Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Well, are they? I recently heard that the new Vox amps are made in China, but I just saw the new AC30CC series, which is about half the price of the standard AC30, and thought maybe this CC line is Chinese made, while the AC30TB might still be British made? Anybody have a thought on this?

Sorry, I'd of put this in voxtalks if I could of,

Chris

Chris: I believe you are right on this. I have seen numerous references to this online. Here is one such reference.

The AC30TB has been discontinued and amp production for Vox in England is no more. Any AC30TBs left over are just that, leftovers.

Yep the Ac30CC tube series is being made in China. The Valvetronix series is made in Korea. Thats why the prices have dropped at least for a while anyway.

Shame about the end of English production. Back in the 60s here the Vox AC30 was the 'holy grail' (where have I heard that before?). If you couldn't afford one of those you were second rate. A Fender Reverb was B grade in comparison!

Will Marshall end up in the same boat?

Perhaps surprising that they dropped the prices - after all it is 'Vox'. Then again their credibility may have suffered if they didn't.

I'd be interested to know how the Chinese/Korean units rate.

Another confirmation that Vox has indeed discontinued their UK production. I was talking to a dealer who was desperately trying to sell me an AC15 saying that it was made in the UK and that it was one of the last UK AC15's in stock in Canada. It's real shame... On the other hand, for any Vox users out there, hold on to your UK amp because its value is sure to rise (or sell it to me!)

Speaking of VOX,I have
a '98 AC-30TBX with the Don "the Toneman" Butler mods and Mercury Trannies;
a '96 AC-30TB w/Greenbacks;
a '65 AC-30TB w/Grey Bulldogs;
a '62 AC-30 non-TB with one (yes ONE) Goodmans 12P (it's a LONG story - no it didn't come this way from the factory);
a '65 AC-15Twin w/Fanes;
a '65 AC-10 w/Elacs.

Korg has made much of their new "Vertically Integrated" Chinese factory, saying they will produce ALL the parts necessary for this amp themselves. Thus the price.
Since i happen to own a coupla Vox amps, i can tell you that the reissues made in the Marshall factory are nice amps, but they don't feel or sound like AC-30s. Even the Rose-Morris AC-30s form the late 70s - early 80s sound better.

Having said that, Brian May is using reissue Marshall-made amps, BUT he's had Dick Denney, the original designer of the AC-30, redo them for him. I'm not precisely sure why he prefers the newer amps, but i believe it's a reliability issue, and perhaps he'd like to keep his old ones in relatively good shape now.

I haven't reviewed the schematic for the CC series, but from what i have read they are gonna be a completely different species. An A-30 w/Master Volume?

Young musicians buying these "reissues" may think they've played through an AC-15 or AC-30. They haven't.


Here's pix of my AC-15. Damn thing looks brand new, don't it?

Murali, you don't think the Korg made reissues from '93 to '04 sound like the old ones? Even the one with your Don Butler mods? I was under the impression that they were the closest to the early/mid 60's ones around? My '93 Korg reissue sure sounds great to me, but then I've never played a vintage one. How is the sound different?

Oh boy! well, i'll try to keep it short.
the korg/marshall amps sound good, but they feel like a Marshall trying to be an AC-30. they have a very similar schematic design, but use different value filter caps, a printed circuit board and other slightly different values of caps and resistors. Plus using Marshall transformers and choke.
The Jennings AC series amps have a sweetness and a "give" that some vintage amp enthusiasts term "spank" and "sag". It's not only a sound, it's a feel that you immediately get when you play a note. A liveliness that's very organic. And they don't have to be turned up to get this, either. It's just part of the amp.

I do believe, and have demonstrated to myself by building an amp with the AC-30 circuit, that one can make an amp today that will be a "real" AC-30. But you can't have cost as the bottom line, you have to have TONE as the bottom line.

Find a music store near you (hopefullly), that has an old AC-30 or a Tweed Fender or just about any amp made before 1960. Take your guitar and try it out. Listen to it at moderate volume and then crank it up. You will be very amazed. There is a very good reason why good vintage amps cost thousands of dollars and are highly sought after by studio players, and you can hear it and feel it when you play through one.

Their Valvetronix (modelling amps) are made in Korea under license. I guess you pros all know this?

I have an AD30VT that I got for a good price and I use in my office because it fits under my desk. Not too bad, but certainly not the kool vintage gear youse guys are discussing.

Reminds me of the Berkeley II I owned back in '67: down on power. But then, it's just for fun.

BTW the "Auto-Wah" feature is a HOOT.