I’ve had numerous amps ,100watt dsl ,vox ac30 , Budda ,mesa stiletto.but I have laneys as rehearsal and home amps . And I lov em.they are so underrated.
Had one for years but if was when I put a creamback and a better reverb tank in it it became unbelievable and sounded like a lot of boutique amps I’ve had😊
That's two great Laneys you've uncovered recently. Well done. This channel is a must for tone enthusiasts on a budget. And if it's not budgety enough for you, Lee pops in every now and again with piggy bank price range gear. What's not to love?
I had the 2x10 version with a matching 2x10 cab. I used it for years as well as a Peavey Classic 50 head for larger gigs. No mods needed other than upgraded valves - both amps reasonably priced great amps! With the VC30 I learned thet I could "jumper' the effects loop and it became a boost as well as running any color type effects thorough a volume pedal into the loop and it allowed swells with those effects.
I have a '98 Laney Ozone Chrome 2x10 30w tube combo, bought used. I just had it serviced at a Laney service center in my area. It has a unique personality and the clean channel is spectacular as a base for pedals. I also recently discovered Laney, I'd say it's an interesting world to explore.
I moved to the UK from New Zealand about 4 months ago. I’ve joined an indie band here and back home my primary amp was a Vox AC15C1 which I had to leave behind. Fast forward to today where I saw this very same VC30 used with 2x10s going in Denmark St. I knew I had to try it after seeing this video. And I bought it! I so badly wish Vox made AC15s with effects loops. But after playing one of these? Man Vox could be doing so much more with the AC15 range. Still, I love the tones. Thanks gents!
I used a VC30 212 for years and it was incredible, although always felt like it needed a master volume (like a Vox!). I still have my VC15 110 for practice (and odd gigs), and other than the speaker size it definitely competes with the AC15 I use. Amazing amps from the Black Country!!
Great video guys, Laney are extremely underrated, I have both VC30 212 and Lionheart L20H, they are fantastic amps and I will never part with them. Also bought at bargain prices as they fly under the radar compared to more popular names. I have owned AC30s and AC4 etc, would never go back to vox having discovered these. Fun fact, Satriani used and endorsed the VC30 back in the 90s. Also don't over look the more compact but still gig worthy VC15
I've been having one for a very long time. Also a 2x10 version and it's a great amp that I only once and only briefly considered selling as I looked for something easier to transport to gigs. It's really heavy, but also really loud and takes all kinds of pedals like a champ.
I have the 1x12 I bought used for €200. I gigged it once and during sound check the sound guy was asking if I could bring the volume down. The amp was on the clean Chanel not even on 1 🤣 such a great amp. It’s a pleasure to play.
I've always rated these Laney amps, and have just picked up a 1999 LC30 II. It is a _fabulous_ amplifier! I also have a Fender BDR, and so far, I think the Laney's just as good. Another recent purchase is my 1989 Peavey Bandit (solid state), which I've gigged, and which is also a terrific amp. That said, just comparing the Peavey against the Laney: the Peavey sounds great, but swapping the cable between the amps, the Peavey's sound is 2D, whereas the Laney's is 3D. That's the only way I can describe the difference.
I used to have a VC30 2X10 with Celestion custom speakers back in early 2000. It sounded huge! Great vox-ish cleans, fuzzy old marshall like overdrive but an excellent and super friendly pedal platform. With the Jam double Tubedreamer & an MXR EQ 10 band it sounded amazing and covered almost every tonal ground even really heavy distortion. I miss it dearly....as well as all of my old pedals. Oh well gone digital now.
I have a VC15 with a 10" speaker and i use it bar and hotel gigs 2 or 3 times a week for 2 years. I can crank it up as much as i can without any trouble and i never satisfied like this before. This amp shines when it's all cranked up.
Me too, same amp. Perfect for gigs and practice. It would be cool if it had a built in attenuator for home use, but that wasn't really a thing when they made these.
