[jamforchrist123]

Lately I've been playing my guitar and realizing I'm just not getting the sounds I've been hearing in my head. It could very much have to do with finally getting over the honey-moon period with my AC30, but something just doesn't feel right. Today I played straight guitar to amp and the tone I was getting just wasn't what I wanted to hear. It seemed overly fizzy and not very clear. That very well could be because I couldn't turn it up past 2, but that isn't something I can do in almost any situation.

My friend has a pro junior that he leads worship with, and every Sunday he just plugs straight into it with his Mexican Tele, turns it halfway up, and week after week he gets this full, thick, clear tone that I envy. I'm not sure if that's a route I want to take or not, but I for sure would somehow like to get that tone.

I know a way to improve the tone of my amp would be to get new speakers to replace the stock ones, but that is out of the question because of money. It could also have to do with the stock pickups in my tele, but I don't think those are the problem either.

I should probably start to think that I might just not be a Vox Guy, but I love the tone pretty much everybody else gets from them, so I don't think that's it.

So the sound I'm after... Chris's tone in this video is always the tone I'm striving for:
YouTube - Your Love Never Fails -Chris Quilala / Jesus Culture

I think he's using a Matchless in that video though, so I don't see that happening anytime soon haha.

A route that I'm considering is selling the AC30 and using that money to get a pro junior and an older peavy for my high-gain tones, and when I just need to be really loud in general. I like having the AC30 as it can get just STUPID loud for the situations where I can't mic it, but those don't come too often so I think having a Peavey ultra or something around for when I need it could do well.


So sorry for the long post, I guess my overall question is if any of you have a suggestion on this situation. The Pro Jr.+Old Peavey seems like a good route, but I'd also really like to keep my AC30 if there is a way I could make it work better for me without spending money.

Thanks!

[gopats1479]

I also see a Fender DeVille and an AC30. It could be any one of those amps.

I also want this sound.

[Gustin]

If that's the sound you're after, I think your best bet is probably staying with the AC30. I'm pretty certain the Matchless he's using is a DC-30 which shares a lot of the AC30 circuit. I think the AC30 will get you a lot closer to that sound than the other route. Also you say you love the sound other people get from it. Maybe you just need to spend some more time on the AC30 and work on getting some tones you're happy with.

[Rainer.]

I think your problem is you want LOUD tone without getting LOUD. 'Cause I know an AC30, and it sounds great loud, but when can you ever get it loud?


Attenuator time?

[gopats1479]

If it's too loud, try an AC15 head. They may be expensive, but if you need more power at anytime just get a bigger cab.

[jamforchrist123]

Originally Posted by Gustin

If that's the sound you're after, I think your best bet is probably staying with the AC30. I'm pretty certain the Matchless he's using is a DC-30 which shares a lot of the AC30 circuit. I think the AC30 will get you a lot closer to that sound than the other route. Also you say you love the sound other people get from it. Maybe you just need to spend some more time on the AC30 and work on getting some tones you're happy with.

I think you're right. I think I just need to sit aside a long time and really try to nail down a sound I dig. I also think I'll borrow my friends Pro Jr. and see what kind of results I get. If I have no luck with the AC30 and really like what I get with the pro jr, I'll go through with that plan and see what happens.

Originally Posted by Rainer.

I think your problem is you want LOUD tone without getting LOUD. 'Cause I know an AC30, and it sounds great loud, but when can you ever get it loud?


Attenuator time?

I think this could have a lot to do with it. I'd love to go the attenuator route, but I have literally zero talent in the area of working with electronics so I don't think I'd have the skills to make one myself.

[Deadduck]

I'm pretty sure that's a Matchless Lightning Reverb, which is sort of based on a Vox AC-15. I have a non-reverb Lightning, and it's an incredible amp. I hear Chris uses a Klon and a Blues Driver. I use a Timmy and a Crowther Hotcake with mine.
The lead guitar player is using an AC-30, and has a good tone too.
Sounds like to me that you need to use the normal channel not top boost, open your Master Volume up, and bring the channel volume back. Possibly bring the bass down some.
Bottom line, play it pretty clean.

[jamforchrist123]

Originally Posted by Deadduck

I'm pretty sure that's a Matchless Lightning Reverb, which is sort of based on a Vox AC-15. I have a non-reverb Lightning, and it's an incredible amp. I hear Chris uses a Klon and a Blues Driver. I use a Timmy and a Crowther Hotcake with mine.
The lead guitar player is using an AC-30, and has a good tone too.
Sounds like to me that you need to use the normal channel not top boost, open your Master Volume up, and bring the channel volume back. Possibly bring the bass down some.
Bottom line, play it pretty clean.

