Vox 60th Anniversary AC15 and AC30 Hand-wired Tube Amp Reissues

[@jamesnortonofficial1566]

Vox needs to make more of these please please 👏

[@patrickcarroll1754]

Both of you gentlemen are awesome.

[@MrLespaul1963]

Mr. Carr mentioned in passing that the Vox AC15 is single ended. That's true of the smaller Vox AC4, but the AC15 was designed with the push-pull, Class AB topology. The distinctive tone of the AC15 and the AC30 are a result of two things. The first is that they are cathode biased and biased on the hot side. In combination with this attribute is the second. There is a lack of negative feedback in the signal handling. Those two features, working in a concerted manner, are what give that chimey clean and blizzard of nails overdrive that these two amps are noted for. If one can read a schematic, the presence of a phase inverter in the schematic of any of these amps is another way to determine if it is single ended (no phase inverter) or Class AB.

[@TheGman858]

These really are phenomenal amps I bought mine about 3 weeks ago and only have good things to say about it I've owned many vox amps as well as boutique replicas this is by far some of the best versions vox has done in a very long time yes the English made ones from the 90s are very well made and alot cheaper but they really do not sound as good while they do sound fantastic these 60th anniversary amps are on the next level they are very well made vox really did take their time on these and it shows My only critique on these is I would have preferred the brass vents like the originals but the large plastic ones do keep these amps from getting too hot so I can live with it especially since it's a better design as far as keeping the valves running cooler

[@colinsvid]

Just bought the ac15hw60 , it’s been in the shops store room for four years , just under £2000 , still in the original box , now is the time to buy one, there’s no second hand ones for sale just maybe another new one if you can find it , very happy with the sound and build quality, I don’t think everyone knows just exactly what it is judging by the comments

[@Art-zs6sl]

Glad i'm not blown away by it, picked up a fawn covered handwired last week and was considering the return. Maybe it's youtube but I don't hear the magic.

[@Mac102250]

Nailed it with the ef86 pre. Ac15c1/30c1 do not have a sound like the original top boost amplifiers to me. This does. Bravo, Vox!

[@agusg.t.8950]

Malcolm Stewart the ac30 has no EF86 and also sounds like the 64 JMI amp

[@lance134679]

Sounds great. You forgot the include the links to the product pages.

[@sweetwater]

Hey Lawrence Gillespie! Here are the links: • AC15 - goo.gl/QHif8B • AC30 - goo.gl/uQoF4T

[@vvmakovv2689]

Thank you god!!! I have been wanting a made in England ac 30 but i didn't want to have to deal with the constant maintenance pf the vintage ones

[@agusg.t.8950]

vv Mako vv ac30tbx

[@YOSHIMI00]

Digging the new video background

[@garycrant4511]

My first amp was a 1960s AC30 - 50 quid second hand in 1975. Apparently no one wanted them any more because they were so old fashioned.. It lasted a few months before something blew up and the amp died. Obviously, I now wish I'd kept it instead of part exchanging for a modern hi tech HH transistor combo. But what was I to know back then, I was 15 or 16...????? So now the 60th Anniversary Ltd Edition just in time for my 60th birthday next year, Well that sounds terrific.. except.. three and three quarters grand... !!!!!????? for what would basically be an old bloke's bedroom amp that could never be played at higher than 1 on the vol scale..... Sadly though that'd probably be what happens to most of this batch.. affluent old men's den decorations.. just one more in the investment collection... Looks like I'll have to stick with my AC4TV...

[@EphICanIMite]

Droolin' on the AC15... but three grand... so tempting.

[@derekbaker3279]

Yup. Not cheap, although - given these amps are made in the UK, nobody should be surprised. Also, for an extra grand above the cost of this new AC30, one can get an actual '64 TB AC30.

[@8-TrackCustomAudio]

They just need to re-release the AC30 6/TB already. In my opinion it's the closest you can get to a vintage AC30 without the crazy pricetag/unreliability.

[@jameswallace5967]

You are right. I gave a 1996 ac30 with blues and A 1964 with silvers and they sound almost exactly the same except the 1964 is a bit bassier as its a Normal model with no top boost.

[@joeyball1905]

I really love my VOX AC15, it rocks great. Made in England. Also very loud for 15 watts. It's not hand wired. But I don't know anyone who has a hand wired VOX. The AC15 like mine, hand wired is $1300. That's twice the cost of my AC15. The hand wired 60th Anniversary AC15 costs $3000....Whew!

