Vox amps (and fuzz pedals)

LastMantra

Someone posted a vid about getting a clean sound using a fuzz face pedal (?)
That might help,  if you didn't already see it. 

lukedlb

ICBM said:

jacksparrow said:

Get a Princeton reverb for home use, It really is the perfect home amp.

I nearly posted that too, maybe I should have . I’ve always thought Hendrix’s studio sounds were more ‘Fendery’, regardless of what he may actually have used.

I don’t know, sir. I’ve managed to get all the Hendrix sounds from a super bass or lead. Speaker choices were really important. The range from a Marshall pa is extraordinary. 

Calum13

ICBM said:

Calum13 said:

What do you recommend? A greenback? Or is it worth getting the Celestion blue?

The Blue is over £200... so probably not.

I'd probably get the Greenback, or a G12H-30 if you're looking for more of a Hendrix sound, or one of the modern Celestions like the V-Type.

Any of them will give a huge improvement in tone and volume. I know you probably don't need volume, but the stock speaker really is weak and makes the amp sound underpowered.

I could maybe try changing the speaker in my Marshall 5203 and see how that changes the sound. Right now it has a Celestion g12S-50. I’m not sure if that’s thought of as a good speaker or if a greenback would be better. It says on the back it’s a 4 ohm speaker.

ICBM

Calum13 said:

I could maybe try changing the speaker in my Marshall 5203 and see how that changes the sound. Right now it has a Celestion g12S-50. I’m not sure if that’s thought of as a good speaker or if a greenback would be better. It says on the back it’s a 4 ohm speaker.

It's not a very good speaker.

An 8-ohm Greenback will be fine for a test - that will restrict the power of the amp to somewhere between 15 and 20W, so you won't blow it, but you won't get the full power of the amp, although that's not likely to matter.

Calum13

ICBM said:

Calum13 said:

I could maybe try changing the speaker in my Marshall 5203 and see how that changes the sound. Right now it has a Celestion g12S-50. I’m not sure if that’s thought of as a good speaker or if a greenback would be better. It says on the back it’s a 4 ohm speaker.

It's not a very good speaker.

An 8-ohm Greenback will be fine for a test - that will restrict the power of the amp to somewhere between 15 and 20W, so you won't blow it, but you won't get the full power of the amp, although that's not likely to matter.

Yeah, that won’t matter cause I only really play in the house. Now it’s just a matter of deciding between a greenback or a vintage 30. Is 15-20 watts enough to play with a drummer? If not there’s a line out on the amp.

ICBM

Calum13 said:

Yeah, that won’t matter cause I only really play in the house. Now it’s just a matter of deciding between a greenback or a vintage 30. Is 15-20 watts enough to play with a drummer? If not there’s a line out on the amp.

If you want Hendrix tones you don't want a V30 - it's got more of a hard-rock sound and can be quite stiff and harsh at low volume - but you may want a G12H-30, which is not the same thing at all. Hendrix preferred them in his Marshall 4x12"s from what I understand - he liked the 'heavy duty' cabs which came with them back then.

15-20W with a G12H-30 should be enough, as long as you don't want clean headroom. The line out on that amp won't be usable into the PA without speaker emulation at the desk though, or an external box such as a Hughes & Kettner Red Box. You may just get away with very heavy EQ if the soundman knows what they're doing.