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Top 10 Tone Tips for your ✅Vox AC15c1✅
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- Опубликовано: 14 авг 2024
- Top 10 Tone Tips for your Vox AC15c1
In this video, we'll be looking at my top 10 tips for your AC15. We explore my settings for great clean tones, my tone hacks, how to get better results with a Vox and fuzz pedals, using a compressor and much more.
These tips will work great regardless of if you own an AC30, AC15, AC10, AC4 or Mini Superbeetle. These tips work great with any Vox amps.
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DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for the support!
* All the gear in this video was purchased with my money. Any opinions shared are based on my user experience*
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TIME CODES:
0:00 VOX AC15c1 TONE HACKS #2
0:06 ORIGINAL TONE HACK
0:43 BEAM BLOCKING
2:16 VOX with FUZZ
3:16 ABY/CHANNEL BLENDING
4:28 AC15 REVERB
4:46 AC15 WITH COMPRESSOR
5:50 AC15 TUBE UPGRADE
6:07 AC15 SPEAKER
6:40 PEDALS AND MASTER VOLUME
6:54 AC15 MIC CHOICE
7:21 AC15 MIC SHOOTOUT
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Hey buddy i like your way of showing how to improve the sound an set up on this amp, i own one my self with a strat guitar i got three pedal right now a boss ds1 distortion a vox wah wah an a chromatic tu tuner. An can u show the chords while u where playing with the mic pls
I’ll see if I can remember what I played.
I see u reply back thanks i came up we my own sound almost the same but not perfect, i also own a pathfinder 15 r vox amp small for home an the ac15c1 for church. The church i go is almost 160 chairs or more would the ac15 works for it i mic too
@@sombra1111 If I can get my hands on one I will do it for sure. Cheers
One of the most helpful channels on vox amps on you tube. My observations are, if anyone is having trouble with a fizzy, toppy vox ac, volume is the answer. I spent a month trying to get a respectable thicker tone after i purchased my first one. It was only when I started gigging it live that it came alive. Vox's love volume, and it will sound glorious! As to the beamy 1x12 combos. My experience is a large 1x12 combo has more spread than a tight 2x12 or 4x12. I've housed a few 1x12 combos in wider and slightly deeper cabs and the difference is night and day.
I try my best to put out value in each videos! Very interesting find about the 1x12 in a larger cabinet. I'll definitely have to give that a shot. What led you to experiment with that?
@The Tone Lounge I'm a joiner and fascinated in altering and making guitar cabs. Made many. Lots of experiments, some failed. Blues junior is huge in an oversized cab. Ac15 too. Type of materials is important, but imo not as much as dimensions. Hope it helps someone. Sometimes it's not the amp at fault.
Some I've tried that I like are MXR Timmy. At lowish gain, moderately high volume, slight bass lift, slight treble rolloff it makes the AC15 sound better at low master volume. The EHX Glove, a great affordable take on the affordable OCD with switcheable response; better with the tone shift off on AC15, for flatter response with more bass. EHX Hot Tubes, again makes AC15 sound more like full throttle at low volume. Can sound fuzz-like at high gain. Boss FZ-1 Waza, for full on fuzz. At low master volume when you want aggressive tones, the Proco RAT can gnaw your face off, in a good way. Nobles ODR-1, again at low master volume gives back more bass weight that gets lost. I'm less of a fan of Klons for AC-15, especially if not cranked full, but the Tumnus works much better than most.
You definitely know your stuff. As a AC15 and AC30cc2x user for more than 10 years, I can say that everything you said is spot on. I even place my sm57 in the same spot =P Great job!
+Naindurth thank you my friend. It took my a while to compile these tips, but I think they are useful and practical. If you have tips of your own, please share! Cheers
wow man this is amazing. i've been playing this amp for years and these tips are unbelievably valuable - thanks!
Glad you like the video. Did any tip stand out to you? Anything you would use?
I’ve been using an AC15 for years now and I would always be so pissed off with its sound. Thanks to your channel I’ve fallen in love with the amp!
I love hearing stories like this. It's why I do what I do. Merry Christmas. Cheers
@@TheToneLounge keep doing a great job, Merry Christmas to you!
I’ve had this amp for a long time and for a long time its been sat in the corner, then I watched your videos again (which I have done in the past by the way) and decided to give it another go. I’ve really missed out by not playing it for so long, and thanks to your videos I’ve got a new appreciation for it and for playing again in general. It has a great tonal base and can be enhanced further with pedals, particularly an eq.
Thanks for your series of videos on the AC15C1 and your honest approach to delivering them. 👍
Danny, I'm so glad to hear of your new found appreciation for your amp. Nothing worse than buying something that does not meet our expectations. That was the point of all these videos, to help people understand how these amps work. Although very simple, they are a bit counter intuitive. I'm glad to hear that you can appreciate that amp for what it is. Let me know if you have any questions. Cheers
Excellent video.
I'm currently using a Vox AC15C2, and I adore it! I manly use Fuzzes, and it sounds awesome! Master volume at about 3o'clock (at maximum doesn't sound clear, just a bit earlier) and channel volume just about break up. And treble enough to hear harmonics, this is key (I don't like it very bright). Glorious sounds! Both Normal and TB channels.
When I'm using it at rehersal volume I use the TB so it compresses a bit earlier. Live I need more clean headroom.
The only thing I struggled with, was too much bass on the clean channel (specially if you want to be heard using fuzz), but I solved it with an Eq pedal. Also, you get more headroom by lowering the bass. Happy days!
Cheers!
+Juan Martin Reborati right on brother! I love that you are rocking fuzz pedals with your amp. So many people complain about Vox amps not being good with fuzzes.
Fuzz is really weird, some like it into an already over driven amp, some like it into a clean amp. I’m still debating on where it sounds best.
I’m going to be pairing my Rusty Fuzz with a treble booster, which is similar to what you are doing with an EQ.
