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vox ac30 (cheaper) alternative?


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Interesting...the Vox AC30 is about the cheapest way to get AC30 tones. Most of the other makers that make AC30 type amps are more expensive; Valvetech is awesome around $1k, Dr Z Stingray is more, Gabriel Voxxer is more, etc.

 

Ceriatone has a Matchless clone that is very similar to AC30 in tone, but even that costs about what a used AC30cc goes for.

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Interesting...the Vox AC30 is about the cheapest way to get AC30 tones. Most of the other makers that make AC30 type amps are more expensive; Valvetech is awesome around $1k, Dr Z Stingray is more, Gabriel Voxxer is more, etc.


Ceriatone has a Matchless clone that is very similar to AC30 in tone, but even that costs about what a used AC30cc goes for.

 

 

some folks just want to avoid Chinese products

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Sure. But I don't think there's a way to get a cheaper AC30 sound without going Chinese or building your own kit.

 

 

I built an AC30 clone for a local guy recently. Total came up close to 800$ (head only). The surprising thing is I could've done a 100W Plexi for less!

The transformers are expensive on those, for some reason.

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I built an AC30 clone for a local guy recently. Total came up close to 800$ (head only). The surprising thing is I could've done a 100W Plexi for less!

The transformers are expensive on those, for some reason.

 

 

I know, I've been mulling over a variety of kits and while I'd like to do an AC30 they're spendy. You can put together a JCM800 for around $400 in a chassis, a Hiwatt for a bit more, but an AC30 is twice as much? Shenanigans!!

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I know, I've been mulling over a variety of kits and while I'd like to do an AC30 they're spendy. You can put together a JCM800 for around $400 in a chassis, a Hiwatt for a bit more, but an AC30 is twice as much? Shenanigans!!

 

The actual part cost was maybe 100-150$ more than a 50W Plexi/JCM800. That does include nice tubes, shiny aluminum chassis, knobs and a headshell. Although the headshell was pretty basic (still looked pretty good).

 

The problem is there are less options for the transformers. I went with Hammond which were still the cheapest option short of going "imported" (Weber and Ceriatone are the only choices I can think of right now). Hammond's guitar amp line sounds very good though.

But Magnetic Components (aka Classic Tone) are supposedly coming out with a Vox line shortly... They are much better value so that could bring the price down.

 

If you go Mercury Magnetics, well Vox repros are just as overpriced as Marshall ones :lol:

 

But the thing is, in the end: damn it sounded good!

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The actual part cost was maybe 100-150$ more than a 50W Plexi/JCM800. That does include nice tubes, shiny aluminum chassis, knobs and a headshell. Although the headshell was pretty basic (still looked pretty good).


The problem is there are less options for the transformers. I went with Hammond which were still the cheapest option short of going "imported" (Weber and Ceriatone are the only choices I can think of right now). Hammond's guitar amp line sounds very good though.

But Magnetic Components (aka Classic Tone) are supposedly coming out with a Vox line shortly... They are much better value so that could bring the price down.


If you go Mercury Magnetics, well Vox repros are just as overpriced as Marshall ones
:lol:

But the thing is, in the end: damn it sounded good!

 

I've heard some good things about the Magnetic Comp gear out of Chicago, they do some Marshall/Drake style stuff right now, along with some industrial trannys. The Mercury Mag ones look the best, they probably sound great, but not cheap either, $250 or so? I wonder what comparable Heyboers run...

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I've heard some good things about the Magnetic Comp gear out of Chicago, they do some Marshall/Drake style stuff right now, along with some industrial trannys. The Mercury Mag ones look the best, they probably sound great, but not cheap either, $250 or so? I wonder what comparable Heyboers run...

 

 

250$... that's for just one transformer, you need 2 (3 if you count the choke)

 

As a comparison, for 250$ you get both the power and output transformers from Heyboer (iirc)

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