Vox AC15 HW1

[yavuz]

I have played a Vox AC15HW series amp with a greenback celestion.

Not bad for an amp made in Vietnam.

 

Have you guys ever tried it?

[jjkrause84]

I've only ever played it in a shop...I thought it was EXCELLENT. I want one. I wasn't impressed with the 'hot' mode, though. The treble increase meant that I couldn't use it as a boost, the way it seems it was meant to be used.

 

I LOVED the Normal channel....it just felt like 'home'.

[barrymclark]

Holy crap they sound wonderful in the right hands. Built like crap. Horribly failure rate.

[bolero]

nope but I just got an AC4TV that sounds awesome!!

 

been on the lookout for one ever since trying Fernando's at PSPIV

[knopfler74]

I have played a Vox AC15HW series amp with a greenback celestion.

Not bad for an amp made in Vietnam.

 

Have you guys ever tried it?

 

Played one a while back and liked it, but I can't help but offer this suggestion if that's the style of amp your looking for. KBP recently built me a 15 watt british style amp, more akin to a Matchless Lightning, and it came in under the retail price of the AC15HW. You CAN use a treble booster with it VERY successfully, and because it's got a master volume you can use it gigging and at home. Plenty loud, and also plenty quiet. I've enclosed a pic of the amp for you. I can also virtually assure you that the components in my amp are a little higher quality than the VOX.

That being said, the VOX is a wonderful amp, and I'd be super stoked to own one!

[barrymclark]

 

Played one a while back and liked it, but I can't help but offer this suggestion if that's the style of amp your looking for. KBP recently built me a 15 watt british style amp, more akin to a Matchless Lightning, and it came in under the retail price of the AC15HW. You CAN use a treble booster with it VERY successfully, and because it's got a master volume you can use it gigging and at home. Plenty loud, and also plenty quiet. I've enclosed a pic of the amp for you. I can also virtually assure you that the components in my amp are a little higher quality than the VOX.

That being said, the VOX is a wonderful amp, and I'd be super stoked to own one!

This would be the way to go. Get all the tone and none of Vox's problems.

[yavuz]

Sounds like a wonderful idea except the fact that I can not find a cheap way to get the KBP amp here.

 

I can get the Vox AC15HW1 here for $1350USD. I also have a builder here who can upgrade the parts or fix the amp if it fails. It should be easy since it is PTP wired.

 

What do you guys think?

[barrymclark]

Sounds like a wonderful idea except the fact that I can not find a cheap way to get the KBP amp here.

 

I can get the Vox AC15HW1 here for 1350USD. I also have a builder here who can upgrade the parts or fix the amp if it fails. It should be easy since it is PTP wired.

 

What do you guys think?

 

I suppose barring any other way, that could work. They do sound incredible. They just put the cheapest crap they can find in there. Every single time I try to play one, there is something wrong with it. I ask a tech friend about the HW series in hopes that they were made better and I could get that wonderful Vox tone. He said he wouldn\'t. Garbage is the term he used. If you got a buddy that can do the work, it might be worthwhile. I would talk to that guy first. See if is worth the money. If there is a design flaw that would just cause more expensive parts, then it\'d hardly be worth it. If someone could get that Vox tone and none of the problems, I believe a builder could make a place for himself (cough, cough BRIAN).

[212Mavguy]

I think you ought to visit the www.ceriatone.com site if not visited already. You can get a chassis built from one of their many clones of tried and true designs from Fender, Marshall, Hiwatt, Trainwreck, and they are the biggest cloner of Dumbles.You can get exactly what you want, and the build cost is reasonable for what you get to the point that the shipping which seems high is relatively affordable because of the build quality and sound.

 

And frankly, given the overall cost of the amp and how long it's going to be able to serve you, that extra money to ship a KBP amp is a short term pain that will soon be forgotten when the individuality, quality, and sound of his work is a wonderful value at any price, he has the rep of building amps worth about twice as much as what he is charging. Spend the extra money on your amp just like you did for your guitar, be patient like you have been. Keep researching...It's possible to get an amp built that is light like a Fender Deluxe but running 6l6 iron and tubes, that headroom and punch from the 6l6 will be a good fit for a jazzbox. Another couple good circuits to have custom built is something off the 5e5 pro or 5e8 low power tweed schematic.

[barrymclark]

I\'ve only ever played it in a shop...I thought it was EXCELLENT. I want one. I wasn\'t impressed with the \'hot\' mode' date=' though. The treble increase meant that I couldn\'t use it as a boost, the way it seems it was meant to be used.

 

I LOVED the Normal channel....it just felt like \'home\'. <img src=\'http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':)\' />[/quote']

 

The Normal channel is bar none my favorite. JUST REDICULOUSLY GOOD SOUNDING. I hated getting rid of my Vox. But, it was falling apart and I needed to sell it while I could still get something of it. Even the AC30VR sounds very, very nice.

[barrymclark]

I think you ought to visit the www.ceriatone.com site if not visited already. You can get a chassis built from one of their many clones of tried and true designs from Fender' date=' Marshall, Hiwatt, Trainwreck, and they are the biggest cloner of Dumbles.You can get exactly what you want, and the build cost is reasonable for what you get to the point that the shipping which seems high is relatively affordable because of the build quality and sound.

