Anyone using a Vox Valvetronix with a Gretsch Hilotron guitar?

raisindot · October 17th, 2006, 09:45 AM

I just bought a Vox Valvetronix ADV-30 amp, just to play around with at home. No intention of gigging--just looking for a simple, inexpensive unit with a bunch of amp emulations.

Anyway, my main guitar is a 2005 Gretsch Tennessee Rose 62HT. I love the look and playability of the guitar, and the tone in general, but I'm having a hard time coaxing out a good strong signal on the "clean" amps of the Valvetronix. (For those who have one, they include the AC15 and AC30 emulations, as well as the "boutique" amsp). I pretty much need to crank the volume on the TR 62 to its highest and both the volume and master volume on the amp to "11" to hear a sound that's louder than the strings themselves.

When I'm playing one of the "distorted" amps (US high gain, etc.) the volume level is fine...it's as if these emulations are somehow amplifying the signal from the TR better than the clean ones.

Getting a strong "clean" signal is also difficult when I plug the TR into my Boss GS-10 multieffects box. Distorted settings are very loud, but clean settings are anemic.

By contrast, when I hook up my Gibson Les Paul Classic to the Vox, the clean amp emulations produce a far hotter signal--not house rocking, but certain very audible. So I'm leaning toward blaming the guitar, rather than the amp, for the issue.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation with this amp? Or am I missing something, which is entirely possible.

Thanks for your advice!

Jeff in Boston

popthree · October 17th, 2006, 10:41 AM

i bet it is at least in part the amplifier.....

are you using an edited preset ? i owned one of those amps briefly, and i had some difficulty very similar to what you are describing. it seemed that i could never get consistent volume levelsl when changing from the different models, and then to my own edited presets. i got tired of monkeying with it and returned it.

the amp does have a good voice. i'm sure some of the veteren adtv30 users on this forum can assist with proper use.

BrianF · October 17th, 2006, 12:59 PM

The Hilo Trons are lower output than humbuckers...but this doesnt amake sense. I woud thinkyou should be able to smoke that amp with it cranked at any amp model setting. If changing settings and edit presets doesn't work I'd take it back and get a tube amp.

David Barnett · October 17th, 2006, 08:17 PM

I have a 6119-1962HT, but don't have a modelling amp. The Hilotron pickups don't seem to be all that low in output on mine, no worse than the Telecaster.

But then I usually run the volume on the guitar flat out or almost.

meyekel · October 18th, 2006, 12:41 PM

i have an AD60VTX so it's similar but a tad different than yours. I have read on various boards that VOX modeled the sounds on the amps to be very accurate to the real tube amps. Hence when i am playing on one of the lower gain settings (tweed 1x12, AC15) the volume is "appropriate" to those amps when not touching any knobs and merely switching between models.

Having said that though your Gretsch should have enough in it to drive the clean amp settings loudly if everthing is dimed. I use my Rick 360 into it and it responds well.

October 17th, 2006, 09:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
raisindot Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 227	Anyone using a Vox Valvetronix with a Gretsch Hilotron guitar? I just bought a Vox Valvetronix ADV-30 amp, just to play around with at home. No intention of gigging--just looking for a simple, inexpensive unit with a bunch of amp emulations. Anyway, my main guitar is a 2005 Gretsch Tennessee Rose 62HT. I love the look and playability of the guitar, and the tone in general, but I'm having a hard time coaxing out a good strong signal on the "clean" amps of the Valvetronix. (For those who have one, they include the AC15 and AC30 emulations, as well as the "boutique" amsp). I pretty much need to crank the volume on the TR 62 to its highest and both the volume and master volume on the amp to "11" to hear a sound that's louder than the strings themselves. When I'm playing one of the "distorted" amps (US high gain, etc.) the volume level is fine...it's as if these emulations are somehow amplifying the signal from the TR better than the clean ones. Getting a strong "clean" signal is also difficult when I plug the TR into my Boss GS-10 multieffects box. Distorted settings are very loud, but clean settings are anemic. By contrast, when I hook up my Gibson Les Paul Classic to the Vox, the clean amp emulations produce a far hotter signal--not house rocking, but certain very audible. So I'm leaning toward blaming the guitar, rather than the amp, for the issue. Has anyone experienced a similar situation with this amp? Or am I missing something, which is entirely possible. Thanks for your advice! Jeff in Boston

October 17th, 2006, 10:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
popthree Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Tulsa Age: 43 Posts: 2,837 47 Photos	i bet it is at least in part the amplifier..... are you using an edited preset ? i owned one of those amps briefly, and i had some difficulty very similar to what you are describing. it seemed that i could never get consistent volume levelsl when changing from the different models, and then to my own edited presets. i got tired of monkeying with it and returned it. the amp does have a good voice. i'm sure some of the veteren adtv30 users on this forum can assist with proper use. __________________ don't taze me bro !

October 17th, 2006, 12:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,155 7 Photos	The Hilo Trons are lower output than humbuckers...but this doesnt amake sense. I woud thinkyou should be able to smoke that amp with it cranked at any amp model setting. If changing settings and edit presets doesn't work I'd take it back and get a tube amp.

October 17th, 2006, 08:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
David Barnett Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: LIttle Rock, AR Age: 52 Posts: 5,429	I have a 6119-1962HT, but don't have a modelling amp. The Hilotron pickups don't seem to be all that low in output on mine, no worse than the Telecaster. But then I usually run the volume on the guitar flat out or almost.

October 18th, 2006, 12:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
meyekel Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Denver Posts: 205	i have an AD60VTX so it's similar but a tad different than yours. I have read on various boards that VOX modeled the sounds on the amps to be very accurate to the real tube amps. Hence when i am playing on one of the lower gain settings (tweed 1x12, AC15) the volume is "appropriate" to those amps when not touching any knobs and merely switching between models. Having said that though your Gretsch should have enough in it to drive the clean amp settings loudly if everthing is dimed. I use my Rick 360 into it and it responds well.