Vox AC30 tips

Si_ · August 2017

Just picked up an AC30 CC1 after gassing for one for a while. They dont come up often here is Australia and I got this for a decent price.

All you AC30 fans out there, got any good tips of setup advice?

What are the opinion on the Neo-Dog speaker? Its heavy for a 1x12 so dont want to swap it fir a heavier one unless its really wort it.

Cirrus · August 2017

I didn't like the neo dog very much, bit thin and weedy, which might not be what you want to hear, but who the hell am I? Only you can decide whether you like it!

Pointers:

- Pretend it's a non-master volume amp. Just keep the master at max and control volume with the channel gain knob.
- Don't use the standby switch, the AC30 circuit doesn't need one and they implemented it wrongly anyway so if you use it it stresses the valve rectifier unnecessarily.
- The cut control doesn't do much until it's about 60% of the way up, then it does a lot very quickly between 70 and 100%. But it's a very useful control nonetheless.
- Don't put certain preamp valves (EH, Tungsol and JJ, mainly) in the middle preamp slot as it uses that valve in a "cathode follower" arrangement which puts a lot of voltage in a place certain valve types have issues with.
- The louder it is, the better it sounds. There is no limit to this law. However, the louder it is, the lower you can afford to run the bass knob to avoid flubbing.
- The cab has loads of unnecessary screws in it. Depending on the year it was made, it might have extra little metal brackets holding the shelf the chassis sits on above the speakers. They're pointless, take them out. It'll also have four shipping bolts holding the shelf to the rails either side. The two furthest in can come out. Then valve changes are much easier, just the two shipping bolts under the shelf and two wood screws on the back panel.
- If the speaker and/or reverb cables are hardwired into the chassis and not on unpluggable jacks, get a tech to sort that out because otherwise valve changes are a real pain.
- (Just my opinion) get rid of the neo speaker, put something else in there unless you really like how it sounds. At the cheaper end, G12H30 style speakers are great. Celestion Gold, Weber Alnico, Eminence Red Fang, they'll be a cut above if you want the classic ac30 sound.

ICBM · August 2017

The Neodog isn't terrible, but I would replace it with a Celestion Gold or G12H-30. Relative to the overall weight of the amp it won't add a lot really, but it will improve the sound noticeably.

Si_ · August 2017

Thanks, I'm using it for the first time tonight so will see how the speaker sounds before making a decision.

GavRichList · August 2017

I've recently put a neo-creamback in a closed back 1x12 with my AC30CC2H - sounds really very good indeed. Very pleased with it for £100 - great clarity.

Si_ · August 2017

OK, so first band session done with the AC30...

erm.. Why have i never bought one of these before.. Crazy loud but sounds soooooo good.. I was running it fairly clean and using either an OCD or Old Marshall Guv'Nor pedal in front and it sounds fantastic.. takes the pedals really well, better than any other amp I've owned.

The Guv'Nor worked really well but wasn't a fan of the OCD (I've never liked them), can anyone recommend a good overdrive pedal to match with the AC30?

Cirrus · August 2017

For higher gain, the best I've tried is the Bogner Burnley. Distortron is also good. Proco Rat 2 is a classic. More low/mid gain; Klon clones, Distortron again, Xotic BB. The Rat's a bit of an exception as most of the pedals I think work well with AC30s have quite a lot of low end to balance out the thinner, chimey tone of a clean AC30. Once the amp's pushed into overdrive the usual contenders - clean boosts, boss SD-1 etc, come into their own

ICBM · August 2017

Crowther Hot Cake
Boss SD-1
Rat

ThePrettyDamned · August 2017

AC-type amps can be fussy - they can either turn to broken glass a la blackface fender or they can flub out.

I've found a boss sd-1 decent, but my main gain sounds into an ac15 (which is different sounding, but still broadly ballpark) is the boss df-2 for mid gain loose rhythm loveliness, a dual band cmos overdrive @juansolo built (the blue monster) for general middy overdrive sounds and for heavy distortion, a boss ds-2 in turbo mode, which is like a lead fuzz tone.

Rats work fairly well too, once dialled in - think foo fighters.

Dodge · August 2017

Having spent way too much of my life with top boost amps and pedals, I'd also like to throw in the Sweet Honey OD. It colours the sound a bit more than a Hotcake, but in a pleasing way.

Agree with the Klon(e) for mild boost (I'm not a lover of them overdriven), Sweet Honey and Hotcake from boost to mid-gain overdrive (plus the Hotcake will go all the way to a lovely fuzzy mess at high gain), and the Rat for distortion.

My choice of Rat is the 'You Dirty Rat', it's more rounded that the regular model and suits the sweet chime of an AC30 Didn't like the Turbo Rat, but then I don't like that with anything.

Cirrus · August 2017

The turbo rat is, afaic, a slightly worse regular rat - something just goes wrong in the midrange that the rat 2 got right. Interesting about the YDR, I've never tried one of those!

