VOX AC-15 vs Fender Blues Deluxe

[Redmar85]

I love the Fender's tone... Did you use some pedal effect in it???

[intheblues]

@Redmar85 no effects just the amps

[TOM47812]

nice

[MattWhatsGoinOn]

I would have to say the Vox has more treble and presence - more "in your face". Seems to translate better with those Strat "in between" tones.

[NostalgiaT]

a more camparable side by side to me would be a Vox ac15 vs a blues Jr

[intheblues]

@NostalgiaT I can only review what I own unless I can borrow amps off people :)

[mrmrmrmr39]

Funny Im actually looking to buy one these 2 types of amps been looking for camparisons everywhere . I like the fender here better it has a bigger sound . But im a home player and I like over drive 40 watts yike. 100,000,000 question = DOES THE FENDER TAKE OD PEDALS WELL??????????

[intheblues]

@mrmrmrmr39 they both take pedals well but if you want the clean go for the fender, if not the vox kills it ;)

[kssork]

the fender is much cleaner and since its a forty watt of course loudeer. the 15 you can hear excels in tone but isnt as clear as the fender. the fender is more vingtage and would fit in better where a blues band is concerned but a vox is a lot nicer to listen to tonally. just wish it had the clarity of the fender, or that i could get a sixty watt... and afford it without turning tricks.

[nonogratt]

Hello, good

What is the pédale crunch on the vox pleas ???

[intheblues]

@nonogratt Vox sounds great with or without pedals. It's better than the fender in terms of not needing pedals to get a good tone.

[littlewhitedogs2]

To me no contest. The Blues Deluxe was shrill and lifeless while the Vox was champagne.

[intheblues]

@littlewhitedogs2 Thanks.  I like the vox more, i sold my fender amp a little while back :)

[Jeepjones85]

Great demo would have been cool if you played through both at the same time

[intheblues]

@Jeepjones85 That would of been cool! I should do those dual amp videos soon! :)

[Twinhit]

I've got a Blues Deluxe RI with Celestion Alnico Gold installed.

I really like what I am hearing on both channels.

I play an 09 Fender American Standard Stat (SSS), '06 Gibson 56 Les Paul Goldtop VOS w/P-90s

and 2000 Esteve Classical with a modified undersaddle piezo pickup.

Straight in - no effects or (preamp on classical), all my guitars sound real good,

LR Baggs PARA DI preamp for classical and Fulltone Fulldrive 2 for the Strat and LP.

BDRI is VERY versatile for my needs. :>)

[Twinhit]

If in the market, I wouldn't hesitate to purcase a VOX AC15 w/Greenback to add to my tonal color palette. Fender Princeton Reverb is sweet & so too is the Deluxe Reverb.

What I like about the Blues Deluxe is how it can be used to send preamp signals to a audio mixer which can then be sent into the PA, Reel to Reel and/or DAW. ,

And I send audio out of a puter, stereo, even an ipod into the amp. W/two of these bad boys, you got stereo. I'm not nuts about feeding audio source DI into input.

[Twinhit]

@Twinhit

This is a real nice vid for Amp comparison.

really cool. Thanks for postin'.

[darkstarrebellion]

the only problem with the vox is the reverb is unusable. this clips the fender's reverb sounds not great. awesome clip overall thanks

[Huntman1394]

The fender sounds more bluesy of course, sounds more like stevie ray vauhan. While the vox is brighter, sounds better for funk. I think they both sound awesome, wish i could have both.

[2GoldensTosa]

I have the AC-15C1 - Best amp I've ever used. REAL verstaile when dialed in correctly. 'Sounds great and you can get sweet brit distortion without blowing out the band. I used to have that problem with my older Marshall 1/2 and 1/4 stacks. "Turn that f#@kin' amp down!" LOL! Fotta check that OC44 Treble Booster. 'BIG Rory Gallagher fan! Nice demo, Brother!

[butterscotchtele]

The vox hisses like a crazy with the gain up over half way. And I found the cleans lifeless. Had to get rid of it.

[intheblues]

@butterscotchtele I never had that problem with either of my vox's they sound great. :) Sounds like maybe yours had an issue or was it a dodgy lead or some other problem?

