Vox Pathfinder 15

Price Paid: US $101 used

Features: 8
I think it was built in 1999. Fits my style perfectly. My music has a lot of U2 influence, also 3EB and Soda Stereo. This amp is basically a mini solid-state AC30! One channel. Jacks for headphones, external speakers and line out for direct recording. I only wish it had reverb, but it does have tremolo, and a very nice one. I use it for practice and recording on my PC. 15W of power is more than enough for me. Very cool amp, and looks great.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using a Hamer strat copy and a Dano 56-U2. As I said before, it suits my style perfectly. Even with treble at max, it sounds very warm. Distortion is so smooth and crunchy at the same time! The gain boost switch is great. One thing: this thing can be L-O-U-D !!! My father couldn't believe it is rated at only 15 W.

I like the way it colors the sound...it's kind of a "whistly", metallic sound...I don't know how to describe it...listen to U2 and you'll know what I mean. Sound is fully controllable, though. Very flexible. Bass and Treble controls do make a big difference throughout their range.

To summarize...beautiful sounds...great, great amp!!!

Reliability: 9
It's solid state, so I don't think it'll catch fire like AC30s... :) Is built very sturdy and materials are of top-notch quality. Only thing that might wear over time are the corners, because the whole thing is covered in a nicely textured black vinyl. A 9 because of this.

Customer Support: N/A
Beats me.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for a bit more than a year. I also own:

- Danelectro 56-U2
- Hamer Slammer DA3
- Digitech RP10 upgraded to RP12
- Vox AC-1 Mini Combo

I love this thing...it is just perfect for me. Great sound, great looks, the right size, not too heavy...what else could I say?! I was between this and the DanelectroNifty Fifty, and even though I know the Dano is a gerat lil' amp too, the additional features of the Pathfinder, like tremolo and the output jacks (and the Vox sound) made me decide for it. I only wish it had reverb...but I can make that with the RP10.

Anything else? Well, buy this amp while you can!!! You WILL NOT regret it.

Submitted by Jose Kercado at 12/29/1999 17:02

Price Paid: US $109

Features: 10
This is a recently purchased, Korean made 15 watt Vox with an 8" Vox Bulldog speaker. It has a single channel, a gain control that overdoes overdrive a bit for my taste, treble and bass controls, the US market version with a line out, speaker out, and headphone out. It has tremelo speed and depth controls, which I find to be well done, tastefully adding to the shimmer. Could stand reverb.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using this amp for now to practice with my Rickenbacker 330, high output single coils. There is noise, due to the single coils, but it's not objectionable when positioned correctly. The distortion sounds fake like a cheap distortion pedal, but that has as much to do with my guitar and style as anything else. With the volume at two o'clock and the gain at 10 o'clock, with the tremelo set 3/4 depth and speed, it gives me exactly the sound I had hoped it would. It's proximity to a class A tube amp sound is better than any transistor amp I've ever played or heard. I don't think anyone has come as close to tube with transistors as Vox has recently. Through the 8", the bass isn't as low as it is through a cabinet, which it drives just fine. The Rickenbacker/Vox combination has the most useful and distinctive midrange of any other. The highs are piercingly loud yet not as bright as a Fender, and the lows are warm, not nearly as a Gibson. I owned a Vox tube amp during the sixties, 1965-1970. I know the sound well, and this amp has it. It took me less than five minutes to dial in the Rickenbacker/Vox combination I was looking for. My metal experienced son said that he's never heard a purer '60s sound than this combo, and that it's as fresh in a lot of current music as it was then. I only know that now I really have to put the polish on and get my chops up. I have the sound I want.

Reliability: N/A
This is a transistor amp by a company I have a lot of gigging experience with their products. If they think the Korean factory is good enough for their name, I have every reason to believe it will be a no brainer. My previous tube Vox withstood five years of three to five night a week gigging without the first breakdown. Nothing else came close.

Customer Support: N/A
I have no idea. Korg/Marshall/Vox sounds like a good bet, though.

