I remember reading a Joe Walsh interview years ago where he was talking about guitar and amp combinations and he described Teles and Strats into Voxes as “instant success”. I agree! Great video.
I just read a comment from someone who saw Joe Wash playing through TWO Super Reverb amps, two Vox AC30 amps likely would have sounded great too, but different - Walsh's playing it didn't matter?
My first amp back in 1969 was a Vox Cambridge. It was a better amp than I realized back then, but we all wanted bigger amps so we could destroy our hearing more quickly.
Same. I had a 1x10 Cambridge as my 1st tube amp. With a couple pawnshop Hagstroms and a DOD classic fuzz I could approximate any 60s sound I wanted. I horse traded up to an early 70s twin and hated the weight.
@@tiptopdadddy I traded up to a mid-60's Pro Reverb. Hated the weight (it had 12" EV-SRO's that weigh 25 lbs. each! I still have those speakers). It was also a very crackly amp, wasn't my favorite.
The 220k grid resistors aren't the only thing affecting the volume on the AC10. There's also 100R resistors between the EL84 plates and the output transformer, which dissipate some of the would-be output power as heat. Also, the '59 AC15s used 220k grid resistors (with each input grounding their 220k resistor when unplugged, making both inputs the same volume), only from the 60s onwards that they switched to 68k grid resistors (and the Hi/Lo input configuration that's commonplace now).
Oh my. This is one for the ages. Love the back story and the amp sounds killer. The fact that the amp was far from original actually added to the appeal. Talk about resurrecting an amp and making it even better than it was before. That custom cabinet is a beautiful creation and you know that sonically it lifted that amp to new heights. Great episode, Zac. You continue to amaze and inspire us all. Be sure to let us hear that amp again from time to time.
Yeh, well you got a world's classic!! Mike Campbell ... Yet another fine guitarist originally from Jacksonville, Florida. That era of VOX had a PCBoard. Sounded great, but has its problems. MUCH agree on that EF86. VOX is remaking the handwired version as of July 2024 but apparently no EF86. Those sawdust cabs have no resonant frequency. Some TWilburys! That amp sounds real fine! Got that mid-range bark!! By the way ... Those Doug and Pat guys (did I get that right?) have one that's a slanted head on a cab and trolley, I think. Boy, that thing is killer sounding!
Great video! I was a total Vox-o-phile when I was 14-15 years old. (1964-65.) My first good amp was a Thomas Organ-made Cambridge Reverb that I got new in 1966. I joined my first good band in ‘67 with that amp and a Vox Phantom XII guitar. The amp sounded good, but it didn’t have enough power to cut through the other guys’ Fender Bassmans and Pro Reverb! They made me trade it in on a Fender Bandmaster, and I had to borrow the money from my dad to make up the difference. The biggest problem was the Phantom XII guitar, but that’s another story...
Thanks, Zac!! Always such great and entertaining info from you. It took me a while but I ended up finding a '64 AC10, in the rare single speaker cabinet. The original Goodmans speaker in it is surprisingly robust, with a fair amount of low end. Incredible amp.
The popularity of Vox amps started pre Beatles) with the Shadows circa 1960. Fender Stratocaster, Vox AC15 (then AC30) and echo unit (Meazzi). Every guitar player in the UK, Western Europe and Australia wanted that sound! I've owned an early 1960s Gibson tweed amp, brown face Fender Deluxe and black face and blond Fender Showman amplifiers, but my favourite amp to this day is the Vox AC30. I love the Telecaster/Vox combination!
That was a very informative episode! Great tone there. I had a modern China made AC 10 but sold it. It tended to break up a little too early for me in a giggling situation unless I was solely playing a blues gig. I much preferred the modern AC 15 because it produced more headroom that I needed. I would definitely love to play a vintage circuit like that vintage AC 10. What a great looking amp! That’s a masterful job on the cabinet. I’ve subscribed to the Vintage Wood Workshop channel. So glad for you Zac. You deserve it.
Thanks Zak, wonderful!! A Vox story: in Chicago, a gtr player friend Jeff King started a band in the '80s, Loose Lips. The main singer, Richie Mayer, played a hardtail Strat through an AC 30. My friend played a modded Strat of his own design with a Deluxe for leads and a Super for rhythm. OMG I heard that Strat/AC 30 and fell in love, and immediately went and found a 1960 w/o Top Boost, which I still own and love. Richie heard me playing my Strat with my AC30 one day, and he came over and yelled at me to turn the tone controls "all the way off", and he was right! Try it. I also had to mod the amp, adding a fan, because the power tubes kept blowing up because they were so hot.
Thanks Zac! So, decades ago in my Vox phase, it wasn't my ears that were the problem, or my lack of skill squeezing out "The Vox Sound" I could never get!
Great video and story! I have an AC10C1 reissue. It's the black and tan with JJ tubes and Creamback speaker. I stumbled on it used for $180 (US). I heard it and could not get out of there with it fast enough. I thought for sure the guy was going to change his mind. The new ones have reverb but no trem. I absolutely love it! It's not restored vintage, but sure does sound awesome.
Ahhh a JMI AC10! My other dream amp! (The first being...a Harvard.) You are a man of fine taste, not to mention kind friends. And with that Esquire too. Congratulations yet again!
Great score Zac....the "fleet is complete" brother! I have a 65' Vox Cambridge Reverb TUBE, and it kills. Not quite as nice as your AC10, but the Cambridge Reverb Tube vintage ones are sleepers!
