Vox ac4hw with a les Paul ?

scovell001

Just wondered if anyone had anyone had any experience of using one of these to get a thick blues tone with a les  Paul 

Dodge

I think the AC4HW is a top boost preamp without a cut control into a single EL84 power stage.  I'm not sure a top boost Vox would be my first choice for a 'thick blues tone', but I'm sure there are plenty of LP into AC15/AC30 clips on Youtube that'll give you a general idea of how it might sound.

scovell001

Thanks for the reply Dodge. The deafening silence kinda answers my question.

Right, cross that one off my list then.

uncledick

I tried a Cornell (Romany I think) a few months ago and came away thinking 'If I ever find myself playing in a blues band...'  

Dodge

scovell001 said:

Thanks for the reply Dodge. The deafening silence kinda answers my question.

Right, cross that one off my list then.

It might work, depends on what you consider is a thick blues sound. For me, Vox top boost type amps are edgy and snarl when they overdrive. Still a great tone though.

Rory Gallagher used AC30s and he wasn't a bad blues player!

When someone says thick blues tone, I'm thinking vintage Marshall, or tweed Fender. For a scooped blues tone a la SRV, a blackface Fender would be my choice.

You could also go and audition a modelling amp of sorts, not necessarily to buy, but theyll likely have a bunch of very different amp models including Vox, Fender and Marshall. It'll certainly get you an idea of what style amp gives you what you want to hear.

Lez325

Try a Fender Blues Deluxe

thecolourbox

Lez325 said:

Try a Fender Blues Deluxe

That is a bit like saying somebody should try a Saloon Car when they are looking for a small car?

scovell001

The reason I mentioned the AC4HW is because in this video at about the 12:00 mark Lee makes a pretty good (IMO) blues sound out of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiARYerpFv4

And in this video Bernie is playing his LP into a vintage AC4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PAquAv-oLE

All sounds pretty reasonable to me

ICBM

I wouldn't take a vintage AC4 as anything to go by - apart from the name and the power valve it has almost nothing in common with the AC4HW. Completely different circuit, preamp valve type, speaker size… everything really. From 1'07" onwards he must be using a pedal, too - no way you could get that sound out of an original AC4 otherwise.

*Anything* would sound good with that Les Paul going through it, anyway.