Laney Amplification facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Amplification |
| Founded | Birmingham, England (1967) |
| Founder | Lyndon Laney (CEO) |
| Headquarters |
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England
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Area served
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Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Australia |
| Products | Amplifiers |
| Owner | Headstock Group (Headstock Distribution) |
Laney Amplification is a British company. It designs and makes guitar amplifiers, bass guitar amplifiers, and sound systems. They sell their products through stores and distributors all over the world.
Contents
The Story of Laney Amplification
How Laney Amplification Started
Laney Amplification began in 1967. It was founded by Lyndon Laney. At the time, Lyndon played bass guitar in a band called Band of Joy. He loved electronics but didn't have enough money to buy a good amplifier. So, he decided to build one himself! He made the very first Laney amp in his father's garage.
Early Success and Growth
Soon, other musicians heard about the great sound from Lyndon's amplifiers. He started selling amps to them to earn extra money. One of his early customers was Tony Iommi from the famous band Black Sabbath.
When Black Sabbath's first album came out in 1970, it featured the unique Laney sound. This made many more people want Laney amps. The company quickly grew too big for its small workshop. Laney moved its manufacturing to Digbeth in Birmingham for a short time. Later, they settled in Cradley Heath. They stayed there until 2004, when they moved again to an even bigger factory in Halesowen.
Amplifiers of the 1970s
Through the late 1960s and most of the 1970s, Laney focused on a few main amplifier models. Their most famous was the LA100BL. They also made the KLIPP series. The KLIPP amps had a special feature called a "treble booster." This was similar to the Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster, which many rock and blues guitarists used back then.
Innovation in the 1980s: The AOR Series
As the 1980s began, guitarists wanted more "overdrive" and "gain" from their amplifiers. This means they wanted a more distorted, powerful sound. Laney responded by creating their AOR (Advanced Overdrive Response) series. These amps had an extra gain stage built in. This was a very new idea! Other companies, like Marshall, would need big changes to their amps to get a similar sound.
The AOR amps became popular with many famous guitarists. These included Randy Rhoads, Vinnie Moore, George Lynch, and Ace Frehley. Since the early 1990s, AOR amps have also become a favorite for bands playing stoner rock and doom metal music.
New Products in the 1990s
In the 1990s, Laney continued to be known for its new ideas. They introduced the VC line of amps. These were "combo" units, meaning the amplifier and speaker were in one box. They were similar to the Vox AC series but had built-in effects and more advanced features.
Laney also launched their classic VH100R, as well as the GH50L and GH100L "head" units (amps without speakers). These amps were loved by musicians like Paul Gilbert, Andy Timmons, John 5, and Joe Satriani. In 1995, Laney also created the GH100TI, which was Tony Iommi's first special "signature" amplifier.
Laney in the 2000s and Beyond
Since the year 2000, Laney has brought out many new products. The TT series combined the sounds of their classic rock amps with modern MIDI technology. They also introduced the NEXUS series for bass guitarists. The Lionheart range had a cool, retro look. And the CUB series offered smaller, more affordable amplifiers.
In 2012, Laney released a new series of Tony Iommi signature amplifiers. This included a powerful 100-watt amp head, a large speaker cabinet, and a smaller 15-watt combo amp. They also launched their Ironheart series, which is designed especially for metal guitarists.
In early 2016, Laney made special copies of its LA100BL amplifier. They did this for Tony Iommi and his guitar technician, Mike Clement. They made 13 of these amps to celebrate Black Sabbath's "13" album. These special amps were used on Black Sabbath's "The End" Tour in 2016. They helped recreate the original sound for older songs that were first recorded using the Laney LA100BL amps.
See also
In Spanish: Laney Amplification para niños
