Casino Amp?

[ampaudi]

Hi,

So I picked up my brand new Elitist Casino just yesterday and I'm loving it! But I feel that soon I'm gonna need an amp upgrade and I'm not sure what to get. What amp would you recommend? I was looking into a Vox AC15CC1 or AC15CC1X, has anyone had any experience with either amp? Does anyone know if there are any differences besides the speaker?

 

Thanks and sorry if this is an old topic,

ampaudi

[Parabar]

Just as with guitars, choosing an amp is highly subjective, and in order to give you any meaningful suggestions it would help us to know what styles of music you play, in what size venues, and what sort of tone(s) you're after. There are many, many good and affordable amps available; which one is best for your needs and tastes will depend on those factors, among others. Ultimately you'll need to take your Casino to a music store (or several) and try things out, but the members here may be able to give you some tips based on our experiences with different models.

[ataylor]

Yep, it's going to be subjective and ultimately your call, but if you're looking at a Vox, here are some things you should know.

 

First of all, Vox has just come out with the new AC Custom series (AC15C and AC30C), which is a replacement for the Custom Classic series. They are continuing to offer models with the Celestion Blue speakers (AC15CX and AC30CX) if you want to pay for that upgrade. This means you can either get a newer, updated amp for the same price as the old CC series, or maybe you'll be able to find a CC amp a little bit cheaper if a store near you is looking to order in new stock.

 

Also, Vox just came out with a new Valve Reactor series (AC15VR and AC30VR), which I'm really excited about. They're tube/solid state hybrid amps, but not modeling amps like the VT series amps. They also have the beautiful AC15 and AC30 look with Vox's signature diamond grill cloth, not the chrome grills like the VT series. I think they go for about half the price of their standard cousins and they weigh less as well. May be worth seeing how these compare to the Custom series.

 

Finally, I don't know if you've played a Pathfinder 15R, but they are sweet little amps. Warm Vox goodness -- if you didn't know it was solid state you'd think it was a little tube amp. The tremolo and reverb are nice. I've got one and I've had no problem using it for band practice and small gigs, and I miked it last week for a medium-size gig and it worked out great. For around $125 they are an absolute steal. I got mine with the intention of saving up for an AC15, but I may just stick with this one!

 

As far as Fender amps go, my guess is that a Princeton Reverb or Deluxe Reverb would play very nicely with your Casino. I've also heard good things about the Fender Super Champ if you want something a little less expensive.

 

Good luck!

[ampaudi]

Sorry I wasn't more specific before,

My interest is 60-70's classic rock style and I prefer a softer, slightly distorted tone-but definitely not a hard, heavy metal-esque tone. As far as venues are concerned I am mainly a hobbyist so volume is not a problem for me, the largest space would be a small room.

I hadn't heard about the Custom Series yet, but I will definitely give it a look. What kind of tone exactly does the Celestion Blue speaker give? Being that I haven't gotten my hands on an AC15CCX or something like it yet. I have tried the AC15CC though, and I did like its tone, I just have no comparison yet.

[The_Buffalo]

I tried a MIK Casino through a Marshall 1/2 stack & loved the sound I got, so much so that even though I wasn't in the market for a new guitar, I bought that one there & then. I don't know which Marshall I ran it through, but I do know it wasn't solid state, & it wasn't cranked - I kept the volume quite low. (BTW, I also have a Vox Pathfinder 15R, & recommend them highly).

[Strumbone]

Sorry I wasn't more specific before' date='

My interest is 60-70's classic rock style and I prefer a softer, slightly distorted tone-but definitely not a hard, heavy metal-esque tone. As far as venues are concerned I am mainly a hobbyist so volume is not a problem for me, the largest space would be a small room.

I hadn't heard about the Custom Series yet, but I will definitely give it a look. What kind of tone exactly does the Celestion Blue speaker give? Being that I haven't gotten my hands on an AC15CCX or something like it yet. I have tried the AC15CC though, and I did like its tone, I just have no comparison yet.[/quote']

 

 

Like you, I'm never going to gig again, and will only use my amp at home. Even the small "booteek" amps at 5 watts are too much for this IMO, so when I built my amp, instead of the standard 12ax7 in the output section (5 watts), I chose the 6n1p dual triode option (1 watt). It won't peel the paint off the walls or make your ears bleed, but it will drive my 1X12 celestion clone to more volume than I'll ever use, and elicit complaints from my family. Keep that in mind when making comparisons. For me, I'd much rather have a 1 watt amp, that I can use at 80% capacity (nice crunch), than a 5 watt amp that I'm unable to use over 30% without pain...but that's just me.

[gypsyseven]

Like you' date=' I'm never going to gig again, and will only use my amp at home. Even the small "booteek" amps at 5 watts are too much for this IMO, so when I built my amp, instead of the standard 12ax7 in the output section (5 watts), I chose the 6n1p dual triode option (1 watt). It won't peel the paint off the walls or make your ears bleed, but it will drive my 1X12 celestion clone to more volume than I'll ever use, and elicit complaints from my family. Keep that in mind when making comparisons. For me, I'd much rather have a 1 watt amp, that I can use at 80% capacity (nice crunch), than a 5 watt amp that I'm unable to use over 30% without pain...but that's just me.[/quote']

 

Yeah, absolutely right.I had a Fender Champion 600(5 watts / tube) for a few month and sold it because it was too loud to play at home.

