Why Josh Scott & Dan From TPS Love The Vox AC30

[@JMac.]

I can’t believe how clean that Vox looks.... man did you ever find a great one. Great video Rhett.

[@davidbrowning6762]

Jeff Bakos fixed my 1976 Princeton Reverb. He’s amazing and he is truly a wizard.

[@chrisfg71]

Congrats! I got my 1962-63 AC30 in Georgia on consignment 18 years ago. Sold a Matchless to get it and never missed it. The AC30 is magic and much of it is due those speakers. The Fryette Power station is the best tool I've found to keep the volume more reasonable.

[@tone1798]

Just watched Rhetts latest episodes on Vox, back to back. The knowledge one can gain from just these two alone!! Great work and care🥇🚵🏼

[@BoatsnHelicopters]

I'm glad you mentioned that this was a different channel or I would have totally missed it.

[@acsteve427]

Hearing Rhett and Dan talking about my fav band (Biffy Clyro) made my day. Awesome!

[@davidkeane2399]

Spot on Rhett - Moving speakers, moving air. Only proper way to do it. I've tried all sorts of boxes and plugins, and I couldn't tell the difference. BUT...I never play as well and as thoughtfully as when I'm recording a 12 inch speaker run by a 15 -30 W head.

[@fossilmatic]

Imagine how drummers feel... the move to recorded drum samples on stage produced through speakers may recall the sub woofer effect of your car stereo, but the percussive transients of metal cymbals and sprung snares is lost. As a guitarist playing with a real drummer that was a big part of why the feel of an amp was such an important part of the sound. The move to refined recorded sound and audio reproduction as our primary experience of music has made us wary of the sheer nasty attack of rock music. We are getting more and more removed from actual direct experiences. Get off your phone and make some noise! Or go to a Beethoven recital and realise that its not just rock n roll that was a visceral experience.

[@bipbipletucha]

@@fossilmatic well said brother. As an avid fan of classical and rock music, I completely agree with you. Nothing quite compares

[@blacktoothfox677]

yeah... 12" seems to be the goldilocks zone for electric guitar. And If I HAD to choose, I like the focus of just the one - even though 90% of my playing has come through 2 or more. But in my world, the interesting dynamics from my Deluxe (a 1x12) is the most interesting thing to my ear

[@guitaristwilllane]

love hearing people talk ac30's

[@nostro1001]

Best interviews of the year...just when I saw the title, I thought: Meh, how much more AC30 stuff do I need to hear? But, with Dan and Josh, I'll see how it goes.👀 Compelling from start to finish...awesome job fellas. 👌 Cheers. 🎸🎸🎸

[@reefersdiary3997]

Great video Rhett! Great dialogs 🤘😬 and also great Amp. I love my 93‘ Ac30

[@Zeinzu2]

Such a fun topic. I’m not a clean amp guy. I need a little grit. Even (maybe especially with drive pedals). But I would listen to 3 of my favorite guitarists talk guitars ALLDAY LONG!!!! BTW......who “down-votes” this? I’m confused. Are people at least leaving comments for a counterpoint conversation purpose? AAAAANYWAY. Great vid Rhett.

[@Abbynorml1979]

This is great, I'm glad I waited to watch when I was in the mood and had time

[@toddbeeman5933]

I'm enjoying this studio channel, Rhett! Sending peace & love from Missouri -Todd

[@DamonBates]

Ok I laughed out loud re the Sweetwater rep....so true...:-). Thanks for this, great vid. Love all you guys working together!

[@AlanAshcroftAA]

Great interviews with guys that know a damn lot about these beautiful amps and not just technical but knowledge from using them for years. Great watch. Thanks Dan, Josh and of course Rhett for putting this video out there and facilitating/creating it!!

