Orange Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes Limited Edition – Deep Purple

 

The Orange Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes Limited Edition in Deep Purple combines the versatile Crush Bass 50 platform with exclusive signature styling celebrating one of British rock's most recognisable bassists and vocalists.

Delivering 50 watts through a 12-inch speaker, this fully analogue bass combo offers enough power and low-end authority for serious home practice, rehearsals and smaller performances. Its active three-band EQ includes a sweepable parametric midrange, giving you considerably more control than the fixed EQ found on many compact bass amplifiers.

A blendable overdrive circuit lets you add anything from subtle harmonic grit to a more aggressive driven bass sound while retaining clean low-end definition. Add a buffered effects loop, integrated chromatic tuner, Aux input and CabSim-equipped headphone output, and the Glenn Hughes Crush Bass 50 becomes a genuinely capable all-round bass amplifier rather than simply a collectable colour variation.

The exclusive Deep Purple covering and Glenn Hughes signature detailing give this limited-edition model an unmistakable appearance to match its rock-focused character.

At A Glance

Feature	Details
Brand	Orange
Model	Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes Signature Edition
Edition	Limited Edition
Finish	Deep Purple
Amplifier Type	Solid-state bass combo
Output Power	50W
Speaker	1 x 12"
Signal Path	Fully analogue
EQ	Active 3-band with sweepable parametric mids
Overdrive	Blendable Gain circuit, footswitchable
Effects Loop	Buffered
Tuner	Integrated chromatic tuner
Headphone Output	CabSim equipped
Main Appeal	Versatile Crush Bass tone with exclusive Glenn Hughes styling
Best For	Rock, hard rock, blues, funk, alternative, rehearsals and home practice

What's Included?

• Orange Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes Limited Edition Bass Combo Amplifier in Deep Purple

Why Choose The Orange Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes Edition?

Exclusive Glenn Hughes Signature Styling

The most immediate difference is the distinctive Deep Purple covering, giving the amplifier a unique appearance inspired by Glenn Hughes' musical history.

A signature plaque further distinguishes this edition from the standard Crush Bass 50, making it especially attractive to Glenn Hughes, Deep Purple and Orange enthusiasts.

Fully Analogue Bass Signal Path

The Crush Bass 50 uses a fully analogue signal path, keeping operation immediate and responsive without requiring menus, presets or amp modelling.

Plug in, set your gain and EQ, and concentrate on playing.

Powerful Sweepable Midrange EQ

The active three-band EQ gives you Bass and Treble controls alongside separate Frequency and Middle controls.

This lets you choose exactly which part of the midrange you want to boost or cut, helping the amp adapt to different basses, techniques, rooms and musical styles.

Blendable Bass Overdrive

The dedicated Gain and Blend controls add driven character without forcing you to replace your entire clean bass sound.

You can keep the fundamental low end intact while blending in extra grit and harmonic content, making the circuit particularly effective for classic rock and harder-edged bass tones.

Full-Size 12-Inch Speaker

A 12-inch speaker gives the Crush Bass 50 noticeably greater depth and projection than smaller practice combos, while the rear-ported enclosure helps reinforce the low-frequency response.

Built-In Tuner And CabSim

The integrated chromatic tuner keeps everyday practice simple, while the CabSim-equipped headphone output provides a more natural cabinet-style sound when practising silently.

Orange Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes vs Popular Alternatives

Glenn Hughes Crush Bass 50 vs Standard Crush Bass 50

Both share the same core Crush Bass 50 amplifier platform, including analogue circuitry, parametric mids, overdrive, tuner and CabSim functionality.

Choose the Glenn Hughes Limited Edition if you want the distinctive Deep Purple finish, signature identity and collectable visual appeal alongside the proven Crush Bass specification.

Crush Bass 50 vs Crush Bass 25

The Crush Bass 25 is smaller and better suited to straightforward home practice. The 50 steps up to a larger 12-inch speaker, increased output and a blendable overdrive circuit, giving it significantly more room to grow with the player.

Crush Bass 50 vs Crush Bass 100

The Crush Bass 100 provides substantially greater output and is better suited to louder rehearsals and more demanding live situations.

The 50 is easier to accommodate at home while retaining enough power for rehearsals, recording and smaller performances.

Crush Bass 50 vs Little Bass Thing

The Little Bass Thing is a separate 500-watt amplifier head intended for players who want to choose their own cabinets and build a more powerful professional rig.

The Crush Bass 50 is the simpler self-contained solution, combining amplifier, speaker and practice facilities in one portable combo.

Who Is The Glenn Hughes Crush Bass 50 For?

This limited-edition combo is particularly well suited to bassists who want a serious practice and rehearsal amp with plenty of tonal control and unmistakable visual character.

It is a strong choice for:

• Glenn Hughes and Deep Purple fans

• Rock and hard-rock bassists

• Blues-rock players

• Beginners wanting an amplifier they can grow into

• Intermediate bassists upgrading from a small starter amp

• Players using active or passive basses

• Bassists who want built-in overdrive

• Home-recording musicians

• Players needing headphone practice

• Orange collectors looking for something distinctive

Looking for advice on choosing the right bass amplifier, effects setup or complete bass rig? Our experienced team of musicians can help by phone, online or in-store.

