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Old 04-23-2017, 06:05 PM
jrs146 jrs146 is offline
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Default Vox AC10 thoughts

I'm looking at a Vox AC10 on Craigslist. Seems to be a good price. Anyone have any experience with these? I'm looking for a small amp to use at home. No gigging, just bedroom rock and roll.
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Old 04-23-2017, 07:14 PM
YamahaGuy YamahaGuy is offline
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Had a Nighttrain 1x12 15 watt combo. Very versatile. I have no experience with the AC10, but FWIW, I just got a Bugera Infinium V22 and swapped out the noisy tubes and for under $450 I have a brand new, very nice giggable versatile amp that sounds great at bedroom levels too. The cleans are so nice. And the Triode Pentode switch kind of gives you two different sounding amps in one. On triode mode the sound reminds me of my Epiphone Valve Jr, and in Pentode the thing just screams.

If you're dead set on the Vox, I'd beware as mine (the nighttrain) had cheap tubes in it that needed to be changed the first 19 hrs of play. I probably wouldn't pay more than $260 for a used AC10, unless it has new tubes, then maybe $300.

Good luck.
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Last edited by YamahaGuy; 04-23-2017 at 07:19 PM.
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Old 04-23-2017, 07:26 PM
DukeX DukeX is offline
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The Vox AC10 is highly regarded by a lot of folks over at the Telecaster forum, which says a lot. I have owned an AC4 C1, and a Vox AC4 HW1, both great amps.

If you like the Vox sound, I'm sure you will be thrilled with it.
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Old 04-23-2017, 07:31 PM
jrs146 jrs146 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YamahaGuy View Post
Had a Nighttrain 1x12 15 watt combo. Very versatile. I have no experience with the AC10, but FWIW, I just got a Bugera Infinium V22 and swapped out the noisy tubes and for under $450 I have a brand new, very nice giggable versatile amp that sounds great at bedroom levels too. The cleans are so nice. And the Triode Pentode switch kind of gives you two different sounding amps in one. On triode mode the sound reminds me of my Epiphone Valve Jr, and in Pentode the thing just screams.

If you're dead set on the Vox, I'd beware as mine (the nighttrain) had cheap tubes in it that needed to be changed the first 19 hrs of play. I probably wouldn't pay more than $260 for a used AC10, unless it has new tubes, then maybe $300.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. They are asking $240. They said the condition is like new except a little bit of tube rattle at low frequencies. Should that be a concern?

Quote:
Originally Posted by DukeX View Post
The Vox AC10 is highly regarded by a lot of folks over at the Telecaster forum, which says a lot. I have owned an AC4 C1, and a Vox AC4 HW1, both great amps.

If you like the Vox sound, I'm sure you will be thrilled with it.


Thanks for the advice. I'm leaning towards the vox as of now.
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Old 04-23-2017, 08:07 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jrs146 View Post
Thanks for the advice. They are asking $240. They said the condition is like new except a little bit of tube rattle at low frequencies. Should that be a concern?
FYI the OEM tubes in the current flock of Chinese-made amps are (and I'm trying to say this as delicately and politely as possible) total crap - "like new" cosmetics don't matter if the heart and soul of the amp are no good. While you can get cheaper tubes, IME I wouldn't recommend cutting corners on an EL84-powered combo where the tubes tend to be noisy as a matter of course - here's my bottom-line replacement set:

http://www.thetubestore.com/Shop-by-...remium-Package

- and since that puts you into the $350 range, I'll +1 YamahaGuy and suggest that you wait for a coupon day at GC/Sam Ash and pick up a Bugera V22 Infinium for similar money. I own a first-generation "blue-light" version, and you're not going to find a better practice/small-gig amp at anywhere near the price: great-sounding out of the box, with the added fullness of a 12" speaker, and when you're ready (and you will be - trust me) a few easy mods can get you just about any tube amp tone you've ever heard. At home practice levels the OEM tubes should be fine - you'll never be pushing things into the microphonics zone (this little puppy can get loud, especially in pentode mode) - and when you decide to replace them, unlike most amps it's a simple plug-&-play proposition; check one out next time you're at one of the big-box stores, and A/.B it against the AC10/AC15 - I think you'll see what I mean...
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Old 04-23-2017, 08:14 PM
jrs146 jrs146 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
FYI the OEM tubes in the current flock of Chinese-made amps are (and I'm trying to say this as delicately and politely as possible) total crap - "like new" cosmetics don't matter if the heart and soul of the amp are no good. While you can get cheaper tubes, IME I wouldn't recommend cutting corners on an EL84-powered combo where the tubes tend to be noisy as a matter of course - here's my bottom-line replacement set:



http://www.thetubestore.com/Shop-by-...remium-Package



- and since that puts you into the $350 range, I'll +1 YamahaGuy and suggest that you wait for a coupon day at GC/Sam Ash and pick up a Bugera V22 Infinium for similar money. I own a first-generation "blue-light" version, and you're not going to find a better practice/small-gig amp at anywhere near the price: great-sounding out of the box, with the added fullness of a 12" speaker, and when you're ready (and you will be - trust me) a few easy mods can get you just about any tube amp tone you've ever heard. At home practice levels the OEM tubes should be fine - you'll never be pushing things into the microphonics zone (this little puppy can get loud, especially in pentode mode) - and when you decide to replace them, unlike most amps it's a simple plug-&-play proposition; check one out next time you're at one of the big-box stores, and A/.B it against the AC10/AC15 - I think you'll see what I mean...


