Vox AC 30

[reverieman]

Where can I find a real Vox AC-30 these days? and how much do they usually run?

 

[Light]

Well, they only just stoped making the hand wired AC30 HW (or is it HH). You MIGHT be able to find one of those, but the most likely place would be a vintage guitar and amp place. Myself, I would try Willie's American Guitars in St. Paul, but that's mostly because I know those guys pretty well. There are a bunch of other similar places you can try.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Big Kenny]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vox-AC30-ac-30-...ryZ38077QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[spoonie g]

being that you said "real," I'm assuming you are aware of the new custom classics? Try ebay for an older one if that's what you're inferring, I suppose.

 

[Vullkunnraven]

I just bought the reissue with the celestion blue's in them and it sounds pretty sweet!!! It was a good buy for $1600 considering that the old vintage 'real' ones were $3500 plus (even on ebay). But vintage amp shops are perfect for that!

 

[Brian_MAy]

I hear the new reissue AC30's sound okay, but have some overall technical problems, if you don't find an affordable "real" AC30 the VOX valvetronix series can reproduce the sound of an AC30 pretty well with the addition of a variety of other sounds. But if you absolutley want the true sound of an AC30 than ebay is probably going to be your only chance.

 

[hixmix]

http://www.voxtalks.com

 

[spoonie g]

I hear the new reissue AC30's sound okay, but have some overall technical problems, if you don't find an affordable "real" AC30 the VOX valvetronix series can reproduce the sound of an AC30 pretty well with the addition of a variety of other sounds. But if you absolutley want the true sound of an AC30 than ebay is probably going to be your only chance.

aye. valvetronix sucks compared the real thing though.

 

[qiktune]

http://www.voxshowroom.com/northcoast/

Gary at Northcoast is a good guy to deal with....

http://www.voxtalks.com/

.....or you could join the VT brotherhood!

 

[qiktune]

oops!

Just realised hixmix had already posted the link to VT.

 

[Scinx]

http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/t/8881/0

Id take a look at that before jumping on a "reissue"

 

[edgarallanpoe]

I know you said "real" but in all honesty, there are boatloads of booteeeek makers that make a version of the AC30. I have owned several, including vintage ones, and while they may sound amazing, they are a total pain in the ass to keep going. Poor heat dispensation, cheap parts, and poor design all contribute to the AC30 being a nightmare of dependability. I see from your name that you are a huge Brian May/ Queen fan. So am I. I would stay away from the new ones. I know I will get flamed for this but it is the truth. They sound great, but good luck keeping them running...*especially* if you gig. If you don't gig, then I have no idea where you will play an AC30 at the volumes needed to get that magical sound. Unless, of course you enjoy playing on 10 in your living room.

The better option would be to go with one of the *many* small builders who will give you all of the Vox sound without the Vox woes. Several names come to mind.

Matchless
Bad Cat
Dr. Z
Fargen Amplification
etc....etc...

Go here and pose the same question...these guys know their shit and will steer you right.

http://thegearpage.net

BTW...I play in a cover band that plays several Queen songs and I can nail his tone with an EL34 Fargen Bordeaux and a Foxrox TZF flanger in the effects loop....and I do mean *nail* it. We play Keep yourself alive, We will rock you, Seven seas, I want it all, and Tie your mother down. The secret is not the Vox, it is the Flanger and the only one I have heard nail the tone is the TZF.

http://www.foxroxelectronics.com/

 

[qiktune]

I disagree with ed....gigged with my 1966 JMI AC30 for 5 years and it never skipped a beat. I replaced the valves once but that was just prior to me switching to playing bass and the amp's been sitting gathering dust ever since.

 

[donkeystyle]

I disagree with ed....gigged with my 1966 JMI AC30 for 5 years and it never skipped a beat. I replaced the valves once but that was just prior to me switching to playing bass and the amp's been sitting gathering dust ever since.

i may be wrong, but I think ed was talking about the custom classics, not the vintage ones.

 

[qiktune]

My apologies to ed if I misunderstood....

 

[edgarallanpoe]

i may be wrong, but I think ed was talking about the custom classics, not the vintage ones.

Exactly. Thank you for the clarification. In all honesty, the vintage ones aren't exactly bastions of reliability either. LOL Their problem is much different than the newer ones though. The main thing with the vintage ones were that the Class A design of the power section tends to be very hard on tubes, and the EL84 isn't exactly a powerhouse tube. This caused the tubes to blow and sometimes take things with them. This is still an issue with Class A EL84 amps, my 1993 Matchless did the same thing every once in a while.

I will say it again...you get that flanger and run it in a quality amps effects loop and you get instant May tones. It needs to be in a loop though, it doesn't do well running into the front of an amp unless you are running a fuzz or your dirt box before it in the chain.