ORANGE
Crush 35RT
By Matt Holliman
I
n the 15 years since they debuted,
Orange’s Crush series of solid-state
amps have become fairly ubiquitous.
The success of the Crush line, which
united killer Orange design aesthetics
and cool sounds on the cheap, led to
amplifiers that were anything but practice amps (the potent CR120 head, for
one). The new Orange 35RT, however,
marks something of a return to the
Crush’s simpler roots. And with 35 watts
of solid-state power, a 10" speaker, an
effects loop, and a surprising amount of
headroom, it’s got the stuff to be a bedroom practice amp one day and a stage
or studio tool the next.
It’s nearly impossible
to get the clean
channel to break up at
bedroom levels.
Jolt of Juice
The Orange Crush 35RT has clean and
dirty channels that can be switched
from the top-plate-mounted toggle or
with a footswitch (not included). Both
channels use the same 3-band EQ and
reverb. The clean volume increases the
output on the clean channel, which
remains very clean up to the highest
reaches. Higher gain settings are best
obtained using the dirty channel's
wide-ranging gain and dirty volume
controls. Additional features like an aux
input, headphone jack, and built-in
tuner make the 35RT a pretty perfect
practice unit. Use the aux input to jam
120 PREMIER GUITAR SEPTEMBER 2016
along to your favorite
tracks, throw on the
headphones late at
night, and ditch the
tuner pedal. All you
need is a power outlet,
an instrument cable,
and your axe to keep
up your exercise nearly
anywhere, anytime.
A Tasty Citrus Variety
I’ve played several Crush
amps over the years, and they always
deliver an impressive range of tones.
The 35RT is no exception. The clean
channel is spanky and shines at low to
mid volumes, and it’s nearly impossible to
get it to break up at bedroom levels. It’s
also great for overdubbing jangly guitar
parts and as a platform for pedals—
my Wampler Velvet Fuzz enjoyed the
sprawling headroom for extra sustain.
If you’re using the dirty channel, it’s
a good idea to run your effects through
the FX loop for more clarity. But given
how good the dirty channel can sound,
you may find less use for your filth
pedals. My Les Paul started generating
grit with the gain a little above 9 o’clock
and the light overdrive settings allowed
a lot of room for dynamics—generating
extra dirt when I really dug into the
strings, and cleaning up when I used
less attack and volume. Cranking the
gain will sate your taste for metal, and
despite the solid-state circuitry you can
still hear Orange’s classic wooly, fuzzy
saturation. The 10" speaker suits these
tones well, yielding a tight, punchy
response that complements chunky
chords and sailing leads.
The Verdict
At $259, the Orange Crush 35RT is a
great value. Considering the amp’s range
and available power, it’s also much more
than your average practice box and could
very easily cover a lot of ground onstage
in the hands of a resourceful player.
Orange Crush 35RT
$259 street
orangeamps.com
Tones
Ease of Use
Build/Design
Value
PROS Smart, simple, streamlined
feature set and a wide rage of
good tones.
CONS No output mute on tuner.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR this amp.
premierguitar.com