[flammingcarrot]

@butterscotchtele depends what speaker you had in. The stock Wharf Speaker is hissy... Alnico Blue on the other hand... yum...

[ViciousMaximus]

Hey man how do you dial the tone cut?I can`t find the "sweet spot" on my ac30

[intheblues]

@ViciousMaximus leave the tone cut all the way off, so it's not doing anything and use the Bass and Treble settings.

[darkstarrebellion]

@intheblues exactly my conclusion

[DieByTheDrop]

Awesome playing... Finally, someone tests the AC-15 amp without playing high gain constantly.

[paulmapp8306]

Id like a shoot out between the AC15C1 and a Blues Junior - there both single channel and the same street price (well in the UK anyway). Trying to decide between those 2 and an Egnator Tweeker 15 (combo) with is a little more.

[flammingcarrot]

@paulmapp8306 I've played with an Egnator Tweeker... It was really lifeless and bleh. Nothing special. It wasn't bad... nor good. Lacked character to me. I settled for an AC15 with Alnico Blues. Lots of character there. Can't say much for the Blues Junior since I didn't try it. I like the dirty and mean streak of a Vox. Cleans are not lush like fenders (princeton) but it depends what you are looking for and what you prefer.

[itmeowsback]

This might be a no-brainer, but make sure to listen to this through stereo and not mono. The Vox sounded really shrill and thin through my laptop speaker. With my headphones, both of them sound great, though. I think I like the edginess of the Vox a little more...

[intheblues]

@itmeowsback Since going to the VOX Amps I ended up selling my fenders. I think "low end" is pretty over rated when you're playing live - the top and mid clarity of the vox is just too cool. It always sounds good in the mix :) Agreed!

[nazareneartists]

i prefer the vox! nice!

[klv400]

Great demo! nice playing! i like them both but i think the fender wins.

[nhlturtle87]

just wondering why didn't you do vox ac15 vs. blues junior? i think it would make more sense since theyre both 15th watts

[intheblues]

@nhlturtle87 I can only review the gear I personally own which is why, but it's a good idea.

[nhlturtle87]

@intheblues oh sure. thanks for the quick response :)

[leftygeezer]

Love all your vids. Vox AC15 for the win! How can you not love the chimy crunch?

I have the AC15C1 and the older AC15CC1, great amps.

I gig tested a Blues Deluxe and like the clean channel, but the tone was overall harsher and stiff. (original speaker of course). Sounded better w/ an OCD to me.

[DieToFleshNotSpirit]

@leftygeezer Is the AC15 loud enough for giging?



[leftygeezer]

@DieToFleshNotSpirit yes, it's reasonably loud. I used a boost pedal (MXR micro amp) to wake up the tubes for more clean volume, then an OCD for dirty sounds. The amp's natural distortion is fantastic, but to play that loud you'd get the stinkeye from the band and club owner!

[paulwillis36]

The verb on the fender is so sweet and warm, who could resist?! And the strat is such a nice complement to the fender blues. I'm sold!

[sohamorrohit]

Hi again Shane!

Question: Which amp do you think does the whole edge-of-breakup overdrive sound? Do you think the VOX does the that well? Or would a Marshall be better for that?

[dblake3rd]

Both very nice, but I'll take the BD, if I had to choose. Good playing. Agree about having a 15 watt amp to compliment the BD. My 15 watt amp is a Tiny Terror combo 1x12, which has a good tone variation for the Blues Deluxe.

[ec101dm]

the out-of-phase position sounds best on the Vox. nice and chimey.

[ExtravaganzaBullshit]

The Vox sounds divine. Clearer and more spacious than the Fender. I'm sold.

[leftygeezer]

@ExtravaganzaBullshit Spacious and "dimensional" are good words for the AC15

[xplosion00]

They're both so sweet I swear I'll be diabetic! yummmmmm!

