Help me pick a Tele and a Vox amp

[Chiogtr4x]

Well here is what I use:

A stock (except fret job) MIM Standard Tele (Midnight Wine) bought new in 2004- $350
A Vox Pathfinder 15R bought used (EXC.) a week ago! $85

Total $435

* OK, admittedly not 'top-line' stuff here-but it is a Tele and a Vox, and they sound great together!

[beep.click]

I'd get an AC30 and I'd play every Squier Tele I could find. I have a special-run Squier they made for Guitar Center, I think it was last year, that came with a Bigsby. My last gig was basically 1/2 that guitar ($300), 1/2 on the Gretsch Setzer Nashville ($2000). What I'm saying is, that cheap little Squier holds its own up against anything.

Also, I play my AC30 at or below bedroom volume at home. Sounds great. It's just a great amp, across the board.

[Oakville Dave]

It won't matter about the amp if you don't love playing the guitar, so find it first, it's the most important part of the equation.

Having said that, don't get caught up in the guitar's place of origin, look at quality, playability and tone. I have a USA, a CIJ, and a MIM FSR, all very different yet all great players that fill all the criteria.

Once you find he guitar that speaks to you, that inspires you to play it, then you can find the amp to pair it with, which is nearly as fun as finding the guitar!

[danieljaypark]

Get yourself a used Vox AC30hw2x (The best amp Vox has right now) for like 1400>? and save up the rest of the money for a tele you want. Try some models out.

I would get a used Baja for around 600; that and the AC30hw2x would sound amazing.

[richpjr]

For the AC30 suggestions, isn't that way too loud for home use?

[MCgardyloo]

I think people have different definitions of home use. To me, the AC30, and even the 15, would be a little too much. I live in a townhouse in a city so to me home use means either playing acoustic or plugging into my lil night train. I absolutely love that little amp. I also own an AC15C1 I gig and practice with that I will sometimes play at home alone, and while I think it sounds fine at lower volumes I still think its a little overkill. If it were me I'd check out every partscaster that comes up on craigslist and a lil night train, and if you ever needed to upgrade the amp you'll have plenty of money left over to do so. Also used G&L Asats are usually great values, USA made or not.

[paratus]

Originally Posted by kiefe-caster

I have a Baja Telecaster and a Vox AC15C1. Honestly? It sounds awesome. I can get that Vox chime whenever I need it, plus, cranking the amp brings some totally bone shattering crunch. Absolutely love my setup now. I've had a few amps and a few different teles but I've found my muse. Hope this helps dude.

+1

I have a bunch of expensive guitars and a few amps...my Baja straight into my AC15C1 is one of my favorite combinations. If you need a lot of dirt at bedroom levels you might want to add a pedal, but with the pups in series it drives the input nicely...just back down the master to get it where you need it.

If you never need to get very loud, consider a Lil Night Train. It does great dirt, also a surprising clean, but it is not loud at all when you play it clean. I play mine through 2 Celestion Elite 80s in a closed back cab.

[brianswindall]

buy used: american standard tele - $800, ac15c1 - $500, Ibanez tube screamer - $100

[holgaguy]

I have an Amer. Tele and a Vox AC30CC1. They sound great together. Used to have a Valvetronix and the Tele sounded great through that too.

Bought both used, probably paid $1200 total.

[neutronrobot]

My Squier CV 50s tele sounds awesome through my Vox AC30CC2X.
I had Don Butler do his standard mods to the Vox and have some pretty nice NOS tubes in it, but it sounded great before the mods as well.

The CC series Voxes can be found pretty cheaply and they have a lot of great features. The only drawbacks is that it's extremely heavy and can be a little bright without mods.

I have heard great things about the current AC15C amps. The great thing about the AC15s are the lighter weight and you can crank it a bit more in most situations. They supposedly sound great stock and I love the look of the "blue" versions.

[Captain Bb]

An AC15C1 for sure.

After that - any Tele you like the feel of and can afford with what's left of your budget.

[richpjr]

Well, I'm halfway there. I picked up a new 2011 American Standard! Now it's amp time. I am still really struggling on whether the AC15C1 would be held back in at home volumes, even with the MV. The new AC4C1-BL is 4 watts of the high boost channel and is half the price of the AC15 - I wish somewhere near me carried one I could play.

[misterbluesman]

I play the ac15 at home and it's fine. When no ones around, I crank it and RAWK! (no, not rock. RAWK!) and when people are here I just play clean. It works for me.

If you want to play RAWK! all the time, I suggest the ac4. More of a clean guy? Ac15 all the way.

And if you'll ever gig, ac15 is obviously the better choice there.

Good luck. You really can't go wrong with either.

[jipp]

def play the ac4c amp first. for 300.00 it sounds way to boxy. and you can tell that through videos even. no matter how bad or good the camera quality is. the ac15c is about 550.00 online.. and with 4th of july sale, you can get 15% off that. this holiday may be the time to buy whatever you want. the ac15 over the ac4c. just get a pedal for lower volumes. if you want a little dirt. now the ac4c sounds good through a external speaker if that is a ok option?

congratulations on your new tele. :)
chris.

