Has anybody played through one of these before? I've heard that the AC30 is a great amp, but I haven't heard much on this version. I don't know a whole lot about amps, either, and have only just recently started looking at Vox.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_vox_ac30cc2_30w_2x12_custom_classic_combo?full_sku=103130704

I've only putzed around a bit on a AC30 Custom Classic, in a store, not enough to say anything coherent about it. But the reviews I read are very good. It's got some more bells-and-whistles compared to the classic reissue model, but the main difference is that it's now made in China, not the UK.

I'm a big fan of AC30s. I have a 2001 AC30 with Celestion Blue speakers. I sometimes use it for gigs with the Madeira (in fact, I used it for the Indy gig in March). I ALWAYS record with a Fender amp AND an AC30 - did it back in the days of the Space Cossacks, and did it again with the Madeira - and will do it again later this year. I like the combination of the two kinds of amps. Fenders have a tight, aggressive bottom end that I love, while the AC30s have a looser, less focused bottom end. However, whereas the Fender treble can be a bit harsh and biting, the AC30 treble response is a thing of beauty - very smooth and fat sounding. Fender amps are also pretty thin in the mids, and much of the AC30 action is in the mids. All in all, I think they complement each other well.

The only US surf guitarist that uses an AC30, to my knowledge, is Dave Wronski - but only when recording, and in combination with several Fender amps. AC30s are used a bit more often in European surf bands. I know that Mikko Lankinen of Laika & the Cosmonauts has used an AC30 since at least Instruments of Terror. The lead guitarist of Langhorns from Sweden gets some gorgeous, complex tones out of an AC30. Dalibor Pavicic of the Bambi Molesters has I believe mostly abandoned his Fender amps for a vintage AC30 live in the last couple of years. We'll see what he uses for the next album. In the olden days, the Atlantics started using an AC30 (leaving behind their '63 Bandmaster) for lead guitar circa mid-to-late '64, on their third album, The Explosive Sound of the... They've used an all-AC30 lineup for all of their modern (post-'99) recordings.

Finally, I should mention that though they're rated at 30W, they're surprisingly loud. Not quite as loud as a Showman or a Twin, but pretty darn close. The Celestion Blue speakers are amazingly sensitive, making the amp super loud. Oh, I believe that the ONLY speaker for an AC30 is the alnico Celestion Blue. The original and still the best. However, they're expensive as hell!

Hope that helps a bit. I do love my AC30, and can strongly recommend one...
Ivan

Ivan
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I don't know much about the new ones, but I've owned a couple in the past. Also, Pete, the other guitarist in The Pashuns uses one and knows just about everything about them. His sounds great, but he done loads of mods to it (including taking the blue speakers out ... gasp!) ......As I say - don't know about the new ones , but my experience of the old ones is that I have never heard two that sound the same. Also, there were many, many different versions throughout the years and there is a lot of difference between the sound of a 'straight' model and a top-boost one.

Probably the classic clean sound of the AC30 is The Beatles sound .. slightly boxey and middly but powerful and with a hint of aggression in the upper mids. Definitely a lot different to the Fender sound.

The reason I got rid of both the ones I had was that they weren't loud enough to stay clean above the volume of our drummer - but he was younger then haha...

http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns

Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.

http://www.jmiamplification.com/h1.htm

these were recently reviewed by a guitar mag as better and 'more vox' than the new vox amps.

I dont remember which mag and the price, just remember the name and that they were very positive. I can dig it up for you if you want, it was recent.

dont know anything about vox or these amps though, just thought I'd share the info.

WR

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/

I test drove one and it sounded great. really good reverb and tremolo.
The only thing bad Ive read is that somebody said the tubes they stock from china are no good or not that good at least.

WR
http://www.jmiamplification.com/h1.htmthese were recently reviewed by a guitar mag as better and 'more vox' than the new vox amps.

WOW!! I didn't know about this. But they look AMAZING!!! I can't believe they are making the 1961 TV-front/4-input version - that's like the freakin' Holy Grail!!! (And I LOVE all the Shadows references in there!) I'll have to check these out a bit more. Thanks so much for posting.

WR
I dont remember which mag and the price, just remember the name and that they were very positive. I can dig it up for you if you want, it was recent.

I'd love to see it, if possible.

Here's an Indiana-made, handwired version of an AC30 that is quite affordable. A friend of mine has this amp, and we compared my AC30 reissue to his Hayseed, and they sounded really close - and both sounded amazing.
http://www.valvetechamps.com/home.htm

JohnnyMosrite
Ivan... maybe you could lend a hand here.. should I avoid the Chinese made and search out a UK made AC30? I'll stick with your speaker suggestion. Is one point to point wiring(UK?) as opposed to a circuit board(which is probably all the Chinese know)?

Like I said, the new Chinese made ones are getting really good reviews. Their features seem pretty cool, too. But the UK-made reissues are about as authentic as possible (without being handwired). Korg bought Vox in '92, and had their Marshall experts go through and fix all the incorrect details on the AC30. The reissues made from '93 until about '05 (or whenever they were replaced with the Custom Classic line and discontinued) are really good amps, and I would highly recommend them. And yes, I'd probably recommend getting one of those over the new Chinese made ones, but only cause I'm a bit of a snob and I'd like the truer reissue (the original ones are so freakin' expensive anymore it's outrageous).

BTW, both the UK-made and Chinese-made AC30s have PC-boards. Vox did issue a very limited edition handwired AC30 a couple of years ago, but it was something like $2500-3000. But if you can swing it, go for it!

Johnny Mosrite
Also my local GC in NYC has these older vintage Vox combo amps (not sure of the model but about the size of an AC30 combo) that come with a transformer for U.S. current - i.e. they were strictly UK made and marketed. Maybe these would give me a leg up on the AC30 sound?? The tab is about the same as for a new AC30 - around $1200.00-$1500.00

I must plead ignorance about this. I have no idea which model you're talking about.

Ivan

Ivan
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Surfgitar called me the lead guitarist, I beg to differ....I've been playing a Chinese AC 30 for about a year now (traded a vintage twin for it) and love the tone, cool thing about it is you can defeat the EQ section for more of a classic sound, but it also gives you enough knobs to play with, if you are going after your own. Its the most conservatively rated 30 watt amp I have ever run into, lots of headroom for clean and loud.

www.cutbacksurfband.com

surfer
Surfgitar called me the lead guitarist, I beg to differ....I've been playing a Chinese AC 30 for about a year now (traded a vintage twin for it) and love the tone, cool thing about it is you can defeat the EQ section for more of a classic sound, but it also gives you enough knobs to play with, if you are going after your own. Its the most conservatively rated 30 watt amp I have ever run into, lots of headroom for clean and loud.

Well class A watts always come off louder sounding than A/B.

How does the volume compare to the twin? Tonally how does it compare? I've only played AC30's are store volumes but I wonder how the low-end response is....spank and twang vs. chime and jangle I guess.

Thanks a lot for the info, all. This has been quite an interesting read. And WR, those JMI amps do look great. The JMI 30/4 and TV 30/4 in particular. That may be worth really looking into.

IvanP

Occam
How does the volume compare to the twin? Tonally how does it compare? I've only played AC30's are store volumes but I wonder how the low-end response is....spank and twang vs. chime and jangle I guess.

Ummmm, I wrote about exactly these things just a few posts up!

Somehow I missed that