Laney Amplification
Encyclopedia
Laney Amplification is a British
brand of guitar
/bass guitar
amplifiers and cabinets, and also public address
systems.
Laney Amplification officially began on September 1st, 1967.
As a bassist playing the local circuits with the likes of Robert Plant
and John Bonham
, Lyndon Laney decided to turn his hand to building amplifiers for friends in his parents' garden shed. Some of Lyndon's first customers were local Birmingham-based guitar players such as Tony Iommi
of Black Sabbath
who remains loyal to Laney to this day. Many of the first Laney amplifiers ever built are still around and in use, slowly becoming as revered as other vintage amplifiers by Marshall
and Fender for their pure valve-driven tone.
The late 1960s/early 1970s range consisted of a small number of amplifiers, but with a dedicated following. The original LA100BL all-valve model was the choice of many players wanting a more 'heavy metal' guitar sound than other popular amplifiers. Laney also created a series of amplifiers known as KLIPP, which featured a built-in treble booster similar to the Dallas Rangemaster. KLIPP amps offer excellent versatility and durability, and are sought after especially by collectors in the USA vintage market.
The quest for more gain while still retaining a natural all-valve tone became the driving force behind Laney's 1980s range of amplification. Laney was at the forefront of amp design when it came to this 'hot-rodded' sound. A line called "AOR", short for Advanced Overdrive Response, introduced an extra stage of preamp gain while still retaining a pure signal path. Whereas amplifiers from other competitors like Marshall
were being modified after purchase, Laney offered this extra stage as a stock feature.
Throughout the 1990s Laney continued to build on its reputation for innovation: by the middle of the decade products such as the VC30 were released (a retro-style Class A valve combo reminiscent of the famous Vox
AC30, but with more features), the VC50/VC100 combos with two channels, each with a separate boost for adding more gain and volume effectively offering a player four different sounds, and the single channel GH50L/GH100L stacks which are among the best-selling models ever made by the company. They also during this time bought HH Electronics
. Introduced in this period was the Tube Fusion series - combining solid state power amplification with valve pre-amplication and also incorporating DSP
elements to add modulation/delay effects in one package.
, Tony Iommi
, Steve Vai
, Steve Rothery
, Ace Frehley
, Mark Knopfler
, Timo Tolkki
, Mikael Åkerfeldt
, Elizabeth Buckingham and Mikko Lindström.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
brand of guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
/bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
amplifiers and cabinets, and also public address
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
systems.
History
As a bassist playing the local circuits with the likes of Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
and John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
, Lyndon Laney decided to turn his hand to building amplifiers for friends in his parents' garden shed. Some of Lyndon's first customers were local Birmingham-based guitar players such as Tony Iommi
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
of Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
who remains loyal to Laney to this day. Many of the first Laney amplifiers ever built are still around and in use, slowly becoming as revered as other vintage amplifiers by Marshall
Marshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
and Fender for their pure valve-driven tone.
The late 1960s/early 1970s range consisted of a small number of amplifiers, but with a dedicated following. The original LA100BL all-valve model was the choice of many players wanting a more 'heavy metal' guitar sound than other popular amplifiers. Laney also created a series of amplifiers known as KLIPP, which featured a built-in treble booster similar to the Dallas Rangemaster. KLIPP amps offer excellent versatility and durability, and are sought after especially by collectors in the USA vintage market.
The quest for more gain while still retaining a natural all-valve tone became the driving force behind Laney's 1980s range of amplification. Laney was at the forefront of amp design when it came to this 'hot-rodded' sound. A line called "AOR", short for Advanced Overdrive Response, introduced an extra stage of preamp gain while still retaining a pure signal path. Whereas amplifiers from other competitors like Marshall
Marshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
were being modified after purchase, Laney offered this extra stage as a stock feature.
Throughout the 1990s Laney continued to build on its reputation for innovation: by the middle of the decade products such as the VC30 were released (a retro-style Class A valve combo reminiscent of the famous Vox
Vox (musical equipment)
Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer which is most famous for making the Vox AC30 guitar amplifier, the Vox Continental electric organ, and a series of innovative but commercially unsuccessful electric guitars and bass guitars...
AC30, but with more features), the VC50/VC100 combos with two channels, each with a separate boost for adding more gain and volume effectively offering a player four different sounds, and the single channel GH50L/GH100L stacks which are among the best-selling models ever made by the company. They also during this time bought HH Electronics
HH Electronics
HH Electronics is a British amplifier manufacturer that was founded in 1968 by Mike Harrison, Malcolm Green and Graham Lowes in Harston near Cambridge, England, where its first solid state TPA Amplifier and other sound equipment were designed and produced...
. Introduced in this period was the Tube Fusion series - combining solid state power amplification with valve pre-amplication and also incorporating DSP
Digital signal processing
Digital signal processing is concerned with the representation of discrete time signals by a sequence of numbers or symbols and the processing of these signals. Digital signal processing and analog signal processing are subfields of signal processing...
elements to add modulation/delay effects in one package.
Notable users
Notable users of Laney Amplification products include: Paul GilbertPaul Gilbert
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
, Tony Iommi
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
, Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
, Steve Rothery
Steve Rothery
Steve Rothery is the guitarist of the English rock band Marillion. He was born in Brampton, South Yorkshire, England. From the age of six he lived in Whitby, North Yorkshire.-Biography:...
, Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
, Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
, Timo Tolkki
Timo Tolkki
Timo Tapio Tolkki is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, songwriter, and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius. He left Stratovarius in 2008 and formed a new band, Revolution Renaissance. To this day, with his tenure extending for more than twenty years, Tolkki was the...
, Mikael Åkerfeldt
Mikael Åkerfeldt
Lars Mikael Åkerfeldt is a Swedish musician who achieved fame as the lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter of progressive death metal band Opeth as well as the lead vocalist of death metal band Bloodbath. He was the vocalist and guitarist for the band Sörskogen and the guitarist of the band Steel...
, Elizabeth Buckingham and Mikko Lindström.