Vox AC30

This AC-30 is one of the last of the British-built units - circa 2001 or 2002. I own several amps, but this one is my pride and joy. I use it both for concert performance and recording. The AC-30 is a loud amp. Not "Twin Reverb" loud, but loud nevertheless. The feature set is basic - volume & tone controls, vibrato, etc. No single amp does "everything", but this unit, if only because of it's sound, can be used for everything but heavey metal.

The Bulldog Alnicos make this amp the most musical to my ears. Sweet saturation at upper volumes, and semi-clean & melodic at lower levels. I waited years to own one of these. My songwriting style is a mix of R&B, jazz, and folk-rock, so this amp pretty much fills the bill. Driven at high volume, the saturation is very rich and fluid. You could easily use it for SRV blues. At mid volume, plug a Rick-12 into it, and you're in Beatleville. At 25-35% volume, plug in an L-4, and you can jam with Wes Montgomery.

Vox has had their problems over the years. Now, with China building their products, who the hell knows??? I can tell you that I baby this amp, padded cover... the works. I purchased the Vox in 2004. So far... no problems. I should add it's see only light road duty. I have a Peavey Valve King that I use for general work, which performs very well as the day-in, day-out workhorse. The AC-30? it's a "keeper".

Haven't sought support yet.

I'm older than dirt, and was playing guitar before the Beatles appeared on the scene. Besides the Vox and the Valve King, I own a Crate Palomino, and a Fishman Loudbox for my acoustic work.

If the Vox were stolen - don't know that I could afford to replace it - yet another reason I don't take it out much. I might go for a Super Reverb, if I couldn't have the Vox. Wouldn't be the same, but a 'Super' is a very musical amp as well.

The only thing I DON'T like about the amp is the weight. At 75lbs you feel it at the end of the night, when you're loading out. Otherwise, it's everything I look for in an amp. Don't believe in rating any product as "10", but I'll rate this unit a 9+. To my ear, it is simply the best.

I play a 1983 Vox AC30 with it's original Fane speakers i had heard very little about this Vox. I have tried and bought numerous Voxs ranging from 1964-2008 and have to say that i was blown away by the sound of this Vox. It has all the mids, highs and lows you'd expect from a 60's vox only this Vox is less tired sounding, The reverb channel is exceptional it is like no other reverb I've ever heard.

I use a Tele with Lollar pickups it is extremely quiet on stage and when turned up to a loud volume that beautiful Vox overdrive kicks in! I play all sorts of music Blues,Rock,pop,country,indie,classical,jazz and folk and i can tell you that this amp compliments it all! It has a very unique sound that i feel Vox has lost over the years :(

I've only had the amp for a month but it sounds solid and has been well looked after so I'm sure it'll be absolutely fine, i understand Voxs so i know what to listen out for if there is a prob.

I've been playing for 10years and i can honestly say that if this amp was stolen or lost i'de make it my long lost mission to find the same one because these aren't easy to find let me tell you and it sounds like nothing else. Vox!!

Probably 1970 made, but I am not sure of the exact year could be 1967. Very good condition. Build in England, VOX Sound ltd. It has 6 channels, 1x brilliant, 2x normal, 2x vib and 1 channel is devoted for a reverb knob... now that could give an idea for the real age, if anyone knows your most welcome to help.
I was looking for a new made AC30, but luckily I found this one through a connection. Even though it hasn???t the original alnico's it has its great Vox tone that I want to hear and write my songs on. I am more in to alternative rock, indie to punk music. So the clean tone (slightly muddy) and powered tone makes me go on playing till I finish the hunger on it, it is great, fantastic and knowing the age while I play makes me feel good. I mostly use the amp in my home studio and on recordings; don???t want to carry it to venues or stages, but who knows? 10 for the features, for a 40 year old that came a long way.

I use a Strat and an SG, the amp response clearly differentiates on both and I like that. It suits my music great, very satisfying. But I also use fender blues amp for lower power tones, coz you really need to power up the VOX to get what you want from the tubes, considering a home studio facts that sometimes can be annoying for the band set-up.
It is not noisy, its just crystal clean. I use Carl Martin Plexitone pre-amp if I want a distorted sound, while both being linked gives an amazing cranked and a rich brutal sound, can feel all highs and lows. But rather play the guitars raw.
I also use my Guild D40 acoustic guitar on it, at a normal input it is as brilliant as an acoustic amp, just drop the bass and lift the treble several notches, then you are ok.

