New Amp Day - AC30 head

[jspartz]

I just traded up for a Vox AC30CCH. I have an Avatar 2x12 that I will be using with it. Because I am new to the AC30, I am looking for your thoughts and input.

What is your rig like? What lessons have you learned? What is the best way to run it? I play a telecaster and would like some nice dirty rock and clean country tones.

Thanks!

[gtrfinder]

I used to have a CC.
Liked it quite a bit.

If you have an A/B box you can actually make it a semi-channel switching amp by using both of the inputs and setting the channel volumes up differently. I used to do this and thought it worked well for dynamic changes without stomping on a distortion pedal.
What speakers are you going to use?

[EZchair Picker]

I play a tele through mine for country. For cleans, I plug into the normal channel, run the master volume all the way up, and just use the channel volume to adjust how loud I want to go. The cleans are fantastic!

I'm not a big fan of using the tele through the top boost channel for dirty sounds though. The tele does not push the amp hard enough to get the kind of sound that I want out of it, so I play strictly through the normal channel and use a pedal to get my dirty sounds. Just my take on it...YMMV.

[jspartz]

I will have to try the channel switching idea... Thanks. For speakers, I have a Celestion G12H30 and a V30 that I will start with. Not really a fan of the V30 in general. I would like to move toward a Weber Blue Dog and maybe a Silver Bell but that takes money. I have a ceramic Blue Dog in my C30 and like it a lot.

Any speaker suggestions?

[Catoogie]

Depending on what type of music you play, I would use the Normal (Non-Top Boost) as my main tone and then VERY subtlely blend in the Top Boost Channel.....it gets VERY glassy and chimey quickly. Most of my overdrives and dirt pedals didn't take the ULTRA Glassy/Chimey tones very well. The Non-Top Boost channel is another thing all together, it LOVES pedals. From what I've learned, most of the hard core Vox guys say the vintage Non-Top Boost AC-30's are the best sounding ones.

[sqadan]

I had an AC30CC2 a while back but sold it due to the incredible weight. I am tempted to get one in the head and cab config though.

The channel blending feature is very useful. As is the cut control.

I loved the way mine sounded - and boy was it loud for 30 watts!

[zekmoe]

I just got one as well. Head on top of a Engnator cab, though I'm probably going to get the matching cabined from Vox. I had a DC30 for years, and now am happy so far with this Vox head. I think I'm really just an AC30 guy.

[jspartz]

What kind of dirt pedals are a good match for the AC30 and a tele?

[EZchair Picker]

IMO the AC30 can be really picky about pedals...especially dirt pedals. I just picked up a vox satchurator and really like it with the AC30. It sounds full and arcticulate and can go from blues tone right on up to the more modern distorted "new country" guitar sounds. It also cleans up nicely with the tele by just rolling back the volume knob....which is definately a big plus. It also really brings the rock when played with my fat strat.

Funny thing though....I don't like the pedal with any other amp that I've tried it with, just the AC30.

[ed_dale007]

I have found my AC30 to be very very receptive to pedals.

[Griz]

Originally Posted by EZchair Picker

IMO the AC30 can be really picky about pedals...especially dirt pedals. .

Agreed. The Normal channel is less picky than the Top Boost channel, though. I'd go clean with the Top Boost, and switch to Normal + pedal for dirt.

[dk123123dk]

Treble boosters work great with British amps. I will echo what others say about playing through the normal channel with pedals. I wonder what an AC-30 would sound like through a Fane loaded HiWatt 4x12"? Heavenly?


dk

[74vibrolux]

I picked up an AC30cc1 not long ago. Still getting the feel for it. Dirt pedals can be tricky. I've used my Rat and TS with amps for years. But the Vox, if you're already running it pretty dirty, can howl like a banshee when you throw more on top of it. I've heard the Hotcake is the way to go with a Vox but haven't tried it yet. But the natural overdrive on this can be really amazing. It's truly unlike any amp I've ever played. And I'm digging it!

[JMItones]

[QUOTE=Curious;6127998]
VOX took their production to China just to make more money.
QUOTE]

Actually I think it had more to do with saving customers money. Those hand-wired British amps were $4000 new in 2002. VOX could still make a British hand-wired amp but how many people are going to pay $4000 for a new AC30 when you can buy a 60's for the same price. Keep in mind the dollar vs. the pound has changed dramatically since 2000-2002 and the costs of those amps would have almost doubled.

As for the tone..... That is really subjective now isn't it. Your presumption is what you hear is better than the rest of the world. Making an amp sound good has a lot to do with how you play.

[Wagster]

I modded my AC30CC and have compared it against 2 vintage AC30's.The AC30CC was in the same ballpark.They all sounded a little different.I couldn't be happier with mine.