Vox AC10

Price Paid: US $800 used

Features: 10
This is probably the best sounding or ties for best sounding amp I've ever played (the tie would be with Fender vibrochamp.) I've had two JMI ac10 twins with mullard/brimar tubes. Awesome. I had one of the amps top boosted both were gray panel. With the top boost mod was loud enough to play with a drum kit even. This amp is just incredible and more gainey than an AC30 because of the EF86 preamp tube. I really think AC15 and AC10 were better sounding amps than the AC30 but because they are lower wattage the AC30 was more practical. An AC10 is like a mini AC30 though. The tremolo is simply beautiful. The best. Maybe even better than fender.

Sound Quality: 10
Sounds good with everything but especially P90s and humbuckers. A little bit of noise but relatively quiet. Vox are noiser than similar vintage Fenders and I think the construction is a little cheaper on there electronics. The cabinets are indestructible and weigh a ton. Sounds you can get? Early beatles, cranked marshall. Those two are mostly what everyone is shooting for. At least vintage lovers. You can't get a fender out of this. JMI Vox is something different. The amp starts breaking up around 5 or 6 and at 10 distorts/compresses perfectly.

Reliability: 2
Shit. 2? LOL I would say even properly serviced with a full time amp tech on call I wouldn't take one out of the house. First off, these were delicate amps 40 years ago. Now they've become positively rickety. Besides, these things are going for two to three grand (not worth it.) I wouldn't leave the house with one. Because the transformers are sealed with bees wax they are also known to catch fire.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
Well, yes there awesome. I paid $800-850 for mine. One was in very good condition the other in near mint. It was the nicest AC10 I had ever seen. Plan on dumping at least $100 in the amp when you get it to have the filter caps changed and all electronics checked. This is a dangerous rickety old amp that was not designed or constructed to have a half a century of use but maybe 5 years. It's unstable. Plan also on getting yourself some NOS tubes (brimar, mullard or amperex all standard issue on original vox) to get that "bealtish" or early marshall sound. I think early marshalls came standard with brimar. I actually prefer brimars in all my amps they are the best guitar tube out there. These amps are going from $1500 to $2600 now. This is just in five years or so. Definitely not worth it. I think the most I would still pay for a like new one is about $1200-1400. Just too much. They are great to look at. It's like having the Beatles in your house. You want to know something scary? I just got a Tech 21 GT2 guitar amp simulator the other day. The marshall and fender sounds are okay. It nails a Vox AC10 or 30 top boost sound. Just right on the money. Cost? Used you can pick one up for $80 on ebay. I'd let the vintage people with more dollar than brains have the old JMI stuff and get a Tech 21 pedal and just plug into your existing gear or board to record with. The "Vox" sound is not something you want to use as your "do everything amp." These amps do like two things: Early beatles and early marshall. Just as soon as the beatles could they switched to Fender Dual showman amps and deluxe in the studio. On tour they used AC50s a class a/b amp because Vox gave them to them. They only used vox at the time because they could not get Fenders. A fender is a better amp in my opinion for everything and probably on more beatle records than Vox. But you have the whole baby boomer beatle thing and vintage dealers taking oportunity with it. If you want a Beatle sound just get and Tech 21 GT 2 and turn the bass all the way down/treble up. The switches on "off axis" "clean" and "british" then plug in with a semi hollow guitar with p90s. You have the beatle sound

Submitted by dave at 12/12/2005 09:59

Price Paid: £85 (Pounds) used

Features: 9
I have 1966 AC10 bought in a dealer in Birmingham England in 1986 for £85. Boy was I shocked when I saw what they are changing hands for nowadays.
This lovely little amp is as old as I am and has never ever let me down. I primarily have used this amp for recording as it is not quite loud enough[ though I have micd it up for one or two gigs with blues group].
It basically doesn't have all the features we now expect in an amp [several channels,fx loop,effects] it certainly isn't a line6.It just provides a good basic valve sound.
Classic.

Sound Quality: N/A
I have mainly used single coil Ibanez and Gibson LP.
My musical style has varied and changed over the years from psychedelic blues trip wigout[Hawkwind Ozrics Hendrix] via swampy punk blues.
The sounds are warm when cranked not too many variations.
Distortion not that wild but have old Boss
OD pedal that brings it to life when reqd

Reliability: N/A
Never let me down in 19 years.