Yeah, the Cambridge is great. I have a ‘66 Berkeley Super Reverb, same circuit as the Cambridge but in a head+cab configuration. The Pacemaker from the Thomas Organ Vox tube amp lineup is really good too, though it lacks reverb.
Great video Zac! I was just playing through my late '62/early '63 AC10 twin today! I had a '63 AC30 rear panel topboost for twenty years and loved loved loved that amp. But it was just a museum piece for much of it due to its ridiculous weight and volume. After selling it and searching for a few years I found this AC10 up here on the west coast of Canada for 2 thousand bucks! Scooped it and it's just a fantastic Vox. I recently found a pair of Elacs for it after searching for three years. They actually sound great, but I will swap out for something that can handle more than 4 watts(ridiculous)! My amp already had the input mod done before I bought it and I added a bright car to the amp so that I can get a little more top end out of the normal channel which I do like for rhythm stuff(suggested by Hugh Price). I'd like to try the Celestion Golds, but I know they are not Blues so I'd probably be disappointed and they'll add a lot of weight. Enjoy that amp and can't wait to see and hear more! Cheers
Tube Vox's Shine in Many Genres of Music. Blue's, Rock, Country, Reggae, Jazz etc. Jazz Great John Schofield has been using AC 30s for Years. Strats & Tele's Shine like Glimmering Diamonds through Em. And as far as Clean... Yes, they can sound extremely clean if one knows how to Dime an Amp. Vox's can & are most definitely a versatile amp.
I am a huge fan of Vox and finally bought an AC15. All the chime and grind I was missing is there. Mid range cuts through like no other. It’s also one of the loudest 15 watt amps I’ve owned. I gig it on the regular. Great video, Zac!🇺🇸🎸
Sounds really great, very fender sounding with more mids and bite, just perfect for a tele! I've always said , You PLAY the guitar but you HEAR the amp.
That. Is. KILLER! I took this past year to get into the specifics of electric guitar gear, and I think I'm solidly a Vox guy, esp. after hearing the tones in this amp.
You may have already discovered this, but if not: Plug into the EF86 channel, make sure the tremolo is switched off, then turn the Amplitude control. Because of how this control is connected to the EF86, it will change the gain & headroom of the EF86 (giving grit at lower volume if you want it). Discovered that on my own '65 AC10 Twin.
So pleased you got what you wanted Zac - and Vintage Woodwork have done a superb job. Don’t forget the Vox AC2 ... smallest and rarest in the range - back in the day. I’ll send you a photo on Instagram.
Great video as always, Zac. Your ears are right with regard to "It's Only Love." Per the photographic record, the Beatles went back to using two AC30s during the recording of Rubber Soul.
Do you know if my 60th Anniversary UK Handwired AC15 has the EF-86 tube in the Vibrato/Tremolo Chanel or the “Normal” channel. I never use Trem, and have never even plugged into it.
You should try the Vib/Trem channel even if you never use the tremolo. It’s got a different sound to the Normal channel: a bit less gain, a bit thinner. I like it with fat sounding guitars that I want to lighten up.
I had a Vox amp that was a little different, it was that 'Tony Bruno' model they brought out a few years back, 2 X 12" speakers, 35 watts with 6V6 tubes, so it had more of a Fender Twin vibe, but different, it weighed like 80 LBS so a real beast to carry around! It was a powerful, rock type amp. I replaced with a BOSS Katana (don't hate on me) 100 watt. I think your Vox sounds very sweet.
@@mwpv11 I have a Bassman head and AC15 head (wish it was AC30), and I can barely lift either one. The thing about those heavy Vox cabs is the MDF makes them sound better than solid wood or ply, attenuates the harsh highs it seems? The "cheap" amps like Silvertone used MDF for baffles too, and the screws would strip on them easily, one guy changed it for a plywood baffle thinking it would improve the tone, but the amp never sounded as good again. Stereo audiophile speakers use MDF cabinets for a reason? I like my Gibson amps with solid redwood cabs!
I’ve got a Blackstar Artisan 15 amp, the hand-wired turret board construction model. It has two channels; Channel 1 using 12AX7 pre-amp tubes and Channel 2 using EF86, like the Vox AC10 that @AskZac is talking about and he’s right; the EF86 channel has a completely different character with a great flavour of its own.
I run a pair of AC4 C1-12s in stereo (sometimes wet/dry/wet with a Princeton in the middle) w/ surfybear metal spring reverb doing 'the splits'! 8 watts is plenty for jams and recording. They come with some shrill-y cheap-o tubes, but a swap works wonders.
Thank you for mentioning The Shadows! Have a listen to some of their early hits such as: 'Kon-tiki', 'Man of mystery', 'Apache', 'FBI' and Wonderful land'.
I concur! this is the first time I've heard mention of The Shadows by any one from across the pond. Don't they ever wonder why Fleabay's full of fiesta red strats with Hank B Marvin's moniker on them? I saw them live once.The Vox Meazzi echomatic copy died, but they carried on regardless, and still sounded fabulous Thankyou for the mention! A lot of British bands used the Meazzi Factotum for lead amp because it was an EL84 based PA with an echo box built in. I finished up with a closed back ac 30 supertwin cab with a reverb,treble and bass boost, vib/trem circuit, trapezoid shaped ( sloped sided) head as used by Pete Townsend. We never had any trouble with JMI products in around five years of weekend gigging.The Foundation Bass deserves a look in too as a work horse poor man's Bassman.
