GrammeFriday

Thanks, 72d! Amp now on hold ...

The fact that this ad needs bumping is the best evidence yet of how sluggish the BC Basses for sale market has become at present. Normally Fiesta Red roadworns go the same day - blink and you miss 'em! Good luck with it anyway - someone will be along soon.

For sale, my Vox Valvetronix AD50VT guitar amp: [url="http://s1333.photobucket.com/user/grammefriday/media/Vox/photo%201_zpsmwek2tvk.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1333.photobucket.com/user/grammefriday/media/Vox/photo%202_zpsgyr5jl9d.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1333.photobucket.com/user/grammefriday/media/Vox/photo%205_zpsyjfwvber.jpg.html"][/url] I bought this amp from new back in 2007. Mostly used for home practice but I have done some pub and functions gigs with it, and it easily holds its own against an unmiked drum kit, so it has all the volume you need unless you are in a super-loud metal outfit. The top-mounted carrying handle came off years ago, and I have never felt the need to replace it, but other than that the amp is in excellent condition for its age and is in full and perfect working order. I’m only selling it now as it has become surplus to requirements, and I need to free up some physical space. As the name ‘Valvetronix’ suggests, this amp features a clever mix of solid state and valve technologies; specifically, it has “a power amp circuit containing a 12AX7 (ECC83) dual triode valve (“vacuum tube”) that would normally be used in a preamp. This allows the amp to produce the true sound and feel of a bona fide all valve (tube) amp.” Well, that’s what the manual says, anyway. All I would say is that it certainly does respond in a more organic, ‘valvey’ way than any other transistor amp I’ve used, so the valve circuit must be doing something useful in there. The real selling point of this unit, however, is its genuinely impressive amp modelling capabilities. Simply twisting the ”Amp” knob (seen on the left in the picture below) gives you instant impersonations of a selection of classic amp sounds from the whole history of pop and rock: [url="http://s1333.photobucket.com/user/grammefriday/media/Vox/photo%203_zpslgglqlke.jpg.html"][/url] Some of the names on the dial are self-explanatory, while others are a more cryptic (presumably to keep the lawyers at bay), but they are all listed in various places on the internet, and run as follows: BOUTIQUE CL = Dumble 100w head (clean channel) BLACK 2x12 = Fender 'Blackface' Twin Reverb TWEED 4x10 = 1959 Fender 4x10 Bassman (yes, this was designed as a bass amp but it found more favour with guitarists than it ever did with us bass players) AC15 = Channel 2 of a 1962 Vox AC15 AC30TB = Vox AC30 Top-boost UK ’70s = 1971 Marshall 50w Plexi Head (high treble channel) UK ’80s - 1983 Marshall 100w JCM800 head UK MODERN = Marshall JCM2000 DSL100 head (High gain channel) NUMETAL = 100w Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier head (modern high gain channel) US HIGAIN = Soldano SLO100 Head (high gain channel) BOUTIQUE OD = Dumble Overdrive Special 100w head (overdrive channel) All good fun, but I’ve found the Vox AC30 particularly useful for clean tones, UK ’70s and ’80s for classic rock and metal (Led Zep, AC/DC, Motorhead etc.), and US Higain for those moments when only a feral OTT modern metal sound will do. US Higain sounds even better when you dial in a bit of reverb as well (yes, this amp also has some built in effects - see the knob on the right). The other really useful feature of this amp is that it has an attenuator on the back panel - it’s the knob labelled “Power Level” in the picture below: [url="http://s1333.photobucket.com/user/grammefriday/media/Vox/photo%204_zpsvknuklmx.jpg.html"][/url] This knob allows you to adjust the output power of the amp all the way from 50 watts down to one watt without reducing the gain and volume settings. What this means is that you can play the amp in a crazily overdriven, feedback-howling fashion with everything turned up to 11 without disturbing the neighbours, or even family members watching TV in the next room. I wish all guitar amps had this feature! Finally, I should say that all of the modelling and fx stuff can be bypassed and the amp can be used entirely manually. It is also programmable - you can create your own custom sounds and store them as two channel presets, between which you can toggle to your heart’s content. More details here: [url="http://www.voxamps.com/uploads/SupportPage_Downloads/AD15_30_50_100VT_E4.pdf"]http://www.voxamps.c...50_100VT_E4.pdf[/url] And plenty of reviews here: [url="http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/guitar_amplifiers/vox/ad50vt"]http://www.ultimate-...iers/vox/ad50vt[/url] So, to sum up: great fun, great sounds, and great versatility. Yours for £80 in cash or advance bank transfer only, collected from Gramme Towers in South Birmingham. I’m reluctant to post this one as it weighs 20kg, but I’d be happy to deliver by car to you or meet at a mutually convenient location if you are in the West Midlands area or within a reasonable radius - PM me to discuss possibilities. Thanks for looking!

The Glock 2 band works great on these basses - my VM5 has one and I love it - sounds killer, and super easy to use.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1443886036' post='2878482'] 5-string super jazz from Sandberg, 35" scale, rosewood board, proper tort guard, ash body in a stunning matte transparent 3-tone sunburst. Pickups are probably Sandberg's own, electronics are a 3-band EQ with active/passive switching, I assume Glockenklang. [/quote] Stock pickups on Californias are Delano, which have big MM-style pole pieces. Yours are more traditional-looking, which means they may be Haussels - Sandberg fit them as an option (with upcharge) if you want a more traditional J-bass sound. I've never tried them but I've heard others on BC rate them v highly. Yes, the preamp will be Glockenklang, but the standard one is two-band not three - is yours definitely 3-band? If so, then that's another upgrade from stock! Either way, this will be a fantastic bass, and the price is right too! Good luck with it!

... and sold!