Customer Support: N/A
After sales.
Forget vintage piece of kit.Some specialists out there though I've never had to use them.

Overall Rating: N/A
I have been playing 22 years.
Own 1959slp 1987 Peavey 5150 combo,Maine combo, Line6 Vetta,Marshall DSL50,Marshall TSL100
Vox will always be there it is one of the family and will never be sold even for silly money quoted in US.

Submitted by Darren at 03/20/2005 13:21

Price Paid: (£100?)

Features: 4
Well, next to nothing really, but after years of using Multi-FX units where you can tweak every option this kind of simplicity is a real bonus. 2 channels (normal/vibrato), a tone control (thats right, no seperate bass/treble) 2 Controls for the vibrato, a footswitch to turn the vibrato on/off, thats all the main features really. Oh, and tone by the truckload. That's whats really important after all.

Sound Quality: 10
I've read the other reviews on here that say the vibrato gives you more drive, something I'd be interested in trying out, as fully cranked this amp sounds amazing, pretty much what I'm after tonewise, but a little more gain for a better breakup would be appreciated, still I love the normal channel. I've used an Ibanez DS-7 with this, close mic'd for recording, and the guitar sound is the best I've heard in a while - no sh*t, this amp multi-tracked sounds HUGE, like I'd expect a good Marshall stack to sound like, except they don't sound this good (maybe it's just me). I use a GT-6 with this, cranked all the way up, amp cranked up - excellent sound, much more natural that way - surprising, considering I was thinking of selling the GT-6 before. I've only used my '01 Gibson SG with this - good tone on any position, great for me. It's just - and I do mean JUST - loud enough for gigs un-mic'd at smaller venues, which is a bonus.

Reliability: 7
Well this amp was rescued from a tip, and worked for a few weeks before it broke down, and was taken to a top-notch tech, where it was re-tubed and serviced, sounds better than ever. No rattle at high volumes, good working order so far. Gets really hot though - worrying at times. I recently pulled an all dayer with it, 3 hours of practice followed by another 4 hours of recording after a short break. Stood up alright, but I'd be worried about doing that sort of thing all the time. Still, I've had bad luck with amps in the past, mainly due to lack of servicing, so I hope this one stays in good shape, especially since it's a vintage collectable now. Shame they're hard to find, I'd really like one for myself... this one's on loan only.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 5 years, mostly cheap solid state amps or valvestate. This is the first valve amp I've really had a chance to use extensively, and I think this is an incredible amp, sounds good live or in the studio, lovely smooth vibrato. There's little I wish it had, actually. I just wish it belonged to me, or at least, finding another wouldn't set me back as much - or more - than my SG. I'm sure one will turn up... :-)

Submitted by Gary at 05/14/2003 17:57

Price Paid: £400 (G.B.P) used

Features: 6
1964-5 AC10.
This is one of three early AC10'S that i own,they just seemed to come along almost at the same time,this is a great sounding amp,very basic but hey is that not the best way to have em,these as many of you know use the EF86 first preamp valve,in this one it appears to be on the vibrato channel [seems odd that] and this blows away the normal channel,this is a twin 10" speaker version with the blueframe units,i play a Strat and it sounds great with the single coils,when you crank it this amp just sings,in fact i loved the sound so much that i was messin with the idea of gigging with it,but using it on a band rehearsal killed that idea,just not quite loud enough,but what a tone perhaps if i mike it up thats the answer,i think the place for this to really shine is in the studio,yes they do run quite hot but using good quality matched valves/tubes to some helps here,and the vib/trem on these is just the best,i might have another go at the live thing using two in tandem,that might work ok,due to the EF86 used as the first preamp valve,the tradeoff is they can be very microphonic,but find some good ones Mullards etc then with that extra gain your away, the early AC30/4 used these,but lots of problems came up,especially with the heavy vibration of the Bass version of that amp,so they opted to change to the dual triode 12AX7/ECC83 and got another channel in that one,with albeit less gain,so guys go out find one of these and give it a go in the studio,i think you will be blown away.

