Vox AC15

Price Paid: US $539.99

Features: 8
This is a brand new Vox AC15 Custom Classic. It was manufactured in November of 2005 in China :-(. It is a 15 watt 1x12 tube combo. It runs off of 2 EL84 power tubes and 2 12AX7s.This is the one with the Vox special designed 12 not the $300 blue Alnico. Most folks think Vox amps are all class A however they are not. This is an A/B amp. The controls are layed out as follows: Power and Standby, Master Volume, Depth, Speed,<-(Tremelo) Mix <-(Reverb) Bass, Treble, Volume, Input. I play an assortment of ALL genres. I peck around with everything from rock, blues, funk, worship, classic rock etc etc. This amp suites me fairly well, but it could never be my signature amp. I am a minimalist when it comes to guitar so this amp does what I need it to therefore I can't complain about lack of features. That's what makes it cool right? If I wanted to flip switches and twist knobs I would get a Mesa Road King.

Oh.... BTW this amp comes with a flimsy little footswich for turning the verb and trem off.

Sound Quality: 7
I play a Tele and a PRS with P90s. I don't have a guitar at the moment with buckers so no comment there. With both of my current I can dial in a good sound pretty quick. I like to dime the master volume and control my overall volume with the other volume control. This gives a nice warmer tone. This amp can be very raspy sounding if you don't EQ some of the high end out, but that's what some folks like about Vox right? I also like to set both volumes volumes at 5'O Clock for a nice grinding, biting sound. If I need to clean it up I just roll off the volume. The tremelo is quite nice and can be very strong if you need it. Be careful with the reverb though. I really don't care for the verb on this guy. I am a Blackface reverb cranked to 7 junkie, but this amp's verb just plain out is unusable above 1.5 to me. I find myself wanting to play alot of open chords with a delay behind it. The dirty stuff this amp is capable of is cool, but might take my Fender loving ears a little time to ajust.I also am having a hard time getting this guy EQ'd to where my modded TS9 sound the way I like it. Overall the amp is worth the amount it costs(less than $600 new) but I can sum up my overall impression of the amp thus far with a few words: BRIGHT......Sterile(can be; not always though)Presence (can really bring the chime out of single coils)Jangly, chimey, sparkle!

Reliability: 6
This is where I get a touch nervous. The amp has very thin tolex. It has cheap feeling badging, amp handle and the input jack is plastic. I gutted the amp the night I got it and the insides look cheap to my eye. These are just observations and me being honest. It obviously wasn't enough to keep me from buying the amp especially since I plan on using it at home. This guy will see no gigging.And to credit the amp the cabinet feels fairly solid as does the chassis itself. If you are a geek like me and want to see the insides of the amp you can look at them on my Photobucket site:

http://photobucket.com/albums/a284/B_Bent/Vox%20AC15CC/

I give it a 6 just because of the potential I see for upset. If you are a hardcore gigging musician I would make sure this guy gets treated like gold.

Customer Support: N/A
No experience whatsoever.

Overall Rating: 7
I have been playing for over 10 years and have had every brand of amp known to man. I am a self diagnosed tone/gear junkie. If this amp were lost(how do you lose an amp? LOL!) or stolen I would not be in a hurry to replace it since this is just a fun amp for me to try. And as much as I may have painted a somewhat bad picture of this amp it's really not bad. It's just that it is more of an outside of the box amp for me. I love old Fenders and what can you say those old Fenders with 6L6s are gonna be fatter than a 15 watt amp with EL84s.

Submitted by GKA at 01/01/2006 19:48

Price Paid: (£480)

Features: 8
This amp is the new vox ac15 cc1 which is now made in china (to save money, i guess) and seems very similar to the korg reissue vox ac15, except it only has one input, solid state rectifier and cheap looking power switches. Like the previous review, its best to look at the vox website.

Sound Quality: 5
Im using this amp with a rickenbacker 360 and a 62 custom telecaster. My main type of music is mostly radiohead, beatles, the who, rem, etc. The sounds this vox ac15 cc1 make are not really that good (in fact very average) when compared to the previous reissue korg ac15, and i cant help feeling that these chinese made ac15s are cost cut versions of the reissue ac15 (great pity) - obvious changes are ditching the tube rectifier for solid state circuit (totally yuck, and short-sighted of vox) and possibly other circuit changes. Bottom line is that it doesnt sound like a vox ac15 should do.

Reliability: 9
this amp is only a couple of weeks old and, so far, seems just fine (touch wood).

Customer Support: 8
havent really had much contact with vox, but when i have spoken to them they have been very helpful.

Overall Rating: 6
ok, first of all this amp is very cheap for a vox ac15, but dont be fooled: you dont get something for nothing. I cant really recommend this amp (which is a real shame) even thou it looks great, and the simple fact that it is a vox ac model. I will be looking for a korg ac15 reissue to replace this one, as they sound so much better, and just to clear any doubts, im not a vox snob who only praises english made voxs of past.

Submitted by casino555 at 12/30/2005 11:13

Price Paid: US $600.00

Features: 8
For the specs, it would be best to go to their website. It has all the basic features for a single channel amplifier.

Sound Quality: 6
I have owned the amp for 2 weeks now and still do not love it. I have played it with a 335, tele, strat, 73 deluxe tele, and a reverend wolfman. I want to go on record and say that tone is completly subjective. I have owned 2 other Vox AC15 TBR amplifiers over the years and regret selling them. I thought this amp would be a great addition and get that wonderful vox tone. It does have the vox sound but not that classic rich, organic, musical tone. I played it with a 1x12 cabinet with a weber blue dog and that helped. It still is lacking something and I am not sure what it is. I would have to say it has a certain solid state sound to it, not to knock SS amps. The AC15CC1 to me sounds good for a $600.00 amp, but by no means does it compare to the AC15 reissue. I am not a tone snob, but I expected more from VOX. Like I said this amp is great for a $600.00 amp, but to me no worth keeping.

