Bass Heavy Fuzz into AC15cc1

[pillof]

I'm having trouble running both big muff and devi ever soda meiser into my ac15cc1 when the top boost volume past 10:00. It sounds way too compressed and the low notes just get eaten if that make sense.

does anyone have the same problem?

its my first tube amp so I really need some opinions.

thanks!

[Gunner Recall]

The top boost isn't known for being entirely pedal friendly...but YMMV.
Some people claim they take pedals very well, but some people also think the metal zone is the greatest invention known to man

You might want to try the bright cap mod...it's fairly simple and people claim it helps the ac's take pedals better.
Other things that might help are investing in better speakers if you have the ac15cc1 (alnico blues are supposed to be the bee's knees for a vox) , or swapping in some better tubes (I like JJ's)

[pillof]

Thanks for your inputs!

I have done the bright cut, which makes it take overdrives alot better, but still not fuzz...

One thing I discover just now is that if i use pq-4 to boost "a lot of" low end, the amp sound right with fuzzes.

So I'm thinking about doing the eq mod.

http://www.guitarpug.com/2008/06/vox-ac15cc-mod-guide/
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=440977

However I'm totally a noob on electronics...

Does it mean that I just need to solder a wire on those to lugs and that's it?

thanks!

[smile_man]

Does your amp have a Top Boost AND Master Volume knob? If you do, try turning the TB down and the master up, it works for me.

[royaltrux]

I play an AC30, which is essentially my favorite amp ever made (except perhaps for vintage marshall 18 watts), but I have to say that the reissue AC15 is one of the weakest sounding amps I have ever played.

The AC15 really sounds nothing like the AC30 -- the AC30 is very harmonically rich, even when cranked in Top Boost. By contrast, if you get the Top Boost on the AC15 past noon, you basically get a really muddy tone that sounds like garbage.

So, as someone fairly experienced with Vox amps, I would say you are just going to have to take the Top Boost down and the master volume up. You are running up against an inherent limitation of the amplifier -- other than attempting to mod it, you are basically out of luck.

I would suggest finding a setting where the fuzzes work (such as top boost set to somewhere between 9-12), and then looking into finding an OD pedal (perhaps something as simple as an MXR micro amp) that you can use as an alternate way of getting the tone you like when the Top Boost is cranked.

I'm not trying to bash your amp -- I hope you don't take it that way -- I'm just trying to be honest about the limitations of the amp.

[ohsojayadeva]

yeah, i have a newer, mod free ac15 and it loves pedals. i leave the master up all the way and set my volume using the top boost volume control. all of my fuzzes, including the SM side of the rocket, sound incredible with this amp.

[pillof]

I play an AC30, which is essentially my favorite amp ever made (except perhaps for vintage marshall 18 watts), but I have to say that the reissue AC15 is one of the weakest sounding amps I have ever played.

The AC15 really sounds nothing like the AC30 -- the AC30 is very harmonically rich, even when cranked in Top Boost. By contrast, if you get the Top Boost on the AC15 past noon, you basically get a really muddy tone that sounds like garbage.

So, as someone fairly experienced with Vox amps, I would say you are just going to have to take the Top Boost down and the master volume up. You are running up against an inherent limitation of the amplifier -- other than attempting to mod it, you are basically out of luck.

I would suggest finding a setting where the fuzzes work (such as top boost set to somewhere between 9-12), and then looking into finding an OD pedal (perhaps something as simple as an MXR micro amp) that you can use as an alternate way of getting the tone you like when the Top Boost is cranked.

I'm not trying to bash your amp -- I hope you don't take it that way -- I'm just trying to be honest about the limitations of the amp.

I can't agree more on what you've said...which makes me really said..

I bought this amp mainly wanted to try out the overdriven vox sounds I've heard in the records I love

clean is not what I'm looking for....

do you mean that even cranking the top boost, AC30 (CCx i suppose?) still takes fuzzes well?

what kind of mod would you suggest?

Thank you for the reply!

[pillof]

where can I find the information of the amp?

does it still take pedal fine when the top boost cranked as a dirty amp?

yeah, i have a newer, mod free ac15 and it loves pedals. i leave the master up all the way and set my volume using the top boost volume control. all of my fuzzes, including the SM side of the rocket, sound incredible with this amp.

[ohsojayadeva]

after reading your other replies, i can tell you one thing - the SM needs head room. like i said in my other post, try running your master wide open and using top boost for volume, get a clean setting you're happy with, and then hit the SM.

[pillof]

ok! thanks! that's what I need to know. I also found out yours is a NT15H in the other posts.

I'm asking this because this IS my first experience with tube amp, and I always assume fuzz into overdriven amps is as easy as fuzz into overdrive pedals.

does this kind of overly compressed sound only happen on vox type of amp? is there any tube amp that takes bass heavy fuzz well when overdriven.

sorry for so many questions. Tube amps are hard to come by and try out in where I live, but I want to know more about them.

Thanks!

after reading your other replies, i can tell you one thing - the SM needs head room. like i said in my other post, try running your master wide open and using top boost for volume, get a clean setting you're happy with, and then hit the SM.

[ohsojayadeva]

no, mine is definitely an ac15cc1, bone stock off the shelf model.

have you thought about trying different tubes, or perhaps a different speaker? it is a 1x12 open back combo amp which isn't the most incredibly bass-moving setup one could have.

[Gunner Recall]

Probably just slamming the amp too hard. The SM is a beast.
Dial back your amp to a clean sound and work your way to the "verge of breakup" if you can.

Upgrading the speaker to blues will help, imo the stock wharfedales get too muddy.

Experiment with eq/fuzz/od pedals in the chain, it is a much easier way to get different sounds out of your fuzz.
With my fromel shape eq and one or two devi's I can dial in a million tones of fuzz bliss.

[royaltrux]

As long as we're on the subject, Vox actually just came out with a switchable 15/7 "portable" head (basically their answer to the Orange Tiny Terror).

You can see it here: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=581333

Has anyone actually seen/played one of these yet?

I wonder if this amp is just basically an AC15 without the cab or whether this thing actually has its own sound, or perhaps a sound akin to an AC30.

[ohsojayadeva]

i'm pretty sure that's a new circuit, designed by tony bruno IIRC.

[Gunner Recall]

It doesn't sound much like the ac15 or ac30...it's got it's own thing going on.
I've heard mostly good things from owners.

I was thinking the ac4 head/cab would be a bitchin bedroom amp...if I could stop buying pedals.