Vox AC30 website updates

April 2020

30th April

Some pictures from the now at the V&A. One has to take the dates ascribed in the archive with a pinch of salt: pictures taken at the 1961 NME Poll Winners concert are sometimes registered as being from 1962, and vice versa. The correct years are supplied below.

The NME concerts, held annually at the Empire Pool, Wembley, were a showcase for JMI from 1960 through to 1968.

5th March, 1961

Above, a good shot of The Shadows at the Poll Winners concert of '61 with their second set of AC30s. The amps had probably been supplied new for this event. A further shot is to be found lower on this page, entry for 15th March.

The same concert - The Shadows played a second set with Cliff following their own. The stage has been rearranged.

15th April, 1962

A good front shot of The Shadows' third set of AC30s, supplied new for this event, much as the previous set had been supplied new for the year before. Jet Harris's amp is on the stage floor, his smaller chrome stand no longer used.

John Leyton receiving his award from David Jacobs. Behind, the pre-production AC30 Super Twins issued by JMI to Adam Faith in October 1961. The amplifier sections are on chairs behind the full valance front speaker cabinets. Production speaker cabs have split fronts.

Billy Fury. This shot is from 1962. One of the TV Front AC30s can be seen in the shot of the Brook Brothers, below. The Brook Brothers did not appear in the 1961 concert.

The Brook Brothers.

21st April, 1963

This is 1963 not 1962 as stated yesterday. Adam Faith on stage. There are three custom colour Vox amps - probably AC15s (rather than AC10s). Below an example.

AC15 serial number 4965. For further pics, see below, entry for 5th April. Was this one of the amps on stage on 21st April '63?

29th April (2)

In reference to the entry below, a better picture of The Shadows' new AC30s (their third set) at the NME Poll Winners Concert, 15th April, 1962, John Leyton on stage.

29th April

A couple of pictures to begin the process of "topping and tailing" dates for the issuing of The Shadows' third set of AC30s.

In the first picture below, taken at "Club 59" on 22nd March, 1962 the band still has its second set of AC30s, readily distinguishable by the position of the "VOX" logo high up on the front of the amps. In the second picture, taken at the NME Poll Winner's Concert, Empire Pool, Wembley, 15th April, 1962, one of the third set of amps is present on stage behind Adam Faith.

It seems likely that the new amps were issued specifically for the NME concert at Wembley in '62, much as the previous set had been issued in time for the NME concert in '61.

Club 59, Eton College Mission, Hackney Wick, 22nd March, 1962 with Princess Margaret, Anthony Armstrong-Jones, and the Bishop of Bath and Wells in attendance.

Adam Faith on stage, NME Poll Winners Concert, correction - 21st April, 1963. One of The Shadows'amps is behind him. Note also the custom colour AC10 - no, correction - AC15 twins.

28th April

Below, a Vox publicity photo of the Shadows (still with Jet Harris and therefore before late April 1962), slightly cropped at foot. The AC30s in the picture were The Shadows' third set. The reason for posting this photo rather than the one printed in the JMI fold-out "Choice of the Stars" catalogue is that the BASS runner directly under the VOX logo of Jet's amplifier is good and clear.

This was also the position of the BASS runner on the front of two special order (or demonstration) AC30 Super Twins covered in blue.

Whether the positioning of the runner in this way was simply a foible of a particular finisher at Dartford Road is not known.

Logo and runner gone, but one can see the glue marks.

27th April

The AC30 Super Twin as represented in the JMI dealer's catalogue of early to mid 1964. It should be said that very few Super Twins at this date will have looked like the one depicted. Most (if not all) speaker cabinets had split fronts.

A new page now up on AC30 Super Twins with serial numbers in the new sequence that began at no. 2500. There is still a good deal to add so do check back periodically.

21st April

Two new pages recently posted - one on , the other on the . Both will be augmented shortly.

In preparation, a page on Super Twins produced in 1964. It looks as though the new serial number sequence began at 2500 (rather than at 2000). The lowest number known at present is 2501.

AC30 Super Twin serial number 2501 N - copper panel, brown grille cloth.

16th April

The page on black panel AC30s has now been divided in two. . . Both will be updated again shortly.

14th April

Separate pages on black panel AC30/4 and AC30/6s coming (to replace the existing single page), along with a page on copper panel AC30/6s with serial numbers in the 11000s. It is in the 11000s, ie. in 1964, that the new "Treble" voicing of the AC30 first makes its appearance.

10th April (2)

A single picture from 2006 of a black panel AC30/6 chassis sitting on top of a cab re-covered in Korg red vinyl. Highly unusual white pointer knobs. The amp was in the USA at the time the photo was taken.

It will probably be necessary to split the page on black panel AC30s in two at some point soon - one for the AC30/4 the other for the AC30/6.

10th April

The page on is now up - Expanded Frequency AC30s and Super Twins included.

Serial number 10472 is now the highest number recorded for a Super Twin before the move to the new numerial sequence.

9th April (4)

Late June, 2007 - another black panel AC30/6 on ebay, in a cabinet that looks brand new. It seems likely that the chassis is actually the one in pic. 3, below, sold on ebay in May 2007. Although the images are minuscule, one can just make out the redness of the choke, the cleanness of the transformers, and the presence of spring valve clips over the EL84s.

The seller of the black chassis in new cabinet was well known for "flipping" stuff.

The pictures and blurb from late June 2007.

Sold on ebay in May 2007. No info at present on whether the amp is Pre or Post "List of Changes". Transformers are Haddons (stickers visible on the shrouds). The choke is very ruddy in colour.