[@jamesnortonofficial1566]

Once you love your AC30 you can never look back 🤘

[@Soobysounds]

Brilliant! Great channel - Y'all go to a lot of trouble just for me.❤️🤘🏼

[@shawnmcvey7789]

*If you plug into the top boost channel, dime the channel volume, put treble/bass/tone cut at 0 on an AC30/AC15 you'll have one of the greatest rock amp sounds ever made. If you need more beef slowly add more bass*

[@Billywagner22]

Your settings = Rawk!

[@robertprice5039]

“The Thud”! My friend called it “The Blink Factor”. He and an amp tech where messing around a number of years ago with a 1960s 100 Watt Plexi Marshall, and the peak wattage when you first hit a chord was pushing about 400 watt for a split second on the test equipment.

[@Jalliams]

Vvbbkrr TD gujpjhueq

[@Jalliams]

I’m so sorry- my 2 year old apparently watches this channel, and liked your comment lol That’s nuts BTW! 400w.. yikes!

[@asharpbflat7179]

Rhett I live you man! Best guitar-youtuber out there! Amazing how much you create for your viewers,

[@charlesbranch4120]

Thanks! I really like the AC30 Top Boost model in the Vox Mini3 G2 (with a little A.Delay on the Ibanez AS73FM-TAF...). Josh Scott talking about the period from 1965 to 1969? Wow! That was grade 5-7 for me in Kailua, Oahu, being offered a ride up the hill to the rifle range for our NRA Junior Rifle Club evening at Kaneohe Bay MCAS by an MP from Brooklyn. As Mom remembered "That was their last opportunity to be around children and families like the ones they'd left behind on their way to Vietnam. (Nothing more beautiful than watching a pair of F-8E Crusaders taking off as twilight was giving way to darkness for this kid watching airplanes.) We hope they returned home... The moon landings, the formality (and excellent meal service on Boeing 707s and DC-8s crossing the Pacific... I must have listened to Windy by the Association every time it cycled through on the Pan Am DC-8 headset as we returned to the mainland, back to real four seasons in '68. I think Ford must have shipped every pink Mustang to Honolulu. The only time we lived on base was Dad's last duty station, Grand Forks AFB, ND, my sophomore and junior years at Red River SHS, when my 'baser' classmates and I figured we'd be going to SE Asia, as our dads had a few years earlier. Ours was a year that numbers were drawn, and there was no draft call. I still had the experiences of working within federal agencies, though...

[@christopherbalmforth2514]

As a player of mostly ska punk and 90s rock, my drummers have a lot of cymbals and i find my vox style amps always slide right in more than anything else

[@marksc1929]

Jeff Bakos brought my Pro Reverb back to life ....oh yeah ...he works on Derek Trucks amps also 👍

[@NoCoverCharge]

I would agree I sold my jcm800 and dual rec and am now a Vo AC30 lover and will never go back

[@nigelduckworth4419]

I agree with Dan about the normal channel. I have a Korg Marshall uk built AC30TB with an EF86 module, NOS Mullard EF86, tacked onto the back for the old AC15.AC30/4 sound. But I do use with the normal channel an EQ box to eliminate some of the bass frequencies. And I also always use the normal channel with no cut. to bring out the treble. I swapped my Celestion greenbacks for Blue backs and what a difference with the exception that the treble on the greenbacks is less sharp or cutting. All the biggest early 60s British bands used AC30s. I was there at that time. The rest of us couldn't afford them in those days. But I have to say that in my view, the EF86 channel is closest to the tone I want with my 62 Strat. I nearly always play clean. Hank Marvin of the Shadows was the catalyst for the AC30 because he could not compete, with his AC15, with the rest of the band and asked Denny to make a larger and louder one.The Beatles got them because the Shadows were first to use them.

[@zazoomatt]

Splendid Rhett well done thank YOU.

[@gr328]

Guys you need an AC10 SRT like Doug & Pat ;-) Muddy Waters had gone electric for maybe 1960 Newport I think - perhaps I'm wrong by a year...

