Vox AC Handwired Series 2024

[roger bayliss]

Vox announced at NAMM, new AC Hand wired series, faithfully recreating original Amps and tones. Release and prices around June.

Details below will have to see how good they sound !

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/vox-ac-hand-wired-series

[abstamaria]

Oh, boy. “[P)romises to be the ultimate recreation of the iconic guitar amps ….”

Andy

[JimN]

IF they're supposed to be faithful recreations, why are the amps (AC10, AC15, AC30 Supertwin head) illustrated with the "Frankenstein" bolts sticking out of the ends of the cabinet?

That's how Marshall built the printed circuit version of the amps before the move to Asia. The bolts secure the chassis (such as it was) to the side panels of the cabinet and the back panel was a pure cosmetic addition.

On a proper hand-wired AC30 built to original specs (like all three that I ever owned), the rear panel is integral to the structure of the unit and is secured to the chassis with machine bolts, not to the cabinet with wood screws. The chassis slid in and out of the cabinet on its own heavy plywood base. There were NO screws through the end panels of the cabinet.

[abstamaria]

You pointed out similar issue with the 60th anniversary HW AC15, Jim. Vox designs their reissues with no effort to be faithful to the original items, it seems. It may also be they are like Fender with the American Original model line - reissues with some liberty taken with authenticity; different fretboard radius, modern pots, etc.

Reading Vox's. advertising, I am reminded of stereo magazines, which, with each equipment review, excitedly declare "this is the ultimate." I am reminded too of some reviews of echo units here.

Andy

[roger bayliss]

I guess it's not faithful in construction terms , guess we will have to wait and see how they sound . Interesting news though, as Vox has lost its way in recent years concerning its true heritage sounds and build. Glad to see they are back to recreating what the should be like. Wonder on build quality as well.

[JimN]

To some extent, I can tolerate internal changes to classic amp models whilst being quite intolerant of external evolution.

For instance, I have a '65 Reissue blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb, which I bought used on eBay some years ago - in immaculate condition - for about 1/3rd of the current UK price of a new one. It really is a wonderful amplifier, its 22 watts and one 12" speaker sounding just as usable as my AC30TB and about 45% of the weight.

But what I would really like would be a reissue of the blackface Fender Deluxe Amp, with no reverb. The reason? The cabinet is shorter, presenting a more or less square face to the world - the same sort of form factor as an original Vox (non-twin) AC15. It would be easier to transport and I hardly ever use the inboard reverb anyway. But, if Fender believed that the reverb was too much of a selling point, I for one would have no objection to built in digital effects, the requirements here being only for "vibrato" (ie, tremolo) and reverb. My little Fender Super Champ XD (15 watts of valve power and a 10" speaker) has selectable digital effects (tremolo, chorus, reverb and delay) which are very usable in a jam night situation. OK, I don't have much use for the chorus...

EDIT: The reason why the non-reverb Fender Deluxe Amp is shorter is that it didn't have to accommodate the Hammond spring reverb pan - of course!

[roger bayliss]

I would love a Fender Deluxe Reverb Jim, classic amp used on many recordings. Trouble with reissues, whether it's Fender , Marshall, Vox etc, is they have shortcomings of one sort or another.


Think I would opt for a Tone King Imperial if money was no issue.