Vox Pathfinder 15R

Price Paid: US $120

Features: 9
Features Gain, Volume, Bass, Treble, Tremelo Depth & Speed and Reverb. Also has a Boost button. The back features a Line Out (Big plus, more on that later), Extension for a Speaker cabinet, footswitch and headphones. I deducted one point for not having a Mid EQ. Also be warned that the footswitch wire is pretty short, which can be somewhat troublesome for gigs.

Sound Quality: 10
I originaly bought this amp in 2002 for a practice amp since my other amps were being used at band's rehearsal space. It was within my budget and looked cool, so I was sold. When I got home I started messing around with it more and realized how freakin' cool this amp is. I quickley intergrated into my live setup. I used the line out to send into a larger 120 watt amp. The 120watt amp is used stritcly as a stage monitor, I have the soundguy mic only the Vox through the PA. I also use it in the studio.

I play a hybrid of Garage punk and hard rock (think White Stripes' Elephant and classic AC/DC). the distortion is pretty nice. It doesn't give you high gain distortion, but it does give you an almost Jimmy Page-ish/Malcolm Young-like overdrive. I'm pretty impressed with the slight overdrive sound it gives you. You can find quite a few colors other than the old clean/dirty option. I play the sound about halfway dirty- It gives me a pretty ballsy "clean" sound. I then use a MXR Distortion+ for my main gain.

The tremelo and reverb are also great, especially if you're into Classic 60's sounds. The tremelo is the better of the two, I use it quite a bit now for having never used that effect before. The reverb is cool, but you can only get that vintage sound from it. That's cool by me, but if you're wanting more options or a more subtle and modern sounding reverb you're out of luck.

The boost is just OK. You don't need to use it to get the best distortion from the amp as the other posts stated. It comes in mostly handy for boosting your leads or solos. It definatly works well for that. It does not work well for switching between a clean and dirty sound.

Reliability: 10
I have used it live fr two years now and never the slightest problem. It's probably been one of the most trouble-free guitar related thing I have ever bought. Solid build, doesn't look cheap.

Customer Support: N/A
Can't give an opinion becuase it's never been an issue. And I have no reason to think it never will be.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing guitar for 12 years. I play a mexican Fender Strat, Gibson Les Paul Studio and and Epihphone SG. I use only a MXR Distortion+ and a Boss tuner for effects. Occasionaly, I may bust out my Digitech wah or EH Small Clone if I'm feeling saucey.

Overall, this amp is an amazing value. Perhaps I am too much of a fan of the amp to say this, but I can't imagine anyone being unhappy with it. I now own two of them, I use them both live. So I would definatly replace them.

I do wish the amp had a mid EQ knob. I also wish that Vox would make higher watt version of the amp...maybe a 60 watt 2x10? I think that would be awesome.

Submitted by Left Jeff at 05/26/2004 10:29

Price Paid: 430 (Ringgit Malaysia)

Features: 9
I think it is a 2004 or 2003 made model because it was a new stock in the shop i bought it from. It has the usual features, one gain, one treble, one bass, one volume knob. there is also a reverb, tremolo depth and tremolo speed knob. dont think that many people would use the tremolo effects alot and it would be great if there was a mid knob.(but the treble and bass is enough for me, i am a simple man). oh, there is the boost button too, to increase the distortion like sounds. The gain maxed does NOT give you good distortion, you HAVE to use the boost. Overall it is almost perfect for a practice amp this size. If you want other built in effects for an amp this size, go look at the Ibanez TB15D or the Marshall MG15CDR. But really, if you want effects, get effects pedals, especially for an amp this size. Its a solid state by the way and it has the classic vox look, which is GOOD. (Go to voxamps.com to check it out)

Sound Quality: 9
I use an Ibanez RG1550a with stock pickups (V7, S1 and V8). Double humbuckers(V7 and V8) and a single coil(S1). I bought the guitar because it sounds good clean, and sounds great with distortion (brightish distortion, not fat ones so the amp goes well with this guitar). The clean sounds on this amp is GREAT. And it is LOUD. The boost increases its volume too. I usually play in church (there are heavy songs too) so i need a good clean and distortion sound at the same time. This amp is perfect for small live plays or gigs. I need only to turn the volume to about 5 or 6 to be loud enough for a small hall. The distortion is good too but dont expect metal like gains here. Good for soft rock and rock. Heck, it is passable for creed like sounds too. Overall, the clean is the best feature with quite good gain levels.

Reliability: N/A
Havent smashed it enough yet, so not too sure. Just had it for a few weeks. But it looks sturdy enough.

