# Vox Amp Thread



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Who owns a Vox amp? What model do you have and what do you have to say about it?


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I have a couple. An AC30HWH and an old Berkley SS amp and cab. The Handwired is a great sounding amp, but I don't know how much it sounds like a vintage JMI model. I dunno, it just sounds too "refined" or something - not the raw tone you get from a cranked vintage one. I never get to play it at that kind of volume anyways so maybe that's what I'm missing. Also, I've only used it with a 2x12 loaded with V30's. I've never played it through a pair of Cele Blues which I suppose is a big part of the AC30 tone too. The Berkley sounds pretty good for a Solid State amp, but it hasn't been used for years. I used to have an AC50 too. 

Pete


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

This little puppy belongs to a friend in Edmonton. 60-something AC-10, 2 - 10" speakers.
It really starts to breathe when cranked, and it is surprisingly loud.

It's really something to plug in and crank an amp of this vintage.


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

I've got me a AC30CC1.. its amazing, thats all i have to say..

Sadly, its not always the best amp for the job... but I'd like to think it is.


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## exhausted (Feb 10, 2006)

i had an ac15cc1 for a while this year. i liked it but the reverb was horrible. the tremolo was very nice though.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I have the new AC30BM. No toys. Just turn it on and go. Wonderful amp. LOUD... it really needs to be on a stage somewhere and not in my basement. But I am not ready to give it up just yet.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I have the new AC30BM. No toys. Just turn it on and go. Wonderful amp. LOUD... it really needs to be on a stage somewhere and not in my basement. But I am not ready to give it up just yet.


That's the issue I have with the AC 30. I have a CC2 with blues, and I really like the sound, but I can only use it when I'm playing out (and sometimes its too loud for clubs). It doesn't really start to breathe until the master is a 12 o clock, at which point the neighbors are calling...95% of the playing I do needs a smaller amp. Its a pretty deceptive 30 watter.


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## SteveS (Apr 25, 2006)

I've got an AC15 reissue. It came with the Bulldog speaker but after hearing so much about the Celestion blue I ponied up and got the blue speaker for it. I remember playing the amp with the original speaker and then playing it right after switching in the blue and being very happy with the result. The change over was a lot of money but I'm very glad I did it and would do it again. It really did make a difference.
What I like most about the amp is the crunch sound. I use it a lot with my Les Paul and when I can turn it up it just has such a wonderful overdrive I could just noodle away for hours. The reverb is ok...adds a nice ambience...but the tremolo is very good. One of the best I've played.
The only gripe I've got with it is it does sound a bit small sometimes. It is only 15 watts and a 1-12. I've been on the lookout for an AC30 (handwired, Brian May, or TBX) to go with it. 
You can't have too many Vox's...:food-smiley-004:


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I have an AC30cc2, it sounds really good...have since put a red fang in there along with the original wharfedale

very versatile, good sounding amp. the master volume works really well...haven't done an A/B with an original, would love to try a real one out & compare notes


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## voxworld (Feb 9, 2006)

I'm fortunate enough to have a '62/'63 JMI AC30TB w/original blues and a '95 Korg AC30TBX.
The JMI is just what you'd expect, very 3D and fat.
I was right on the edge of jumping on a BM AC30 when I got the opportunity to pick up the JMI.
GC: I thought the Brian May was sensational, although very loud, as all AC30's are. May own one eventually yet.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Yes, I would agree. It is a great amp. It cannot reach it's full potential here at home, but I do not think I will get rid of it. Just a fantastic amp. I always wanted one like this.


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

I'm fortunate enough to have a Vox AC30CC1 with Weber Bluedog, a 1965 Vox Pacemaker, Vox AD30VT with Celestion Vintage 30, Vox AC15TB2 with blue bulldogs, and on the smaller side a Vox Pathfinder 15R. Can you tell i love Vox?
Nothing beats the sound of the AC30 and AC15. I find them to be very comparable with the AC30CC1's half power switch engaged. However the AC15TB2 really cant hold its own for loud cleans compared to the AC30. I almost threw all my overdrive pedals out when i heard the AC30 and AC15 fully cranked on the top boost channel for the first time. Nothing...and i mean nothing compares to the overdrive of a nicely cranked AC15 and AC30.


