# Mayfly BC30 Review



## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

This past January I drove eight hours to investigate a Mayfly BC30 amp and 1x12 cabinet that was up for sale. It was very difficult to find information on this fantastic Canadian made AC30 clone prior to my drive. I ended up buying the amp but in hindsight I should have just bought it and had it shipped to me. I have really fallen for this amp.

I wrote a review on Harmony Central months ago but it has never been posted so I will copy it here in hopes that it may help some other potential Mayfly buyer.



REVIEW











Features:

2004 Mayfly BC30 head and matching 1x12 loaded with 8ohm Eminence Legend GB12 speaker. 30 watt handwired AC30 clone. 4 JJ EL84 output tubes and 3 JJ 12AX7 preamp tubes. Birch plywood enclosure with Oxblood Tolex and black grill cloth. Very simple layout, no FX loops or headphone jacks. Two channels (top boost & normal) and two inputs. Switchable with only with an ABY box. Speaker Impedance selector with two speaker output jacks.

I play British inspired power pop and this amp nails the VOX AC30 shimmer as well as 18 watt Marshall vibes. It is plenty loud!

I play a Rickenbacker 330 and Fender Telecaster Deluxe. Both guitars sound fantastic through the Mayfly. The amp is noisy with single coils, but no more than you would expect from a Class A amplifier.










Sound Quality:

The Normal channel is based on the “Normal” channel of an AC-30 but includes a special shelving EQ switch. This is a 6 position switch.

"It changes the pre-amp circuitry to directly modify the voicing of this channel. Counter-clockwise settings are bright, clean, and jangly. Clockwise settings increase the gain and low-end."

This is the channel I tend to use for gigs. There's no EQ, just the 6 position TONE switch. In the "bright, clean and jangly" settings it definitely had an AC30 vibe, in the clockwise settings there is plenty of early Marshall gain and low end.

A little bit too much bottom for me in the last two clockwise settings

"The Top Boost channel has the classic AC-30 sound except with the mids sweetened and the bass extended."

The top end can get a little out of hand on this channel which the CUT control can tidy up very easily.

There is a MASTER volume control, but like any tube amp, it really does sound better turned up.


Reliability/Durability:

I currently gig without a backup but the BC30 is built like a tank and handwired so any qualified tech should easily be able to service it.


Customer Support:

The Mayfly was made by Trevor May in Ottawa, Canada. I think he made them for about five years and he sadly no longer makes them. I was able to find a contact email for him and asked him loads of questions before driving eight hours to check out the amp. He was incredibly generous with his responses and I should add very patient given my barrage of questions.

As I mentioned above I think the amp will be very easy to service and is very well built.


Overall Rating:

I was looking for a replacement for my 1972 Hiwatt Custom 50. I found out about the Mayfly while researching VOX AC30 clones. I drove eight hours to hear it and I'm glad I did. I sold the Hiwatt after my first rehearsal with the Mayfly. It is the amp I've been searching for. I've used it on a half a dozen gigs now and every guitarist who hears it simply stares in awe.

If it were stolen or lost I would replace it immediately...if I could ever find another one anyway!


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## Guest (May 6, 2010)

Was this the one that was listed an Spaceman in Ottawa? If so: sweet deal. I played that one. Very nice amp.

Tough amp to replace. Don't think he's making amps any more, right?


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

iaresee said:


> Was this the one that was listed an Spaceman in Ottawa?


thats where i've seen this amp before!

congrats on your grail finding!


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

iaresee said:


> Was this the one that was listed an Spaceman in Ottawa? If so: sweet deal. I played that one. Very nice amp.
> 
> Tough amp to replace. Don't think he's making amps any more, right?


Correct this was at Spaceman. Just dumb luck that I found it, I was researching AC30 clones and the Mayfly name came up. While searching for info on them I found the Spaceman listing. Sadly he no longer makes them, it's a fantastic amp.

I'd been playing a Hiwatt for 15 years, great amp, very reliable but too clean for me. I was always looking for a pedal that would dirty it up to my liking. After playing the Mayfly I realized I'd had the wrong amp all those years. Probably not for everyone but if you're an AC30 / Matchless fan it's a great alternative...if you can find one.


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## Guest (May 7, 2010)

I almost bought that amp.  Went a different route, but it was tough to walk away from that. Sounds like it went to a real nice home!


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## Jimi D (Oct 27, 2008)

I owned and played a BC30 for a couple years... Trevor's a great guy, and it's really a shame he stopped building these great amps, but I guess there wasn't much money in it, really... They are really sweet AC30 clones, and if that's the tone you're shooting for, you'll find it in one of these... if you can find one of these...


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

iaresee said:


> I almost bought that amp.  Went a different route, but it was tough to walk away from that. Sounds like it went to a real nice home!


I'm really happy you walked away! 

By the way, I sold my Hiwatt Custom 50 through Capsule Music last month. If anyone knows the person that purchased it, I have some background info on the amp that the new owner may appreciate.


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## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

I've played a couple of these now (including this one), fantastic sounding little amps. It's a shame he's stopped making them. Enjoy it!


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I wonder how many made it out into the market


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## v-verb (Mar 29, 2007)

hardasmum said:


> Correct this was at Spaceman. Just dumb luck that I found it, I was researching AC30 clones and the Mayfly name came up. While searching for info on them I found the Spaceman listing. Sadly he no longer makes them, it's a fantastic amp.
> 
> I'd been playing a Hiwatt for 15 years, great amp, very reliable but too clean for me. I was always looking for a pedal that would dirty it up to my liking. After playing the Mayfly I realized I'd had the wrong amp all those years. Probably not for everyone but if you're an AC30 / Matchless fan it's a great alternative...if you can find one.


Interesting about the Hiwatt. I've got a 1975 Custom 50 and I swapped in a 12AX7 in place of the 12AY7 phase inverter tube. Mine has the "Canadian mod" that the distributor did to up the gain a tad. With the mod and all 12AX7s in the pre-amp, the Custom 50 can just scream! 

But it still isn't Voxy so the Mayfly is probably the better choice for you anyhow.

Cheers

nigel


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

iaresee said:


> I almost bought that amp.  Went a different route, but it was tough to walk away from that. Sounds like it went to a real nice home!


You have a second chance! 

Amps - Tube Amps - Mayfly BC-30 Head with Cabinet - Spaceman Music

SOMEONE GO BUY THIS AMP!


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

maybe they'd do a discount...that amp has been there wuite awhile!


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

Spaceman has another one for sale right now...think i'll take a jog up the canal...


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

ezcomes said:


> Spaceman has another one for sale right now...think i'll take a jog up the canal...


I saw one over there yesterday with a hardwood cab. Nice looking amp.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

Here it is.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

If I'm not mistaken this might be a new one. I read on a forum somewhere that Trevor May was making two amps with a fellow from the US who was making the wood cabinets.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

http://www.spacemanmusic.com/Amps/Tube+Amps/Mayfly+BC-30+Head+*NEW*


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