@@TheToneLounge thanks man! It reallly sounds awesome!
I have the same debate in myself, but I tend to like it more when it's cleanish. Just when it starts to break up. Otherwise it loses clarity and dynamics. But that just my taste.
One thing I love doing, is using fuzz as overdrive. And the AC15 loves it! Ha!
Not all fuzzes work though. I just lower the gain on the pedal, and find the right spot between that and the volume of the guitar.
I use mainly the fulltone octafuzz in fuzz-only mode (gain at a about 9 o'clock) and It's magical. The octave mode is magical aswell, but not for every song (these mode cuts the bass and it's great for lead).
Have you tried the C2 version of the amp?
Thanks for sharing your work and experience with the AC15s!
Cheers!
Ps: Yeah! A treble booster will be in my pedal sooner than later! Haha. Please share your thoughts when you have it.
I have not tried the C2 version. I've seen two for sale and they were out of my price range. I do intend to do a shootout between the C1 and C2 at some point. I just got an AC10 today, so I'm going to be having fun with that for a bit.
Oh, and as far as not all fuzzes not being equal, I agree 100%. I've used a few, and not all of them sound great with my amp. I had e ZVEX Fuzz Factory which sounded very good, though a bit extreme. I'm currently rocking the TC Electronic Rusty Fuzz, which is similar to a Fuzz Face. I'm still messing with that one, trying to see if I like it or not. I'll let you know how it goes with the EHX Screaming Bird, I'm trying to find the optimal way to use it. I think I'm getting close.
@@TheToneLounge Awesome! Thanks for your answer!
I want to record some sounds so I can share them, but I don't have the equipment yet. I Will try with the phone, but I don't expect great results.. Haha.
Keep rocking!
Cheers!
I just bought a AC15 and I’m going through all your vids! Thanks.
Glad you like them!
Man I wish I saw this video 4 or 5 yrs ago when I bought my AC15C1 lol. I could have used it! I play Fenders, Gibson, other electric and my main acoustic is a Taylor. I've discovered alot of these hacks by accident but I can't stress how important it is to be patient with this amp. Break it in and take time dialing in tones from different pickups and pedals. It's the first amp I plug into when I get the itch lol. She's my workhorse. Thx man! Subscribed n I plan to watch plenty more
Thanks for the sub and glad that you enjoyed the video. There are hundreds more on the channel. Cheers
@@TheToneLounge thanks a million my friend. As soon as I get home from family Easter get-together I plan to delve in. The cpl I've seen were outstanding and I've recommended your channel to my musician friends. Cheers as well!
Something I want to share is that within the search of my tone I came to the need of adding more body to the amp and also some more low end. I got part of that with the compressor (TC electronic hypergravity compressor mini with app editor) by pushing the amp a little more and since my compressor can also edit frequencies I took advantage of it but it wasn't yet what I needed. I tried with a booster but it was also short. Finally after researching for a while I encountered that the vertex steel string overdrive adds great bottom end to the voxac15 it also controls de high mids in a great way and makes it warmer. I have it on all the time I highly recommend buying this pedal it's a great companion to the ac15.
The search for the "right" tone is quite a fun adventure. We all take different paths in our pursuit for that "holy grail" tone. I found that my AC15, a Tele and the Wampler Ecstasy was it for me.
I love other pedal and guitar combination with this amp as well, but what I learned about my own tastes in this process is that I don't have a "one size fits all" rig. My tastes are complicated, so my search for tone ended being complicated and costly.
Looks like you managed to narrow down the right rig for you, and sharing your experience might help others get there faster. Thanks for sharing. Cheers
Since I got a ac15 today, this is now my favourite video by you, Jonathan. :) Thank you for making it, it is so useful! Cheers.
Glad it helped!
What was your previous favourite video?
@@TheToneLounge IDK, Jonathan. That's a really tough question. Blue vs Green was my first, and I really like that. But once you started doing Northern fx fuzz demos, I think those are my favs. Cheers.
One of the best experiences I had with a Vox AC15C1 happened when I turned the Top Boost Channel’s volume all the way up while running a catalinbread DLS iii through the normal channel. This amp gives you a lot of tonal options!
I’d be down with trying that. I’ve never played the DLS so I’ll keep my eye out for one!
Arksolva Studio You must try it. Like now. The demos published on RUclips don’t truly do it justice. You have to feel it moving air through your speaker.
I put an Au7 in place of one of the AX7s and it gave me a ton of headroom on the normal channel which I use when i'm using pedals. Read it in a forum and tried it out, still using it, takes out some of the high end too.
Using a different preamp tube can do that for sure. Did you put the 12AU7 in the V1 position?
This is your BEST video yet man...love it...don't you wish vox had an effects loop? The Vox Ac15 head has an attenuator, I wish the combo did. Great job man really...I can't wait to try the beam method...ALSO...eq pedal and fuzz pedals sound great together with the Vox.
Thank you so much Aaron. Your feedback means a lot. Yeah, I wish the AC15 had an effects loop. I could use the G-System in a 4 cable method instead of directly in the input. That and the attenuation would be awesome features. One day perhaps? I haven't tried the EQ with the Fuzz, but that might be something I try very soon. Cheers
Great tips! I prefer the SM57. I like the warmer sound of it.
I changed the control knobs to identical cream colored replacements...so I could see them better in the dark. I imagine you can get better sound dispersion by mounting the speaker from the front instead of inside the cabinet. The thickness of the baffle narrows the arc of projection. When using the top-boost I find it essential to turn down the bass control.
I've been curious to give that a shot as well. The black knobs, despite the white indicator line, makes it hard to see where the knobs are at.
@@TheToneLounge I bought the new knobs on Ebay and they come with a set screw to tighten. I also installed a long reverb tank with a medium decay....4EB2C1B to replace the shorter 8EB3C1B with a long decay.
