Laney Klipp 100 Watt Head

I know I shouldnt really, but I bought my Klipp about 8-9 years ago and have already submitted once but after almost a decade of usage I felt I owed it to my old lady (the amp in this case) ;).
I dont know exactly what year it was built.. but I was made 1976, and I know that laney stopped making these amps 1974... so at least 2 years older than I... and probably works better as well!
But lets see... 2 channels, no footpedal (wich would have been nice in a perfect world) I use it both for gigs and rehearsal, have done all the time, never needed another amp. We (Blowback.se) play heavy 70ies rock/stoner, blues. (led zepp, sabbath, greenleaf kinda music y??know). Enough power? Let me put it this way, if it was louder it would be illegal...

I use (mostly) a Gibson SG standard .. and it suits my music perfectly thank you very much. But I played all kinds of music with it.. it has the most beautifull clean sound I ever heard.. and it stays clean almost to the very end (no 10 on the dial). But I have only used the very highest volume once or twice because its fuckin loud!!!! (that was in the studio recording an album, I found that was a good way to skip the footpedal I usually use(marshall jackhammer) at least when using the od channel, the KLIPP. Its very fuzzy on the klipp ch. but if you use less klipp and more volume you can usually find a setting that will suit your tastes and needs.

Its good! Ive had it for 8-9 years and had it in the shop about 3-4 times.. for tube changing, and once I burnt the resistance? (resistorer in swedish, where Im from) but that was quite easily fixed... I guess its a bit like old cars... easier to fix if they brake, no unecessary shit inside. Ive never really had a backup amp, what does it feel like???? I have thought about it... but that means finding another klipp, wich is hard and... actually is beginning to get a bit pricier. It did burn a few fuses for awhile but after changing tubes it has worked perfectly.

hahaha its over 30 years old man... but! I needed the schematics for it once and laney gladly sent them over. So... good service indeed ;)

So.. Ive been playing for about 17-18 years, used the laney for 8-9 of them, that should speak for itself. I would kill the person that stole it! Hunt him down and fucking kill him! And yes I would get another KLIPP if I could find one. Its very priceworthy! The down side is carrying the bloody thing, cause its heavy! Ive tried loads of amps over the years... I guess that only a old mesa I tried comes close, and I quite liked the JMP from marshall, but Ill never change.

Ok this is a 1972 liney klipp.it has 2 separate channel(you can bridge them):one normal and a vintage fuzz channel,the klipp where you can find a gain control.it has two master volume knobs,one for the clean channel and one for klipp ,i suppose that the klipp channel mix the clean channel with the famous valve state fuzz.there are also four knobs for the equalisation:presence,high,middle and bass i think that for this kind of amp equalisation is absolutly useless.No reverb,no effect loops no headphones jack.it's a british amp so you can find in the back a voltage selector.

i play stoner rock,70' rock,and also some noise/doom.The quality of the clean sound its absolutly AMAZING its like a plexi but with tons of tones!the klipp channel is amazing too.with "normal" switche on you can get a very warm tube sound otherwise with the "bright" you can get a more acid/vintage sound.the klipp channel is a joy!i can get a creamy deep distortion with the gain turn at 7 and a fuzz/seventies experience with gain at 8-9.i use a Ginbson sg and its perfect for thei amp,but i want to try this machine with a fender too.it is a bit noisy but when its sounds...no problem!
LOUD machine...cant play at home.
perfect for stoner rock!

i buy this monster 3 months ago,so i don't know.till now its works perfectly.

ahaha too ooooold!

i ve been playing for 11 years.i've had marshall(mg series,crappy solid state) and a Mesa/Boogie Nomad 55.But i ve played through a lot of amps and i think tha this is the best one!im from italy so i payed this amp a lot(damn!)but i think that in england or in USA you can fond its at a ridicolous price for the sound you can get from the laney klipp!

I bought used, the seller says me it's a 1969 old item.
Two channels with separate master volume e treble boost (bright switch).
100w pure clean tube power usable also with bass guitar in normal channel.
The klipp (red) channel has a distortion circuit that seems at a fuzz.
It hasn't a lot of features, compared wit modern amps but it's enough for me and who play the rock of 1969 age.
Perhaps a spring reverb could be right but i don't want anymore.

Mine was comed with original mazda 4xEcc83 and 4xEL34 tubes of the '69 era.
The clean is amazing in the normal channel and the bright switch does the work very well, you can feel all harmonics of your strat/tele or trasform your fat Les Paul in a strat with only a push (or viceversa).

