Price Paid: US $570.00 used
Features: 7
My amp is a late 1966 Berkeley II , solid state 32 watts-reverb,tremelo, & MRB in a single channel with 3 inputs. This review heading is mistitled since the Berkeley is not a combo amp in any of the Thomas models but a seperate head & 2-10" cab piggy back design. I've pieced mine together over the past year until I now have the complete setup with trolley & footswitch. I use it for classic rock-naturally, with a little modern stuff thrown in. It has great tone since I've had it redone but a midway to heavy band would push this guy to the limit on volume. If the bassist has more than 200 watts your done.
Sound Quality: 9
I use this amp mostly with my 65 450 Ric 12 string & my 76 Epiphone Sheraton Jumbo acoustic(yes acoustic). I have a top of the line Dean Markley soundhole pickup on the Epi & it sounds marrrvelousss thru the Berkely. Very pure with an almost tubelike midrange. It stays steady & clear all the way to 10. I actually prefer its tone over its larger Thomas relatives except possibly the Buckingham,which is also a lower(35) watt amp. It is not a real versatile amp without pedals although it would do well for country or blues, not for metalheads unless you just record with it. It does OK at the 100-125 seat venues we played. We fortunately had a soft touch drummer.
Reliability: 8
This amp was infamous among repair techs in its day with its hardwired preamp/poweramp setup. Over 30 wires have to be unsoldered during servicing. That was corrected in the Berkeley III Super Reverb version that was last available. Still these early solid state amps were unpredictable compared to todays designs. The lower watt amps were better though-less heat. Mine has been upgraded with more modern & study components.
Customer Support: N/A
Thomas Organ long gone.
Overall Rating: 9
38 years playing 28 in clubs.The bottom line?This is a tasty & mellow sounding amp that just needs a little more wattage to be perfect. I have most the other Thomas Vox amps & this one tonewise is at the top. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another. If you are a medium volume band in a smaller club this amp still works, just bring a pedal or two. For big venues you'll need to mic it or bring a Royal Guardsman.
Submitted by Rob B at 09/18/2004 20:51
Price Paid: US $200
Features: 9
MADE IN LATE 1965 OR EARLY 1966.BOUGHT FROM THOMAS ORGAN FACTORY IN SEPULVEDA,CALIF FEBRUARY 1966 FOR $200. IT RETAILED FOR $400.BY ITSELF THE AMP IS NOT THAT VERSITILE.BUT IT WORKS WELL WITH ANY EFFECTS YOU PUT IN FRONT OF IT. I RUN MY 55 TELE THRU A DIGITECH RP100 OR A KORG TONEWORKS AX15. IT IS A VERY CLEAN SOUNDING AMP EVEN AT HIGH VOLUME.I PLAY EVERYTHING AND IT WORKS FOR ROCKABILLY AND HEAVY METAL AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. ONE CHANNEL 3 INPUTS. NO EFFECTS LOOP NO CHANNEL SWITCHING. VOL,TREBLE,BASS,REVERB,AND SPEED AND INTENSITY FOR TREMELO.IT HAS A FOOTSWITCH FOR REVERB ON OFF AND TREMELOE ON OFF. IT IS AN ALL TUBE CLASS A AMP 18 WATTS. IT IS A HEAD WITH A 2X10 CAB. 2 EL84 POWER TUBES 4 12AX7 PREAMP TUBES AND AN EZ81 RECTIFIER.
Sound Quality: 9
AMP IS GOOD FOR ANYTHING JUST USE THE RIGHT EFFECTS. ALONE IT SOUNDS VERY GOOD. VERY CLEAN. IT DOES GET NOISY PAST HALFWAY ESPECIALLY WITH EFFECTS.
Reliability: 10
USED IT TO GIG 1965 TO 1971 NEVER LET ME DOWN. REPLACED TUBES ONCE.
Customer Support: N/A
NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH VOX OR THOMAS ORGAN.