My first tube amp was a Laney LC-30, and it was a good amp, but as it was my first I did not have any real references. Then I have had a VC-30 112 and it was a gorgeous amp that I regret I sold.
Still own the 2x10" version and still love it! Me too, I've paid just £200 years ago, to replace another Laney, the mythical LC15R. I had the latter for 10 years until I started to gig seriously. For me all these old Laney are much more better than of many low-specs Marshall/Fender amps that can be still found in a lot of the rehearsal studios nowadays.
My dad had one of these when I was in high school. I played it a lot one summer because I had a busted me and I couldn’t walk. Later on, I remembered my Mesa rectifier had a blown fuse and I couldn’t get one, but I had to go to rehearsal. So I borrowed the amp from my dad and ran it through my 4x12. The only way I could get it to have a lot of distortion was to turn it all the way up. what an amazing sound that was! I felt like Tony Iommi or some legend of the past. But that particular Laney V something never had good reliability. It blew tubes a lot I remember.
This video came at an odd time as I had already organised to pick one up (later today) and I had never heard about this amp in my life. This is 2 weeks after picking up a Marshall SV20 so I’m a bit spoilt at the moment, another amp that I picked up after watching videos on your channel!
I’ve got an LC30 I gigged for years. Great amps. I’ve been using a Rivera for several years now which is fantastic but I think next gig I’m going to use the Laney.
when this amp was first released, my friend bought one but wanted to change speakers in this amp , and during the process we took out the amp from the cabinet and placed it on top while testing out different speakers, once he had made his choice the amp was replaced in the cabinet and we found the sound deteriorated , i noticed the speaker magnet was to close to the valves and the electrons in the tube were being deflected by the magnetic field of all of the speakers installed. once at temperature you can see some strange activity in the tubes. I agree that this is a great little amp, but it sounds much better when out of the cabinet, it is definitely worth doing this yourself if this amp suffers from the same issue
I had a VC30 1x12 combo. Early 2000’s. Walked in the music store and a guy was playing Jimmy Page Zeppelin licks and I bought the amp right out from under the guy 😂. Great amp! Mine got sold about 2007 to a buddy who later sold it.
HAd one of these in the 210 setup and it was a perfect amp for me; if you wanted another good version of a vox style amp that was affordable. Wanting another one for years now, even after having an AC15C1
I bought mine in the 90s (2X10) and still gig with it in rotation. It does go through power tubes WAY more than any other amp I own but sounds great. So loud without front end gain though. Volume maxes out at 2 but if you ever get a chance to take the clean channel to 7 with a hum bucker into the low input, ACDC lives there! Turn all the eq to 0 then the sound shuts off?!
The UK made 210 is the best of the VC series. I have two, one UK 210 and one 112 MIC. Both cost under $400AUD! My favorite combos. Vox/Fender hybrid tones.
Hi Matt a 2x10 has come up locally here in Australia with a pretty beaten up speaker grill. He's offered to sell for 450. Has the Jensens. Was thinking of using it as a stage monitor with my helix direct into the send of amp. What do you think?
had the 2x12 and the 2x10. The 2x12 had a fuzzy type voicing on the OD channel which the 2x10 didn't have so being the same circuit it could only be down to the speaker difference. Lovely chimey clean sounds, the OD channel wasn't to my taste at the time - but now i'm older n wiser and less of a gain monkey i'd probably love one of these now...in fact been looking for and outbid on a couple of 1x12's recently......
Had a Crate V30 head, made in America, great amps. Sounds even better than the Laney. I also can recommend the Laney L5 Lionheart Head with a good cabinet. Miked up, good enough for everything
Gotta love a Laney! Unfortunately, James may need to lay off the auction purchases for a while and invest a bit more dosh in a larger space to store and play with all his new toys ...