Overall Rating: 10
I've played since 1964. I have an unabashed British Invasion style, no matter what I play. Other gear and other styles and 35+ years of playing, and I still approach the guitar in that manner, before overdrive was anything but the result of trying to get loud enough and chorus and effects were the shimmer of a Vox and the snarl of whatever it had played through it. This Pathfinder on a clean setting is on the verge of class A breakup and takes mearly a pickstroke to overdrive, just like a good class A should. Outstanding clean punch. I don't like the fuzz sound of the amp. I intend to try out some effects, but not to bury the basic Vox/Rickenbacker combo. I've compared it to Fenders, the closest decent amp, and although I like the Fenders, the Vox is voiced uniquely in my direction. I really don't expect too many people to be reading either Vox or Rickenbacker reviews, even guys my age. It isn't just nostalgia to me, it's the song I hear tomorrow that I have yet to learn, it's just going to sound a certain way cause that's what my ears hear. I can understand how people fall in love with Marshalls, 5150's, Fenders. But my first amp was a Vox, sounded like a Vox, and this little kick ass of a practice amp hit the nail square on the head, no bullshit. If that sound means anything to you, you ought to have one if just to play in the bedroom. I don't intend for this to be my last Vox due to it's relative lack of power, but with a line out and mikes as good as they are today, who knows what I'll use it for. Replace it? With another Vox, this model included, in a heartbeat. Damn good job, once again, and my thanks to Jennings and crew, once again.

Submitted by Bill at 12/23/1999 22:25

Price Paid: US $89.99

Features: 9
This amp is not your average practice amp!! It's only 15 watts, but it's twice as powerful as any other 15 watt amp I've ever heard!! I'm in a band with a few beginning instrumentalists all with 15 watt amps, and my Pathfinder blows them away every time!! They're constantly begging me to turn down the volume! The sound quality is good and there's not extra noise. It's got distortion and tremolo, which is surprisingly high quality. It's got a lot of empty space in the back, which is handy for carrying pedals and cords.

Sound Quality: 10
The clean sounds are good and the overdrive is sweet, but when the distortion is all the way up, there isn't that real metal sound that I like. So I use it with a Zoom 2100 FX pedal (read my review of that) and an Ibanez Superstrat RG170. But as I said before, it blows away everything else in its class!!

Reliability: 10
Never had a problem with it. Don't think I will. This thing is built solid!!

Customer Support: N/A
No experience

Overall Rating: 10
I love this amp!! It is the best I could have gotten for my price range and use!!

Submitted by JAF at 12/22/1999 19:29

Price Paid: US $99.00

Features: 8
New portable 15 watt, two channel practice/recording amp with onboard tremelo. It has bass, treble, gain, volume and tremelo controls, as well as a line-out jack for running to another power amp or PA, and a headphone jack so your spouse won't club you for disturbing her beauty sleep.

I am a home player who does hard disk recordings for my own pleasure. I sometimes mic this amp but usually run the line out straight to my MIDI console and into my PowerMac. I use ProTools recording software.

For the price range, the tremelo cicuitry is quite a surprise.

Sound Quality: 9
I use a mahogany/alder Yamaha AES-800 guitar with two Seymour Duncan DLX-90 humbucking soapbar pickups: a very versatile guitar that looks goofy but sounds fab. I also own an old silver face Fender Twin Reverb and a mid '80s Marshall JCM-800 combo.

I play mostly instrumentals which incorporate rock and new age stylings. I wanted a small, portable amplifier that I could mic in my closet, in the bathroom, or anywhere where I could get natural reverb. The Vox fits the bill nicely, and it looks cool. The clean sounds are absolutely steller. I was amazed I could get this amount of harmonic richness out of a solid state amp. The 8 inch speaker doesn't put out much low end thump, so run both a line out to my MIDI interface and mic the speaker with an old Shure SM-57. Then I just add some low end beef with ProTools' EQ and mix the two signals to taste.

The Vox's dimed out distortion sounds are a bit too fuzzy for my taste, but the light overdrive sounds (with the boost engaged and the gain set at around 10:00) sounds very rich and Voxey. For distortion I prefer to run my trusty old MXR Distortion pedal in front of the amp.

My only initial complaint with the Patfinder was that it does rattle profusely when played at high volumes with the boost engaged. However, this can be reduced by stuffing 4" thick foam rubber padding inside the cabinet, around the speaker. You can pick up foam rubber padding at any hardware store for low bucks. Not only did this help reduce the buzzing but it seemed to help squelch some of the transient noises, and actually increased the volume output.

