Laney LC30-112 II

Bought it because I was tired of my Marshall and wanted more valves. Previously I had a Marshall VS265R which was very good but not really warm enough for me... and also I don't really like complicated amps. The Laney seemed like a good buy and had valves...
I bought it mail order and paid 329 UK£, plus p&p so £344 overall.

Well, where do I start? It has a lovely proper distortion sound, and responds very well to picking dynamics especially when the pickup volume is turned down. I use a Chinese Squier with one Gibson and one Seymour Duncan humbucker, plus a single coil... the tone of the amp is especially suited to chordal work using the bridge HB and middle SC; it has a glassy, defined quality to the tone. The overdrive is very responsive to changes in the guitar volume, and will give a convincing tone anywhere from blues crunch up to complete mega-gain. Overall I'm highly impressed by all the overdrive tones, and I look forward to exploring their potential even further at larger gigs. I'm also pleased at the way it responds to overdrive pedals; the tone becomes even smoother and more dynamic.
I like the fact that it was relatively cheap, and I like the independent EQ controls (ie EQ for each channel). I'm also pleasantly surprised by the volume of the amp; it's ridiculously loud for an amp rated at 30 Watts, and I've done fairly large gigs using it only on 3 or 4. Mind you I plug a Marshall 4 by 12 into the extension socket to give it more warmth and spread, so this probably contributes to the impression of volume.
The clean tones are good but I venture to say that they're not as exceptional as the overdrive. I tend not to use the clean channel though, so I probably haven't explored its full potential yet. I'm doing a few acoustic gigs soon so that'll tell me a bit more about this side of the amp.
It's highly portable too, which I find a huge advantage.

It is quite treble-y overall, but this is largely personal preference as to whether this bothers you or not. For me I solve this problem by turning the guitar volume down and using the amp EQ, as well as the 4 by 12, but I find I have to do this on most open-backed amps so I wouldn't say that it is a disadvantage as such.
One slight niggle is that the FX loop isn't very effective... even when turned up to 10, I would guess that this only represents a 50% or below FX blend.
Have a good play on one if you're considering buying it, because it is basically a no-frills retro-ish valve amp (retro-ish because there is some mega gain if you want it... for true retro try the VC30.), and it has a distinctive sound. If you don't like that sound, the EQ isn't powerful enough to let you get a different one. It is a good EQ in that it will let you fine-tune the nuances of the tone of each channel, but you can't EQ a completely different tone out of it.


I can't really give a proper comment on this at the moment, as I've only had the amp for about a month. Certainly nothing's fallen off it yet, though I suspect that the lack of corner protectors on the top front of the cabinet will soon take its toll...
Overall it seems well made, I have heard from a few sources that Laney's build quality in general isn't up to much, but there is nothing here to suggest that this is the case. The cabinet is sturdy without being overbuilt, the valves sit behind a secure grille (so secure that I haven't yet been able to get it off to inspect the valves...), and the knobs and so on all seem fine. It doesn't feel as tough as a Boogie, but then I haven't had to mortgage my house to buy it... when the cost is taken into account, I'd say it's very well built indeed.
I'll post another review in a few months when I've gigged it more and see how things are going then...

I love it to bits. It makes such a difference when your tone is right, and this amp has all I could want at a relatively affordable price. It's enriched my band and my gigging pleasure significantly!
I would recommend it, but would add that it's well worth forking out for an extension cab too, as I think the combination of the open-back combo and the thump of a closed back cab is ideal. After all, you're probably not going to pay more than £550 UK for the whole set-up, which to me still seems reasonable.
I'm going to give it 4 here just because I haven't had it long enough to comment properly on the build quality and durability of it. If it carries on performing like it is at the moment, it's on for an easy 5... buy one!...

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

All-tube amp
30 watts
HP Celestion
Connectors Summary
Good potato.

UTILIZATION

Trankil you branches, you play.
Settings trankil ossi, g pa man and as mieu.

