British Amp power switches

[Happy Face]

So, now & then I play at home through my 1968 Hiwatt amp through a sealed 4x12" cab. At our practice room, I often play my more recent hand-wired Orange head through a similar cab. Both loaded with 75 watt Celestions. None of which is pertinent to my highly technical question:

Why do the power switches on both set opposite to most amps? Meaning why is the amp off when the toggle switch is in the up position?

Never owned a Vox so dunno bout them. And I think I recall that my savage beast Marshall had rocker switches but that was an odd model, so not sure if Marshalls had reversed toggles ir not.

Any thoughts on this oh wise ones?

[amptech]

Must be the metric vs. inches ghost. Puzzels me too, first noticed it when I got my first Marshall.

[Highlander]

Down is on... up is off... simples...

Never understood why you lot have to push a switch up to turn it on...

[Granny Gremlin]

If it really bothers you , you know you can flip it round the right way, right?

[Pilgrim]

Up has been ON ever since I were a yout'.

[Basvarken]

If it really bothers you , you know you can flip it round the right way, right?

[Happy Face]

If it really bothers you , you know you can flip it round the right way, right?

Ah, that sounds better than what I've been doing= turning the amp over!

Just curious about the history behind it. Sounds like a Commonwealth thing. I wonder if it helped trigger the American War of Independence? That would make a lot of sense.

[doombass]

Ah, that sounds better than what I've been doing= turning the amp over!

Just curious about the history behind it. Sounds like a Commonwealth thing. I wonder if it helped trigger the American War of Independence? That would make a lot of sense.

Yes, or rather a sneaky revenge. "Hey let's flip those switches over and have those freedom fighting Yanks scratching their heads.: What, up on....or off..... standby on...eerrrrmm.. is that on or off standby.. or down...gee I don't know. Mommyyyyy!!!!

[Dave W]

Play while standing on your head. Problem solved!

[Chris P.]

In England they made a lot of stuff for Australia. Of course everything is upside down there, so I guess you must have the Australian versions which are quite rare.

[Rob]

In England they made a lot of stuff for Australia. Of course everything is upside down there, so I guess you must have the Australian versions which are quite rare.

Noe THERE'S a logical man.

[Happy Face]

The legendary antipodean models? Krikey, I'm rich!

[Chris P.]

 

[Granny Gremlin]

Ah, that sounds better than what I've been doing= turning the amp over!

Just curious about the history behind it. Sounds like a Commonwealth thing. I wonder if it helped trigger the American War of Independence? That would make a lot of sense.

Nope - ours (Traynor, Garnet etc) are the right way round - though one interesting signature feature of vintage 'Canadian' Marshalls (as in made for the Canadian market) is (up until the mid-late 80s or something, don't recall) they all had to have toggle switches vs the typical Marshall square rockers (yes I know earlier Marshalls had toggles - I mean after they switched to rockers they kept sending us toggles).  This was required or they would not get Canadian Standards Association approval. That's in addition to them coming loaded with 6550s vs EL34s, which I think happened in the US as well but not sure.

[Pilgrim]

But inquiring minds want to know, which way should the rocker be set to turn on?

IMO when the top part of the rocker is depressed, it should be on. When the bottom half is depressed, it should be off.