I just bought one off Reverb and am going to stack it with my Marshall combo. Going to sound great together
Good choice! Let me know how that goes for you.
@@TheToneLounge for sure!
Ask Kevin Shields about fuzz pedals and a literal floor to ceiling wall of random era Vox AC amps. I think his pedal board consists of over 150 pedals, most of them being tone bender, big muff and random fuzz.
That's some crazy pedalboard!
Of all of them I liked the sm57 aston comparison the best. Of the two sounds, the sm57 sounds mellower and more rounded to me, the Aston being just a bit too bright for my taste.
George Christofi yeah they are both great choices. For me it’s a question of what sound I am looking for. For RUclips videos I love the Aston. On an album, I’d use both.
@@TheToneLounge I was hoping to hear both mics blended together
I’ll give that a go in a future video!
@@TheToneLounge On my headphones (Beyerdynamics DT770) the Ashton is far too brittle. Maybe it's the nearly on axis position.
@@janjahnke6432 on it’s own, perhaps. In a mix it cuts through.
Vox amp and fuzz pedal don’t work well? Worked okay for Keith Richards on satisfaction
It sure did!
You got me convinced. The AC15 is the amp for me.
There you go! Would you get the standard C1 or the C2?
@@TheToneLounge now this is a tough question.
My favorite local store has a C1 as a floor demo unit that I’ve played a whole lot since we ended full lockdown out here and that thing is just purely amazing. I hear so many tones from the music I love in it. Everything from Led Zeppelin to Mogwai, the Smiths to Radiohead - it’s all in there.
I’ve played the top boost and normal channels. I think I like he normal channel the very best (and I’ve tried your tone hack on it and that seems to totally work!).
A lot of people say get the C2 because you will never really have volume problems with it in a gig situation, the two speaker set up gives you a wider soundstage and presence, and the bigger reverb tank is just awesome. I’ve watched countless videos and I have to say I agree. I’m just afraid that beast will take my head off playing it in the spare bedroom that is my office/man cave at home. 🤣🤣🤣
Can you tame the volume on a C2 like you can on the C1? This amp purchase is one I intend to keep for a lifetime, so I want to get it right. I’ll be handing this sucker down to my son someday after I’ve had a chance to thoroughly enjoy it.
I currently play a Boss Katana 50 mk2 and thoroughly enjoy it for what it is, but I want that tube tone.
My main guitars are:
Squier J Maiscas Jazzmaster
An older MIM Telecaster
Gretsch Streamliner semi-hollow body (this amp makes this guitar just positively sparkle).
Help? 🤣🤣🤣
If you think you might play Live with the amp, perhaps the AC15c2 makes a lot of sense. But that's really only for how you hear yourself onstage. With a mic in front of the amp, the audience will hear you fine one way or the other. I love my C1 and would have no issues gigging with it.
I guess my last questions are do you think it’s worth it to shell out more for the Alnico blue speaker right off the bat, or to spend money on a new set of boutique tubes right off the bat.
I like the greenback tone myself. I probably would change the tubes out for TungSols or JJs at some point, after I break in the speaker some.
Man I love your channel. You just got yourself a Patreon subscriber. I appreciate very much the personal attention you bring here every day!
@@TheNotoriousYJX Thanks, I'm glad that the content is helpful. Now to answer your questions. The tube swap will be more for the long term reliability than for the change in tone.
My stock tubes died not even a year after I bought my amp.
The speaker swap is the biggest difference in tone. But ask yourself, why you want to change that speaker? If you have not tried the amp with the stock speaker for a few months under hard scrutiny, then you should wait before investing in a different speaker. After a few months, you'll know if you made the right choice or need a speaker swap.
Speaking of AC15 and speakers, have you seen these?
- GB vs Blue: ruclips.net/video/Z5KNHLhX4EI/видео.html
- Speaker shootout: ruclips.net/video/ldespBN0MLs/видео.html
- 1x12 Vs 2x12 Vs 4x12: ruclips.net/video/ttL6YlEIgm4/видео.html
Man you made a believer out of me with the Origin. Gonna think twice about just throwing up the SM57 and going to town next time I record.
The SM57 is a great all-around mic. I love it. The Origin has more "cut" and a little more detail to it.
@@TheToneLounge for sure. The Origin would be great in a mix where a cleanish guitar is carrying the weight of a mix without much instrumentation.
I have a Vox ac 15 for about a year now. It is different from other amps and there is alearning curve but once you get it its just an amazing amp. Perfect for the studio affordable and works great for everything (but metal I guess), I would never replace it. I preffered the sm57' mabe Im just used to the sound of it. Great video' thank you
Yeah, it is quite different than most amps. That's why I ended up putting so much work in figuring it out. I knew I could get a great tone out of it, it was just a matter of putting in the time. Cheers
Got a used AC15C1, the guy was a gigging musician as one point so I assume the speaker was well broken in.
He had JJs in it and I threw mullards in the power section and tung sols in the preamp.
Massive improvement; never been a huge fan of jj tubes.
Yeah, tubes are very personal in terms of tonal quality. I've never had issues with JJs so I just keep using them. I may try Mullards at some point in the future.
@@TheToneLounge I completely the subjective nature to tube preferences. I must say that mullards do well in British style amplifiers. Mesa preamp tubes are awful in my opinion, and their power tubes seem just average
Tip #11 - The are interesting tones to be found by turning the Treble and Bass controls down. This brings out more midrange.
Very cool tip! Thank you for sharing. Cheers
I had to learn a lot of these tricks on my own so thanks for compiling this list. I think some of these should be included in the manual but I guess that's part of the fun.