Absolutely fascinating video!!!! Thought I knew about VOX amps!!! Phew!! Learned so much here!! I'm fortunate to own an early 60's "Copper top AC 30 Super twin" owened it since 1968! Also a "grey panel" mid 60's AC 30 combo amp with "Silver speakers" owned since 1974!!! Both great amps! Cheers from England!!
You are one of the few guys out there who really stays on point, and not just in love with yer own voice, which makes your videos so watchable (some more than once). Out of curiousity I searched UA-cam for any live gigs you played on but only found a few captured with bad audio on IPhones. Just seeing you noodle, I can see you have chops and would love to see any video of you playing live. BTW - one video - tho audio was not good, revealed you have a real good voice. Happy supporter here.
Great information zac my uncle played in a country and western with a bit of a blue's feel well out of my family i was the only one who had the love and desire for music my uncle passed on and left it with my dad to pass it on to me so 1980 i was given the amp jmi ac10 single elac speaker and absolutely no mods still has the copper colour panel i really didn't realise what I had for a good couple of years because i was a drummer but always had this love for guitars mainly due to listening to Peter green any way still have it and will never be able to part with it
Loved it. What a rig. Now, it is time for you to go crazy and put it with the Deluxe. I'd say the Havard, but I think the Vox has the mids well covered! Great vid. Good on you for getting your hands on that one.
The Beatles stopped using AC30's live when they got the AC50's etc but they still used AC30's in the studio to record with for sure. No doubt about that. They had many different Vox amps and of course Fenders later.
So, Kyle made the box and Paul modded the electronics. I can see and hear why you’re happy. Hard to go wrong with all that! Hmmm... ever think about a Carr Rambler? Pretty smooth tones! :)
Yes, Zac, the AC-10 is special and you got a great sound on it. However, I've had a number of very good sessions with an old AC-4. There's something about single-ended amps that is just magic, speaking of which, I also love my 1961 Gibson GA-5T "Skylark ".
It can be, the problem is there are a ton of expensive old tubes that don't sound great anymore. My Vox in the video is filled with NOS tubes, but I don't know if I will continue that when they need to be replaced. I use a mix of new and NOS in most of my amps.
First of all I still love this Telecaster. The best Vox sound I ever heard is the 1965 (?) AC 10 head at the Pat & Doug show. But this one is very close. I' m happy combining a small Fender combo with an AC 15. The Jensen meets Celestion sound.
Nice Zak! I have a 1959 Epiphone Century W/ EF 86 channel W/ Tremolo. 12.5 Watts, 12" blue sticker Jenson P12R speaker. 2- 6V6 power tubes. Blond Diamond covering with Goldish grill cloth. Has the EPI bikini badge on grill cloth & brownish bakelite handle. Tone to die for!
And a very young Brian May saw Rory play, met him backstage to talk about Rory's AC30s and Rangemaster Treble Booster box - both of which Brian May still uses today
@@AskZac I'm in the process of building a '57 partscaster in a similar blonde color to yours with a one piece pine body, roasted maple v shaped neck, Seymour Duncan Antiquity '55 pickups, and aged vintage correct parts. I'd love to send you pictures. Is there an email address or best way to send them? Thanks again Zac. I love the channel. Might need to change my name to TelecasterBear because of you!
Does that have an 8 ohm output tap? I’ve got an old valco with a 4 ohm output transformer for two Jensen C10R and I think it’s weakness. I would love to upgrade. Either the speakers are tired or the transformer is weak. Sounded great.
My setup VoxAC30C2X Fender Bassbreaker45 Tweed BJR4running through a Morley ABC box Using Tele’s Strats LP’s and I am in Tone Heaven Parked my Twin Reverb & MLHot Rod Deville the Tele’s really come alive with this combination Always enjoy your vids 👍🔥🎸🦅
I hear people say this tube sounds better or worse, well Zac not only did 12ax7 sound different to my ears, the EF86 sounds like it strong point is it lives in MIDLAND. I’m not talking Texas either. Perfect tone. Thanks Zac.
Sounds amazing Zac. I do love my Magic Brit MK2 which is a combination of the best vintage Voxes I've played. American Girl is actually what took me towards to both Teles and Voxes. I had 2 x 90's Korg AC30s back in the day. One was amazing and it was my main amp for about 15 years. The other I sold straight away because it just never sounded as good.
You can still buy an AC30..minus VOX logo..now the logo reads JMI (Jennings Musical Industries)..quite visible on stage in Cliff Richard and the Shadows farewell concert(s)..slightly different speaker grill..
What a great amp! As always, the back story was informative and entertaining. Is that a bit of "Handle me with Care" around 22:40? I figured all that talk about the Beatles and Tom Petty...
I love the sound of the AC10 and vox in general. However, in today's day and age I think all amps made today should have a FX Send/Rec so you can use your pedals to always get the sound you want for a specific song or lead riff. Blues On....💙
They wanted to make the AC10 and AC15 more different in volume. They were too close, so they padded the inputs on the AC10 to make it quieter. The information is in all of the various VOX books.
Hi Zac, I have to say that a Telecaster played through a Vox AC30 top boost channel is my setup of choice, their cream AC30 handwired model would be my ideal amp!... 🙂
Hi zac love that you have found that one of a kind jmi vox ac10 sound like myself, but need your advice man on a limited budget what would you recommend regarding A telecaster a vintage squire c/v or something else don't have the bread for a fender can you please help thanks man jimmy in London
There are good reasons for why input resistance for an EF86 is higher than an ECC83. I'm not familiar with AC10 layout... if the input resistor can be placed after the 1M grid resistor in the circuit, ideally directly to the pin of the EF86 socket, it's value will not affect gain.
