Vox Buckingham

Price Paid: US $275.00 used

Features: 8
Early 1966 solid state model that uses the 1/4" footswith with an additional RCA one button MRB footswitch. For 1966 it would be a "10" on features. I'll still give it a "8" now. Early model that lacks the fuzz option but I've not heard a lot positive about that feature.I just had it totally redone & its awesome.

Sound Quality: 8
One word for this amp-REVERB-like you've never heard. Otherwise its about as good a tone as I've heard for a totally solid state amp,with due respect to my Peavey transtube. Not my 1965 tube Cambridge though. Then again either is my 66 Bandmaster & 84 Mesa Mark llB.

Reliability: 9
My tech can make any amp bulletproof. From the factory they weren't as good but give them a break, that was the technology then. Fender also tried to go solid state in the late 60's but soon bailed. Vox stuck with it & took their lumps.

Customer Support: N/A
My tech is my support & he's without equal.

Overall Rating: 9
I started playing about the time these amps were new. Maybe I'm just reliving it all! This is a piece of rock history. If you've got em keep em!

Submitted by Rob B at 04/28/2004 21:30

Price Paid: US $450 used

Features: 5
The Vox buckingham amp I have was made sometime in late 60's. I purchased it in 1970 for $450. The original owner bought it new for over $900. It has three channels and plenty of power. It says 35watts, but seems to blow away 100-150 watt amps. It has a foot pedal to control MRB effects, tremolo, top boost, and also the distortion with small red led. The original speakers were replaced with JBL 12". The original owner said it was a upgrade highly suggested by the store selling the amp originally.

Sound Quality: 5
I've played a Gibson Les Paul Delux, and a Mosrite Mark IV. I kept the Mosrite. The amp does everything needed. I don't care for the distortion feature. When you turn it up past 50% it begins to get distorted. Much to my suprise, adding more speakers does not seem to drag down the amp. Yes it does hiss, but at those volumes, who cares.
The distortion is acceptable for me, since that is what I'm looking for at high levels. I parallel a Fender baseman 2-15" cabinet with it.
It sounds massive. The amp is no good for playing a base guitar, not enough low end punch or fidelity. This amp was made for a lead guitarist.

Reliability: 7
I've had this since 1970. It has been on for durations of several hours, and never failed yet. I am a electronic tech and opened it up to remove dust, clean potentiometers, and deck switches. Other then the grill cloth shrinking, It still looks new with a few use scratches.

Customer Support: N/A
I have not needed to get any service done, but at one time I had to replace a lost knob. Checking around at vintage music shops, I found one. I do have original schematics and parts lists issued by VOX. I got them in the early 70'S. Now you can get them from places on the web.

Overall Rating: 8
I have been playing since 1962. I have had several guitars and now wearing out the Mosrite that I got in 1970. I also have a Yamaha DX7 that I play through the amp. Not enough fidelity for a synth. If the amp was lost or stolen, I would not look to find another like it. It is just an amp. I would go for the latest technology. The Vox amp is very good, and I might keep it until I drop. I wish it had more dynamic fidelity range, but can't have everything. It is just a guitar amp, and not a stereo.

Submitted by Pete Banach at 08/05/2002 09:41

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
I bought a Vox,Buckingham with tubes in 1965. And 3 months later I traded it in on a Vox, Buckingham with transitors. I am still playing it and I got it for $900 new. Yes it is, very versatile for me. I play country and rock. It has three channel. One regular, a middle range boost and a bass channel. The bass channel can make a regular guitar sound like a bass guitar.Unbelieveable. I use all the features. I play in the bars and at home. They always complain that I play to loud. I only run it on 4 on the volume. Very fine product. I only had it since 1965 and never had any problems.

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Bill Gann at 02/25/2002 16:25

Price Paid: US $860 used

Features: 8
This amp was made sometime in the mid 60's with 3 channels,normal, brillient and a bass. It has reverb and tremelo and is solidstate. The cabinet has 2-12" Vox blue ceramic speakers on a trolly. I believe it is 35 watts. I wish I had a foot switch, but at this age, it will be hard to find.