Sadly, not everyone has the time or experience to figure these out. That's why I made this video. If it can help someone out then i have done my job. ;)
So much info! Very happy to find out about beam blocker! Again, many thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Nice video. I’ve owned a 15 for a long time. The mic comparison seems like a no brainer. Of course a condenser is going to sound different than a dynamic mic. I will definitely have to try both inputs at once. I can’t believe I’ve never thought of it before.
Let me know what you think of it! Cheers
Great tips Jonathan, I’ve used them on the Ac 15s at my local guitar store and it works great. Also, would love it if you do one for the Ac 10 one day as it is my main amp I use, and I want it to sound the best it can.
Great suggestion! If I can get my hands on another AC10 I will do it.
Alright, thanks!
I’m still waiting to retube… where are my priorities??? Love the mic tips!!!! Best Vox channel 🤟
Thanks Erik!
I love the SM57 in these clips. Maybe it's that I wear hearing aids due to losses over the years, but overall, especially with distortion, I like the SM57 and the lack of really (to me) piercing high end stuff.
I wear them too. I have a lot of hearing loss at 4 and 8K. It took me a while to get use to them, but now I can't go back. I love these things.
Great help this video, thanks. Linking your AC15 videos. I never knew I could use both channels! May try this for some parallel effects blending 🤷🏼♂️
Glad to help! Let me know what you think of it once you try it.
My AC30 allows you to have both the normal and TB channels on together with a flick of a switch. Love them both together and play it that way 99% of the time.
I didn't know that this feature existed. That's awesome. What model AC30 do you have?
@@TheToneLounge Its an AC30CC2. I think it's the only model that has this feature. The AC30C2 that came after it did away with it. Step backwards if you ask me!
Sounds like a great feature. I wonder why they left it out of the new ones?!
Hello dron Spain. I just bought an ac15 and I see that you have very interesting videos. Thanks for your information
My pleasure Juan! I hope they can be useful for you. Cheers
Id never thought about jumping the channels
Many thanks :) The Vox AC15 is an awesome amp. I can't imagine not having one! My advice is to put the master on 10 and forget about it! Everything else can be dialed in to taste but getting those power tubes working and creating maximum headroom is essential. Just my opinion :)
+Ruiseart Alcorn Yep, that is the recurring theme in the video; crank the master volume! It solves every issues. Cheers
@@TheToneLounge Agreed! :)
@@ruiseartalcorn in which channel are you plugged in? Should the master be turned up higher than the normal or top boost in order to get a better sound with pedals?
@@CrunkyChicken I always plug into the "normal" channel - it's warmer and more natural. I put the master volume on full, and forget about it, which opens up the power tubes to get a fuller sound with maximum headroom (essential for using pedals). I then use the channel volume (gain) as the "volume knob". If playing quieter I get most of my gain from the pedals but if playing louder I use less pedal gain (as more will be coming from the amp's pre-amp). I also use transparent pedals as they don't interfere with the amp's natural sound and feel. I find the Boss BD2 is great. In front of that I put a Boss DS1 (with the gain off) as a boost. Hope this helps.
@@ruiseartalcornthank you I'll try your advice when I get the chance but cranking the master all the way up doesn't mean I'll hear a lot of ground noise? Mine already does that and with the gain on my pedals it sounds even worse. Do you think I need to change the tubes?
Can’t wait to try more of these! Really great findings that actually work. Very cool. Thanks for putting in the work.I’ve also had great results with all types of fuzzes and a compressor.
I spent three weeks researching this video. I wanted to make it a solid foundation for any Vox owners, old or new. Let me know when you try some of these. Cheers
Tip #1 is gold! I'm a normal channel guy, so thanks very much for that one. Still deciding on an AC10 or AC15 as my main rehearsal/gig amp. We don't play massively loud, and I've used low-wattage amps with good results. My old AC15, long sold, is still the best amp I've owned. :) Cheers.
If you intend to use pedals, I would go AC15. The AC10 is very cool, less headroom and more gain on tap. The AC15 runs cleaner and takes pedals better. Just my opinion. Cheers
@@TheToneLounge
Yep, I thought as much. Thank you! Now just gotta wait for our stores to reopen - I live in Covid-lockdown city, aka Sydney, Australia 😁
I use pedals. Boy howdy, do I use pedals...I don't have a problem tho
Ooh an old Boss RV-2 on eBay I'll be back in a moment 😄
@@TheToneLounge
When I get my AC15, your channel will be so helpful. You're *the* AC15 guy. I hope you get something from Vox, you're basically doing all their marketing for that amp.
I'll probably start with gain pedal stack (after a compressor): RC Booster, BD-2/Crowther Hotcake (one or the other), Vick Audio V-2 and/or a RAT. Experiment with different Fuzzes up front, or maybe even one of my many Big Muffs. The Green Carrot Pumpkin Pie is a good one.
Still waiting on a KOT. Supposed to work like gangbusters with any valve amp.
Cheers. I'll observe, listen, and report.
Can I tip you a few bucks on PayPal or something? You have a Patreon?
@@TheToneLounge
Ah, ok. So that's what the "Join" button does. Cool, mate. I'll chip in.
@@mattgilbert7347 yeah you guys are going through a rough patch down under. That really sucks. I heard that things were pretty expensive in your neck of the woods. Are the AC15 that expensive?
As for the reverb I've always experienced that the higher the master volume is the more present the reverb gets, if I crank the amp I really need to keep the reverb knob at 8 o' clock at max or it'd definitely wash my tone away, eventually I swapped the stock reverb with a MOD tank compatible with the AC15C1 and it sounds way better and cleaner, the stock one had a very muddy and weird decay
Interesting! I might do a video on swapping the reverb in the near future. Cheers
Your vox videos have helped me a ton after i bought an ac15c1. Subbed. Cheers!!!
+Hugh Caldwell I’m glad the videos were helpful. Thanks for the sub, glad you joined.
@@TheToneLounge Same here; thanks for all the tips! I read somewhere else too about the master volume up to the max, it really gives your gain pedals the sweetest tone! Cheers!
