VOX Pathfinder 15 amp

[alexpigment]

Hey guys, I saw a Vox Pathfinder amp on craigslist today for $40 and i had heard that they were great little practice amps, so I figured I'd go and pick it up. I was amazed when I got it home. Sure it doesn't sound 100% tube, but for a solid state, this is a great amp. Sounds very reminiscent of a AC15. Also the tremelo works really well and I've had fun playing with that on.

Anyone else have one of these? Your thoughts?

[bowman]

You got a good deal. Those are popular little amps and they really sound great. I've had one for several years and it gets played a lot here at home. I have used it with a 1x12 cab almost since the first day I bought it - I suggest you try it through a larger speaker, that really opens it up a lot. There is another thread going around right now about speaker upgrades for that amp.

[Stuco]

You got a very good deal. I had one for awhile (wish I had kept it) and the tone was amazing.

[hotraman]

I played one in a store here in Portland, Oregon.
For the price, its a great little amp.
Enjoy!

[alexpigment]

yeah i've thought about buying an extra cab for my other amp, and having this guy around makes it even more of a good idea. that said, for the speaker inside it, it actually sounds pretty damn good. but you can tell that the bass cuts out the highs and vice versa under high volume

[Jaybird]

I also had a Pathfinder that I liked a lot. One day it quit in a puff of smoke. After trying to find the problem, and even getting another amp board with no luck, I put the amp away and went on. However, I always liked the way it looked and sounded. I thought that some of the good sound came from the cabinet. So I gutted the chassis and put in a 5F1 circuit. It took a bit of designing and rounding up of a few parts, but the end result is fantastic. I slipped a Weber 8" VST in and the amp is a real sweet thing. Still has that classic Vox look too. 5-7 watts power.

[Dennis68]

Congrats Alex! If it suits the intended use you have for it, you got yerself a real bargain there!

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by Jaybird

I also had a Pathfinder that I liked a lot. One day it quit in a puff of smoke.

I also had one once.

My impression was that the sound was ok and that it was a cheap Asian amp with Vox in name only.

Mine would always buzz like mad at my teacher's house for some reason and then one day - puff - done!

Yes, they are very popular 15-watt SS amps but the word from many on the 'net is that it has "reliability" issues.

[alexpigment]

actually i agree with jay up there, that i think part of the sound comes from the cabinet. there's a distinct tone it has where it kinda sounds like it's echoing through a wooden box (which i guess in essence it is). that's how i always identify an ac15 (the cc1's at least).

also, firstbassman: i personally think it sounds very much like a vox. but until you get to an ac30 (or something with 2x12s) they have more of a woody sound, and less of an open growl. that's a sound I haven't been able to recreate on my palomino amp, which is very ac30-ish in nature. it's just too much of an in-your-face presency-sound. i think this pathfinder is going to open up some tonal possibilities, especially for recording. i noticed since i've been playing through it all day, the riffs i have been playing are way more bluesy and stripped down. kind of a sound i would expect if i had picked up a small amp in the mid 50s. and for $40, it can break in 6 months and I would feel like I got my money's worth.

[Telecaster Joe]

This is too funny. I just bought a Vox Pathfinder 15r on Craig's List today for $60. I had to drive almost 100 miles roundtrip to pick it up, but it was well worth it. I used to have the non reverb one, but sold it. I always missed that little amp. So, when I saw one on CL, I had to get it.

At $40 bucks you got a great deal.

[alexpigment]

yeah mine is also a non-r version as well. not TOO big of a deal, but that would've made the deal sweeter. by the way the guy said he was in the area when i called and he brought it to my house. that was almost the best part. i barely had to do anything

[Noodler]

I've got the 15R. It sits beside my bed. I love it because it sounds more like overdrive than distortion when you crank it. Can get some lovely clean tones with the neck or bridge pickup of a strat. To me, their a cheap solid state amp, but with good looks and character!

Noise issues can be overcome if you run a pedal in front of it (eg a multi-fx with a noise gate).

Love it because I can turn it on for a 5 minute play without feeling guilty ie no warmup. As long as it doesn't blow up I'll keep it forever. If it were to die, I'd buy another one, or get one of the new Amplugs for practicing.

