Vox AC10 C1

[Vincent]

Has anyone here owned - or still own, the Vox AC10 C1 . This is the re issue from 2015...any thoughts ?

[djnevster]

Hi Vincent

I bought a used AC10C1 about a year ago. No complaints at all a great little amp.
I guess it depends on what you need it for, I use it for solely for home use and find it ideal. Saying that however It was hearing one of these amps at my local Shadows club (in a big concert hall) that got me interested, I thought on that occasion it sounded better than the clubs AC30’s
Mine is a limited edition in the Bronco White and it is a great looking amp. The previous owner had replaced the stock valves, so I can’t say comment on what it sounded like “out of the box”.
There are only two tone controls, bass and treble, but they are very responsive and I don’t find this limiting. The following explanation from a review on “Guitar.com” puts it much better…
“The C1’s tone controls respond and interact in a peculiar and slightly unpredictable way that’s not dissimilar to the old Vox top boost arrangement. Bass response seems to be fairly neutral about halfway up, so you can roll it off or boost it. Turning up the treble control increases high-frequency response much as you might expect, but beyond the halfway point the bass begins to roll off as treble is increased.
There also appears to be some degree of crossover between the controls, which changes the timbre of the midrange. So some familiarisation is required before you can start to get the hang of the tone controls, which means dialling in a sound can take a bit longer than you’d usually expect. It also means there is a greater range of tones than you might normally get from a regular two-band equaliser.”
The digital reverb is not something I use very often but is very good quality, ranging from subtle to a massive over the top sound.
regards
Neville

[Vincent]

..similar experience to mine then ! I got mine second hand last year. The original 10 model only lasted until 1965 I believe, intended as a studio amp. Things I would point out... I opened up a section in the back panel plus a vent grille, as I didn't like the closed back with just a small vent at bottom . The power valves are too close to the speaker magnet.. you cant see this until you look inside. I shielded that with a plate and various heat sinks inside too.
I also shielded the pre- amp valves without springs. Sound wise, this amp is more suited to single coils and is voiced right for Shadows tunes, they all sound genuine if played right , also good if you are a fan of the Edge & U2, Beatles ,maybe a bit of jazz, Its loud for 10 watt . I agree the Reverb is sensitive-as are the other controls. The No1 pre -amp valve (nearest guitar input) I changed to a lower gain tube so as to avoid it distorting too early. Overall it sounds vibrant ..if I can put it that way..I remember going into a shop a few months earlier and the guy there told me it often outsold all the other Vox models and sometimes other brands of amp.