It only took me 34 years...

Red_Label

Red_Label

New member
... to get the Vox bug. Sure, I always liked the Edge, Brian May, and other recorded Vox tones. But I never had a use for them personally. I came up in the 80s and played 80s rock/metal... as well as gigging a ton of country over the years. So the vast majority of my amps over the years have been variations of a Fender Twin/Deluxe clean, and Marshall JCM800 2203/2204 crunch and lead. My current favorites have been my Friedman, Marshall plexi-based amps.

But I've been warming up to the Vox tone, because my AC30-based patch on my Line 6 Helix LT really nails the Brad Paisley lead tone. And I've got a Vox-based model dialed-in on my Fender Super Champ XD FSR that I'm really digging now.
The final straw was plugging into a Tone King Metropolitan at my buddy's music store today. Yes, the clean channel alludes to a Deluxe, but it's got fat midrange "shoulders" that a Deluxe doesn't have.

I would have started working on procuring that amp, but It's pricey and there is already a pricey Friedman BE100 in the man cave that only gets played about once every two weeks. I've been thinking about picking up another Deluxe Reverb FSR because I have regretted trading mine last summer. But after careful consideration, I think I want a handwired Vox instead. As much as I love the glassy presence of a Deluxe Reverb, that tone tends to get a little lost in a band mix, since it's mostly treble/presence. The FSR version adds some fatness with the special Jenson speaker, but it's still not thick enough. I'm leaning towards the Greenback-loaded AC15HW1 1X12 combo. I've listened to clips of AC30s, and 2x12 combos in both AC15s and AC30s. But the features, look, and tones in the AC15HW1 seem to be the sweet spot for me. Ultimately, I'd like to park one next to my Friedman Wildwood Taco, and pick up another Deluxe FSR and park it next to those. That would be three 1x12 combos that would cover everything besides modern metal to perfection. I could use a Lehle amp switcher to switch back and forth based on the music that I'm playing at the moment.

Anyways... it's great to discover that I'm not as closed to experimentation and set in my ways as I thought I was. I will likely pull the trigger on my new object of lust in the next two days. I'll give a report once I've done so and the new baby arrives. I'm just really digging the jangly blackface meets plexi tones that I've been hearing in all the Vox videos I've been watching. And I'd rather pay more for the HW version than the regular PCB version.
 
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Re: It only took me 34 years...

I would consider the HW1x with the Blue speaker if you're going that far.
Alnico I think is a good part of the Vox tone

they also made they ac15h1tv heritage with the EF86 if you ever wanted the more gnarly deep side of what an AC15 can do but I hear they are tubes that were prone to microphonics and kinda a hassle.
 
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Re: It only took me 34 years...

I was heavily leaning towards the Greenback, but I'll give the Blue another shot based on your post
 
Re: It only took me 34 years...

Red_Label said:
I was heavily leaning towards the Greenback, but I'll give the Blue another shot based on your post
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the greenback is like, smoother/smokier/looser bass
blue is definitely home of the jangle, bark, presence, and fast attack oh and they are a lot louder than a greenback

So I can totally see reasons for the greenback but I of think it like a "vintage modified" vox tone, if you want the standard I think of the blue

the blue is worth more than the GB so in theory if you hated it you would get money back by trading it for a GB

Also I just remembered an email I had with Vox one time about the difference between vox labled greenbacks in some cabs, and what was the difference if any between that and an off the shelf greenback. They said they come factory magnetized to about 5% or so less than usual, which they said gives it a smoother response. So if you like the plexi-ish side of things and plan to run the amp flat out most of the time, TBH the Vox greenback is not a bad choice.

decisions, decisions...!
 
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It only took me 34 years...

My AC30 had Celestion blues - definitely a critical part of *that* tone.

And, if they’re not to your flavor, you’ll be able to trade them out for a greenback without losing too much money - that won’t work the other way.


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Re: It only took me 34 years...

I was looking at my amps just yesterday and thought, “that looks like an AC15 sized hole”...
 
Re: It only took me 34 years...

There's nothing like a stiff price tag make GAS more unbearable. I have also been tempted lately by VOX(ish) tones ... and specificall the Carr Lincoln

 
Re: It only took me 34 years...

