I literally cannot stop using it. If you find yourself struggling to decide if you should make the investment just stop and do it. You'll thank me later.

A huge thanks to Jake and all the guys at Sweetwater for having this in stock and getting it out to me earlier than expected. Killer customer service as always!

I have played many different amps over the last 20+ years and the Rockerverb MKIII is one of the best. While it doesn't have the wide array of options like some other amps, it does sound huge. This amp really has that "wall of sound" without the need of a boost, EQ, overdrive, or any other pedals. Excellent bass response and plenty of gain. If I had one wish it would be for Orange to create a volume sweep that was a little more gradual. You can make up for this with the attenuator but it would be nice if the volume gradually rolled up instead of a spike at 2. And of course please include a footswitch. As least a 1 button for the channel selector.

My first dive into Orange amps were with the Micro series. I loved them so much I had to try a larger head. I spent a couple months looking into the larger heads, so I watched a TON of YouTube videos. I decided on the Rockerverb MKIII 50W as it seemed most fitted to my current, and any possible future, needs. So I looked into here on Sweetwater and made a cart, caked in and takes to Ronuel and had this beast in my hands REAL FAST! I am entirely pleased with everything. My customer service experience was great! The amp is a dream and handles the cleans all the way to a beautiful metal tone. It takes my pedals like a champ too! I look forward to more Orange and more Sweetwater.

Amazing and versatile amp! You can get a variety of tones both in the dirty and clean channels. In fact the clean channel produces a full warm sound that really brings out the true tone of each unique guitar. I mostly play a Les Paul Custom and an American Strat but my Gibson hollow body also sounds surprisingly good (both clean & dirty channels). And with the attenuator you can crank up the clean channel volume and get a nice crackle or use it with the dirty channel to keep the chunk / tone at a reduced volume. The switch for 25/50W is also a nice feature and I dig both. The tone controls are superb yet simple and enable you to explore many shapes w/out going for pedals or extra tone control gimmicks that some amps have. The Reverb is one of the best of have heard and has a very good range; hence its namesake. And of course the dirty channel does not disappoint…its all Orange!

The only negative is that you have to purchase the Orange footswitch which in my view should be included at this price range! And would be nice if had XLR output for recording. I also purchased the Orange 212 speaker cab to go with and it rocks (2 Celestian Vintage 30"s).

I was very satisfied purchasing from Sweetwater. This is expensive gear and I was hesitant to order online but they were excellent from start to finish.

I received my Rockerverb Mark 3 Black 50 watt Head today. I never owned an Orange ever in my life so things like the Attenuater and the graphics and other operating features of the Amp were brand new to me.
Once I figured out how to turn the knobs I was able to dial in one of the most Crushing Heavy Metal Sounds I have ever played with. With no pedals needed the Orange can get more than enough Saturated Gain. I soon found out that all the knobs needed to be specifically set in 1 way to make me happy with the sound I was looking for. I knew I was getting close to that sound when I decided to engage the Reverb. Man this Amp has the best Reverb I have ever heard for a Metal Amp Sound. It seemed to thicken the sound and almost hide sorta. I then found I did not want to turn it off playing full on Metal Guitar sound. This is the first time I ever had an Amp where the Reverb played a constant role in the overall sound. I can see why the Amp is called a "Rockerverb". I have been playing in the 25 watt mode and it is a Perfect low power amp for Home use or I can only imagine how devastating it would be at full power cranked. I absolutely LOVE my First ORANGE amp I ever had. And as always Sweetwater is just the only place to buy Gear like this. Flawless everything with every purchase I make with them. There are so many Cool Amps to buy but I would put this Rockerverb Mark 3 at the top of the list.

I have owned multiple oranges and loved them all. Tiny Terror, Dark Terror, OR15, OR50, the works. This amp is a perfect combination. The volume is tone, gain structure gives you whatever you may need, and the cleans are just sparkly enough (the Blues Junior is just collecting dust.) If you just need one amp for anything you may encounter, I highly recommend any Orange. Eventually though, you may need to go big or go home. 50 watts can get you through any venue, and pumps the tone enough still. Also, huge shout out to Sweetwater, they work with just about anybody to get you the gear you need. Pretty much sticking with Sweetwater from here on out. If I had any complaint, it is that there is no foot switch included (however the footswitch is a pretty high quality item itself.)

I'm seriously liking my purchase of this amp, extremely versatile and downright ymean when necessary! I recently bought a two notes torpedo live and using different cab combinations really helps this thing shine! Clean channel like Vox and anywhere from light breakup, crunch, fuzzy high gain on channel two. You can definitely get the patented modern metal as well if you EQ right.

I'm not the best guitarist but having a blast learning on this thing, feel blessed I was able to acquire.

Totally Blown Away! So versatile. With the addition of the attenuator, I can gig small and large venues and with the twist of a knob practice at home with the family sleeping. Running through a custom 2x12 with vintage 30's and the tone is stellar. I play anything from stoner rock, progressive to Andy Timmons type music to dirty blues and it covers them all well. Clean is chimmey and dynamic. Dirty channel can cover most everything else. Effects loop is great, no issues. Reverb is fantastic and usable dimed. No complaints of any kind. I run a Gibson Les Paul loaded with EMG's, Gibson SG with classic 57's, Gretsch Tim Armstrong and a American Standard Strat with Fat 50's and they all sound really really good, and they all sound different through this amp. For me this amp covers everything that I need, so for me it is a 5.0.

I'm a former studio recording engineer and actively gigging/recording guitarist and have played and owned a wide variety of combos and head/speakers over the years. This is my first foray into the more high-end products and I absolutely love it! This amp blows away anything I've ever owned or played through and am considering this my official "forever amp" that I plan to pass on to my son one day. The clean tone is amazingly warm and full and begins to break up nicely as you crank it up. The Attenuator knob is a marriage saver and allows you to really dial in both your channel tones and still have Master control. The distortion channel can go from bluesy crunch to that distinctively Orange crushing metal tone and everything in between. Lots of guys claim it's very pedal friendly, but I prefer going Les Paul into tuner into the head with a couple subtle fx pedals in the loop - nice n' simple. This thing is just a big ol' (heavy!) beast in every way. I've never owned a piece of gear that inspires me to practice and play pretty much every day. Mine is paired with an Orange PPC212V cab with an open back and it's just perfect. Turns out the Orange fans are a unique bunch and I've found some cool accessories like custom magnetic overlays that really make it mine. (Check out the pic attached.) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you've got a spare $1900 sitting around.

The ONLY reason I give it 4.5 stars instead of a perfect 5 is that, for the price, it should have included a footswitch and a high-five from Adrian Emsley.