Can you date my VOX AC 30

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Can you date my VOX AC 30

Postby hansaustria » Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:17 am

Bought a few weeks ago a AC 30 in very good condition. The sound is
awsome - A/B comparison with an old JMI from 1960 (fawn) - very clean
and powerful IMHO and the overall conditions are very good
( cab / no dust in the inside / Silver Bulldogs / GZ 34 tube ) !

What did I learn? Better a younger amp in (very) good conditon
than a JMI in (very) bad condition !

Is it a 69 - 70`s amp - maybe built in Italy ???

Some pics:

voxamp 007.JPG


voxamp 008.JPG


voxamp 009.jpg
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Re: Can you date my VOX AC 30

Postby des mcneill » Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:05 pm

Hi,
It can be hard enough to date an amp like this accurately,my feelings except for the dates you mention, would have been a little earlier,in any case it should be a great amp and I am not surprised you favour it over the 1960. The top boost is an improvement over the standard model,especially with the GZ 34. The silver speakers are essentially the same as the "Blues",just a different colour. Good luck with it and don't ever sell it!
Des.
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Re: Can you date my VOX AC 30

Postby rogera » Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:08 pm

It's rather difficult to pin the date down exactly especially but I would guess between 64 and 67.

The output transformer looks as though it has been changed and a different type of mains transformer has been fitted below the chassis.
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Re: Can you date my VOX AC 30

Postby Bluesnote » Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:57 pm

Did'nt they go for double the amount of vents on the top after a certain date?
I had the same amount as this one here but I put in another three to try keep it cool. It used to get really hot at times and this concerned me somewhat. I reckon mine was around 65/66. I got it off a guy in another band who was moving on somewhere else. Oz I think.
It also had the blue speakers.
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Re: Can you date my VOX AC 30

Postby hansaustria » Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:06 am

The speakers are dated May 1969 and the amp has a grey panel with - "A VOX Product".
It`s NOT a JMI amp thats clear for me. But between the years of 1968 - 1972 there
came out a lot of different models with or without the GZ 34 and so on. In the inside
there is a inspection sticker with the date of 23 / 03 / 70. The tranformers are according the
meaning of a friend in original conditions. There were some amps were the transformer
is underneath the chassis. And important for me is that the overall condition of the amp
is very good, No dust and rust in the inside of the chassis and the spekaers are not
reconed.

I will never sell this amp because the sound is great. I`m very happy I`ve payed only € 971.- including
shipping from Germany ( Hamburg ) to Austria - and - the former owner told me that the amp was used
in the 70`s by his beatband gigging at the STARCLUB ! In a musicstore in Austria there is nearly the same
amp - dated 1971/72 - with reverb - the price is IMHO much too high for € 2 000.- !!!!


Hans
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Re: Can you date my VOX AC 30

Postby kipper » Sat Jan 02, 2010 8:57 pm

i could if she asked nicley and had good legs :roll: :crazy: peter. sorry
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Re: Can you date my VOX AC 30

Postby Amanda » Sun Jan 03, 2010 9:44 pm

It's not the original mains transformer, it looks like another mains transformer
has been fitted below the chassis as RogerA remarked, at least it's got the GZ34!

With the speaker dates and the inspection date I would put it at 1970!

Regarding the Vox Sound Name in 1969 when Royston Industries
went into liquidation, the company was bought by Corinthian Securities Ltd
who renamed it Vox Sound Ltd.

Info from "The Vox Story" by David Petersen and Dick Denney.

Regards

Amanda
[Check Out My Meazzi Site: http://www.meazzi.org.uk
And Tape Echo Forum: http://ac15.org.uk/meazzibbs/index.php

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Re: Can you date my VOX AC 30

Postby hansaustria » Mon Jan 04, 2010 6:59 pm

Interesting is that I a have seen an amp with the transformer underneath
the chassis by a friend of mine. In the VOX forum a member wrote that he
had even seen one of these amps with the transformer this way.

Thanx and regards
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