Artists who used the VOX AC30?

[GAS Man]

Speaking of which -Tribute to Hank Marvin and the Shadows

 

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and possibly my fave off of that album - Peter Green still has it.

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http://www.amazon.com/Twang-Tribute-Hank-Marvin-Shadows/dp/B00004S9AX/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1289156507&sr=8-2-catcorr

[EllenGtrGrl]

 

(I had an elderly piggyback model in the late 1970s, bought from Johnny Guitar, then of Count Bishops, later in Dr Feelgood, when he 'traded up' to a Marshall -- but foolishly sold it in late 1980 because I wanted a 'modern', 'contemporary' sound. Bought a Peavey Deuce -- hey! Channel switching! Built-n phaser! -- in a serious fit of the stupids. Wish I (a) knew where it was now and (b) could afford to buy it back.) (The AC30, I mean ... couldn't give a flying one where that cheasey Peavey is now.)

 

 

I know the feeling Charles. I did the same thing in early 1990, with a Rivera era, Fender Princeton Reverb II. I needed something "louder", and I figured that 6V6 tubes were getting hard to find. I took me about 15 years or so, but I eventually realized my stupidity. That amp had fantastic cleans, and coud do great dirt tones! Of course nowadays, Rivera era Fender amps, are going for stupid money. But I got lucky 3 days ago. I got my hands on a Fender Champ 25 SE for chump change. IMO it has the same vibe soundwise, but even moreso, than my old Princeton Reverb II. And it uses 2, 6V6s for 25 watts of power. THIS time, I'm not going to be so dumb!

[Angry Tele]

re 1970s vox

 

Page said in an interview from 1977 that he wanted to use 4 ac30s for Zep live because they sounded good but they werent loud enough to get over the top of Bonham so he ditched the idea.

 

But, this begs the question that late 70s vox were good sounding and quality amps right?

[Minnie The Moocher]

(I had an elderly piggyback model in the late 1970s, bought from Johnny Guitar, then of Count Bishops, later in Dr Feelgood, when he 'traded up' to a Marshall -- but foolishly sold it in late 1980 because I wanted a 'modern', 'contemporary' sound. Bought a Peavey Deuce -- hey! Channel switching! Built-n phaser! -- in a serious fit of the stupids. Wish I (a) knew where it was now and (b) could afford to buy it back.) (The AC30, I mean ... couldn't give a flying one where that cheasey Peavey is now.)

 

Well, I have nearly the same story, about a piggyback AC30 too:

 

 

Me around '79, and the piggyback behind me -I foolishly sold it for peanuts (well, bought it for peanuts too). A bit later, I bought a '63 AC15 dirt cheap and luckily it's still mine .

[Rick 381]

 

(I had an elderly piggyback model in the late 1970s, bought from Johnny Guitar, )

 

 

Johnny "Guitar" Byrne of Rory Storm and The Hurricanes fame?

[Rick 381]

 

re 1970s vox Page said in an interview from 1977 that he wanted to use 4 ac30s for Zep live because they sounded good but they werent loud enough to get over the top of Bonham so he ditched the idea. But, this begs the question that late 70s vox were good sounding and quality amps right?

 

 

My AC-30 is a 78 and I have no complaints. It's held up well over the years. Some hate the circuit board chassis but mine has never given me any problems.

[tlbonehead]

re 1970s vox Page said in an interview from 1977 that he wanted to use 4 ac30s for Zep live because they sounded good but they werent loud enough to get over the top of Bonham so he ditched the idea. But, this begs the question that late 70s vox were good sounding and quality amps right?

did he say he was talking about new Voxes specifically?

[csm]

 

sorry to stray OT, but i was wondering what the "good" years for an ac30 are? how do the new ones stack up against the old ones?

 

 

'Good' years? Any original '60s all-tube UK-made AC30 -- blonde or blue, combo or piggyback -- is Holy Grail, doubly so if it's a Top Boost model. Approach ANY solid-state Vox -- especially the US-made 'Thomas Organ' series -- with caution.