I have a chance to compare this amp with a marshall '73 jmp100.
Tendentially, this laney is darker and fatter, but comes very treblier with the bright switch. It has twice low end even bright switched.
In two words, you can obtain more EQ colours than the jmp, switch??n' bright and eq knobs.

I don't like the klipp channel, the sound is very wet and fuzzy (that's why i give 9). It's only useful to play in a gadda da vida...
I prefer the distortion/drive of my pedals (ms10 or jackhammer), this amp has a better punch with pedals than any other.
TS9 can't be too thin and trebly as plugged to a marshall, I gave all the fat power of my les paul out of my greenbacks cab.

Well, the laney klipp has 4 preamps tubes but is cleaner than the jmp with 3 tubes.
I don't know why, but the marshall come crunchier at lowest volume than the klipp.
I try to put the preamp tubes of the marshall in the klipp, but it's the same, the laney (without klipp on) is a bit cleaner.
Ok, the jmp has the perfect crunch with volume 6 and loss definition and details at full volume, when the klipp is almost clean till full charghed when spits the pure crunch... i presume it's a output transformers calibration (partridge, no shit).

Usually I play with effects (JH1 distortion, TS9 overdrive, EH spring reverb and boss digital delay) and the klipp reacts better specially when overdrived.

The laney klipp, nude (guitar straight to the amp at full volume), is very warm, I advise seriously to put it with a eminence governor/wizard or g12h30 celestions speaker 4x12 cab to feel the jimmy page taste.

The signal goes trough all the 4 preamp tubes in normal and klipp channels, giving a wonderful sustain.

Tip: some ebayers sell this amp with the "master of reality" story, yes is true, but the klipp is not a monster of distortion by itself, it's a very clean amp till full pushed!
But is simply an amp that reacts with distortion pedals better than any other.

It feels the sings of age, all switches comes rust, but nothing more.

I always play at full volume and it ALWAYS does the work very well also in extreme conditions (heat, humidity...).

At the same conditions i blow some mesa triple recto, marshall jcm's (900/2000) and london city amps...
The klipp is a tank!

There's enough schemes on internet for repair it.... and I never need yet...

I have the klipp from some years and I'm very satisfied.
Yes, it hasn't the marshall mids (marshall has only mids....) but marshalls hasn't that fat bottom and high end sparkle...
Well, I own both and sometimes i use both on a gig to have the right thing between.

Probably I could put a better distortion circuit but I'll never open it while recap or retube.

I also have a london city dea100 amp that does the right sound between jmp and klipp, but has continous troubles of reliability and I prefer carry out two amps instead to walk on thin ice.

Let's get down to the nitty gritty: I paid less than the jmp and works better.

I'd just like to add this to my previous review.
As the Klipp has 2 separate channels I found it very interesting to use a Roland GP 100 with it. This is a preamp/effects processor with 2 separate(stereo)outputs A & B. My clean presets are sent to output A and my rangemaster/fuzz simulations to output B. From output A I go to the clean channel on the Klipp and from output B to the Klipp channel. With my Behringer foot controller I switch presets AND amp channels with just one step on a pedal ! This is the digital solution if you don't want to modify your Klipp with a built-in channel switching system. Another thing I found out is that you shouldn't send a signal that's too strong to the Klipp channel. If you do that you'll have less volume with your Klipp gain on maximum than on a halfway setting. The Klipp valve clips ! So when you send a signal go gradually from zero to full open and check if there's a volume loss. If so, lower your input signal and compensate by turning up the volume (volume 2) on the amp. By the way, I really nailed down Tony's sound on the Master of Reality album by using a fuzz preset with all mids boosted and just a bit of drive. Have fun checking this out !

According to the people who take care of old Laney amps ( that's no longer Laney but MAJ Electronics) my Klipp was made between 1973 & 1976. The serial number says 33 X 826, but they couln't be any more specific ... Anyway, the Klipp is two amps in one. The first channel gives you a warm sounding Plexi , one of the best I 've ever heard. And then there's the Klipp channel which truly makes this amp a one of a kind. Each channel has separate treble boost and volume. Only the klipp channel has a gain control. See other reviews for a complete list of all features.
I wish it had an effects loop or a "poweramp in", but that can always be fixed.

The clean channel is all you could wish for. Warm tube sound ! But if you like the sound of the brilliant channel on a Hiwatt you got it with just a flick of the "top"-switch. The klipp channel is the strange part of this amp. Like I said before, no amp produces this kind of overdrive. It's not modern hi-gain, because it's done by only one tube in the preamp section. What you get is plain Black Sabbath tone ! And the heaviest Sabbath sound ever (Master of Reality). I do recommend a treble booster or an overdrive pedal so you can keep the volume down and still get a great tone. I don't use the treble switch here because it makes the amp sound too harsh and fuzzy. I don't think this amp is noisy. I also have a Laney GH100S (Tony Iommi Signature head)and a Laney GH100L head. These amps are noisier but then again they are a lot louder and have five gain stages !