The Doug & Pat Show loves the AC10 Super Reverb Twin heads running through a 2x12 Vox cab with 12” Celestion Silver Alnico speakers. Henry Amplification made a “clone” of the SRT and is currently selling it, made to order I believe. Totally killer amp that Doug and Pat did a demo/comparison video on a few years back. They loved it. As most know, the reverb in almost every vintage guitar amp is crap, except Fender. So Henry Amplification put the Fender/Hammond reverb in his SRT+.
This video made my heart happy! First channel makes it and love love that guitar! The cabinet looks absolutely perfect!!!! He did an AMAZING job on it! Love that deep thunky twang !!!!!!like a j45 on steroids .........but Tele playability
I don't have a Vox, but I do have a Bugera T5 Infinium 5 watt that is all the Vox vibe you would ever want in a compact, affordable amp head. Just pair it with a decent cab & you'll be pleased with the jangly tones. Beatles & Tom Petty tones all day!! I play a an Esquire with a Seymour Duncan '55 Antiquity pick-up and it gets great tones through the Bugera.
Hi Zac I figured to ask Zac again im looking to get a small practice amp budget priced dst around $100 Ive seen the VOX Pathfinder 10 and the Orange Crush 12 are the any fender or other brands ypu could recommend that are not trash for up to $150 thanks
I heard one of the great problems with vintage VOX amps was that they overheat with one problem being the small and inadequate cooling vents. I suppose modifying the cab would affect/effect the sound? BTW, this one sounds woody and …very good.
The ‘57 sounds unbelievably great through that amp and cab, like it was meant to be! Enjoy and thanks for trusting me with this project!
Thank you so much, Kyle!!!! Beautiful work.
Loved watching you create those finger joints. The sort of woodworking that is getting rare these days. Your finishing and details made it complete.
I LOVE a good restoration story. If you can bring a great amp back to life, well, there's hope for all of us. :)
Our wives are trying to restore us!!
I remember reading a Joe Walsh interview years ago where he was talking about guitar and amp combinations and he described Teles and Strats into Voxes as “instant success”. I agree! Great video.
Agreed
I just read a comment from someone who saw Joe Wash playing through TWO Super Reverb amps, two Vox AC30 amps likely would have sounded great too, but different - Walsh's playing it didn't matter?
My first amp back in 1969 was a Vox Cambridge. It was a better amp than I realized back then, but we all wanted bigger amps so we could destroy our hearing more quickly.
Pardon?
Stay free, S m. R 🍻 👂 😎
EH?!
My first amp was a '64 Super Reverb ... which I STILL have! Sorry. What'd you say ... ?
Same. I had a 1x10 Cambridge as my 1st tube amp. With a couple pawnshop Hagstroms and a DOD classic fuzz I could approximate any 60s sound I wanted. I horse traded up to an early 70s twin and hated the weight.
@@tiptopdadddy I traded up to a mid-60's Pro Reverb. Hated the weight (it had 12" EV-SRO's that weigh 25 lbs. each! I still have those speakers). It was also a very crackly amp, wasn't my favorite.
The 220k grid resistors aren't the only thing affecting the volume on the AC10. There's also 100R resistors between the EL84 plates and the output transformer, which dissipate some of the would-be output power as heat.
Also, the '59 AC15s used 220k grid resistors (with each input grounding their 220k resistor when unplugged, making both inputs the same volume), only from the 60s onwards that they switched to 68k grid resistors (and the Hi/Lo input configuration that's commonplace now).
I have a VOX AC 10 made 3 years ago and it is amazing!
I have one too. My first amp was a 1966 Cambridge. Very similar.
People are making videoes saying the Vox AC10C1 sounds better than a Princeton Reverb!?
Oh my. This is one for the ages. Love the back story and the amp sounds killer. The fact that the amp was far from original actually added to the appeal. Talk about resurrecting an amp and making it even better than it was before. That custom cabinet is a beautiful creation and you know that sonically it lifted that amp to new heights. Great episode, Zac. You continue to amaze and inspire us all. Be sure to let us hear that amp again from time to time.
Thank you, Will.
Yeh, well you got a world's classic!! Mike Campbell ... Yet another fine guitarist originally from Jacksonville, Florida. That era of VOX had a PCBoard. Sounded great, but has its problems. MUCH agree on that EF86. VOX is remaking the handwired version as of July 2024 but apparently no EF86. Those sawdust cabs have no resonant frequency. Some TWilburys! That amp sounds real fine! Got that mid-range bark!! By the way ... Those Doug and Pat guys (did I get that right?) have one that's a slanted head on a cab and trolley, I think. Boy, that thing is killer sounding!
The AC4 has an EF86 preamp too. Pretty rare, weird little amp with tremolo. Great sound, mine is a '65.
Great video! I was a total Vox-o-phile when I was 14-15 years old. (1964-65.) My first good amp was a Thomas Organ-made Cambridge Reverb that I got new in 1966. I joined my first good band in ‘67 with that amp and a Vox Phantom XII guitar. The amp sounded good, but it didn’t have enough power to cut through the other guys’ Fender Bassmans and Pro Reverb! They made me trade it in on a Fender Bandmaster, and I had to borrow the money from my dad to make up the difference. The biggest problem was the Phantom XII guitar, but that’s another story...
Same story here. Now I would just mic the Vox and not bother with a big amp.