You know what; this thing came out of a volcano and turned in to a rock, it???s that solid, even its handles havent streached since years. I can depend on this 40 year old another 40 :))
In a gig I am using it with the Fender blues, cleans to the Vox, in other cases both parallel. The amp hasn???t broken down on me yet. But like I said I prefer not to carry this gem too much around since it is a heritage amp.

I really dont know the support in Turkey, but found out several technical people who enjoy their jobs with the Vox. Plus I think for an old amp such as, can you really think you can find a person at the call centers?

I have been a guitar player since 20 years; I write songs and do the vocals at our band. I am not a lead player, but as a front man I use the guitars. I have several guitars (electro and acoustic), with the Vox AC30 I get what I want, brit rock, grung and semi-punk. I love the looks, the strong construction, and the great Vox sound and enjoy the feeling that I am one of those lucky guys who has one of these amps.
I it was stolen I would be hurt, knowing that I wont find the same amp ever.


I enjoy the connection with the audience,

New VOX AC30CC2, current day standard.

This is British rock defined, a sound that's just amazing. I have an Epiphone Nighthawk so it has a varitey of pick-up options and with it i can get everything from Blackmore to Page and when used with a Fuzz Face...My god, fat sound heaven.

I've only had it for a week so i can't comment.

Being a basic amp you have to love it or leave it, personally i love it's sound more than any other amp but without effects is a very basic amp indeed.

To be honest though i love it for it's basic nature, i think that's what rock music is all about.

My ac30 is a 1962/64 im unsure of which. It is probably the most basic of the vox designs. it has six inputs 2x each brilliant,normal and vib trem. i find the way i use it ,with all 3 channels linked, you can get get great tone variation and width. I play alot of 60s style surf and pop so it suits that brilliantly, but i also like to crank it on occasions which is fantastic the best i've ever heard. i find the no nonsense controls are all you need! the later ones dont sound right this is the true ac30 sound!
it doesent have the original blues in it but they rarely do. i have two 15 watt celeston greenbacks in it and sounds very crisp. the covering and the logo has gone, some fool decided it wasnt needed but it has character thats the main thing.

there is alot of variety in the tones, but this all depends on how load you are ( the only way in my opinion ). but you can get several excellent tones from surf to zepplin really. the distortion is rich and dynamic and the feedback is beutiful the harmonics it produces are fantastic you can play the feedback its ace!
i find it sounds best with p-90s as they really drive it nicely i have an old sheraton to and thats great for a crisp almost bb king tone.

i depend quite heavily on this amp and so far it has always devivered.
although my valves could do with changing there glowing blue at the minute (not good)for a 40 year old amp its doing well. better than most modern valvestaty things anyway.

what its from the 1960s the man that ran the phones is probably dead.

i have an old selmer 50 watt bass/lead and a 100 watt marshall super bass stack, but out of all of them this is by far the best. if it was stolen i would hunt that person down and kill them its not replacable.
i love almost everything about it except it weighs 5 tonnes, but its worth it. the only thing i can compare it to is another ac30, i wish i could clone it . buy one if its cheap enough!

Year 1970-80?. I don't know...multiple input but not channel switching.
2 12' speaker. It has too much power for play alone and not enough power to play with a hard drummer. Big, heavy and not very loud.

I use a 57 strat reissue.
It can make only one type of sound between blues and beat.
But tha sound is always muddy. Not fender clean, not marshall rock, only medium crunch at high level. At low level is as someone put it in a carton box.
With other amp, also with little solid state amp my guitar has ringing and quack sound. I think this amp is not for my guitar. I had another guitar, a Les Paul and the sound is better, similar British Blues.
With this my strat....not even go in feedback... also if i put guitar in front of amp!

I think this amp has only a weak point: the tube are el84 and is better if you carry replacement tube with you.
In 2 years i change 2 valve.

I play from 30 years. I pass many type of amp. I have sold it years ago.
Not for my style and not for my gig.

This amp is one of the earliest ones made. It sounded great from the start, but blew two rectifier tubes right off the bat. I use the amp at least three times a week, so I was a little concerned with reliability. (have to carry a Blues Jr. for back up)

I changed the tubes to Russian tubes and improved the tone tremendously. I play blues and was a little concerned about loosing the tone I need,but the first time I plugged in my 335, I was surprised. The Celestion blue speakers sound better than any others I've had in the past.

Couldn't depend on it until I made some mods. Put in Russian tubes, extended the speaker wires (to facilitate head removal) Still carry a Blues Jr. as a back up

Korg sent me a 5AR4 tube after I complained about blowing two in 90 days! Ya-hoo!