[@olejakobhoholm9805]

i am looking for a used ac15 and have talked with my guitar teacher abt it, and every time it have been some time between we talk abt it he always brings up a time when he played in a big theater here in norway that he got noise comlaint form the sound tech when he used an ac30. There he stood it sounded great at volum but out in the seats the amp was louder than when the speakers from foh used.

[@guppybill]

I had a Matchless sc30. Best amp I ever played through. I know the physical response to live great tone.

[@cardbored_]

Why’d you get rid of it? I love mine!

[@reiddillashaw2383]

Great video, and congrats to Rhett for scoring his dream amp!

[@jhangii]

Thanks, Rhett. Yesterday I thought I was perfectly happy. Now I NEED an AC 30! (Sweetwater strap phone call...LOL!)

[@redfaust8189]

Uh oh. I'm a guitar nerd. I've been in denial. But this video pushed me over the edge. So good.

[@stanesposito2664]

I was 8 and remember watching the Ed Sullivan Show and taping on a little mono tape recorder. It was a life changing moment for me. They also played The Smother's Brothers Show which was cool. I think we had a color by then.

[@chrisscooter1]

One aspect this awesome video is swimming around is about amplifier efficiency. Dan brings up how Dick Denney voiced the AC 30 to be guitar frequency specific. And not having the plethora of speaker choices we have, Denney used an incredibly efficient speaker in the amp. 100db...makes those mid focused 30 watts go a VERY long way.

[@johnmirabile3535]

i got an ac 10 and man it breaks up, beautifully! great sound!

[@222tweed]

The normal channel is my favorite as well.

[@stevenellis8365]

I was 9 at the time and still vividly remember our family gathered around the crappy black and white tv to watch the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. It was my mom who really was the one who wanted to see the show...

[@philipm06]

Your mom had good taste.

[@timchalmers1700]

I graduated from High School in 1968 and was aware of the events that Josh described, but I wasn't really aware of the historical significance. So, it's fascinating to hear Josh explain the significance of events in the music world in the 60's. The things that were happening were just the things that were happening. Changes in the music world seemed normal... until Hendrix and Woodstock juxtaposed with the Viet Nam War and the protest marches. Our parents had all been thru the Depression and World War II, so they understood the significance of the cultural revolution that was happening and most of them didn't like what they were seeing and hearing. In a way, changes in the music world was yet another blip on the radar like an incoming rocket that was changing the world the way they had known it.

[@mikegray-ehnert3238]

i managed to get my folks to go visit the neighbors so I could watch the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. We had traveled to Maine for the summer from SW WI and listened to An Itsty bitsy Yellow Polka Dot Bikini on AM radio all across the states that summer.

[@jonathanduffett8374]

Well done. Lovely stuff. It’s special.

[@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer]

Dan is such a gem.

[@TheFeelButton]

Good stuff Rhett!

[@rickyhuff]

I bought my AC30 Top Boost Reverb Twin many decades ago and my encounter with that first chord left me with the same feelings and observations you guys are describing. Take the lead in Nowhere Man for example. I've studied and read, in infinitum how they got that sound, but alas, no one has come close to actually describing what that sound is. I've seen and read scores of people trying and struggling to find the words. You can see, hear and read the frustration, citing this and that, but in all fairness never really touching on what is really happening sonically. What sets an original Ac30 Top Boost apart from Matchless is the frailty. A Matchless and its robustness doesn't fully have all the characteristics of an original AC30. An original AC30 Top Boost is the embodiment of a boiling mass of electrons, on the verge of blowing up, and ejecting the proverbial blizzard of nails.

[@dfkuipers]

Great, great, great!!!

[@giuseppiallegro]

Good stuff. I really enjoyed this.

[@Matthew_Scan]

I love them also own two of them all be it modern ones, which as you said the top end is thinner and brighter I had the caps changed to tone it down

[@joeinterrante7873]

Since old Vox AC30 is hard to find, what woukd you guys recomnend as a good alternative? Badcat ?? ?