[@agusg.t.8950]

Joey Ball made in uk, premium components, vib/trem circuit is expensive and difficult to make, but yes,too expensive, I had the ac30hw60 and returned it. It was similar to my ac30tbx sound wise

[@agusg.t.8950]

I gotta say I bought the 60th ann. again. It was a special offer 30% off and this such is a special amp to own...😇

[@SirJackRyan]

@@agusg.t.8950 hey, I have an opportunity to get a new AC30HW60 for around 2400$. All my life I was dreaming about 60's period AC30TB, but with their prices nowadays I think it's time to stop dreaming and come down to earth. Do you think it's a good deal and I will be satisfied with the specific amp with regards to what I imagine AC30 should sound like, listening to Beatles, Queen, U2? Thanks!

[@joaquinshads6307]

The amp is awesome and great quality but I haven't heard anything new that my hand wired vox ac15h1tv can't do. I've missed a snippet from Apache, The Savage or Shadoogie to compare. Anyway, I don't think they sound like vintage 60's vox. By the way, long live Hank Marvin and The Shadows, the greatest.

[@agusg.t.8950]

I own both and the 60th anniversary sounds waaay superior. But I love my ac15h1tv

[@renodavid]

Well, the AC30 version appears to be sold out already. They weren't kidding when they said they wouldn't last long.

[@leocomerford]

1:45 Rory Gallagher (the player who got Brian May playing AC30s), the Rolling Stones ...

[@belindadrake5487]

You forgot the GREAT RORY GALLAGHER!! MAN, why is he left out of EVERYTHING. Not GOOD PEOPLE. Drives me CRAZY. One of the WORLDS GREATEST GUITARISTS. 😱 E V E R . RORY , YOU DA MAN. NOBODY LIKE YOU. NOBODY. My absolute favourite AXEMAN. 🎸💚👑💞☘️

[@lapitch1]

fair play first guys to give hank marvin a shout..long overdue

[@Topsy_Krett]

Um, guys, that's not a 1957 AC15.... they would have had the Fawn vinyl covering. And for the 1964 models, the black covering would have been the "basket weave" vinyl, not this (earlier-style) smooth stuff. Oops.

[@alecboyyes]

Topsy Krett I believe there was a brief period in 1964 where smooth tolex was used, they are rare but I have seen one on Reverb.

[@SGspecial84]

also it wouldn't have an alnico silver either. Still incredibly built though.

[@Retro.Studio]

Leave some room for some marketing guys. Next gen. Move them to another speaker and vinyl that keeps the market moving. But no one is stopping you to change the speaker by your self offcourse.

[@josephrogers2843]

Its a blend of '57 and '60 models. The vibrato channel is the '60 version. A '57 cabinet would have been 2 tone or TV but the iconic look is the 60s look.

[@larrylambert2727]

How can you talk about an AC30 and not mention Rory Gallagher? May played one because of him.

[@Dartheomus]

Sounds fine, but I'm happy with my modern ac30. I would miss the reverb. The recorded tone on this amp doesn't sound very different anyway.

[@derekbaker3279]

Assuming that the stock tubes are excellent quality, I am sure that there is some extra 'mojo' in these amps. However, the sound quality of this recording (and KZbin's brutal compression applied when uploading) probably make it really challenging to sense that extra 'mojo'. FInally, being hand-wired does not guarantee exceptional amp tone...design, quality of components, etc have a big part to play, along with the guitarist's talent.

[@AJHirsch]

Dartheomus I thought the same thing! I have the AC30 Custom and I love it. I didn't hear any tone in this video that I can't really get with mine.

[@strat-xq5oy]

sounds ok on the bridge pickup. would have been nice to hear the neck and middle pickup's too

[@TheBigJinglz]

whats the song at 00:45 ?

[@VOBchris]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGHal6hpqbSlqrM maybe?

[@DrRussPhd]

How could you not play that Ricky 360 more in this demo? C'mon guys. . . .

[@Opecamarade]

Jmi amplification made much better replica of the original ones, and for half price.