I just bought it a week ago, so I don't know. I always use a backup because tubes are fragile.

I contacted Laney UK to get some information about when my amp was built but they no longer take care of their old models.
Another company, called MAJ Electronics, makes spare parts and provides information as much as possible. Both Laney & MAJ Electronics immediately answered my e-mails and proved to be customer-friendly.

This is a must have vintage amp. Very underrated, I think. People tend to go for the Big-Name-amps because it's more reassuring.
Those who know good tone and how to get it, will listen first instead of buying the latest hype.

I'm proud to say i own 3 of these babies.1970-1971 & 1972(Ranging from 300 to 400$ each).Although the 1971 amp was modded to have a footswitch input installed,but i don't use that as i bridge the 2 channels together.Has a slave output which is handy,but i don't use this option either as i just A/B it with other amps such as a Marshall jcm 800 2203 MK2.
The Klipp is just so bottom-heavy, it's unbelievable.So much rumble & bass.The volume of this amp is also simply incredible (my 1970 model is the loudest/angriest though).The treble switches are great, just enough Hi-end,but retains the massive subsonic bass presence.Simply astounding.Massive Partridge transformers,Mullard valves..a total Behemoth.

I mainly play slow pounding metal (Sleep,Melvins,YOB etc) & tune very low.These amps are just perfect for that style,what with the eternally low feedback/sustain they create.I use a LP standard (1996), an LP Lite Custom (1987) & an SG standard from 1977, with various marshall cabs (3 usually,all with Celestion 75's) & the sound is simply "timeshifting", it actually moves air with the volume just on 3!!The Klipp Channel isn't that good on it's own for the style i play, but turned half-way up & bridge it with the clean channel + an old RAT pedal & it recreates Dante's inferno.

My 1972 model is the fragile one.Doesn't liked to be moved around or taken on tour at all.Takes a very long time to cool down after a show & have had it serviced 3 times in 18 months.The other 2 are just total tanks & 100% dependable.I use more than one amp for a live situation, so playing without a back-up isn't an option here.

Never dealt with them.Just with other people who adore old British valve amps, sharing tips etc.

Been playing for 17 years, i've had Marshalls before (crappy jcm 900) & have played on Sunn Model-T's before too,but the Klipp is up there (& beyond) in terms of bass/bottom end.I have 3 just incase one gets stolen :-).Using a Klipp & jcm 800 2203 with an A/B switch & 3 marshall cabs simply blows EVERYTHING away in terms of heaviness & surpasses MATAMP,ORANGE,SUNN amps in pure adultered ugly DevilTone!!!

This is an early 1970s amp
the features are great .....you want a Rangemaster treble booster??
not if you have a KLIPP !!!!there is a treble boost on the that will make you ears beg for a boom box and it stays warm ...
the Klipp section is like a master volume the tone section is astounding treble is treble bass is bass WOW !!!
Maybe some people would wish it had reverb but I dont use it and most early amps never had it anyway ................

I was going to sell it for the cash until I turned it up full !!
WOW WOW
this is a PLEXI !!!! this is BETTER than a Plexi
this is THE best amp in the world when you give it 10 or 11
talk about cooking this amp eats the breakfast , dinner and Supper
I have owned all the amps I have kept a few
still got a Silver Jubilee 2x12 combo Awesome ! a JCM 800 Awesome too , a rare Orange AD 5 class A , all valve hand wired beauty , So Sweet , sold the Boogie MK4 and Soldano combo though they were good the Klipp is Is Is Is very special look at the amps I have thrown out!! I will never sell this If Laney reissue it BEG FOR IT
HAND WIRED THE REAL BUSINESS The guys Who paid under $1000 for this it is your Birthday and Christmas all in one ,,I would pay $3000 for this and go home with a big smile on my face a very rare English MONSTER I hope you guys get to hear one sometime ....you think you got Hendrix sound Rory Gallagher sound ?? you have if you got a Klipp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or a Marshall Plexi but the plexi dont do the treble boost for the Rory sound ;) .....

Never a problem , though it grumbles occasionally at 30 years + old maybe needs a service so considering the old girls age still gets a 10 from me ..

I have never had to contact them

WOW .....Hey Dudes I am serious about this amp it blows EVERYTHING AWAY ,, they are so rare I hope you get the chance to hear the Power and the Glory for yourselves ............

