Valvetech Hayseed

[markjohn]

Hey guys, I just got a Hayseed 30, which is a copy of a Vox AC30, and it is AMAZING. Ppl who said that you don't reverb with an AC30 weren't lying. There's enough 'chime' in this baby to make it sound very 3-D. I couldn't really crank it (cos it's 2am) but it just goes to show how useable its master volume is. It also has the EF86 preamp, which was on the older AC30 models, before they took that out. It's a high gain tube, and it distorts faster than a 12ax7. Very fun to play with. It also comes with the usual normal and top boost channels.

It also has a half power switch at the back, going from 30w to 15w, meaning you could keep it quieter for practices, and flip it back to 30w for the gig. Or just leave it at 15w and crank the hell out of it!

Some ppl may be purists who think an AC30 shouldn't have a MV, 1/2 power switch and all the bell's and whistles, but I beg to differ. I wouldn't mind having that Vox tone without having to turn it up past earbleed level, which is what this amp is capable of delivering. I have played an AC30CC2 (which has been praised as the amp closest in terms of tone to the original JMI amps) with the wharfdale speakers, and the Hayseed (what I've heard so far) is on par with it. I'm running my amp thru a AlNiCo 30w Weber Blue Dog.

Overall, a very cool and versatile amp. I'm obviously still in the honeymoon phase, but I'll probably be posting my ravings here. You guys owe it to yourselves to check this amp out! www.valvetechamps.com

The only downside is the waiting time. I waited 8 whole months for this baby to arrive!!

Mine looks exactly like this, except mine's the Hayseed 30:

 

[bluepowder]

very nice..i have to ask..how much...was customs a bitch :lol:

 

[markjohn]

All in all, about SGD$2k, including shipping and GST. Customs was ok, could have done things faster (shipped via BAX Global) but all in all took abt 9 days to reach my doorstep.

 

[guitarsan]

2K including shipping is a good price.

 

[markjohn]

I agree. It would've been cheaper if I didn't buy the Weber speaker with it. This guy makes awesome value amps

 

[gsonique]

Good choice :smt023

 

[bluepowder]

the website says the price of the amp with weber speakers is around 1200 or so...?assumin u got a 2x12

so shipping + customs + gst was only like a 100$?

 

[markjohn]

I paid US$999 for the head, and $175 for the Weber AlNiCo blue dog. Add the $75 for the EF86 preamp and $25 for the effects loop. That comes up to US$1274. I forgot to add that you have tp put down a US$150 deposit, so the balance was $1124. Shipping and GST was sgd$370, so all in all I paid about sgd$2.3k.

Sorry for the misquote in my earlier post, I totally forgot about the deposit I put down!

 

[guitarsan]

Maybe you would like to compare this and the Vox AC30CC1/2 at City Music. Curious to know the difference.

 

[bluepowder]

very nice....370$ seems abt right for shippin...im guessin he sent it in a road case? :lol:

 

[markjohn]

Haha, I'd have to pay extra for the roadcase! No, he shipped it in an oversized box filled with the foam peanuts. The amp itself was bubble wrapped. He did an excellent job of packing it.

 

[markjohn]

I've used the AC30CC2 in a band context, and I think it sounds good. But to me it seems to be lacking something in the high end. The Hayseed has more of that, which I feel adds to the chimey character of a Vox AC30. Then again, you could say that the Hayseed is too bright compared to the AC30CC2. It's how you look at it I guess.

It could also be the speaker choice. The CC2 had Wharfdales, my Hayseed has a single AlNiCo Blue Dog (Weber's take on a Celestion Blue). My speaker hasn't been broken in yet, so it could be the reason for the amp sounding bright (but i ike bright amps , but I'm sure it'll mellow down once it gets broken in.

The CC2 doesn't have a half power switch, but it does have a nice master volume. It also has the channel link switch (same thing as using a jumper cable on my Hayseed), and all the switches at the back to alter the amps tone slightly. As good as it sounds, it does feel cheap (cheap knobs which felt very loose) plus I've read of a lot of failure problems with the CC2. For me, I went with the Hayseed cos it feels like a good amp, sounds good, is PTP wired (which means it's easier to change caps and resistors, something I might do).

I'm not going to go into the "Made in China" vs "Made in USA" topic, a lil touchy I feel. But if you're one of those guys that want to know that your amp was made one at a time by one guy, who can customise it to anyway you like, and finish it in any tolex options (he once offered the Vox grillcloth, but Korg USA stopped him), then the Hayseed is for you. Personally, I chose the Hayseed over the CC2 because of the half power switch and EF86 preamp.

p.s Vox is releasing a handwired AC15 (made in China still) that is true to the original JMI AC15's meaning it has the EF86 preamp. I'm hoping it'll be affordable, cos I might want to pick one up!

 

[Gearjunkie]

Cool review, and definitely a cool looking amp there. Play the hell out of it!