I have changed my mind because of your replies. I'll try the Blue.

I was also looking at the AC30s, but I think I dig the breakup of the 15s more. Same as the fact that I prefer the Deluxe to a Twin (having owned both).
 
Re: It only took me 34 years...

Niiiiiiiceeeee I think you'll be really happy!
And yeah the AC30 is different I've cranked AC15s and similar amps to the sweet spot but never had the ability to let an AC30 rip but love the clean tones.
Based on that I would certainly go the same way as you and get an amp with the sweet spot that gels with your other combo amp plans
 
Re: It only took me 34 years...

I let my AC30 off the leash precisely ONCE in my ownership - it was glorious, but I still think my house hasn’t forgiven me. Put that together with the WEIGHT and it was just too much amp than I would ever require (Soon as I start playing 3000-seater shows regularly, with a roadie on hand, it will be mine again!)

Put it this way, when I spec’d my custom Whitney, I asked for “an AC15 with an in-built boost” - of course, I got much more, but that’s the core of it. Can’t go wrong with an AC15 once you’ve got the tone-stack under control.


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Re: It only took me 34 years...

My favorite Vox tone of all time is Ritchie Blackmore with his AC30 and ES-335 combo. It is really one of my favorite tones of all time. His Strat w/ Marshall was good, but not that good.
 
Re: It only took me 34 years...

I think Hush, Kentucky Woman and Exposition/We Can Work It Out were the 335/ac30, but that era, first three albums were mostly that combo. the strat was like... In Rock, I think.
 
Re: It only took me 34 years...

FuseG4 said:
I think Hush, Kentucky Woman and Exposition/We Can Work It Out were the 335/ac30, but that era, first three albums were mostly that combo. the strat was like... In Rock, I think.
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I gotta listen closely the next time I hear one of those songs on the classic rock stations. Thanks!
 
Re: It only took me 34 years...

Dave Locher said:
I'm not much of a Blackmore historian. Which well-known songs are Vox/335?
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He’s on a 335 on Sweet Child In Time on this classic performance - though I think I spy Marshall at the back of the stage behind the drum riser.

https://youtu.be/Gwzq52iNaaM

(P.s. just for the record, in a time of many great rock singers, Ian Gillan was very close to the best)


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Re: It only took me 34 years...

My "AC30" is my Mesa Maverick 212 V30s. I like the versatility of the two discrete channels. The gain and tone controls make it easy to go from VOX chime, to BF, to Marshall tones. Doesn't have as much gain as most Mesas. I use the tube rectifier, and I enjoy the squishy feel of the amp, especially when pushed. AC30s have great tone; the Maverick just suits my needs better.

Bill
 
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I sold my first AC30 because it was unusable both at home and for the low volume church gigs I was playing. But what a glorious sound it got on the rare occasions when I could crank it up.

That was 20 years ago.

This year I picked up a barely used handwired Vox AC30 head with a master volume that works! And which can also be switched out of the circuit entirely if desired, with a switch.

Also has a switch to go AC30 output to AC15 output.

It’s a fabulous amp and I’ve been playing it through a Matchless AC30 size two 12 cab I’ve had for years.

Also sounds great through my one 12 cab but the head is too wide to sit on top of it properly.
 
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Re: It only took me 34 years...

VinceT said:
He’s on a 335 on Sweet Child In Time on this classic performance - though I think I spy Marshall at the back of the stage behind the drum riser.

https://youtu.be/Gwzq52iNaaM

(P.s. just for the record, in a time of many great rock singers, Ian Gillan was very close to the best)


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I am pretty sure much of In Rock was the 335/Vox It sure sounds like it- he used it for the Concerto for Group and Orchestra, too. You hear it in the live version of Hush. Wonderful sound.

 
Re: It only took me 34 years...

Mincer said:
My favorite Vox tone of all time is Ritchie Blackmore with his AC30 and ES-335 combo. It is really one of my favorite tones of all time. His Strat w/ Marshall was good, but not that good.
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Blackmore also used a hidden AC30 with the Marshalls live, because they gave a bite the Marshalls lacked. He described the 30W AC30 as louder than the 100W Marshall!
 
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