9th April (3)

Ebay, September 2007. An AC30 from 1964 (link voltage selector) with an uncoloured but printed aluminium fascia. It looks as though the original control panel was removed and new legends expertly printed directly onto the preamp chassis. Note that there are dedicated legends for the standby switch and the two indicator lights (all added). Holes were drilled for the lining up of whatever template was used.

9th April (2)

Ebay decoration at its best - September 2006. AC30 serial number 17180, virtually untouched, cover and original shipping box intact, recorded as having been purchased in January 1965.

1964 was a heroic year for JMI - around 8000 AC30s produced - serial numbers in the 10000s through to the 17000s. Remember that during the year Super Twins came to have a numerical sequence of their own.

9th April

A black panel AC30/6 sold in early July 2007. Cabinet painted black, no speakers, but the chassis in good condition.

Above, two screengrabs from the ebay page of July 2007.

8th April

Going through some batches of pages saved from ancient ebay auctions, a further black panel AC30/6 - serial number 4696N, sold by Electromusic of Doncaster in June 2007, shadows of stickers on the front:

Also (below) a re-covered beige (fawn) AC30 with a copper panel, serial number 4760, sold in May 2007. Unfortunately the chassis is a replacement for what was there originally - as stated by the seller. The Woden transformers have the date codes "HU" = August 1963. The original chassis will have been a black panel.

Note that the pattern of damage on the serial number plate is distinctive, which should help tally things up if the amp appears elsewhere. The plate is of the type also found on .

Click for a larger version of this image.

7th April

A new page started on AC30s with - late 1963 to early 1964.

6th April (2)

A few notes, jumping ahead a little, on the "AC30 Treble". As Glen Beauchamp has kindly pointed out, JMI seems not to have advertised this version of the amplifier. We have in catalogues, pricelists, and so on, entries for the Normal, Bass, Top Boost, and the various types of Super Twin, but nothing of the Treble. Was it left to the salesmen to lead customers to the model - and perhaps to explain the significance of "T" stamped on the serial number plate?

Although the new "Treble" schematic is dated 10th September 1964, it seems likely that AC30s were built according to this circuit earlier in the year.

The lowest serial number (by quite some margin) to have surfaced so far for a "Treble" AC30 is 11556T:

Currently on Reverb. Hand-stamped serial number plate still. The Celestion blues have date codes "30KH" = 30th October, 1963. One of the blue Hunts capacitors has the date code "WII" = 13th week of 1963. Copper panel, no markings on the preamp upright.

The preamp of serial number 11556, however, is built according to the "Normal" circuit. Particular give-aways are the values of two capacitors on the far right-hand side of the top preamp circuit board - on the schematic "C5" and "C7". In serial number 11556 these are: 0.047uf:

Detail of serial number 11556. One can just see on the two gold WIMA capacitors the voltage rating (400), and the value 0.047.

At this point the "Treble" schematic calls for two 0.01uf capacitors (also expressed as 10000pf - not 1000pf as stated here initially).

C5 and C7 marked on the AC30 "Treble" circuit diagram.

Below, serial number 16649, marked as "Treble" on serial number plate and chassis. The mustard capacitors are of the correct value - 10000pf (0.01uf).

The only way to single out true "Treble" AC30s is from an examination of the circuit.

6th April

A new page in progress on . None so far in blue. The scarcest are those with "VOX" in large white cursive letters, mid 1964. A selection below:

A still from "A Hard Day's Night". In the background, the (black?) covers of one of the early AC50s, white VOX logo in cursive, along with "Precision Sound Equipment".

A single speaker AC10 cover.

5th April (3)

"Melody Maker", 9th November, 1964 - advert placed by Pan Music in Wardour Street. No fewer than seven AC30s available and an AC15 in blue. Below, an example of the latter. Very scarce, but naturally one does not know quite how many were produced along these lines.

AC15 serial number 4965.

5th April (2)

A Super Twin speaker cabinet, 1966 style, with full valance front. The Celestions ("silver" alnico, T1088s) are of the later type (after mid 1966) with terminals on a board between the spokes of the frame.

Examples of late valance front cabs with closed backs also survive.

5th April

The page on has been updated with material from "Melody Maker" magazine of that year. More to follow.

"Melody Maker" magazine, 1st February, 1964 - one of the earliest mentions of the AC30 Extended Frequency with 15" speakers. See for examples.

4th April

The page on AC30s in coloured vinyl is . A page on early "leatherette" ("plasti-leather") covers coming soon.

1st April (2)

Two pages relevant to AC30s from the JMI catalogue of 1964. Certain sections were proofed in February 1964. Copies of the catalogue can be seen in photos of the JMI stand taken at the "British Musical Instrument Industries" Fair at the Russell Hotel in late August 1964.

The catalogue as a whole is available on the .

1st April

An AC30 sold a little while ago. The Woden transformers have date codes "AV" = January 1964. One would normally find a serial number in the very high 9000s or low to mid 10000s. This amp however has a number in the new "Super Twin" sequence, which began at 2500 (not 2000). Perhaps a mistake at factory? Otherwise, two things are possible: (a) the plate was taken from another amp and fixed on this one (without any intention to mislead); or (b) the chassis and serial number plate belong together, having been taken out of a "Super Twin" cabinet and put in and on a new cabinet.

Of the two, (a) seems most likely, as the new "Super Twin" serial number sequence is unlikely to have reached the 2900s in early 1964.

The other thing to say is that most AC30 Super Twin amplifiers have Albion transformers (rather than Wodens), and brown Dubilier resistors (rather than white Eries). In other words, A30 chassis made by Westrex in 1964 mainly went into Super Twins.

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