Overall Rating: 9
BEEN PLAYING 43 YEARS. I LOVE THE SOUND IT IS VERY WARM.I OWN A MAGNATONE MELODIER ANDA CRATE GX15. THE VOX IS THE BEST. THE ARE NOT MANUFACTURED ANYMORE SO THIS IS IT IF LOST OR STOLEN WOULD BUY A FENDER HOT ROD DELUXE
Submitted by LARRY at 07/27/2003 12:34
Price Paid: US $1000 used
Features: 7
This is a 15 watt class A, all tube, hand wired point to point Vox 2 by 10 combo. It was made in '65, has one channel, 3 imputs, volume, treble, bass, reverb, tremelo speed, and tremelo depth (reverb and tremelo are footswitchable). It's mounted on the original TV stand with head and 2 by 10 cabinet. The TV stand looks cool and I will definately keep it, but probably won't use it to play out with, since it's easier to haul around without it. It's not as loud as most fenders or marshalls, or even as it's older brother the AC-30. But don't be deceived--15 watts class A is plenty loud for rehearsal and small venues, and it will be miked for larger venues. I give it a 7 rating for features, because besides reverb and tremolo it does one thing--get an incredible vintage tone. But no effects loops, headphone jack, lots of built in effects, etc. I was looking for an amp with a great tube sound, that's it. I use it for blues, and and all sorts of rock, from Cream to Josh Rouse to Radiohead sounds. With some fulltone pedals in front of it, the features would be 10.
Sound Quality: 10
My favorite guitars to use are a custom-shop tele w/noiseless single coils and a '74 Gibson ES-335 with humbuckers. But every guitar I've played through this amp sounds great, it really brings each guitar's natural tone, unlike most circuit board amps I've played through. It gets noisy in certain situations, definately not a super-quiet amp. the reverb can get noisy if turned all the way up, otherwise I am still finding the sweet spots with each setting. The guy who sold it to me described it as the AC 30's younger, more aggressive brother. In other words, it gets a very similar tone to the old Jimi AC 30s, but not as much power, and it breaks up more at higher volumes. The volume, as well as the other nobs, go from 1 to 6, so it starts breaking up nicely at 4. Even at higher volumes, however, remember that it's hand wired, all tube, so it's very sensitive to your pick attack, so how hard or soft you play the strings will determine how much gain it produces. The natural gain it gets is terrific for lots of situations, but I will use a Fulltone Fulldrive II, to use for more sustain on leads. The fulltone pedals are great because they don't compromise your tone whatsoever.
Reliability: 7
I haven't had it very long, no problems so far, but I will definately use a back up amp for gigs. Hey, it's a 30 something year old tube amp, it's all original and has lasted this long, but I won't take chances without a back up.
Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt directly with Vox yet, but if I need service on this amp, there are a couple of guys in town I can go to.
Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for about 16 years, have been through several guitars and amps. This one by far is the nicest amp I've owned. When looking for an amp, the clean tone was the most important to me. You can always use effects to get different sounds, and there are plenty out there that won't obliterate the natural tone of your amp, instead they just enhance it (i.e. Fulltone and Zachary Vex). I played through a used Matchless Lightning 15 (great amp, but it cost almost twice as much), a Rivera Chubster 40, a Fender Twin Reverb reissue, a new Vox AC15, and several others. The Rivera was very versatile and louder, but didn't have the great clean tone that Vox does. The Fender Twin reissue had a great clean tone, and was louder also, but not quite the same quality of tone as the older, hand-wired amps have. The AC-15 also had nice tone, and easier to carry around, but everyone tells me that they break down within 2 years. So overall rating of 9 is based on it's great tone, so I got what I was looking for. To get a 10 it would have to have the same tone and maybe a bit more power with one 12 inch speaker instead of 2 tens (easier to carry around), but that's about it. I think that the old Vox's compare in quality to vintage Fenders, Marshalls, and Mathcless amps--which amp is better depends on the model and personal preferance.
Submitted by Anonymous at 06/13/2002 12:09
