Glad to see that these Korg/VOX AC30 TB reissues are still appreciated by discerning players! I was the product manager for VOX USA at that time and worked very closely with Steve Grindrid at Marshall to make sure we were building an amp that was as close as we could get to the original but using modern production techniques. We of course also had to deal with present day safety codes and restrictions.

Thanks for the shout out Mason!

I have a 63 that I completely went through. Every component measured, every cap checked for leakage, all the grime cleaned out, and tube sockets replaced where needed. Just a good servicing. Has not given me a problem since.

I'm sorry to hear that you had trouble with your vintage AC30s. They can be temperamental if they're are allowed to get too hot. I have three vintage amps, a 1964 (blue speakers) and two 1965s (silver speakers). I got them in the mid '70s and used them almost exclusively for two decades - on the road and in the studio. They never gave me any untoward trouble. Luckily, no blown speakers either! I made back panels for them with holes cut out for fans to exhaust the heat from the amps. From there on all they needed was regular maintenance and tubes. In 2001, I bought three Vox/Korg AC30/6 TBX amps so I could keep my '60s JMI amps out of venues. Originally, they sounded OK but couldn't hold a candle to my JMI amps. I had them modified so that they sounded as close to the JMI amps as possible. I had Marshall style head cabs built for them, 100w Plexi sized, to allow them to run cool. Their Marshall-style chassis facilitated that. Part of the mods included new iron and beefier parts to take the punishment I gave them. Using my Burns Brian May Signature guitars, I ran the amps flat out into attenuators. They survived well yet I had more breakdowns with the Korg amps than the JMI amps. I used the JMIs in the same manner. Now that I no longer am playing out I've sold the Korg amps and will keep only one of the JMI amps - the 1965 with Woden transformers. To my ears the Woden iron sounds the best. If any of you viewers of this video are interested in owning an AC30, the maker of this piece is correct in that the Korg-era Vox amps beat any Asian build, but, with proper care, NOTHING beats a JMI AC30!

I've got a 1963 Vox AC30. Works and sounds great. I'm 72 y/o. Never had any trouble with it.

It’s amazing how over the years the AC30 has been combined with different guitars to get so many different yet similar classic tones

That's my Korg-era AC30 TBX in Lyle's video! My only regret with purchasing this amp and getting Psionic's mods done is that I never get to play the amp because I live in an apartment. It is loud enough to kill a small animal.

I owned a UK (Marshall) made 90s era AC-30TBX for a number of years. It was a maintenance pig, constantly at the tech for fixing things and even hitting brick walls with a seemingly unfixable problem (myterious buzz/rattle, vibration on certain notes). Subsequently, I found a '64 JMI AC-30 (non-TB, treble), bought it and never looked back. I gave the amp a basic overhaul with new filter caps, replacing a few resistors, one pot and a few other little bits and pieces and the amp has been stable and reliable for the next twenty years and more, regular gigging, rehearsals, damp rehearsal rooms, shipping overseas, always played "hot" with a power attenuator etc. Not a single break down or issue. I put in new filter caps and tubes just this year, for the first time since that service over 20 years ago.

Agreed. In 1975, I got a Vox AC-30 from the late 1960s, and it produced some incredible sounds.....when it was working. It gradually became unfixable,(at least for a price I could afford at the time) and I quit using it. It sat in my garage until we had a flood, which destroyed it. .

Lest we forget the mighty John Scofield and his use of the AC30 live! Love Lyle @ PSIONIC Audio. Very informative channel! Thanks Mason!👍🎸👍🎸👍

I have owned them all. My 1965 wasn't temperamental at all. And it was on the road allot when I owned it. Glorious tone, no equal. The Korg era AC-30 TBX was a great sounding amp, but I sold it as well. Which one did I keep? The hand wired from 2014. Mine has Greenbacks for versatility. The Blue Celestions are great for that British Invasion sound, but I prefer the Greenbacks. If an owner is not satisfied with the quality of the components, they can be easily switched out. Mine sounds great for what I do with it. The AC-30 CC2 is a good enough amp, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly, especially since one can be had for around $750.00. Traded mine for a 1976 Fender Quad Reverb.

