Cracked vox ac30 tubes

Vox ac30h2, ac30h2l, and ac30hh heritage premium pack. We are definitely fans of the old vox amps and of the 90s reissue ac30s which are pretty good too. The vox ac30 was originally introduced in 1959 at hank marvins request as the big brother of the fifteen watt 15 w ac15 model, voxs original flagship amplifier, because the ac15 was not loud enough with the screaming fans at cliff richards concerts. The ac15 was powered by a pair of el84 tubes, an ef86driven normal channel, an ecc83driven vibtrem channel, and rectified. Normal which is my clean channel, and top boost which is my dirty overdrive channel. On the first model used a mixture of vox chinese tubes and sovtek. The vox ac30 c2 amp became available in early 2010. The better sound comes form the blue alnico speakers and compliments the amp much better. Just change the tubes from time to time, other than that its a real work horse.

Along with the filter caps, this tube converts the ac line voltage to dc voltage to operate the amplifier. Like fender, it never did manage to crack the giant stack market when it appeared in the 1960s and has always excelled instead at smaller, tasty, combos. It provides that classic vox ac30 chime and clarity. Pc boards can crack on the circuit tracks leading to the tube socket because of speaker vibrations. I cant remember what my tech did but i have a vague memory of it being a very easy mod, like. The ac15c1 received an additional ecc83 preamp tube and the ac30c2 was stripped of its gz34 rectifier tube in favor of solid state. This is a premium retube set for the vox ac30h2, ac30h2l, and ac30hh heritage tube amp. We are definitely fans of the old vox amps and of the 90s reissue ac30 s which are pretty good too. The clean channel has that slightly scooped vox ac flavour that can sound. Vox, 2 electric guitar amplifier footswitch, black ac30c2. The el84 power tubes are secured by a retaining clip.

I have the vox ac30 cc2x, it has the blue speakers, made in china. This set will return your vox ac30c2 to the stock sound you loved when you first plugged in. In 2004, vox created the custom classic series, and production was moved to china at some point thereafter. A few months ago, our new amp technician had a look at it and told us to stop using the standby switch, whether on start up or shut down. To repairsservice on vox ac30 90s limited edition reissue combo. The ac30 was the product of the furtive mind of dick denny, and vox debuted the amp in 1959. Its the only tube i didnt change when i was in there, but i dont really want to go ordering more and more stuff just to continue having a broken amp. I have 2 channels which i switch back and forth between using a select box footpedal. These tubes match the spec of the oem tubes installed by vox. The ac30 6 was now an amp with three channels, each channel having two inputs. It has more gain on tap than any ac30 i have ever heard.

The first vox ac30 had a celestion blue bell, an alnico radio speaker with a characteristic protective bell around the magnet. My laney lionheart 20 mh started making a continuous cracking noise which i. Vintage vox amplifier collection the vox ac30 guide. That feeling when the sweet spot is unearthed, and the tubes are creating witchcraft. A vox ac30 cc1 blowing fuses was what was presented to me. For those who crave more power, the ac30 expands on the captivating sound of its little brother by doubling the wattage. Has anyone found a way to lower the level of the reverb. Pick this tube kit if youre tubes have worn out, but you happy with the way your amp sounded before. There was a time when tube amps was incredibly expensive and you really.

Vox, today a subsidiary of korg, recently began making a highend reissue of its famed 30watt amp in several configurations, and offered to let us take a look at its latest the ac30 custom classic cc with two 12. Since the vox ac30 runs power tubes extremely hot, we were only able to test el84s that consistently have a lower idle current draw. Question whats the difference between a vox ac30 and a vox. The current through this tube barely moved the needle. Tips and tricks for getting the most out of your vox ac30. Alltube combo amplifier for electric guitar 3 preamp tubes 12ax7 ecc83, 4 power amp tubes el84, power. Given our current inventory, your two choices would be sovtek and jj el84s, as we are not able to consistently provide vox amps with other brands of el84s. It appears to be a 1962 jmi era vox model but im an amp tech, not an amp historian, so i may be mistaken. This vox ac30c2 30 watt 2x12 combo guitar amplifier is in good condition. If you can handle the volume, i recommend running it without the master volume.

These are great sounding amps with all the sparkle of. A complete history of vox ac30 is a story for another day, but korg bought vox in the early 90s and these reissues became some of the most consistent, well puttogether, and sought after versions of the amplifier. It sounded really good but i found the hw2x for a good price so i snagged it. How to install new guitar amplifier tubes in a vox ac15. Ruby tubes replacement tubes kit for the vox ac30c2. I run a large pedal board set up in front and it responds very well to everything.