Fairly basic, clean channel and distortionchannel, two inputs on each. Two speaker outputs, slave output. These amps were made in the seventies, and were one of the first to feature a separate distortion channel. Was used by Black Sabbath axeman Toni Iommi.

I play mainly blues-based rock, ie. AC/DC, Zepellin etc. and traditional blues. I use a strat loaded with a SD TB-11 humbucker at the bridge and two single coils. I simply use a Marshall Jackhammer distortion pedal, as the channel on the amp is a little fuzzy. However this setup serves me perfectly. The clean sounds are crisp and and clear on the bridge pickup, and rich and creamy at the neck. I even put my acoustics through the clean channel and they sound beautiful. As I've said, the dist. channel is a little fuzzy, but great for the Neil Young fans out there!!

Well, she was built in the seventies and she's still going strong. What more can I say. I haven't had to change the valves yet (I've had it about 6months)

Laney have probably forgotten they evr made these!

If she was stolen, I'd be gutted as they are very hard to find, but I'd certainly do my best to find another. If you're looking for a great vintage valve head that is a match for any Marshall out there, then look no further than this little beauty. I can see myself using this amp for the rest of my life, not bad for #200 (approx $350)!!

Maybe this amp was very useful back in its day, having 4 separate inputs and all, but I wish it had a distortion that you could get at non-apocalyptic volume levels that wasn't so damned fuzzy, and more importantly was footswitchable (I didn't but it for that, though, I bought it for the clean sounds - see later) It does have a good selection of EQ options and all your regular ins and outs on the back. It's full tube, and boy does this amp get hot when you run it hard! Plus - it can go fucking LOUD. I only have to turn the dial to about 9'o clock through a JCM900 2x12 cab to get it absolutely raging.

I use a Fender Strat with Seymour Duncan Hotrails at the neck and bridge and the stock singlecoil in the middle, and play a lot of alternative and melodic punk (stuff like Hundred Reasons, ATDI, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, through to hardcore like Converge and Sick Of It All). This amp suits my style very well - with the bridge pickup selected and the mid and treb rolled right off, you get the sweetest most gorgeous vintage clean tone you have ever heard. If you have any idea who Biffy Clyro are, then it's like the tone that Simon has - clean and sweet, but still full of aggresive twang and bite. For distortion I use a Line6 POD, and it sounds great driving the tubes at high levels - very punchy. It's not noisy unless you stand right next to it ( I do that deliberately to get a whole bunch of feedback ;-) ) but I really wouldn't recommend cranking it up on the Klipp channel with a noisy singlecoil guitar such as a Jaguar - you'll kill yourself, and it'll never stop feeding back. Buy some humbuckers ;-)

I've no idea how well it's gonna hold up for me being driven all round the country in a van as I've not had it for very long (about 2 months, recently serviced, with brand new JJ valves in it)- it is a very, very old amp (10 years older than I am!) and I assume that if you wanna gig it around a lot, you'd be in good stead getting a flightcase. I'll give it a 7, in recollection of other experiences I've had with cranky old valve amps ;-P I've got a POD though, so if it ever died I could just switch to a DI box and continue the gig :)

haha... you're kidding. a 30 year old amp? you wanna get it fixed, you pay for it yourself ;-) Warranty schwaranty! (although I hear Laney are very helpful when it comes to discontinued products - so I'll give this a 9, just on hearsay mind you)

It doesn't sound like anything else - and even though it's cranky, old, and downright ugly, I love it and I'd go outta my way to find another one :) If you want a lovely old valve head, don't be an elitist Marshall/Mesa/Fender snob and give it a go, you can probably get it pretty damned cheap!

I dont't know what year my friend was made. I found it from a second hand shop. Mr Huttunen said he sold Laney Klipp in the early 70s. It's good for my playing, because I have found my own sound with L. We play rock'n roll with sixties style. I miss reverb sometimes and I don't need klipp cannel. But it looks like a real good old time amp!

My guitars are Japanese squier strat. and Rickenbacker 250 Hamburg. Hovever the Srat sounds better with L. I use Ibanez tube sreamer and Alesis reverb. I try to play Hank Marvin style, but my sound with tube and Laney is not so bright, a little bit moore heavily. Klipp distortion in so...well, I usually don't use it.

One year I have been played all my gigs with L. No problems.

The amp was out of order when in found it. Soitin Huttunen ltd in Helsinki repaired it in 2-3 days 120 ? (incl. tubes).

I have been playing over 20 years ( one with Laney). Nobody will steel My old Laney. (I hope so). Maybe I shall buy Peawey Classic 30. I love (truely) the old Laneys design, and the tube amp sound, but where is the reverb?