After messing around with Matchless and Cornell amps for so many years, I've finally realised that there is NO amp better than a Top Boost AC30 with a couple of blues in the back, so I've bought another one. This one being a Marshall-built Korg reissue from the early 2000's.
I've only ever bought 3 amps again after selling them previously - a Matchless Lightning (bought after regretting selling the first), a Traynor YGM3 (bought as they're a bargain) and now this.
Yes it's heavy, yes my Matchless and Cornell amps were better built and sounded amazing, but they didn't do what this amp does. Even the DC30, as lovely as that was, only managed to get 90% of the Vox thing. It was like a V8 Vox, more muscular and perhaps a little more refined and effortless, a rounder tone with the different speakers. An AC30 is 'airier', the DC30 purrs whereas the AC30 shouts. There's nothing quite like it. It's not GAS, it a realisation that I did it right a long time ago.
Ladies and gents, I give you the Vox AC30 Top Boost - the only amp that sounds good with any guitar you put through it:
Comments
Well I'd argue a '65 DRRI does that as well, definitely... I love AC30s so much, though. That beautiful Big Star chime...glorious amp. Great choice, congrats!
It's certainly seen some action, it's also a bit of an oddball - it's a grey panel with brown grillcloth which is unusual, plus it's got the smooth tolex from before they switched to the basketweave. It sounds epic and looks completely untouched on the inside.
The only negatives other than the state of the tolex, are that all four bottom plastic corners are missing, two handles are missing and the one remaining one is broken, one non-original chickenhead and there are a couple of screws missing too. Hopefully someone like @ICBM or @jpfamps might have some ideas on where to source some of these?
(formerly miserneil)
I experimented with this earlier this year and for my tastes found that Badcat/matchless was the way forward for my sound. Don't get me wrong the Vox sounded good but didn't have the tonal refinements and muscularity of the Badcat I'm used to. My current setup is Badcat Black Cat and a Badcat Classic Deluxe, although recently been getting grips with a matchless lightning in this setup and trying different combinations. My bandmate plays an AC30 Hw and Vibrolux tho and he's extremely happy. Your call.
I do fancy trying a Bad Cat Classic Deluxe though, I recall you looking to sell that some time early last year, glad you saw sense!
I feel another on my horizon soon.