Vox AC50-II

This amp has 2 simple channels with volume, bass and trble with high and low impedance inputs on both. That's it. So no bells and whistles here folks, but this model amp which was only made up to 1964, (after that they exchanged the valve rectifier for a solid state rectifier and it became the AC-50/4) has the only feature that realy counts....big fat tone....and it has so much of it that all my other great amps (including other vintage vox's, fenders and marshalls) are starting to gather dust. It is the most versitile amp I've ever owned thus the high features rating.

I use this amp with Telecasters excluisivley. I use about 15 pedals all plugged into TheGigRig pedal switching system then into the AC50/2 head. I have a vox reissue cab with 2x12" Fane Alnico's (which looks so cool cause their blue but they are rated at 8 ohms 100 watts each and sound brilliant). I play about 3-4 nights a week in a covers band so the musical styles I need this amp to cover is HUGE. So how does it rate? (I'll try as hard as I can to be objective). For me and what I do, this is the best amp I've ever heard. I do have other great amps that all sound great at certain things, but they don't compare for versatility, unadulterated tone and character. This all translates into a joyous playing experience. So lets get a bit specific. I can't believe this amp is only 50 watts. The amount of headroom is ridiculous. (you do need the right speakers and cab to appreciate this fully). It has that VOX sound, but it's not an AC30. A big part of the 30's tone is from the EL84 valves, and of course, the AC50 has EL34's. BUT!! do not let that put you off. You get alot more headroom with this amp which makes it so dynamic. Using the right pedals it rocks like nothing else but the clean tone is spectacular.
If your looking for an AC50, do make sure you get this version, the /2. I believe a large part of the tone is the GZ34 rectifier valve. The way this has been designed has the rec valve operating at the edge of it's limits, which is why they replaced it at the end of 64 with a solid state rectifier, but in my opinion, this change robs the tone of a bit of it's character.
The way you dial your tone in is a bit wierd. The tone controls are very interactive, and give you a vast array of useable (and unuseable) tones, but when you find the right spot, Oh Lordy!!!

The way the rectifier has been designed to operate at its limit does make this amp unreliable. To have any degree of roadworthyness you need to spend the money on a great, (not just good) rectifier valve. I've settled on a N.O.S. Mullard. When the rec valve goes, you'll have all sorts of probs and your mains fuse will start blowing. I used to take along a spare head to gigs, and in the beggining, I had to use it a couple of times, but since I replaced the rec valve with the Mullard I've had no probs and have been using it with no spare, but I don't know if this is wisdom or optimism.

You'll realy have to search to find one of these, but the AC50/2 is easily the best value for money vintage amp on the market at the moment. This won't last long and undoubtedly the price will rise dramaticaly. I've been playing profesionaly for about 15 years now, and in all that time I've spent more money than I care to remember and tried a stupid number of new and old amps looking for a tone to call my own. This is the one. It's all here. My wife is so pleased.

This is a pretty basic amp, no fancy bells and whsitles, but it really doesn't need them! 2 Channels; normal and brilliant, both with high and low impedance inputs Two band EQ on both channels, seem to behave a bit odd, but still work well. Valves used are 4 ECC81 but in mine they've been replaced by ECC83 which have higher gain. The power amp stage is two push-pull EL34, as used in Marshall amps. Can take various mains voltages from 250 downwards. It has very few features, so really I should rate this section 1, but you really don't need them as this amp is just so versatile, so I'm going to give it 10! I did think that reverb would be nice, but it just doesn't need it, the sound is already so fat! The power connector is a 3-pin Bulgin which are pretty much impossible to get in England now, managed to find one in Doncaster and made my own power lead for it. Be prepared to go all round the country to find a connector for it!

The way you get distortion is by overdriving the power amp, by which time your ears have long since given up! But the sound is awesome! It's soooo fat! There's stacks of volume, starts to break up nicely at about 7 or 8, sounds EXACTLY like the distortion used on "Come Together" by The Beatles on Abbey Road, well, they did use this amp on that album so it may well be what they used! The clean sound is just so amazing, so clean, crisp and clear, yet the bass strings come out soooo FAT and CHUNKY! Been trying to get the Brian May sound, but I think that's pretty much impossible unless you have his guitar, and can play like him! It is such an amazing vintage sound, and very distinct from other amps. This is THE amp you want if you want that fat and chunky sound that The Beatles had! It's kinda funny in a way that there's so much compression, yet responds so much to your playing style; if you play quiet then it sounds quiet, but if you really whack your guitar then it deafens you! I use a Daneletro FabTone for distortion, which is already a fat sound, and a Vox Valvetone pedal for mild overdrive, and of course the I overdrive the poweramp stage for that fat crunch! Just about anything sounds wicked with it!