Will try my ABY with my AC15HW1X. Great tip. Thanks. And yes, always running a compressor with this amp even if it's barely there. The Empress Compressor sounds great with this amp, especially with the strat.
What made you choose the Empress Compressor? I'm looking for something different then my EHX Tone Corset.
@@TheToneLounge I had purchased the Empress Trem earlier that year (2013) and loved it. That got me on to the company. My dynacomp is great for slide but kinda terrible for a do-all compressor. So I bought the Empress for its flexibility, quiet operation, ratios (2:1, 4:1, 10:1) and display. Easy to see. Easy to operate. I use it for bass and guitar. They're expensive now and weren't cheap then. I think I paid $240 CAD. Cheers.
Glad I found this channel! Really loved the mic comparison part in this vid.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Cheers
When I want to break in guitar speakers, I plug a bass guitar and a looper into the amp and play some riffs on a low volume level which are repeated for some hours by the looper. The bass guitar is moving the speakers nicely and you do not need to crank the amp…try it..
That's actually a great idea. Thanks for the information.
Its probably different there in the same room ,, how ever im gona go with the 57 . If i get a chance im gona try the same AB test . Thkx
You are a great presenter. Look forward to more diverse content.
Thank you Michael! Here is another popular video:
ruclips.net/video/qRFBYM0r7R4/видео.html
I don’t even own an AC15 and I’ve watched to whole thing 😂 great video man. Might have to pick one up soon.
Thanks Dan! It’s definitely an amp worth having in your arsenal. Were there any tips that you may use with your current amp?
The Tone Lounge To be honest any of the tips that were transferable I’ve already messed with or do. Especially keeping the master high. I’ll definitely be jumping the channels if I pick up an AC15 though! 👍 The mic shootout was very interesting.
I’d love to see a video on your channel where you play an AC15!
I love the Princeton and Deluxe Reverb, but my heart is with the tone of the AC15! Have you seen the Tone Hacks videos yet?
Glad to have you aboard! Cheers
Thanks for the tips. Great advice!!!
Glad it was helpful!
thanks to you i´ve discovered the beam blocker... thank you so much!!!
Glad I could help! Have you tried it yet?
@@TheToneLounge yeah, after one week my ears doesn´t hurt anymore. There´s was a high frequency (due to the new speaker) that was annoying, but it´s gonne! :D Great advice! thanks!
Does it work for sound dispersal???
7:28 … speaking of a compressor!!:) great video.
Thanks Chris. What compressor are you using?
@@TheToneLounge I’ve had a lot of luck with my BOSS CS3. What I love most, is using it as a drive pedal.. lots of control and you can bring some of the darker features of the amp out at lower volumes.
I like the SM-57.
+Brock Landers it’s an industry standard for a reason. 😉
You've a great experience with this amp. Thanks for sharing it. I agree with all. I've only to try to change tubes.
+Raffaele Boni the tube change has a significant impact on your tone. Let me know what you think of it! Cheers
Thanks for the new tips. I shall try some of them
+clutch 3672 let me know how you like it.
I like the 57 so much smoother 👍
Yep, it's a classic for a good reason.
I'm using aVox AC15c1, the clean channel sounds good at low levels but as soon as a drummer and keyboard player is introduced, the level you have to get to solo over the band throws off the EQ.
The amp becomes extremely bass heavy, bass frequencies take over and there is no bass knob to roll it off.
And since bass frequencies are more resource sensitive to produce, it caps the loudness of the amp while muddying it. If you add the natural increase in the perceived amount of bass when the volume is raised (Fletcher-Munson Curve), you get a bass fest like no other.
If you turn on the volume for the 2nd channel and use the eq on it while connected to the first channel you can shape the tone.
But it changes the tone quite a bit and introduces considerable amount of noise.
Trying an amp in a store is something I can't trust anymore. You don't really get to know an amp before you use it with a drummer.
All great points. Using an amp in a particular context is a great way to know what it can and can not do. I only use my amps for studio work now, but I'd be curious to go out and try it in a band context.
@Solenelle actually Vox never had a clean and dirty channel, both can be clean and dirty depending on the volume setting, it's more a neutral channel and a hi-filtered channel with an EQ, so if you think normal channel is too muddy (it's always been known for being pretty dull, the reason why JMI later introduced the top boost channel mod which became a stock feature in later models), switch to top boost channel and fiddle with the EQ, normal channel has always been used with very low signal single coils pickups or treble boosters. So I suggest you switch to top boost, it's actually the channel that made the Vox tone famous and much more flexible.
Could you do a video on your preferred compressors for the AC15? That would be extremely helpful. There doesn’t seem to be any on RUclips that I know of
That's a great idea 💡 👍 😀
Great video. Thanks.
You are most welcome 🙏🏻
Superb video! Thanks! The overdrive tones in the last part sounds absolutely awesome. Do you remember what overdrive you used when recording that?
It was just a Boss SD-1 into the amp which had a bit of gain dialed in.
Very good stuff! 👍👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Fabulous tone and playing. This is my setup.
Hey Mike! Thank you. Do you have the Greenback or AlNiCo Blue in yours?
@@TheToneLounge Back in the states I have the blue but here in Thailand I just bought the AC15 with greeny. We shall see.
I really love the Vox with a GB. It’s a great speaker.
You are the man, and are getting me excited to buy myself an AC15. You deserve way more subscribers, dude. It shows how much you know the Vox range and all this information is super helpful. Thanks guy!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Have you seen the other videos in the AC15 series?
@@TheToneLounge a few. I'm excited to explore more
Awesome video! Great use of the green screen.
Green screen? I don't have one.
The background popped so much I thought it was a green screen!
lol yeah, it's my lighting setup and my choice of lens that created that. Factor in the color grading and that might explain it.
