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Description

The Laney Supergroup LA100BL (Original) amplifier head is a legendary piece of gear that has stood the test of time, beloved by musicians for its iconic sound and reliable performance. Originally crafted in the golden era of rock, this amplifier head delivers a powerful 100-watt output that captures the essence of classic British tone. Whether you're in a small club setting or a large concert hall, the LA100BL provides the clarity and warmth that guitarists crave.

Designed for the purist, this amplifier head features a straightforward layout with just the essentials to let your guitar's natural tone shine. The all-tube design ensures a rich, organic sound that responds dynamically to your playing style, making it a favorite among professionals and enthusiasts alike. With its robust construction and timeless appeal, the Laney Supergroup LA100BL is not just an amplifier; it's a testament to quality and tradition in musical craftsmanship.

Key Features:

  • 100-watt all-tube amplifier head
  • Classic British tone
  • Simple, user-friendly interface
  • Robust construction for reliable performance
  • Loved by professionals for its clarity and warmth

Product specs

Amp Type tube
Laney Amplification

Laney Amplification

Laney LA100BL Play Through

Video thumbnail for Laney LA100BL Play Through by Laney Amplification

Laney LA100BL Play Through

Laney Amplification

Laney Amplification

Video thumbnail for Does the Black Sabbath Laney REISSUE sound like the ORIGINAL? by Johan Segeborn

Does the Black Sabbath Laney REISSUE sound like the ORIGINAL?

Johan Segeborn

Johan Segeborn

Video thumbnail for LANEY LA100BL GETS LOUD by Laney Amplification

LANEY LA100BL GETS LOUD

Laney Amplification

Laney Amplification

Video thumbnail for 1969 Laney Supergroup 100 play test by Mark Baldwin

1969 Laney Supergroup 100 play test

Mark Baldwin

Mark Baldwin

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL.

Features and functionality

  • The Catalinbread Sabbra Cadabra pedal functions as a treble boost combined with a Laney LA100BL Supergroup pre-amp, specifically enhancing tube amp gain tubes to achieve overdrive.

    Source
  • The pedal is notably loud, with users often keeping the volume knob at around 7:30-8 to manage its output.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • Users find it excels in replicating early Sabbath tones, particularly on tube amps like Orange Rocker 15, and suggest it works well with other tube models like Marshall DSL20.

    Source
  • It's effective for a variety of doom, stoner, and sludge tones, specifically with adjustments to the presence and range knobs for bands like Kyuss and Corrosion of Conformity.

    Source

Comparisons

  • While effective on tube amps, it can sound muddy on solid state amps, reflecting its design to mimic vintage 1970s technology.

    Source

User experience

  • The pedal pairs well with guitars equipped with Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded Humbuckers and Orange Rocker 15 amps for achieving desired tones.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • Placing the pedal in the effects loop, due to its preamp modeling, is suggested for better integration and sound management.

    Source

4.5 out of 5

Based on 0 Reviews and 3 Ratings

5 star
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Artist usage

Add artist
See how Tony Iommi uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

Tony Iommi

Guitarist, Keyboardist

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

...
Verified via Photo

This was Tony’s main amp since the time Paranoid came out, up until the very late 80s.

See how Billy Corgan uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

Billy Corgan

Singer, Guitarist

The Smashing Pumpkins

...
Verified via Premierguitar

The sidebar to this interview with Premier Guitar magazine lists some of the gear Corgan used while recording the Smashing Pumpkins' Cyr album. It includes a 70's Supergroup amp head.

See how Geezer Butler uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

Geezer Butler

Bassist, Keyboardist

Black Sabbath

...
Verified via Photo

Geezer used Laney Supergroup Heads in the early Sabbath Years, as well as Tony Iommi, as you can see in the performance from 1970.

(original vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yZA4TC_pt4 // was removed)

See how Matt Pike uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

Matt Pike

Guitarist

Sleep

...
Verified via Premierguitar

"Also for Sleep’s The Sciences, I fired up my 1968 Laney “Supergroup” LA60BL that was modded by Bryan Sours of Sour Sound in Portland. It’s only 50 watts, but whatever he did to that old head, it now roars like an angry god. I just plugged straight in, dimed it, and that head just screams Master of Reality."

See how George Lynch uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

George Lynch

Guitarist

Dokken

...
Verified via YouTube

shown in detail at 7:52 in this video.