Thanks, Zac!! Always such great and entertaining info from you. It took me a while but I ended up finding a '64 AC10, in the rare single speaker cabinet. The original Goodmans speaker in it is surprisingly robust, with a fair amount of low end. Incredible amp.
The popularity of Vox amps started pre Beatles) with the Shadows circa 1960. Fender Stratocaster, Vox AC15 (then AC30) and echo unit (Meazzi). Every guitar player in the UK, Western Europe and Australia wanted that sound! I've owned an early 1960s Gibson tweed amp, brown face Fender Deluxe and black face and blond Fender Showman amplifiers, but my favourite amp to this day is the Vox AC30. I love the Telecaster/Vox combination!
That's what I love the best too: my Shijie telecaster through the "3rd Rail amps" JMI AC-10 clone head, that does it for me!
@@pharmerdavid1432 - absolutely great Vox sound!
That was a very informative episode! Great tone there. I had a modern China made AC 10 but sold it. It tended to break up a little too early for me in a giggling situation unless I was solely playing a blues gig. I much preferred the modern AC 15 because it produced more headroom that I needed. I would definitely love to play a vintage circuit like that vintage AC 10. What a great looking amp! That’s a masterful job on the cabinet. I’ve subscribed to the Vintage Wood Workshop channel. So glad for you Zac. You deserve it.
Thanks for the compliment and sub!
Thanks Zak, wonderful!! A Vox story: in Chicago, a gtr player friend Jeff King started a band in the '80s, Loose Lips. The main singer, Richie Mayer, played a hardtail Strat through an AC 30. My friend played a modded Strat of his own design with a Deluxe for leads and a Super for rhythm. OMG I heard that Strat/AC 30 and fell in love, and immediately went and found a 1960 w/o Top Boost, which I still own and love. Richie heard me playing my Strat with my AC30 one day, and he came over and yelled at me to turn the tone controls "all the way off", and he was right! Try it. I also had to mod the amp, adding a fan, because the power tubes kept blowing up because they were so hot.
Any problems with the EF-86 channel (I assume you have it?) going microphonic - the reason they designed it out...?
Thank you Zac. Learned alot from you today. I too am a huge Vox fan but never considered AC 10.
Thank you
Subscribeb in a heartbeat! You talk about sound and where it cimes from in a way anyone can get it. Teacher of tone!
Thanks Zac! So, decades ago in my Vox phase, it wasn't my ears that were the problem, or my lack of skill squeezing out "The Vox Sound" I could never get!
Great video and story! I have an AC10C1 reissue. It's the black and tan with JJ tubes and Creamback speaker. I stumbled on it used for $180 (US). I heard it and could not get out of there with it fast enough. I thought for sure the guy was going to change his mind. The new ones have reverb but no trem. I absolutely love it! It's not restored vintage, but sure does sound awesome.
All these years I overlooked this little beauty. Love the Dick Denny circuit. The cabinet work is exquisite. Looks meant to live with your Esquire.
Ahhh a JMI AC10! My other dream amp! (The first being...a Harvard.) You are a man of fine taste, not to mention kind friends. And with that Esquire too. Congratulations yet again!
Thank you!
Great score Zac....the "fleet is complete" brother! I have a 65' Vox Cambridge Reverb TUBE, and it kills. Not quite as nice as your AC10, but the Cambridge Reverb Tube vintage ones are sleepers!
Yeah, the Cambridge is great. I have a ‘66 Berkeley Super Reverb, same circuit as the Cambridge but in a head+cab configuration. The Pacemaker from the Thomas Organ Vox tube amp lineup is really good too, though it lacks reverb.
Ian. A buddy had a tube one, and I regret not buying it. Vox with a sprinkle of Fender. Killer amps.
Absolutely kills…that amp is beyond awesome!…the only thing that sucks a touch is the Bulldog speaker…
Great video Zac! I was just playing through my late '62/early '63 AC10 twin today! I had a '63 AC30 rear panel topboost for twenty years and loved loved loved that amp. But it was just a museum piece for much of it due to its ridiculous weight and volume. After selling it and searching for a few years I found this AC10 up here on the west coast of Canada for 2 thousand bucks! Scooped it and it's just a fantastic Vox. I recently found a pair of Elacs for it after searching for three years. They actually sound great, but I will swap out for something that can handle more than 4 watts(ridiculous)! My amp already had the input mod done before I bought it and I added a bright car to the amp so that I can get a little more top end out of the normal channel which I do like for rhythm stuff(suggested by Hugh Price). I'd like to try the Celestion Golds, but I know they are not Blues so I'd probably be disappointed and they'll add a lot of weight. Enjoy that amp and can't wait to see and hear more! Cheers
Tube Vox's Shine in Many Genres of Music. Blue's, Rock, Country, Reggae, Jazz etc. Jazz Great John Schofield has been using AC 30s for Years.
Strats & Tele's Shine like Glimmering Diamonds through Em.
And as far as Clean... Yes, they can sound extremely clean if one knows how to Dime an Amp. Vox's can & are most definitely a versatile amp.
I am a huge fan of Vox and finally bought an AC15. All the chime and grind I was missing is there. Mid range cuts through like no other. It’s also one of the loudest 15 watt amps I’ve owned. I gig it on the regular. Great video, Zac!🇺🇸🎸
Right on!
Sounds really great, very fender sounding with more mids and bite, just perfect for a tele! I've always said , You PLAY the guitar but you HEAR the amp.
Beautiful amp! I have the new AC10 (I know, it's not the same), but I love it!
Very nice!
That. Is. KILLER! I took this past year to get into the specifics of electric guitar gear, and I think I'm solidly a Vox guy, esp. after hearing the tones in this amp.