Sound Quality: 10
As stated previously my choice of guitar is the Strat with standard pickups and sometimes a Telecaster Custom,the kind of sounds that really do it for me with this amp is jangly chords with that slightly distorted edge,and arpegiated individual notes just leap out,and it just rocks when you turn up the dial and dig in,this amp does not stay clean to far round the dial,but thats not what its about here we want that real Vox tone and this little amp delivers it in spades,it is a fairly quiet running amp,i have heard others say that is not the case,this is where properly matched valves and good Caps in the filter section come into it,the style of music i am into is hard edged blues rock a la SRV/ Chris Duarte etc and some more strait down the line rock,if you want a distortion monster this is not for you,but it sure can scream a bit at full tilt,all in all a great little amp,would love to hear a Les Paul through this amp.

Reliability: 8
I think this amp would be fine so long as it is regularly checked over,they run hot as i stated well, you know that anyway dont you.
I have had no problems reliability wise with this amp but it is not gigged due to what i said previously,but mike it and you could be on to a winner.

Customer Support: 4
Unfortunately the classic Vox Dartford, Kent factory ceased many years ago,but Korg who own the name do supply some parts but the major stuff transformers,speakers etc are like gold dust to find,collectors are even hunting this stuff down and whacking up the prices,annoying as some of these people are that is what we are faced with,so if you buy one of these get a good tech to give it the once over,one of the tell tale signs of problems with Vox's in general from this period is lumps of wax sitting under the mains transformer on the chassis under panel,NOT A GOOD SIGN,a lot of techs hate the old AC amps and many will not touch em,so get a guy who really knows these,or you could be inviting all sorts of trouble.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing guitar on and off for about 27 yrs,mostly gigged with Marshalls in my early days Fender Twins later,basically for the sheer punch,but if i want some real quality tone at a lower level then i will pull this tone machine out wind it up and there it is TONE HEAVEN,the thing i HATE about this amp is that it is not loud enough to gig in its own right,but hey you cant have everything,i own what to many are some great amps Marshall 1992/1987 heads Hiwatt DR103 head 1960 Ac30 1964 Fender Deluxe Reverb 1969 Super Reverb,i am an amp tech by trade so i see reams of this old gear,and get offered so much,but a lot of it is in terrible condition,thats sad,but more power to the guys out there that are realising just how great this old gear can sound [with the right TLC,keep rockin and stay toned up to the hilt
If it were stolen i would find another definitely

Submitted by Steve D at 04/10/2003 11:56

Price Paid: US $1350 used

Features: 5
1965 Vox AC10 Twin. Two channels, Normal and Vibrato. I purchased this a few months ago and it came with the original british plug. When I pulled it out I thought what the hell, as it was the first real british amp I have purchased. It is a basic amp with only a volume,tone, vibrato and speed controls using chicken head knobs(love em). It is fairly loud for a 10 watt amp though closer to 18 watts under distortion. Wonderful vibato, it shimmers versus pulsates like on a Fender.

Sound Quality: 7
I have plugged many a guitar in it and the amp likes single coils best be they Tele, Strat, Gibson p90, Gretsch HiLoTron etc. Sounds fine with humbuckers but the amps real character comes when coupled to single coils. This particular amp is very quiet. When it comes to sounds it is a Vox, very open and clean up to half power then breaks into a somewhat clean/crunch to mild distortion at full volume. This amp likes to be played loud as at low volume it lacks some sweetness. Also I found this amp does not like pedals, don't know why. This amp is used mostly to play blues with an old tele. By the way this amp kills with my 64 Es330, it loves p90's. Tubes are critical to the sound as often are in a low power amp. Use only matched power tubes and quiet pre amp tubes. They don't have to be Mullards or other expensive NOS tubes. I have had tube amps for over 35 years and many of the tubes made today are as good as ever. Forget the voodoo!

Reliability: 8
I have had this amp only a few months so it's hard to tell but let me say there is no over heating as is common on old Vox amps, it runs very quiet. Let me say this, many a good amp tech will break into a sweat when you walk through the door with a old Vox amp. It is hard for me to rate reliability as of yet so I will give it a 8 because it's easy to dance to.

Customer Support: 1
There is no customer support on old amps just find a good tech, make friends with him/her and pray.