Hi ! I use VC30 1x12 for the last 10 years. I also had Vox AC30 and AC15 (Which is much closer in terms of size and loudness) and i must say that soundwise Laney has no similarities with Vox amps whatsoever. I also tried mix and match their speakers and cabinets and i tried connecting them all to the same 4x12 and 1x12 cabinet. I was sure that i wiould get almost the same sound with Laney but to my surprise Laney was far superior in my opinion. Cheers!
You mention that you don't think they are 'vox like' and I agree...what do you think they sound like tonewise? I can never put my finger on it. I guess marshall-esque meets fender?
@@cmp1868 i have no idea. Someone told me it might be after hiwatt sound. But I never tried one so I can't confirm. One time me and my friend brought both of our setups to compare how different we sound on stage. We have different guitars, different pedals and different amps. Mine was VC30 and his was Mesa Lonestar. We put an SM57 infront of each and listened in control room on ADAM S2V monitors. it was almost identical. Ofc , Mesa is much more powerful amp, but still... when miced up and especialy in live enviroment with full band, noone would notice if suddenly somenone changed amps.
@@cmp1868 @kristijanvasilic6947 I used to gig in a band with a Hot Rod Deluxe, 112, i still have my VC30, the clean channel was very close to the fender, not as shrill, I find the drive channel to be a lot more Voxy but yes they aren't the same, but its still a classic British sound
These are great amps, but I don't think I've seen one in good condition go for as little as £200 recently! I think the earlier UK versions with real spring reverb are the most coveted, but the early 1x12" ones with the big speaker magnet have a problem due to that magnet interfering with the nearby valves. The 2 speaker models didn't have that characteristic, and the later ones had smaller magnets. Anyway, my latest acquisition is not a VC30, but a 1989 Peavey Bandit and it is epic, so much so that I'm considering selling my Fender BDR.
Had one of these a few years ago ( the 1 x 12 version) and it was insanely loud and gloriously so. Wish I still had it but, in truth, it was waaay too loud for my needs.
Splendid amp but terrible reliability, transformer blew on mine, and the reverb wasn't reliable as well even on the LC series. The 2x10 with Jensen are the ones to get.
I had a vc50, a huge and very heavy amp. Sounded great..if it worked. It was a very unreliable amp. Never bought or looked at Laney anymore ever since.
I’ve had numerous amps ,100watt dsl ,vox ac30 , Budda ,mesa stiletto.but I have laneys as rehearsal and home amps . And I lov em.they are so underrated.
Had one for years but if was when I put a creamback and a better reverb tank in it it became unbelievable and sounded like a lot of boutique amps I’ve had😊
I had one of these years ago as my first proper amp. Loved it.
Very cool
That's two great Laneys you've uncovered recently. Well done. This channel is a must for tone enthusiasts on a budget.
And if it's not budgety enough for you, Lee pops in every now and again with piggy bank price range gear.
What's not to love?
Much appreciated! cheers LordBransty
I had one of these for years,the best drive is clean channel on full then guitar volume rolled back for cleans.
This!
Shh.. That is the secret menu item.
I had the 2x10 version with a matching 2x10 cab. I used it for years as well as a Peavey Classic 50 head for larger gigs. No mods needed other than upgraded valves - both amps reasonably priced great amps! With the VC30 I learned thet I could "jumper' the effects loop and it became a boost as well as running any color type effects thorough a volume pedal into the loop and it allowed swells with those effects.
I have a '98 Laney Ozone Chrome 2x10 30w tube combo, bought used. I just had it serviced at a Laney service center in my area. It has a unique personality and the clean channel is spectacular as a base for pedals. I also recently discovered Laney, I'd say it's an interesting world to explore.
I moved to the UK from New Zealand about 4 months ago. I’ve joined an indie band here and back home my primary amp was a Vox AC15C1 which I had to leave behind. Fast forward to today where I saw this very same VC30 used with 2x10s going in Denmark St. I knew I had to try it after seeing this video. And I bought it! I so badly wish Vox made AC15s with effects loops. But after playing one of these? Man Vox could be doing so much more with the AC15 range. Still, I love the tones. Thanks gents!