Yeah, re; klones, if it's a clean amp I like them with the gain low. Once the gain goes into the second half of the range, they've got quite a mental midrange boost so I only like that into an amp that's already overdriven and has plenty of low end.

Funny thing with AC30s. I feel like you can either craft your pedalboard to be full of things that work well into a crunchy ac30 pre-amp, which is quite fussy, or you can craft it to work into a clean ac30 preamp, which will basically take anything fantastically. Unlike, say, a JMP or JCM style amp where it takes basically any overdrive pedal on earth as an excuse to turn into a roaring riff machine.

Si_ · August 2017

It's still early days, but so far I'm planning on going into the clean AC30, I think it gives me more flexibility.

siraxeman · August 2017

As I mostly used the normal channel I never had any problem with OD pedals into my ac30.....boss OD-3 or a tube screamer type pedal always worked fine for me...stack em both for a solo...works a treat. Coarse it's harder with the brilliant channel....thats a lot more fussy. But with a tweak of the cut knob and dialling back the tone control on your dirt pedals even those can be made to work just fine.

Never tried a hotcakes but allegedly it loves an AC30s brilliant channel...would love to try one but not if I have to lay a ton + out first.

danban · August 2017

Dodge said:

Having spent way too much of my life with top boost amps and pedals, I'd also like to throw in the Sweet Honey OD. It colours the sound a bit more than a Hotcake, but in a pleasing way.

Agree with the Klon(e) for mild boost (I'm not a lover of them overdriven), Sweet Honey and Hotcake from boost to mid-gain overdrive (plus the Hotcake will go all the way to a lovely fuzzy mess at high gain), and the Rat for distortion.

My choice of Rat is the 'You Dirty Rat', it's more rounded that the regular model and suits the sweet chime of an AC30 Didn't like the Turbo Rat, but then I don't like that with anything.

+1 for the you dirty rat it blew the standard rat out of the water with my ac30

Sassafras · August 2017

Treble booster.
My favourite is the Thunder Tomate Phil Hilborne one but it's hard to find.

Si_ · August 2017

I'm thinking of a Klon clone.. never had one before.. Maybe an Archer?

siraxeman · August 2017

Sassafras said:

Treble booster.
My favourite is the Thunder Tomate Phil Hilborne one but it's hard to find.

on the bright channel ? eww...to harsh. On the normal channel yes.

seans · August 2017

Lots of drives work well but my fvourite boost/drive pedals with my AC30 and AC15 are the BJFE honeybee and Baby Pink booster and most of the other BJFE Drives. The Keeley Blues Driver is also a good one,, oh and another great is the Buffalo FX Evolution. I would highly recommend getting a clone of the Korg SDD3000's preamp. There are a few out there, I use a Psonic Triad.

Cirrus · August 2017

seans said:

I would highly recommend getting a clone of the Korg SDD3000's preamp.

Good call!

Teacherphil · August 2017

I ha've an AC30CC1. First I swapped the speaker for a celestion gold but that was like an ice pick through my brain. Currently I have a Celestion creamback in there and it sounds great. As for pedals I don't bother. Just blend the channels and turn it up as loud as you can.

skay · August 2017

I've been a Vox user for many years now, been through almost all the recommended pedals with mixed results, and have come to pretty much the same conclusions as mentioned above.

The best sounds I've ever achieved was always when I could turn my AC30 up until natural break-up occurred. The amp takes on a very different character as it gets louder and starts to distort, leaving behind the trebly spikiness that lacks bass to an almost Marshall roar when the output valves get going (at least my U.K. Made 2003 HW model does).

It totally beefs up when pushed (the bass arrives with the volume) and sounds really full even with a Telecaster, add a clean boost to the mix and you've got the mightiest distortion you could wish for!

My boost pedal of choice is a Timmy with the changed chip (LM something), but have also had success with an Xotic RC Booster and Zombie Klon clone. I have a Dr.Z Brakelite in the back to shave off 2-5db (not the best choice sonically but it's light and unobtrusive) and the master volume backed off ever so slightly as an AC30 at full tilt is enough to register on the Richter scale.

Pedals-wise a Rat works well, but still needs the amp working to fill out the sound, I used a Zvex Distortron for a while but it lacked the mids for live, or a Timmy with the Klon boosting it into overdrive is surprisingly versatile. The Bearfoot EGDM is good for quietly replicating a Vox at near meltdown, but I didn't like the honkiness or fizz when used at louder rehearsal volumes.

Never bonded with the Hotcake, Red Llama or Treble Booster but that's maybe because I only have the Top Boost channel on my amp and these may well work better through the darker 'normal' channel.

The only other variable is valves, from middy Mullards to jangly Ei to darker JJ's, they can really affect how quickly and nicely the amp distorts, but I feel I've rambled on for far too long already:)

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Vox AC30 tips

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