AC-30 Substitute

indianation65 · Post by **indianation65** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 9:52 am

Mr. 1992,
Substitutes are just that, substitutes, some ample, some not...any decent sounding tube amp and a Digitech RP 250, 350 etc., set to one of the 2-3 Brit presets. "Your" ears will determine the outcome, along with any other suggestion you've read thus far.

...wisdom

1a12 · Post by **1a12** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 10:14 am

Back to the Limited budget/and Powerpop. The Fender Blues Deluxe will probably be the smallest Fender Tube amp that can keep up with a powerpoppy drummer. The Blues Jr will be working too hard. The Blues Deville, you will certainly have a bit more headroom. Im sure you can get into one of those for 3-4 hundred, looking around.
I agree with most of the Forumites about there being no substitute for the AC30, and even among AC 30's from the different eras, there are dramatic differences....some of the PHILES will even tell you that the same amp and configuration with a single pre-amp tube could sound dramatically different!

Anyway, I also believe that the Ampeg Gemini series I-V are secret weapons of tone, and can still be had pretty cheep! You will have to do a little digging for those.
Make sure you eventually make your way to be owning an AC 30 someday..for sure. At least when you record, choose a studio that has one in the stable! Any decent studio has one.
PS, please carry the powerpop torch and write some classics!! Lord knows the radio needs em'!!

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:03 pm

So Mike..... what did you do in the end?

ps: my 2 cents is: go for THE BLUE. I tried so many amps when I first got going with a band and I learned 5 things: (1) Digital modeling amps like the LIne6 Spyder do many things, but NONE of them well. (2) solid state is fine for a reliable backup amp, but tubes are the only way to go. (3) when I finally got around to an older VOX AC15 with Blue Alnico speakers I knew I'd finally found THE ONE. (4) the type/brand of tubes in an amp will make a WORLD of difference in the sound...experimentation will yield knowledge and interesting results. (5) dont get more amp than you really need....for clubs/bars etc 15W is just fine and the only additional thing 30W will give you is backache.*

*I was in an oldies-type band... we were not trying to make any ears bleed.

tracy · Post by **tracy** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:10 pm

It's not the amp, it's the player.

Okay, I lied. It is the amp.

They only made so many AC-15's in the sixties and Norm DeWitt has all of them, so, give up. I did.

Get a BAD CAT. Hey -- they're having a non-advertised spring cleaning nicks & bumps sale on 'seconds' and road returns.
private.reserve@yahoo.com for details.

grazioso · Post by **grazioso** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:21 pm

i am not all that sure that i would consider bad cat or anything from hand of mr. sampson, no matter how good they sound ...the guy seems to be jumping from one company to another like rabid squirrel, and so i'd worry a bit.

tracy · Post by **tracy** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:34 am

For the record: Mark Sampson severed his relationship with Bad Cat Amplifiers in November 2003 and I have been at the technical helm ever since. We have introduced many models in the last few years featuring new and innovative ways of routing and processing guitar electronics and I am proud to be a part of a company that is at the top of it's field. I encourage you to take a closer look. It should also be noted that I have the highest regard for Mark Sampson's skill as an engineer and I am thankful for his lifelong dedication to creating great sounding reliable products.

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:20 pm

tracy wrote:Get a BAD CAT. Hey -- they're having a non-advertised spring cleaning nicks & bumps sale on 'seconds' and road returns.
private.reserve@yahoo.com for details.

I just tried browsing http://www.badcatamps.com/ to see the product line and got an all-black screen. Temporary glitch?

johneek · Post by **johneek** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:30 pm

I think it's just the home page that's askew. Try this link to get inside....http://www.badcatamps.com/badcat_amps.html

BCGUY · Post by **BCGUY** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:26 am

I'm a big fan of the Vox Heritage amps but that's not what you asked. I have to agree, you can pick up a Vox AC15cc with a Wharfedale speaker for a decent price used these days.

If you want to go real cheap try a Vox Pathfinder 15. It's definitely a compromise compared to an AC15. I picked one up last year for $60 on ebay. I really think its a nice little amp. I was originally just going to use it for parts but now I've decided to keep it together. I've also heard some good reports from guys who plug in an external speaker cabinet. They make a version with a built in reverb (15r) but I'm not sure how good it is, I'd just use a EH Holy Grail pedal for that anyway. Just another beginner option if you don't need alot of power I guess. If you have a loud drummer or you're playing a large room without a PA forget about it.

paologregorio · Post by **paologregorio** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:16 am

tracy wrote:For the record: Mark Sampson severed his relationship with Bad Cat Amplifiers in November 2003 and I have been at the technical helm ever since. We have introduced many models in the last few years featuring new and innovative ways of routing and processing guitar electronics and I am proud to be a part of a company that is at the top of it's field. I encourage you to take a closer look. It should also be noted that I have the highest regard for Mark Sampson's skill as an engineer and I am thankful for his lifelong dedication to creating great sounding reliable products.

If Tracy Sands at the technical helm of Bad Cat, it's definitely an amp worth considering and buying!

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:04 am

paologregorio wrote:
tracy wrote:For the record: Mark Sampson severed his relationship with Bad Cat Amplifiers in November 2003 and I have been at the technical helm ever since. We have introduced many models in the last few years featuring new and innovative ways of routing and processing guitar electronics and I am proud to be a part of a company that is at the top of it's field. I encourage you to take a closer look. It should also be noted that I have the highest regard for Mark Sampson's skill as an engineer and I am thankful for his lifelong dedication to creating great sounding reliable products.
If Tracy Sands at the technical helm of Bad Cat, it's definitely an amp worth considering and buying!

+1

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