Customer Support: N/A
Never used it.

Overall Rating: 9
I have been playing the guitar for about 6 years. This is my first electric guitar and amplifier. Been saving for 4 years (i'm on the not rich side, and this amp and my guitar is my life). I'm 22. Play church stuff and other rock stuff. Trying to play Satriani and Vai (not too good though). If this was stolen, i definately would get another one(but i guess i have to save for another year or so). This is an extremely good amp for its price. But if you are a out and out rocker/metal player, i would not recommend this amp, get a Marshall or mesa boogie instead. Oh, it sounds good with headphones on too. The Vox PFS2 footswitch is a nice extra if u are willing to fork out more cash. (i cant though).

Submitted by strinq at 05/25/2004 09:56

Price Paid: US $119

Features: 8
Purchased about 2 weeks ago. I play strictly for fun and play rock and blues. I own a Telecaster 60s reissue with the rosewood fretboard. I was looking for a good practice amp and I've always loved the Vox look and sound. When I saw this in the SamAsh catalog I knew I had to investigate. Good basic set of features for a bedroom/practice amp. I got the footswitch to go between clean and crunchy. Seems to work well, although you get that annoying "click" from the footswitch button. Nice and loud, perfect for home or studio use. I'm biased, but I've always thought Vox amps look great and the fit and finish on this are superb. Headphone jack sounds like, well playing through a headphone jack.

Sound Quality: 10
This is where this sucker really shines. I've found with other brand-name amps in the sub-$200 market you're basically paying for the name. Fender, Peavey or Marshall have nothing to compare to this in this price range. The cleans are superb. Turning up the gain and treble will give you a nice vintage crunchy sound. You won't play hardcore metal on this thing, of course I play a Telecaster so I'm not going to exactly be playing Slayer.

Reliability: 8
I just bought it, so I can't say anything about the long-term wear. Worked perfectly out of the box. I don't gig regularly. I feels sturdy, although a thin strip of white binding along the speaker grille seems like it may come off after repeated use.

Customer Support: N/A
Decent warranty. I have never dealt with Vox before so I cannot comment on that.

Overall Rating: 10
This is simply a great amp for the money. For only $120 or less you get that vintage crunch for classic rock or a beautiful clean tone for country or folk. Its light (only 17 pounds) and looks absolutely stunning.

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/18/2004 11:29

Price Paid: US $138.99

Features: 8
For a solid state combo practice amp this thing has an amazing variety of sounds. The features are all covered on the other posts so I won't repeat them.

Sound Quality: 9
I went to GUITAR CENTER with the intention of getting an Epiphone Galaxie 10. The idea of a 10 watt single ended class "A" Tube amp for $149.99 seemed a no brainer for a portable practice amp. When I got there and played it, the sound was okay but not inspiring. I thought that I would do what the H.C. posts on this amp had suggested and change the tubes and maybe the speaker. Well I decided to play some of the other amps in this price range,Marshall,Crate,Fender and the Vox. When I plugged into the Vox the fullness of the tone and the warmth of the lower frequencies just caused me to smile. I went back and forth between the two (Vox and Epiphone) for over an hour. I really wanted to like the Epi more, but I was looking for an amp to easily move around my house. The amp having reverb and tremelo didn't hurt either.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for over 30 years and owned alot of good tube amps and alot of mediocre and terrible solid state amps. This amp is a great value for a practice amp. If you want a simple practice amp that reproduces the sound of your guitar faithfully with out digital effects and other bells and whistles I highly recommend this amp.

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/15/2004 04:24

Price Paid: US $119.95

Features: 9
2004 Model , One channel with a boost sounds like 10db, footswitch jack for boost and tremolo, Headphone jack, Lineout jack, Ext. Speaker jack, Reverb and Tremolo...Wish it had a Mid EQ knob
Plenty of power for small giggs or mic it for larger!

Sound Quality: 10
For a Solid State amp it sounds great!, I use a Affinity Strat with P90's, suit my style perfectly!, Can't beat this thing for the cash you have to pay
I give it a 10 for tone based on what it is and how it competes with other amps in it's class , price range and options it has..

Reliability: 10
To new to tell... but look at the ratings!
I also bought the 2 year extended warranty from GC (replace the amp..no questions asked)

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to call them

Overall Rating: 10
Best Bang for the Buck!!
I've been playing for 12 years...9 years on stage..
I've owned more then 60 amps(mostly tube)
Anything it needs will be fullfilled when the new AD15 hits the market and I'll buy that one also..

