Vox AC30C2 [with broken reverb]

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oozaboo
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Vox AC30C2 [with broken reverb]

Post by oozaboo » Sun Jan 19, 2020 3:23 am

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I made a mistake. So a guy offers me this amp in a trade. I have him bring it over. I start fiddling with the Reverb & he goes "yeah, the Tremolo is really good on this thing." So I forgot to make sure the reverb was working & it is not. My estimates put it at a $60-120 fix CAD but I don't have money most of the time. I'm thinking I need to let this go as is.

I had a Princeton that I wasn't emotionally attached to, so I traded it for this, which was my friend's favourite amp. He has money troubles so I thought if we decided on what the amp was worth, I'd let him pay something less than that over time, just because he was my friend. But instead, he offered me $500 right away, which by the way I would have accepted, if it weren't for the fact that I was trying to give him a deal. Not be requested of a deal. It messed with my ego.

Anyway, he's not my friend any longer, & I've had this amp just sitting around for a few months. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for what it is I should do with it? I'm willing to take a financial loss. It's just, I don't drive.

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Re: Vox AC30C2 [with broken reverb]

Post by chrisrnps » Sun Jan 19, 2020 12:44 pm

Even if you’re planning on selling or trading, getting the reverb working can make enough of a difference in selling price it’s worth giving troubleshooting a try.

There are a couple simple things to try first on those (I currently own two and have owned four, between the C2 and CC2 versions).

If you haven’t already been inside, unscrew the many wood and machine screws that secure the large rear wood panel (don’t bother with the smaller lower one.)

Try unplugging and re-plugging the cable(s) to and from the reverb tank; make sure it’s not disconnected, loose, or plugged in backwards.

Try replacing the cable(s) that go to and from the reverb tank. It’s just an RCA cable pair like home stereo equipment uses and not expensive.

Remove and inspect the reverb tank. They’re relatively inexpensive, so maybe try ordering a replacement tank. A new tank would cost less than the hit you’d take selling it with the reverb “broken.”

You can also try connecting the reverb send and return to itself to test those parts of the circuit (you should be able to tell a volume difference turning the reverb knob up and down, even sans reverb, and possibly a change in tone due to impedance mismatch).

Try plugging and unplugging a 1/4” cable to the footswitch jack just to make sure there’s nothing stuck in there fooling the jack into thinking there’s a connected footswitch set to “off.”

Etc.
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Re: Vox AC30C2 [with broken reverb]

Post by oozaboo » Sun Jan 19, 2020 1:39 pm

I completely forgot I made this thread. The amp is gone!
chrisrnps wrote:
Sun Jan 19, 2020 12:44 pm
Even if you’re planning on selling or trading, getting the reverb working can make enough of a difference in selling price it’s worth giving troubleshooting a try.

There are a couple simple things to try first on those (I currently own two and have owned four, between the C2 and CC2 versions).

If you haven’t already been inside, unscrew the many wood and machine screws that secure the large rear wood panel (don’t bother with the smaller lower one.)

Try unplugging and re-plugging the cable(s) to and from the reverb tank; make sure it’s not disconnected, loose, or plugged in backwards.

Try replacing the cable(s) that go to and from the reverb tank. It’s just an RCA cable pair like home stereo equipment uses and not expensive.

Remove and inspect the reverb tank. They’re relatively inexpensive, so maybe try ordering a replacement tank. A new tank would cost less than the hit you’d take selling it with the reverb “broken.”

You can also try connecting the reverb send and return to itself to test those parts of the circuit (you should be able to tell a volume difference turning the reverb knob up and down, even sans reverb, and possibly a change in tone due to impedance mismatch).

Try plugging and unplugging a 1/4” cable to the footswitch jack just to make sure there’s nothing stuck in there fooling the jack into thinking there’s a connected footswitch set to “off.”

Etc.
I tried unplugging, re-plugging, I tried replacing the cables, & inspecting the tank. I did not try the rest. It became more of a visible headache cue than a project.

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Re: Vox AC30C2 [with broken reverb]

Post by Larsongs » Mon Jan 20, 2020 8:15 am

Those are are fine Amps... Look on YouTube for how to fix.... If that doesn't work......

Buy a cheap Reverb Pedal... Like a Danolectro....

As finances become available fix the Reverb...

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Re: Vox AC30C2 [with broken reverb]

Post by Larsongs » Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:10 am

Could be it's just the Tank which is a very cheap & easy DIY fix...

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Re: Vox AC30C2 [with broken reverb]

Post by andy_tchp » Wed Jan 22, 2020 5:25 pm

^ That'd be something for the new owner to deal with.
oozaboo wrote:
Sun Jan 19, 2020 1:39 pm
The amp is gone!
"I don't know why we asked him to join the band 'cause the rest of us don't like country music all that much; we just like Graham Lee."
David McComb, 1987.

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Re: Vox AC30C2 [with broken reverb]

Post by Larsongs » Thu Jan 23, 2020 11:20 pm

andy_tchp wrote:
Wed Jan 22, 2020 5:25 pm
^ That'd be something for the new owner to deal with.
oozaboo wrote:
Sun Jan 19, 2020 1:39 pm
The amp is gone!
Too bad.. Especially if it was just a $20.00 Reverb Tank... Those are pretty darn good Amps.

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