Reliability: 9
No trouble so far.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
For the price you can't beat it. I love the Pathfinder's crystalline clean tones, and the overdrive/boost is useful as long as you use it with discretion. The tremelo is cool and along with the decadent Vox accoutrements, adds a neat vintage mojo that is rearely seen in amps these days. I tried it out against some Fender and Danelectro solid state amps and the Pathfinder smoked them all. Now if Vox can just find away to squelch the cabinet rattle, I'd give this amp a 10.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/14/1999 09:12

Price Paid: US $250 used

Features: 10
Solid state players, eat your heart out! this mid 60"s pathfinder is all tube 1 el84. this thing screams! for a low watt amp .I realize this amp was made in U.S. by thomas organ, but made to the british specs. 2 channels, who needs reverb! I also believe its pretty rare not many tube models out there, also have the orig. chrome stand!

Sound Quality: 9
I play through 74" strat & 70"s gibson L6 , also a orig. 56" musicmaster, but the humbucks in the L6 make this puppy sing , just the right overdrive & sound level for me

Reliability: 8
never gigged with it but I supose you could w/ a shure 57 mic. has not broken down yet, still running the orig. tubes in it have great britain written on them

Customer Support: 6
whats that I"m on my own here

Overall Rating: 8
been playing around 20 years, my other gear includes marshall 100 watt jmp super lead 74" w/checkerboard 4-12 rola cest. cab, 68" fender princton reverb, all orig. ,melody amp w/6" spk.,marshall valvestate stereo 40 watt/2-12 combo

Submitted by J.T. at 12/13/1999 22:39

Price Paid: US $119

Features: 8
The Pathfinder has enough features for a basic practice amp: distortion, volume, treble, bass. It even has tremolo, though it is not useful that often. It is a very simple, straightforward amp, but it a good way. The amp is "only" 15 watts, but it can drive a 4x12 speaker cabinet (according to the Vox spec sheet). The volume is just right for jamming in your garage.

Sound Quality: 9
The Pathfinder sounds great. It is only a solid-state practice amp, but it is a terrific sound for the money! It's not noisy or hissy. The distortion is surprisingly warm and gritty, not cold and shreddy like cheap metal distortion pedals. I used to own a very shreddy amp that couldn't do any clean tones. I bought the Pathfinder because I was looking to experiment with some warmer clean tones.

Reliability: 8
This amp is solid-state and feels very solid. I do not expect any problems from it.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't used the customer support yet, so I don't know.

Overall Rating: 9
I've owned other practice amps and the Vox Pathfinder is definitely my favorite. This amp is an amazing deal. It has the best tone of any amp I've owned and, amazingly, it was the cheapest! I'm so embarrassed for buying and using those other practice amps over the years! :-)

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/13/1999 13:37

Price Paid: US $105

Features: 7
I bought this amp three months ago so I imagine it's brand new. It is a 15 watt solid-state two channel combo with an 8 inch "Bulldog" style speaker, line out, headphone out and an onboard vibrato circuit.
I use the amp at church and bought it to replace my good old Fender Blues Deluxe which was way to big and loud for church use. This amp is the prefect size, and it is very light and portable. The Pathfinder is plenty powerful enough for my needs because I never turn it up loud onstage. I mic it with a Shure SM57, so that way the church's soundman can mix it to taste with the other stage instruments. In fact, I face the Pathfinder towards me next to my stage monitor so I can make quick adjustments to it and and hear myself better. I guess it would be cool if it had reverb, but even the old Vox AC-30s did not have reverb. That doesn't dissapoint me since I use a floor effect pedal and can just add reverb in.

