Vox ac30....which one?

billando · January 8

Im going to get an ac30 i think. One of the non master ones from back in the day. Im going to gig with it so which era should i go for? Seems the mid 60s ones are more expensive and they get "cheaper" as time goes on. So i guess im asking what the difference is between a 60s, 70s and 80s ac30 top boost non master volume.

Another question is can i use an attenuator with them? If not that might rule this idea out.

Dodge · January 8

Go spend some time at https://www.voxshowroom.com/

Edited highlights:

1. JMI original - 60-67. Proceed with caution. Wonderful amps, but lots of shocking examples of things that are non-original, old amps in modern cabinets etc. Seek the advice of someone with knowledge if you're parting with lots of money.

2. VSL/VSEL - 68-9 these are more or less the same as the original circuits and are decent.

3. Birch-Stolec era - 1970-73. PCB construction and a fire hazard. Avoid.

4. Dallas Arbiter - 1973-79. Early examples were handwired but with no valve rectifier and had alnico silvers. Later ones had PCB's, Fane speaners. Avoid the PCB ones, but the early ones are decent.

5. Rose Morris - 1979-93. Nothing special here, I'd probably avoid.

6. Korg era - 1993+. The 94-04 Marshall made reissues are excellent. Decent quality and close to the original circuit, and sound excellent.

I think all bar the Korg era have hard wired speaker cables so attenuators will require a bit of work - but the Korg ones have 'proper' speaker jacks.

For post UK made Vox, I defer to @Cirrus who knows much more about these.

rze99 · January 8

Attenuator?

Yes. I have one I think it is late 60s Top Boost Reverb. I had the speaker wires adapted for Attenuator when I put the Celestion Blues in. First thing I did when I got it and it's meant that I can get that lovely biting crunch at sensible volumes and helps when recording as well as stage volume. Sounds great. Here's a wee sound clip recording I did with a Casino (AC30 attenuated).

Mine is retired from live band work pretty much these days.

boz_h · January 8

The 60s ones are amazing, I own a 64 non-top boost and is sounds incredible. Personally, I would avoid 70s ACs they don't have the best reputation, but others might have more info. Not had much experience of the 80s ones, tried a 90s Anniversary, and it had the 60s AC30 sound. You can still get a Non-top boost converted to a Top boost either by pedals or a retrofit module (I prefer non-top boost, but that's a personal thing) so don't let that worry you too much. You can use an attenuator, but you will have to clip the speaker cable and solder jacks on each end, as it's built in to the amp, not sure how it will affect the sound as I have no experience. However, I would not suggest, regularly, gigging a 50 odd year old amp. Likely to be unreliable, heavy, cumbersome to move around and insanely loud (hence the attenuator). If you want a more reliable, easier to move package for gigging, that gives you the 60s AC30 sound, I would suggest something like a Morgan AC20. Comes in Head or Combo, has built in power scaling so no need for an attenuator and will likely be a lot cheaper than an original.

Airmiles · January 9

boz_h said:

I would suggest something like a Morgan AC20. Comes in Head or Combo, has built in power scaling so no need for an attenuator and will likely be a lot cheaper than an original.

This sort of thing? (No affiliation)
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/259748/morgan-ac20-deluxe-head-1-x-12-alnico-blue-cab#latest

(Weeps bitter tears as I can't justify it personally)

Airmiles · January 9

..or https://ccgx.co.uk/product/audio-kitchen-little-chopper-head/

Moe_Zambeek · January 9

Not to be overly crass, but I have a Rift Blackhawk for sale, which is a hand wired, tube-rectified AC30 style but a bit more manageable with a master volume and a single high power Alnico speaker in a 1x12 format…

Danny1969 · January 9

Soundswise they are lovely amps but they can be a minefield to own. They are not well designed amps, the basic circuit is hard on the valves and the cab design is poorly ventilated. In my experience, working with players who gig them they go wrong a lot. Plus the vast majority of them have been bodged over the years with different caps held in with cable ties, bits of mains cable lashed here and there. Some are outright dangerous, many will trip a modern RCD.

The later Korg one's I've worked on have also been bad with heater cable draped over the pre amp stage of the PCB, ground loops that cause noise and a standby switch fitted in the wrong place of the circuit that over stresses tjhe rectifier valve They hum a lot and don't sound as good IMO.

