Vintage Vox AC30

[Brewbob]

So I read someone wanted a guitar thread, here goes with a vintage amp thread.
I've got a 1964 JMI AC30, my dad found it in a chicken shed about 25yrs ago. Back then I didn't have the money to do it up, now however I've had it all rewired and looked into the provenance.
All I have is the head, but it appears someone cut the speaker cab off sometime back, so now I have a vintage cab to put it in, just need the cover and scrim, oh, and a couple of Celestion blue bulldogs. Once I've got them I'll have a gem of an amp. To be honest its too big for what I do at home, so I'll look at selling it, and continue to use my Fender Blues Jr, and my Fender Tele /Washburn 335.

 

[stevie1556]

I bet with those speakers it will sound amazing! What a great find! Any chance of a few pics?

 

[Bitcaster]

Nice! Stuff of dreams finding a treasure like that and doin' it up. My first amp was an Elpico, which looked like someone had clacked it together from an old bread bin. All my mates were using big name (and big priced) amps, so as soon as I could afford one, I knocked it out - or more probably skipped it.

Wish I had it now. There's nothing like tubes going into meltdown, and some of the stuff out there today like the Blackheart HT-5 is amazing. These days I use a Cube 80XL which pretty much gives me all I need (primarily a Metal man), which I either DI or mic up if needed. Still doesn't come close to tubes mind.

Though as I said I'm into filth, I've been listening to this guy lately. He rocks the sh*t out of his box:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVBebZpPcAQ

 

[morethanworts]

Nice one.

My old guitar teacher found an intact vintage AC30 in the 90s sometime, that just needed some electrical work, lucky s*d! I think he paid £50 Amazing how much sound a 30W amp can pump out and shows how wattages often mean very little!

Dad played back in the 60s (and still does) and currently has a lovely Marshall head from the early 80s which sounds superb.

I sold this Hiwatt cab a few years back to a guy in Italy (he covered the shipping!) just needed the space and the cash, but sounded superb. Pics, in case you like this sort of thing!

 

[Bitcaster]

Oh baby! :thumb: How do you post pictures in your messages by the way? Do I need to link it to something like PhotoBucket?

Dave

 

[morethanworts]

Oh baby! :thumb: How do you post pictures in your messages by the way? Do I need to link it to something like PhotoBucket?

Dave

Cheers, Dave. Yes, my pics are Direct Linked from Photobucket. Just upload to there, click on 'direct link', which copies it to clipboard, and paste into your post. Then select (highlight) the link you've pasted and click on the img button. Preview to check, before submitting. :

 

[Bitcaster]

Gotcha! Cheers for that.

 

[Bitcaster]

I use the "Nick" Bitcaster as I knock guitars together. Though a Metal Head, I hadn't had a Str@t for around 5 years, so I thought I'd build one. Found a crap guitar (new from a shop) on Ebay with a solid alder body (I like softer woods as they soak up "brightness") for £75. Chucked all the stuff apart from the body away, got new p/ups, scratchplate & knobs, a new neck, and after mildly "relic'ing" the screws, bridge, and jack socket (I bought some relic'd Klusons, came up with this:

http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/Bitca ... 7.jpg.html

Total cost of the project was £281. Foofin' bargain - better than a top end Squier, and around as good as a Tokai from the 80's. Totally the quietest Str@t I've ever owned.

Point about Bitcasters is ya don't buy the very best of materials, as then you're probably in the realms of a "brand" Custom Shop build - plus you'll possibly fuff it up. Anyway - if anyone wants one, let me know - always happy to put one together for a bottle of grog. I usually use Bernie Heffner necks - for the price you cannot beat them as they're totally customisable. My next build will be a T*le ... Jim Root (SlipKnot) stylie.

Dave