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nmm
Guest
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 Posted:
Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:42 am Post subject:
VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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I've always been a big fan of the Vox AC-30 sound, and now they have
dropped them in price it seems.
Does the new one sound like the old one? Is the new $1000 one the same
as the $2000. I always heard that the Korg sounded like the the JMI, or
as the JMI did when it was new.
Is it worth waiting around for a JMI VOX AC-30, or are the new ones as
good as any other version?
Thankls
n
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Thomas Bishop
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:42 am Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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"nmm" <voxman@arvotek.net> wrote in message
| Quote: | I've always been a big fan of the Vox AC-30 sound, and now they have
dropped them in price it seems.
Does the new one sound like the old one? Is the new $1000 one the same
as the $2000. I always heard that the Korg sounded like the the JMI, or
as the JMI did when it was new.
Is it worth waiting around for a JMI VOX AC-30, or are the new ones as
good as any other version?
|
The more expensive ones have different speakers. Worth the price if you
have the money to spend on it. The new less expensive one doesn't sound as
good as the old one. I used to work in a music store and we A-B'ed the two.
I do like the switches on the new one, though, instead of jumpering the
channels with a patch cable. Have you ever heard an Orange AD30? Very
similar sound but a little "crisper" in my opinion. |
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thesquirrel
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:42 am Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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the new new ones (like what you would get from musicians friend) are
made in china now and have all of these new swiches and are capable of
higher gain, but to my ears they don't have "the thing"
i would recommend finding a korg one (i think they sound really good),
but you need onw with the "blue" bulldog speakers. used they usually go
for about 1300.
I owned an old one too, and it was great but VERY unreliable...
nmm wrote:
| Quote: | I've always been a big fan of the Vox AC-30 sound, and now they have
dropped them in price it seems.
Does the new one sound like the old one? Is the new $1000 one the same
as the $2000. I always heard that the Korg sounded like the the JMI, or
as the JMI did when it was new.
Is it worth waiting around for a JMI VOX AC-30, or are the new ones as
good as any other version?
Thankls
n |
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Tommy B
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Nov 06, 2005 9:39 pm Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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If you're talking about spending $2000,
check out "Divided by 13"
Tom
"Thomas Bishop" <bishopthomas@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:Mfgbf.13581$dO2.132@newssvr29.news.prodigy.net...
| Quote: | "nmm" <voxman@arvotek.net> wrote in message
I've always been a big fan of the Vox AC-30 sound, and now they have
dropped them in price it seems.
Does the new one sound like the old one? Is the new $1000 one the same
as the $2000. I always heard that the Korg sounded like the the JMI, or
as the JMI did when it was new.
Is it worth waiting around for a JMI VOX AC-30, or are the new ones as
good as any other version?
The more expensive ones have different speakers. Worth the price if you
have the money to spend on it. The new less expensive one doesn't sound
as
good as the old one. I used to work in a music store and we A-B'ed the
two.
I do like the switches on the new one, though, instead of jumpering the
channels with a patch cable. Have you ever heard an Orange AD30? Very
similar sound but a little "crisper" in my opinion.
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Dr. Dolittle
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Nov 06, 2005 10:08 pm Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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| Which model goes to 11? ;) |
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blackout420
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:05 pm Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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nmm wrote:
| Quote: | I've always been a big fan of the Vox AC-30 sound, and now they have
dropped them in price it seems.
Does the new one sound like the old one? Is the new $1000 one the same
as the $2000. I always heard that the Korg sounded like the the JMI, or
as the JMI did when it was new.
Is it worth waiting around for a JMI VOX AC-30, or are the new ones as
good as any other version?
Thankls
n |
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blackout420
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:11 pm Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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<I owned an old one too, and it was great but VERY unreliable..>
I have two; one I've owned since 1967, ( a 64). I have played thousands
of gigs on this amp, and still use it. In 38 years, it has broken once. |
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Geetar Dave
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:34 pm Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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Whew. You've asked a big question.
I suggest you do some research. Google is your friend. Much has been
discussed on this topic.
Here's some quick stuff.
I have an old Vox AC30, and a "pre-China" Korg AC15. Both are great.
The Korg reissues have generally sounded very good, although I have no
personal experience with the new variations being made in China.
Generally what you have heard about the pre-China Korg reissue AC30 TBX
(top boost with alnico speakers) is true. It sounded so much like the
original that everyone (some grudgingly)agreed it was as close to the
JMI as another JMI might have been. Keep in mind, this was not a
Chinese reissue that was compared. It was Korg's reissue of the
original AC30 design- 2 12" alnico speakers, no preamps, switches, etc.
But it was also true of my personal comparison of my old AC30 to a
pre-China Korg AC30, and convincing enough that I had been looking for
an affordable Korg when manufacturing moved to China. Now the pre-China
Korgs are getting pricey.
