Price Paid: £700 used
Features: 5
The Vox AC30 30th Anniversary Edition was produced in 1990, to celebrate 30 years of Vox amplification. Although only 30W in power, it's an all-valve amp, which means it can knock the socks off most 100W transistor amps. Mine has two 12-inch 'Greenback' speakers in it, which are apparenltly not quite as good as the 'Blue Alnico' ones (although I've never heard these). This amp is simple. No effects loop/headphone jack/channel switching. If you like all these little extras, this amp's not for you, but if killer tone is what your after, look no further cause the AC30's got this in spades!
I mostly use the 'normal' channel jumpered sometimes with the vib/trem channel, i find the 'brilliant' channel a bit too trebley for my liking. For practice and gig use, the AC30 sustains great tone at any volume, but you do have to let the valves warm up for about 20 mins, before you use it, as all sorts of strange, not very musical noises occur (although saying that it could just be my amp!). This Anniversary Edition was produced in a limited batch of 1000, mine is number 0085.
Sound Quality: 10
My main guitar is a Fender Jazzmaster (Japanese), so it's standard single coils all round! The amp, surprisingly, is not that noisy, no hum or buzz, even though I use quite a lot of stompboxes. The only time it gets noisy is when I use the 'Brilliant' channel (but again, this may just be my amp).
Using a lot of effects (ranging from Boss Overdrive-Digitech Whammy) is how I get my different sounds, the amp on it's own is quite limited, you can get a lovely, warm, clean sound, and when pushed to higher volumes, you can get a really chunky, overdriven sound.
Reliability: 9
So far the amp has caused no problems, (aside from the time I hadn't let the valves warm up!), and in gig situations it's great. The only thing wrong with it is that the speed knob for the tremelo doesn't work properly (again, just mine). Im not that fussed about that, but I'll probably take it in for a service soon.
Customer Support: N/A
N/A
Overall Rating: 10
This amp is great, I've not had it long, but I have a friend who has the normal AC30, and I bought one after hearing his. I've been playing for about 5 years and have had a couple of other amps (a Laney, and a Fender Performer 1000), and the Vox beats both hands down. This amp is TONE KING.
Submitted by Rob Smith at 08/17/2002 14:44
Price Paid: US $750 used
Features: 7
The Vox AC30 30th anniversary is a 1990 re-issue from the 1960 era VOX AC30TB. Mine has 2- 25 watt celestion greenbacks. It has been my main amp for on and off gigging for the last 4 years. The AC30 is a beautiful amp with the best tone I could ever ask for. I mostly use the briliant channel jumpered with the vibrato channel. It is an old school amp that doesn't have channel switching, effects loops, headphone jacks,etc. If you like these features don't buy an old (or re-issue) amp. If you are after great tone I would highly recommend this amp. I get many compliments on my tone from all of the musicians I have played with, and I can't imagine using any other amp other than a wildly modified 410 Bassman I use as a backup...not that I have needed it. The AC30 has performed quite well, and I have had no problems at all. Although the amp is 30 watts it has plently of power for club gigs, outdoor events, etc.
Sound Quality: 10
My main guitar is a 1989 PRS classic (custom made by Paul and crew). Pickups are Duncan JB 59 PAF (bridge) and a stock PRS deep dish at the neck. I also play a 80's American Strat plus with David White Old Glory vintage pickups. I play a wide variety of rock, blues, and alternative styles in a working cover band, and the AC30 works equally well with humbuckers or single coils. The amp isn't noisy unless you use it with another tube amp...for some reason there is a ground loop noise that is prevalent. On mine the pots are a little scratchy as well, but this doesn't bother me since I usually set-it and-forget-it. The amps sounds range from shimmering clean rhythms to over the top growl that the amp is famous for, and I control volume and gain stages using my guitars volume, rotary tone pot, or with kicking in one of 2 tube screamers for different rhythm and lead gains. The TS robs a bit of the amps natural tone and depth but it is acceptable and still lets the amp breathe in the lower registers. The AC30 has a tone that is more marshall that fender, with more of a compressed midrange howl that is very dynamic. It doesn't have quite the low end whump of a marshall/412 setup, but I think it handles the low end power chords quite well. It also feedsback very nicely with a touch of the guitar volume pot. If you max the volume on the amp with no pedals, the distortion isn't quite enough for my taste, therefore I would recommend putting an overdriver on the front-end to get heavy distortion.
Reliability: 10
I don't gig alot but I have probably played out with this amp about 50 times for club gigs and private parties, and the amp has never broken and I have never replaced the tubes. I am tempted to replace the tubes but the amp sounds so damn good I don't even want to mess with it.
Customer Support: N/A
I bought the amp used and I have never made contact with the manufacturer.
Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing more than 20 years, and the AC30 is by far the best amp I have owned. I also have a Fender Bassman re-issue 410 combo that I use, which is reworked with a Hoffman hand wired circuit board and EL-34 output tubes (changed from the stock 6L6) which sounds awesome also. I own an old Ampeg V4 head which has been modified as well. I prefer a direct guitar-to-amp sound and the Vox AC30 fits this profile very well. I might look at a Matchless or some boutique amp if my AC30 were lost or stolen, but I certainly would try to get another AC30.
Submitted by Rich D at 04/09/2001 10:42