Reliability: N/A
To soon to judge, but I will say it has tube rattles and cabinet buzzes I can not get rid of.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 6
Could be a great amp for some, I was just disappointed with the sound and performance.

Submitted by Brad at 12/27/2005 21:22

Price Paid: US $1200 used

Features: 9
As you know already if you've made it this far - Korg built these amps in the late '90's and a while into this century. . . but now they're not available. Too bad. It's pretty much the best amp I've ever owned. In fact I have two of them with the Blue Celestion AlNiCo speaker. Couple that with a Rickenbacker (or Gibson, or Fender, or YOUR guitar) and it's THE sound.

Sound Quality: 10
Are you kidding. . . classic tones you know the groups that used these. . . all the vibe and tone and power is there in a smaller package. Having carried around giant rigs, this is refreshing to move about. Of course you should buy a rolling anvil style case. . . get one on eBay for $65+shipping. . . . if you can't afford the case, you can't afford the amp

The master gain configuration is great. . . you can run the input gain all the way and just keep the master down and get serious toneful grind with your Les Paul. . . you'll need to keep that pot cleaned out as leaving it in this position will definately create dead spots on the pots. I've had these amps a couple of years and play out professionally each week and teach at home with them and they just put all my other amps in the music room to shame.

Reliability: 8
Could be a little finicky. . . but so is my wife of 25 years. Only problem I've ever had was a constant blowing of the fuses. . . due to a bad recitifier tube. . . Don't gig without a backup-but I don't think you'll need one if you keep it tuned up. . . and don't beat this one up-it's your best friend. . .take care of it

Customer Support: 7
Are you kidding? I would repair it myself.

Overall Rating: 10
I'm old. I've had them all. Bogner, Matchless, Fender, Reverend, Two Rock, Peavey(sic),Magnatone, you'll keep this one. . . I sold the others (except for a Super Reverb I use with my pedal steel)
Pluses: Killer tone and sound. Relatively lightweight. . . Beatles soul. . . .jangle. . . great gain

Minuses: Terrible tolex, a bad rectifier tube will blow fuses, difficult access to tubes, no customer support (but we don't depend on that anyway, right?)

Result: Given all the problems, consider this one a beautiful blonde you'd be crazy not to want to play with in every sense of the word. . . . I'll never get rid of mine (wife or VOX AC-15) but then again, I do have 2 AC-15's. . . hmmmmmm. . . .

Submitted by Jeff Abbey at 09/09/2005 16:01

Price Paid: US $600 used

Features: 10
From the serial number, this amp was made by Korg in '98. It has the Vox Blue Celestion, and an aftermarket Mercury Magnetics output transformer. The amp is good, but putting the MM tranny in was like putting a performance carburetor on a 69 Chevelle SS. It is versatile enough for me. I play rock 'n' roll from the '60s to the present day, reggae, blues. I do not need a lot of bells and whistles. In fact, I don't even use an overdrive pedal with my AC15, because nothing could sound better than its natural tone. It has a very mild reverb, but that's about all I want. Vox's tremelo circuit is the best ever. Bass and treble interactive. The master volume makes it usable at home. At gigs, it has plenty of jism to cut through the mix, even unmiked.

Sound Quality: 10
I have a Telecaster with Harmonic Design Vintage Plus single coils, a Squier Venus with a Harmonic Design humbucker at the bridge, coil tapped; and a Tokai Rickenbacker 350 copy with ersatz toaster pickups and flatwound strings. I like a vintage sound, and this amp provides it. Very little noise. It is just crunchy in an extremely pleasant way that doesn't hurt my ears.

Reliability: 10
I have heard the horror stories, but I haven't had a single problem in almost two years.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 33 years. This is the amp I have dreamed of owning. I also have a blackface Fender Bandmaster, loaded into a custom 2x10 cabinet with Weber VST speakers. Kind of like a Vibrolux without reverb. I have recapped the Fender and put a Mercury Magnetics Super Reverb output tranny in. Lots of fun working "under the hood," but guess what? When I played them side by side, I preferred the AC15. In fact, the Fender hurts my ears when the volume is over 3.

The AC15 is a gorgeous amp, and I'm glad I got mine when I did, since Korg has stopped making them. Couldn't sell enough of them, they said. Watch the price and reputation go sky high now. Pricewise, I think it was in a no man's land -- too expensive compared to a Hot Rod Deluxe, not enough snob appeal for the Top Hat/Bad Cat/Matchless crowd (probably because of its printed circuit boards). But if you put this up against one of those designer amps in a blindfold test, I would like to see the results.

Submitted by Paul Menser at 11/30/2002 16:42

Price Paid: US $1,200

Features: 8
Two months ago, I purchased this Vox AC15, which the name plate indicates was actually constructed in 2001. Past reviews have described the features of this amp. It is enough to say that the Vox AC15 differs from its big brother, the AC30, in having Master Volume and Reverb controls. My amp is equipped with the Blue Bulldog speaker, which provides the authentic Vox sound. It's features are more than sufficient for the music I play- a variety of popular music from the 40s to the present day.