SOUNDS

The clear sound, in my opinion, DE-Chira, at least for me it is excellan it ERV e ke jOperation tubeman an H & K, but with c "bright" by Lampl ke jobtien crystal clear sound, clakan. JOperation Lampl with strato vintage 62 mounted with Duncan SSL-3 Hot and farts right.
It comes o punch black, the distortion of basic nest vréman pa Tré good (I think), but how I di above statements, jOperation a TUBEMAN H & K, and with the distortion of my TUBEMAN, then its Clak friends! We takin in ACDC and Metallica crunch Disto (always with the stratum, if so)

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for about 6 months and this amp my satisfi parfaiteman. He lavantage dêtre polyvalan, compared with a peavey classic 30 for example, with e lekel it hard to get out of its vintage. The ITS FUCKING LIGHT, jador (tried to added a chorus, with "bright" under way, and arpeggios started nothing else matters, Vou see) is crystalline, clakan. The saturated sound e tre medical preparation if vou put the price in a good foot or in a pre-amp's pe tear. I jou a lumberjack and a keyboard and the Beast does not stumble pa.
Quality / price ratio justified.
It is a K-DO so you can say pa pe ke g fé of choice, me ayan tried Dotres amp lamps, yes c vréman good stuff.

It is a 30 watt amp with 4 EL84 in light amplification.
It has two separate channels though a clean and overdrive.
It also offers two distinct EQ for channel 2 which is highly enjoyable.

UTILIZATION

Grip the knobs react very easy on the settings barely touched.
This allows for super sound. I chose the laney because I had a classic 30 but the sound was not enough lens. Playing on a Les Paul Custom with a handle in sh1 and sh4 in a bridge (Seymour Duncan), I saw another amp to solve my problem. The Laney has met my expectations especially with respect to the bright button that allows you to boost the treble.
Super clear sound slamming, the distortion sounds great but I use a Jekyll and Hyde from Visual Sound that brackets reacts really well with the amp.

SOUNDS

I play pop rock, Anglo-Saxon style of this made the amp is really designed for.
As said before I play a Epiphone Les Paul Custom and a Fender Stratocaster standard US.
Crystal clear sound thanks to the bright boost.
For my distortion pedal overdrive distortion and responds very well with the lamps EL84.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 1 week
The superplus and button stanby for lamps. I find this great since the classic 30 c he was not present.
The nice thing is to have the possibility of a cabinet rejouter 4 or 8 ohm and even the choice to disconnect the HP heavenly to have a little wall of sound (small may be exaggerated if we see the speakers from 4 HP Celestion laney or marshall).
Value for money I do it again no problem.
The classic 30 is a very good amp but if we can add a little better, I think laney go on and if you ride on gold Vox. But in between the laney is the best level for money.

Amplification lamps.
30W lamps with 4 EL84.
High or low output, effects loop, no headphone jack.
Two channels, one saturated with a light for each equalizer, reverb common, bright button to boost the treble.

UTILIZATION

Setup is simple, not 30 000 buttons abound, they all serve.
Is obtained relatively easily a good sound, you must grind a little buttons, but once the principle is a pig is alone. Habitu before being careful with the bright porridge, soup and distortion.
I've never had a manual with, but the use is simple, so the need was not felt.

SOUNDS

It is ideally suited my style of music: good blues (I would not say bad huh) rock or a little more quiet nerv big hard, mtal (not too much, not go to a super -hairy).
I play without effects (a will may be one day ...) with a Washburn X50Pro.
We can get a lot of sound with two channels. The first is clean and clear almost the entire length of the volume knob, the sound is crystalline, beautiful, with a touch of reverb is a rel happiness. The channel is saturated trs trs also pretty low gain, around 4 / 5 began srieusement cruncher, trs is a beautiful, well-Dfine, really enjoyable the ear. Large distos 7 / 8 or 9 get really violent, if somewhat messy at the end of the knob, but if you fiddle with the equalizer a bit, has arranged quite easily.
I prfre is its clear sound with little reverb, nice crunch and rock / hard. I love the bass distortion, but fawn all the amp is not REALLY East mtal!

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 4 5 months.
I love the bright button! Very practical as the standby.
I tried a Vox (AD30VT) that I liked, a Peavey Classic 30, a delta blues and ValveKing and a marshall mg and is the Laney convinced me the most, by far.
I bought the Laney LC15R, which was a concern, and the LC30II Service referred me, so I pay ... fewer than 350 new! Report quality unbeatable prices!
With exprience, I would do Obviously this choice!