Sound Quality: 9
I run a home-built strat with Lindy Fralin pickups through a Boss GT-3 effects processor. The Pathfinder is probably the best solid state amp I've ever heard. Tom Petty and Edge tones are here in abundance. I dig the U2 and Cocteau Twins ambient sounds, and this little amp does the Brit thing very well. It does a convincing impersonation of that "blizzard of nails" overdrive sound that made Vox AC-30s so cool for rock. It is a very honest overdrive that's not too spiky or harsh. The aggressive Marshall kind of distortion sound grates on most people's ears and is a no-no in church, but the Vox type overdrive is very palatable for most people. The clean settings are superb, with a glassy clarity that you normally don't find in this size of amp. I like the way it absorbs the effects I run through it without losing its own sonic signature. Of course it cannot duplicate an AC-30's sparkling high end and sweet midrange, but the blokes at Vox did a great job of giving the Pathfinder alot of that vibe. I haven't detected alot of noise or hiss, although it rattles a bit when you crank the volume up. The cabinet seems well built, but in the near future I may reinforce the inner corners with aluminum angle-irons for extra vibration damping. I was also surpirised at how loud this amp is. It will deafen you if you practice in a small room with it. The vibrato is cool, and when I add a little digital reverb I can get some trippy surf sounds.

Reliability: N/A
It is a solid state amp. What can you say? As long as you don't drop it off the table onto a concrete floor it should last for years. I haven't had any problems with it so far.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
Talking gear bores me. I'd rather talk cars. I have a couple of low rent acoustics, my Fender Blues Deluxe and my home made strat. My Boss GT-3 is the only effects pedal I own. As for the Pathfinder: this is a fine, fine amp. In fact, for this price I may buy another one so I can split my effects signal to them for a juicier stereo spread. This is a perfect amp for recording because of its stellar clean sounds and crispy overdrive that is not too harsh or overstated. I'm not going to go out and sell my Fender, but for the price you really cannot beat the Pathfinder.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/12/1999 20:07

Price Paid: US $109.00 with shipping

Features: 8
Brand new 1999 Vox Pathfinder guitar amplifier, designed for practice and recording. To get down to the basics, 1 x 8" speaker with 15 watts power. The controls are Gain, Volume, Treble, Bass, Tremolo Speed, Tremolo Depth, and there's a gain boost switch between the gain and volume knobs. One Input and Footswitch Jack on the top of the combo, and Headphone, Extension Speaker and Line Out Jacks on the back (the latter three jacks are on the American versions only.) The speaker is a Vox-lisenced Korean made (same as the rest of the amp) "Blue Bulldog", based somewhat on vintage Vox speakers. I use everything the amp offers. Some people say would like Reverb, but very few Vox amps had it anyway, so why mess with greatness? I've used the amp here at home a number of times since I got it, and it's more than enough power for practice... I think for what it's used for, it's more than versatile, compared to a number of Practice amps. This is the reason for the score of 8. Better tonal control would be nice (the two knobs effect the other, it's nice but I miss having a midrange control.) All in all, one of the best 15 watt solid-state amps money can buy.

Sound Quality: 10
I use this amp with my 2 electric guitars, a Rickenbacker 360 and an Epiphone Flying V. Sounds great with both, the Humbuckers and the Rickenbacker single-coils. I think this is the first practice amp to tonally fit my needs just right, the only thing to come close was a Vintage Kay Solid State from 1963 (which is simply for decoration now.) I play a mix of classic rock, punk and modern rock, R.E.M., The Jam, U2 and The Who among other bands are my inspirations... The sounds are very clear, nice and even, quite warm, even for my choice settings, with the bass down low and the treble up all the way. You can get alot out of the amp, the overdriven tones sound almost tubelike, like an amp forced all the way up; the tremolo with the clean, warm tones, can hit on some wicked psychedellic tones; the clean can capture a Beatles-like or an R.E.M. like sound; I'm sure with limited coaxing you can squeeze some Brian May tones out too. If you're worried about humming, it's limited, if you've got a cheap cord and like to walk around the room as you play, it'll get noticable, but it's limited, it's very quiet in that aspect. When you compare the clean channel to the distorted, you'll see, you need the gain control all the way up or at least 3/4 of the way there for it to get overdriven tones, the clean stays very clean for awhile, which is what I like, few practice amps can do that. The distorted tones, are more like an overdrive to a full-on distortion... They rock, you can get an almost Black Sabbath tone with humbuckers, low volume, and full gain, without the Gain Boost used. As for that Gain Boost, it sounds cool to have the volume boost it offers, I don't use it much to reach distorted tone, I like fiddling with knobs. I'd use the Vox footswitch when I get one for this amp, but I'd need to see what kinds of setting I could use to get from clean to overdriven with the switch. For a practice amp, this one can't be beat in this price range. Hence, the 10.