Sound Quality: 10
I love the chimey, mid-range punchiness of the Class A Vox sound and the touch sensitivity it offers the player. Before I bought this amp, I already owned a 2000 AC30 Reissue. The AC30 is a tremendous amp, but I began to dread having to carry its 80 lbs to practice each week. So I searched for a small Class A EL84 tube amp that I might use for rehearsals and small venue gigs. I ended up buying a Fender Blues Junior and was disappointed with its dark tone. I modded it with a Weber Blue Dog and JJ Tesla tube to get that Vox sound, to no avail. In the end, I conceded that I had been perfuming a pig in the hopes that it might change into a rose. Finally, I sold the BJ and ended bought the rose- a real Vox AC15. I'm glad I spent the money on it. I use a Custom Shop 63 NOS Telecaster through it and the sound is wonderful. The tones this amp produces are the right ones. I keep the Master at 3 'o clock and get a great rock sound. As others have noted, this amp is not a metal shred machine. What it offers the player is a sound that no other amp has. The lesson for me was: if you want the Vox sound, buy a Vox.

Reliability: 10
I've only owned this amp for about two months, so it may be too soon to say anything about its reliability. Still, I take the Vox to practice every week and it gigged out with me four times now, with no problems. As I carry it in, the reverb pan's a bit noisy, but when I set it down and the Mains are on, I have no problems. I treat it with care, as I do all of my musical equipment.

Customer Support: 9
All of my past interactions with Korg have been positive and helpful.

Overall Rating: 10
The Vox AC15 model has been discontinued since February, 2002. I believe I bought the last new pristine model in America. Search the net and try to find a new one now. I paid a premium for it, but I don't regret it. I feel fortunate that I can afford the amp that offers the tone I want. The Vox tone- midrangey, chimey and punchy- is the opposite of the Fender sound, with its scooped out middle. No Fenders for me. Although I am not a collector, I do believe the demand for this amp will increase in value because it is a Mini-AC30, without the weight. It's suitability for just about every booking makes it my first choice for a gig. I know that others have had trouble with reliability, but my experiences have all been positive. Maybe Korg responded to the criticisms and made modifications in the last year of production. I love this amp.

Submitted by Paul Goricki at 11/06/2002 13:24

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 3
VOX AC15- NO DIRTY CHANNEL- SO UNLESS YOU USE PEDALS YOU METALHEADS- LIKE ME- CAN LOOK ELSEWHERE. LOW POWER- IT'S GOT TREMELO WITH FOOTSWITCH CONTROLLER. IF YOU ARE INTO THAT,"GROOVY", SORT OF THING.
I DON'T CARE ABOUT FEATURES. AMPS WITH TOO MANY GIZMOS DON'T DO ANY," ONE", THING GREAT. I COULD TOTALLY LIVE WITHOUT TREMELO AND REVERB BUT A PRE- GAIN THING WOULD BE PEACHY.

Sound Quality: 10
I USED IT AT ULTRASOUND IN NYC IN A REALLY TINY ROOM. THEY HAD ALOT OF SMALL EXPENSIVE, "DESIGNER HANDBAGS", THE VOX WAS THE ONLY DECENT SIZED AMP IN THAT ROOM. I DON'T USE PEDALS, SO I WAS BUMMED TO FIND THAT IT WOULD BE A NIGHT WITH NO DISTORTION- BUT I LIVED THROUGH IT-!
I NEVER PLAY CLEAN- THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME- AND YOU KNOW WHAT- MY G+L SOUNDED PRETTY DAM GOOD CLEAN. THE VOX IS A REAL GREAT AMP IF YOU PLAY CLEAN. THIS AMP WOULD PROBABLY SOUND AMAZING WITH- IF YOU COULD FIND A ONE- A PEDAL THAT DOESN'T," FLATTEN", IT'S REAL NICE ORGANIC TONE. I HAVE NOT FOUND A PEDAL DOESN'T DESTROY THE SOUND OF A GOOD TUBE AMP- EVER.

Reliability: N/A
IT IS MORE RELIABLE THAN ALOT OF EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE AMPS -ONES THAT I HAVEN'T EVEN HEARD BECAUSE THEY NEVER SEEM TO BE IN WORKING CONDITION.- I WON'T MENTION THEIR NAMES. I GUESS HIGH- END PRICE MEANS HIGH- END MAINTAINANCE, LIKE A FERRARI OR SOMETHING. THE VOX RAN REAL HOT BUT THAT'S "class a thing". PLAYING OUT WITH IT - I WOULDN'T BET MY LIFE ON IT- THAT'S FOR SURE- BUT DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT VOX SO I COULD BE TOTALLY WRONG.

Customer Support: N/A
I HAVE NO "BLOODY", IDEA. SINCE IT'S FROM," ACROSS THE POND", I GUESS IT WOULD NO PICNIC. I WOULD DEFINATELY OWN A FEW OTHER AMPS OR AT LEAST ONE OTHER BESIDES THE VOX OR WELL, YOU WOULD BE NUTS.

Overall Rating: N/A
I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR A DAM LONG TIME AND I DON'T CARE FOR THE SOUND OF ALOT OF AMPS OUT THERE. SOLID -STATE AMPS ARE A BAD DREAM, YOU KNOW WHERE YOU GO TO SCHOOL IN YOUR UNDERWEAR, OR DON'T REMEMBER WHERE YOUR CLASS IS, OR YOU GO INTO A MENTAL,"BERMUDA TRIANGLE", AND FORGET ALL THE ANSWERS DURING A TEST, AND I LOVED THE TONE OF THIS AMP.
THE VOX IS LOW POWERED, I COULD NEVER USE IT FOR, "RAYZ HELL", MY REAL HEAVY BAND, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO OWN ONE. IF I PLAYED REAL SMALL CLUBS OR NEEDED AN AMP THAT WAS LESS," WAR-LIKE", THAN MY STACK, IT WOULD BE PERFECT. PLAYING CLEAN THROUGH IT WAS ACTUALLY A PLEASURE. IT GIVES YOU REAL ROUND, FULL NOTES. I WILL GET ONE SOMEDAY. ONE OF THE BEST SOUNDING AMPS I HAVE PLAYED. EVERYONE SHOULD GIVE IT A LISTEN.
I WOULDN'T SAY IT IS A ,"FANTASTIC VALUE", BUT YOU COULD DO WORSE FOR THE PRICE.

