24th December (3)

The original documents page has now been split in two - 1961 is here, and 1962 here. Both are still building. Additions will be signalled on these page as they arrive.

24th December (2)

The documents page has been updated with further material from 1961 - four new pieces from "Melody Maker" magazine.

24th December

"Melody Maker" magazine, 20th May, 1961, the AC30 in view said to be "New" - re-stated in the first line of the text: "new series amplifiers". This newness corresponds to the "List of Changes" noted on the circuit diagram, 8th May 1961.

20th December (3)

A new page on the modified copper panel Top Boost AC30 pictured below now available here.

20th December (2)

Old pictures of an AC30/6, black panel, post "list of Changes", serial number probably 470x, now added here.

20th December

Just to signal that quite a lot of swapping of chassis and boxes goes on, especially where black panel and early copper panel AC30s are concerned.

The two pictures below are of a post "List of Changes" black panel AC30/6 currently in a box with serial plate 4763, a number correct for this type of chassis.

The chassis in its current box.

Below, older pictures - the same chassis as above in a different box, with a repro / fake plate stamped, in odd fashion, serial no. 5014 T and deliberately scratched up. Unfortunately there was no such thing as a "Treble" AC30 at this point.

Note the non-original screws and unusual stamping and scratching.

The same chassis as 4763.

12th December (3)

The Beatles, Cavern Club, 22nd August, 1962, a reasonably good detail of the beige AC30 (one can just see the Celestion blues).

Above, a detail of a photo taken from a slightly different angle. No serial number plate on the amp.

A slightly different angle again. Note that one of the knobs of the top boost module is missing.

12th December (2)

Below, Jennings adverts in the first two "Beat Monthly" issues - May and June 1963. Note the change in the depictions of a "standard" AC30 from beige to black. But such ads are in themselves never a wholly reliable means of dating changes.

AC30s had in any case been issued in dark coverings (albeit as a non-standard thing) since 1961.

12th December

An AC30 Super Twin head from late 1963 / early 1964 with its tag - the first style of JMI tag - affixed to the front grille cloth.

An old-style JMI tag on the left, the new style of mid 1964 to its right.

11th December

The page on AC30s with serial numbers in the 6000s is now building - amps still with beige covering (for the most part) and copper control panels.

10th December

"Accordion Times", July 1959. The A.C.30 - 4 inputs, 30 watt output - is listed at 70 guineas. Note that the 100 Charing Cross Road shop is still described as the "Jennings Accordion Centre".

9th December

Detail from the JMI catalogue of early 1964.

The page on the Expanded Frequency AC30 - the AC30X - is now up. Further material to be added soon.

8th December (4)

A couple more shots from "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (from this site), the first of The Tornados, the second The Sputnicks:

Pictured September 1962.

The Spotnicks, 6th October 1962.

8th December (3)

"The Olympics", June 1962, with three generations of Vox amps: TV Front AC30/4 at front; AC15 middle; new split-front AC30 behind.

8th December (2)

A better pic of Adam Faith on stage, NME concert, 1962, also by Harry Hammond, now in the V&A archive. Notice the full cloth front of the speaker cabinet, as in the early adverts. Later beige cabs had split fronts.

8th December

Adam Faith, NME Poll Winners Concert, 15th April, 1962. At left, a glimpse of one of the band's AC30 Super Twin cabs. Photo by Harry Hammond. Faith's band was expressly mentioned in the JMI flyer of October 1961 as one of those that had AC30 Super Twins early on.

7th December

On its way, and jumping ahead slightly, a page on the AC30 Expanded Frequency amps; also a page on bands with early AC30s. Below, Billy Fury and the Tornados in 1960 and 1962:

On stage, 1960, with two TV front AC30/4s. Picture from Getty Images.

His band rehearsing, date unknown, but probably 1962.

Rehearsing, early 1962, Larry Parnes in the foreground. From left to right: AC30/6 Super Twin II (two cabinets) with an older Vox amp tucked behind; an AC30/6 Super Twin I or II; an AC30 Twin with another behind, probably a spare.

6th December (3)

Just added on this page, an AC30/4 chassis with "cooker" style knobs, now in a later box.

6th December (2)

Below, unusual modifications to a beige AC30 - Fane heavy duty speakers, and a sort of expanded boost unit, the panel made from the control panel from an early AC80/100 or AC50 mark 1 (but cut down) - therefore not before early 1964 on the basis of that alone. But one of the pots apparently has the code "JL" = October '64, indicating probable manufacture of the unit in or after early 1965.

Immediately above, control panel of an early AC50 mark 1.

6th December

Now added on the documents page, the pricelist attached to the large fold-out catalogue of late 1962.

The AC30N is 115 guineas, the AC30B 120 gns.

5th December (2)

The page on early copper panel AC30s - serial numbers in the 5000s and high 4000s - now begun.

5th December

The box from an early AC30/6 Super Twin now added on this page - nothing else for the time being. The serial number plate is genuine (and original), non-standard for AC30s though. Interesting to see the remains of black cloth under the plate.

4th December

Immediately below, an image posted yesterday of an AC30/4 chassis in a 1990s box. Below it, a black panel AC30/6 with the same type of voltage selector plug, a red jumper wire visible.

The wire is there to make a plug without a metal connector strip useable in the voltage selector base - see the third picture below.

The plug on the right is the type normally found in link voltage selectors (as used by Vox), the connector strip making permanent contact between the two prongs.

3rd December (2)

A black panel AC30/6 in superb condition. The voltage selector is set at 245v, so the amp was probably in the UK when these pictures were taken.

3rd December

"Melody Maker" magazine, 23rd September, 1961 (now also on the documents page). The AC30/6 alone listed - no mention of the AC30/4. Earlier in the paper (see further below) an article on The Shadows pictured with black-covered AC30/4s.

88 Broadway, Bexleyheath, cited at the foot of the advert was "Musicland".

2nd December (4)

Yet another from the mists of time, its box well used. The output transformer is missing along with the voltage selector and serial number plate.

2nd December (3)

A further pic. of an AC30/6, black panel, in a box (recovered?) in black:

2nd December (2)

Pictures, from 2005, of the chassis of another black panel AC30/6. This one has a Woden choke with date code "JT" = October 1962, so presumably a replacement, as may be the Radiospares filter capacitor beside it (one would normally expect to find a Hunts cap.).

2nd December

Some more black panel AC30s now in recovered or new boxes to add / register - all four are AC30/6s:

Now in a 1990s AC30 box. The small tagboard lower left indicates this is a pre-"list-of-changes" amp, therefore first half or perhaps even third of 1961.

For the time being two small images of this one, in an overpainted cabinet, though still with the original brown grille cloth (?). From September 2006.

Amp section and cab recovered in Korg white. A rare instance (very probably) of a black panel AC30/6 Super Twin.

Now in a post-1964 cabinet (assuming the silver alnicos are original to it). Note the small tagboard at left - therefore likely to be pre-"list-of-changes".

.