AC-30 Substitute

[mikethemod1992]

Hey, my band is going to being practicing for hopefully some gigs next year and i was wondering, is there an affordable substitute to the VOX AC-30 or AC-15? My friend has been telling me fender amps are good, but i haven't had a chance to sample anything yet. I dont like modeling amps because i like to control my own sound. Were a 60s powerpop/garage band. Any suggestions?
cheers
-Michael

[paologregorio]

I don't think there's a whole lot of difference price-wise between a Fender or Vox tube amp, similarly equipped. A lot of the price difference one sees between Fender and Vox tube amps occurs when the latter is equipped with Celestion Alnico Blue speakers; Alnico speakers cost significantly more per speaker. Fender uses ceramic magnets in its `65 Twin Reverb amp reissue for example, which, when compared with an Alnico Blue speaker-equipped AC 30, will cost about $600 less. I've played through a couple of the Fender Hot Rod series amps, which will also do the job. I really liked the 212 Deville I used during an out of town gig this past summer.

I own both Fender and Vox amps, and own and use both, though usually for live work I use a Vox AC 30. When running stereo, I run one of each. A few forum members who own both the AC 30 and AC15 from the CC series have expressed a preference for the AC15 over the 30. A Fender amp is great for power pop and garage music as well. Other amps may equally fit the bill; I recently saw a 60s garage band whose guitarist played through an 80s Yamaha Solid State 4x10 guitar amp, with the onboard reverb turned off, using instead an Electro-Harmonix (EHX) "Holy Grail" reverb pedal, combined with a "Fuzz Face", who had the garage sound nailed! I'd say shop around; there are a lot of good deals out there on both Fender and Vox amps. Those are the brands I know. Brian Medway (Winston) loves the sound he gets out of his Peavey solid state amp, and I love it as well; it sounds fantastic! There are a lot of great amps out there. It's going to come down to your personal preference. I'm sure there are a lot of forum members who will have first hand info on other excellent amps as well. Happy hunting!

[doctorwho]

I recommend the Kustom '36 Coupe:

Kustom 36 Coupe with 660/12TP JG

The one shown has a single 12" speaker (Eminence, special Kustom-designed), but a 2-10" version is also available. All-tube design, 6L6 power tubes. If 36 watts isn't enough, Kustom also makes a 72-watt aptly named the '72 Coupe. The reverb is through an Accutronics spring reverb that is really really deep. Dual foot-switchable channels (clean and distortion), too! These often crop up on eBay for less than $500 used ... in fact there is a new 2-10 in blue on eBay with a $525 or Best Offer price, and a 1-12 in red with a $485 or Best Offer price right now . To me, this is a killer amp for all my guitars.

[winston]

There is no direct substitute IMO. A 60's AC30 has a distinct sound that even the modern versions can only approximate. Choosing an amplifier is a quest much like the Templars embarked on when looking for the holy grail. You need to keep looking and trying our different units until you find one that works for you. I searched for years and I finally found one that gave me the sound that I had known existed.........if only in my head.

As Paul mentioned, I settled on a Peavey 212 Stereo Chorus for my sound and style of playing. Now I have two of them.....just in case.

[paologregorio]

Additionally, once you find the amp you want, I recommend getting, at the very least, a padded cover for the amp, and if it's a regular gigging amp, some sort of hard shell Anvil type case. You probably don't need the most heavy duty "Flight" case, but something that's padded and has a hard outer shell, as whell as wheels on its base, to protect the amp.

[1965]

Used AC15s really aren't too expensive. You could probably pick up one for $400-500 easy. No more expensive than any reasonable Fender.

[collin]

I highly reccomend checking out a Fender Blues Deville.

4x10" 60 watts (I think..) All tube

Basically a poor man's bassman, they sound great, nice and loud, some break-up when you crank them, and you can get them in black tolex, blonde tolex, or Tweed (a 2x12" versions too). They sell for around $400.

They make a slightly more aggressive version called the Hot Rod Deville...too much amp distortion for me, I prefer to get distortion by cranking the heck out of the amp, Marshall style..

[grazioso]

there is bunch of amps that are good ac30 substitute and are far more reliable: hayseed from valvtech, aiken invader, some soldanos, tophats, samamp. it is all matter of how much do you want to spend for it. i love the sound and looks of old and new ac30 but i would never buy one - it is expensive tragedy waiting to happen. i would suggest in spirit of people buying rickenbackers (all american made high quality guitars) to buy all american made high quality and expensive ptp amp - it will last you lifetime. the amp contributes at least as much to the sound as the guitar does. take your time to test them in person and do not buy it unseen and untested. spend a lot of time on it and it will serve you as well as that rickenbacker guitar.

[8mileshigher]

A lot of the price difference one sees between Fender and Vox tube amps occurs when the latter is equipped with Celestion Alnico Blue speakers; Alnico speakers cost significantly more per speaker. Fender uses ceramic magnets in its `65 Twin Reverb amp reissue for example, which, when compared with an Alnico Blue speaker-equipped AC 30, will cost about $600 less.

Paul -- very interesting analysis. Do you think the $600 difference on the Celstion Alnico Blues is worth it ?
Or all really just a matter of individual "tastes" or interpretation of the tone ?
Those AC 30s you brought to the Thanksgiving MiniCon Jam were pretty nice sounding.
RIch F.

[1965]

The Blue difference is a big one. Totally worth it if you want an authentic sound. The Wharfdales don't do it for me, I owned one for a bit and didn't dig it.

[grazioso]

blue alnico is nice speaker, greenback is great too and than there is neodog. those are all nice. and let's not forget weber clones. they are all better than barfwhale.

[paologregorio]

Paul -- very interesting analysis. Do you think the $600 difference on the Celstion Alnico Blues is worth it ? Or all really just a matter of individual "tastes" or interpretation of the tone ?
Those AC 30s you brought to the Thanksgiving MiniCon Jam were pretty nice sounding.
RIch F.

Both of the AC30s I brought to the minicon had Alnico Speakers; the Fawn Tolex amp had original 60s Vox Bulldogs that had been reconed, while the White Tolex HW had the reissue Vox Blues. I've had great success with the Alnicos, and I think they do sound fantastic, but My AC 30 also sounded great when it had other, ceramic magnet speakers in it as well, though perhaps not as warm.

On the other hand, Trotty and I watched Kenny Howes play through a 90s Korg Fawn tolex AC30 with Greenbacks and it sounded fantastic as well.

I think it's a matter of preference. The speakers do different things, as one can see when the sound waves put out by each speaker are charted on a graph, so it's all a matter of what one finds most pleasing to one's ear.

I have a pair of ceramic magnet Weber's in my `65 BF Twin RI that are JBL replicas; it's a completely different amp and speaker design, but Weber knows his stuff, and I could definitely tell the difference between it and the Stock Eminence speakers (which are also good). The Webers had more bottom, and were equally good with the mid and top.

If I were adding Alnico speakers aftermarket, I'd probably get the Weber Blue pups; they're made here, they cost a bit less than the Celestion, and Weber does a fantastic job of building speakers.

[wmthor]

I recently swapped speakers in my Traynor YCV20WR; a Celestion Blue for the amp's original Greenback. It's a totally different amp now.

[8mileshigher]

Paul -- many thanks for your explanations and analysis of the blues and other comparative speakers.
Rich F.

[customxke]

I retract my entire post, as I misread one sentence in someone elses. Coffee's given me jitter eyes.