Love the video and the tones! Harrison and Paisley are two of my favorites. I've always liked having a tone somewhere between fender and vox. Been using a J Rockett Blue note (always on) into a Fender Pro Jr III and that gives a nice us/brit combo. 🎸🎸

About 12 years ago, Cliff Richard and the Shadows (hugely popular in the UK and Commonwealth) did a 50th-anniversary tour. The two guitarists each had 2 modernJMI amps, faithfully modeled on 60's Vox amps. Hank Marvin, the lead guitarist sounded incredible, the best clean Strat tone I ever heard. Sadly, not many were made.

Great video!!! The TONES!!! I have a Vox AC 50, which is TOO HEAVY to drag to gigs and too loud for the studio, but it was a lucky find and sounds great. The Tolex tears like crepe paper.

Awesome video! thanks for sharing!

Amazing demo, love the amp! I'm curious: did you fix the ground noise loop or is it ok as it is? Thanks!

Nice Video! I love stuff like this!

My old '63 AC15 twin was the perfect gigging amp. Even in clubs. EF86 circuit. Loved modern pedals too. Bloody heavy though.

The 1963-65 AC-30's are tone monsters. Very heavy. An old amp tech I had, called 'em "portable fireplaces." I'd still love to own one.

Classic amp and really good demonstration on the versatility of this magic amplifier

Great explanations, approach and tones! Sub’d!

Excellent video gentlemen!!!

Great video. I was amp hunting in 2011 and landed on the AC15HW1x with the blue speaker rather than a cc or C or whatever it was. I tried them in store and they were just missing what I was after. I feel like it occasionally has a bad day though I'm not sure if it's just me that day, but majority of the time it's phenomenal. Pairs beautifully with my Gretsch. The chime and punch on the dynasonic neck is top notch and the tv Jones filter on the bridge is just excellent big rock sounds. Have you seen the video from Jim Lill about where the tone comes from in an amp? Very interesting video.

Thank you so much for this video! I often like the distorted sound on the Beatle song Paperback Writer. Again thank you so much for this Vox AC30 Episode!

Great video! A band mate of mine had a amp like that when we were playing gigs back in the 80's. Sure, it looked cool, but it was VERY temperamental, and crapped out a few times. He replaced it with a Fender Twin. Haven't thought of that amp in years.....Thanks.

Great video! The Demeter TGP3 that Dean used has a blackface clean, a Marshall-y crunch channel, and then a solo channel. Adds the girth to allow the AC30 to sparkle on the top. Love blending my Dr. Z MAZ 18 with a Princeton Reverb or Tremolux.

Another awesome video. Brad Paisley was influenced (to some extent) by the Desert Rose Band and John Jorgenson using vintage Vox amps. Nice work!

Awesome video, Mason. Your guitarist Tim is great!

A big part of the way the guitars sound on the Beatles recording of I Feel Fine, if I recall correctly, is that they had plugged a Gibson J-160E acoustic into the amp. I think that's also supposedly how John Lennon got that weird feedback sound at the start of the song. I love my '94 AC30/6TB. Very reliable. I run it with an Alnico Blue and a Greenback. Nice combination. All hail the "Blizzard of Nails".

I Always enjoy your videos, Brother so thanks so much man You always go the extra mile in my opinion. Im a massive U2 The Edge Fan and other Vox players too. I have a VoxAC30CC2X and I love this amp. Its my first tube amp and to me it sounds great. Some people say oh you have the ""Chinese: celestion blue speakers, blah, blah. its not as good as a 60s TB , the circuits are different, the cone paper in the speaker is different just not as good, yeah maybe LMAO . I bought this amp in virtually new condition for 465GBP around 600USD in 2010. Im still laughing today. Funny thing is trolls say its not a true representation of the original, while playing a squier strat. Its a bit of a double standard. So anyway, who cares its an incredible amp and adding an eq pedal to the mix can shape some nice tonal joy to my ears. I wonder how many on YT are recording and selling albums and touring and taking a vintage 60s amp on the road? anyone going platinum anytime soon? Im not,, but its great for my small home studio. So my point is enjoy what you have and learning to get the best sound from your gear and playing your guitar to best of your ability for me is far more important after all they're just instruments to express yourself. Peace from Australia.

