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Vox AC30 website updates

July 2026

30th July

A text entry has been created for AC30 serial number 6366N, early 1963. Pictures to follow soon.

Pictures also to come of an interesting AC30/4 that passed through Alan Pyne's shop twice in the 1970s.

28th July

Thanks to Anton, pictures of an AC30/4 chassis now in a newer cabinet, and one of its two surviving Celestion blues, date code "06FF" - 6th June 1961. The Ric cone code is "RIC 1 XK" - now registered on this page.

27th July

Thanks to Lars, new pictures of AC10 Super Reverb Twin serial number 3286, late 1964 / early 1965, trapezoid amplifier section, have been added here.

AC10 Super Reverb Twin serial number 3286.

23rd July

Yesterday's entry now has a better image of the Peter and Gordon Vox promo shot.

22nd July

A quick shot [updated, 23rd July] of a Vox promotional photo of Peter and Gordon, taken in Dezo Hoffman's studio, probably later 1964.

Empty cabinets, LS40 column speakers without logos.

18th July

Below, a couple of details from a full-size layout sheet for the control (escutcheon) panel of the Riviera 400 organ - TRA/054. The Riviera 400 was officially unveiled in the UK at the Russell Hotel Trade Fair, August 1970. The note, presumably both for supplier and production team, that "2-SAMPLE ESCUTCHEONS TO BE SUPPLIED BEFORE COMMENCING PRODUCTION" is sensible enough, though one can't help wonder whether something hadn't gone awry in a past project.

Below, a list of the sheets that are known to survive for various models of the Riviera - some details on the Riviera 1 on this page. Further notes on and photos of these sheets to follow.

TRA/012 - Riviera 1 & 2 reverb layout.

TRA/022 - Riviera 2 sustain layout.

TRA/023 - Riviera 1 & 2 pre-amp layout.

TRA/024 - Riviera 1 & 2 percussion layout.

TRA/025 - Riviera sustain tremolo layout.

TRA/036 - Riviera 1 & 2 reverb assembly.

TRA/037 - Riviera 2 block diagram.

TRA/038 - Riviera 2 walking bass layout.

TRA/042/1 - Riviera 2 upper console wiring.

TRA/042/2 - Riviera 2 lower console wiring.

TRA/041/1 - Wiring diagram upper console.

TRA/041/2 - Wiring diagram lower console.

TRA/043 - Riviera 1 Block diagram.

TRA/054 - Riviera 400 control panel.

TRC/03 - Riviera 1 & 2 reverb circuit.

TRC/04 - Riviera 1 & 2 percussion circuit.

TRC/05 - Riviera 2 sustain circuit.

TRC/06 - Riviera sustain tremolo circuit.

TRC/07 - Riviera 2 walking bass circuit.

TRC/08 - Riviera l & 2 P.S.U. Circuit.

VTA/100 - 100 watt transistor organ amp.

17th July

A detail from OS/037 (dated November 1963) for the Domino Reverb combo. The input portions of the circuit are unusual but clear enough in their operation. The physical form of the reverb tray - indicated simply as "DELAY" - is completely inscrutable though, perhaps deliberately unspecific. Presumably if it failed one wrote off to JMI for a replacement or sent the amp back.

16th July

Two further pics of the Domino Reverb chassis illustrated yesterday. Visible date codes are confined to the Mullard mustards - "A3N", "B3N", "B/63" = first and second quarters of 1963. A similar spread occurs in Domino Reverb (combo) serial number 1635.

15th July

Thanks to Dave, some shots coming of a Domino Reverb combo chassis. Long without its reverb tray and cabinet, the chassis came to light in LA in the 1990s when a local music shop closed down.

The page on the model can be found here. The main index page for the Domino range is here.

13th July

June 1963, an advert for the Tornados on tour with the Joe Brown "Big Beat" show. A closer detail of the Continental to come. Also a report (from later 1963) of the "Vox organ" owned by "The Federals", a northern Scottish band.

11th July

Thanks to John, some pictures of AC10 serial number 3270 - a two-input "Amplifier No. 2" - coming shortly.

10th July (updated)

The first main type of cabinet swivel mount and handwheel, VOX in large cursive, used principally for early AC50 trolleys, and side stands for AC30s and Line Source 40 columns. Other instances are also known.

In terms of assembly, the third picture, below, indicates the main lines: (i) a compression washer (normally translucent plastic) was fitted first over the main cylinder of the cabinet mount; (ii) the circular ring of the side stand or trolley followed it; and (iii) a metal disk was placed on top, the handwheel then screwed down to fasten the cabinet at the desired angle.

Often the cabinet mount would have a phenolic ring around its central cylinder (i.e. between the cylinder and the inner face of the ring on the trolley or stand).

LS40 stand. One can just make out the plastic disk underneath the ring of the side stand, and the phenolic ring between the cylinder of the cabinet mount and the inner face of the stand.

9th July

A detail of one of four Elac 10N/86 speakers from a Vox Line Source 40 column, fibreboard gasket made by "Thames Board Limited", which was based in Purfleet, Essex. "Thames Board" was acquired by Unilever in 1964, though continued to trade under its own name.

All four gaskets were stamped by Elac "03656". Could this mean March '65 for their manufacture? Sets from other LS40 columns have "01656".

Where and how Celetion sourced its gaskets is not known for certain at present, though "Thames Board Limited" is a definite possibility.

8th July

Some quick shots of a two-section domical footswitch (used up to mid 1962). The removable top of the casting has a 7/16" thread to screw onto the neck of the Arrow switch. The small metal ring tightens down on the outside of the top.

The main page on footswitches can be found here.

7th July

The documentation supplied with a Dallas-made "Vox Sound Limited" AC30 from May 1975 - serial number 1655. Dallas-made AC50s were supplied with identical sets of paperwork. The model and serial number of the amp in view were generally not noted on the envelopes (in contrast with standard JMI practice).

The page on early Dallas AC30s can be found here.

2nd July

Further pics of "Vox Sound Limited" AC30 serial numbers 25933 (post rebuild) and 1281 have now been added to this page, along with a detail of the brimistor visible in the latter.

The brimistor - "Brimar-resistor" - was a sort of in-rush current limiter adopted by JMI for its Vox AC100s (late 1965 on) and later solid state rectified Vox AC50s. It was also used by VSL for its V100, a version of the former brought to market in Spring 1970. Pages from the Brimar booklet can be seen here. Where AC30s are concerned, the brimistor came in with solid state rectification and printed circuit boards (1972).

Brimistor.

1st July

Coming shortly, thanks to Mark, pictures of two late AC30 Reverbs made in the Birch-Stolec factory in Hastings (link to the page in the entry below, 25th June), and new pics of serial number 25933.