Hello all. Here is the true story behind this Vox AC30. It was brought to me by a local gentleman, together with the story of how this Vox has stood, unused, for more than 20 years!
He basically wanted it all putting back to full working order, with the intention of selling it on EBay. The owner wasn’t actually aware of its value, and was quite gob-smacked when I told him what that value is. I therefore ended up being given the job of selling it for him on EBay, which has now been carried out.She is a 1962 JMI Vox AC30, with a copper control panel, and still baring the original brass vents, original strap handles, and "blue-back" Celestion speakers. The only downside is that somebody, way back there in the eighties, has recovered it......and not very well I must admit!
After my full service of this baby she sounds awesome. Just as these amps of this vintage always do!! Here is a list of what has been done, as written on the repair invoice:
1. Dismantle and remove whole chassis for inspection of non-working unit.
2. Diagnose initial fault, output transformer has been on fire and "burnt–out", literally! Removed for rewind. Rewound, refitted and rewired.
3. Removal of microphone balanced line input transformer (modification).
4. Removal of side mounted extension speaker socket (modification).
5. Removal and re-fit/rewire of four input jacks (both normal and brilliant channels) along with new associated components (another modification!).
6. Changed numerous components in the form of tired/worn-out resistors and capacitors.
7. Checked and replaced power fuse for correct 3amp (had 8amp in here, wrong!).
8. Full set of new valves (tubes) as many were tired (two were broken anyway). 1 x JJ GZ34, 4 x JJ EL84, 4 x RCA ECC83, 1 x Mullard ECC82.
9. Supply and fit all new nuts, bolts, tee-nuts, cage-nuts and general hardware (many were missing?) All other hardware checked for tightness including handles, baffle and speaker bolts/nuts/screws.
10. Rear information plate removed, straightened, and re-fitted, replacing missing screws.
11. Hover-out and clean inside of case and both speakers, plus full rewire of the speakers too (these had been wired incorrectly!).
12. Fully cleaned control panel and chicken head knobs, plus re-positioned them all correctly.
13. Replaced missing screening can on one tube.
14. Replacement of speaker terminal connecting block (somebody has tried to solder to this and melted it in doing so!!).
15. Supplied and fitted missing tremolo foot-switch.
Needless to say she is superb now, although I am well aware (as too is her owner) that the re-cover issue has probably de-valued her by half! Nevertheless, I have a contact who does incredible physical restoration work on old sixties amps such as Vox etc. His name is James Payze, and he lives down in Suffolk. (Click HERE to visit his WEBSITE).
He assures me that he has the Vox brown diamond cloth (as this amp should have), the correct vinyl covering, tubing, handles, and everything needed to put this baby back to rights!As can be seen from the "jobs done" list above, there had been some modifications made to this amp in the past. These have all been "ripped out" now and put back to rights.
One of the modifications involved the fitting of a side-mounted extension speaker jack, resulting in a hole on one of the sides, Also there are two holes in the back; one in each back panel as can be seen in the photos. All three of these holes could easily be filled in before any recovering takes place.
So everybody, there you have it.
Once again, yet another satisfied customer!!Cheers for looking, John.
The amp was purchased by specialist amplifier dealer and restorer Ampaholics, who have now carried out a very successful cabinet restoration on the amp. The following two photos show the AC30 as she now is:
Ampaholics website can be viewed at http://www.ampaholics.co.uk/