Good insight, good job guys.

had an old one but it was lacking bass in some circumstance. sold it got me a korg era one with blues and added an original an ef86 channel in the back of the amp. sounds great!

good informative video and demos. cheers!

How would one know what generation they have? I recently bought one with the green backs and I absolutely love it! So diverse and gets me the grunge tone that I've loved for years. I play a Jagstang with an old Boss DS1, the good one with the Toshiba chip. Can't believe how loud it is for 30 watts!

Great video as always; eminently thorough and well researched! Those Korg-era AC30s are fantastic.

One of the last vintage bargains would be an AC50. I picked up a JMI era 1966 AC50 in great condition last year for $850. Has the beautiful chime of an AC30 with Marshall type low end. A really great sounding amp!

Really useful information, Mason. Thank you! I will be on the prowl for one of these.

I had one of these back in about 2005, and loved it. I sold it for the AC 15 because of the shows I was playing, and couldn't get it over 2 without causing people ears to bleed. The AC 15 was also from this era of vox amp. It stayed with me until I decided to go on tour and sell all my amps I was not using. Now I only have my Fender Rumble 100 (my main amp) Tech 21 Trademark 60 and Fender champ from 1964. Between all of them, I get every sound and dynamic I could ever want with a guitar

This is a great video. What treble-booster was used for the Killer Queen solo, please?

When the second and third guitar parts came in on the “Killer Queen” bit I couldn’t help but smile. It is always fun to imitate original genius.

Great video! I’ve got a 92’ and it’s awesome like it better then the JMI’s and 60s versions

We play 3 AC30s in our band lead on 1978 UK made one, AC30VR on rhythm guitar and AC30CCH on bass with 2x12 cab. They all sound different but all made what they should.

Really liked that country twang fantastic video well explained and informative

Great video👏 I also have Vox ac30 6tb korg era from 1993 and have played hundreds of rock gigs on it (Queen, Zeppelin, Deep purple, Black sabath etc..). Nice sounding amp and very loud 😁 ....and plexi drive pedal works really good with it 👌

This is pretty funny. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s it was common knowledge that the Korg ac30tb’s and tbx’s had terrible reliability issues. I went through two of em myself. Good sound though! And I enjoyed the video for sure.

Most enjoyable. What about a brand new 2023 AC15 with the Blue Alnico speaker? This is what I'm toying with buying soon, maybe. Any good and worth the money? Thanks to you both, and excellent playing on nice guitars. My name's Tim also.

The circuit for my Korg era AC15-TBX is way different than the current iterations. It is basically the top boost channel of an AC30. It has a 5Y3 tube rectifier, tube driven tremolo & reverb. They were made in England. My amp had issues with poor solder joint quality, that I fixed when I installed Mercury Magnetics transformers. No issues at all with reliability since reflowing all solder joints.

