youngthrasher9
New member
From experience which do find more enjoyable, Fender style clean tones or Vox style clean tones? What's your personal reason? I'm not talking reasons like "because these are better." (Jerry, I'm talking to YOU.)
Ok, which do you prefer?
- Thread starter youngthrasher9
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loversmoon
New member
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
fender but only because i have limited experience with vox.
fender but only because i have limited experience with vox.
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
I love 'em both ! I grew up with Voxes, and much preferred the complexity of their cleaner tones to those of Marshall. It wasn't until much later that i got into the Fender sounds, and I love those too. The Fender and Vox cleans are very different but complimentary, and I find that all my amps and any i've built for people are always based on Fender or Vox circuits.
Both amps have found applications in very wide ranges of musical styles and genres for the best part of half a century, and still do, from your local bar to international recording/ touring artists. I guess if i had to choose because i was being threatened with a pointy stick, i might choose Vox for sentimental reasons, and because it came to my life first. But now, i wouldn't want to have to choose, i want both available to me. I'm oldschool, and i believe that all good guitar sounds are built on a good clean tone, and the best clean tones i've ever heard have been from Voxes and Fenders (these sounds of course aren't technically 'clean' in a sterile, 'reference amp' kinda way, but coloured in subtle, highly desireable ways).
I love 'em both ! I grew up with Voxes, and much preferred the complexity of their cleaner tones to those of Marshall. It wasn't until much later that i got into the Fender sounds, and I love those too. The Fender and Vox cleans are very different but complimentary, and I find that all my amps and any i've built for people are always based on Fender or Vox circuits.
Both amps have found applications in very wide ranges of musical styles and genres for the best part of half a century, and still do, from your local bar to international recording/ touring artists. I guess if i had to choose because i was being threatened with a pointy stick, i might choose Vox for sentimental reasons, and because it came to my life first. But now, i wouldn't want to have to choose, i want both available to me. I'm oldschool, and i believe that all good guitar sounds are built on a good clean tone, and the best clean tones i've ever heard have been from Voxes and Fenders (these sounds of course aren't technically 'clean' in a sterile, 'reference amp' kinda way, but coloured in subtle, highly desireable ways).
IM4Tone
New member
Lewguitar
New member
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
I like both!
Vintage Fenders get the clean sound that sounds like me. And since most of us are not soloing constantly but instead, playing rhythm, I prefer Fenders.
But I loved the Vox AC30 I owned for both rhythm and soloing. But it was just to loud and to heavy to be practical for the gigs I play. Besides, I prefer to play through two 20 watt or under amps.
On the downside, Vox and Matchless amps with EL84's are always a little grainy sounding. Not quite clean enough to be my only amp.
I like both!
Vintage Fenders get the clean sound that sounds like me. And since most of us are not soloing constantly but instead, playing rhythm, I prefer Fenders.
But I loved the Vox AC30 I owned for both rhythm and soloing. But it was just to loud and to heavy to be practical for the gigs I play. Besides, I prefer to play through two 20 watt or under amps.
On the downside, Vox and Matchless amps with EL84's are always a little grainy sounding. Not quite clean enough to be my only amp.
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Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
I like all amps. They all sound good if you dig into them.
I like all amps. They all sound good if you dig into them.
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
My faves setups have always been a Fender and a Vox together...cleanish
My faves setups have always been a Fender and a Vox together...cleanish
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
Much as voxes sound superb for any number of applications and have a rich harmonic texture, i have to choose fender. I like big low end.
Much as voxes sound superb for any number of applications and have a rich harmonic texture, i have to choose fender. I like big low end.
TheLivingDead
Dawn Of The Shred
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
Fender.
Vox is sometimes too 'glassy' and can come across as a little thin.
Fender.
Vox is sometimes too 'glassy' and can come across as a little thin.
James Rock
Active member
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
I like Crusty grew up playing threw VOX's had two AC30s in the house for a while so I think because of that and that some of my favorite bands tones are from VOXs (The Church, U2, Early Beatles, Radiohead, The Kinks) I vote VOX chimey cleans all the way, it has this bloom and edge I haven't heard in other amps. Would love a fender to compliment it though. If it comes to Fender cleans by themselves I prefer blonde and tweed cleans to blackface cleans.
I like Crusty grew up playing threw VOX's had two AC30s in the house for a while so I think because of that and that some of my favorite bands tones are from VOXs (The Church, U2, Early Beatles, Radiohead, The Kinks) I vote VOX chimey cleans all the way, it has this bloom and edge I haven't heard in other amps. Would love a fender to compliment it though. If it comes to Fender cleans by themselves I prefer blonde and tweed cleans to blackface cleans.
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Lazarus1140
New member
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
I have never played a Vox, but I prefer 6L6 and 6V6 cleans to the few EL84 amps I've tried. That said, the G-B Black Pearl sounded very good.
I have never played a Vox, but I prefer 6L6 and 6V6 cleans to the few EL84 amps I've tried. That said, the G-B Black Pearl sounded very good.
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TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
I voted 'neither', because my ideal "clean" tone still has quite a bit of hair on it. I use single channel amps pushed to breakup and apply attenuation to clean up the tone, but am not going for squeaky clean. In fact, I don't even turn off my fuzz or boosts when I need a clean tone. As long as I get note definition, I don't care if there is still dirt on the tone itself.
I will use a squeaky clean tone if needed for effect, but most times for that I prefer a high wattage, dual channel amp with a lot of headroom, like my Tremoverb.
I voted 'neither', because my ideal "clean" tone still has quite a bit of hair on it. I use single channel amps pushed to breakup and apply attenuation to clean up the tone, but am not going for squeaky clean. In fact, I don't even turn off my fuzz or boosts when I need a clean tone. As long as I get note definition, I don't care if there is still dirt on the tone itself.
I will use a squeaky clean tone if needed for effect, but most times for that I prefer a high wattage, dual channel amp with a lot of headroom, like my Tremoverb.
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: Ok, which do you prefer?
I grew up being a huge British fan - loved Vox cleans and Marshall overdrive crunch stuff. In the end, I found the cleans to be more versatile on Fenders. That thinner treble chime is great for semi clean applications with the Vox, but Fenders were a bit thicker and clearer throughout so you can actually use them for things like jazz. Having gone from an AC15 to a Tweed Deluxe-esque amp, I've found they both can do lightly broken up tones, but the AC15 is thinner (great for strumming) and the Tweed Deluxe is a much fatter sounding amp.
I grew up being a huge British fan - loved Vox cleans and Marshall overdrive crunch stuff. In the end, I found the cleans to be more versatile on Fenders. That thinner treble chime is great for semi clean applications with the Vox, but Fenders were a bit thicker and clearer throughout so you can actually use them for things like jazz. Having gone from an AC15 to a Tweed Deluxe-esque amp, I've found they both can do lightly broken up tones, but the AC15 is thinner (great for strumming) and the Tweed Deluxe is a much fatter sounding amp.