[UKToneKing]

I am suprised at the blues deluxe, it sounds nice, I hade a HRDx3 and I hated the overdrive on that, it just sounded flabby, and I had to really work at getting a good tune out of it, were as my bassman is just amazing, it is an older silverface hand wired job, and it just sounds plain good all the time

[flammingcarrot]

@UKToneKing Blues Deluxe and HRD although similar looking have a different circuitry.

[propagandos]

I have a vox ac-30 c2. the truth is, these amps are both pure sex.

[ChoppaWhoppa1]

Vox all the way for me. I don't like that unpleasant shrillness f(or a better word) that can be found in most Fender amps.

[CrispyChris70]

Teach me how too play blues? =)

[LPMojoGL]

Fender is bluesy, Vox can be bluesy, but has that rock n roll vibe.

Vox is more versatile, can cover the same territory as the Fender, and then branch out from 60s-80s rock.

Fender does the country/blues, bout it.

Vox for me.

Fun video.

[normalsigara]

fender has 6l6 which is not that warm. VOX has el84 pretty warm n deep

[morimori335]

Fender sounds better here because new Vox amps are totally craps.

[badyearXY]

the fender has a jimiesqueness to it

[LynnRC1957]

Thank you for the time you took to teach us. Loved both

[Duroduro666]

Both are beautiful.... I prefer the vox ;)

[25DSC]

What kind of tubes does the Fender have?

[GNeuman]

Lovely playing, you do sound like Chase (Jesse Spencer) from House!

Strangely enough I sold my Fender Blues Deluxe and bought a VOX AC15C1 as I wanted an amp that was more suitable for home recording as well as being attracted to the chimey, crunchy sound of the Vox.

I have to say that Youtube doesn't do the differences between the two amps justice as to my ears these amps are like chalk and cheese. The Fender, IMHO is wonderful on a Strat and for Blues but I like the versatility of the Vox

[GNeuman]

Lovely playing, you do sound like Chase (Jesse Spencer) from House!

Strangely enough I sold my Fender Blues Deluxe and bought a VOX AC15C1 as I wanted an amp that was more suitable for home recording as well as being attracted to the chimey, crunchy sound of the Vox...

I have to say that Youtube doesn't do the differences between the two amps justice as to my ears these amps are like chalk and cheese. The Fender, IMHO is wonderful on a Strat and for Blues but I like the versatility of the Vox

[flammingcarrot]

voxes are so jangly ... sounds super cool ... but thin... I think i'm more of a warm clean sound guy... I may be a fender guy afterall...

[kissrocks45]

fat 50 warmer and fatter?

[audiotrax2000]

Great sounding demo! I'm partial to Vox, but both amps sound very good.

[Qoooba95]

nice one but id like to know how exactly does vox take pedals? i mean distortion or even something like big muff... could tell me?

[ArielsSmartyPants]

Nice comparison, I feel they each have strengths that would allow you to actually need both for different settings/songs/sounds.

[melsamjay]

Two really nice amps Shane.I judge that the Fender suits your style of playing better.It has more meat on the bone, and that's coming from a big Vox fan....(I know you like to try the odd pedal out; have you ever looked into the "Flynn Amps" Dallas Rangemaster Treble booster clone?..Very touch sensitive to playing and very dynamic)...

[intheblues]

@melsamjay Thanks man, I really dig the Vox vibe, it's raw and edgy! hehe. I've never heard of the Flynn Amps stuff but I'll check it out cheers! :)

[guitardudeoftheuk]

@intheblues Mate i love your playing style, i too have the Vox AC15C is the one you did the demo on th ? with the top boost Reverb and Tremolo / fantastic amps.

Flynn amps are a Scottish based amp maker in Glasgow i have there OC44 treble booster pedel " being a Rory Gallagher fan" and it sounds just brilliant through the Vox Check them out mate.

Brilliant demo.

[StraitUpSuburbanite]

The AC-15 sounds brighter and "tinnier" or "thinner" to me.  The Blues Deluxe has a real detailed Overdriven tone. I like 'em both though. Oh, and one question, are you Australian? You might be English, but you sounds Australian to me.

[intheblues]

@StraitUpSuburbanite VOX amps will generally have a lot more cut than fender amps, it's part of their sound. It's still a really warm amp. :)

I'm Australian