[@kentishmale1969]

interesting to hear them mention Hank Marvin as though they expected people to know him, I didn't think he was known in the USA at all to be honest

[@lastofthe4horsemen279]

Apache

[@bootlegapples]

Would be nice if Vox made it's classic series with plywood and chassis mounted tubes.Instead we get PCB mounted tubes and MDF-yuck!This amp looks nice but I don't have 3 grand lying around.

[@sassulusmagnus]

They do sound legit. Or... you could look for a Heritage Hand-wired, or a 1994-2003 reissue. Just as good sounding, there are lots of them, and they are less $$$...

[@agusg.t.8950]

I own both VOX amps, 50th and 60th anniversary. The Heritage 50th sounds good (maybe 75% as good as the 60th); but the 60th is amazing and better. O also have a 1999 AC30TBX which sounds very good but again the 60th is very superior

[@sexycheeseburgernameisfort8320]

Are they hand wired like the originals?... Even if I can't get one, at least I can get a base model Hand Wired AC15!!

[@lastofthe4horsemen279]

Yes

[@senorphilipe4242]

Didn’t know Bruce Jenner played the guitar for this during his transition

[@geetarbube]

11 tubes?! 😳

[@kbkman7742]

*runs away

[@ZackyDog]

Yes, and a lot of different sounds. You'll replace the 4 EL84s more often than the preamp tubes (pts). The pts can last for years. It's true to the original.

[@alecboyyes]

geetarbube My Dallas Arbiter would have 12 if the reverb tank hadn't been removed!

[@jasoncorganbrown]

Has anyone seen the guitar center ads with a “fake” Mitch Gallagher?

[@oscarvestee]

No Master Volume is a problem nowadays

[@9999plato]

It hasn't been played through since the 60's. I doubt that every component is still available.

[@Cluless02]

Dang - only 150 limited edition.

[@juanmartinreborati7928]

Yeah!

[@welshpaddy9189]

I'm a big fan of the Vox AC30 and glad this is made in England ,I know these amps are pricey but can anyone tell me why a UK made amp is cheaper in the USA,the price for these AC30's in the UK is£3749 and in the US it's $3999(£3100) I think the USA strat is great through an AC30 ,perfect match

[@Retro.Studio]

Interesting question, also saying they are U.K. made is for me no garanty. Vox = still Korg Inc. Tell me please if your old uncle in Dartford is soldering this ones together

[@voxpathfinder15r]

No reverb?

[@agusg.t.8950]

VoxPathfinder15R no, original VOX didn't have reverb

[@bootlegapples]

Period correct so no.And anybody who can swing one of these can get thier hands on a Strymon or Empress...which can run circles around spring reverb anyway.

[@leocomerford]

JMI did eventually release a VOX spring reverb, as a standalone unit in 1962 then as an integral part of some AC30 heads. But it was very fragile and not very good, and also would be hard to reproduce nowadays: www.voxshowroom.com/uk/misc/reverb_hood.html

[@olechristianchristophersen8876]

I dont get it why people like so much the tone of these amps.

[@mrpositronia]

Links please :)

[@sweetwater]

Hey mrpositronia! Here are the links: • AC15 - goo.gl/QHif8B • AC30 - goo.gl/uQoF4T

[@alexgarnett5373]

Don Carr reminds me of Eric idle

[@whimpypatrol5503]

Straight away great tone but videos have become high tech tools of infeeriosho. So I don't know what the ape would actually sound like and how well it would bang around on stage.

[@1900stratoliner]

No crossover distortion.

[@jensenbell]

RIP Tom Petty

[@jsmallsawe]

Huh... sounds super buzzy and harsh... must be a Vox!

[@derekbaker3279]

To each his own, however if you characterize Jennings-era Vox tube amps as "buzzy" and/or "harsh", it's a sign that you've never heard a REAL 1950s/60s Vox tube amp. The original amps can be bright (especially when pushed), but they always had a smooth/liquid-like distortion.

[@markusvhane5087]

$$$?

[@alecboyyes]

Markus Vhane An eye-watering £3750 for the AC30 in the UK according to Andertons website. A real 64 AC30 can be had for far less than that.

[@j.r.wishmire6459]

Too much

[@reviewforthetube6485]

I dont mean antthing but this review was probably one of the worst ive seen on this amp you didnt really show the tone of no lead playing no mothing but a few chords could of been so much better because this amp is just amazing tone wise one of th best amp tones out right now

[@Opecamarade]

no period correct air vent and wrong handle and power on light , pitty !!!!