Absolutely love the tremolo and reverb. It's an idea to write down your settings when you get a good tone, because it is pretty versatile. I can't believe they can make something so good for so cheap ($230 Australian).

[Steve G]

I love mine too.
Most of my gigs are low volume and some within walking distance. I can stroll down there, tele in one hand and VOX in the other.
happy bunny!

[JDRNoPro]

My 15R gets a lot of use - great for a quick play w/ no warmup. After speaker breaks in, the Pathfinder sounds way better than a cheap little SS should and very tubelike. I run mine with a delay in front and out through a 1x12 and it sounds downright great. Pretty little thing, too.

Jim

[mistermullens]

I like em too, even though I've never owned one. +1 on the external cab. I bet it sounds great. Oh, and that tremelo on there is AWESOME! Got no use for another amp, but if I see one for $40, you can bet I'd pick one up too. Nice score.

Jaybird, nice job on the conversion.

[Scott V]

Pretty cool 15R Jaybird, I may steal that idea if mine craps out. I bought my 15R based on the positive reviews on this site, I have not been disapointed. For a cheap amp it certainly holds it's own, I get a kick out of how good my Squire '51 sounds with the 15R, pretty mean combo for $200 bucks!

[Guran]

I have a PF15R and I love it. A Bad Monkey or a TS in front of that makes for an excellent setup on the cheap. Thats my home practising rig.

Because of its light weight and limited bulk I sometimes bring it as backup to gigs. I have gigged with it as well and may well do that again.

[nic'o'caster]

Whatever single coil I plug in sounds good ! Tele, Strat or Gretsch. Miam !

[pango_twango]

I have the head-only version of the pathfinder.

It's 15w, trem, reverb. Reliable so far, and has a line out, headphone jack, and the "Boost" switch makes it sound reasonably good. I'm impressed by the workmanship. It definitely doesn't have that "cheap solid-state amp" look, and there's not many Heads out there to choose from (unless you want a tube amp).

The manual is sort of funny too. It's like they gave it to some disgruntled employee to write; full of sarcasm.


only two gripes:
1. I don't know about the combo pathfinders, but the heads definitely require the footswitch in order to turn the Trem Off/On. Otherwise, you can only turn it down, but you can still detect a faint trem at "0"

2. only has one input jack.

[tom grossheider]

Had a non-verb version that was stolen out of my truck, then replaced with a reverb version. Really dig that little amp, got some really great sounds and no problems so far. Use it mostly for rehearsals but have gigged with it, and it worked as a backup when my brother's amp bit the dust. Keep it in the truck and also strap it to the bike when the weather is a little warmer. Great bang for the buck tones.

[younkint]

If you run into the 15's little brother, the Vox Pathfinder 10 (V9106), at a good price, grab that too. It's a sweetheart. It's no longer produced, but they're around used at good prices.

[Pepi]

Originally Posted by Jaybird

I also had a Pathfinder that I liked a lot. One day it quit in a puff of smoke. After trying to find the problem, and even getting another amp board with no luck, I put the amp away and went on. However, I always liked the way it looked and sounded. I thought that some of the good sound came from the cabinet. So I gutted the chassis and put in a 5F1 circuit. It took a bit of designing and rounding up of a few parts, but the end result is fantastic. I slipped a Weber 8" VST in and the amp is a real sweet thing. Still has that classic Vox look too. 5-7 watts power.

SWEET

[alexpigment]

to the few of you who have gigged with it: that's actually the best part about the thing. i have a tube amp (palomino) that i feel may bite the dust live because of it's class-A hot nature; or at least burn out a tube. having an amp so small lying around makes it insane not to bring it as a backup to a gig. and the fact that the boost is footswitchable? that's a cherry on top

[NoOneRemembers]

I never use the tremolo. Best practice amp in it's price range. How is the next step up in the Vox family "Valvetronix" that has all the all the different amp models and effects?

[Steve G]

Valvetronix is awesome for its price IMO, I have the 30w version.
Im scared to gig with it because of all the gadgetry, feel safer with the pathfinders basic SS characteristics.