Helpful video, thanks! Concerning fuzz and Vox amps, I've noticed that it really depends on the type of fuzz I'm using. I think EL86 tubes respond really well to Germanium style fuzzes when the gain on the pedal is not fully cranked and I use the volume knob on my guitar to manage the tone. It's not sludge metal I'm after here, though, but I can get some excellent classic rock crunch this way. Silicon fuzzes are a much more difficult beast to tame. But, I find that I can get some great beastly fuzz tones, even from Fender amps, if I stack an Si fuzz before an overdrive or distortion pedal that's volume and gain are set to reasonable levels. This way the tone doesn't mush out and the harsher frequencies are rounded off by the overdrive pedal. It takes some experimenting, but it's worth it.
You bring about an excellent point. Tube types in amplifiers are most likely an integral part of the sound. Silicon versus Germanium is also another great point. I wonder how much it contributes to the overall tone. Man, now I want to try that out! lol Another important part is the input of the amp. Some inputs have more or less headroom, which most likely affects the headroom of the signal. This idea of stacking gain pedals and fuzz is another great point. Fuzz pedals almost sound like they are full range, so perhaps the voicing of a gain pedal a la Tubescreamer, is a great tool to high-pass the low end and round off the high-end. Someone else mentioned having success with EQ pedals and Fuzz. It is most likely doing something similar. Thanks for the great comment and discussion starter! Cheers
I think you mean EF86 valves.. All the original JMI Vox AC15's used EF86's as did the original, 4 input AC30's made in 1959/60. A good, original Mullard EF86's sounds amazing in them!
@@LPCustom3 My apologies, I meant EL84's. Yes, you're right about EF86's as preamp tubes in earlier Vox amps, now replaced by 12AX7's. I have a Morgan AC20 Deluxe that has an EF86 switch on it for added vintage Vox-like tone. Thanks for catching that.
Dude...u just showed me how Im gonna spend my stimulus check...
Question: would a "Y" splitter cable work just as good as an A/B/Y box in the tip you mentioned?
A Y splitter would give you both channels at the same time, and you would have to turn up/down the channels you want. A pedal would help you toggle between both or combine them without touching the amp.
You could use a boss tuner as well but only one channel would mute when you turn the pedal on which could be a cool effect depending on your settings and what you’re going for.
For the mic shoutout, I think the context is misleading, while the Aston sounds better on it own, 9/10 a SM57 on a guitar cab will sit better in a mix. I can confirm that first hand as I have both microphones
+Simon Austin I agree with you, an SM57 is a very familiar sounding mic, so in a shootout many will choose it. I’ve found the Origin to ne more pleasing to my ear, and found it to require less post processing. At the end of the day, it’s all a question of what sound we are aiming for. Thanks for your input! Cheers
Re: 3 I have an Analogman Sunlion clone. It is a Dallas Rangemaster Treble booster and a Dallas Arbiter Fuzzface in one. The Fuzzface is one of the only fuzz pedals that I found works with my Vox (your TC Rusty fuzz is a Fuzzface circuit) and to have definition, I find I either have to leave some headroom by not cranking the master and/or adding the treble booster to get some attack back, if I turn the master up too much. :)
BTW, my Vox is an AD15 but the basic tone is very close to the regular channel on an AC15, since I upgraded the speaker and 12ax7 tube.
I'd be interested in trying an AD15. Sometimes amps react differently than expected with pedals, depending on the circuit of the amp. I know that with an all tube amp, cranking the master gives you the most headroom, hence, why I crank mine 100% of the time.
To my ear, it sounds better that way with most pedals, but that is also a matter of preference and not a constant for everybody. There is a lot to learn when it comes to gear. That's why I started this channel. I learn so much through this process.
@@TheToneLounge I hear you, my AD is part of the Valvetronic line that has been around in one incarnation or another for the last 20 years. Since Korg bought the rights to the Vox name and have copyrighted their circuitry, I have never seen anything else like what they have done here.
First, it is a modeling amp, mine is from 2004 and I think they hit the high water mark after 2010 in the VT 20+, 40+, 80+, or 120+ amp series (which sadly have been replaced with inferior products, like the 50 watt nutube loaded 12 inch combo called the Cambridge). Mine only has 11 built in amps and some effects (like compressor, chorus, flanger phaser, tremolo, rotary speaker, digital delay, reverb and noise suppressor) and 2 save banks (so I can dial in and save my favourite clean tone and my favourite dirty tone. Vox AC30TB with chorus and reverb setting or Dumble ODS as examples). In the + series there were 99 amp emulations, more effects were added like od, distortion, fuzz, treble booster and so forth, and up to 8 tone save banks.
Now to the circuit. The signal path enters the solid state modeled section, then travels to the 12ax7 tube where it goes through one side of the tube (this "pre-amp" side of the tube is connected to the gain knob on the top of the amp) and then it goes back through the other side of the tube (this "power amp" side of the tube is connected to the volume knob on the top of the amp). At this point it is effectively a 1 watt all tube amplifier and then it goes to the solid state amplifier for the final volume adjustment, which is connected to the Master Volume knob on the top of the amplifier. These are great amps and can be found on the local used market for a very reasonable price. Cheers! :)
I don't have an Aston Origin but will have to try recording with my Blue Baby Bottle, I think they're pretty similar (the Baby Bottle is also a cardioid condenser).
Yeah, try it and let me know what you think!
ahhhhh FUCK I can't wait to get my AC15!!! I'm really bummed that I won't be able to access the god damned tubes you're telling me I might need to replace currently, but it is what it is. I'm just happy to have a tube amp at all honestly. I've been marooned on AxeFx 3 island for a long time now.
The tubes do play a part in it, but I would say that giving your new amp plenty of play time so you can "break-in" the speaker will make a huge difference. New speakers are kind of stiff and give off really bright sounding top end. Letting that speaker move by playing it loud enough will remedy that.