A late seventies one was the best sounding one I worked on. With no standby switch, a silicon rectifier and a change of bias resistor it was also quite reliable ... at least in AC30 terms

So many are re housed and so many have been virtually rebuilt it will be a job to know what you are buying so don't go spending loads on a real old valuable example unless you really are sure of it.

lustycourtier · January 9

As recommended above, Voxshowroom site is a must reference site. Even after 30 years of obsessing over them, its still a go to.

Ive had every version from early 60s JMI NTB, right through to current versions, and unless youre wanting for bragging rights, Id go modern (C2X) with blues or a HW version. Worst designed version I found was the Marshall built ones. Nothing like vintage in sound or build. Nice handles is about the only compliment.

My fave ever was a 2007 50th anniversary version, but it shat itself onstage once and took out a quite a bit. After that, it went.

slacker · January 9

If you have a big budget look at matchless or the older bad cats. I had a a ac15tb and ac4. Both gone and never looked back. Might be an option even if just to eliminate.

ICBM · January 9

I would get either the Korg reissue if you want a ‘real’ non-MV one with the Vib/Trem channel, one of the recent handwired MV ones if you want better build quality and a bit more control, or an early 2000s AC30CC if you want the most flexibility for the least money. All these are good and can fairly easily have an attenuator connected, although you will need a speaker extension cable.

Stuckfast · January 9

I haven't tried enough different variants to have a firm opinion but I've always wondered whether the AC30 is an amp that really needs to be a 2x12 to sound like an AC30. The AC15s and Morgans I've heard have never had 'that sound' in the way that even a cheapo modern AC30CC does.

PAL · January 10

I had AC15s & AC30S during the 1960s & 1979s and they were fine but really heavy and they cooked tubes.
I have played later versions and to me they are nothing like the original Vox amps.
the only amp I would compare to an original VOX is the Marshall Handwired 1974X combo.
When Marshall designed these amps they based them on Watkins & Vox amps. They are a very loud 18 Watts are a lot
lighter. I think about 40 lbs.
The other alternative is to have an amp built for you and would contact Chris at Rift amps.

ICBM · January 10

PAL said:

the only amp I would compare to an original VOX is the Marshall Handwired 1974X combo.
When Marshall designed these amps they based them on Watkins & Vox amps.

The Marshall 18W is a direct copy of the WEM Dominator circuit, but with different transformers and speakers. There's nothing Vox-like in it at all, apart from having cathode-biased EL84s - but hundreds of amps use that arrangement.

snowblind · January 10

Had an early 2000s AC30CC2 for a short while. I'd always liked some of the VOX tones but when I got the thing home I never really gel'd with it. Only really sounded decent (actually excellent) when cranked to stadium volumes. Turned down it just got thin and reedy.

In itself the CC2 is not a bad variant. Build quality was good and I never had any operational issues with it. They can be had for fairly sensible money, depending on the speaker variant.

I would suggest taking one of these for a trial run if you can. They make an good entry level to the AC30 experience.

billando · January 10

I had an ac30c2 around 2010 and didnt really like it that much. Probably cos back then i had no concept of getting the master up. Was always master low gain high which had no balls.

ICBM · January 10

billando said:

I had an ac30c2 around 2010 and didnt really like it that much.

The CC is quite a lot better than the C… not sure exactly why! Even more oddly, the AC15 is the other way round.

Danny1969 · January 11

We used an AC30 head last night at the Shadows club and a home made 2 x 12 cab with neodymium speakers . The Vox sound without the weight.

billando · January 11

Thanks but i got an orange or30 along with 2x12 cab with neodymium speakers. Very light but i just thought they were sterile and lacked any sort of specialness if that even makes sense. I sent it back. Each to their own i suppose.

GoldenEraGuitars · January 11

Vox AC30 CC2 owner here. Very happy customer indeed. Sounds like a vox and looks like a vox. Absolutely superb

Fishboy7 · January 12

Get in touch with this guy. Sounds like he's got something special and I'm sure he'd be very happy to answer any questions

https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-studio-equipment/vox-vintage-80-s-amplifier-125w-rms-twin-combo-very-rare-unique-ac30-styled-amplifier/1468056285

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Vox ac30....which one?

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