Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

While the Vox AC-30 is a classic guitar amplifier, I am wondering why Vox never seemed to produce a bass amplifier that gets the same rave reviews.

It would seem that the AC-100 built for The Beatles, at first, was unreliable and often shorted out if pushed hard. The Who apparently made good use of this tendency. Things pretty much went up in smoke from there on.

Peter: Yes, it amazes me that there is nothing out there at the moment from Vox for bass that could hold it's own with other makes like Hartke, GK, Eden, Ampeg etc....

I think it would be easy for Vox to build something that would implement modern technology and cabinet design while retaining the vintage Vox look..I'd seriously give one a look if it was out there. Bass amps have come a LONG way since the AC-100's of the 60's. Cabs too..

I had a Vox bass combo amp in the early 70's ... it had a 15" speaker and was probably 30 watts +/- ... it sounded ok with a gibson ebo ... but pretty much any other bass it sucked ... it didn't have much low end ...

That would be a Vox Kensington Jeff. I still own my first Vox bass amp, which is a 1967 Essex. It's got 2x12's in it and produces 55 watts. It's on a cart and i've still got the cover for it.

Still works fine, just highly underpowered by todays standards.

Here she be;

Very nice Jon, even if it is unable to do the job.

I played with a guy who owned a Super beatle around 1971, I owned a Dual Showman at the time. The Fender had more bottom and had better bass disperson but the Super beatle had a tighter response to it and I thought the 4 x 12' cab with the little tweeter in it would have been a really good bass cab if it was powered by a big tube amp. I liked the head though and for those days it wasn't bad for power at 120 watts and had a channel for bass.It was very punchy. I would also like to get my hands on an AC-100. I think most amp manufacturers stick to either guitar amps or bass amps. For example Ampeg made some really good sounding guitar amps in the 70's, had the Stones behind them and everything but they are not made anymore and hardly anybody knows about them, VT-22's and V4's were great guitar amps. My point is that I'm sure Vox being known for AC-30's are sticking with guitar amps. Fender is another one known for their guitar amps and not known for bass amps nowadays anyway, everyone uses the old Bassmans including my guitar player for guitar.

The Fender Bassman 50 is a terrific guitar amplifier.

After I stopped using my Essex I bought myself a Vox Westminster and Cabinet. Here is it pictured with my old (1988) V63. I took this photo just before I sold the Westminster about 14 yrs ago.

This was a great setup, but a ***** to move around.

That's like moving a 6 transistor radio (remember those?) compared to an SVT John.

My Essex bass amp and Beatle head are on display at the LBJ library here in Austin.
http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/events.hom/swinginsixties.shtm

I didn't know LBJ played bass.

What did'ja think the 'B' stood for , Bob? Geeesh...didn't you pay attention in history class?