Submitted by RAYZ HELL at 09/21/2002 08:30

Price Paid: N/A used

Features: 9
Does the job beautifully, if you want great tone without features this thing delivers.

Sound Quality: 10
It just sings! I play an American standard Strat and are-issue Tele through it and I can't fault anything I play Rory Gallagher style through it, and it's all there.

Reliability: 1
Utter crap! I've just spent £145.00 on a new Transformer and rectifier on it and it's gone again. I see other reviews on this page that back up my opinion. This review will make it harder to get rid of this amp but I don't care, I just don't want anybody else to make the same mistake.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know, just took it to my local repair shop.

Overall Rating: 1
I've been playing for 30 years and I've rarely come across an amp that sounds so good, much better than my Fender Blues Deville and my Mesa rectifier although it obviously doesn't have the power. When I first plugged into it I thought the quest was at an end and I'd buy another and link them up - end of story.

But the reason I'm submitting this review is that I don't want any young Rory fans to shell out their hard earned cash on this mess of an amp. DON'T GO THERE!

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/29/2001 11:39

Price Paid: US $1300 used

Features: 9
1964 JMI Vox ac 15 twin, one of the best amps ever made, what can I say, this amps sounds amazing, you can get a variety of tones from this amp depending on the guitar you use, I've yet to find a bad match for it. Very basic set up, but then again that is the beauty of it. Two channels, each with high/low inputs. The vibrato/tremolo channel has a volume control, vibrato/tremolo selector (foot switchable) and 3 speed selector as well as a cut control (takes the edge off of the top end at high volumes)
The brilliant channel has volume, cut and brilliant or normal selector.
The amp is the perfect recording amp, and it is loud enough for small clubs.

Sound Quality: 10
Vibrato/tremolo channel has 2 very distinct sounds when the effects are turned off, the vibrato channel sounds open and airy very chimey, think Tom Petty, Beatles. The tremolo has a bit more compression and is less trebely, both sounds are very pleasing, and when either the vib. or trem. are on they are just the lushest and smoothest I've ever heard.
The brilliant channel is amazing, it breaks up with the sweetest sustain if you crank it (probably because of the EF86 Pre-amp tube) and if you roll back the volume it cleans up and gets a very bell like tone. I am still amazed at how responsive this amp is, it picks up every detail and emotion that you put through the strings and the variety of sounds is huge for such a simple amp.
I use a 1960 Gibson ES330 with P-90's and a 1958 Les Paul RI, and both guitars have a distinct tone when played through this pup. I've been told that Telecasters are also a great match for these, so I may be in the market for a Tele soon.

Reliability: 9
I bought this amp from a dealer in England and although it was in working order when I got it, one of the pre-amp tubes died on me a few weeks after I received it, it was an old Mullard 12au7, probably the same tube that it came out of the factory with in 1964. I've since then replaced all the pre-amp tubes with proper NOS Mullards and the amp is now tip top. These old amps are built to last, remember, the Beatles giged with these for long hours every night for entire years and the things worked like a charm.

Customer Support: N/A
No comment, Jennings Musical Instruments has not been in Business for many years.

Overall Rating: 10
Been playing for over 17 years, I've owned Fenders amps, Marshalls and a few boutique amps, and this JMI Vox ac15 is the best amp I've ever owned, I can safely say that all the hype about the old Vox amps is true, and that explains the high prices they command these days. I am also lucky to have gotten such a good deal for it, these are getting very hard to find and when they do become available, they go fast. I recommend this amp to anyone that likes Matchless, TopHat, Savage, etc. A good number of those boutique amps are based on the JMI Vox model.

Submitted by ralph at 03/13/2001 18:38

Price Paid: US --- used

Features: 10
VOX AC 15 THIS AMP IS GREAT !LET'S FACE IT,LENNON COULD HAVE USED ANY AMP HE WANTED HE MADE THE AC15 CHOICE. IVE OWNED MINE FOR ABOUT A YEAR. AND IVE OWNED OTHER VOX AMPS IN THE PAST , ALL OF WHICH I LOVED ! BUT THIS AMP IS ALL AROUND THE BOSS. SOME MAY SAY IT'S TO LOW ON WATTS,BUT UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERANCE BETWEEN CLASS A AND CLASS A/B. PLUS IN A LARGE CLUB I STILL HAVE THE MIC- AND LINE OUT OPTIONS.SO NO PROBLEM WITH GETTING FULL ROOM COVERAGE.TONE IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN VOLUME !

Sound Quality: 9
I USE MANY TYPES OF AXES THROUGH THE VOX AC15 . I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE DANO'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE LIPSTICK TUBE PICKUPS SOUNDS LIKE THE EARLY 60'S GROOVE! ALSO A STRAT,AN OLD KAY ARCHTOP, ALL GUITARS SOUND GREAT THROUGH IT ,AT LEAST ALL MINE ,AND I'M A STICKLER FOR TONE.

