First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

[CapoFirstFret]

Alright...this will be installment one of the Vox AC30 Custom Classicd. This won't be as in depth as installments two and three (to follow after I've had more than a few days to mess with it...probably at the 2 and 3 week periods)


Well I hooked my tube screamer up to it for the first time this morning and let me tell you it was the most transparent beautiful overdrive I've ever heard. It almost brought a tear to my eye how perfect this sound is for me. my favorite tone thus far is blending the normal and top boost channels together, both low volume, cranking the master, ..normal volume on "brilliance" and the top boost channel on "standard". Very glassy pristine clean tone, EVEN WITH THE LES PAUL!! With my Les Paul, there was NO true clean tone on my mesa/boogie. The pickups (which are only Duncan 59's, not high output pickups) pushed it into overdrive so easy. This one stays quite clean even when strumming hard which is something I missed about my Les Paul through the Mesa/Boogie, the clean tone.


I switched to a pretty medium reverb (by Fender standards) and a pretty deep tremolo, and switched the tube screamer on and I swear I heard God talk amongst the swirling wonderful reverbating beauty of that overdriven tone So far I'm really loving it and the fact that the reverb and tremolo are footswitchable make me very happy. Add to that the fact that the cable for the footswitch is freakin 20'!! I'm so tired of little 10' footswitch chords...I unraveled this thing and fell in love with the footswitch before I even plugged it in..I knew I would be able to get a bit further from my amp than I normally do (not that I will, but I could!)

Anyway, that's my first impressions....I'll give more as I grow into it a bit more

 

[Uncle Unborn]

Re: First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

I've (unfortunately) heard that it's unreliable and noisy. Is this true?

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

Good for you Brutha!

I know you really wanted that Blue Angel, but I'm glad you found something you love.....


NEW STUFF ROCKS!!!

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

I've (unfortunately) heard that it's unreliable and noisy. Is this true?

I've getting ABSOLUTELY NO NOISE so ....I've heard these things are hit or miss, but this one is definitely NOT a miss as far as that. I'm getting no noise on it even when running my tube screamer and the ds1 both through it (ds 1 at full gain)....getting no noise...I stop playing, and it's completely silent. I'm very very impressed with that aspect of it.


Reliability, we'll have to see, but I do have some amp repair background so if it should go out, I can probably repair it fairly easily, but I expect it to hold up very well

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

I've getting ABSOLUTELY NO NOISE so ....I've heard these things are hit or miss, but this one is definitely NOT a miss as far as that. I'm getting no noise on it even when running my tube screamer and the ds1 both through it (ds 1 at full gain)....getting no noise...I stop playing, and it's completely silent. I'm very very impressed with that aspect of it.


Reliability, we'll have to see, but I do have some amp repair background so if it should go out, I can probably repair it fairly easily, but I expect it to hold up very well

Great reviews on your new amp buddy! Best of everything with it and great inspiring music also! I'd love to own the same amp you bought,but I bought my Valvetronix setup before the release of your series and I'm still loving my Valvetronix.... :dance:

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

I saw the Vox amps demo'd next to the Marshall handwired amps in the same Korg booth at the LA Amp Show. I think it was a mistake for Marshall, since the Chinese Vox was more impressive sounding than the expensive HW 18W Marshall.

The rep told us that this new Vox was Korg's answer to all the requests from longtime Vox users, so it's no surprise that there's a long footswitch cord, internally bridged channels, and reverb.

As for reliability, even the vintage Vox's had their share of problems, but you've got to consider who owns the amp. If someone never changes tubes, and drags their amp up and down stairs, sets their drinks on top, and gigs with no roadcase, of course they'll have reliability problems!

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

Glad you found an amp that speaks to you. That's what it's all about, not the name on the box. Play and enjoy~!

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

I've got my Bassman LTD for sale right now, and I may turn the money into the AC-30.
Both good amps, but the Bassman is too much of a one trick pony.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

yeah, the bassman is one of those amps I was going after before I got a hold of this one. I'm really digging this one. It's definitely voiced a LOT differently than any amp I've ever owned...having to learn new settings on all of my stomp boxes, but that's nothing new, I half expected it. I'm really diggin this amp. I get a lot of time off here in the next couple of weeks (after tonight, don't have another gig until July 23rd). We're recording a live DVD/CD tonight, with the band I play bass in. I'll post some links to some of the stuff when it's mixed and finished.

I'm gonna try to record some originals during the next month I have off. We'll see how it goes. Later!

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: First review of my Vox AC30 Custom Classic

Vox amps are so cool. I have a few friends that own various incarnations of the AC 30. One person had a couple issues but the other have all been totally content with the amps.