Sound Quality: 10
I have a Les Paul Elegant and a Epiphone Dot. I will be ordering a Carvin in about a month. I play only for pleasure althought I get together now and then with a few friends and we do our best not to sound too bad. I think the sound of this amp is awsome, thats why I bought it.

Reliability: N/A
I bought the head off of ebay about a week ago and I'm playing it through a 1964 Gibson Mercury I cabinet. It has 2-12" Jensen alnico speakers. I put an add in the Vox Showroom and found a Cabinet and trolly for it, it's on it's way here now. It needs the caps changed and I can't find anyone to do sofar. If JT, the other guy on this review could, I wish he would email me if he knows of anyone. rtsba@worldnet.att.net . At this time, I don't know how reliable it will be yet.

Customer Support: N/A
JT, email me!! rtsba@worldnet.att.net

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing on and off for close to 35 years and still suck at it. My sons play 10 times better than I do! This is the scoop. I got together with a bunch of guys at a buisness of one of them. All you had to do is bring your guitar, this one guy had all the rest, amps, drums, basses, even guitars if you needed one. I never had so much fun playing in my life. 4 hours went by in a flash! That is where I first plugged into a Buckingham and fell in love with the sound. After that, I was on a mission to find one, and I did. I have 3 1/2 acres and I'm going to build a barn for a jam room this summer. I will have enough equipment for sure. Between me and my boys, we have this Buckingham, Vox Cambridge 30 Twin Reverb, 1964 Gibson Mercury, Marshall JTM 30, Peavey Classic 50, Crate stack with 4X12 cab., Crate Bass, and a CB drum kit. I think we're set! At almost $900 invested, I don't think I would try to replace it. This was a one time shot at finding one. Being a Beatles fan since I was 8 years old was one reason why I wanted to buy a Vox.

Submitted by Rick at 04/14/2001 07:16

Price Paid: US $175.00 used

Features: 8
yea-yea I know, a solid state amp , but this heads sound even surprised me, thomas organ gem probably from 65-66. Don"t discount these old thomas amps until you play through one, the buckingham model has 3 channels of which I find only 2 useable, the 3rd. being a bass channel,has deep reverb to which I preferover my 68 princeton reverb, has mrb effect (3 positions) this is the earlyform of what we now know as the wa wa pedal, I play this through a vox berkley cab W/ 2 10" blue label celestions made for vox, I think there 15 watts ea.this whole rig sits in the berkley chrome dolly. the down side of these of course is the heat & lack of cooling fins, but W/ additional fins, new caps/resisters you can bullet proof these things.

Sound Quality: 6
as I said , if you haven"t plugged into one your missing out of a truly unique amp, the buckingham is rated at 30 watts, it"s fairly quiet operation, great clean sounds, very deep reverb, w/ a overdrive pedal I can cover most bases for my surf/ blues/rock style I"m gonna give it only a 6 here because of course its after all solid state and can"t distort the same as my marshall jmp rig or my tweed tremolux

Reliability: 7
Like I said , it"s possible to bullet proof these things, reduce the heat, there by prolonging the existing resistors life.I don"t gig w/ it,but has been reliable so far.

Customer Support: N/A
Who are you kidding ? were talking thomas organ/ 60"s, give me a break !

Overall Rating: 8
I"ve been picking around 30 years, so I"ve pretty much seen them/ heard them all, and I was impressed w/ this heads sound. there getting harder to find ang guess what, there going up in prices, probably because of the nostalgia associated, have you priced a complete beatle rig latey ? I also love the nostalgia of these (they look cool too !) theres some good sound there, I hate the stigma w/ them that a lot of tube players have & vox players in general for $175.00 I"d be hard pressed to find another, I"d truly miss this one, my marshall tube head are a dime a dozen

Submitted by JT at 03/13/2000 20:23