Been playing for 40 years. Also own a Fender Blues Jr., Leslie. (had all of my gear stolen in 1997 and had to start over).Guitars are: Gibson ES335, 50th Anniv. Strat,85 Japanese re-issue Strat, Telecaster with Wilkinson pickups.I use a Tube screamer, Hendrix Wah,Big Muff and Danelectro Delay pedal. If I had to do over again, I would spend the extra money and get a Marshall Bluesbreaker.

The amp is a bit of a Frankenstein???s monster, the case and speakers were from my original 65 non top boost, which died in a very spectacular way many years ago. The chassis was bought from eBay recently, its an early 60s model. It has been modified with a standby switch and the vibrato does not work. The control plate has been stripped off it to fit the standby switch so as you can imagine in its flight cased case it dose not look too good. To be honest I don't mind that it has a sort of working man's amp vibe. It has all the rest of the standard 6 inputs and the like.

Its as good as I remeber. What ever guitar I throw I plug into it just sing. The clean sound through the normal channal on my les paul has what they call the classic VOX chimmy sound, and when its cranked it roars. Strats and tele's just sound fantastic, it just complemetents everything. Although not channal switching, an AB box into the Normal and bright channals allow for big volume changes making it very versitle, and with the right dirt box infront you can get very heavy and mean.

OK its a 40+ year old amp reliability is always going to be an issue, as I mentioned my original died in a very spectacular way, and too be honest it was not the first time it failed. So a backup at a gig, I doubt I would ever take it too a gig, I have a THD Bivalve for that, great sound and reliability guaranteed.

Well Jennings is no more so not really an option

This is not the sort of thing you can replace so this is not an option. I have collected a huge ammount of eqipment over the years, far to much to list and at the moment this is the star of the show.

This AC30 was a rental amp for a gig in New York City, on the riverfront, playing guitar with Rodney Crowell. This was one of the new AC30s, not exactly a reissue, but rather an all tube 2 12 Vox with Celestion Blue speakers, and instead of the traditional AC30 "one channel at a time" setup, these new ones have channel switching and mini switches on the back for alleged "versatility". This amp crapped out quick! I am hearing the same thing about the new AC15s. The discontinued AC15 and AC30 reissues, although circuit board based amps, sounded great and seem to be pretty darn reliable.

It sounded good until it crapped out! Since it took no time at all for this brand new amp to die, I'm giving it a one.

Did not even get me through the first few notes of sound check.

Tried to contact Vox once, through Korg, but never could get anyone.

I have been playing for 32 years.
I use silver face fenders, Dr Z Maz 18, and pawnshop delights like Airlines and Silvertones.
Play Gretsch, Fenders, Gibsons.
Use a few pedals, looper, not too much on the floor.
Overall, I'd say---WHY DID VOX DISCONTINUE A PERFECTLY FINE MODERATELY PRICED LINE OF REISSUES AND START MAKING THIS JUNK?! ARE THEY INSANE?

I just bought a VOX AC30 cc2 2x12 with GSh12-30 speakers.

The AMP has two channels:
1x Normal - and 1x Top Boost channel
It is quit a basic AMP with some tremelo/reverb features
It unfortunately has NO headphone jack

I use this AMP mainly in small music bars. So the 30 watts offer enough power.

I mostly play blues/funk/soul/jazz stuff. The AMP is certainly versatile enough.

So this AMP doesn't offer a lot of features, but what it does, it does best: producing that warm/sparkling sound I need!

I use a custom made "Strat-a-kind" guitar, made of solid ash with a maple neck. The three pickups:
Neck : Seymour Duncan Fender Vintage
Middle : Seymour Duncan Fender Vintage
Bridge : Seymore Duncon Screaming Daemon (George Lynch)
So it is obvious my guitar offers a lot of attack of its own. In combination with the warm sound of the AMP it is just good.
To boost up the sound I use a Fulltone OCD overdrive (GREAT). And to enhance the sound when needed I also use a H2O Chorus/Delay and a Dunlop Cry Baby. That's all.
As mentioned, I mostly play blues/funk/soul/jazz stuff.

Don't know yet. I just have the AMP for three days. I hope to submit my experience after, let's say a year.

Don't know yet. I just have the AMP for three days. I hope to submit my experience after, let's say a year.

In comparison with my former AMP, a Line6 Spider, a world of difference. Why did I ever bought the Line6 ?????
I've been playing for over 30 years now. I've played on Fender Twin reverb-, Sessionette-, Music Man- and lately Line6 AMPS. But I never had this feeling right away after hearing/playing the first tones on an AMP.
So at this point I'm really pleased and very excited with my VOX AC30!!