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## sysexguy (Mar 5, 2006)

I have a '91 preKorg ac30 with Blues that I completely rebuilt. Slightly underfiltered and with better caps (OD's) in the audio path.....it sounds and records fabulously with slightly more low end and a wider dynamic range...it's all "vox" and some have said it reminded them of a Matchless. I'm debating adding power scaling as it can fry my brain when pushed into blissfull distortion.

Andy


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Interesting new Vox news.

http://www.voxamps.co.uk/heritagecollection/ac15h1tv.asp


Sucks a little that they are going to be built in China still.


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## Thinline (Jan 17, 2007)

I have the AD 30VT. Nice little amp, the effects are fairly realistic and adjustable. A line out for recording would have been nice, and the stock speaker came out faster tha you can say 'China', but it was fairly useful until I discovered tubes. Now it is very very dusty.


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## Baconator (Feb 25, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> Interesting new Vox news.
> 
> http://www.voxamps.co.uk/heritagecollection/ac15h1tv.asp
> 
> ...


Wow - $1700US list for a 15 watt amp made in China - I'd say that sucks a lot.


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## Steve P (May 9, 2007)

*vox da-15*

I bought my first electric guitar & amp last September. I purchased a Vox da-15 modelling amp to complement my Yamaha Pacifica. :rockon2: 

Since I'm new to guitar and have broad musical tastes, I wanted something versatile. I also play in my apartment, so a tube amp was out of the question (too loud). 

On balance, I'm very happy with the da-15. It does give a broad variety of tones, from clean to blues to metal. I also appreciate the intro to a variety of effects through the built-in effects. It is enough to get me started, in any event. 

I do, however, drool over the more expensive and loud tube amps in the guitar shops. I've been looking more closely at the adxxvt series. I'm considering upgrading to an ad15vt or an ad30vt -- probably the ad30vt, because it should be loud enough to play with others and be heard over a drum kit. I am curious if anyone else has gone from the da-5 or the da-15 to one of the valvetronix or full-on tube amps. Any insights? 

I'm also curious as to how the ad30vt's power attenuator works in practice -- does it, in fact, distort the tone nicely when the preamp is cranked but the master volume is low? 

Of course, the best solution is to spend more time in the music shop, but I'm curious if others have insights to share.


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## maybeyes (Dec 20, 2006)

*Vox Pathfinder*

I have a Vox Pathfinder which is really a practice amp, but I have taken to a few worship services that I have played at and gone direct with it. Sounds really good and in Jams, it really kicks with the distortion/gain engaged. I can be heard over the drums and my buddies' amps as well. evilGuitar: 

I am quite please with it. I use it quite often all by itself without effects. Well worth the price I paid for it and then some.:rockon2:


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## cale0906 (Apr 15, 2006)

*Ac 30*

I have an AC30CC1 / Neo Dog that i upgraded to a Celestion Gold .... WOW ! 
What a difference ....... nice even mids and lows with the chimey highs . 
I just purchaced a AC30CC head and a Vox 2x12 cab with 2 Celestion Golds from Faracaster ...... havent recieved it yet but cant wait . The 1x12 sounds great so i'm hoping the 2x12 will sound as good or better . Great sounding amps !


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

maybeyes said:


> I have a Vox Pathfinder which is really a practice amp,


I got one throw in for free when I got my Hamer P90 Special. What a surprise. 10x better than the Marshall MG15 I had. Mind you, it still doesn't have the that tube fullness my Gibson GA-5 has ( hey it retailed at 5x the price), but it is still a find practice and jamming around amp.


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

In my search for tone I've been seriously considering a Vox AC15CC1. I'm only a basement hobbiest so I don't need huge volume but...I noticed that the AC30CC1/2 etc... have an output switch on the back to quiet things down a bit. It also has way more tonal options on it. My question to you Vox owners is would the AC30 be too loud even with the output switch engaged? Should I stick with the AC15? 

I just about have enough in my "under the radar" account (Most married guys will understand what I mean by that!) for the AC15. I'm chomping at the bit to buy it but I don't want to regret not buying/not buying the ac30. 

Opinions and experiences please. Bring 'em on!!:wave:


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## Guest (May 17, 2007)

_I posted this one a Vox for sale thread, but this is probably the right place for it._

Is it just me or are there a lot of people turning over Vox amps on this board as of late?