Overall Rating: 7
I have played guitar for 40 years. In that time I have owned many guitars, I'll list a few notables, 54 Tele, 63 ES335, 57 Strat, 67 Tennessean, 69 Les paul Goldtop, 66 SG and others, still own most. Amp wise Princeton Rvb, Super Rvb, Sunn 100s(kills marshalls, try one with EL34's instead of 6550, but that is a whole chapter by it's self, wide panel Fender pro, old Champs, tube type Vox Pacemaker and tubetype Vox Berkeley Super Reverb Twin, and several Supros. My overall impression of this amp is while it is a nice sounding amp and has all the cool vintage vibe a person could ask for it is more a collector item than a gigging amp. It would probable be fine for the studio but if you want to save some cash and can find one try a 65/66 Vox tubetype Pacemaker. I know this is an american Thomas Organ made amp, but it was voiced by Dick Denny the same guy who did JMI Voxes. These amps are great sounding , have 18 watts and even Ken Fischer recommends them.

Submitted by Craig at 01/22/2003 16:59

Price Paid: 35 (UK Pounds) used

Features: 3
It's a beige tolex covered VOX AC10 (single speaker model) so must be from 1962 or earlier. It has normal and vibrato channels with a footswitch to switch the vibrato on & off (nothing as sophisticated as channel swithching), so it just about scores 3/10 for features.

Sound Quality: 9
I use it mostly with a 1978-ish Gibson 335 & it really sings. It hums a bit, but hey it's nearly as old as me ! The sound is great (notice I say 'sound' and not 'sounds' - you can have volume up or down & tone bright or mellow, that's about it).

Reliability: 7
I've only gigged with it a couple of times (it's too small to use with a band), and it gets really hot, but it's never failed & I've only had it serviced once in nearly twenty years, so pretty good I guess.

Customer Support: N/A
No idea.

Overall Rating: 10
I bought this amp in 1982 for 35 (yes thirty-five) UK pounds. In this time I've bought & sold at least half a dozen bigger, louder amps (Fenders, Boogies, Peaveys, Music Mans & others), but the AC10 is the only one I still have - I guess that says it all.

Submitted by Andy Whiteley at 04/11/2001 15:17

Price Paid: US > 2000 used

Features: 6
This is a JMI AC10, twin speaker combo version, with a normal and vibrato channel (high and low output), one tone pot, an amplitude and
speed knob for the vibrato. Runs on 2 EL84 power tubes/EZ81 rectifier. Tweeny-weeny brass vents on the top. Open-back combo
construction. Fawn colored tolex, copper panel. The speakers are 10", blueframe with no manufacturer's label, but they are original and appear to be 1962 from the codes on the speaker. They look to be alnico. Comes with a footswitch for the vibrato. Basically a very straightforward amp with few features. The VoxShowroom.com has a good description of the tubes used in this amp.

Sound Quality: 8
Well, here's how it goes. This amp overdrives very well past the "5"
position, and better tone is had through the vibrato channel (most
likely due to preamp driver tubes which power this channel). Same for
the normal channel, but not nearly as sweet a tone. There is no real
Vox-traditional "chime" with this amp, but it has balls. The vibrato
channel is really nice, different from a Fender (Bandmaster, Vibrolux,
Bassman, Concert, etc).

At low volumes you get pretty close to a "Vox" sound; it really is a smooth little amp.

Preamp tubes tend to be microphonic due to absence of aluminum shields, but that is the price you pay with an old amp like this. Definite hum when volume pots are turned down; again, this is a Class A amp and there's no hum cancellation, so you can only try to reduce it by moving wires/replacing filter caps/or performing mods on the circuit (add resistors, linear pot, etc). I usually live with the hum; I have an AC50 that has the same attributes.

It is rumored that Jimmy Page used the AC10 in the studio for early
Zeppelin songs; I would say that this amp does have the Zep I and II
sound to it, particularly with a humbucker-equipped guitar. However, a lot depends on how you mic an amp, and so it could be that Jimmy used something else (Supro 15"? AC15? Hiwatt?) that, when mic'd, sounds like this amp. He knows, I don't.

This is a great studio amp.