You may have already discovered this, but if not: Plug into the EF86 channel, make sure the tremolo is switched off, then turn the Amplitude control. Because of how this control is connected to the EF86, it will change the gain & headroom of the EF86 (giving grit at lower volume if you want it). Discovered that on my own '65 AC10 Twin.
Very important tip!
I have made 2 of my own Matchless SC30 clones that are basically AC30s and have the EF86 channels. The EF86 channel on these amps is INCREDIBLE!
Telecaster and Vox create a special sound together.Thanks for the restoration video.
Vox amps with the Pentode front end is just magic, especially with single coils.
So pleased you got what you wanted Zac - and Vintage Woodwork have done a superb job.
Don’t forget the Vox AC2 ... smallest and rarest in the range - back in the day.
I’ll send you a photo on Instagram.
I'll go look!
Great video as always, Zac. Your ears are right with regard to "It's Only Love." Per the photographic record, the Beatles went back to using two AC30s during the recording of Rubber Soul.
That's my favorite Beatle album! Very cool!
Do you know if my 60th Anniversary UK Handwired AC15 has the EF-86 tube in the Vibrato/Tremolo Chanel or the “Normal” channel. I never use Trem, and have never even plugged into it.
Tom, the normal chan on your amp has the EF86. I bet it sounds wonderful!
You should try the Vib/Trem channel even if you never use the tremolo. It’s got a different sound to the Normal channel: a bit less gain, a bit thinner. I like it with fat sounding guitars that I want to lighten up.
I had a Vox amp that was a little different, it was that 'Tony Bruno' model they brought out a few years back, 2 X 12" speakers, 35 watts with 6V6 tubes, so it had more of a Fender Twin vibe, but different, it weighed like 80 LBS so a real beast to carry around! It was a powerful, rock type amp. I replaced with a BOSS Katana (don't hate on me) 100 watt. I think your Vox sounds very sweet.
I have a 1 X12 18 watt Bruno that I have used for a number a number of years now and love it.
I went the same way. No more heavy amps for me.
I still have the 2 x 12 Bruno. There are 2 handles for a reason. At least the price was right.
😱
@@mwpv11 I have a Bassman head and AC15 head (wish it was AC30), and I can barely lift either one. The thing about those heavy Vox cabs is the MDF makes them sound better than solid wood or ply, attenuates the harsh highs it seems? The "cheap" amps like Silvertone used MDF for baffles too, and the screws would strip on them easily, one guy changed it for a plywood baffle thinking it would improve the tone, but the amp never sounded as good again. Stereo audiophile speakers use MDF cabinets for a reason? I like my Gibson amps with solid redwood cabs!
I’ve got a Blackstar Artisan 15 amp, the hand-wired turret board construction model. It has two channels; Channel 1 using 12AX7 pre-amp tubes and Channel 2 using EF86, like the Vox AC10 that @AskZac is talking about and he’s right; the EF86 channel has a completely different character with a great flavour of its own.
I run a pair of AC4 C1-12s in stereo (sometimes wet/dry/wet with a Princeton in the middle) w/ surfybear metal spring reverb doing 'the splits'! 8 watts is plenty for jams and recording. They come with some shrill-y cheap-o tubes, but a swap works wonders.
Awesome timing Zac! Just ordered an AC15 to complement my Deluxe Reverb in a stereo rig.
I remember this band that used to play at a local bar near me. One of the guitarists had a ac 15. That amp sounded so good .
Great video. I always appreciate your insight.
Thank you for mentioning The Shadows! Have a listen to some of their early hits such as: 'Kon-tiki', 'Man of mystery', 'Apache', 'FBI' and Wonderful land'.
I concur! this is the first time I've heard mention of The Shadows by any one from across the pond. Don't they ever wonder why Fleabay's full of fiesta red strats with Hank B Marvin's moniker on them? I saw them live once.The Vox Meazzi echomatic copy died, but they carried on regardless, and still sounded fabulous Thankyou for the mention! A lot of British bands used the Meazzi Factotum for lead amp because it was an EL84 based PA with an echo box built in. I finished up with a closed back ac 30 supertwin cab with a reverb,treble and bass boost, vib/trem circuit, trapezoid shaped ( sloped sided) head as used by Pete Townsend. We never had any trouble with JMI products in around five years of weekend gigging.The Foundation Bass deserves a look in too as a work horse poor man's Bassman.
Absolutely fascinating video!!!! Thought I knew about VOX amps!!! Phew!! Learned so much here!! I'm fortunate to own an early 60's "Copper top AC 30 Super twin" owened it since 1968! Also a "grey panel" mid 60's AC 30 combo amp with "Silver speakers" owned since 1974!!! Both great amps! Cheers from England!!
You really did well. Sounds incredible.
You are one of the few guys out there who really stays on point, and not just in love with yer own voice, which makes your videos so watchable (some more than once). Out of curiousity I searched UA-cam for any live gigs you played on but only found a few captured with bad audio on IPhones. Just seeing you noodle, I can see you have chops and would love to see any video of you playing live. BTW - one video - tho audio was not good, revealed you have a real good voice. Happy supporter here.
Great information zac my uncle played in a country and western with a bit of a blue's feel well out of my family i was the only one who had the love and desire for music my uncle passed on and left it with my dad to pass it on to me so 1980 i was given the amp jmi ac10 single elac speaker and absolutely no mods still has the copper colour panel i really didn't realise what I had for a good couple of years because i was a drummer but always had this love for guitars mainly due to listening to Peter green any way still have it and will never be able to part with it
Loved it. What a rig. Now, it is time for you to go crazy and put it with the Deluxe. I'd say the Havard, but I think the Vox has the mids well covered! Great vid. Good on you for getting your hands on that one.