See how Rusty Anderson uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

Rusty Anderson

Singer, Guitarist

Paul McCartney (Live Band)

...
Verified via Photo

In this picture Rusty can be seen with his Laney Supergroup 100 amplifier during some recording sessions with Paul McCartney.

The supergroup is also referenced in his Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Anderson#Gear

See how Peter Stroud uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

Peter Stroud

Guitarist

Pete Droge & The Sinners

...
Verified via Photo

"While discovering a ceiling water leak in my basement studio I uncovered this...an EARLY Laney Supergroup 100watt patiently waiting to be restored. One day"

See how Tony McPhee uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

Tony McPhee

Guitarist, Singer

The Groundhogs

...
Verified via Imgur

A certain "Anje" was the owner of theMcPhee's "MK1 Supergroup" 100W ampilifier with a custom covering, as featured in a November 24, 2004 The Les Paul Forum post, a August 1, 2005 The Les Paul Forum post, a July 30, 2020 The Gear Page reply, and a May 26, 2021 The Gear Page reply. Another in a standard covering can be seen in the background of this photo. The amp is also mentioned in the following sources, among which is the "Any Questions?" column of the June 5, 1971 issue of Melody Maker, which specifies that the amp was modified.

ZigZag, March 1971, "Tony McPhee... Groundhog" by John Tobler

Let’s get onto your equipment....why the change to Laney gear?

Well, I liked the stuff we used to have but it just literally became obsolete. I built my own amplifier and it was what I wanted, but I never got round to putting it in a cabinet and people used to drop it because it was just mounted in a sort of rabbit hutch thing and wasn’t screwed in properly. But I couldn’t replace the broken parts because they were so old, and we had to think about some new gear. We shopped around — looked at HiWatt and Marshall, but eventually settled for Laney. There’s not really much to choose between makes, but this Laney stuff gave out what it claimed to give out and seemed OK....though I’ve made some alterations to improve the tone, because I’m as interested in getting a good sound as I am in volume.

What do these watt ratings mean? Can you give us a layman’s definition?

The wattage is an electrical term, but sound power is also termed in watts. Ten watts of audio power, acoustically, is a very large orchestra; but when you say 10 watts electrically, it’s 10 watts that the amplifier gives out....and any speakers are, at the most, only ten per cent efficient — so the sound power given out is only one watt. You can go up to about 30 watts, and each step of 10 watts is about twice as loud. But above that it gets a lot more complicated, and to get twice the volume of 30 watts, you’d have to have about 200 watts....and to get twice as loud as 200 watts, you’d need about 2000 watts. But it’s the quality that’s important rather than sheer volume.

[...]

I’ve also got an octave splitter which sounds great through the Laney gear [...]

Beat, May 1971, "Groundhogs' 'Split'" by T.T., pg. 17

The amps that Groundhogs favour ('our old stuff was great but it was falling apart and it was all different plugs anyway') is Laney, which, says Tony, is the best deal in gear they could find. He and Peter each have two stacks of Laney equipment—'it gives out what it claims'—and are very satisfied, although there are some longings for their old gear (sentimentality, possibly).

Melody Maker, June 5, 1971, pg. 34, Any Questions?

I use a Laney 100-Watt stack, [...]

Hogwash liner notes

3 Laney 100 watt. Amps

Beat, March 1976, "Tony McPhee: The Hogs Return" by Chris Simmons, pg. 25

Amps

In the amplification department, Tony is still undecided as to what he will use for the gigs. "I used to have a big Laney cabinet, and I'll probably end up using that. I have been in the studio with a Davoli amp (with a 15" speaker) which is great for straight things, but as soon as I put my Hi-Fli through it it just breaks up. Perhaps I'll end up driving the Davoli through the Laney cab, but I'll have to experiment more fully first. Actually, the real problem is not amplifying the guitar but my synthesizer.

Distort

"You need a system that won't distort the sound and still has enough poke behind it to carry. On certain gigs you will find that the set-up you have is perfect and on others you will hate it. Then, another problem is that I need a whole lot of top as I use my fingers instead of a pick. Recording is obviously a different bag; I use a pick in the studio to pick out definite notes clearly. It doesn't matter on stage but when you use your fingers some notes are a little down on others. Anyway, if one note's a bummer so what? The main thing is feel."

