Cab for AC30 - Alnico Blue or Greenback?

[vino_buono]

I am on an AC30 craze after being a devout Marshall player for many years (why did it take me so long to disscover the AC30? )

So far I am doing the treble booster into AC30 normal channel thing, using a Vox Alnico Blue IR. This is the classic AC30 sound. But I have tried with my usual greenback IR and also liked a lot what I heard (IIRC, Bryan Adams does this -- or his guitar player). Do you like any specific cabs with the AC30, other that the Alnico Blue?

 

[laxu]

Alnico Blues or Gold, absolutely. That's where the chime lives.

 

[newholland]

depends. id vote greenback for flexibility. blues always sound too bright to me in an ac 30. if youre gonna use it as a rock amp, thatd be my preference- either that or an m25/h30 split.

 

[maguchi]

I'd go with the Alnico Blue if you're willing to pay the extra dough. However keep in mind that the power rating on the  blue is only 15 watts, so you probly want to use two of them with a AC-30. On the other hand, the Greenback sounds really good with a AC-30 or AC-15 as well.

 

[itchyfingers]

I've been running my AC30 into a pair of Weber Signature Alnicos. Got em used, but even new, they are relatively inexpensive for alnico speakers, and they sound fantastic with the Vox.

 

[metropolis_4]

I’ve actually always liked greenbacks best. Maybe because my first AC30 had greenbacks so that’s what my ears grew accustomed to. But I’ve also always felt the greenbacks are a little more versatile.

I’m a fan of both though

 

[HomespunEffects]

I had an AC30C2X. Sounded flubby and loose with the Alnico Blues. And the more you turned it up, the worse it got. I kinda hated them, like a lot. Sounded much better plugged into a cabinet with greenbacks. It’s way more useful with the greenbacks.

 

[Aelred]

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[FuzzyAce]

Go with your gut. My instinct would be with a GB. But I've loaded an AC15 with a Peavey Scorpion before and it sounded killer.
Not sure there's a wrong choice.

 

[Jarick]

Never owned a Vox but I always seem to prefer Greenbacks in clips and when I've used the models.

 

[laxu]

Vox with GBs is alright, but it just misses the thing that those Alnico Blues or Golds do that to me is the definitive Vox sound.

I felt the Victory VC35 sounded way too "Marshallish" through my 4x10 Greenback cab, and become just right with a 1x12 Alnico Gold. The 4x10 sound was fine - but it was not the Vox style sound I was after.

 

[QQQ]

Another vote for Blues, or Golds.

 

[newholland]

i think alnicos are lovely with em for the chicken pickin guys cause damn can they do that raily cutting sound. and i think guys who noody solo loud with that skooshy sound of alnicos splatting, or guys playing ricks that need fattening.. that biz... all great. i think as a rhythm guy playing rock stuff depends entirely on what you wanna hear. i sound like soup with blues

 

[Karl Houseknecht]

I don’t like blues. Greenbacks with my AC’s.

 

[HomespunEffects]

i think alnicos are lovely with em for the chicken pickin guys cause damn can they do that raily cutting sound. and i think guys who noody solo loud with that skooshy sound of alnicos splatting, or guys playing ricks that need fattening.. that biz... all great. i think as a rhythm guy playing rock stuff depends entirely on what you wanna hear. i sound like soup with blues

 

[bikescene]

My closest experience with the Alnico Blue is with a Weber Ceramic Blue Dog. I prefer that over a Greenback with my Vox AC15C1. I do play my AC15C1 with its stock Greenback often. These are my typical basement jamming applications: treble boosted normal channel, cleans with either Normal or TB channel low, Rat into clean Normal channel, humbuckers into distorted TB channel.

The sound is a little light in the low end in the room, but works well for what I’m going for in a recording context.

 

[greatmutah]

I had an AC30H2 some one had yanked the Blues out of and put in Greenbacks. It was awesome. That EF86 channe and Greenbacks was insanely good. Smack it with a Rat and it was one of the best rock/punk rock sounds ever.

 

[Cirrus]

I'd rather have modern greenbacks than modern blues. But I'd rather have Vintage blues/silvers than anything else.

 

[greatmutah]

I'd rather have modern greenbacks than modern blues. But I'd rather have Vintage blues/silvers than anything else.

My buddy who is super knowledgeable about gear was working at GC a few years back. They got in a 64 Vox AC30. No top boost, vib/trem channel. Normal and Brilliant. Original silver Alnicos. I was there to buy a guitar and they had a SG Standard with P90s in the room with that guitar. That amp was outstanding in every way. I know the top boost is the AC30 sound everyone likes, but I like the amps without quite a bit. I couldn’t afford the amp as I was already buying a Les Paul and I was dead set on that. But that SG also came home with me too.