Suitable Genres And Uses

Classic rock and hard rock: The blendable overdrive is especially useful here, allowing you to add midrange grit and harmonic aggression while preserving the clean fundamental underneath.

Blues and blues-rock: Lower Gain and Blend settings can add warmth and edge without turning the sound into obvious distortion.

Funk: The active parametric EQ gives you precise control over attack, mids and low-end weight for fingerstyle and slap playing.

Alternative and indie: The flexible EQ and effects loop make it easy to combine the amp with octave, modulation, fuzz and other pedals.

Home practice: The integrated tuner, Aux input and CabSim headphone output provide the practical features needed for productive everyday playing.

Rehearsals and smaller performances: With 50 watts and a rear-ported 12-inch speaker, the Crush Bass 50 provides considerably more authority than a small bedroom practice amp.

How Does The Blendable Overdrive Work?

Heavy bass distortion can sound exciting on its own but sometimes removes too much low-end weight when used with a full band.

The Crush Bass 50 takes a more useful approach. The Gain control determines how much drive is created, while the Blend control determines how much of that driven signal is mixed with your core bass tone.

This lets you retain the punch and fundamental frequencies needed to support the band while introducing extra grit, harmonics and aggression above them.

For Glenn Hughes-inspired rock tones, that balance between low-end authority and driven midrange character is particularly useful.

Why Are Parametric Mids Important For Bass?

The midrange determines much of how clearly a bass is actually heard in a band.

Turning up the bass frequencies alone may make the instrument feel bigger in isolation, but it can also make the sound disappear underneath drums and guitars.

The Crush Bass 50 gives you separate Frequency and Middle controls, allowing you to select the specific midrange area you want to alter before boosting or cutting it. This makes it much easier to adapt the amp to different basses, venues and playing styles.

Story & Context

Glenn Hughes has built a remarkable career as both a bass player and vocalist, first gaining wider recognition with Trapeze before joining Deep Purple in 1973.

His bass playing combines the weight required for hard rock with the rhythmic and harmonic influence of soul, funk and R&B, creating a style that has always been more expansive than conventional straight-ahead rock bass.

His long association with Orange eventually resulted in signature equipment including the Glenn Hughes O Bass and this Limited Edition Crush Bass 50.

The Deep Purple finish is an obvious nod to his history, but the underlying Crush Bass platform also makes practical sense for his style thanks to its powerful parametric mids and ability to blend clean bass fundamentals with additional overdrive.

Compatibility & Recommended Pairings

Glenn Hughes Signature O Bass

The most obvious companion is the Orange Glenn Hughes Signature O Bass in Deep Purple, creating a complete signature instrument-and-amplifier rig.

Passive Bass Guitars

Conventional passive basses connect directly to the main input and work naturally with the Crush Bass 50's analogue preamp.

Active Bass Guitars

A -6dB input pad provides additional headroom for active electronics and other hotter-output instruments.

Effects Pedals

Compression, octave, fuzz and overdrive effects can be placed in front of the amplifier, while the buffered effects loop gives you additional routing flexibility for compatible effects.

Headphones And Backing Tracks

The CabSim headphone output allows quieter practice, while the Aux input lets you connect a compatible external audio source for playing along with songs or backing tracks.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Orange Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes Signature Edition
Product Type	Solid-state bass combo amplifier
Signature Artist	Glenn Hughes
Edition	Limited Edition
Signal Path	Fully analogue
Output Power	50W
Speaker	1 x 12"
Cabinet Design	Rear ported
EQ	Active 3-band
Bass Control	Active
Mid Frequency	Sweepable
Middle Control	Active
Treble Control	Active
Overdrive	Blendable Gain circuit
Overdrive Switching	Footswitchable
Input Pad	-6dB
Effects Loop	Buffered
Tuner	Integrated chromatic tuner
Headphone Output	CabSim equipped
Auxiliary Input	Yes
Controls	Pad, Gain, Blend, Bass, Frequency, Middle, Treble, Volume
Finish	Deep Purple
Signature Detail	Glenn Hughes plaque
Dimensions	43 x 48.5 x 27.5cm
Weight	14.45kg
UPC	5060299178014

Power Requirements

The Orange Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes Signature Edition is a mains-powered solid-state bass combo amplifier.

Its amplifier and internal 12-inch speaker are supplied as a matched system, so no separate speaker cabinet or external power amplifier is required for normal operation.

There are no valves requiring warm-up, bias adjustment or periodic valve replacement, making it a straightforward amplifier for regular home, rehearsal and live use.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

The Orange Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes Limited Edition gets the balance between signature styling and everyday usefulness right.

The Deep Purple covering and Glenn Hughes detailing make it instantly recognisable, but underneath is a genuinely capable bass amplifier with a strong analogue signal path, flexible parametric mids and one of the more useful onboard overdrive designs available in a compact bass combo.