Anje, The Les Paul Forum, November 24, 2004

I've just got this cute little baby :

[Laney.jpg]

It's a nice Supergroups from about the late 60's (that was owned by Tony McPhee of the Groundhogs BTW)

Anje, The Les Paul Forum, August 1, 2005

here's my played collection, splitted on 2 continents for now :) :

[...]

'69 Laney Supergroup 100 (belonged to Tony McPhee of the Groundhogs, who did a little custom psyche tolex job, nice :) )

Anje, The Gear Page, Jul 30, 2020

Echoplexi said:

Man, makes me miss my old Klipp 60! These old Laneys are so cool.

I think the dude from The Groudhogs (Tony McPhee?)was a Laney player back in the day too. Great player

Yes I can confirm that:

That's my old one I mentioned before, former Tony's / The Groundhogs's; miss it too.

[https://i.imgur.com/Wu7DT8b.jpg]

[https://i.imgur.com/WvcedrV.jpg]

[https://i.imgur.com/XhmKJVI.jpg]

Anje, The Gear Page, May 26, 2021

I remember visiting Roger Daguet 15-20 years ago (to buy one of former Tony McPhee's late 60's Laney Supergroup, but that's another story) [...]

See how Mark Thomas Baker uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

Mark Thomas Baker

Guitarist

Orchid

...
Verified via YouTube

In the video for "Capricorn" you can clearly see an Laney Supergroup on an Orange 4x12 cab. In an interview Mark says he's using Laney Supergroups in the studio mainly.

See how John Gossard uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

John Gossard

Singer, Guitarist

Weakling

...
Verified via Photo

In the Wikimedia image titled "JohnGossard3.jpg," John Gossard is pictured using a Laney Supergroup LA100BL guitar amplifier head.

See how Pete Cruickshank uses Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL

Pete Cruickshank

Bassist

The Groundhogs

...
Verified via Discogs

Listed among Cruickshank's equipment in the liner notes of Hogwash and mentioned by The Groundhogs bandmate Tony McPhee in a May 1971 Beat interview. It can also be seen in a photo of The Groundhogs posted to Facebook by Basket Case on November 20, 2013.

Beat, May 1971, "Groundhogs' 'Split'" by T.T., pg. 17

The amps that Groundhogs favour ('our old stuff was great but it was falling apart and it was all different plugs anyway') is Laney, which, says Tony, is the best deal in gear they could find. He and Peter each have two stacks of Laney equipment—'it gives out what it claims'—and are very satisfied, although there are some longings for their old gear (sentimentality, possibly).

Hogwash liner notes

3 Laney 100 watt. Amps.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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1
Trainwreck Circuits Liverpool 30
Trainwreck Circuits Liverpool 30 Guitar Amplifier Heads
1
Gibson EB-3
Gibson EB-3 Electric Basses
1
Marshall JVM410H
Marshall JVM410H Guitar Amplifier Heads
1
EarthQuaker Devices The Warden
EarthQuaker Devices The Warden Compressor Effects Pedals
1
Yamaha CS-80
Yamaha CS-80 Synthesizers
1
Pignose "Legendary" 7-100
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1

Community setups

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R

rian_van_rensburg

Gear IQ 61

8 alternative and related items for Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL, curated by the Equipboard community.

Laney Supergroup LA30BL

$789.00 - $1,299.00

cheaper alternative similar sound

A 30 watt head based off the classic Supergroup amplifier.

Laney Supergroup MK1 Session 50

 

Vintage or Discontinued similar sound

The Session 50 was a 50-watt variation of the MK1 Supergroup.

Laney Supergrace Loudpedal Amplifier Pedal
similar sound cheaper alternative

The Supergrace features separate channels based on the classic Supergroup and the Carstens Amplification Grace, as used by Billy Corgan.

Catalinbread Sabbra Cadabra

$152.99 - $193.00

similar sound cheaper alternative

The Sabbra Cadabra aims to recreates the tones of Tony Iommi, by pairing a preamp based off the Laney Supergroup with an always on Rangemaster style Treble Booster.

Laney Supergroup LA-Studio

$842.57 - $1,149.00

similar sound cheaper alternative mod

The Laney Supergroup LA-Studio is a compact and modernized take on the Supergroup, featuring a built in Two Notes Torpedo for DI recording.

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