It's funny you say that, as I was looking at my amp today and realized that ever since I've got the amp I've only used the top boost channel and never even thought twice about using the normal channel. I can't believe I would completely overlook the fact that there is a total different part to this amp I haven't tried out yet. I'm excited to be able to set it up again and give it a shot.

[Deadduck]

Good luck with it. A friend of mine has one of the newer AC-30's, and he pretty much uses the normal channel exclusively. Sounds awesome!

[Ax]

After some research, it seems that the lead singer uses the DeVille and the lead guitarist uses the AC30 and the Matchless.

[dailybeans]

Originally Posted by Ax

After some research, it seems that the lead singer uses the DeVille and the lead guitarist uses the AC30 and the Matchless.

So it turns out that the Matchless tone everyone has been coveting is really Fender tone.
Score!

[ibanez_dude]

Originally Posted by Ax

After some research, it seems that the lead singer uses the DeVille and the lead guitarist uses the AC30 and the Matchless.

For the jesus culture song mentioned? I don't think that's right, I'm 95% sure he's the one using the matchless.

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by jamforchrist123

Lately I've been playing my guitar and realizing I'm just not getting the sounds I've been hearing in my head. It could very much have to do with finally getting over the honey-moon period with my AC30, but something just doesn't feel right. Today I played straight guitar to amp and the tone I was getting just wasn't what I wanted to hear. It seemed overly fizzy and not very clear. That very well could be because I couldn't turn it up past 2, but that isn't something I can do in almost any situation.

My friend has a pro junior that he leads worship with, and every Sunday he just plugs straight into it with his Mexican Tele, turns it halfway up, and week after week he gets this full, thick, clear tone that I envy. I'm not sure if that's a route I want to take or not, but I for sure would somehow like to get that tone.

I know a way to improve the tone of my amp would be to get new speakers to replace the stock ones, but that is out of the question because of money. It could also have to do with the stock pickups in my tele, but I don't think those are the problem either.

I should probably start to think that I might just not be a Vox Guy, but I love the tone pretty much everybody else gets from them, so I don't think that's it.

So the sound I'm after... Chris's tone in this video is always the tone I'm striving for:
YouTube - Your Love Never Fails -Chris Quilala / Jesus Culture

I think he's using a Matchless in that video though, so I don't see that happening anytime soon haha.

A route that I'm considering is selling the AC30 and using that money to get a pro junior and an older peavy for my high-gain tones, and when I just need to be really loud in general. I like having the AC30 as it can get just STUPID loud for the situations where I can't mic it, but those don't come too often so I think having a Peavey ultra or something around for when I need it could do well.


So sorry for the long post, I guess my overall question is if any of you have a suggestion on this situation. The Pro Jr.+Old Peavey seems like a good route, but I'd also really like to keep my AC30 if there is a way I could make it work better for me without spending money.

Thanks!

sounds like an ac30 in the clip you liked...

I have a frenzel Hot Box wildcat, which is very similar to the vox and matchless. It seriously makes that sound only better (imo, which could be the lack of compression, because it is in the room with me rather than a digital clip.) SO if you have a real ac-30, it should sound close. IMO, the preamp gain without some power amp involvement with a vox sounds fizzy.

I would recommend a 50 watt weber attenuator to get you the sound you want at a manageable volume. You will still be missing speaker breakup to an extent for that real loud vox sound.

[Plexi8759]

Originally Posted by BillSPrestonEsq

sounds like an ac30 in the clip you liked...

I have a frenzel Hot Box wildcat, which is very similar to the vox and matchless. It seriously makes that sound only better (imo, which could be the lack of compression, because it is in the room with me rather than a digital clip.) SO if you have a real ac-30, it should sound close. IMO, the preamp gain without some power amp involvement with a vox sounds fizzy.

I would recommend a 50 watt weber attenuator to get you the sound you want at a manageable volume. You will still be missing speaker breakup to an extent for that real loud vox sound.

I second this !!! Pre amp gain without power amp overdrive is always fizzy! Saturation from the power section is much more complex harmonically ... There is much more depth. Is preamp gain bad? Absolutely not but the tone will be much better with amp vol turned up at least a fair amount. This means it will be loud and bills suggestion is a good one! Also you could build an isolation box for your amp with a mic mounted inside so that you can get the speaker involved as well.

I use an ac30 and IMO it's an awesome amp for clean as well as driven tones!!! Mine works great with the volume set close to half and using a Keeley java boost for lead tones!