i love seeing the AC30TBX get more attention! it deserves every bit of praise! as a TBX fan, i'd like to offer some clarification on a few things: - there's no cult following among the VOX community over the TBX, we all pretty much unanimously agree it's far superior to the majority of Korg's other AC30 offerings - the "Korg-Era AC30" is a misnomer. Korg has owned VOX since the 90's so any AC30 they've put out is a "Korg-Era AC30". i generally just refer to this amp as the "AC30TBX" for clarity - the CC2 (custom classic) is not a current version of the AC30. it's been discontinued since 2010. the current consumer grade AC30 versions are the AC30C2 and the AC30S1, both of which i'd argue are not worth your money on a professional level. this has nothing to do with the type of circuit or components, but the circuit design itself (the in/out sound) - the HW1/HW2 amps are well designed, well built, and populated with fine-quality and accurate components. they are the closest you can get to the traditional VOX sound and format when considering a new purchase. the most important things with the HW1/2 are the superior circuit design and the ease of service/modification, not the component quality or the HW nature itself. so, there's no reason to worry about the components as long as they are installed correctly and their value matches what the schematic calls for - the true closest modern "new" AC30 to the traditional 60's designs would be the HW60 series amps, but $$$$! just get a matchless at that point - using a vintage VOX has it's fair share of problems but they can be workhorses when given the proper TLC. for one, their components have drifted in value over time so capacitors and resistors will need to be replaced (if the previous owner didn't replace them already). second, they were made to receive lower voltages from the wall (USA, around 110VAC compared to 124VAC+ modern day), so you have to use a variac or voltage reduction like the Brown Box. :)

I really appreciate these breakdowns. Great as always. I have a Valvetronix from 2007, and even THAT thing screams. You’d think there was a tube preamp, given how it responds. Probably one of the coolest hybrid amps I’ve ever used. Love vox. Edits to say Tim rips.

Great tones! Was there added gain for the STP parts?

Korg did an excellent job! I have an original AC30 TB/6 from 1964 with the blue dog speakers. It’s a studio workhorse and is doing great so far. I’m certainly gonna check out the Korg version - thx

Interesting concept, I've used the Korg era Vox AC30 and they are the best of the newer ones. BUT - I've had original 60s AC30s on the road for years with zero problems. They are handled by our road crew and are in flight cases.

Damn this is such an educational video! Had no idea that these dudes used Vox besides the Beatles. Also, homie absolutely nailed that STP DeLeo tone!!!!

Cheers brother great video ❤

hey, great video about AC30s. Can I ask a non music related question? how do you achieve that fast side shifting camera effect at 4:41 and then back at 4:45? its really cool!

Great tones, love what it does to single coils. The modern Chinese built are still very good. I bought one to use in a 60s band but when that ended I used in my new rock band. Strats love Vox, so yes, if I had the money I would upgrade but in the meantime I can still channel my inner Rory Gallagher!

Yup 👍 I love my Korg AC30 and AC15. I'm pretty new to magic of VOX and this video is some nice affirmation. 👌

Great post. There’s also the more recent AC30CC2 👍🏼 …or is it AC30C2?

Timbo ! You absolutely nailed the paisley vibe …!! Honorable mentch to the queen 🎉

Great sounding amp! Thanks 😊

Fantastic video, beautifully made, pro quality! 👌Good luck to you

I contend that the very best use of a Vox AC30 was by James Williamson on Iggy & the Stooges Raw Power album.

Great video. I had two of the korg made ac30’s back in the early 2000’s and they were great, I recently came across a great deal on a new handwired version with blues that needed repair (just a bad pot) and saw when I opened it up the previous owner had done the common upgrades of caps and tubes inside. I’d love to have a korg again to compare because it’s been around 15 years but I feel like I love the sound of the handwired more. How much the parts upgrades on it play into that I’m not sure

Originals are perfectly reliable if maintained properly like my 66. Same with my 93 TBX, never let me down after decades of use and abuse Hard to believe how much time has passed that these are not well known.

I’ve always wanted to try a TBX. I’ve got a CC2 from the mid 2000s. A little too clean/bright, but still a good sounding amp. I more recently bought the current line AC15C1 and I love it.

Nice job guys.

Do these era of Vox amps use the EF86 preamp tube, and are the Vox AC15s of this era also good?

Excellent job guy's.

