blues deluxe or vox ac30cc2?

[tvanveen]

These are all really different amps.

Where will you be playing and what is your recording setup? Do you want to mainly do bluesy stuff? Will you be playing it out?

I play an AC30CCH, but would probably opt for something deluxe-y if I was more blues oriented.

[nedorama]

All 3 are completely different amps.

Go to GC or another store with all 3 amps. Play them and buy the one you like the best.

[Benlittlejohn]

the new fender stuff is better made than the voc cc stuff

[nedorama]

Again, it's apples to oranges to kiwis.

The last post is meaningless - you can't compare Fenders across the board to the Vox. The Hot Rod series is poorly built, suffers from quality issues and should be avoided (in case you're wondering, cement resistors aren't a good thing in an amp). The Deluxe Reverb Reissue (DRRI) is a solid, well built amp that's in a different league.

Besides build quality, you're also comparing three different tube types (6L6, 6V6, EL84) with 3 different amps - you really need to go to a store and try them and others to see what you like.

If you like the Vox tone, there are plenty of good used AC30s, or you can go for a Dr. Z, which is a much better built amp; they have some models that are similar tonally to a non-top boost AC30. Stang Ray -- Dr. Z Amplification I only have Fenders currently, but between 6V6 and 6L6 I'll probably look to an EL84 as my next tube amp just for tonal variety.

[bash]

Depends on the sort of "clean" you prefer. Vox clean is laden with "harmonic color" to the point of a pleasant distortion (the chiming fuzzy undertones that Vox is known for. An aggressive clean.

The Fender clean is equally distinctive in the opposite direction. Lots more space between notes. Pretty much a more bouncy clean, better definition.

As for dirtier tones, they are both capable and generally display similarly signature distorted tones. To my ears, the Vox is more slurred, more harmonically dense. The Fender is equally pleasant with a less-murky (not muddy, murky) directness.

Vox is more forgiving of sloppy playing, imo, whereas the Fender reveals (and rewards) precision playing more readily.

[kostas]

Originally Posted by bash

Depends on the sort of "clean" you prefer. Vox clean is laden with "harmonic color" to the point of a pleasant distortion (the chiming fuzzy undertones that Vox is known for. An aggressive clean.

The Fender clean is equally distinctive in the opposite direction. Lots more space between notes. Pretty much a more bouncy clean, better definition.

As for dirtier tones, they are both capable and generally display similarly signature distorted tones. To my ears, the Vox is more slurred, more harmonically dense. The Fender is equally pleasant with a less-murky (not muddy, murky) directness.

Vox is more forgiving of sloppy playing, imo, whereas the Fender reveals (and rewards) precision playing more readily.

Thanks man,you were helpful.

[Ron Vogel]

I know this isn't on your list, but if you get a chance check out the Marshall Class 5. I was very impressed with what I could get out of it.

Don't let the 5 watt thing turn you off, it sounds more like 20 watts.

[emdub123]

Originally Posted by bash

Depends on the sort of "clean" you prefer. Vox clean is laden with "harmonic color" to the point of a pleasant distortion (the chiming fuzzy undertones that Vox is known for. An aggressive clean.

The Fender clean is equally distinctive in the opposite direction. Lots more space between notes. Pretty much a more bouncy clean, better definition.

As for dirtier tones, they are both capable and generally display similarly signature distorted tones. To my ears, the Vox is more slurred, more harmonically dense. The Fender is equally pleasant with a less-murky (not muddy, murky) directness.

Vox is more forgiving of sloppy playing, imo, whereas the Fender reveals (and rewards) precision playing more readily.

This is exactly my experience with Vox and Fender amps, to a T.

I am a sloppy player and I don't like the way Fender amps reveal this. When I owned Fender amps, I ALWAYS used a tube screamer. Some songs it would be barely on, others I would have it dimed, but it was always on. I just like the sound of Fender amps with tube screamers.

