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1964 Vox AC-30 Non-top Boost - Any specialists out there?

Telefenatic

New member
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
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3
Hi All,

I was wondering if there are any Vox specialists on the forum who can help me with identifying the following AC30.

According to the red JMI plate and silverbell speakers (marked T1088) I think it could potentially be a 64 non-top boost model.

However, I cannot seem to find any info on the serial number, pot or capacitor codes, transformer brand, etc. Judging by the larger air vents on the cab I am also suspicious this is not the original one.

I regards to the chassis / circuit I have no idea what could be original or not given that my knowledge in amps is rather limited ...

Anyone who can provide any info on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Yes, 64/65 but there’s not a serial # stamped under the power switch like a JMI period amp would have. Those were actually not the real serial # but an inventory control number started in 1963 after a number of amps went “missing”. The actual serial # was on the plate that was on the back of the amp and was the very last thing put on the amp before it was boxed by Tom Jennings brother and shipped out to dealers. The top panel has a JMI control panel. But it looks like most all of the caps & resistors have been replaced. The trannies are all Albion which was one of the 4 transformer companies that JMI used( with RS, Haddon, Albion & Woden).
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
The cabinet is later and probably made from MDF.. very easy to swap out chassis when they’re mounted on plynth.
 

Telefenatic

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Oct 3, 2019
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3
Thank you for the info TM1, very useful. How do you see the trannies are Albion? Could this indicate the circuit or chassis is from the JMI era?
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
There are probably more amps with Albion’s & Woden’s than Haddon’s, RS or Parameko’s as JMI was making/ building a lot of amps between 1963-1966 and that was the period where the demand was the greatest. JMI used 3 different chassis assemblers and three different cabinet makers..
The order of tranny use was early RS was used and then Haddon, then Woden and Albion. Parameko’s were later. It’s too bad the crap that Korg builds lacks the same quality of the amps from this period.
 

agogetr

Active member
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
451
i had an old timer that used to share gigs with the beatles tell me the ac 30 with no top boost was the one to have. i foreget excactly what he said but dimed it was better. i have his number somewhere i,m going to call him again for the rundown
 
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