I used a VC30 212 for years and it was incredible, although always felt like it needed a master volume (like a Vox!). I still have my VC15 110 for practice (and odd gigs), and other than the speaker size it definitely competes with the AC15 I use. Amazing amps from the Black Country!!
Great video guys, Laney are extremely underrated, I have both VC30 212 and Lionheart L20H, they are fantastic amps and I will never part with them. Also bought at bargain prices as they fly under the radar compared to more popular names. I have owned AC30s and AC4 etc, would never go back to vox having discovered these. Fun fact, Satriani used and endorsed the VC30 back in the 90s. Also don't over look the more compact but still gig worthy VC15
I've been having one for a very long time. Also a 2x10 version and it's a great amp that I only once and only briefly considered selling as I looked for something easier to transport to gigs. It's really heavy, but also really loud and takes all kinds of pedals like a champ.
I have the 1x12 I bought used for €200. I gigged it once and during sound check the sound guy was asking if I could bring the volume down. The amp was on the clean Chanel not even on 1 🤣 such a great amp. It’s a pleasure to play.
I've always rated these Laney amps, and have just picked up a 1999 LC30 II. It is a _fabulous_ amplifier! I also have a Fender BDR, and so far, I think the Laney's just as good. Another recent purchase is my 1989 Peavey Bandit (solid state), which I've gigged, and which is also a terrific amp. That said, just comparing the Peavey against the Laney: the Peavey sounds great, but swapping the cable between the amps, the Peavey's sound is 2D, whereas the Laney's is 3D. That's the only way I can describe the difference.
I used to have a VC30 2X10 with Celestion custom speakers back in early 2000. It sounded huge! Great vox-ish cleans, fuzzy old marshall like overdrive but an excellent and super friendly pedal platform. With the Jam double Tubedreamer & an MXR EQ 10 band it sounded amazing and covered almost every tonal ground even really heavy distortion. I miss it dearly....as well as all of my old pedals. Oh well gone digital now.
I'm thinking of running my Helix into this through the FX loop for on stage monitoring!!
I have a VC15 with a 10" speaker and i use it bar and hotel gigs 2 or 3 times a week for 2 years. I can crank it up as much as i can without any trouble and i never satisfied like this before. This amp shines when it's all cranked up.
Me too, same amp. Perfect for gigs and practice. It would be cool if it had a built in attenuator for home use, but that wasn't really a thing when they made these.
Just picked up the same amp from a friend… This video made me do it :)
The wince of pain from the loudness at 3:35 had me feeling it.
My first tube amp was a Laney LC-30, and it was a good amp, but as it was my first I did not have any real references. Then I have had a VC-30 112 and it was a gorgeous amp that I regret I sold.
Love sunburst and rosewood teles, got that Beatles vibe👍
Still own the 2x10" version and still love it! Me too, I've paid just £200 years ago, to replace another Laney, the mythical LC15R. I had the latter for 10 years until I started to gig seriously. For me all these old Laney are much more better than of many low-specs Marshall/Fender amps that can be still found in a lot of the rehearsal studios nowadays.
My dad had one of these when I was in high school. I played it a lot one summer because I had a busted me and I couldn’t walk. Later on, I remembered my Mesa rectifier had a blown fuse and I couldn’t get one, but I had to go to rehearsal. So I borrowed the amp from my dad and ran it through my 4x12. The only way I could get it to have a lot of distortion was to turn it all the way up. what an amazing sound that was! I felt like Tony Iommi or some legend of the past. But that particular Laney V something never had good reliability. It blew tubes a lot I remember.
I have six tube Laneys inc 2 VC30's I love them, had a couple for 30 years. I was told that the circuit was close to a Blackface with a few tweaks.
This video came at an odd time as I had already organised to pick one up (later today) and I had never heard about this amp in my life. This is 2 weeks after picking up a Marshall SV20 so I’m a bit spoilt at the moment, another amp that I picked up after watching videos on your channel!