Just a quick couple notes: Brian May used the Normal channel with his Red Special/booster set-up. Definitely a smoother overdrive but you also need 100% of the tubes volume to make it happen. I found with the AC30S1, you can run 12AT7s or 12AU7s for preamp tubes and smooth it out a LOT. The S1 only has the Top Boost version of the original AC30. I used the AC30S1 for my last 2 CDs and found swapping tubes to match a song was a blast, in addition to experimenting with different guitars to match to a song. I had a ton of really good possibilities with really simple guitar and/or pre-amp tube swaps. Big AC30 and/or AC15 fan here. I have an AC30S1 that's really great sounding. It did have 3 bad OEM tubes in the first few months. Replaced all the tubes and kept the rest of the OEM as spares and no other issues. I'm also retired from live work, so only studio usage now, FWIW.

Interesting concept for video

I bought a used on in 1965 and never had it in the shop...ever...and I really wish I had it back.

Great job mason, real pro vid!

You forgot the use of Flatwound strings on "I Feel Fine" EMI, Abbey Road also had Chamber Reverb that was used. Korg also made a HandWired AC-30 that was single channel with Reverb and Trem. either as a head or a combo.

Cool vid concept.

Good vid mate.. l came here via Lyle's channel.. he's helped massively.. seeing as lve zero sparky (electrician) skills.. It's a fkn minefield.. & l, like everybody.. don't have coin to burn.. I'll keep watching, see if I can pinch a few tips from you blokes. Thanks mate.

i have had 5 in my life time of this era. still have one. best amp

Had a CC head- delicate innards, heavy and tones were meh until I did most of the Psionic Audio mods myself. Got rid of it and had an AC15c1 with a v30 in it that was fantastic clean to cranked. Might get another one soon. TBX are great, but I haven’t seen one much less played one in years. Huge DeLeo/STP fan - had a TGP3 rig and still have a TGA 2 DeLeo spec. That amp is built like a tank and super slept on as a pedal platform just for its clean channel alone.

For his harmonies and for a lot of solos as well Brian May used his Deacy amp which is the amplification circuit of an old transistor radio that John Deacon, the bassist of Queen, found and wired up to a hifi bookshelf speaker and powered with a large 9v battery to use as a practice amp in 1972. Later once John Deacon was a member of Queen Brian May discovered Deacon had this amp and used it a lot all over Queens songs.

I also had issues with my older vox went to badcat but also temperamental

Mine is actually a 2011 Korg Era TBX with greens! I need to get them changed out to blues or silvers.

Would be nice to be able to own and play one of these. But I like the newer AC15CH (head). Because, you can start with a more affordable cab. And upgrade to an Alnico blue one later. It's more versatile, and nice and portable. Especially if venue or practice space have cabs for performing and rehearsing. Also, can use a less sensitive 1x12" for home practice, or recording, with the reactive load attenuator taking it down to 1.5W. And use a loud sensitive 2 x 12" for live / rehearsal. With modern PAs, I think the less extremely loud and heavy AC15 is a better choice than the AC30, for the majority of people. These amps all have design flaws and potential / probable points of failure. I think Psionic would advise doing some preventative work up front, sorting out these known potential issues, then the reliability can be improved. One reason the Korg eras are good now, is the ones is circulation that are still working well may have failed before, and had work done already.

I actually am a vintage tube supplier to Lindz the guitar tech from The Black. I gave him the proper value Sprague Adam Newell stock late 60s light blue filter capacitors and all the super nice electric cube polypropylene capacitors in the secondaries and didn't change the values. Just change the coupling capacitor values slightly with old mustard Taiwan ceramic disk caps. I asked him a month later after he did the mod how rich Robinson liked it ? Yeah he said he likes it! thanks Dave. So there you go there you go 😊

I bought a second hand Vox AC15TBX in 1998 and it is still on the studio and on tour. I just can’t find a switch pedal that works (reverb and tremolo). Maybe someone could help ?