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Interesting, we need to dig into that a little deeper.


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## Guest (May 17, 2007)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Interesting, we need to dig into that a little deeper.


My quick count is three (one is sold) in the first 3 pages in buy & sell:
http://www.guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=5077
http://www.guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=5714
http://www.guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=5653

If people are deleting their threads after things sell it's hard to say. Maybe I'm just noticing a lot of discussion on Vox for sale threads.


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## wordsonyou (Apr 27, 2006)

Well in my case I'm selling my CC for no reason other than I have that same tone at least 2 times over in my other amps...the CC nails the Vox tone, but my JMI, and Hayseed get me the same tones and so I am keeping those, and more importantly they are heads and I much prefer heads to combos. I won't be heartbroken to keep my CC either if it does not sell...but 1st on my list will be to convert it to a head cabinet - I just like the verstaility that heads offer in terms of speaker options. What's so admirable in the CC series is that it gets people into a pretty exclusive Vox tone for a fair price...that is also what makes them so easy to part with - you know you can pick another one up for a reasonable price at a later date - I can't say the same for my JMI and Hayseed...so I wouldn't read too much into it...I still stand by my opinion that the CC is the best Vox product made since the JMI era.


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## µ¿ z3®ø™ (Apr 29, 2006)

sysexguy said:


> I'm debating adding power scaling as it can fry my brain when pushed into blissfull distortion.


it would seem that power scaling would be a 'no-brainer', then.
har, har...

do non-vox vox amps count?



> but my JMI, and Hayseed get me the same tones


but isn't the hayseed *horrible* sounding?
jk...
words, doesn't surprise me a bit that U dig the hayseed. for me, it's not an _awesome_ amp, but it coughs up a lot of pretty decent quad EL34 tones and if U have the EF86 option there is a whole 'nuther world of sounds available.

the only thing that prevented me from going the CC route was that i didn't feel as if the amp responded as well to my right hand technique of varied levels of pinching and damping. i've been pondering lately if i don't get on w/ amps that have a lot of switches and stuff in circuit. overall, it seems as if my fave amps are very simple.


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## wordsonyou (Apr 27, 2006)

µ¿ z3®ø™ said:


> it would seem that power scaling would be a 'no-brainer', then.
> har, har...
> 
> do non-vox vox amps count?
> ...



The CC and Hayseed head I just got are very close. The 1st Hayseed I had was much more Matchless like in feel and tone, but this newer head I've been trying is very vox...changes my whole perspective on the hayseed controversy. I think Rob has been trying very hard to fiddle with the amp until it was really close to a Vox sound...this hayseed is light years closer to a Vox than my last. Still have to try a JMJ though...I've been waiting to get some clips together to see if folks on TGP can tell which is which - the Hayseed or the CC - should be interesting!!!


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## µ¿ z3®ø™ (Apr 29, 2006)

wordsonyou said:


> Still have to try a JMJ though...I've been waiting to get some clips together to see if folks on TGP can tell which is which - the Hayseed or the CC - should be interesting!!!


seeing as U brought up the JMJ30 
i've had mine for 9 months or so and am still exceedingly happy. the only new amp i have ever played to be virtually indistinguishable from a good example of a jennings era AC30. the JMJ30 might be a truly awesome amp. 
i don't even know if matt is taking orders anymore because the backlog had grown to over a year. there's also the cost factor involved. my amp tech (antonio tiexiera) looked at the JMJ30 and couldn't figure out how he could be making any money on the amp.

re: the changing face of the hayseed 30...
i think mine is halfway between the matchless DC30 and the jennings type sound. i thought about trading it for a savage macht 6, but the hayseed 30 is my only quad EL84 amp w/ a tremelo circuit. i *love* trem.

re: clips for TGP...
haven't had enough excitement in the '30' wars yet?


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## wordsonyou (Apr 27, 2006)

µ¿ z3®ø™ said:


> re: clips for TGP...
> haven't had enough excitement in the '30' wars yet?


Exactly - sort of the reason why I haven't been jumping up and down making clips the last week - not sure what they prove and I am kind of getting worn out by the latest TGP ac30 discourse(s)...may not be worth the effort...also have been intrigued by the snake river amp...although that for sure is not longer being made...


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