The ability to blend driven tone with the clean bass foundation is particularly valuable for rock players, while the tuner, effects loop, Aux input and CabSim headphone output make it equally practical as an everyday amplifier.

Best suited for: Rock and blues-rock bassists, Glenn Hughes fans and players wanting a versatile practice and rehearsal combo.

Main benefit: Powerful analogue bass tone with unusually flexible EQ and blendable overdrive.

Value proposition: Combines a serious 50-watt bass combo specification with genuine limited-edition Glenn Hughes styling.

Standout feature: The blendable overdrive circuit lets you introduce driven character without sacrificing the fundamental low end.

Customers usually upgrade from: Smaller 15W–25W practice bass amplifiers when they want a larger speaker, more headroom and greater tonal control.

Most commonly paired with: Passive or active bass guitars, compression or octave pedals, a compatible footswitch and quality instrument cable.

Our tip: Start with the Blend control low when adding overdrive. Increase the Gain until you find the texture you want, then gradually raise Blend until the grit sits around your clean bass sound rather than overwhelming it.

Showroom feedback: The Crush Bass 50 is especially useful because it bridges the gap between a small home amp and a larger performance rig. The Glenn Hughes edition adds plenty of personality without changing the straightforward usability that makes the standard model so popular.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

Our Birmingham showroom has helped generations of musicians find the right bass guitars, amplifiers and equipment, backed by a knowledgeable musician-led team who understand the products we sell.

When you shop with Fair Deal Music, you can buy with confidence thanks to:

• Expert advice from knowledgeable musicians

• Carefully checked new, used, pre-owned and ex-display equipment

• Competitive prices on leading music brands

• Secure UK-wide delivery

• Flexible finance options available, subject to status

• Friendly support before and after your purchase

• Secure online ordering

• A large Birmingham showroom

• Decades of experience with both new and pre-owned musical equipment

Whether you're buying your first serious bass combo, upgrading from a smaller practice amp or building a complete Glenn Hughes-inspired Orange rig, we're happy to help you make the right choice.

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Thinking about upgrading? Your next piece of gear could cost less than you think.

We're always happy to consider part exchanges and trade-ins on a wide range of musical instruments and equipment. Whether you're looking to upgrade your guitar, bass, keyboard, amplifier, drum kit or studio gear, your existing equipment could help reduce the cost of your next purchase.

Simply get in touch with our team for a no-obligation valuation, and we'll be happy to discuss the options available.

It's an easy way to unlock the value of the gear you no longer use while making your next piece of equipment even more affordable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is different about the Glenn Hughes Crush Bass 50?

The Glenn Hughes edition uses the same proven Crush Bass 50 platform but adds its exclusive Deep Purple finish and Glenn Hughes signature detailing, creating a limited-edition version associated directly with the legendary bassist and vocalist.

Is the Crush Bass 50 suitable for beginners?

Yes. The amp is straightforward enough for a developing player to understand, but the parametric EQ, overdrive and effects loop provide enough depth to remain useful as their playing and equipment develop.

Can I use an active bass guitar?

Yes. The -6dB Pad provides extra input headroom for active basses and other high-output instruments.

Can the overdrive be switched with a footswitch?

Yes. The blendable overdrive circuit supports remote switching with a compatible footswitch.

Can I practise silently?

Yes. The headphone output includes Orange CabSim processing to provide a more cabinet-like direct sound during headphone practice.

Can I use effects pedals?

Yes. Conventional bass pedals can be connected through the input, while the buffered effects loop provides additional routing options for compatible effects and processors.

Is 50 watts enough for rehearsals?

It can work well for moderate rehearsals and smaller performances. Required volume will depend on the drummer, other amplification, musical style and room. Players regularly competing with very loud acoustic drums may benefit from a more powerful bass rig.

What does the parametric midrange do?

The Frequency control selects the part of the midrange affected by the Middle control. This allows much more precise tone shaping than a fixed Middle knob.

Does it have a built-in tuner?

Yes. An integrated chromatic tuner is built directly into the amplifier.

Is the Glenn Hughes model suitable for styles other than rock?

Absolutely. Although its signature association naturally suits rock and blues-rock players, the flexible EQ works equally well for funk, soul, pop and alternative bass sounds.

Final Buying Advice

The Orange Crush Bass 50 Glenn Hughes Limited Edition in Deep Purple is much more than a standard practice amp wearing a signature colour.

Its 50-watt analogue design, 12-inch rear-ported speaker system, active parametric EQ, blendable overdrive, buffered effects loop, integrated tuner and CabSim headphone output create a versatile amplifier that can comfortably handle everyday practice, rehearsals, recording and smaller performances.

The exclusive Glenn Hughes Deep Purple styling then adds something genuinely distinctive for players who want their amplifier to have as much personality visually as it does sonically.

For rock and blues-rock bassists in particular, the ability to combine solid clean low end with controlled overdrive and highly adjustable mids makes this one of the most interesting models in the Crush Bass range.