Product: Vox AC30 HH
Price Paid: british pounds 595
Submitted
12/28/2008
at
11:01am
by
james lennox
Features
:
8
Vox AC30 Handwired Head
Made In China (2007 or 2008)
Cream tolex
2 channels (1963 topboost & 1958 EF86)
30/15 watts (Pentode/Triode)
High & Low Gain Inputs
Channel Features:
1963 Top Boost: Volume, Bass, Treble
1958 EF86: Volume, Brilliance (0,1 & 2)
No reverb
No tremolo
No Master Volume
Valves are:
4 x EL84s
3 x 12AX7s
1 x GZ34 (rectifier)
1 x EF86
I would like a reverb and tremolo and sometimes i wish the amp had a master volume. It is far too loud to gig in small venues.
Sound Quality
:
8
This amp is pretty versitle. The cleans are magnificant. This isn't a totally clean amp but personally i don't like sterile clean tones. The amp can produce a fair bit of drive but it is ridiculously loud at this point. The clean tones are loud enough for a basic band situation. I use the Top Boost channel exclusively. The EF86 channel sounds boring to my ears. I play 60s style guitar like the early rolling stones, some 12-string jangle pop stuff too which this amp is great for. Overdriven, this amp can cover blues to really rockin' 90s indie sounds like Oasis etc. Through a 4x12" cabinet it is brilliant sounding. I usually use a standard open-backed vox 2x12" cabinet with Celestion Alnico Blues which sound amazing. I sometimes find the higher gain settings a bit fizzy compared to a marshall or an orange which use EL34 valves to produce tight crunch. The vox sounds more loose. The top boost knob decreases the unwanted ultra-high frequencies which i find useful. depending on what guitar i use i usually have it set at 12 o'clock.
Overall, I love this amp. It has lovely warm but shimmering clean tones as well as great overdriven tones. I would prefer more clean headroom and built-in reverb but i guess its less to go wrong.
Reliability
:
10
The amp has never broken. Touch wood. I'm aware of the fact that vox's reputation has been tarnished over the years but i find that any amp should prove reliable if looked after properly. It is solidly built. I have no quality issues with this amp.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
I haven't had to deal with customer support.
Overall Rating
:
9
Overall, great amp. If you want an AC30 with a clearer clean tones get the custom classic rather than this amp. You also get reverb and tremolo. If you want a better sounding amp overall get this one.