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/16/2004 09:16

Price Paid: US $119

Features: 10
Let me start by saying that the 10 rating here is based on the product..it's a practice amp..and for that it's features are great for my needs. Gain/volume knobs..+10db gain boost button..bass and treble knobs..tremolo speed & Depth knobs, reverb level knob..headphone jack, line out jack, ext. jack, and footswitch jack. Very loud for 15 ss watts..and shockingly warm sounding for ss.

Sound Quality: 8
here's the real deal..I think this amp sounds great..esp. for $119 new..blows others in this price range (fender,marshall,crate,etc.)away. However, shredders beware..this amp was not designed for high gain squealies..it has great chunky overdriven sounds, but put the gain past 2 o'clock or so and the 8" speaker starts to fart out..haven't tried it with an extension cab yet, so can't comment on hat. but where this amp shines is it's cleans.sooooooo warm I have a hard time believing that it's ss. The tremolo sounds great to my ear and the reverb is usable..not spectacular..but not crap either.

Reliability: 9
Have only had it for a month, but it's ss..not a lot to go wrong. Vox's website made registration a breeze.

Customer Support: N/A
haven't had to worry about it yet...but Vox seems pretty reputable..they've been doing amps since forever.

Overall Rating: 10
This thing is going to be a cult classic....really, I don't know where you could find a better value in a bedroom/practice amp. it has the best tone to dollar artio of anything I've ever tried..and I spent a lot of time looking for a good practice amp.

Submitted by Jason at 04/13/2004 12:20

Price Paid: US $119.00

Features: 10
I did a review on the Pathfinder 15 non-reverb amp just a few weeks ago. I had owned the amp for about four years. I mentioned that I liked it so well, that I was considering getting the reverb model too. Well, I just got the 15R, thru zZounds, for $119.00. It's the same thing, with the addition of reverb. I'm tellin' ya, this amp is the best-kept secret out there! The 15R is put together flawlessly, looks so darn good, is very lightweight, and sounds simply gorgeous. The reverb is very serviceable, and adds a very nice openness to your sound. I'm gonna emphasize again-- it seems hard to believe, but although this amp is rated at a mere 15 watts, I'm using it regularly at real gigs. And I mean gigs with a very capable rock/jass group, at local night spots, where the guitar is a very key component of the mix. I do run the external speaker jack out to an old 12" cabinet that our keyboard guy loaned me, but even by itself, the Pathfinder 15R's 8" speaker produces great volume and tone. It's quite sufficient for smaller-venue gigs, and if you needed to punch it up for a larger gig, you could either mic it, or utilize the Line Out jack to run straight into your p.a. head. In short, I'm still sort of stunned that for this little money, I have found a lightweight, highly portable, GREAT-sounding amp which, even though generally thought of as a "practice" amp, is serving me very well in real gig situations. I am totally happy with the Pathfinder 15R.

Sound Quality: 9
The great thing about the amp is that you have both a "Gain" knob and a "Volume" knob, which you can adjust relative to each other to get either a clean, glassy tone, or, where appropriate, a throaty, more distorted tone. Both sound impressive.

Reliability: 10
Although I've only had the 15R for a couple of weeks, it's fine so far, and my older Pathfinder has never given me a problem in the four years I've had it.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 10
Been playing about 36 years; owned an enormous array of "stuff" and played in several different bands and venues. I'm not kidding, guys and gals, this is one little jewel of an amp. It's the answer to my prayers when it comes to quality, sound, good looks, portability and reliability-- all at a price that's amazingly small!

Submitted by Bill Sheehan at 04/08/2004 08:42

Price Paid: 99.00 (uk pounds)

Features: 7
This amp has a very basic set of features, it does it's job!
The reverb and trem FX are great for recording- you get some very trippy way out vibes.
It is an extremely versatile little box, with so few features, it still gives a galaxy of good studio tones.

Sound Quality: 10
I use my Fender Clapton strat through it. It really kicks arse.
I play rock/blues and this amp does sound fantastic over a blues and it really delivers the goods. It has so many tones to offer. The clean sound is superb if you want to hear your instrument's true voice. Tweak up the volume and gain and/or hit the gain boost switch and this baby really lets her hair down. The sounds are typical 60's vibes, this amp would have been a useful studio tool to the DOORS!!

Reliability: 10
This box is built to last!!! You could send it skydiving without any fear!!

Customer Support: 4
No need, this won't let me down!!

Overall Rating: 10
I love the sound. It has a voice of it's own that is great for practice and recording sessions. In fact I will just cut it short and say that this amp is the bizness!!!