Reliability: 9
NO PROBLEMS SO FAR EXCEPT ~ REVERB IS A BIT NOISY WHEN HALF WAY UP !I ALSO RUN AN RP.5 PROCESSOR THROUGH IT. AND AVIOD USING THE AMP REVERB. THIS IS SOMEWHAT DISAPIONTING DUE TO THE VOX AC15 HAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FINEST SOUNDING REVERBS IN THE BIZZ!AND I CAN'T UTILIZE IT TO THE FULLEST. STILL I'LL SACRIFICE FOR TONES OF GOLD !

Customer Support: 5
VOX CAN BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH . CUSTOMER SERVICE ISNT WHAT IT SHOULD BE ...KORG/MARSHALL/VOX that is... MY FRIEND OWNES A RETAIL MUSIC STORE AND WE ARE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING AN OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CO. OH!WELL PLENTY OF CUSTOMERS ARE READY TO JUMP ON THE VOX WAGON BUT WE CANT GET PRODUCT !they say it's what's happing again VOX SO LET'S GET THE PRODUCT OUT THEIR.VOX!!!

Overall Rating: 10
I HAVE BEEN PLAYING MUSIC PROFESSIONALLY FOR OVER 20 YEARS , I WILL 0NLY BUY VOX AMPS THEY ARE SIMPLY THE BEST !I OWN THE AC15/A BERKELEY 2/A PATHFINDER/A 2X12 BUCKINGHAM CAB/SEVERAL GUITARS/P.A.SYSTYM/RP5/KAY UPRIGHT M4 BASS/ IF MY VOX STUFF WAS STOLEN I WOULD PROBABLY START COLLECTING GUNS (HA HA !)

Submitted by CHRIS K. at 03/18/2000 09:00

Price Paid: US $499 used

Features: 6
This is a 1996 Ac-15. As many know it is not really a reissue of the old AC-15, but half of a AC-30 ressiue. It has Volume, Treble, Bass, Reverb, Trem, and Master knobs. 1 channel. With the preamp volume cranked it doesn't get very distorted. If you use the preamp as the voulme with the master all the way up it doesn't sound much different. 1 volume knob would have been easier. The treble and bass are very interactive, but be warned this is a very bright amp. If you are using single coils it can be to bright even with the bass cranked and treble off. The reverb in this amp is terrible. this amp is one of the first ones made with the faulty reverb buzzing, unbagged tank. It is pretty annoying. If you like to play surf, which I do (not happy surf, evil surf) the reverb doesn't even come close to the drippy sound found in old fenders. It just creates space. It doesn't sound bad, but its not deep or lush at all. It seems like a waste of a tube-driven 'verb to me. The trem is good. It doesn't get super fast, but it is deep enough. Good for bo-diddley rhtyhm sounds. Not so good for Link Wray Rumble sounds. I am happy with the trem though.

Sound Quality: 7
As I mentioned above this is a bright amp. With my Hagstrom III it is very trebley even with treble off. It doesn't bother me much though. I am not that picky, except with the reverb. I played a Silverface fender deluxe reverb and it had the best reverb I have heard. Perfect for Surf, spaghetti-western and garage sounds. If the Vox had a better reverb I would like it better. There isn't really much distortion obtained by cranking the preamp. To get this thing to sound good you have to turn it up loud. It is rated at 15 watts but it is not a practice amp. This is the only amp I have and I gig with it constantly. It is good for rock and roll, garage and whatever you like to play. What i like best is that you get a good sound when you turn it up. Tube amp break-up is nice. Not too clean, not too dirty, just right.

Reliability: 2
Well, here it is not so good. This amp has many design flaws, and has broken down on me a couple of times. I did buy it used, but it looked really clean when I got it. The reverb has the annoying buzzing, which is the main flaw. The tubes are a pain to get at. you have to remove the whole chassis, which tears the tolex as you pull. If you blow a tube during a gig, forget it. It would probably take a half an hour to replace. This thing recently started blowing fuses, which was traced to a bad Rectifier tube, and also the Standby switch was shorting out, blowing fuses. My tech just removed the Standby because he didn't have one in stock so now it's just on or off. Fine with me. This is the only amp I own so lately I have been wary of it.

Customer Support: N/A
Bought it used, never tried to contact them, though I may someday try to get a new standby switch.

Overall Rating: 5
Overall I am pretty mixed about this amp. The biggest plus is that it looks cool. The sounds are definately good, but the reliability and overall design is somewhat poor. I would not buy it again if it was stolen, though I would probably miss it. I would buy an old deluxe reverb to replace it. I play a 60's Hagstrom III, a 68 SG and a 60s Teisco del rey. The gibson is my main guitar when the headstock isn't falling off. It does sound good through the amp with the P-90s. The Hagstrom has a raw, garage sound ala Billy Childish, Link Wray etc, but can also produce deep rhythm sound ala Bo Diddley. The teisco is pure trash ala the mummies. They all sound good through this amp. That reverb really make me mad!

Submitted by Mr tyranny at 03/09/2000 10:51

Price Paid: US $870.00

Features: 5
Vox Ac-15, made in 1999...amp is not particularly versatile, but sounds fantastic for clean and slightly distorted sounds. No channel switching, so I use pedalboard for more sounds. Built in tremelo sounds great, reverb is good. Loud for 15 watts, but if you jam with loud drummer, might not be loud enough.

Sound Quality: 9
I use Les Paul Special with Seymour Duncan P-90s, and play oldies, classic hits, and country-rock. Usually run amp a little below halfway up,and can vary sounds with distortion pedal and/or how hard you strike strings. The overall sound is sweet, and compressed in a good way.

Reliability: 9
Bought it in April Of '99, used it on 70 club gigs. Not a single problem.

Customer Support: N/A
Didn't ever have to deal with Vox, although when i was looking to buy one they were very good about giving me many dealers names in my area.