Cheers Luke.
I’ve got an LC30 I gigged for years.
Great amps.
I’ve been using a Rivera for several years now which is fantastic but I think next gig I’m going to use the Laney.
I went from an LC30 to a few Rivera's and now a Two Rock
Thanks for sharing
I got one those! The previous owner swop the 2x10's for a 12' Eminence Legend, i love that amp.
Nice!
when this amp was first released, my friend bought one but wanted to change speakers in this amp , and during the process we took out the amp from the cabinet and placed it on top while testing out different speakers, once he had made his choice the amp was replaced in the cabinet and we found the sound deteriorated , i noticed the speaker magnet was to close to the valves and the electrons in the tube were being deflected by the magnetic field of all of the speakers installed. once at temperature you can see some strange activity in the tubes. I agree that this is a great little amp, but it sounds much better when out of the cabinet, it is definitely worth doing this yourself if this amp suffers from the same issue
That’s really interesting
I had a VC30 1x12 combo. Early 2000’s. Walked in the music store and a guy was playing Jimmy Page Zeppelin licks and I bought the amp right out from under the guy 😂. Great amp! Mine got sold about 2007 to a buddy who later sold it.
"when you kick the nasty button on"... "Go on give it the beans". Lmao you Brits crack me up😃
They also gave it some welly
HAd one of these in the 210 setup and it was a perfect amp for me; if you wanted another good version of a vox style amp that was affordable. Wanting another one for years now, even after having an AC15C1
I can still hear this ringing up North….😉…..sounds killer 🔥
I bought mine in the 90s (2X10) and still gig with it in rotation. It does go through power tubes WAY more than any other amp I own but sounds great. So loud without front end gain though. Volume maxes out at 2 but if you ever get a chance to take the clean channel to 7 with a hum bucker into the low input, ACDC lives there!
Turn all the eq to 0 then the sound shuts off?!
You regularly test the Harley Benton brand. You should test the HB Tube 15 amp, which is a copy of a Laney CUB.
The UK made 210 is the best of the VC series. I have two, one UK 210 and one 112 MIC.
Both cost under $400AUD! My favorite combos. Vox/Fender hybrid tones.
Hi Matt a 2x10 has come up locally here in Australia with a pretty beaten up speaker grill. He's offered to sell for 450. Has the Jensens. Was thinking of using it as a stage monitor with my helix direct into the send of amp. What do you think?
@@swardmusic Hm. Maybe. I don't feel comfortable giving advice like this. Maybe offer less money?
@@swardmusic If everything checks out and works ok
had the 2x12 and the 2x10. The 2x12 had a fuzzy type voicing on the OD channel which the 2x10 didn't have so being the same circuit it could only be down to the speaker difference. Lovely chimey clean sounds, the OD channel wasn't to my taste at the time - but now i'm older n wiser and less of a gain monkey i'd probably love one of these now...in fact been looking for and outbid on a couple of 1x12's recently......
Interesting
I sometimes miss my old VC30-112 + matching 112 cab.
I recall that GH50 was a head version of that amp, but I'm not 100% about it.
When did these amps first came out please?
Sounds great. I would pick one up in a hearbeat if I could find one that price
Did you guys do some post processing to reduce amp hiss on this demo or is it really this quiet for you? Mine makes a crazy hiss.
What were the pickups please?
Is it just me or is this similar in tone, especially clean, to that of a classic HiWatt?
Laney VC30 definitely got slept on for a long time. it's dirt cheap and sound amazing.
Agreed
Had a Crate V30 head, made in America, great amps. Sounds even better than the Laney. I also can recommend the Laney L5 Lionheart Head with a good cabinet. Miked up, good enough for everything
Thanks for the tip
I have a VC15r that I was thinking of selling but I might be having second thoughts now...
They’re great amps. I think the amount they’re selling for would put me off selling one.
@TheStudioRats one just sold on ebay for £71! Bonkers!!