[jammybstard]

Sorry to Hijack this thread a bit, but reading whats been said about power, I too play mainly in the flat and find my current 30W Solid State amp Far far far too loud for this, I was goinfg to build a 5W ampmaker kit I was hoping to reduce the output further by using the 16ohm output tap instead of the 8ohm as I have a 1960s 16ohm Greenback Pre-rola sitting around doing nothing. Anyone know if this 8/16ohm will effect the output vol much?

[Aster1]

If you haven't tried one out yet I'd play thru a Vox AC-4TV with the 10" speaker. Under $250, no features except for a 4w, 1w, 1/4w attenuator built in to the little gem. It's also available in a 2 piece Head/12" Speaker combo for $350 that I believe I should have gone for but can add the 12" speaker box easy for $150 now. I love playing my Casino, and my Gretsch ProJet with modded pups thru it. The American Strat sounds great too!!! It will make my ears bleed if I want it and play so sweet and quiet on the same music as you are looking for too (early 60-mid 70's for me and will be getting into the late 50's soon too). I agree, even 1 watt is plenty in the bedroom setting I have it in for a music room. I use the 1/4watt setting often when I want the 70's distortion sound and run my pedal board through it.

 

When I go to our Living room (larger room when I want to move around when playing) I love my Fender Blues Deluxe with a Weber Mini Mass attenuator on it. My favorite still but a lot more $$$.

 

Anyone wanting to dial down the sound I can't recommend a Weber Attenuator enough. For a $100 adder on my Blues Deluxe (in Tweed of course) it calms the 40w tube beast to a whisper and sounds like it cranked if you want it too. For my amp a Mini Mass is all the more it needs and will work up to a 50w amp.

I haven't learned to place photo's in posts on this forum yet but have the image on a host.

 

Vox AC4TV Amp

 

 

Aster

[TP]

I get by just fine with my 15w Fender Blues Jr. at home. I don't ever use much distortion, but I like a decent crunch and can get that just fine, even at low volume by a few tweaks on the volume and gain. I also have a couple pedals I throw in like a Fulltone FB3 (Fat boost) and a Boss Blues driver and even my Vox Wah. I have a wife and 4 kids that used to always tell me to turn down so by necessity, I just figured out how to "Tame" my amp by using pedals and volume controls. Now we live in harmony and my Casino just sings from my Blues Jr. I do like when I have the house to myself and I can crank it up though.......

[gypsyseven]

I get by just fine with my 15w Fender Blues Jr. at home. I don't ever use much distortion' date=' but I like a decent crunch and can get that just fine, even at low volume by a few tweaks on the volume and gain. I also have a couple pedals I throw in like a Fulltone FB3 (Fat boost) and a Boss Blues driver and even my Vox Wah. I have a wife and 4 kids that used to always tell me to turn down so by necessity, I just figured out how to "Tame" my amp by using pedals and volume controls. Now we live in harmony and my Casino just sings from my Blues Jr. I do like when I have the house to myself and I can crank it up though....... :) [/quote']

 

Looks great your Blues Jr.Is it a tweed or a blonde one?

[TP]

Looks great your Blues Jr.Is it a tweed or a blonde one?

 

 

Blondie... just like my Casino! It's the one in my Avitar.

[hellopain]

here's what i'm using right now:

 

 

a roland ca-40, for clean sounds only.

[Anthony_JB]

I was at my local guitar shop here in San Antonio and they got in the new Vox AC15 and 30 customs.

 

And I must say, that I LOVED the tones I was getting out of it using my Casino. The cleans are just amazing crisp and sparkly and the tube overdrive has that punch and growl like a P90 should have.

 

I tried both and honestly, you couldn't go wrong with either.

 

Great amps honestly.

[PiedmontPicker]

For what it's worth, I got my first Casino a couple of years ago and quickly fell in love. I've played and owned guitars for over 30 years and FINALLY landed upon a Casino to find out it's what I was looking for all of these years. Paired with my beloved blonde custom vibrolux, it was awe inspiring. I then began to modify my Casino including two Gadow handwound P-90's. The new pups were wound to be lower output to yield a broader dynamic range like the old Casino's from the 60's. Trouble was, plugged in to my Vibrolux, I had trouble dialing in the tone I had b/w my ears and wondered if the new pups were a mistake. To the rescue was a Vox AC 15 cc1 I found on ebay retrofitted with an English made g-12 Celestion Blue speaker. Paired w/ my Casino it was instant magic. It's hard not to find killer classic tones, both clean and gritty. The Vibrolux is still sublime w/ a strat or es 335 ( in my case a epi dot ), but it just didn't excell w/ the Casino and the new pups. Maybe a blackface Fender w/ EL- 84 or 6V6 output tubes would be a different story ( vs the 6L6 output tubes in my Vibrolux ). Don't get me wrong, the Custom Vibrolux can still rock, especially w/ my THD hotplate, but the Casino and the VOX AC 15 is a match made in heaven !!!!

[dougg330]

Here's another vote for the Vox AC-4TV. My IBJL Casino sounds great thru it... but my Riviera with mini hb's absolutely KILLS thru it. And you can get great tube distortion at really low volumes.

There is not much clean head room, though - at any volume level. So that could be a concern, I have a Roland BC-30 that's just right for when I want clean and louder.

Whatever choice you make, have fun!

[disaster]

I'm also interested in the new Vox Reactor Amps. Haven't gotten to try one yet but I'm hopeful. On paper they make a lot of sense. Some of the other guitar sites have a few members who own them & give them stellar reviews. I'm planning on giving one a go when spring finally gets here.

 

More snow on tap the rest of the week. Bummer.