A few things. I've been a guitarist/guitar player for 40 years now. I'm also a producer and engineer. I knew Dick Denny reasonably well, and used to speak with him on the phone for hours on end. You mentioned Trainwreck. Ken Fischer and I were good friends from 1988 until he killed himself in 2006. I'm also good "business friends" with the executive at KORG Japan who actually negotiated the deal to acquire Vox. Tim's playing was great, but with all your knowledge, you could have helped him in achieving a better and more accurate tone. All examples were brittle and harsh, "I Feel Fine" in particular wasn't even remotely close to the original: the cut knob on the amp was pretty wide open, and maybe even completely; Tim used an ES-335 with light-gauge round-wound (nickel-plated steel ?) strings; and the amp was way too crunchy. George Harrison used a Gretsch with flat-wound strings, and John Lennon's Gibson J-160-E was plugged in to his AC-30/50. The Brian May and Edge examples definitely suffered from "Strat-itis" : guitar volume on 10 with ear-piercing screeching treble; actually, all the examples suffered from excessive high end. I wonder if Tim is a bit deaf in the treble frequencies, or is it just the way these sounds translate via KZfaq's processing. My point here is not to put down you or Tim, but since you were trying to demonstrate the capabilities of the AC-30, I think you might have missed the mark here in this one; especially on the Beatles song. Still a good video though. 👍🏻

How about ac30 30th limited edition? I have 1997 ac30 6tbx korg era and 30th. Two amps have different sound.

This is good to know. Thanks

I own a AC30 6TBX I bought new from North Coast Music back in 2001 and it sounds magnificent!

I'm mostly an AC15 guy but the Korg-era AC15 TBX are great. I just love the 60th Anniversary AC15 with the the EF86 preamp channel more. For Top Boost I'm using the AC15 HW1 and had critical components upgraded in quality. NOS tubes really help too. If I found a nice AC15 TBX for a good deal I might add one to my collection, but between the 60th Anniversary and the HW1 I'm a happy camper.

My 1961 AC30 never gave me any problems in 25 years that I owned it. And my 1965 AC10 Twin has not either, except that the voltage selector didn't work as expected when I moved to Europe 😐 (it's fixed and works great now!)

I had one with Alnico Blues. Fantastic amp but had to let it go as being a NMV amp, it was just too loud.

4:36 This is the Best "Beatles - I Feel Fine guitar cover. They Have the AC50 for their Concerts & Tours in 1965, but in the studio where they record this song. They used an AC30 to give the songs its unique sound.

I have Korg Vox AC15, and it sounds quite bland and cardboardy, it lacks air and 3-dimensionality, I don't know what's up with it, I even upgraded the 90's bulldog speaker to celestion blue (H1777) but no improvement. The tubes are all JJ and they are quite fresh and the amp has been service by a experienced professional in its past. Any ideas? What would be good set of tubes to breathe life to my AC15? Signal chain, boosters etc.? I already have Rickenbacker 330 so is it just that I suck as player?

I had a Vox AC 15, handwired. Still have it 40 years later (it’s a 66). It’s been retired to the studio now. I use a late 90’s Matchless live, now. Much more dependable. I play Teles and Gretsch’s - forever! Peace

Is there any overdrive pedal on the STP - Interstate Love song?

The Custom Classic was produced from 2005-2010. The current production is the Custom series. Confusing nomenclature for sure, but two very different amps.

My two cents: I use the latest incarnation of the ac15 (ac15ch)head I picked up for $300 mint/used once with a celestion vintage + cab which cost me about $130 new. I'm sure it doesn't compare to the vintage unit but for the money with pedals it makes for a great working man's gig rig that is loud, portable, authentically 'vox' sounding for medium size theatres and club gigs playing country/blues/rock.

great video! but i dont think edge uses delay on sunday bloody sunday. maybe a little reverb.

Luv my CC2. It's one of my favorite amps.

I've got the anniversary one from 1990. Greenbacks but still killer.

I have a 2005 AC30CC2 which I have had minimal problems with. It kept blowing fuses due to the rectifier tube ... I found a loose fit on the tube , female side and was able to tighten the contact with a toothpick, this was 10 years or so ago and nothing but smooth operation since. Also once I had left the amp ON but in STANDBY for over 3 WEEKS when I was on a business trip and was horrified that I had killed the transformer.. but so far so good, so I don't believe those who say the CCs are unreliable crap.