The cheaper Celestion "greenbacks" do NOT have the classic vibe that
the expensive alnico speakers do. It's not a bad sound, it's just not
*it.*
Hope that helps,
-dave
www.themoodrings.com |
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nmm
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:02 am Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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Geetar Dave wrote:
| Quote: | Whew. You've asked a big question.
I suggest you do some research. Google is your friend. Much has been
discussed on this topic.
Here's some quick stuff.
I have an old Vox AC30, and a "pre-China" Korg AC15. Both are great.
The Korg reissues have generally sounded very good, although I have no
personal experience with the new variations being made in China.
Generally what you have heard about the pre-China Korg reissue AC30 TBX
(top boost with alnico speakers) is true. It sounded so much like the
original that everyone (some grudgingly)agreed it was as close to the
JMI as another JMI might have been. Keep in mind, this was not a
Chinese reissue that was compared. It was Korg's reissue of the
original AC30 design- 2 12" alnico speakers, no preamps, switches, etc.
But it was also true of my personal comparison of my old AC30 to a
pre-China Korg AC30, and convincing enough that I had been looking for
an affordable Korg when manufacturing moved to China. Now the pre-China
Korgs are getting pricey.
The cheaper Celestion "greenbacks" do NOT have the classic vibe that
the expensive alnico speakers do. It's not a bad sound, it's just not
*it.*
Hope that helps,
|
Yes that does help.
So after a fair bit of research my options look like this:
Vintage JMI AC-30 - about $2,000.00 and up ( from eBay prices )
A Rose Morris 70's 80's AC-30 - These seem to be around the $1000 mark,
but i hear that the build quality is all over the place. Not a lot of
people mention these amps. These were very hard to find in Canada, as
no-one was importing them. A friend had one that was a real overheating
lemmon.
A 90's Korg AC-30- Still about $1500, and going up, getting harder to
find.
there have been many bad things written about these people, though they
seem to have quite a selection:
http://www.toneheaven.ndirect.co.uk/
Voxshowroom the oldest Vox webpage links to these guys
http://www.voxshowroom.com/northcoast/shopping/index.htm
Are they selling China Vox amps? I didn't think the Chinesse AC-30s had
the two side handles.
It's hard to make the right decision on this without having my guitar
and pedalboard and all the different amps side by side. |
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Geetar Dave
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Nov 07, 2005 4:28 am Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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| Quote: | A Rose Morris 70's 80's AC-30 - These seem to be around the $1000 mark,
but i hear that the build quality is all over the place. Not a lot of |
people mention these amps. These were very hard to find in Canada, as
no-one was importing them. A friend had one that was a real overheating
lemmon. <<
The other thing to know about this era of AC30s is that some were solid
state! Others had SS Power amps, with a tube front end.
| Quote: | A 90's Korg AC-30- Still about $1500, and going up, getting harder to
find. |
<sigh> I know. I should have pounced sooner. Eh well.
| Quote: | I didn't think the Chinesse AC-30s had the two side handles.
|
I think it depends on what size cabinet it is. But it is MUCH easier to
carry an AC30 by the side handles than the one in the middle
(especially on mine, because the middle handle broke!).
| Quote: | It's hard to make the right decision on this without having my guitar
and pedalboard and all the different amps side by side. |
True. Too true. Also very necessary.
Best of luck.
-dave
www.themoodrings.com |
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nmm
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Nov 07, 2005 5:42 am Post subject:
Re: VOX AC-30, which one to get? |
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Geetar Dave wrote:
| Quote: | A Rose Morris 70's 80's AC-30 - These seem to be around the $1000 mark,
but i hear that the build quality is all over the place. Not a lot of
people mention these amps. These were very hard to find in Canada, as
no-one was importing them. A friend had one that was a real overheating
lemmon.
The other thing to know about this era of AC30s is that some were solid
state! Others had SS Power amps, with a tube front end.
From my further internet reading it sounds like the recitfier circuit
in everything from 1968 to 1993 was solid state, and Korg were the ones |
who brought back the tube rectifier circuit.
| Quote: |
A 90's Korg AC-30- Still about $1500, and going up, getting harder to
find.
sigh> I know. I should have pounced sooner. Eh well.
I didn't think the Chinesse AC-30s had the two side handles.
I think it depends on what size cabinet it is. But it is MUCH easier to
carry an AC30 by the side handles than the one in the middle
(especially on mine, because the middle handle broke!).
It's hard to make the right decision on this without having my guitar
and pedalboard and all the different amps side by side.
True. Too true. Also very necessary.
Best of luck.
-dave
www.themoodrings.com
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Thanks any 'online buying" needs luck these days. It looks like the
Chinesse AC-30 is available with tube rectifiers and Alnico speakers,
which seem to be the features that make the AC-30 sound. |
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