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/15/2004 17:32

Price Paid: $315 (NZL)

Features: 10
A fairly loud Solid state 15Watt 8 inch Speaker amp, Gain, treble, volume, tremelo depth and speed controls, reverb, boost button (increases midrange and bass, makes the channel louder i.e for solos), u have to buy the footswitch separately, It produces a lot of volume for its size. And the chicken head controls on the top panel are very easy to access and turn compared to other amps. I bought it for the tremolo and clean and overdriven sounds because I didn’t want to buy a tremolo pedal which was nearly as much as the amp itself. Good for practicing with and using on small venues that don’t require miking up(it sounds crap miked) either that or shure SM57s just pick up all the grain and mud.

Sound Quality: 8
I am using a modified SG copy which is loaded with a Dimarzio paf pro in the bridge and a Seymour Duncan George lynch screamin demon in the neck.

Clean: All you need, amazingly full, glassy, and versatile you can dial in how much bass or treble you want (good for Jazz or funk). It does not have enough headroom for larger venues because u have to turn up the gain aswell to get it louder.

Overdriven: Warm, creamy, very slightly fuzzy/brittle but is very nice with open chords. good for old school rock. When the gain is maxed out with the boost switch off.

High Gain: With the boost switch on and the gain on near full it gets to grainy, muddy(bassy) and brittle(crap for palm muting) The speaker starts to break up. It also depends on the sound of the pickups (The PAF pro sounds so much better than the original stock PUP with this setting). Use a distortion pedal instead.

It is a very transparent (unprocessed sounding) amp so if your guitar is made of ply wood and polystyrene u will definitely know the difference.

Reliability: 9
I bought it around 9 months ago. Ive had no problems at all its pretty solid and lightweight. I would just be careful with the corners cause they can get caned if your lugging it around.

Customer Support: 10
The Guitar Gallery in Wellington are pretty friendly and If I had any problems I should be sweet. 1 year warranty.

Overall Rating: 9
I would definitely recommend it. Like always compare it to other amps first. I.e a Kustom or something. But this amp has style and it has personality if you’re a vox fan good for you. Its far from metal. It has a nice vintage feel. Good price.

Submitted by Dylan at 03/11/2004 12:34

Price Paid: US $140.00

Features: 10
One of the reasons I bought this amp was becuase it is so comprehensive. It has controls for gain (intput volume), volume (master volume), treble, bass, tremolo speed and depth, and reverb. In addition it has jacks for a footswitch, filtered line out for recording, line out for an extension speaker, and a headphone jack. Nice. I could not find any other small amps that had all this. Even without a mid control the EQ is very good.

Sound Quality: 9
Now we come to the crux of the issue. I mean isn't every guitarist all about tone? When I first played through this amp I couldn't belive my ears. Tight bass and warm treble. No harsh solid state clean sounds. You can go from a muted warm to classic jangle if you know what I mean. For what I need the distortion covers it all. Everything to a little breakup to heavy overdriven. As others have mentioned it does get a little grainy in the mid-gain stages. With the boost turned on and the gain high up I think it has a nice warm sound. The reverb is nice for adding sustain to your sound and a must have. I wouldn't buy the non-verb model unless you have some sort of sustain/compression pedal. (I don't)It only has an 8 inch speaker, however it can produce a lot of volume and still stay reasonably clean. I think part of that is beacuse the speaker is so well made. It sort of seems more like a 10 incher than an 8. I know some don't like the headphone jack, but for clean sounds I love it. Any mild gain comes in like a bad buz, but it does OK with higher gain tones.

Reliability: 10
This amp is a solid state amp, so you don't have to worry about your tubes going. It's built really well. The Fender Bullet Reverb amp I owned previosly to this amp was a far cry from the well made construction of the Pathfinder. Vox seems to take all of thier amps seriously, even the small ones. They put a lot of companies like Fender and Marshall to shame in this area.

Customer Support: N/A
I've never dealt with Vox so I can't say. However the dealer I bought it from said he's had to wait months to get things from Vox. That's what happens when you're a distributer and the company is based in Britian. That might slow up the works a little, but since I've never had to deal with them I really can't say. Although to give Vox some credit, I ordered the footswitch for this amp and it came within like 10 days.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for under two years so I'm no veteran. I'm using a guitar I built myself (mostly, but I had some help from my Dad and brother). I orderd all the main parts from www.customshopparts.com. It has two Alnico humbuckers with coil spliting. The amp works well with both. I really recomend this amp. I listend to it next to a Fender Pro Junior and in my opinion the Pathfinder souded better. I'm still floored by this amp. I really comend Vox for making such a good souding amp with a wide range of features. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to see if I could answer them.

Submitted by Nathanael Martin at 03/05/2004 13:04