The AxeFX 3 is a great unit and is extremely versatile. The AC15 might feel limited in comparison, but give it time. The feel of playing a Live amp is a different experience to playing digital ( I own an HX Stomp and quite a few plugins). They are both great technologies and have their uses for sure. I just enjoy jamming with a real amp more.
@@TheToneLounge same here. Thanks for the tips. I definitely value the tube amp experience a great deal. I don’t think I can ever fully let go. I envy those that seem fully satisfied with modeling.
Any tips on using the Cali76 Compact Deluxe for a clean tone?
I don’t have any experience with this one, but general tips would be as follows:
Attack - how fast the compressor reacts to the note. Fast lets the notes on quickly. Slow means that the notes compress more on the way in.
Release- let’s you adjust how long the notes will sustain.
Ratio- how subtle or drastic of a compression level you want.
My go to with compression is to to for a 3:1 ratio ( not too high), fast attack and medium sustain.
If you turn it on and go, “ I don’t hear a change” , but when you turn it off you hear a change, then you are on the right track!
Good stuff!
+Lando27Music thank you Landon. Means a lot coming from you.
You should try the proco RAT pedal with the Vox. It sounds amazing.. When you dial up the gain far enough you get an amazing sounding fuzz. Can really recommend this pedal to every Vox owner.
I intend to get my hands on a RAT! I keep hearing about how great they sound with a Vox. Any particular model I should look for?
@@TheToneLounge I am using the proco RAT 2. Its modern version. People say that the old rat sounds a bit better but I think that's placebo for the most part. You need to fine-tune it with the filter knob to get a good sound and play with the volume knob of your guitar.
Thanks for the information on the RAT. I'll see about getting one. I'm working on a series about pedals that play nice with Vox amps, I'll add this one to the list. Cheers
@@TheToneLounge Great! No problem. Looking forward to the video :)
RAT works very well with British Amps
I am a fairly new player, and use it at master cranked, tone at 12, and normal volume at 8. I am a bedroom player, and I feel like I’m getting a lot of bass. Using a Stratocaster. Any suggestions?
I have just the video for you my friend. Let me know if this didn't answer your question and I'll see if I can find a more suitable solution for you. Cheers
ruclips.net/video/XwH_uPrfHko/видео.html
I love how your tone hack crosstalk trick brings up the low end in my AC15C1. Question: would it do the same for an AC30C2? I know those can be channel jumped but not sure if that boosts the low end like the tone hack does. Thanks for these tips!
I’ve had people confirm that it works on the AC30 as well as the Handwired series AC15/30
Painter's tape works well if you don't want any residue left behind.
Good to know. Have you picked up a few helpful tip from the video?
@@TheToneLounge have you tried removing the speaker and putting tape on the back side of the grill cloth? It should be less visible
@@dandeg1438 I have not but that is a great idea!
Great content! 😊👍
Thank you my friend. You have solid content yourself.
Nice new background!
And wonderful content as usual. Informative, straight to the point and good pacing.
I like the origin better too.
Also, those were some tasty licks!
Are they written down somewhere or did you improvise?
Cheers man!
+Pseudo Nymous thanks for the feedback my friend. I’m putting a lot of time and effort to make these videos, so I’m glad that it’s not going unnoticed.
As for the riffs, it’s just inspiration of the moment. Those effects helped me along. Cheers
@@TheToneLounge I can tell that you're putting in a lot of effort and I really appreciate that.
I'm looking forward to seeing more from you.
Btw do you have an opinion on the Vox Night Train?
Thanks dude. Yes I do. The Night Train is a very cool amp. Not 100% traditional Vox, like the AC line, but it's definitely Vox. If I get my hands on one I'll do a series for sure.
@@TheToneLounge Cool. There's a good deal nearby and I might get one. I'd be happy to watch your series about it.
All the best to you. :)
Great videos I'm constantly trying to get better tone from my ac15
You don't have to use an ABY box. You can use a Y cable to mix both Normal and Top Channels together.
The issue with that is that you split your signal in two, which lowers the output. With a proper ABY pedal that has a buffer, you don't have any signal degradation.
@@TheToneLounge dang.....been doing it for years and never thought of that.
Hi! Could you do a video with that GSystem going to a Vox ac15 as a main rig? Thanks
I no longer own that G-System. Sorry!
we use both dyn and cond mics and also d i into mix for recording
I like both, but don't always use them at the same time. I almost never use a DI anymore. Pretty confident about the tones I dial in.
A request for you my friend: test the Vox AC15C1 with Boss OD3 and Les Paul. Pretty please!
If I can find one, I'll definitely do a video.
@@TheToneLounge Awesome. Subbed.
Glad that you did!
Enjoying the vid, thanks for directing me here. What do you think about replacing the reverb in an ac15 to get a more surfy drip sound? Can it be done? And if so what reverb would you recommend?
Thank you
The reverb can definitely be changed, as to your description of the reverb sound that you seek, a Google search might be of more help then I. I haven't changed mine yet, so I haven't researched what is out there. Have you thought of using a reverb pedal?
The Tone Lounge yeah I actually have a pretty decent reverb pedal it’s a digitech hardware RV7. And I like the sounds it gives off for playing surf. I was just hoping the one that came in my ac15 was going to have that drip I like. Then I thought about seeing if I could change it out for one that does have that sound but you’re right I can just use my pedal. For some reason the one in my ac15c1 seems a bit tame.
Some find that reverb to be too excessive. It's all a matter of taste. But yeah, a reverb pedal or an outboard reverb tank might serve you better.
After playing with my ac15c1 for 4 years, heavy gigging recording and bedroom playing, and using a lot of fuzz (i play stoner rock and alt rock) i still don't get why people say it doesn't handle fuzz, mine loves them.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐂𝟏𝟓 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐳𝐳 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐮𝐳𝐳 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐚 𝐅𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥.