There happens to be one on CL also.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/msg/6095659439.html


Thoughts?
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Old 04-23-2017, 10:14 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jrs146 View Post
...Thoughts?
Never buy a used Bugera V-Series amp - the early ones had some initial-production teething issues and, as with a used car, you don't want/need to take on someone else's headache. In addition, the new ones allow you to replace the power tubes without needing to take it to a tech for a bias job ($100+ in my neck of the woods last I checked), and the upgraded speaker is a major improvement over the first-generation Celestion wannabe; add to this the fact that you have the security of a factory warranty, and IMO a new one becomes a far-better deal in both the short and long term...
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Old 04-24-2017, 03:57 AM
Sixstring Scott Sixstring Scott is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jrs146 View Post
Thanks for the advice. They are asking $240. They said the condition is like new except a little bit of tube rattle at low frequencies. Should that be a concern?





Thanks for the advice. I'm leaning towards the vox as of now.


I wouldn't worry about the tube rattle. I think most of them suffer from that straight from the factory. Replaced the power amp tubes and all is well.


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  #9  
Old 04-24-2017, 06:16 AM
jrs146 jrs146 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
Never buy a used Bugera V-Series amp - the early ones had some initial-production teething issues and, as with a used car, you don't want/need to take on someone else's headache. In addition, the new ones allow you to replace the power tubes without needing to take it to a tech for a bias job ($100+ in my neck of the woods last I checked), and the upgraded speaker is a major improvement over the first-generation Celestion wannabe; add to this the fact that you have the security of a factory warranty, and IMO a new one becomes a far-better deal in both the short and long term...


I may take your advice one step further and scrap the entire used amp search. Maybe I'll just sit back for a while and watch for some nice sales. I'm not 100% sold on one Amy anyways. I know though the longer I wait the more likely I'll end up with something bigger and more powerful than I really need lol.
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  #10  
Old 04-24-2017, 06:55 AM
roylor4 roylor4 is offline
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If you are going to be rocking at home just be aware that 10-15 watts is VERY loud cranked. Paint peeling loud. The Bugera V5 is probably enough. Good little amp, much better sounding than my Champ 600RI and it has good tone too.

I like a decent amount of volume for practice, personally. Tube amps sound best when pushed. For me, weight and size was a factor. I gig out and our gigging vehicles is a Corolla (LOL). The Laney Cub sounds great, more than enough volume for medium venues and $249 OTD. 10 watts. I DO wish it had reverb though.
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Old 04-24-2017, 07:07 AM
Petty1818 Petty1818 is offline
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I have one and quite like it. It's awesome to be able to crank the gain and turn the volume down for bedroom levels. The one thing to be aware of with the AC10 is that although you can use it live, if you use OD pedals with it, it often gets muddy sounding. I played a show with it a month ago and it just did not like the OD pedals I tried with it. Also, change the stock tubes, they are terrible.
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Old 04-24-2017, 09:00 AM
rdawsoniii rdawsoniii is offline
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I second Steve's recommendation of the Bugera.

I don't have the V22....I have the V5 and love it. $199 new, so you can get a great little tube amp for not a lot of money if that is what you want to do, then step up to the 22 later (or just save for the 22 now).

There is an 88 page thread on the V5 here: http://www.tdpri.com/threads/bugera-v5-club.246353/

I replaced the stock tubes with a JAN Phillips 12AT7 and Tung Sol EL84. Add the Eminence 820 "Chemp" and you will have an amp that performs as good or better than one hundreds of dollars more expensive.
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  #13  
Old 04-24-2017, 11:51 AM
jrs146 jrs146 is offline
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How would the V22 compare with the Blues JR?
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Old 04-24-2017, 12:10 PM
roylor4 roylor4 is offline
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How would the V22 compare with the Blues JR?
Bigger, louder and way heavier too. About 50lbs.

Have you considered the Carvin Vintage 16? American made, more features and cheaper than the Blues Jr.
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  #15  
Old 04-24-2017, 05:20 PM
Steely Glen Steely Glen is offline
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Have you considered a Vox AC4HW1? 4 watts, all-tube, and a 12" Celestion speaker. Real Vox vibe and a ton of tone for not a lot of dough.

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