Went to GC today (random amp thoughts)

[FuzzyAce]

I was late to the game with Marshall, but I love them now.

My first experience with a Marshall was really bad! When I was young and didn’t know better I had to play a show with an early ‘70s 100w Plexi half stack someone else had provided.

I had no idea how to use that amp and I had to use it with the volume set really low and clean. It must have had a crazy bright cap value, all I remember was it was brutally harsh - shrill, clangy… just the worst sound I’d ever heard.

That turned me off Marshall for a long time. It took a while for me to learn how to use them, but once I did it was a huge epiphany!

My first Marshall experience was a Valvestate... around '94. Not terrible, the cleans were pretty good. It served well for a number of years.

 

[mbenigni]

Love the tone, the playing, the composition.

Is that just the amp and onboard reverb, or is there a boost or compressor in front?

 

[la szum]

I was late to the game with Marshall, but I love them now.

My first experience with a Marshall was really bad! When I was young and didn’t know better I had to play a show with an early ‘70s 100w Plexi half stack someone else had provided.

I had no idea how to use that amp and I had to use it with the volume set really low and clean. It must have had a crazy bright cap value, all I remember was it was brutally harsh - shrill, clangy… just the worst sound I’d ever heard.

That turned me off Marshall for a long time. It took a while for me to learn how to use them, but once I did it was a huge epiphany!

To be honest, our first car should probably NOT be a F1 Race Car.

I had similar experiences with big boy amps before I knew how to
handle and drive them properly. Not sure if I still know how to do that
properly.


But yeah, some rigs are forgiving.... and some are as unforgiving as
Satan's Minions.

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

Love the tone, the playing, the composition.

Is that just the amp and onboard reverb, or is there a boost or compressor in front?

What you are hearing is DI profiles of the amp, into a Kemper cab.
Definitely Kemper verbs/delays.

I don’t remember if I boosted anything before the amp…if I did, it was either a dial of the gain, or a pure boost stomp…both are nothing more then just a level boost. Not sure if I used a compressor, ussually I do for clean solo sounds…but never on gain sounds, and since I dialed the clean sound into overdrive with a pup switch…I’m in the dark myself.

I don’t think I did any post recording stuff, if I did, maybe a low shelf on comp stuff…that’s all I ever do.

 

[CBHScott]

Not the mention the Bassbreaker series aren't at all the same thing as a Black Panel. Completely different sound.

Hell, the Bassbreakers are almost completely different from each other, let alone from other lines.

From top-to-bottom, there is no linear “they are the same amp, just less of each”; each one is a different animal from the other.

 

[greatmutah]

I went to a GC last month, but didn’t notice any Gibson/Mesa stuff. I may keep an eye out next time.

About Vox, I think the AC15C1 is a good compromise for its form factor. It’s about as large as a typical 1x12 extension cab and I think it gets the Vox sound. It has a speaker jack in the back that disconnects the internal speaker via a switch. I run mine with a Suhr Reactive Load at home often.

At this point, if I ever got another Vox it would be the AC15. Preferably one of of the AC15 Heritage heads. I had the 30 and that amp was amazing but good lord it was a LOT of amp. But that EF86 Channel

 

[bikescene]

At this point, if I ever got another Vox it would be the AC15. Preferably one of of the AC15 Heritage heads. I had the 30 and that amp was amazing but good lord it was a LOT of amp. But that EF86 Channel

The Vox HW-range amps are definitely a series that I’d like to try one day, especially for that EF86 channel.

I had my eye on the AC15 head for a while. But the price increases over the years somehow made the AC15 heads the same price as the combos for the C-range.

 

[metropolis_4]

I miss my AC30HW2

 

[EOengineer]

The Vox HW-range amps are definitely a series that I’d like to try one day, especially for that EF86 channel.

I had my eye on the AC15 head for a while. But the price increases over the years somehow made the AC15 heads the same price as the combos for the C-range.

The AC15 has tempted me for YEARS. Not sure if I’ll ever end up with one but hell if once a month or so I won’t think about buying one.

 

[greatmutah]

The Vox HW-range amps are definitely a series that I’d like to try one day, especially for that EF86 channel.

I had my eye on the AC15 head for a while. But the price increases over the years somehow made the AC15 heads the same price as the combos for the C-range.

The Heritage ones are actually an odd duck. They were produced for one year and were a precursor to the handwired amps. The construction inside is super unique because they used PCBs with traces but the components were mounted and soldered to turrets. No master volume either. These were classic NMV amps. 2 channels like the modern HWs but the normal channel was EF86 Driven. Had a 3 way toggle for ‘brilliance’ - off, 1 and 2. 2 was very bright but cut too much lows. 1 was nicely balanced. Channel two was the Top Boost channel we all know and love. Came stock with Blues but the one I had someone swapped those out for Greenbacks. Still awesome just a little different. When I say my AC30H2 was a lot of amp, it was. Zero master to tame it and just as loud as my 100 watt Metro, especially if you wanted to get some grit and drive out of it. But man, what a sound. That’s why I’d like the 15 watt version of that one. It’ll still be loud but I think I can handle class A 15 watts better than 30. Also the AC15HTV combos were in the TV style box and not the more typical box the HWs are in.

 

[greatmutah]

The AC15 has tempted me for YEARS. Not sure if I’ll ever end up with one but hell if once a month or so I won’t think about buying one.

Same haha. Same with things like the Dr Z Maz 18 and Carmen Ghia.

 

[Will Onyx]

At this point, if I ever got another Vox it would be the AC15. Preferably one of of the AC15 Heritage heads. I had the 30 and that amp was amazing but good lord it was a LOT of amp. But that EF86 Channel

I had the AC15 Heritage for a while. Totally agree that the EF86 channel was heavenly. Best Vox sound I’ve ever heard. It was also the LOUDEST 15 watt amp I’ve ever owned. Ended up trading it on a Mesa Transatlantic 30 when they came out.