I have a VC15 and to be honest it's difficult to use at home because to get those tones you have to turn it up and then it's just so LOUD! 😮
Would it be good with jazz guitar ( not too trebly?)
I’m sure I’ll work great
I have an old 2x12 version. Love it
Gotta love a Laney!
Unfortunately, James may need to lay off the auction purchases for a while and invest a bit more dosh in a larger space to store and play with all his new toys ...
I liked it and I subscribed!
Cheers red rose
Non standard knobs?
Maybe
No, they are standard
Hi !
I use VC30 1x12 for the last 10 years. I also had Vox AC30 and AC15 (Which is much closer in terms of size and loudness) and i must say that soundwise Laney has no similarities with Vox amps whatsoever. I also tried mix and match their speakers and cabinets and i tried connecting them all to the same 4x12 and 1x12 cabinet. I was sure that i wiould get almost the same sound with Laney but to my surprise Laney was far superior in my opinion.
Cheers!
You mention that you don't think they are 'vox like' and I agree...what do you think they sound like tonewise? I can never put my finger on it. I guess marshall-esque meets fender?
@@cmp1868 i have no idea. Someone told me it might be after hiwatt sound. But I never tried one so I can't confirm.
One time me and my friend brought both of our setups to compare how different we sound on stage. We have different guitars, different pedals and different amps. Mine was VC30 and his was Mesa Lonestar. We put an SM57 infront of each and listened in control room on ADAM S2V monitors. it was almost identical. Ofc , Mesa is much more powerful amp, but still... when miced up and especialy in live enviroment with full band, noone would notice if suddenly somenone changed amps.
@@cmp1868
@kristijanvasilic6947 I used to gig in a band with a Hot Rod Deluxe, 112, i still have my VC30, the clean channel was very close to the fender, not as shrill, I find the drive channel to be a lot more Voxy but yes they aren't the same, but its still a classic British sound
These are great amps, but I don't think I've seen one in good condition go for as little as £200 recently! I think the earlier UK versions with real spring reverb are the most coveted, but the early 1x12" ones with the big speaker magnet have a problem due to that magnet interfering with the nearby valves. The 2 speaker models didn't have that characteristic, and the later ones had smaller magnets. Anyway, my latest acquisition is not a VC30, but a 1989 Peavey Bandit and it is epic, so much so that I'm considering selling my Fender BDR.
Cheers for the info x
What kinds of auctions are these that you’re finding?
Its called Gardiner Houlgate
i just like how they both share the same brain. half a brain each, gotta love it, LOL
Wow half a brain, not bad for a drummer.
I agree there definitely is only one brain between us. Split in half and the good bit left of the operating table.
Had one of these a few years ago ( the 1 x 12 version) and it was insanely loud and gloriously so.
Wish I still had it but, in truth, it was waaay too loud for my needs.
Well well well... Instead of dreaming of a Vox amp that I can't afford right now, I could go for a Laney, if I find one of course.
Brill with an attenuator.
How do you add an attenuator please?
I have a VC15 and I find even that to loud for home use.
Good review. Nice sounding amp. Bogus price. Doesn't apply to USA.
Splendid amp but terrible reliability, transformer blew on mine, and the reverb wasn't reliable as well even on the LC series.
The 2x10 with Jensen are the ones to get.
I had a vc50, a huge and very heavy amp. Sounded great..if it worked. It was a very unreliable amp. Never bought or looked at Laney anymore ever since.
God I pray people never find out ab these
Oh there you go now they’re $800-$1000 in the United States. Still a bargain?
no not for that money. but you guys get cheap Boogies
I always wanted a Laney…Sorry to say I don’t anymore, very disappointing, just not my choice 😢
If anything Gary that’s a good thing, I’m glad I’ve help eliminate things.😀
@@TheStudioRats 😂 so true!!
I miss my Laney LC15 (15 Watt? - yeah and some!). Not as much a bad boy, but almost.