[@joethrelfall6370]

Brian may comes to mind always with vox. I use his sound as I have a replication of his gear as well as my own sound too. I've met Brian May's guitar tech. On the subject of speakers. The blue back with the heritage speakers are what he uses and it's a sound like no over.

[@Superdelphinus]

You did brilliantly to get to almost 10 minutes before the Beatles were mentioned!

[@jawseybruce]

I love all this lore and nerdy talk about VOX, but I have to say I'm that Cali guy that had Fender Amps almost be default in the late 70's and since to be honest. And the amount of music that has come from them is crazy important too but so much less important to the post 90's Musician. For me personally there is nothing that takes the place of my 72. Silver face. I do own a blackface as well but covet the silver one far more because ...The 1969 schematic revision shows a return to the standard fixed-bias, 100-watt output-stage configuration, though the bias and phase inverter changes remained. An additional change occurred in 1970 with the addition of a capacitor to eliminate “ticking” in the tremolo circuit. The next change was the addition of a master volume control in 1972. This brings us to the era of my amp. I would love to see you do a similar show but with freaky geeky's that like me just love their Fenders.

[@davidpask4232]

Hi Rhett, Tin Pan Alley in London Soho Denmark Street has alomost now gone. I drove in London for 30 years as a cab driver and passed Tin Pan Alley most days. Now retired thought I would go there for nostalgic reasons from the 70s when I use to oggle all thoes shops. Much to my dissapointment its almost gone, and another shop has gone since then. Its such a shame, but I think the business rates have taken their toll.

[@StupidEarthlings]

Yea. It sucks. Its 'all' almost gone. :(

Here’s a plug giving credit to Mitch Colby , Steve Grindrod and Dave Clarke who (had) put it copious amounts of care and expertise to produce a great up to date AC30. I think it’s fair to say a modern hand wired and even the circuit board based AC30s are damn fine amps. I work in distribution since 1994 and have watched the different manufacturing sites and my pm role has granted me access to numerous vaults (Korg USA’s vast Vox collection amongst other makes - now elsewhere) I think people too easily dismiss the quality of a modern day version of the amp...

[@chrisfg71]

I agree, the 50th anniversary AC15H1TV is an underrated great sounding Vox. If they made an accurate EF86 AC10 twin they would really be on to something.

[@lindawilkins6075]

When my brother died this past July 4 I was given by his wife his Gibson Les Paul and his Vox AC30 of which I gave to my Grand Daughter who is just learning to play. It does have remarkable sound.

[@derekhand7904]

I’m love the studio channel for us supper nerds

[@noahnsane]

Really good video. You guys are cool. Like a love letter and a history lesson in one! Peace. :-)

[@scottpickett9779]

Now I want a Vox. What's you feel on the AC 15 or go for the 30.

[@andreybyl]

Why I like? Bcoz The Edge have unbelievable unique sound with this amp, and this amp huge part that sound))

[@ZoCrowes]

What's the name of the Beatles book Josh is reading? It sounds great.

[@musicman76]

I also want to know

[@phildelfino5354]

go to joshe's channel and ask him.

[@normanmozley3659]

Way to go guys

[@tgvettes]

a question, is an AC15 basically an AC30 with 15 watts and 1x12. same people say yes and some say that they are quite different sounding. I have not had the chance to play an old AC15 only AC30

[@69jomen]

To me the finest amp ever made .....I had a late 60's AC30

[@Dagger_323]

I have to say, I have never had the same experience as what Dan mentions at 15:35. After playing several original Vox AC30s and many vintage 100 watt JMP Super Leads, I have never once come across an AC30 that was as loud as non-master volume Marshalls. There's a reason why Gary Moore used to keep an AC30 backstage in the '70s to tune up through, and played Marshalls on stage. Cranked Marshalls are LOUD.