What I discovered was that the AC30 tone is not unlike a Fender Blackface tone with a little bit of overdrive. From the very first moment playing an AC30, I found the tone I had always been fighting my Fenders to achieve. Not only that, the AC30 also responds to humbucker guitars in a very pleasing way. Because the new AC30s have a MV, you can get a lot of preamp distortion going that really compliments Les Pauls and 335s very well. The Hot Rod series doesn't even come close in the overdrive department.

The initial production run of AC30CC amps in 2006 had some serious issues, but these were all worked out in the revision that began shipping in 2007. My AC30CCH is a 2008 build and I've had no problems. I'm not a Vox employee, dealer or fanboy, just sharing my personal experience.

[Scott Whigham]

I've been playing around with the Blues Deluxe Reissue and an AC30 CC2 in house over the past two weeks. I also have a '66 Pro Reverb (same circuit as Deluxe but 40W instead of 22W).

I think everyone's comments above are spot on but I'll add this:

I'm a Strat guy - what are you, OP? You don't mention which type of guitar you play and, to me, that makes a huge difference. For my money, a Les Paul is better sounding to my ears through the Vox than the Fender amps (but everyone's ears hear differently). A telecaster fits a Fender amp better and the Strat straddles both - just depends on what you want.

One thing I will say is that none of these three amps are what you want for hard rock though. Also, if you plan on playing hard rock with a band, I'd guess you had to go with the AC30 or the BDR. The Deluxe, at 22W IIRC, just won't have enough umph to get you there.

Oh - and to me, the Vox shows my "impurities" 100x more than the Fender blackfaces! I like to practice on my Vox AC30 CC2 while facing the speakers. The midrange sounds in the Vox just jump out and that is, apparently, where I make lots of mistakes lol

[kostas]

Originally Posted by Scott Whigham

I've been playing around with the Blues Deluxe Reissue and an AC30 CC2 in house over the past two weeks. I also have a '66 Pro Reverb (same circuit as Deluxe but 40W instead of 22W).

I think everyone's comments above are spot on but I'll add this:

I'm a Strat guy - what are you, OP? You don't mention which type of guitar you play and, to me, that makes a huge difference. For my money, a Les Paul is better sounding to my ears through the Vox than the Fender amps (but everyone's ears hear differently). A telecaster fits a Fender amp better and the Strat straddles both - just depends on what you want.

One thing I will say is that none of these three amps are what you want for hard rock though. Also, if you plan on playing hard rock with a band, I'd guess you had to go with the AC30 or the BDR. The Deluxe, at 22W IIRC, just won't have enough umph to get you there.

Oh - and to me, the Vox shows my "impurities" 100x more than the Fender blackfaces! I like to practice on my Vox AC30 CC2 while facing the speakers. The midrange sounds in the Vox just jump out and that is, apparently, where I make lots of mistakes lol

Well i was on using with both strat and Les Paul,though i don't own a Les Paul yet.As for the kind of music,more like a 70' hard rock,blues and psychedelic oriented style.If none of them three are for rock,especially vox,then what?

[58lespaul]

Originally Posted by kostas

Well i was on using with both strat and Les Paul,though i don't own a Les Paul yet.As for the kind of music,more like a 70' hard rock,blues and psychedelic oriented style.If none of them three are for rock,especially vox,then what?

Uh, the Vox is definitely for rock. Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty and QoTSA are three bands that I know of off the top of my head that have recorded with Vox amps and they are pretty darn rock and roll. I say you go and try these amps yourself. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the kind of crunch a Vox amp can generate.

[kostas]

Originally Posted by 58lespaul

Uh, the Vox is definitely for rock. Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty and QoTSA are three bands that I know of off the top of my head that have recorded with Vox amps and they are pretty darn rock and roll. I say you go and try these amps yourself. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the kind of crunch a Vox amp can generate.

