24 1 / 2010
Amps Amps Amps
This past year has been a relentless search for the perfect amp. I now know…there is no such thing. You will never be able to find one guitar amp that will “do it all”.
This has been my experience lately. I’ve gone through the following amps since June.
1. Orange Ad30H (single channel) and matching 2x12 cab w/ vintage 30’s
2. 65 Amps Monterey
3. Divided by 13 RSA 31 Head and matching 2x12 cab w/ alnico blue’s
4. 1999 Vox AC30 /6TB British Made w/ Greenbacks
5. 2002 Bad Cat Hot Cat 30 and matching 2x12 cab w/ Bad Cat modified Vintage 30’s
Let me just say that I think the “Vox” sound is the best there is. Chimey cleans and the best crunch out there. However, Vox has taken a serious turn for the worst. The new CC series is pretty terrible. Even with the alnico blues, it’s not much better. I will say that these amps are pretty consistent and it’s probably your best bet for backline. I don’t really ask for anything else when I need something on the road. You never know what you’ll get when you ask for a Bad Cat or something. But you always know you can get a Chinese-made AC30. I think I’ll just get another 90’s British era AC30.
Here is a letter I think I’ll send to Vox:
Dear Vox,
Your Custom Classic series of amps sucks. I know you are trying with this whole Heritage Handwired thing, but you had a good thing going in the 60’s and even in the 90’s-early 2000’s.
Please bring hope back to all of the Vox lovers out there so we don’t have to keep searching for something else.
Signed,
Sad and sincerely let down
