Help Me Decide, PLEASE!

[kuch]

After fighting with the VA for 12 years I finally won my appeal. They deposited a substantial amount of money into my bank account yesterday. My Wife is cool with me buying an expensive guitar or amplifier. I already have my perfect Tele and several VERY nice amps, so I don't "need" anything.

So, If you had the money would you buy a Vox AC30/6 TBX w/ a road case for what I feel is a good value (I LOVE Vox amps, but haven't bonded with the HW or the C versions I've owned), a 1978 Gibson LP Custom (Birth year + Dream Guitar) that "might" be a little over priced, or???

Vox AC30/6 TB 3-Channel 30-Watt 2x12" Guitar Combo 1994 - 2004 | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

Thunder Road Guitars - 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black

thunderroadguitars.com

My current gear:

*2018 AO 60's Tele w/ hand-wound '63 pickups - My Desert Island Guitar
*2010 Gibson LP Custom - I still don't like the D "Slim Taper" neck shape on this guitar (it'll go if I buy the 1978)
*1975 Fender Princeton Reverb - My Desert Island Amp
*1974 Fender Musicmaster bass Amp - when played in stereo with the PR... GLORIUS
*'57 Custom Deluxe amp - It's new. I like it. Still not 100% sure I'm going to keep it
*Magnatone Super 15 Head and Cab - Very "Marshally" (Did I mention the head and cab light up?)

I can play the LP in person. The AC30/6 would be a Reverb purchase.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts.

Hey Guy,

Congrats on your settlement.
Not trying to dissuade you, but would you really use the AC30? This probably won't matter to you but I've been around for a while and have bought and sold a bunch of gear in the last 30 years. After my kids left the house and I progressed in my career, I had quite a bit of disposable income and started buying amps and guitars and other stuff that I always wanted that I couldn't afford before. I got the twins, bandmasters, vibroluxes, vox's, marshalls, etc.....
what I'm trying to say is that I don't play out anymore and what I've "settled for and basically it's all I really want any more is a 70's vibro champ and 65PRRI.
Guitars wise I have a ec strat, 3 teles-52 hotrod, am std, G&L classic thinline, a gibby es330, and 3 martins.
If you're going to use it, go for the Vox, cause I noticed that your "desert Island amp is the PRRI. But if you're not, go for the Gibson.

I'm sure you're going to enjoy whatever you get. Have fun

PS: Personally, I would not get anything at "Thunder Road". Their prices are about 25% higher than street price....

 

[oregomike]

After fighting with the VA for 12 years I finally won my appeal. They deposited a substantial amount of money into my bank account yesterday. My Wife is cool with me buying an expensive guitar or amplifier. I already have my perfect Tele and several VERY nice amps, so I don't "need" anything.

So, If you had the money would you buy a Vox AC30/6 TBX w/ a road case for what I feel is a good value (I LOVE Vox amps, but haven't bonded with the HW or the C versions I've owned), a 1978 Gibson LP Custom (Birth year + Dream Guitar) that "might" be a little over priced, or???

Vox AC30/6 TB 3-Channel 30-Watt 2x12" Guitar Combo 1994 - 2004 | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

Thunder Road Guitars - 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black

thunderroadguitars.com

My current gear:

*2018 AO 60's Tele w/ hand-wound '63 pickups - My Desert Island Guitar
*2010 Gibson LP Custom - I still don't like the D "Slim Taper" neck shape on this guitar (it'll go if I buy the 1978)
*1975 Fender Princeton Reverb - My Desert Island Amp
*1974 Fender Musicmaster bass Amp - when played in stereo with the PR... GLORIUS
*'57 Custom Deluxe amp - It's new. I like it. Still not 100% sure I'm going to keep it
*Magnatone Super 15 Head and Cab - Very "Marshally" (Did I mention the head and cab light up?)

I can play the LP in person. The AC30/6 would be a Reverb purchase.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts.

Im going rogue and say, Buy a Santa Cruz acoustic, or a Collings electric.

 

[Cosmic Cowboy]

Top Boost AC 30.

 

[Old Verle Miller]

I'm kind of surprised no one has suggested you look at Quilter before you decide. I would.

 

[cometazzi]

A killer Les Paul.

Every guitar player should have one.

Or five.

What qualifies as killer?

(serious question, as I'm eyeballing a local one)

 

[hepular]

If money isn’t a concern, I’d avoid the mass-produced Vox amps. Instead, I’d do some deep research to see which boutique builders make Vox clones that tick all the “requirement boxes” in my head. Then I’d buy the the best sounding, best performing Vox-type amp available that isn’t built to a price point.

