Members honeyiscool Posted November 23, 2012 Members Share Posted November 23, 2012 AC15HW1V64, basically North Coast takes the standard AC15HW1, puts it into a standard looking Vox cab, tests the tubes, a UK Blue Celestion, etc. for $1649.Sure, this will be the most I have paid for an amp but I just sold an AC15C1, and I saw a video clip where they compared the HW1 with the C1 with the exact same speaker. Really, the C1 sounded like I remembered it. Pretty good, but not stunning. Meanwhile, the HW1 sounded stunning, enough to justify the price tag, even with Greenbacks, and I don't mind paying a couple hundred more to get it in the 1964 Vox cabinet instead of the fawn, and the 7.5 watt setting is a huge plus. As much money as this is, I really think this might be the last Vox 112 combo I ever need, and if it is, it might save money for me in the long haul. I also have a little money to spend on holiday shopping this year, since I got way more of a bonus than I thought I'd be getting. Considering how much I love my guitars, maybe it's about time that I had an amp I am really proud of, something that I felt needs absolutely no upgrades or any work done, ever.Am I insane? Or is this what I need to go for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted November 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted November 23, 2012 Plus, I could get this:Drool! By the way, this is the clip I am talking about. To me, the AC15C1 sounds pretty good, but AC15HW1 really has THAT sound I've been looking for, and this is even with a Greenback, and I'm assuming Alnico would go the next step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JRicoC Posted November 23, 2012 Members Share Posted November 23, 2012 Originally Posted by honeyiscool ... Considering how much I love my guitars, maybe it's about time that I had an amp I am really proud of, something that I felt needs absolutely no upgrades or any work done, ever ... These posts need more info about the guitars you're running through these amps ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted November 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted November 23, 2012 I play four guitars regularly: 1. Fender Mustang w/ Lace Sensors - This is my favorite guitar. It has a fairly thick sound. 2. Squier Vintage Modified Tele w/ DiMarzio Area T Pickups - Lately, this is the one I play the most and is pretty twangy. 3. Gibson Les Paul Tribute (P90s) - This is a new one but it's really become one I want to play all the time and has a very smooth sound. 4. Daisy Rock Retro-H Deluxe w/ DiMarzio Mini Humbuckers - This is the guitar I play when I want a mellow sound or some Bigsby action. I also have a couple of single humbucker guitars but I don't play them very much since I don't really play harder rock at the moment, but that might change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ancient Mariner Posted November 23, 2012 Members Share Posted November 23, 2012 Once you find a 'great' amp then it does cut the GAS back quite a bit, simply because you know that for a particular sound there's nothing out there which will sound better. It also sounds as though this one has been properly optimised, by which I mean they've bunged decent valves and the correct (and superb) sounding speaker in it. For me, the right type of alnico speaker makes all the difference, and transforms the amp from foe to friend, even a 'good' amp. BTW the Greenback sounds good and similar to the blue, but it is both harsher and less clear sounding. So yes, this may be expensive, but it should be tonally fantastic and save you money by breaking the 'buy-flip' cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rick 381 Posted November 23, 2012 Members Share Posted November 23, 2012 Am I insane? Or is this what I need to go for? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members megawzrd Posted November 23, 2012 Members Share Posted November 23, 2012 That's nice. The Alnico blue is a must for the AC15 imo. If you don't like the Fawn...go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xrleroyx Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 You should already know my opinion on this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted November 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Originally Posted by megawzrd That's nice.The Alnico blue is a must for the AC15 imo. If you don't like the Fawn...go for it. WEELLLLLL, I actually love the fawn. However, I don't want an amp that looks too different from the usual, if you know what I mean. I just want something that looks like a standard issue Vox, I am not a fan of a "look at me" kind of amp, especially when it's that visually distinctive and expensive. I fully intend on this becoming my main amp if I buy it, and I kind of want to make sure that most people can't tell that it's a decently priced amp just by looking at it. With the 1964 styled cabinet, it doesn't look too different from all the other Voxes that people bring to gigs (I swear half the indie rock/pop bands I've seen in San Diego play a Vox, including us). Plus, I don't want to have nights where I play like {censored} and people go, "And his rig costs how much?" Haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bro Blue Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Never underestimate the value of an amp. It makes or breaks everything. It's more important than which pickups you use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted November 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Yeah, I'll take a decent guitar through a great amp over a great guitar through a decent amp. That's for sure. I don't think any guitar would sound bad through that hand wired AC15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoeBoy Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 You only live once. I dare say you like VOX. So...................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xrleroyx Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Originally Posted by JoeBoy You only live once. I dare say you like VOX. So...................................... yolo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 you should buy this instead... you could use your QSC speaker(s) with it and be set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HanSolo Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Vox rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members twisty571 Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 You need the Fawn to match the LP!