Reliability: 3
Here is a troublesome point. This amp has very little ventilation for the tubes; they are essentially "boxed" in on three sides by wood, and, only vent to the front of the amp where the brass vents on the top are. This makes the amp run really HOT; after playing this amp for an hour, you can really feel the wood on the top of the amp COOK.
I would say that this is going to cause the tubes to go out quickly if the amp is used for any length of time on a regular basis. Moreover, with the wood construction, it is possible that the amp could...well...catch fire? Old Vox amps have had their share of "explosions" so this amp needs lots of tlc to keep it running in a happy mode.

The access to the tubes is actually pretty good: remove the backpanel and the chassis slides out like a drawer on wooden slats -- everything is right there. The tubes are held in place by these weird wire clips that are a bitch to move out of the way to replace tubes; the clips have a tendency to "clip" the pointed top of the tube as you pull them back, making tube damage a real possibility if you don't watch out.

The footswitch is cast metal, very old, still works, but needs to be clicked a couple of times to get the vibrato channel to activate or deactivate.

To say that the Vox AC10 is "reliable" is difficult -- on the one hand, it has lasted nearly 40 years and still works -- but on the
other hand, it is not a gigging amp and I wouldn't expect it to survive a spill off of a van or down a flight of club stairs.

Customer Support: N/A
Doesn't exist, but there are a number of newsgroups on the web where you can get info on this and other Vox amps -- plus, great tips on keeping them alive.

Overall Rating: 9
I paid a premium for this amp (read: the dealer reamed me good) because it sounded so good, better than any AC10 that I have run across in the last 10 years. Price is high due to the fawn tolex/copper panel -- shit, it's apparently collectible now and much more expensive than a black covered one. I found a black one recently ($1500) which was in 7/10 condition but had replaced transformers and the tone was...well, who needs an expensive room "heater"? You can find the black ones for around $1000 - $1500 depending on condition. Wish I could have snuck into the dealer's store and spraypainted the damn thing black before he knew what was happening. Oh, well...

here's a sad fact of life that I have found in the last year or so. The Vox AC10 and AC15 amps are starting to dry up, as are the good
condition AC30s and other Vox amps from the 1960's; Vox only made a number that they could sell in the UK (not a big country, last time I looked) and now many people in the US and Japan are buying them up and stashing them away. Leaving the rest of us to fork over the big bucks for what's left, assuming that the "leftovers" sound worth a damn and won't fall apart tomorrow. Well, it could be worse...we could be bitching about an original 1959 Les Paul Standard in mint condition with tiger stripe flame maple top...and original tags.

I would rank this amp up there with three of the best 2 X 10 amps ever made (tonewise): The late 1960's Marshall 10 watt combo ("little bluesbreaker"), the Fender Vibrolux Reverb (1965 or earlier), and the
Matchless 2 x 10 model (is it the "Hurricane"? Can't remember the name of that amp but it sounds wonderful). Some might disagree on this ranking but I am going by how this particular AC10 amp sounds, and, what I remember about the other amps in the list (shit, why did I pass on that old Marshall years ago? Guy wanted $200 for it and like a stupid ass I said "no" because it looked "old" and it had a "funny" 3-prong plug for 250 V. Now I see one in a vintage store and the tag reads "$2200").

Remember that old Vox amps are handbuilt, some sound like crap, others...make you cry they're so good. Test one before you let the
dealer steal you blind.

Submitted by john at 10/23/1999 19:13

Price Paid: UK pounds 300

Features: 6
2 Channels, each with 2 input sockets normal channel - tone, volume vibrato channel - volume, depth, speed (+ f/switch turns on vibrato) voltage selector 2 10-inch alnico speakers EF86, ECF82, ECC83, + valve rectifier

Sound Quality: 10
this amp sounds excellent with strats, so warm and full! I favour the normal channel, but there's more gain on the vibrato channel you sound like a better player with this amp, it makes you play more articulately, and is so touch-sensitive, it breathes - nearest I've heard is a Matchless John Jorgenson

Reliability: 9
seems very reliable, easy to service

Customer Support: N/A
gone!

Overall Rating: 10
lots of gear, playing years would definitely get another. I have even bought an AC15 reissue just in case!!

Submitted by tony goodall at 06/29/1998 15:17