[taxer]

Originally Posted by richpjr

I am still really struggling on whether the AC15C1 ..or...The new AC4C1-BL is 4 watts of the high boost channel and is half the price of the AC15 .

Economics is the determining factor here.

Blue AC4 half the price of AC15? Technically, yeah, but really, no. Blue AC4 runs $300, AC15 $600. Most dealers will not move much on that new blue AC4 so you are paying $300. But on the AC15 (especially with 4th of July sales coming) you can get 15 to 20% off. That gets you the AC15 for $500, just two hundred more than the little 4 watt practice amp! $300 for a toy-like amp or $500 for an amp that helped make The Beatles the biggest band on the planet? The answer is easy. For just two bills more you get a professional, legendary amp.

And, by the way, that little blue AC4 is not what you would want. It is a fine practice amp, nothing more. It gives you precise Vox Top Boost tone...but very small sound. You need a cab or some pedals to really make this thing sound better than the toyish sound it gives. I have one, use it just now and then. I just use it for when I am sitting watching TV. Background noodling on the guitar. Stuff like that.

[Steve G]

Im not really into Voxes but these blue ones are driving me crazy! In a good way....

[richpjr]

Originally Posted by taxer

Economics is the determining factor here.

Blue AC4 half the price of AC15? Technically, yeah, but really, no. Blue AC4 runs $300, AC15 $600. Most dealers will not move much on that new blue AC4 so you are paying $300. But on the AC15 (especially with 4th of July sales coming) you can get 15 to 20% off. That gets you the AC15 for $500, just two hundred more than the little 4 watt practice amp! $300 for a toy-like amp or $500 for an amp that helped make The Beatles the biggest band on the planet? The answer is easy. For just two bills more you get a professional, legendary amp.

And, by the way, that little blue AC4 is not what you would want. It is a fine practice amp, nothing more. It gives you precise Vox Top Boost tone...but very small sound. You need a cab or some pedals to really make this thing sound better than the toyish sound it gives. I have one, use it just now and then. I just use it for when I am sitting watching TV. Background noodling on the guitar. Stuff like that.

I found a place where I can get 15% off of the AC4 so that would be $255 vs the $499 sale price of the AC15 - close enough to half price.

I don't really disagree with anything you are saying, but will qualify that this will strictly be for bedroom use. I understand all the benefits and in either case it's not like I am dropping several grand on a boutique amp. I have heard some conflicting opinions on whether you do or do not need an external cab and if so, that is a wash cost wise. My big hesitation is how badly it would annoy me not to get the best sound out of it because I have to dial down the master volume too much.

[taxer]

Originally Posted by richpjr

this will strictly be for bedroom use....
My big hesitation is how badly it would annoy me not to get the best sound out of it because I have to dial down the master volume too much.

I have a VOX AC30 and I play my Telecaster through it. Best sound on Earth. And here's the thing: I too am a bedroom player. My AC30 has never left my music room. (It is refrigerator heavy and there is no way I am moving it just to jam at a freind's house. I bring smaller amps for that.) My AC30 has never been cranked to Shea Stadium levels...and it still sounds fantastic!

The point is even my humongous AC30 played at bedroom levels still sounds great. I know an AC15 will, too. People always say you have to open an amp up all the way to get the best sound. That's hogwash. An AC30 opened up all the way is TWA 747 loud. You can play it (and an AC15) at moderate levels and the sound is spectacular.

I'll tell you this, my AC30 at moderate levels sounds a billion times better than my blue AC4 at optimun volume levels. Now you can buy that blue amp, play it at the right volume, and guess what? The sound is tiny and toyish. Believe me, that amp when set at the right levels sounds nothing like a professional amp. It is a bedroom practice amp that you use for noodling around.

One other thing. If you buy a little AC4, in the back of your mind there will always be a nagging, "I should have just got me an AC15." The AC15 is priced so right and sounds so good. I have only played one in a store (where you can't crank them) and even there it sounded unreal. That's good to know, no? Low volumes in a store and I was in heaven. And I was playing a Tele into it.

Here's my favorite guitar/amp combo. My Joe Strummer Telecaster into my AC30. Bedroom levels or jamming levels it sounds incredible.

[richpjr]

Originally Posted by taxer

One other thing. If you buy a little AC4, in the back of your mind there will always be a nagging, "I should have just got me an AC15." The AC15 is priced so right and sounds so good. I have only played one in a store (where you can't crank them) and even there it sounded unreal. That's good to know, no? Low volumes in a store and I was in heaven. And I was playing a Tele into it.

Unfortunately, this is me to a tee... I guess I know what I need to do!

[jipp]

heh taxer sold me on the ac15c too. however, im using the 15% off on a good set of head phones this holiday. doc told me to start walking.. i live in the middle of the desert, i figure ill bring my guitar with me ( was thinking of buying one of the travel guitars, but then why waste the money, ill just use my light SG and hope i do not fall ).. so i picked up a couple of head phone amps and ordering a good pair of head phones that will last my life time.. next purchase will be the vox. unless something pops up i can not refuse. im sure there will be another holiday sale with the 15 to 20 percent off by then.

chris.