[@gearoftones8585]

Nothing like a good AC30

[@justinguitarcia]

give me a tweed deluxe and an ac 30 and I'm done. Add a princeton reverb and, imo, you are making records

[@Iodine74]

Rhett.... don't know if you knew this, but Edge's main AC-30 is a '64 TB (in a '70 cab). One Silverback and one Blue.

[@hanl4975]

No, edges is an original 68 according to a Vox tech who worked on it. False info.

[@Iodine74]

@@hanl4975 Interesting. Cause I'd Googled to verify before I'd posted and found and article that said it was a 64. Either way, I know the mixed speaker thing is correct. I've heard that way too many times.

[@greyalien3235]

@@Iodine74 68

[@thechronicnoizeco.6675]

I only have an AC-4 but it’s still awesome.

[@jonathanhudson8504]

Love the videos! How does your Morgan AC20 Deluxe stand up to your vintage AC30? Chime? Breakup? Headroom? Etc? Thanks!

[@justinguitarcia]

I believe there is a video, might be on Beato's channel, where they compare an ac30 to the morgan. Long story short the og ac30 smokes the morgan. The Morgan still rules and is a good amp for sure but the upper frequencies and chime on the ac30 is incomparable

[@jonathanhudson8504]

@@justinguitarcia Awesome. Thanks, Justin!

[@baronvonchickenpants6564]

Perhaps you should do a video tour of the insides, Dr z does a good explanation of the ef 86 v 12ax7 , the ef86 is a pentode The 12ax7 is a triode he says

[@larsfrederiksen3005]

Yup. The 12AX7 is a double triode (so two triode stages that can amplify by a factor of up to 100 each). The EF86 can amplify by a factor of up to 185 times.

[@christopherbalmforth2514]

What about modern handwired ac's? Any compare?

[@copperaudio9664]

Great stuff Rhett. If you haven't seen this book you should check it out. 'A Service Engineer's Guide to the Vox AC30 Valve Amplifier'

[@gbarge4]

Hey, Rhett. Congratulations on that mythic amp. I wonder if you've read Here, There and Everywhere by Geoff Emerick. It's his memoir of engineering at EMI during the Beatles. As an engineer, he can get a bit technical, which might be daunting to an ordinary reader but mana for us. Also, Josh got a little loose with the Beatles/Vox history. It's been years, but I think Geoff included the story in his book. The guys had an exclusive with Vox because Brian Epstein boldly walked in and asked for some amps. All fine until he said he wanted them for free. This caused some argument between Denney and Jennings. Finally, they agreed to comp the guys on the amps but they had to agree an exclusive for 10 years, if I remember correctly. I couldn't recommend Geoff's book more highly. It's the ultimate recording engineer's back story. Dan's read it. Josh must have. Just the story of All You Need Is Love will explode the brain of any songwriter. I've been in EMI at Abbey Road, been in studio 2, up and down those stairs, in the control room. It will make your heart pound unlike any other experience. Reading Geoff brings it to life, God rest him. Cheers.

[@scottmoreau3478]

I have always wanted to love Vox amps and maybe it’s just the fact that I have never played a vintage one, but the AC30 is just far too heavy and I always had such a hard time trying to find pedals that would work with it. It always sounded a bit too hifi with single coils.

[@iainfreeman5112]

I know I posted this on your other video, but the Beatles always need to be mentioned everywhere The Beatles bought a couple on Hire purchase pay in instalments, just before their 1st single. They were basically the best at the time, the US trade embargo either was still in place or just ended so no Fender or American Amps amps. Also the Shadows was an influence. Brian Epstein came along and began to manage them. Paid off the remainder of the outstanding balance and made a deal with Vox. If they supplied him with free amps, then The Beatles would use nothing else. This was a gentleman’s agreement. That agreement was kept all the way to his death

[@Richardgeohar]

I think they used some Fender amps by the end. Check out the footage of their final live performance from the roof at Savile Row.