Reliability: N/A
I can see this amp as very dependable. The way I take care of my gear, and the construction of it, I don't see it getting messed up. I don't plan on gigging with it. I read about the Vox Cambridge 30 Reverb Twin coming out in January. I'd see gigging with that. But not this, unless there's no drummer and everyone else is using Fender Frontman-or similar amps... This could blow one of them away. I think I'll have this for awhile, until I can afford a couple AC-15's I might consider doing away with this, but I'd probably give it to someone then, or this can be the guitar amp I keep in the bedroom or something. It's too early for me to voice how reliable it can be.

Customer Support: N/A
There's a 1 year warranty on all Korg/Vox products, except for footswitches, tubes, speakers which have 90 day warranties. I doubt I'll have any trouble.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 4 years, I've owned loads of gear. When I like something, I keep it, if not, it goes. I'd definately get another, and I plan to get more Vox gear in General. I've owned tons of similar size amps, nothing compares. I don't see any way I could make it better. This is the best practice size combo money can buy.

Submitted by Joseph Drew at 11/23/1999 19:07

Price Paid: US $90 from zzounds.

Features: 9
Features include a built-in trem, gain boost (must be their "overdrive" excuse), gain, volume, and footswitch activation. Pretty basic setup, doesn't have a midrange adjustment, but that isn't too bad. It's a practice amp. Doesn't need that much.

Sound Quality: 9
I use a yamaha pac112, and I play basically rhythm. As with most amps, this doesn't distort that well with full chords on max. But with palm muting and gain at 12:00 with boost, it sounds pretty darn sweet. Nice crunch, if you release palm mute, there's a nice sustaining tone coming from it. I'm no tone expert, so I can just say it's darn good, though not exactly metal zone ish distortion. But it's better than some of the ibanez pedals I've heard.

The clean tones are superb. My guitar's single coils sound great on it, and my bucker gives a nice quack when I need it. There's no emphasis on bass here, since everything just sounds GOOD.

The trem isn't exactly as fast or as deep as I'd like, but I don't use it much anyway.

However, there's a slight rattling whenever I crank it up past regular level clean gain. That's a slight problem...thought it was my guitar at first, but it seems to be something in the amp. But that should be fixable.

Reliability: 9
It's a nice amp, I've used it in church, sounds great, that rattling's kinda annoying, but nobody notices much...and I play mostly clean anyway, so it isn't that apparent.

Customer Support: N/A
Vox is British. I'm out of warranty range, so it won't help anyway.

Overall Rating: 10
It's a great practice amp. A little on the big side, but still manageable. Compared it with my friend's squier amp...the squier gives a pretty good metal sound...if I can tell what metal sounds like...with its V shape bass-mid-treble eq, but all in all, I love this amp. I'll try to fix the rattling myself.

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/13/1999 02:01

Price Paid: US $102

Features: 9
It's a brand new '99. Controls are simple....Input, Gain, Boost, Volume, Treble, Bass, Tremelo Speed, Tremelo Depth, Foot Switch Input, Power switch, Headphone Jack, 8 ohm extension jack, line out jack.
1 eight inch speaker. 15 W, Solid State.

Sound Quality: 10
Using it with Les Pauls, Strats, Danelectros, Telecasters, Duo Sonics, and an acoustic. Works for that REM sound, if that's what you're looking for. Very nice tone. I play punk and ska mainly, but I can use this amp to provide some interesting countertones to my Marshall. The tremelo is a great feature, especially considering the price of this thing.

Reliability: 8
I haven't gigged with it yet, but I will this summer. Hasn't broken down yet, don't see that it will. Seems very durable.

Customer Support: N/A
Not applicable

Overall Rating: 10
Been playing six years, and this is the best "practice" amp I've ever come across. I should have paid $118 for it, but the cashier couldn't read the guys handwriting, and I got it for $102. If stolen, I'd track the thief down and kill them. Would definitely buy again, in fact I might and hook them together, with varying tremelo settings on each one. Might create a cool effect.

Submitted by Ryan at 10/30/1999 15:17