Well, I've had this for over a year now, and had no problems, although it's not my main amp, I only use it for recording. So far I've had no problems, it's still got the original Mullard valves in it! I think one or two of the beasty capacitors in it have been replaced though, I've heard these tend to dry out and then explode after a while! So far it hasn't let me down, I would imagine it really wouldn't like being carted around places.

Never had to deal with the company, I don't think they'd really be too interested in it really as they don't make them anymore. If there was a problem with it I'd just take it to my local amp tech guy. I agree with the previous post that there's NO WAY you'd be able to service it unless you really knew what you were doing, the wiring inside it is mad and bear no obvious resemblence to the schematics at all!

I've been playing for about 6 years now, and have played loads of amps, and this is THE best by a long long way! It works brilliantly with the Danelectro Fabtone and Vox Valvetone pedals. I play a Jackson Professional series Fusion, which has quite a punchy clean sound which the Vox can either sweeten and round off, or really boost attack and fatness! It's not really the best guitar for blues tones, but I tried a Gibson Les Paul studio through it which sounded well sweet! My Jackson gives loads of punch from the humbucker and overdrives the preamp nicely! Not too keen on the fact that you have to turn it up soooo loud to get the distortion, might one day invest in a Marshall powerbreaker to solve that problem. But apart from that there's really no problems with it, oh, it's damn heavy! I wish I had a proper Vox cab for it, at the moment I'm using the Lab Series L5 as a cab, which sounds good. As for similar products; I really can't think if anything that sounds anything like it, except maybe another Vox. If you're interested in a Vox sound, then try an AC50 if you can, apparently they all sound different due to different bias set ups, but they ALL sound ace!

Features? In my opinion it is better to have one GREAT tone than a feature-laden amp that has numerous mediocre tones. Overall the AC50-II is the EL-34 powered, solid state rectified, large-box version from Vox. It has four inputs; high and low gain for normal and brilliant channels. Each channel has volume, treble and bass, and they are VERY interactive. It runs 50 watts, though Voxes are known for a lot of apparent loudness for their ratings. My amp is a 1965 JMI grey panel, and was a swap, though the previous owner paid $850.00 for it from England. I use it for bass, though I have heard it on guitar as well. It has THE tone I was looking for on bass, and my band mates require that I use it for all gigs. It is obviously underpowered for bass, so it is mic'ed and run through the PA to fill. Overall though, it is surprisingly loud and carries a room pretty well. On guitar is is deafeningly loud and clean.

This is THE tone. On guitar it sounds very much like a top-boost AC30, but stays clean almost to it power limit. On bass it is warm, fat and sweet. Awesome. It does not get better than this. I had an AC100 also, and it sounded the same. Could not tell much volume difference either. The one tone it makes is excellent, but do not look for it to be flexible. That is how almost all really great sounding amps are. The tone controls interact illogically, as in you turn up the bass knob, and you may get more treble. You just have to play with the three knobs per channel and listen. Very interesting, and the best core tone available. Overall it is quiet when turned down, no real background hum. I play '60's rock and it is perfect for those tones. Heck, it probably made a lot of what we heard. I play a Hofner Beatle bass through mine.

This amp has been very reliable, and I have a friend that also uses one. Neither of us has had breakdown problems. I got 5 years out of my last set of tubes. Do not bang around Voxes, and don't move them when hot, and you will be fine. Treat one like you would a Jaguar automobile or a nice acoustic guitar and you will have no problems. Do not leave it in the back of the pickup truck and expect it to survive. The AC50 large box breathes fine as it has sufficient air intake, but the AC100s are simply asking for trouble. I have run this amp in the sun outside in 100 degree heat with no overheating. Cools fine with no fan.

Get a great amp tech, get him a schematic, and leave him alone. Then throw money at him. Voxes are unique, and were hand hard wired. The schematics are correct, but have no relation to where the actual components are LOCATED in the amp. So it takes some tracing and searching. Luckily, AC50s run a long time with no problems.

Expensive, distinctive appearance, not built like a tank but not fragile either, one tone but a damn good one, perfect for jangly guitars like Beatles, Tom Petty, REM, etc, great tone on bass especially for recording, weighs a lot, tubes are expensive and fussy the Vox uses readily available ones that are not too pricey, responds well to the compression of closed-back cabinets on bass or guitar. Buy one, you will fall in love with it.