[@davidkieltyka9]

@@Richardgeohar They did. But during the time when Brian Epstein was their manager they never played in public with amps other than Voxes.

[@iainfreeman5112]

@@Richardgeohar Years after the embargo ended making them more accessible to the UK market. It was also after Brian’s death so their arrangement obviously ended.

[@averyamadeusjacobson2650]

If you made a bunch of kemper profiles I would buy them from you and do that Hiwatt while you are at it.

[@deankay800]

Balance, not Symmetry is an incredible Biffy Clyro record.

[@jmo1366]

I love the Voc ac30. Anyone w ears loves the Vox ac30

[@amirhooman72]

Hello, Rhet I have a big question about the modern AC30 all of youtube and the musical community essentially says the ac30 moderns are no good. I have an ac30 modern hardwired and it's not that bad but there are no tips on getting a good tone. please help me, l live in Iran and my recourses are limited. thanks for everything

[@cosmikrelic4815]

nothing wrong with those modern handwired jobs. Nice thing about them is they are a lot more versatile with many more tone options than the originals.

[@julianmetcalfe1070]

OH i love them sadly i burnt many vintage heads up had the vox Bull dogs as well sounded the best ,miss that sound ,i still feel a little gutted they caught fire good and where beyond repair they said at the time ,moved to a AC50 then an ACOUSTIC Mk5 amp for reliability

[@johnlannikk2701]

Great Interview, uninterupted!

[@josephlopez5681]

Josh, I'm telling Sovtek you're cheating on them with Vox

[@grayaj23]

@Josh Scott: you have to help us. Why is it that nothing at Chipotle is made with or features the chipotle? They are dried jalapenos smoked with mesquite or other hardwood. They have a distinctive flavor, that is missing from just about everything on the menu at Chipotle. I was super excited the first time I went -- but the best they offered was a steak salad thing that had some vaguely chipotle-flavord seasoning in the dressing. Imagine my disappointment!

[@youssefkasim7556]

The Beatles are just the best band of all time, objectively. Keep it up Rhett

[@YonathanLeibovich]

4:20 Quarantine really changed Dan

[@billville111]

The price just went up

[@mightbefamousofficial]

The AC30 is great for pedals. That or a Fender Blues Jr.

[@raymondweatherill1714]

Vox AC30 is king ! I don´t plug my guitar into anything else .

[@ludlow555]

I’d love to see an in-depth documentary about the history of these music shops.

[@larriveeman]

you can make any amp sound good if you know what your doing.

[@dad_music3139]

Actually, The Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan on February 9th, 1964, not February 7th. 🤓

[@buzzcrumhunger7114]

It would be great fun to see/hear this amp compared to your Morgan, Orange, and Rick’s Marshall-made Vox. Is that another Dumbly-clean thing behind your head? Another Amplified Nation, perhaps?

[@everennui1]

I can throw a stone and hit Hwy 61. :D

[@noahnsane]

Love all era AC30 and AC15 that I’ve played and I’ll add that a modern AC10 I plugged into a few years back sounded AMAZING. Literally blown away by the quality.

[@ewetoo]

that was a josh infodump lol

[@76blackout]

Nirvana made me want to play guitar

[@johnmirabile3535]

IMAGINE? LONDON 64/65, ITS A SHAME TO SAY ID GO BUY A FEW BURSTS AND GO PLAY WITH THE BRITS! NEXT TO LIKE, THE BIRTH OF CHRIST! CRZYYYYYY

[@davidpringuer3553]

Then you try Marshall

[@hanl4975]

The 90s Vox sounds just as good as the 60s. Even Rhett day it in other video. Too much vintage hype

[@TheChadPad]

Sounding good and sounding the same are different

[@Abbynorml1979]

Ppl play to the guitar, I'd think same goes for the amp

[@cannibalsausage5767]

Because it’s a good amp that managed to stand the test of time for like 60 years. Duh

[@Tomsdrawings]

Thanks for bringing us some Dan under the christmas tree.