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for over 30 years. Have lots of gear, this is one of my favorite amps, along with a 1974 Fender Deluxe. I would get another one. Very good sound, good tremelo, looks great, easy to move, fits in small cars, etc. The AC-15 with the Celestion alnico Blue is supposed to sound even better...

Submitted by Phil Brigham at 02/22/2000 17:13

Price Paid: US $710.00

Features: 8
This is a late '90's Korg reissue Vox AC 15. It features a 12" gold label Vox Bulldog speaker. It has one channel with high and low inputs, volume, treble, bass, reverb, tremolo and master volume controls. It has a standby switch and a footswitch for reverb and tremolo. It is a 15 watt Class A tube amp with two EL84 power tubes.
The features are great for the sixties rock band I play in.

Sound Quality: 10
I play a '62 reissue Stratocaster, "62 reissue Telecaster Custom with Seymour Duncan Alnico pickups, '50's reissue Telecaster with Fender Texas Special pickups and a Rickenbacker 360-12V64. These guitars mix very well with the Vox to achieve a sixties British Invasion and American garage/psychedelic sound. I have gotten some good tones for surf too, but the amp's strength is really in the early Beatles, Stones, Kinks sound. The 12 string loses a little definition when the amp is cranked up to 3 O'clock. For example, it sounds good on the Beatle's "You Can't Do That," but lacks clarity on the Byrd's "Turn! Turn! Turn! I haven't used the master volume for overdrive because it distorts just enough with the volume at 3 O'clock and the master at maximum. I do use a Boss FZ-2 Hyperfuzz (Satisfaction... ) and an Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer. The tremolo is distinct and clear. It doesn't get muddy. The reverb in my amp doesn't work for some reason, so I'm using a Boss RV-2 until I get it fixed. The amp is generally quiet enough with the band (two guitars, bass, keys and drums), it's pretty noisy with the fuzz. With the volume at 3 O'clock it's just loud enough for my band. I can't and don't want to get louder than that on stage. We do play Led Zepplin's "Rock and Roll" for an encore when the evening is raucous enough and the amp sounds great turned all the way up with the Tele and no effects.

Reliability: 6
I gig about four times a month. I bring a backup. The amp hasn't broken down, but I had an AC 30 that did breakdown. My confidence level with Vox is not great. I love the tone, but... . Let's what happens after 30 gigs or so.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with the company.

Overall Rating: 10
Playing 33 years. Also own a Fender Deluxe Reverb, a Fender Bassman with a 2X12 bottom. I would replace it if lost or stolen. I think the Vox and the Fenders are essential for the sixties rock I play. I chose the AC 15 for it's sound and size. The older I get the more I value lighter and smaller gear!

Submitted by John at 01/23/2000 11:33

Price Paid: US $975

Features: 7
The features are decent for this amp. Reverb and tremolo are included along with a master volume. I bought this amp brand new from a Vox dealer rather than through the mail because I mistakenly thought I would get better service. I was wrong- see below!

Sound Quality: 9
I used stats and Les Pauls into this amp. Both sounded fine. To my ears, I liked a cranked LP the best. It really nails the overdriven Vox tone. However, from day one I had a ringing and rattle when this thing was cranked. Guitar Player mentinoned this in their review and attributed it to the reverb tank. Vox claimed it was going to correct this by adding some rubber to the tank and using a tank bag. Mine obviously didn't have these corrections. My amp tech did them and it did improve but didn't totally eliminate the problem.
There is no excuse for an amp in this price range to have these problems.

Reliability: 4
I can't put it any simpler- reliability of this amp SUCKS. I used it very little the first year. Shortly after the B.S. warranty ran out, it blew a transformer! I paid to have it replaced- guess what it began to blow fuses.
I have a very experienced amp tech who has done a great deal of work on all my other vintage amps. His opinion was that this thing is built like shit. It is not handwired. Tubes are mounted close to the PC board. The voltages are two high and it is nearly maxed at idle. I'm not an expert at electronics but I'll certainly take his word for it because the performance backed him up.
I would never depend on this amp without a backup.

Customer Support: 1
I bought this from a local dealer. I won't mention any names but he is in PA and claims to be an expert on VOX ( he is even listed on the Vox Pages Website). When I approached him about the buzzing and rattles, he said he would get back to me. He never did. When I called back, he blamed it on Vox being owned by Marshall. Eventually, the dealer did nothing and offered no help.
When I finally became disgusted with the amp, in a moment of insanity, I approached him about trading up to an AC30. He had the balls to tell me he wouldn't even accept my amp on a trade due to the fact that my model didn't have the corrections that Vox supposedly made to this amp (yeah, the same ones I had been complaining about!). I'm getting more pissed as I write this- why protect him- Its "Rhoads Music".

Overall Rating: 1
I've been playing for over 20 years. I have owned tons of amps and guitars, vintage and knew. I should be a lot better than I am but I believe I know tone. This amp does have great tone when it works but beware, mine didn't work often. Did I get a lemon? Maybe. But if I did the dealer and Vox certainly did nothing to help.
I ended up selling it at quite a loss and bought a Dr.Z Carmen Ghia. Honestly, the Guia does not sound quite as good but at least it works.
Beware of this amp. I suspect we will be seeing a lot of these for sale. If you want that sound by a DrZ or Matchless!

Submitted by Dave at 09/12/1999 12:51

Price Paid: Can't tell ya! used

Features: 6
This is a recent issue Vox made by KORG/Marshall. It has one channel with Volume, Treble, Bass, Trem Rate & Depth, Reverb and Master Volume. Switches are power on/off and standby. There is a line out jack, jack for foot switch and a jack for the speaker. 15 watts of "Class A" tube power drives a 12" speaker. (Mine has the Eminance)

Sound Quality: 7
I really wanted a Vox AC 30, but I can't afford it. This came along at a killer price, so I'll use it until I save up for the AC 30 or just keep using this amp. I use it with a Fender '52 RI Tele, a Rick 360-12 and whatever other guitars are around. I use the Vox in a two amp A/B set up. I intended to use it just for the songs that needed a little jangle, but I keep using it for more and more songs. To my ears, it doesn't sound like an AC 30 but it's in the ballpark. At some point I'll get either a Weber Blue Dog or a Vox Blue speaker to get closer to the tone. It's plenty loud for the gigs I play. Our drummer uses an electronic kit, so it all goes through the PA anyway. If you want distortion, get a pedal. Even though it has a master volume, I keep it wide open. I haven't experimented with craking the preamp and running the master low, but I'm not a big fan of preamp distortion. The tone controls are interactive. As you turn up the treble, the bass is rolled off. Different from the Fender style amps I'm used to. I find the amp to be very quiet with no background hiss or noise. It doesn't have a lot of sounds, but the ones it has are very good.

Reliability: 8
It looks well made. I understand there have been problems with transformers, but it seems like KORG has that taken care of. There is a reverb spring rattle that needs to be mended, but it's pretty minor. I would play a gig without a back up. The cabinet construction is very good.

Customer Support: N/A
Since I bought the amp used, I have no warranty, but it was owned by a salesman at the shop I bought it from. The owner of the shop told me to bring it in if I had any problems. I haven't had any dealings with Vox/KORG, but I know who to go to if I need to. I would expect good service.

Overall Rating: 9
This is a groovy little amp. It is different then what I expected, but it won me over in a hurry. It loves the Telecaster! It's a simple good sounding guitar amp. If it was stolen, I'd probably get it's big brother, the AC 30. It gives me a tone I can't get from my other gear. If I were to change it, I'd replace the master volume with a "cut" control. And I'd go with a Weber or Vox Blue type speaker. There's just something I like about Vox amps. I grew up in the '60's and seriously lusted after Vox gear. And now I finally have one. That makes me happy! I haven't played any Top Hat or Matchless amps. They might do a better job at getting the tone then my amp, but for the price I paid, nothing compares.

Submitted by Paul Honeycutt at 07/23/1999 12:34

Price Paid: US $trade used

Features: 2
Preamp of the AC30 Brilliant channel. Tremelo, Reverb, 1x12 Eminence, Hi/Lo gain inputs, Treble/Bass/Volume/Master volume. Nice detachable power cord, direct out (?!??). The main feature: 2 el84's in Class A configuration, with a tube rectifier. Quite limited in features, but that's the beauty.

Sound Quality: 9
Used with a strat. Gets loud enough, but not too loud. I sold this amp, and it is the only amp I've ever missed after it was gone. It had the sweetest sounding tremelo and reverb I've ever heard. And it had the sweetest, purest clean tone I've ever played. So nice, warm, clean and responsive. Really sings. Shimmers. I know it's cliche, but it really does sound chimy. Individual notes are fat. Put the master volume on 10 and pretend it doesn't exist; use the preamp volume as your volume knob. Gets better the louder you go. I see another one of these in my future some day, or maybe the AC30. Problem (advantage?) is, the AC15 is sweeter at lower volumes, and costs about 1/3 as much.
The only complaint is that the flat out cranked AC15 tone does not get nearly as warm or full as the recordings of cranked Vox amps. I suspect that the AC30 distorts a lot better; I'm sure this is also a function of the speaker (mine was not the alnico celestion).

Reliability: N/A
I've heard bad things about the reissues regarding the reverb pan and the output transformer.

Customer Support: N/A
KORG...draw your own conclusions.

Overall Rating: 9
Definitely would like to have another some day when I grow up and get a real job.

Submitted by Mike at 06/04/1999 08:29

Price Paid: US $930

Features: 9
This is a reissue made in 97. It has 2 inputs on one channel (one 3db lower). It has chicken-head knobs for input volume, treble, bass, reverb, and tremelo speed and depth, plus a master volume. There is also a switch for mains and standby. This model has the 12'' vox blue speaker, but it is also available with a celestion (not sure which) or 2x10 celestions. This girl has 5 12ax7s and 2 el84 plus a 5y3 rectifier tube. No effects loop, has detatchable mains chord. This amp is loud for 15 watts. This will keep up with a drummer. There is a line out for a PA and a footswitch for the trem and reverb. This amp does one type of sound very well: a very full rich, toneful sound. Good for blues, jazz, whatever requires good tone. I give it a 9 in this category because it is not a swiss army amp. It will cover most styles, though and is much more more versatile than I believed it to be before purchasing.

Sound Quality: 10
I use a les paul with 57 classics in there. I also have a 50w plexi. This suits my needs nicely. It is low power enough to sound great in your living room, but has enough power to blast a small club. The sound is fat, thick, extremely harmonically complex. Tube changes seem to change the sound dramatically depending on what kind you use. I have Philips NOS in there and it sounds much warmer than the sovteks it came with. The sound is very much like my plexi cranked up, but at a volume I can have everyday. Fattest amp I have heard. The marshall goes untouched most of the time now, because it doesn't sound near as good at that low volume level. Very portable too. I tried the different speaker configurations and the vox speaker sounds the best. It boosts the mids like crazy, giving the sound incredible body, but still being very well balanced. Hard to describe; much like brian may meets tom petty. There is no mid control, but it doesn't matter because the mids are on full all the time! Turning up the treble reduces mids and bass, as opposed to adding treble in top of everything. The bass control reduces highs. Very interesting controls; extremely interactive. There is not a lot of headroom, but you can still be fairly clean even when cranked by controlling your pick attack. Extremely, extremely dynamic amp! Super touch-sensitive.

Reliability: 6
I've had this amp for a year with no problems and I play it every single day! The construction is very solid. 9-ply birtch cabinet, enlarged metal vents. Some of the tolex has began to come unglued inside the cabinet. Inside is a printed pc board (looks just like a modern marshall inside), plastic shafts on the pots! I hate this. A matter of time before those break. The tube sockets are also plastic! Crap. To get to the tubes, the chassis must be removed from the cabinet and then a protective grill must be removed. They are mounted upside down and in the front of the amp. This is a pain just to change tubes, but at least you can change without having to re-bias! Yes! The only other scarey thing is that this amp uses 5 different fuses. Some of which are easy to find, some aren't. But I haven't blown one yet, so maybe it's no big deal. I give them a 6 for the plastic pots shafts and plastic tube sockets.

Customer Support: N/A
Have not dealt with Korg/Marshall so I have no opinion.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for ten years, one of those years was at Berklee College of Music. I would buy it again in a second if it was stolen. At Berklee I heard all kinds of amps and nothing sounds as good to me as this little vox. It is the perfect amp for me because it is portable, powerful, yet low powered enough to sound great at lower volumes. has reverb, incredible trem and master volume to drive it at even lower volumes. The distortion is just unbelievable-super thick and rich! It does have kind of a quirky sound though. Be sure this suits you before you buy. It has a lot of character, which may not be good for everyone. The vox speaker is also a must to really maximize the character of the amp.

Submitted by DA at 05/16/1999 16:09

Price Paid: US $865.00

Features: 5
The setup of this amp is very simple. 1 channel, 1 Vox alnico blue 12" speaker, high and low gain inputs, 15 watts, reverb & tremolo w/footswitch. It uses 2 EL-84 power tubes, 5 12AX7 preamp tubes and has a tube rectifier. Since I look for simplicity in an amp, it has more than enough features for me. Some people seem to prefer more complicated setups so I give this a 5 for versatility.

Sound Quality: 10
I use this amp with a Fender Telecaster '63 re-issue with a Duncan lead stack in the bridge position. It also sounds great with a strat. I have to say that this amp sounds amazing when you crank it up and use your volume knob to control distortion. This amp does not do high gain distortion. The distortion it does have has an incredible amount of clarity and depth. The clean sounds are very chimey and ringy. If you are into guitar sounds of Tom Petty or U2, this is definitely the amp for you. It is a very loud amp (to me) but does not have a ton of clean headroom. It begins to distort past halfway up on the volume control. The tremolo is one of the best ones that I've heard. The reverb is OK. It is not long and lush like on a Fender amp. It is very musical, though, and adds a nice subtle depth. The amp is very quiet - even at the high volume settings that I use it at. This amp has none of the twang that Fender amps have so I don't really recommend it for country but it will jangle 'till the cows come home.

Reliability: N/A
It seems to be made really well. Relatively soon after purchasing it one of the preamp tubes became microphonic. The store replaced it free of charge. The amp itself, though, has been great in the short time that I've owned it. I can't really comment on long term reliability.

Customer Support: N/A
Besides having the tube replaced I have not dealt with customer support. The store was very helpful, though, when I told them about my tube problem and didn't hesitate to replace it.

Overall Rating: 10
Overall, this is my favorite amp for distorted tones. I also really love the clean sound but since it is only a 15 watt amp, I tend to use it for distortion. I also own a '65 Fender Bassman head, a Mesa Boogie Mark IIb, and a Fender Pro Junior. The Vox has a very specific sound. If you relate to it in the first place, this amp will deliver.

Submitted by Michael Papenburg at 03/20/1998 09:31

Price Paid: I can't tell anyone what I paid!

Features: 10
One channel same as the top boost channel of the AC-30.Reverb & tremelo with treble, bass,vol. and master vol. ALL Tube. Has five ECC83's (chinese), two El-84's(Phillips/u.s.a.) & one Phillips(usa) 5Y3GT rectifier tube. Has Great Tone very musicial!! The reverb is very lush and smooth. Not clangy & harsh like a Fender. The Celestion Alnico Blue speaker really adds to the sound. These speakers are much better than any Jensen I ever heard. Might be due in part to the fact that there is a larger magnet.The alnico Celestions have much better sustain, clairity & upper mids than there ceramic counterparts. I did a gig the first night that I got it in a small club and had NO problem being loud enough!! I play everything from hardcore blues to country to sixties British stuff and it works great for all of them.

Sound Quality: 10
It works for every style that I play. The amp is very quite even when cranked. The amp wide open has that smooth slightly compressed fat distortion. Not harsh. But that could be due to the fact that I changed all of the preamp tubes to N.O.S. military grade Mullards(which in my opinion are THE greatest Tube company that was next to M.O.Valve). Guitars used: custom made PRS Custom22, Gretsch 6122 & 6119('60's),'59 Les Paul Special(real one! not reissue garbage by Garbage Gibson) Custom made Mahogany Tele and Ricky 360/12.

Reliability: N/A
I've only had it a couple of days(as of 10-18-96) The first shippment of these just came into the states on the 15th(of Oct.) The constuction looks very good. Better than average quality componets( silver mica and polystyrene caps)Drake transformers.

Customer Support: N/A
I've delt with Korg in the past and always had Excellent results.Warranty is one year.

Overall Rating: 10
I don't think that I would hesitate to get another one. The tone is there!!!!!!

Submitted by DON BUTLER at 10/19/1996 22:38