 

With the later ones -- be they UK-made or Chinese -- the tubier the better. The A30CCs have a good rep.

 

Exception: the original Mk 1 Valvetronix AD120VT, which actually sounds better than many of the solid-state things various holders of the rights to the Vox name and livery have released over the years.

 

The current management seem to know what they're doing.

[TheKrabsman]

Hitler

[Brian May]

I have a 2001 AC30/6TB TBX (w/blue speakers) and a current 2010 AC30C2 with Greenbacks..and well for general all round use in a covers band the new one IS BETTER. The purists will argue that..but I own both and am firm in my belief on that one! The new ones are simply more versatile and user friendly. Its normal channel isnt as bassy and dull sounding as the TBX's. The top boost channel is the one most people would enjoy on an AC30 but for replicating Brian May on the TBX I have with treble booster in front of the NORMAL CHANNEL and my Red Special replica pretty much nails that magic tone of Brian May. LOUD though!! I also have a Mango Attenuator that I've used with it most of the time when in the band as full on its too loud to run flat out and there's not much of a trade off in tone as long as you dont attenuate to house playing levels. For loudish band volumes its great.

 

AC30's break up around halfway and basically they dont get much that much louder after that anyway...they just distort and compress more! Which is were their magic lies! Yummy tone!!

 

So in a band getting to halfway isnt that hard....and clean headroom isnt what AC30's are good at - for that you want a 100w Marshall or a Hi Watt or perhaps a Fender Twin.

[Brian May]

 

sorry to stray OT, but i was wondering what the "good" years for an ac30 are? how do the new ones stack up against the old ones?

 

 

I have just seen your post after making a post. I own 2 modern AC30's - 2001 TBX made in UK in the Marshall factory to the exact same circuits as the old ones albeit on a PCB...and it sounds great. The new 2010 AC30C2 sounds just as good if not better to my ears as the older one i have. However the purists will still say the old ones from the 60's/early 70's are better. Now granted they were handwired back then - so in that regard they are better. But tonally I dont hear anything in the older AC30's and on records that both mine cant do. Just the new AC30C2 can do that and more besides. The new ones though do have modern features and this is were the purists maybe are against them - master volume, FX loop (true bypass tho!!) reverb...and things the purists wont be wanting to accept..however the reverb if you dont want it on dial it off! The FX loop is true bypass so isnt sucking tone when its switched out with its on/off switch. and the master volume well, that for most is a plus but again if you keep the channel volume low enough so its clean and just wind up the master it sounds just like the older ones anyway. So IMO apart from the handwired aspect of the older ones the new ones are better in every other way. They still can sound pretty much the same as the older ones and just do more besides. Watch the demo vids on youtube of the new AC30's and AC15's and tell me that isnt classic vox tone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Doctor49]

 

The Edge has allegedly used the same AC30 on stage since the late 1970s. He must have a great amp tech on the payroll to keep that thing healthy.

 

 

he does. They refer to it as George Washington's ax....three new heads and five new handles but still the original ax. Edge reckons probably only the grille is original now. Hyperbole.

[Angry Tele]

 

did he say he was talking about new Voxes specifically?

 

 

You used vox with The Yardbirds?

 

"AC 30s. They

[tlbonehead]

 

You used vox with The Yardbirds?   "AC 30s. They

[Angry Tele]

what about the ac50 heads?

[Angry Tele]

dude, these crepe soled black boat shoes are awesome

 

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[civicbud]

Both guitarists from Thrice use Vox AC30s now, as does Tom and David from Angels and Airwaves/blink-182.

[onelife]

Ritchie Blackmore used a 335 and an AC30 up to and including the early Purple days before switching to the more iconic Strat/Marshall combo.

[Ozcar]

Don't forget Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple for recording.

[jtr654]

Yardbirds Ritchie Blackmore.