43
3. AC30
As already stated, the VOX AC15 was a huge hit with the British guitar bands of
the late ’50S. However, as the popularity of the AC15 using bands grew, so did
their need for a more powerful amp. Sure, the AC15 was loud for a 15 Watt amp -
darned loud in fact - but it was no match for 1,000 + screaming fans! Remember
folks, back in the late 50S/early ’60S, guitar amps weren’t being fed through the
PA - that was reserved purely for vocals, the band’s backline had to do the rest.
Clearly VOX needed to come up with a louder amp and the company was only too
happy to rise to the challenge...
The fruit of VOX’s labour was unveiled to the world in 1959 - the 30 Watt,
2x12, AC30. Several top British bands graduated up to the AC30 instantly and,
within months, one of them had scored a number one single with a stirring guitar
instrumental. Not surprisingly, pretty much every other UK act worth its salt imme-
diately followed suit and the AC30 became the amp behind the so-called “Beat
Boom” of the time. More importantly, it also became the driving force behind the
now legendary “British Invasion” - the name given to the huge wave of success
that several English bands enjoyed in America during the ’60S. This charge was
led by a quartet hailing from Liverpool who quickly became Vox’s most famous
ambassadors ever.
We’ve modeled the sterling sounds of the AC30’s Normal channel as they
definitely encapsulate those classic tones that defined the aforementioned British
invasion. Just like its smaller brother, the AC15, the AC30’s Normal channel
boasts the bare minimum of knobs - Volume and Top Cut (modeled by GAIN and
PRESENCE* respectively). Although the AC30 can be considered an AC15 on
steroids, the additional sonic characteristics and spread a pair of Celestion, 12”
“Blue” speakers bring to the table cannot and should not be ignored. Rest
assured, we did everything but ignore the all-important role these speakers play
and spent countless hours ensuring we captured said magic in our AC30 model.
*CONTROL NOTE: Once again, our PRESENCE control models the “Top Cut”
on the original AC30 exactly - except in reverse (“off” = cut) to make it more
logical, just like on our AC15 model.
Original’s valve compliment: 4 x ECC83s, 1 x ECC82 in the preamp, 1 x
GZ34 rectifier, 4 x EL84s in power amp.
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General