That's the plan!
The Beatles stopped using AC30's live when they got the AC50's etc but they still used AC30's in the studio to record with for sure. No doubt about that. They had many different Vox amps and of course Fenders later.
Always has been my dream amp. Great video
Great description of the history. To clarify, 12 AX7 is a dual triode, EF 86 is a pentode
Don't know what you were talking about, but LOVE the sound and your playing skill!!! BAD ASS!!!😆😆😆
Good work. Mine’s a tan/beige one from 1959. …. EF86 channel.. has the Elac. Needs a bit of love now. New filter caps mainly.
Amazing story and amazing work. Great video on a great project Zac. Killer tone.
Thanks for getting back to me Zac I appreciate it. I don't know whether I'm wrong but to me Roy Buchanan was the Jimi Hendrix of the Telecaster.
He was
Great. !
I believe the first HeartBreakers album was using solid state stuff like the the Buckingham head.
Only remember this because i knew of one.
So, Kyle made the box and Paul modded the electronics. I can see and hear why you’re happy. Hard to go wrong with all that! Hmmm... ever think about a Carr Rambler? Pretty smooth tones! :)
My Carr Mercury sure makes me happy.
Have you tried the hand wired AC15 with Celestion Blue (AC15HW1X)?
Yes. Great amp!
The amp looks and sounds great. Nice playing too, Zac
Thanks, Gary!
Yes, Zac, the AC-10 is special and you got a great sound on it. However, I've had a number of very good sessions with an old AC-4. There's something about single-ended amps that is just magic, speaking of which, I also love my 1961 Gibson GA-5T "Skylark ".
Do you think its worth buying nos preamp tubes? If so what brands do you think sound great in a fender deluxe or twin reverb?
It can be, the problem is there are a ton of expensive old tubes that don't sound great anymore. My Vox in the video is filled with NOS tubes, but I don't know if I will continue that when they need to be replaced. I use a mix of new and NOS in most of my amps.
Russia is making great tubes; they now make Electro Harmonix and Tung-Sol amongst others and they are very very good.
@@vayabroder729 I use tung sol a lot
@@AskZac try current production Tung Sol in C1 and current JJs everywhere else. Works well in my Vox.
Another great episode - thanx for sharing your knowledge!
Best wishes /Nils (Sweden)
So nice of you
First of all I still love this Telecaster.
The best Vox sound I ever heard is the 1965 (?) AC 10 head at the Pat & Doug show.
But this one is very close.
I' m happy combining a small Fender combo with an AC 15.
The Jensen meets Celestion sound.
They have the Super Reverb Twin AC10. It is a rare version of the AC10.
Your playing and tone is superb
Nice Zak! I have a 1959 Epiphone Century W/ EF 86 channel W/ Tremolo. 12.5 Watts, 12" blue sticker Jenson P12R speaker. 2- 6V6 power tubes. Blond Diamond covering with Goldish grill cloth. Has the EPI bikini badge on grill cloth & brownish bakelite handle. Tone to die for!
KILLER!!!!
Rhett Shull’s Vox video is awesome too!
Don't forget that Rory Gallagher used an AC 30 in his early career, Irish Tour, etc.
And a very young Brian May saw Rory play, met him backstage to talk about Rory's AC30s and Rangemaster Treble Booster box - both of which Brian May still uses today
Great intel thanks
@@anthonyz7000 Brian May isn't Rory though - not even close. I despised Queen because of the satanic fraggot who sang with them.......
Another home run Zac. Awesome video. Congrats on the new Vox. It sounds incredible with that beautiful '57 Esquire. Enjoy brother!!!!
Thanks, Bear!
@@AskZac I'm in the process of building a '57 partscaster in a similar blonde color to yours with a one piece pine body, roasted maple v shaped neck, Seymour Duncan Antiquity '55 pickups, and aged vintage correct parts. I'd love to send you pictures. Is there an email address or best way to send them? Thanks again Zac. I love the channel. Might need to change my name to TelecasterBear because of you!
@@ScottWalker-uw3rp love that!
@@ScottWalker-uw3rp zac(at)askzac.com
Does that have an 8 ohm output tap? I’ve got an old valco with a 4 ohm output transformer for two Jensen C10R and I think it’s weakness. I would love to upgrade. Either the speakers are tired or the transformer is weak. Sounded great.
Yes, the AC10 output transformer has two taps; 8 ohm and 16 ohm
Thanks, Kyle!
Nice! I have a 1964 AC10 Twin...I love it!
Another great video. I love the way you amp sounds. It’s definitely got that sound.
Thank you kindly!
My setup VoxAC30C2X Fender Bassbreaker45 Tweed BJR4running through a Morley ABC box Using Tele’s Strats LP’s and I am in Tone Heaven Parked my Twin Reverb & MLHot Rod Deville the Tele’s really come alive with this combination Always enjoy your vids 👍🔥🎸🦅
I hear people say this tube sounds better or worse, well Zac not only did 12ax7 sound different to my ears, the EF86 sounds like it strong point is it lives in MIDLAND. I’m not talking Texas either. Perfect tone. Thanks Zac.
LoL, unfortunately I am from Midland Texas and it is about the worst place you can live if you are a musician
Sounds great, Zac. My original format 3 Monkeys Sock Monkey has EL 84s through a greenback. Nice and crispy with my 1975 telecaster.
