Vox AC30
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
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Vox AC30
Has anyone ever tried running a PSG through an Vox AC30? If so, how did it measure up?
- Chris LeDrew
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I saw Daniel Lanois live about a year ago and he ran a Pro 1 through an AC30. It sounded great, but he plays an overdriven type of steel that has no connection to clean, conventional country music (not that there's anything wrong with that.)
The AC30 is voiced for electric guitar, so if you want that typically clean steel tone, you will not get it. The mids will be too pronounced, and it will break up at the drop of a hat with a PSG pickup. For electric guitar the AC30 has a good bit of headroom, but a 710 or E66 would garble up the amp for lunch. I had an AC30 for years and never bothered with it for steel. It's a rock beast and I play country steel for the most part. For any bits of overdriven stuff I use a pedal.
The AC30 is voiced for electric guitar, so if you want that typically clean steel tone, you will not get it. The mids will be too pronounced, and it will break up at the drop of a hat with a PSG pickup. For electric guitar the AC30 has a good bit of headroom, but a 710 or E66 would garble up the amp for lunch. I had an AC30 for years and never bothered with it for steel. It's a rock beast and I play country steel for the most part. For any bits of overdriven stuff I use a pedal.
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com
Web: www.chrisledrew.com
- John Billings
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- Leslie Ehrlich
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Won't work? That does it. I'm getting an AC30!Kevin Hatton wrote:Won't work.
No, seriously, it all depends on what kind of music you want to play and what sound you're after. I'm not into the traditional country steel sound that most guys like, so I'd have a lot of fun with an amp like that - clean or overdriven.
Sho-Bud Pro III + Marshall JMP 2204 half stack = good grind!
- chas smith
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- Tony Prior
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The AC30 is known for it's TOP BOOST gain and it's 70 pound weight. Although it can be a clean amp that is NOT what it's "thing" is.
If clean is not important this would be a great amp to own and use. If clean IS important this is the wrong amp. If Clean IS important and weight is not a factor go get a Twin Reverb !
If clean is not important this would be a great amp to own and use. If clean IS important this is the wrong amp. If Clean IS important and weight is not a factor go get a Twin Reverb !
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 8 and Pro Tools 12
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 8 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
Pro Tools 8 and Pro Tools 12
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 8 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
- T. C. Furlong
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I would have to agree with the others ....For overdriven tones it's sweet, but what I really enjoyed was what TC refered to ....I ran a Silverface Twin with JBL's and ran an AC30 with Alnico Blues , and the combination was STUNNING to say the least .... The AC30 would add the mids , and a little hair on the notes, and the Twin would have a nice clean sparkle with the JBL's ... Mix the 2 together and what a tone !!!... I like a little edge to my tone, and sometimes even a little more than a little .... ....Jim
One other thing: IMHO AC/30s don't sound great clean. It's a bit dry. They start sounding great when the power amp starts getting pushed, and really great when it's getting squashed. According to my tube amp guru (Andy Marshall at THD) and AC/30 only really acts like a class A amp when pushed hard. The negative about AC/30s for pedal steel is that there is a pretty narrow window of volume between when they start sounding good but are 'cleanish', and when they start really breaking up. I usually use a THD Hotplate to manage the volume.
- Bill Dobkins
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Dan,
Playing keyboards for a living for quite a few years , and carrying around a B3 with a Leslie , the weight of a couple of tube amps was a walk in the park !!...
I agree that the AC230 had to be cranked a bit to get the goods, but it was surely worth it ....There is a company , Morgan, out there now that makes copies of the early Vox amps ....Not sure it they are clones or similar , but the tone is surely there ....Check them out ...Jim
Playing keyboards for a living for quite a few years , and carrying around a B3 with a Leslie , the weight of a couple of tube amps was a walk in the park !!...
I agree that the AC230 had to be cranked a bit to get the goods, but it was surely worth it ....There is a company , Morgan, out there now that makes copies of the early Vox amps ....Not sure it they are clones or similar , but the tone is surely there ....Check them out ...Jim
Vox Cambridge
I have one that I have used for almost 50 years. I find it to be quite Shrill compared to a Peavey 12 or 15 inch speaker. It has a gold label Bulldog speaker. Great Reverb 3 button floor sw. Bought by my lovely wife in March of 1961. Just my observations. Ray
Sho-Bud S-12 and a brand new N-1000
- Danny Hullihen
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Danny,
I was at one time running TWO Leslies wth my B3 !!.....I ended that as I soon when to mic'ing the horn of only ONE Leslie !!...There is nothing like the feel , and the sound, of a B3 Hammnond...( OK C3's , A100's , and similar also apply ) ... I can still see it , my Leslie's sitting up on table's to elevate them up over the band for more projection !!.... Those were the days my friend ...When I finally settle into my last home, and have my much larger studio , I will have another B or C3 and will hook up the 2 - 122RV Leslies that I still have ...... Jim
I was at one time running TWO Leslies wth my B3 !!.....I ended that as I soon when to mic'ing the horn of only ONE Leslie !!...There is nothing like the feel , and the sound, of a B3 Hammnond...( OK C3's , A100's , and similar also apply ) ... I can still see it , my Leslie's sitting up on table's to elevate them up over the band for more projection !!.... Those were the days my friend ...When I finally settle into my last home, and have my much larger studio , I will have another B or C3 and will hook up the 2 - 122RV Leslies that I still have ...... Jim
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- Danny Hullihen
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James, that is just so cool! Stay well my friend, I'm hoping for a day I can hear those glorious sounds again from the Hammond's and the big Leslie cabinets! If you're ever playing out somewhere, do let me know. There's just nothing comparable to this. Every once in a great while I'll see these on the big concert stages sometimes, but it's rare indeed!
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