The Steel Guitar Forum

Has anyone ever tried running a PSG through an Vox AC30? If so, how did it measure up?

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.

I tried my ShoBud through my Dr Z Prescription amp. A stunning amp for regular 6-string guitar. Voiced very much like an AC 30. It didn't sound good for steel. I've tried in the past to get Doc to build a steel amp. I think he just doesn't see enough of a market for one.

Won't work.

Kevin Hatton wrote:Won't work.

Won't work? That does it. I'm getting an AC30!

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.

Bunch of years ago, I played on a bill with Daniel Lanois and he had he same set up that Chris mentioned up above. If you like overdriven steel, you would have loved what I heard. What came out of that amp was delicious.

Love it for guitar, dont care much for it on pedal steel

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 you have an AC30, try running your steel through a traditional clean amp and also into the AC 30. First dial up your best steel tone in the clean amp then feather in a little of the AC30 to fill in the mids. Ooh La La!
TC

I love AC30s for steel.

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

Not to mention the hernia you would get by hauling both of those around.


The speakers are critical with an AC/30. The Blue Voxs are a match made in heaven.

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.

I love my Vox valvetronic 60 VTX.
BD

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

There's also quite a difference between the two that I have.
One is a '63 standard with the blue alnicos and the other is a '65 Top Boost with silver alnicos.
Two totally different flavors. They are heavy, but that's why they put 3 handles on 'em!!!

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

James Quackenbush, O.M.G.!! you're tearing my heart out here. A Hammond B3 with a Leslie... now there's a sound from heaven if there ever was one! Reminds me of my days long ago playing in rock bands. Oh ya, you da man James!

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

Jay,
I always knew you were a little strange , but I could never put my finger on it ....Having 3 hands might have been it !!!!......How did I miss that ? .....WOW !!...Jim

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!

I just used one as a stage prop in a music video

It does look really good! Love the VOX design




The Video will be released in about two weeks, the band is called HardCoreTroubadours, the song is Steel Rails Hum!