They are using new production tung sol 12ax7s my favorite preamp tube and ehx el84s. These voxes are used by many many rock and county artists. Which brings us to the brand new vox av30 a 30 watt combo and part of. The drive channel is surprisingly smooth and takes the amp closer to a vintage ac30. Best replacement valve kit for vox ac30 c2 or ac30 c1. It appears that ac30 cc is now delivered with tungsol in preamp the chinese were responsible for a large number of failures of eh and sovtek amplification for the rectifier. Perhaps the most obvious thing to look for is any loose parts that have broken off inside the bottle. Capable of both enchanting clean and raucous overdriven sounds. Time to check the preamp tubes, seen mounted horizontally behind the final amp tubes in the foreground. This amp has a history of eating power tubes and rectifier tubes. Employing a quartet of el84 power tubes, the ac30 custom pumps 30 watts of remarkable tone through a pair of 12inch celestion greenback speakers. Probably one of the most overlooked vox amps until about 2000 were the 1964, 1965 and 1966 ac50s but the word has gotten out and the prices on these just keep. Vox soon tired of the problem so to cure ac30 4 reliability issues caused by the troublesome ef86 preamp tube, in late 1960 vox redesigned the preamp circuit, replaced the ef86 with an ecc83 12ax7, and released this new design as the ac30 6. It sounds absolutely gorgeous and i bitterly regret over and over again selling my 1960s one.

Stock tubes are always subject to change by the manufacturer. Vox ac30 standard tube set, jj tubes x4 el84, x3 12ax7. I recommend sovtek premium 12ax7 russian made tubes for this amp. The only downside in my amp was the tubes the stock sovtek tubes just didnt do the job. Jjs may be a marginal improvement in the power section might improve the tone slightly, but i think ehxs el84s sound better than their other. I cant remember what my tech did but i have a vague memory of it being a very easy mod, like adding a resistor or something like that. Probably one of the most overlooked vox amps until about 2000 were the 1964, 1965 and 1966 ac50s but the word has gotten out and the prices on these just keep escalating at an alarming rate. Completely different circuit with a very different sound. I had a strange sound coming from my vox ac30, and had come upon the decision to either send it in for repair, or try replacing the tubes to see if it would fix my issue. I bought an ac10c1 with the greenback speaker last week and it turns out it had a defective preamp tube the amp was buzzing certain chords and strings thru the speaker. It is comprised of three 12ax7 tubes and four el84 tubes. Replacement valve kit for vox ac30c2, ac30c1 and ac30c2x 2 x. That is a lot of scratch just to see if the ef86 is everything you dreamed of.

Here is a quick look at the different models and my recommendation on the two best versions to buy. Vox ac 10c1 lesson for the upgrader gretschtalk forum. The vox ac30 cc1 is a hybrid amp with the reverb and tremolo circuits and the effects loop being solid state and the main audio path consists of 4 ecc83s and 4 el84s with the el84 being the output valve of choice on all these acxx series amps. Employing a quartet of el84 power tubes, the ac30 custom pumps 30 watts of remarkable tone through a. These vacuum tubes provide excellent tone at a reasonable price and the most popular combination recommended by customer feedback. Tonehounds know it as a great allaround amp with a sound entirely its ownas sought after for its belllike, pristine cleans as it is for its raw, saturated overdrive. The thing with the standby switch on the first version of the ac30 cc2 blowing the rectifier tube was a well known problem at the time. Speakerwise, my favorite in the ac4c112 and ac15c1 was the g12 gold hands down. Sweetwater sent me as a replacement tube a groove tubes ecc83s. Tubes free delivery possible on eligible purchases. May 18, 2016 the chassis slides out of the back of the amplifier. Be careful not to bend the pins in too much or you will crack the glass. How to install new guitar amplifier tubes in a vox ac15 c1. I would like to replace some of the tubes and need some advice.

The cc2 simply has two vox custom celestion gsh1230 speakers instead. The chassis slides out of the back of the amplifier. The ac30 in particular has achieved its reputation among all types of rock n rollers by earning it over the long haul. Best known for its amplifiers and electric organs, vox made some groundbreaking strides when it came to making electric guitars. Preamp tube question for vox ac10 telecaster guitar forum. This cap makes the amp bright with the pot turned down. Nothing beats the true analog sound of a cranked tube amp. Vox ac30ch custom 30w tube guitar amp head black guitar. How to diagnose your amps bad tube tone topics dedicated. The vox ac30 has a 4k pp ot, and if you look in the rca receiving tube manual you will see that 8k is recommended for the platetoplate load in class ab at 300v for two tubes, so the optimum class ab loadline would be 4k for four tubes as it is in the ac30. In addition, each channel has individual volume control, but the amp also has a master volume control. The knobs have a great response and these can also be controlled with a footswitch. This is a step by step do it yourself and howto for replacing all the tubes in a vox ac15c1 amplifier. For me it is only usable with the pot cracked just a.