Very interesting as always, thanks for tagging the cabinet builder Kyle, I will definitely check it out. 😎🎙🎸✅
Kyle's video is incredible.
@@AskZac I have just watched it, very entertaining 😀
@@SSRT_JubyDuby8742 thanks, Julian!
Sounds amazing Zac.
I do love my Magic Brit MK2 which is a combination of the best vintage Voxes I've played.
American Girl is actually what took me towards to both Teles and Voxes. I had 2 x 90's Korg AC30s back in the day. One was amazing and it was my main amp for about 15 years. The other I sold straight away because it just never sounded as good.
I have never had the chance to play through one. Guthrie and Jedd used them, which is enough right there.
Is it loud enough to play with a band? Rehearsal and small club setting?
Yes
Holy shit, I bought a lemon Korg AC30 brand new as well. I about fell over when you mentioned your experience.
Anybody know the name of the Desert Rose Band song he played?
I was playing a bit of "Ashes of Love."
You can still buy an AC30..minus VOX logo..now the logo reads JMI (Jennings Musical Industries)..quite visible on stage in Cliff Richard and the Shadows farewell concert(s)..slightly different speaker grill..
What a great amp! As always, the back story was informative and entertaining. Is that a bit of "Handle me with Care" around 22:40? I figured all that talk about the Beatles and Tom Petty...
Yes, Handle. Always loved the walk down.
I love the sound of the AC10 and vox in general. However, in today's day and age I think all amps made today should have a FX Send/Rec so you can use your pedals to always get the sound you want for a specific song or lead riff.
Blues On....💙
@Ask Zac What is your source for the 68K vs 220K input resistor explanation? I'm just curious and would like to read more about it. I play a '63 AC10.
They wanted to make the AC10 and AC15 more different in volume. They were too close, so they padded the inputs on the AC10 to make it quieter. The information is in all of the various VOX books.
Hi Zac, I have to say that a Telecaster played through a Vox AC30 top boost channel is my setup of choice, their cream AC30 handwired model would be my ideal amp!... 🙂
Amp looks and sounds great! Shirt looks great! The next time we come out to the house, I am bringing my AC10 to compare to this one.
I fixed you wings, and you didn't come. I am not bitter though.
@@AskZac It was the wife’s fault. I really wanted to, but she said no.
@@jaysmith418 sadness
do you know if modern ac15s use the 68k resistor? I have a friend who just got one
Thanks!
They don't
@@AskZac do recommend doing it to his ac15?
That tone around the 5:30 mark reminds me of Redd’s tone a lot of the time.
The tele sounds almost like a banjo in the Vox. :-) Wonderful tones!
UL series Vox amps 4120, 7120, 730 etc.. are Beatles revolver tones. Also Led Zeppelin II.
Doug and Pat love the vintage Vox 10. They have one in the angled head that is a tone monster!
I have one of those. Hands down THE best amp ever!
Hi zac love that you have found that one of a kind jmi vox ac10 sound like myself, but need your advice man on a limited budget what would you recommend regarding A telecaster a vintage squire c/v or something else don't have the bread for a fender can you please help thanks man jimmy in London
The new ac10s are quite nice too
There are good reasons for why input resistance for an EF86 is higher than an ECC83. I'm not familiar with AC10 layout... if the input resistor can be placed after the 1M grid resistor in the circuit, ideally directly to the pin of the EF86 socket, it's value will not affect gain.
The Doug & Pat Show loves the AC10 Super Reverb Twin heads running through a 2x12 Vox cab with 12” Celestion Silver Alnico speakers. Henry Amplification made a “clone” of the SRT and is currently selling it, made to order I believe. Totally killer amp that Doug and Pat did a demo/comparison video on a few years back. They loved it.
As most know, the reverb in almost every vintage guitar amp is crap, except Fender. So Henry Amplification put the Fender/Hammond reverb in his SRT+.
This video made my heart happy! First channel makes it and love love that guitar! The cabinet looks absolutely perfect!!!! He did an AMAZING job on it! Love that deep thunky twang !!!!!!like a j45 on steroids .........but Tele playability
YES!
Thanks, Bob!
I don't have a Vox, but I do have a Bugera T5 Infinium 5 watt that is all the Vox vibe you would ever want in a compact, affordable amp head. Just pair it with a decent cab & you'll be pleased with the jangly tones. Beatles & Tom Petty tones all day!! I play a an Esquire with a Seymour Duncan '55 Antiquity pick-up and it gets great tones through the Bugera.
Hi Zac I figured to ask Zac again im looking to get a small practice amp budget priced dst around $100 Ive seen the VOX Pathfinder 10 and the Orange Crush 12 are the any fender or other brands ypu could recommend that are not trash for up to $150 thanks
The small Fender amps are cool too. Go and play them all
I heard one of the great problems with vintage VOX amps was that they overheat with one problem being the small and inadequate cooling vents. I suppose modifying the cab would affect/effect the sound?
BTW, this one sounds woody and …very good.
Thanks for the video. I didn't even know there was an AC10. Sounds great. Did they even sell them in the US?
They were sold in the USA, but apparently not many.
Didn’t the AC50 and AC100 amps come with a fire extinguisher?
Another treasure for your arsenal. That amp is fantastic!
Indeed!
How about a side by side comparison to the new AC10 please?
Damn! I love this amp/ I'm a big Vox fan. And yeah, it barks!
It sounds amazing. I love early Vox amps.