 

And frankly, given the overall cost of the amp and how long it\'s going to be able to serve you, that extra money to ship a KBP amp is a short term pain that will soon be forgotten when the individuality, quality, and sound of his work is a wonderful value at any price, he has the rep of building amps worth about twice as much as what he is charging. Spend the extra money on your amp just like you did for your guitar, be patient like you have been. Keep researching...It\'s possible to get an amp built that is light like a Fender Deluxe but running 6l6 iron and tubes, that headroom and punch from the 6l6 will be a good fit for a jazzbox. Another couple good circuits to have custom built is something off the 5e5 pro or 5e8 low power tweed schematic.[/quote']

 

This is great, great advice.

[yavuz]

I am going to Frankfurt, Germany in August.

I have already made plans to buy a Carr Rambler.

 

This Vox AC15HW1 is just another sound I like.

 

If I go back to NY to visit friends ( may be sometime next year ), I will plan for a KBP build.

Shipping a tube amp ten thousand miles and paying a couple of grand for customs just not going to happen for now.

 

I do like my solid state Evans Amps and I have 3 of them.

I feel like a spoiled brat getting all this gear already but I really liked the AC15HW1 sound.

[212Mavguy]

Two thousand in customs? Yow!

 

Carr Rambler is a wonderful, artfully designed and crafted tone machine. Excellent!

[jjkrause84]

Holy crap they sound wonderful in the right hands. Built like crap. Horribly failure rate.

 

Really!? I didn't know that....

[barrymclark]

 

Really!? I didn't know that....

Yeah. Real sad. I love the Normal channel on those amps. Just to die for. I really, really wish they were built to last better. Funny enough, as much as I love the Vox AC30 tone, I have never been a fan of any modeler version of it. Just something about the way the actual amps sounds that I have just never liked in modelers. Same with JC120's. Fenders, oh yeah.

 

I'd love a AC30. I don't know. I love the tone so much that I'd almost throw caution to the wind and buy one and chance it. ...but I'd also have my amp tech friends beating me senseless because they warned me. I talked to Jon, amp tech buddy, and asked him about the HW's and all he said was run away. Run away fast. He is a strong supporter of Jet City amps and even plays one. Anyways... off the subject.

 

I guess if I want an AC30, I will have to have a clone built.

[jjkrause84]

Well...what goes wrong with them? Who says they are built poorly?

[barrymclark]

Well...what goes wrong with them? Who says they are built poorly?

 

All of my amp tech friends. Now it is worth noting that they were talking about the previous handwired series. I didn\'t ask too many questions. They said the problem with Vox amps is about everything. If the pcb board doesn\'t break then one of the cheaply built components have a high chance of failure due to poor quality. Not all that sure about the new ones. I would just be leary. I have had a just-this-side-of-bad experience with Vox (not tone, that was wonderful). I have only played one Vox that was fully functional and I bought it and it just went downhill from there.

[smurph1]

This would be the way to go. Get all the tone and none of Vox's problems.

+1..My KBP 810 "Cavern Club 30" is basically a hand built AC-30..Reasonably priced and sounds awesome!!

[barrymclark]

...but, like I said, I still waver on getting one. Luckily, I don't get out to play much so it would pretty well be babied. They just sounds SO good. I mean.... DAMN.

 

If I were, I'd go handwired and get the head+cab combo. Maybe these newer ones have had the cheap component issue addressed. Can't comment here.

[barrymclark]

+1..My KBP 810 "Cavern Club 30" is basically a hand built AC-30..Reasonably priced and sounds awesome!!

If we ever end up in the same town, I'd love to hear this in person.

[smurph1]

If we ever end up in the same town, I'd love to hear this in person.

My chances of making to the barn this year are pretty slim, due to my Mom's illness..But it's not impossible..I'm still holding out hope..If not, if you are ever travelling through West Virginia let me know..We'll have a jam!!

[barrymclark]

My chances of making to the barn this year are pretty slim' date=' due to my Mom\'s illness..But it\'s not impossible..I\'m still holding out hope..If not, if you are ever travelling through West Virginia let me know..We\'ll have a jam!![/quote']

 

Well, I won\'t be this year either. Spent my travelling money on a trip to the Bahamas with the wife. If I\'m ever there, I definitely will! Same if you find yourself going through Atlanta.

[barrymclark]

Gotta say though, my keep dreaming, buster amp is the Trillium Empyrean that my friend makes. Just... wow. What tone. The break up on it is just amazing. VERY sensitive.

[jjkrause84]

All of my amp tech friends. Now it is worth noting that they were talking about the previous handwired series. I didn\'t ask too many questions. They said the problem with Vox amps is about everything. If the pcb board doesn\'t break then one of the cheaply built components have a high chance of failure due to poor quality. Not all that sure about the new ones. I would just be leary. I have had a just-this-side-of-bad experience with Vox (not tone, that was wonderful). I have only played one Vox that was fully functional and I bought it and it just went downhill from there.

 

 

Sounds bollocks to me. An amp company that makes disposable amps won't last long. All of my Voxes were fine.

 

Besides, the new ones are fully handwired...not a lot can really go wrong (and if it does, you can fix it pretty easily). Don't be leary, get a Vox!

[MuDBoNe]

I have an AC30 CC2 and I play it hard. At least once a week for 4 to 5 hours. This thing gets hot...but it never has given me an issue. I wouldn't hesitate to grab one. I have read various things about them, but I find them good. On a side note, I also build custom amps as a hobby and modify tube amps too. The vox is the only "production" amp I use. My others are built by me. The PCB on mine seems to be built very well and not really an issue to get at components.