Vox AC-30 Lovers

[Guitar Toad]

Who would choose an AC-30 over Fender or Marshall? Was this the first EL-84 amp?

What's so great about the AC-30?

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

I dig my AC30 because it's got this really great cut throat type of sound ya know? Kinda spunky is the best way I can describe it. Where Fender has your glass, and Marshall has your grit...Vox has your spunk...that sparkle and grind......I know this is kind of vague, but I'm not really sure how to describe it. I'm having a Fender-esque clone built though, so i can't seem to get away from the Fender stuff.

I had a marshall super bass 100w (1971) for a while.....just never could find myself at home with the marshall sound. I think it's great, and those that use it use it well, but it never was where I was meant to be.

[flank]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

i am an Ac30 fan as well.....i dont really like marshalls except for the JTM45s, and i like most Fenders except for some of the non-reverb stuff...... but the Ac30s has the thick chimey sound that is so good for a rhythm guitarist like myself

[Uncle Unborn]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

I'm a dedicated AC30 fan. Some of the older Marshall stuff are ok, and I like most Fender amps. But none of the Fenders and Marshalls I've tried are as good as my AC30TB.

I just hope my AC30TB will stay as good as it has been up till now, as I know many of the AC30 is quite unreliable

[J Moose]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

A good AC30 has a great shimmer & chime in the tone that's pretty different from Marshall or Fender. Old Fenders are a bit thicker & more scooped and the bottom end gets mushy at high volumes...Marshalls have that mid-range "rage" thing going for them but aren't as 'open' and clear as an AC30. They can go from a really clean Byrds tone to Tom Petty grind or, jump the channels & add a stompbox for full born "classic" rock grind.

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

I love AC30s. Well, I should qualify that: I love well maintained AC30s that are functioning properly. One of the great amp flavours.

I really want the new AC30 Custom classic head, but it can wait, as I just bought a soldano and already own a mesa Blue Angel, which is a very cool variation on the AC30 recipe.

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

The Mesa Blue Angel is an AC-30 variation?

I picked up the Rory Gallagher BBC sessions and heard the hot tones he generated. That is fueling my curiosity for the Vox AC-30. He was an AC-30 user as well as The Edge and Brian May. Those are the names that I have heard associtated with AC-30.

Has the AC-30 always had the reputation of being unreliable or is that a new Vox issue?

Is Scott's EL-84 Franklin 15 a voxy amp?

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

A lot of the reliability issues is just due to the fact that they're hard on tubes, and if you ignore a failing tube, you run the risk of damaging other components.
The old ones are a bit frail, due to age, and the new ones just need to be maintained well.

I really like the new AC-30 CC 2-12 combo! The bridged channels, reverb, and other features make it a great amp. A few days ago, I plugged a 52 Reissue Tele into the new AC-30, and turned it up nice and loud. What a great great tele tone! Very Stonesy! Then, I plugged the same guitar into a Bassman LTD. Totally different vibe, but the AC-30 tone just destroyed it.
I really want one of those AC-30 combos!

[Scott_F]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

Is Scott's EL-84 Franklin 15 a voxy amp?

Yes, but with improved bottom end. More Matchless in nature than Vox, but Matchless were born of Vox seeds.

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

Earlier Vox AC30s weren't vented enough and the ungodly amount of heat they generated was catostrophic in the form of fire and flames...

The earlier reissue series made by Marshall had the same problems (heat) and that heat was burning up the printed circuit boards....A buddy of mine bought one and had alot of problems with it...I've read alot of good stuff about the newer Chinese ones and maybe it's a good time for the AC30 lovers to jump on one of these?

An AC30TB is a bright jangly amp rich in harmonics,but needs to be cranked up loud to get that those rich singing harmonics,and it's a loud 30 watts at that..

I remember spending about 2 hours on the phone in the early 90s talking to Ken Fischer(Trainwreck)about Vox and Marshalls...Great guy and the early guru of amp modding and of Vox amps..

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

The Mesa Blue Angel is an AC-30 variation?

I picked up the Rory Gallagher BBC sessions and heard the hot tones he generated. That is fueling my curiosity for the Vox AC-30. He was an AC-30 user as well as The Edge and Brian May. Those are the names that I have heard associtated with AC-30.

Has the AC-30 always had the reputation of being unreliable or is that a new Vox issue?

Is Scott's EL-84 Franklin 15 a voxy amp?

The Blue Angel isn't an AC30 clone as such. The circuit is somewhat different, though it does run 30 watts, EL84, class A. I have heard people mistake my BA's sound for an AC30. It also runs 6V6s at 18 watts for a deluxe-type tone, and you can run both together.

[Curly]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

there are three classic amps: Fender, Marshall, and Vox.

the designer of Vox amps knew what he was doing, but came up with something different in design

there is nothing like the texture, crunch, and chime of an AC30 .. C'mon, it's the Beatles' amp!

I'd recommend checking out the new version of the AC30 that Joneser and I heard at the LA Amp Show, or go over to the Gear Page forum and do a search for "Hayseed" - a custom make-to-order USA clone that's very affordable.

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

Vox is THE clean tone for me. 6L6 amps (like Fenders) always had that mid scooped thing going on that was lacking to me. The Vox is always thick and cutting and even lightly overdriven, it still gets such a unique clear and chimey topend that cuts through the band mix like nothing else. They may not work for everyone, but if you like Edge's U2 tone or Tom Petty's stuff, you know you're looking in the right place.

Still dig Marshalls for real overdrive, but the Vox amps can get a pretty good crunch through cranking it.

[More-Gear-Than-Skill]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

little ovens to bake thy tubes. But sound sooooo yum

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Vox AC-30 Lovers

If they would only do something about that aweful Tudor styling. It may sound great but IMO it looks UGLY. Well, it's not totally ugly and I could look past that if necessary. But, that may not be necessary with the emergence of Celtic Amps and the Franklin 15.