I'm packing my Albert cos I'm gonna be trying out a load of Vintage amps

[Spudmurphy]

I've just had a call from my mate - he has a room full of old amps and is looking to sell one or two.

In the main they are old VOX AC 30's,but he has Marshalls/Laneys too!!

15 miles away - yahay, so me and BCB are off outta the door any minute now - will report back later!!!

 

[Norrin Radd]

Some of those old AC30s are just magical. The SSS AL should sound stellar through one of those. Good luck, Spud! Remember the importance of photos!

 

[threeminutesboy]

Wow enjoy the sonic experience

 

[beej]

Nice Spud! Bring a fire extinguisher for those old AC30s

 

[fsmith]

I'd love to be able to play around with an old AC30 and let it rip... Give 'em hell Kev, did you pack earplugs?

 

[threeminutesboy]

Earplug? What for? Spud is too old already no damage can be done

J/k Spud I love you mate

 

[ScoobySteve]

If you can plug your AL SSS into a 69 plexi, cranked to 10, with the inputs jumped, i'll hate you. and envy you, forever.

 

[mtrejo]

Ahhh, exploring sonic heaven in search for the holy grail is always a joy. I hope you pick up a gem Kevin.

 

[Smellybum]

spud - I'm in the market - text me the list

 

[Spudmurphy]

spud - I'm in the market - text me the list

pics coming soon - just uploading to p bucket.

He will sell any of them but he won't be giving them away

 

[Spudmurphy]

I'm around OlPlayers gaff at the mo and will explain what's what prolly tomorrow.

So here we go .... ....

 

[beej]

Holy smokes.

 

[Larry]

What old Marshalls did he have? Any pics/gut shots?

 

[Spudmurphy]

What old Marshalls did he have? Any pics/gut shots?

The amps shown were around his late mothers house. Upstairs he had some old Laney and Fender PA amps, an old Fender Champ. In his workshop he has some Marshalls but he sold some off, together with an old Laney that found it's way to the states - he also has another old Vox AC 10 which I really fancy.
Also upstairs were a couple of Fenton Weil guitars and a Burns tri sonic. I was talking to him about my first guitar a Watkins Rapier 44 and he went out and pulled a Watkins 33 - you know what? - that guitar played really well and was in great condition.

I'll do a write up on each of those Vox amps as they do make a nice story.

I played through all the AC 30/15 combos and each had something going for it. One did kinda smell a bit but they haven't been used for 15 - 20 years.

 

[Spudmurphy]

1 & 2
AC30 Super twin - head and cab matching pair insofar as they have always been together. . Circa 62/63 Copper panel blue Alnicos

Mickey Gee owned this one and found it's way to London. On the front in very faint writing is "The Zodaics". Now I know that Mickey played for the Zodiacs at some time and they backed Tom Jones. The amp was in London for some time and the amp found it's way back to Cardiff in the back of (Cardiff Born) Dave Edmunds's Mini (car) - true not conjecture.

3
AC 15 Grey panel 1964. For Vox geeks - it doesn't have the gold bar running through "VOX"

4
64 AC 30 Copper panel - has silver alnicos rather than blue.

5
70's mini Transistor AC 30

6 & 7
AC 30 Super twin. 62/63Although a matching pair they have come from separate sources Copper Top head G12 75 Celestion Replacement speakers

8
1964 Copper Top AC 30 with factory installed integrated Top Boost

9
62 - 64 AC 30 Bass Amp

10
Burns Orbit 3 - has three 10 inch speakers circa 68?

11AC 30 Bass Combo with Smooth charcoal vinyl circa 62

12
AC 30 standard version orig blue speakers late 63

13
Recovered Standard AC 30 1962 Blue Vox speakers - unsure, but it may originally have been blond and it sports 1961 thin leather handles

14
1968 AC 50 head

Now he is an amp tech and has had to repair some of these - so some are all original but some he bought not working - this is his retirement fund (well not entirely) and it was a pleasure and a privilage to see and try these - he hasn't told many people about these but agreed to me showing them to you.

Sterling - I know it's not EB related (although I did use my BCB to try them out ). I'm not part of any other forums and just thought that the guys here would like to see them - you just don't get to see so many in one place - unless you play with Brian May (Jamie H!!)

Spud

Edit - oh I forgot - he had some gnarly old combo amp case stashed - had suffered from Woodworm. He had the chassis in his workshop - damn, for the life of me I can't remember it's obscure name!!!

 

[Spudmurphy]

spud - I'm in the market - text me the list

Smelly see post 15. He knows the value of these and I am finding it difficult to get an agreeable deal with him - the one saving grace is that he needs some accountancy work done especially UK Income tax. Now where can I find a friendly Tax Inspector ??

edit

This is the guy I got my WEM from - there's a couple of them knocking about too!!

 

[threeminutesboy]

Maybe the Edge from U2 will be interested in a couple of those

You must have felt like a kid in a candy store, good job Kevin

 

[Larry]

Man I'm a total sucker for old amps.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Man I'm a total sucker for old amps.

yeah I love them too!

Amps have been going for crazy money over the years!!

Glad I kept my Silver Jub and only recently got an old WEM. The problem is you can't really take amps like these out on gigs with you.

I'm really drooling over an AC10 he has (not in the picture). The problems with that:-
A small tear in each of the speakers (can be repaired as opposed to re coned which he can also do)
Some of the black plastic corners are broken but I should be able to pick those up
It has a non original tremolo switch - he turned a good copy on his lathe but at the end of the day it's not original.

The tolex I would say is really nice I'd give the tolex 8 out of 10

So by repairing or replacing the speakers + corners + the non original switch + he wants his accounts done, I'm looking for a reasonable deal on that?

 

[Larry]

I don't have much experience with VOX amps I have built a number of old Marshall amp clones (kit and scratch) as far as value. It's always in the eyes of the buyer. If you really like the amp then its worth what you think it is not the seller. Seeing as he is a friend of yours that can make negotiations somewhat difficult.

But based on what you mentioned the only thing that would make me a tad leery is the speakers. A lot of the tone from these old amps come from their speakers. So a big make or break would be how bad the damage is on the speakers and how easily and correctly it can be repaired.