Gear / Amp
Vox AC30
On 18 sourced rigs at ToneLineage.
Who uses it
- Brad PaisleyMud on the Tires sessions 2003Time Well Wasted, song by song 2005Live gearbox 2009
Vox AC30, 1962: Paired with a Dr. Z Z-28 with JBL D130. Ask Zac (Paisley's former tech Zac Childs): Mud on the Tires gear notes ↗
Vox AC30, 1962: On 'Alcohol', 'I'll Take You Back' and fills. Ask Zac: Brad Paisley 'Time Well Wasted' gear, compiled with ex-tech Chad Weaver (Apr 2020) ↗
Vox AC30 (hand-wired by Tony Bruno): Live rig. Premier Guitar: Brad Paisley: Proud Gearhead (Oct 2009) ↗
- Brian MayQueen: AC30 + treble booster 1970s onward
'The AC30 gives it that incredible throat.' Guitar World: Brian May goes deep on Bohemian Rhapsody (Mar 2021) ↗
- Dave GrohlEarly Foo Fighters 1995–2000Signature gear (career overview) career
Vox AC30 (acquired 1995): His main amp from the early Foo Fighters days; seen in pairs with Mesa Duals at Bizarre Festival 2000. GroundGuitar (fan archive): Dave Grohl's guitars, amps and gear ↗
Named in the article's equipment section: “…xr micro amp for the band's follow-up album. from there is nothing left to lose onwards, grohl has used a vox ac30 for clean and slightly-overdriven tones and a succession of mesa/boogie amplifiers for fully distorted sounds.…” Wikipedia: Dave Grohl ↗
- Eric ClaptonRoosters / Yardbirds 1963–1965
Yardbirds amp. Where's Eric! (fan site): Clapton's guitar, amp and equipment set-up 1963-2014 ↗
- George HarrisonEarly Beatles Vox amps 1962–1964
Vox AC30 (with Top Boost add-on): 1962 fawn AC30 with the add-on treble boost. Guitar World: The Beatles' guitars & amps on every album ↗
- Jeff BeckSignature gear (career overview) career
Named in the article's equipment section: “…e guitar (now owned by seymour w. duncan and housed in the cleveland rock and roll hall of fame) through vox ac30s. he also played through a variety of fuzz pedals and echo units along with this set-up and used the pro co rat…” Wikipedia: Jeff Beck ↗
- Kurt CobainNevermind sessions 1991Signature gear (career overview) career
Vox AC30 (clean, strummy overdubs): Vig: the clean and strummy guitars were the AC30. GroundGuitar (fan archive): Kurt Cobain's Nevermind gear and studio notes ↗
Named in the article's equipment section: “…kmount system featuring a mesa/boogie studio preamp, a crown power amp, and marshall cabinets. he also used a vox ac30 and a fender bassman. producer butch vig preferred to avoid pedals, but allowed cobain to use his boss ds-1, wh…” Wikipedia: Kurt Cobain ↗
- Ritchie BlackmoreDeep Purple: Vox and 'Vox-in-a-Marshall' 1960s–1970
He was 'enamored of' it; Marshall couldn't match it. Guitar Player: How Ritchie Blackmore got the world's loudest Marshall amp ↗
- The EdgeeXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE tour 2018Boy / October / War 1980–1983The Unforgettable Fire / The Joshua Tree 1984–1987
Vox AC30 (2015 AC30TB / 2016, Dave Clarke): Cornerstone of his tone. Premier Guitar Rig Rundown: U2's The Edge (Jul 2018) ↗
Edge (1987): 'my vintage Vox AC30, which is my favorite amp'. Guitar World (1987 archive): The Edge on The Joshua Tree ↗
Vox AC30 (vintage): 'My favorite amp', 1987. Guitar World (1987 archive): The Edge on The Joshua Tree ↗
- Allan HoldsworthSignature gear (career overview) career
Named in the article's equipment section: “…t me started in my interest in electronics." over the years, allan holdsworth used numerous amps, such as the vox ac30 and a 50-watt marshall with two 4x12 speaker cabinets. he liked the marshalls for single-note soloing, but not…” Wikipedia: Allan Holdsworth ↗
- Joe StrummerSignature gear (career overview) career
Named in the article's equipment section: “…mmer was known to use amplifiers such as a roland jazz chorus, a selmer bassman while he was in the 101ers, a vox ac30 and various marshall amplifiers, but his main amplifier was a music man hd 212,150. strummer commented on his c…” Wikipedia: Joe Strummer ↗
- Johnny MarrSignature gear (career overview) career
Named in the article's equipment section: “…nder sound continues to this day with his deluxe reverb. he has used other amps, including the roland jc-120, vox ac30, mesa boogie and marshall cabinets. marr typically uses boss effects units, notably that company's ce-2 chorus…” Wikipedia: Johnny Marr ↗
- Mike CampbellHard Promises → Full Moon Fever 1980s
Campbell: 'I went down to an AC30 for a while'. Guitar World: Mike Campbell on The Dirty Knobs' External Combustion ↗
- David HislopArtist video (rig rundown) (2020-02-18) 2020
Vox AC30 (with Greenbacks): Named by the speaker in the video (auto-captions: “british ac 30s with greenbacks”). Artist video (rig rundown): David Hislop [Bethel Music] Pedalboard Rundown 2020 | Tone Walkthrough (David Hislop, 2020-02-18) ↗
- Kenyon ReedArtist video (rig rundown) (2022-09-01) 2022
Named by the speaker in the video (auto-captions: “box ac30”). Artist video (rig rundown): Kenyon Reed from Bethel Music shows his set up and Daily Driver (shnobel, 2022-09-01) ↗
- Michael PopeArtist video (rig rundown) (2017-05-18) 2017
Vox AC30 (early '90s): Named by the speaker in the video (auto-captions: “early '90s ac30”). Artist video (rig rundown): Michael Pope Gear & Pedalboard Rundown - Bethel Music - Worship Guitar Magazine (Worship Guitar Magazine, 2017-05-18) ↗
- Chris Shiflett2024 rundown 2024
- Rich Robinson2026 tour 2026
Affordable clones & alternatives
Affiliate links. ToneLineage may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Approximate new prices from zZounds listings checked 2026-10-21; they change.
- Fender Champion II 25 Guitar Combo Amplifier (1x8", 25 Watts)~$150 new approx.
- Fender Champion II 50 Guitar Combo Amplifier (1x12", 50 Watts)~$200 new approx.
- Budget clone
- Vox AC15C1
- Boutique clone
- Matchless DC-30
Suggested alternative Clones are editorial suggestions, not claims about what any artist uses.
Buy the real thing
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