Id really enjoy hearing your thoughts on the 2008 vox ac30 cc2 our band bought new. Vox ac30c2 guitar combo amplifier for those who crave more power, the ac30 expands on the captivating sound of its little brother by doubling the wattage. After foolishly selling my vox ac15 and spending very little time playing on my girlfriends incredibly cheap squire amp, ive finally made my way b. I was experiencing a strange humming sound from my vox ac30c2 and was thinking about broken tubes. A mainstay of affordable quality hifi amplifiers of the 1960s. My cc2x had alnico blue speakers, old nos glass tubes, and a mercury magnetics transformer. This became a reference speaker for guitarists and many brands followed suit with their own bell speaker in different colours, hence silver bell, gold bell etc.

Employing a quartet of el84 power tubes, the ac30 custom pumps 30 watts of remarkable tone through a pair of 12 celestion greenback or alnico blue speakers. The tolex is clean however the 2 front cabinet corners are cracked off. Even with the valve reactor circuit in it it wont give the same feel or dynamics as a tube amp. Best new production tubes for ac30 ac30cc2x the gear page. Removal of output tubes circuit board for access to faulty tube bases this was the cause of the crackle. Ruby tubes replacement tubes kit for the vox ac30 reissue. It is one of the classic most recognisable british amps to this day. The preamp that came in it is a cheap looking 12ax7b chinese made, no name on it.

Supply 1 x matched quad set of premium jj el84 output tubes. Stock original our stock tube kit comes with the exact same tubes that vox stocks the vox ac30 with sovtek el84s. The guys over at confetti in nottingham brought me this vintage ac30 repair. He basically wanted it all putting back to full working order, with the intention of selling it on ebay. It was brought to me by a local gentleman, together with the story of how this vox has stood, unused, for more than 20 years. Replacement valve kit for vox ac30c2, ac30c1 and ac30c2x. Shop for the vox custom ac30c2 30w 2x12 tube guitar combo amp and. In this video i am replacing the stock china preamp and poweramp tubes. Im not surprised as the gz34 rectifier tube was faulty here, speakers need a rewire the list goes on. Nov 01, 2016 this is a step by step do it yourself and howto for replacing all the tubes in a vox ac15c1 amplifier. Comparing the bad tube to its neighbor, the getter material is a little darker.

Ime there a small amount of frequency response tuning possible w the tubes but mostly the tube swaps are about tuning dynamics, gain stagingbreak up character, and noise floor the main reason the chinese tubes get pulled right off the bat. Actually, vox has recently upgraded the tubes that go into these amps, and i think they made a really good decision. I have this 2004 vox ac30 6 tb and this weird crackle noise started long time ago. Vox ac30c2 and tubes discussion in amps and cabs started by sgguitarzz, may 16, 20. The main thing that differentiates this amp from the vox ac30 cc2 is that this amp has 2 12 inch celestion blue alnico speakers in the cabinet. Shop vox ac30 standard tube set, jj tubes x4 el84, x3 12ax7. The vox showroom vox ac30tbtb and ac30tbx owners service. Vox ac30c2 custom 2channel 30watt 2x12 guitar combo. Low output set, using jj el844 tubes to lower the output and headroom.

If your amp is blowing fuses, replace this tube, it is likely the culprit. Product information item weight 8 ounces product dimensions 7 x 5 x 7 inches. When a vacuum tube develops an air leak a small crack or bad seal. Nov 28, 2011 i have the vox ac30 cc2x, it has the blue speakers, made in china. The vox ac30 custom valve guitar amplifier vox amps. Has anyone here removed c69 which is across the gain pot.

May 11, 20 id really enjoy hearing your thoughts on the 2008 vox ac30 cc2 our band bought new. Buy vox ac30 standard tube set, jj tubes x4 el84, x3 12ax7, apex matched. Vox custom ac30c2 30w 2x12 tube guitar combo amp black. Built from the finest woods, selected hardware and highest standard pickups, charlees guitars are made to deliver the tone, warmth, clarity and durability youve been looking for. Due to the method of production in regards to the glass, measurements may vary slightly. Its definitely an ac306 model, only made in smooth black vinyl in 1962. It is the old top boost circuit and sounds phenomenal. For the low cost of these tubes, they fixed my issues, and got the amp sounding like new again.