Thought Zeppelin used orange amps,maybe they used both,but anyway that's what i'm talking about.Rock'n'roll.Basically i'm between the VOX and the Fender Blues amp because the Reverb is out of my budget.I've played only the VOX and i liked it,but for some reason i think that the Blues would be as good as in a different tone and color.Ever heard of Five Horse Johnson or Kamchatka?They both play with marshall heads,i think the Handwired or the Vintage series which is both out of my league,so i went down on trying an MA50c and didn't like the distortion too much,maybe it's beacause i expected not to like it but that's it.

[Scott Whigham]

Originally Posted by kostas

Well i was on using with both strat and Les Paul,though i don't own a Les Paul yet.As for the kind of music,more like a 70' hard rock,blues and psychedelic oriented style.If none of them three are for rock,especially vox,then what?

Wait now - you are misquoting me lol. I didn't say that these amps were not for rock! I said they weren't for hard rock. In my mind, there's a big difference in those tones. Hard Rock, in the year 2010, to me means Metallica, Korn, Audioslave, Linkin Park, etc. These are definitely not the amps to get you into those tones.

Looking at your follow-up post (and I don't know Five Horse Johnson or Kamchatka FWIW), for classic 70s sounds these are great amps but none of them are Marshall-y.

Are you sure you don't want a Marshall? If that's the sound you like, go for it. An Orange would be great too. Just don't buy one of these three expecting them to have that creamy, Marshall-esque tone.

One amp that springs to mind is a Hughes & Kettner 20th or 25th anniversary amp. It tries to be a Fender clean and Marshall lead. It's a great amp for the price - probably in the $400-$600 price range.

[patshep]

Originally Posted by kostas

Thought Zeppelin used orange amps,.

were orange around back then? i don't think they have been around that long.. i know marshalls and vox were used, and fenders, i think jimmy page had everything

[windsongstudios]

I love my AC30 CC. I pretty much stole it from Best Buy of all places. I got it for $600.00 because they were blowing them out. It sounds great on its own but I can get some great front end saturation using a Boiling Point overdrive or an OCD. Just my 2 cents.

[kostas]

Originally Posted by windsongstudios

I love my AC30 CC. I pretty much stole it from Best Buy of all places. I got it for $600.00 because they were blowing them out. It sounds great on its own but I can get some great front end saturation using a Boiling Point overdrive or an OCD. Just my 2 cents.

I was looking at VOXes and i run in to a 62' Vintage Vox JMI.What's the deal about JMI,is this before or after the company was sold?What about its quality?Any information?

[craschowder]

Originally Posted by kostas

I was looking at VOXes and i run in to a 62' Vintage Vox JMI.What's the deal about JMI,is this before or after the company was sold?What about its quality?Any information?

The old JMI stuff is the original best sounding, most collectable, most expensive.

Though, all of the (post jmi) made in UK Vox stuff is excellent and since production has moved to china they are becoming highly sought after. A good ebay value and investment.

The most important thing to consider is that the custom classic's are very good. Reliability, sound quality, build quality all excellent. Unmistakable sound. With the proper UK blue alnico speaker(s) and a slight mod or two they actually do rival the old ones and they are obviously WAY less expensive.

The CC's come with either the okay wharfdale speakers or (for a very significant up-charge) CHINA made vox clestion blue alnico's. BUT WARNING! YOU DONT TO PAY AN UPCHARGE THE CHINA VOX MADE SPEAKERS!!! You want real Uk made celestion blues.

I'd buy the CC (wharfdale) then grab some uk made celestion alnico blue's later

It will slam the fender amp IMHO.

[nedorama]

to the OP -

Again, go to a store, play all the amps in question with the kind of guitar you have, and see which one you like. Hundreds of bands use both amps with great results, but if it doesn't work for you then it's a dumb choice.

Personally I'd avoid the Blues Deluxe or the Hot Rod series as they have several design flaws that makes them show up in the repair shop more than like a Deluxe Reverb Reissue.

Also google on the AC30 reissue to ensure there aren't any service issues you're not aware of.