@@TheToneLounge totally!! It's an awesome sound nonetheless
That the sound I'm going for how
The AC15 sound?
Love it ✊
Did you learn anything new?
What guitar are you playing during the channel blending demo?
I'm playing my Telecaster throughout this video.
The Tone Lounge thanks! You’re so wholesome
i have the ac 15 vr you think they are similar...
Similar, yes but not exactly the same.
blog.reddogmusic.co.uk/2013/11/21/vox-ac15vr-vs-ac15-guitar-combo-amp-head-to-head/#:~:text=The%20AC15C1%20features%20a%20spring,just%20was%20quite%20pronounced%20enough.&text=Some%20might%20say%20it's%20too,you'll%20like%20the%20AC15C1.
SM57 supreme
It's a great mic.
Yessssssssss
+diesel828 LOL love that enthusiasm
Arksolva Studio I love this amp. I was always wondering about getting a splitter and plugging into the normal and top boost at the same time. (I used to connect the custom and vintage channels on my Deluxe Reverb with a short cable.) Now I know! I'm gonna have to try it out.
diesel828 yeah, give it a shot and let me know what you think of it
Another great video man 👍🏻. Just to go one step further on the compression pedal point - does it help the overdriven amp sound more high gain or is is best to use an overdrive style pedal to push the amp’s gain into a smoother, more sustained kind of sound?
No, the amp will not sound more high gain. What you will get is more sustain, or even a cleaner tone, depending on how you set your ratio. I love a compressor pedal for boosting up a lead part. I find that compression works well in almost all scenarios, it's really a matter of trying one out and see how you like. Let me know if you do, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
Arksolva Studio cool, thanks for your reply. I’ve only used a compressor on my multi FX and it certainly evened out the sound and made it easier to play some things. I’d definitely add one in front of an amp...just need to decide on amp now 😂. I don’t have a lot of space where I am at the moment so the little AC10 might be suitable. But I also saw the hand wired AC15 which looks and sounds nice from some clips I’ve seen. You ever played one?
Frank R. I’ve been waiting for a long time to play one, but sadly no.
Arksolva Studio I’ll have to go amp shopping soon. Will see if I can try one in store. Not sure they have an effects loop either?
Frank R. I don’t believe so. All the AC15 variations I’ve seen do not have them.
Hi, thanks for the tips. I tried an AB box trying to use it as a channel switcher, but the result is that I get a blend of the two channels instead of switching from normal to top boost! Any suggestion? Thanks
I'm not certain. Is your an ABY, or just an AB box?
With just an AB, all you should get is one channel or the other, the "Y" in an ABY switch is what blends the two. If your AB is blending it's broken. Try turning the Top Boost volumes all the way down, then cycle the switch. If you get signal on both A and B, something is wrong.
Try using a stereo 1/4 inch cable.
I prefer the 57 to be honest, it's less shrill, especially with distorted sounds the treble of the Origin sounds unpleasantly vulgar.
I hear you. However, the Origin is boosting frequencies that may sound nasty on their own, but cut through a band mix.
I love my Vox ac15 .. but I'm gonna change my tubes idk I should stick JJ tubes or try tung-sol .
+Erik Vasquez there are a few ways you can go about this. You can go with a full set of Tung Sol, or a full set of JJ’s, or a mix of both (JJ power tubes and Tung Sol preamp tubes or vice versa).
I decided to go with JJ’s when I got to shootout some tubes many years ago. It’s really a question of preference. But you can’t go wrong with either the Tung Sol or JJ’s over the stock tubes.
@@TheToneLounge yea hopefully in the future you make video about tubes
Erik Vasquez I hear you loud and clear buddy. It’s in the list of videos to come 😉
@@TheToneLounge noocie
Great video, great sound, great demo ! Thanks !!! ;-)
Many thanks! Have you tried any of these tips yet?
nice use of compression socks to demo the effect of compression
Not sure I understand
@@TheToneLounge 5:15 :-)
How many more hacks (do I have to cross?)
Do I need to learn Java, C++, higher mathematics or anything of the likes?
That's where all this is leading to 🙂
I'm working on a third "tone hacks" video!
man the Aston was way too bright for me. appreciate the video though.
Yeah on it's own it's bright for sure. In a mix though, it cuts right through the mix.
@@TheToneLounge hey man you just got a new suscriber. just happened to get my ac15 yesterday and im glad i just discovered your channel. your tips helped me in my orientation of the amp. thanks!
Hey Brandon. Glad you joined the community. I'm happy to hear that, I make these videos with the hopes that it can be useful, but I'm never 100% sure if it's doing what I intended for it to do. Glad the videos helped with your decision. Let me know if you have any questions that I have not covered in a video. Cheers
I prefer the origin mic, but it is expensive!
They've increased in price, but they are fantastic mics.
Cool man!!🎼🎵Excellent friend It's a cool video. I like it. Good luck, friends. See you later.
Hey bud, glad you enjoyed the video. Were there any new things that you learned that you intend to try?
Man i had a G System around 12 years, absoloutely loved that thing, i've just got a vox amp and i'm using in the house, im really iking it but do notice when i hit harder the dynamics really go up, same when i hit the strings softer, would a basic compressor pedal do the trick? cheers for the vid!
Yeah, a simple compressor would totally work. What are you thinking of that Vox of yours?
@@TheToneLounge ive only had it two days, i use a yamaha THR 30 for super quiet playing but i wanted something bigger with the ability to play gigs, the vox ac 15 seemed to fit so went and bought one so i'm quite new to it, thing is, in all my years playing ive never really used a compressor so thats why i'm asking about it, i'm thinking maybe a compressor and a basic EQ to give me a little more bass to help this thing sing!
@@gordonthespeed4499 watch this: ruclips.net/video/XwH_uPrfHko/видео.html