https://photos.app.goo.gl/BCxkTKwY8NHZJSw48I've been after one of these things for years I finally pressed the button after a few beers last Sunday. £275. An absolute bargain.
First impressions is that it looks small, and is pretty lightweight. A lot easier than my AC30CC1. The clean channel is a bit lifeless until you crank it up and you get some really nice power amp valve breakup. The real joy of this is the dirty channel. It's just a really angry little amp and sounds like a marshall with a boost in front of it.12oclock is classic rock and cranked right up it sounds massively overdriven but smooth.
I've read lots of things about Celestion Vintage 30s but they sound great with this amp and really push the sound forward. You can plug in external cabs and so far I've tried it with 4x12 greenbacks and 1x12 G12H30. Both of these cabs sound great. Through the 4x12 it sounds like a marshall. The G12H30 smooth out the sound a bit. Overall I prefer The Vintage30. It just suits it.
I've tried it with 4 guitars.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LLzUAAKiGY1N1TQK7SG with P90s, SG with 57 classics, Les Paul with bareknuckle mules and a Firebird with creamery mini humbuckers. They all sound different but great. I would say it suits the brighter pickups a bit more.
Can't understand why these things are so cheap. I have a JCM800 head that was 3 times more than this and the Rocker sounds better.
Can't wait to crank this up at rehearsals on Tuesday.
Comments
I also think it sounds better with a G12H-30, or if you’re worried about putting a 30W speaker in a 30W amp, a G12H-75 Creamback... but the V30 is fine if you want that more aggressive Marshall crunch.
The clean channel takes heavy fuzz and distortion amazingly well when it’s cranked up - the dirty channel is better with overdrives and boosts.
The guitarist in my band has the head version which he uses with a couple of Marshall 2x12”s, either a Greenback/G12H-30 or a Creamback G12M-65/G12H-75 - best sound he’s ever had, and he’s been through a lot of amps!
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I have one and used it in my 80's New Wave/Power Pop covers band , it takes pedals really well and £275 is a proper bargain !
I would need to compare them in person, but I'd probably be inclined to try the standard one first unless you want that more Marshally sound.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein