Vox AC30HW 212 Combo

Price Paid: US $3,300

Features: 10
Unlike a JMI era AC30, this version has reverb, a quite useable tremolo, and a master volume. Reverb in cathode follower circuits like this is usually pretty weak compared to the blackface Fender circuit. Indeed, this Vox has to be set pretty high to get the same amount of reverb a Fender has on about 3-4. Nonetheless, the reverb sounds good, and the reverb tone control is quite nice to darken it up a bit for a more refined, subtle effect. The tremolo is not as swampy as say an old Valco, the best there is, but again it sounds good. If you use reverb and/or tremolo this amp has enough of both on tap.

Sound Quality: 10
This amp is without question one of the best sounding amps for what it does. Clean sounds are, of course, spectacular as one would expect from an AC30. There is enough clean headroom for most clubs for clean or just on the edge country chicken pickin'. A Tele and a bit of compression are simply stunning. Note definition is fantastic since with the TB circuit and Celestion blues you can play with tons of high end content without any brittleness. Low end strings just jump out and cut through the din of stage noise wonderfully. The notes that other amps can't seem to produce on stage are just right there. The attack and feel is great, very quick but not at all stiff. Clarity and touch in spades. Tone controls don't have a wide range, but you don't need it. As on all AC30's, putting the treble much past 1 O'clock just dumps all the mids and lows. The cut control is the knob with the most useful function for bringing out cut and clarity on humbucker guitars or to cut the edge off a real bright Fender. Turning the amp past 10 O'clock brings on a great meaty throaty wailing tone. The kind of output stage distortion that is not buzzy or fizzy or over compressed. Rather a very articulate and strong tone. No low end fartiness, rock solid feel. Add a pedal on top of this and you can cover a lot of bases. The master volume works well at allowing a very natural on-the-edge grind at club friendly levels. I prefer not using the master but use a 2.5 DB L-pad to cut just enough volume to allow me to crank it up a bit with the master on full. You can get useable fairly high gain bedroom distortion by cranking the preamp and backing the master way down, but, that is not what this amp is best at. If you like/need an amp with tons of compressed high gain, scooped mids etc., this amp is not for you. There are better choices for a lot less money. But if you want an amp that delivers a great clean or a grinding tone foundation for stage this is about as good as it gets. Amp is really for the pro player who will appreciate the subtle aspects and responsiveness of this amp. Amp came with Ei output and Ei preamp tubes. They sound quite nice, although I swapped in a Telefunken in the first tube position. A bit smoother, rounder sound than the Ei(telefunken copy).

Reliability: 10
Amp is hand-wired turret board construction, and is extremely well put together. I was frankly suprised. I build and mod amps, and this amp is one of the easiest amps to work on I have ever seen. I don't expect any problems at all with this amp except for changing the output tubes. Like any good AC30 this one will eat output tubes pretty quickly. One down side is the amp comes with a metal shield making it hard to get at the tubes without taking out the chassis. I just took mine off, problem solved. You can put individual tube shields on the preamp tubes if you wanted, but amp is dead quiet as it is. Amp has much more filtering than a regular AC30, hence it has much less noise and much less ghost notes. Oddly my amp was delivered with the speakers wired out of phase. If you get one and it lacks power and sounds louder from the side than from the front maybe check your wiring. It is supposed to be wired in series at 16 ohms. Although the out of phase wiring atually had kind of a cool effect from the funky phase cancellation.

Customer Support: N/A
Won't need it. Like any classic amp this one will last for decades.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been lucky enough to own a Top Hat Club Royale, 70' small-box Marshall, 55' Tweed Super, 58 4X10 Bassman, 64' Deluxe, 64' Vibroverb, 66' Princeton, 64' Valco Thunderbolt, Matchless SC 30, Vox AC15, etc., etc., All great amps in their own way. This new Vox ranks among the very best for stage work. They are not cheap, however, an original AC30 cost about $3200 in real dollars back in the mid 60's so perhaps that is some consolation.

Submitted by Bill at 01/20/2004 22:39

Price Paid: US $2700 plus tax

Features: 9
2003 AC30HW combo. This amp does not have a lot of features, but the ones that are there are perfect. I've always found the Brilliant channel to be the most useful on any AC30 and it's the only one I use 95% of the time. So the fact that this amp has just that one channel is not a real problem for me. However, I've always wanted the option of having tremelo on the Brilliant channel instead of on its own separate channel which, to me, never sounded as good as the Brilliant channel. I get my wish with the AC30HW. Add to that what is quite possibly the best built-in reverb I've ever heard on an amp. I am not a fan of reverb, but this sounds great. It doesn't suck the life out of the tone, nor does it take away from the articulation of the amp, as so many reverbs often do. I'm not giving this amp a full ten points simply because of that 5% of the time I use the Normal channel in my other AC30s. I wish this amp had both a Brilliant and Normal channel, but that's my only complaint.

Sound Quality: 10
This amp sounds full, yet very articulate, with a well-defined high end. It gets a fabulous clean tone, and then slowly edges into a sweet harmonic overdrive that nothing else can touch. This amp drips tone. I've never heard a better sounding amp, and I've heard a ton of amps. I've owned an early Matchless DC/30, several AC30s (including a 1961 and a 1964), a 1960 Vox AC15, and an Alessandro Beagle. The Vox AC30HW tops them all.

Reliability: 10
As another user said, it's a hand wired amp. It should be extremely reliable and easily serviced. I've had no problems as of yet, but I don't really anticipate any, either. I'd gig this amp without a backup. However, I will only give it nine points as I have not yet had enough time with it to truly know if it will have any problems.

Customer Support: 10
I've had emails and bulletin board messages answered by a VP at Korg/Vox, and by the people who actually design the amps there. That goes beyond customer service! This company truly cares about their customers like no other company I've ever dealt with.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 29 years, and I own three other AC30s, an Alessandro Beagle, a bunch of guitars, and various other stuff. This amp is my prize. If something were to happen to this amp, I'd get my hands on another one as soon as I could. Other than the Normal channel thing I mentioned above, I can't think of anything else this amp needs. It's virtually perfect. In fact, the tone that eminates from it far outweighs a normal channel. Ten points!

Submitted by kevin at 10/31/2003 12:28

Price Paid: US $3150

Features: 10
Vintage AC 30 features point to point wired with added two knob reverb and a sublime master volume.

Sound Quality: 10
This amp loves Les Pauls maybe more than a vintage Marshall. Fenders have chime and charm through the AC30HW but Les Pauls push it into heavenly rich tones that sputter out chimey harmonics as each note decays. This lush tone is when the master is opened up and you regulate the amp with your volume knob. The Celestion Blues are a perfect match for the output of this amp, as you push them harder the add the right snarl and breakup while subtracting the harsher frequencies. The reverb is really sensational in that you can dial its' tone as well as its' mix and create any era reverb tone you're in the mood for from full surf to dark small room slap back. The other bonus with the reverb is it can be footswitched off when you want to visit Marshall country. The trem sounds nice and can also be footswitched on and off. The master volume was a concern to me before playing the amp and my concerns were completely erased after plugging in. Tony Bruno supposedly had a hand in designing this recreation and the master volume shows that some genius had a hand in the circuitry. When the master volume is cranked it doesn't effect the tone in the slightest, A/Bing the Hand Wired with a vintage AC30TB there was no negative tonal difference except that the new Hand Wired was night and day quieter of hiss. I also liked the high end of the Hand Wired at full volume better with more sweetness and less cut. Now crank down the master volume and the AC30HW starts its' journey into studio and bedroom Marshall tone. The preamp distorsion of this amp leaves the sweet tones and becomes wonderfully aggressive, it has an immediate chunkyness followed with a soul stirring grind that gives it that on the edge tone that is usually only heard through a cranked power section. I think it is the Bruno magic combined with the Bulldog speakers all poured through hand wired premiun components that give it this quality bedroom breakup. Anyone who realizes that Vox is the third most heard amplifier in the history of rock and roll will be ecstatic over the fact that with this amp and moderate skills they can pour these tones out at will.

Reliability: 9
Hand Wired, if it breaks it can be fixed. Larger vents will probably add to it's longevity.

Customer Support: 9
Korg should be a reasonable company to deal with, hopefully I won't have to

Overall Rating: 10
This is really a rare opportunity to own an amp that recreates the holy grail of rock and roll tones and ads several bonuses like superb reverb, master volume done right, incredibly low noise level, and limited edition status to hold its' value better. Sorry for the rave review, I have vintage Fenders, Voxes and Marshalls as well as a Victoria and a Boogie and this AC30HW really impresses me with the pure familiar chimey sweet clean tones it readily produces at a variety of volumes. I won't be selling of any of my other amps but if I had to keep only one I feel the this new Vox could cover the most sonic territory while still coming back to produce exact vintage tones with a twist of a knob.

Submitted by Anonymous at 08/20/2003 20:59

Price Paid: US $4000

Features: 8
Features? They took what was good in a JMI era AC30 and added the features that should have been.
Vox Kept the point to point hand soldiered (work of art) chassis, the top boost circuit and cloned, to the nearest detail, the transformers. Then they added a lush parallel reverb circuit and a sweet tremolo. The also tapped the transformer so you could operate at either 8 or 16 ohm (add an ext. cab).
Above all, they added a master volume. one that works real well I might add. Don't underrate this addition; it's huge. Purests will spit and reach for their hotplate, be I applaude. It will ALWAYS be the most usefull feature on the amp.
Gone is the 4 or six input design. Also gone is the famous "normal" channel (sorry Brian May/treblebooster fans; no love here). This had to happen, but I do miss it. It now has a hi and lo input and are both functional for different situations.
Footswitch for reverb and tremolo.
5 12ax7 tubes for preamp (note that they are all ax7 tubes), a GZ34 rectifier and a quad of el84.
Layout is artwork. All the tubes have spring holders.
They are reportedly only making 350 combos and 200 heads worldwide.
I have lucky #0064 (..."when I'm 64").
I would report it to be able to cover most all styles of music except heavy bottomed neometal.
removable edison cable and transformer can be tapped to different worldwide currents.
twin 12" Vox Celestion blue bulldog speakers are standard. Construction of the box is good, but nothing upgraded from their regular Korg reissues except for the addition of a 'LIMITED EDITION HAND WIRED' badge on the front.
the list price is $4000. I know that sounds high, but realize that a standard Korg/Vox AC30 with blues lists for almost $3000. That's a serious amount of bang for that last grand. NO CONTEST.

Features and construction make this a holy grail/mine for life candidate.
I only rated it 8 because they eliminated the 6 input design and did not opt for deluxe cabinetry.
Also gripe that the stock tubes were good, but not great. I booted the Sovtek recto for a Mullard immediately. No non-branded preamp tubes were also replaced by 1 mullard and 4 JAN phillips 12AX7a. I left the Ei el84 power tubes alone.
Tone improved quite a bit.

Sound Quality: 8
my #1 is a Hamer 25th anniversary LTD semihollow Artist Custom with SD Pearly gates in the bridge and SD Custom Custom in the neck.
My guitar and amp came to an immediate understanding. The only pedal I use is a Don Butler Rangemaster (fullboost and trebleboost modes) for front end goosing. And, occasionally a Tech 21 comptortion pedal; when the compressor bug comes a calling.

The amp is stone quiet. Quietest Vox on the planet.
Tremolo (speed and depth) is very useable from subtle flutter to brain bending stuttering vintage warble.
Reverb (level and tone) while not mandatory with the remarkable 3-D texture, is a monster bonus. This baby goes all the way to mega surf city ba-bee. The tone knob can change the complete texture of it also. DEElectable!
The gain knob (as opposed to master volume) is extremely sensitive. The difference in tones from the 10 oclock setting (bell-like classic vox chime) to full open (Jeff Beck over the top blazing) is just a flick of the wrist away. adding the fullboost (rangemaster) multiplies the compression and harmonics and floods the sonic structure with musical overtones.
Pulling back on the guitar volume knob turns the faucet back down to a trickle.
I'm not a strat player, but can only think it must be heaven there too.
Again, my biggest gripe is the ommision of the normal channel. One of the coolest circuits there is.
The twin bulldogs were a perfect match for this power level.
I added a twin celestion blue ext cab to the equation (4 blues total, ext was closed back; combo open back) and it changed the amp to much more of a 60's Marshall rage. The power seems less "in your face". much rounder while still retaining punch. After some experimentation, dedcided that the 2 blues in the combo were the right formula.
This amp is one channel, but can cover alot of different sonic territories. The clean is the real deal, and the natural overdrive is even better.

Using that semihollow, when the groove gets to rompin', the volume comes up a bit and the f hole starts a resonating, THAT'S AMOURE'!!

The one word I keep using with this amp is "SMOOTH". Almost beyond description.

Reliability: 8
Thought maybe it would have a longer warantee, but being a tube amp, it's 100% repairable by normal guys and will need to go in for periodic tweaking.
so far operation has been flawless.

Customer Support: 10
cripe, the Vox guys frequent the big internet BBs. that's ultra cool in my book. They take their product seriously. Passion runs high.
10++

Overall Rating: 9
Like alot of guitarist that have been noodling for 30+ years (my gosh, has it been that long?). I've been through a truckload of amps.
I have approached all with an open mind. Over the past 3 or 4 years, I keep migrating to Voxland for my sonic pleasure. It started with a small Top Hat, then to a Vox Pacemaker (!), then a Vox Valvetronix AD120VT (!!). That made me jones for more... an AC30RI (!!!!). The next logical step was to jump to a real vintage JMI; oh wait...FLASH!! Vox announces a hand wired AC30 to be produced. NAMM reports people blown away be the new creation. must have...must have...
Never say never, but I really think I'm sittin here with the end of the journey. The real HOLY GRAIL OF TONE. So much, in fact, that I'm springin for a $$$$$$$ Road case to pamper it.

Really, honestly, it doesn't get any better than this.If your over 30 years old, you've spent your life revelling in this tone. It's magic.
Only a relatively small number worldwide will be produced. I'm tickled that I could liquidate enough gear to come up with the bling for this.
Downside, you guessed it; the PRICE. and lack of 6 input design and a upscale cab. Hey, maybe www.northcoastmusic.com will come through and build an upscale repro.
yah, yah, I know, I'm gushing. But I'm really happy. A world class guitar, a world class amp, 1000 songs in my head and never enough time to play them. Life is so short, Play the good stuff.

a special thanks to all the good friends at some of my favorite hangouts: www.hamerfanclub.com www.voxtalks.com www.vintageamps.com

Submitted by << sirDaniel >> at 05/24/2003 13:06