(Sorry, I’m not a Vox guy, so I can’t tell you which boutique builders do “Vox” best)

tl;dr Don’t buy the badge, buy the amp

bad cat. or victory

 

[Peegoo]

What qualifies as killer?

(serious question, as I'm eyeballing a local one)

It's a guitar that feels right at home as soon as you pick it up. The neck feels like it was made for your hand. It plays so easily, it seems to play itself.

I have a few Les Pauls and they are all really nice, but one of them is THE one. I took a year of playing hundreds of 'em to find the best one I could. When I tried this R8, I knew right away it was the holy grail. It really does feel like it plays itself...effortless. And the tone just kills.

 

[cometazzi]

It's a guitar that feels right at home as soon as you pick it up. The neck feels like it was made for your hand. It plays so easily, it seems to play itself.

I have a few Les Pauls and they are all really nice, but one of them is THE one. I took a year of playing hundreds of 'em to find the best one I could. When I tried this R8, I knew right away it was the holy grail. It really does feel like it plays itself...effortless. And the tone just kills.

Very nice. Do you play it, or keep it in the case?

 

[Alex_C]

After fighting with the VA for 12 years I finally won my appeal. They deposited a substantial amount of money into my bank account yesterday. My Wife is cool with me buying an expensive guitar or amplifier. I already have my perfect Tele and several VERY nice amps, so I don't "need" anything.

So, If you had the money would you buy a Vox AC30/6 TBX w/ a road case for what I feel is a good value (I LOVE Vox amps, but haven't bonded with the HW or the C versions I've owned), a 1978 Gibson LP Custom (Birth year + Dream Guitar) that "might" be a little over priced, or???

Vox AC30/6 TB 3-Channel 30-Watt 2x12" Guitar Combo 1994 - 2004 | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

Thunder Road Guitars - 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black

thunderroadguitars.com

My current gear:

*2018 AO 60's Tele w/ hand-wound '63 pickups - My Desert Island Guitar
*2010 Gibson LP Custom - I still don't like the D "Slim Taper" neck shape on this guitar (it'll go if I buy the 1978)
*1975 Fender Princeton Reverb - My Desert Island Amp
*1974 Fender Musicmaster bass Amp - when played in stereo with the PR... GLORIUS
*'57 Custom Deluxe amp - It's new. I like it. Still not 100% sure I'm going to keep it
*Magnatone Super 15 Head and Cab - Very "Marshally" (Did I mention the head and cab light up?)

I can play the LP in person. The AC30/6 would be a Reverb purchase.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts.

No Strat or 335 on your list? I also noticed no modeler. You already have some nice amps and a LP, why not branch out?

 

[Peegoo]

Do you play it, or keep it in the case?

I play it just about every day.

That display case in the pic above is in the studio at PRS HQ. I was working on a recording there in February, and I hung my Gibson in the case--wondering if it would set off any alarms or perhaps catch fire.

Nobody notified the authorities

 

[cometazzi]

I play it just about every day.

That display case in the pic above is in the studio at PRS HQ. I was working on a recording there in February, and I hung my Gibson in the case--wondering if it would set off any alarms or perhaps catch fire.

Nobody notified the authorities

haha, nice!

Of course this prompts me to ask even more questions, but I don't want to derail this thread.

 

[Lowspeid]

It's a guitar that feels right at home as soon as you pick it up. The neck feels like it was made for your hand. It plays so easily, it seems to play itself.

I have a few Les Pauls and they are all really nice, but one of them is THE one. I took a year of playing hundreds of 'em to find the best one I could. When I tried this R8, I knew right away it was the holy grail. It really does feel like it plays itself...effortless. And the tone just kills.

Yours look VERY similar to the R8 I bought. I’ve played about 20 over the last 6 months, and played about a dozen the day I found mine. When this one hit my hands and played that first open E, I knew it was The One. Search over.

 

[Lowspeid]

Update: I did NOT like the jazzmaster, so I took it back… and picked up a Marshall Sv20 and 2061cx 2x12 cab. HOLY SMOKES!!! LP through a Marshall Plexi just KILLS! I have an OX attenuator so I can actually crank it without risking internal bleeding. Thunder Road PDX had a Marshall AC30 that I was able to plug into side by side the Marshall and there was ZERO comparison for my taste. Marshall all day, every day.

And Yes, Thunder Road is probably more expensive than if I’d hunted all this gear down on Reverb but their customer service is absolutely the best I’ve ever experienced, I was able to try everything before I bought it (can’t do that on Reverb), and I don’t mind supporting a local business owned by cool people.

My Tele through the Marshall sounds AWESOME! I’m pretty sure I have all the gear I could ever need! (I even started taking lessons again a couple weeks ago!). Thank you to everyone who chimed in. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.