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members twisty571 Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Sweetwater has the Fawn AC30HW2 for $1599 so I would imagine you could possibly find a better deal than $1600 for the AC15HW1??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted November 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 That's with a cabinet change and a Celestion AlNiCo Blue which costs $280-300 by itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members twisty571 Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Originally Posted by honeyiscool That's with a cabinet change and a Celestion AlNiCo Blue which costs $280-300 by itself. oops just worked a 16 hour day but still you need the Fawn,would look awesome on stage with your white LP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alecto Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 If you can swing it without defaulting on your rent and being forced to live on ramen noodles, then go for it. It's better to save up for something you really want than settling for something that's just 'okay'. You end up paying less $$$$ in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 I think you might be finding out you get what you pay for. Seems to me over your time here you've slowly found out that the gear you get from the upper range of the spectrum satisfies longer than gear down in the lower end. I know that pisses people off around here...but whatever. Proof is in the pudding. Congrats on the new amp. Looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lonnie99 Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Why on earth would you need a $1600 amp? You're not a gigging musician, just a hobbyist right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Originally Posted by Lonnie99 Why on earth would you need a $1600 amp? You're not a gigging musician, just a hobbyist right? So hobbyists aren't allowed to buy nice amps? None of us "NEED" any of the {censored} we buy for guitar. None of use even 'need' a guitar in the first place. It is a luxury, no matter how much we try to convince ourselves of the 'importance' of music. We want what we want. And if he can afford to buy what he wants why should you care what he spends? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted November 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 Originally Posted by Lonnie99 Why on earth would you need a $1600 amp? You're not a gigging musician, just a hobbyist right? Well, I just came home from a pretty awesome gig but we are one of those bands that plays our own music and we are in San Diego which has a {censored}ty local scene so it's not like we actually make money from doing what we do (we do get paid for gigs but...), but we enjoy it. Moreover, I have sounds in my head and they sound a lot like that amp, and that will come in handy considering we eventually want to release an album (hopefully 2014). I consider myself a hobbyist in the sense that I don't expect music to ever pay for what I do, but I do consider it the main driving force in my life. For what that's worth. It's the songs we write that matter, and I want the stuff I have to reflect that. Originally Posted by soundcreation I think you might be finding out you get what you pay for. Seems to me over your time here you've slowly found out that the gear you get from the upper range of the spectrum satisfies longer than gear down in the lower end. I don't think that's always true. I've had guitars worth more money than the ones I have that I just didn't bond with, and some of my favorite gear was acquired very cheap. Hell, live this year, I've used a combination of a Peavey Bandit 65 and Roland Blues Cube 30 or 60, and those all together probably cost like $600 or so. But when you want that sound, sometimes a $600 amp just doesn't do it. One may question whether anybody needs that sound that everyone has gotten, but if that's what you need, that's what you need, I think.Sometimes, cheaper gear just fits my needs better. I love my Vox Pathfinder 210 stack and it's the amp that my bandmates love playing through, and it's perfect for small gigs. Though I'm retiring it soon (for a Night Train, not because the Night Train is better, but because it's sturdier), the fact of the matter is that for a year, it beat out my AC15C1. As a result, I'm never going to sell that thing.After the show today, one of my friends in my other band was wondering how I was getting a "Brian May" kind of sound, he asked whether I had a Vox. Actually, I was playing through my BC-60 with the clean channel volume maxed out, master volume at 4.5, my new Gibson with P90s, and a Boss OD-3. So apparently even with the gear I do use, that's the kind of sound I naturally gravitate toward, makes me think that it'll be fun to have a Vox sound come easily toward me. I don't really see myself dropping my Peavey and Rolands or my cheaper Voxes any time soon. I think last year, I was into guitars, and then I got pretty happy with my crop, and this year, I'm into amps. What changed, obviously, is that I've actually been gigging, and honestly, live, many of my guitars sound similar through the same amps. To be fair, I have two pickup guitars that all have outputs somewhere above a standard single coil, and their nuances get lost a bit at stage volume. But change out my amp and my entire night is completely different, so that's why I just think it's time to get exactly the crop of amps I need.I'm getting more and more happy with my set of amps, but that last missing bit is THAT Vox top boost AC30-ish sound. Without it, I feel like I'll keep searching for it. Whereas AC15C1 is just a touch away, I just feel like the HW1 gets there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted November 24, 2012 Members Share Posted November 24, 2012 I really like the night train. I've played through those AC15 Chinese made amps several times and they've always been a big disappointment. The distortion on them is just terrible in my opinion. Very lifeless. I thought the night train did a much better job of going through decent cleans to good crunch to a nice creamy distortion. Haven't tried the hand wired but like you, based on the clips they sound much much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.