For many guitarists the Vox AC30 is the greatest guitar amp ever made – bar none.
The combo was originally designed for the instrumental group The Shadows, but it became known worldwide as ”The Beatles Amp”. Over the decades, many other guitarists have favoured Vox’ best known design. Users include people like Brian May (Queen), Rory Gallagher and U2’s The Edge. Many Finnish Shadows-/Ventures-style bands (”rautalankka”) also favour the AC30.
Despite their legendary status, vintage Vox AC30s also do have their issues:
This large 2 x 12″ combo weighs quite a lot, making it a little hard to carry alone. Old Voxes also are non-master volume amps, which means that attaining natural distortion comes at the cost of serious sound pressure levels – often too much for small clubs and function gigs. Old AC30s also have all their valves – yes, also the power amp tubes – placed inside an almost completely closed metal chassis. This has led to vintage-Voxes getting an infamous reputation as relatively prone to catching fire.
(photo: Studiofreak/Photobucket)
Boutique amp makers Bluetone (from Helsinki, Finland) have recently come up with their special take on the beloved classic combo. Their new amp is called Bluetone Shadows Reverb, and it comes with a whole number of welcome improvements and modern features.
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Bluetone’s Shadows Reverb (reviewed version: 1,950 €) is a single-channel all-valve amp loaded with a genuine spring reverb. The combo represents the company’s view of what constitutes a perfect Top Boost-channel tone, all presented in a much more compact format.
The Shadows Reverb is a class AB amp, and it offers between 15 and 30 Watts of output power, depending on the setting of its built-in Variac.
The combo’s cabinet is made from high-grade plywood. The Shadows Reverb is a good deal smaller and less deep than its classic forebear from the 1960s.
This reduction in heft is due mostly to the use of 10-inch Celestion Alnico Gold speakers in place of the AC30’s 12-inch speaker pair.
The speakers in the Shadows Reverb combo have been ”played in” for a number of hours (using an oscillator) to get rid of the typical tightness of brand-new Alnico Golds.
This Bluetone-combo uses three 12AX7-tubes, and a single 12AT7 in its preamp section.
The power amp runs on a quartet of EL84 valves. The Shadows Reverb is a cathode-biased valve amp, which means that replacing the power amp tubes doesn’t usually necessitate any rebiasing.
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Yes, the Bluetone Shadows Reverb is ”just” a single-channel combo, but it is far from a single sound guitar amplifier. In large part this is thanks to the brilliant modern features Bluetone has incorporated into this homage.
The Shadows Reverb offers you two guitar inputs – High and Low – for use with single coil- and humbucker-equipped instruments.
The preamp features a two-band Baxandall EQ-section – with typically interactive controls for Bass and Treble – as well as a three-stage Bass Cut rotary switch, which offers you two fatter alternatives to the famously bright and wiry Vox Top Boost sound.
The onboard spring reverb sounds fantastic and is a real treat to work with, giving you everything from completely dry tones to Surf Music antics.
The power amp section comes with three controls:
Cut allows you to make overall adjustments to the combo’s treble output.
Bluetone’s Master Volume-control is placed after the phase inverter, right at the end of the signal chain. This allows you to get juicy power amp distortion at low volume levels, and with only minimal changes in the amp’s tone.
As mentioned before, the Shadows Reverb comes with a built-in Variac circuit. Although the Variac also has a bearing on the combo’s output level, it works in a completely different way to the master volume, namely by dropping the voltage the power amp runs on. Turning the Variac down will result in a good deal less clean headroom and more power amp sag.
Due to large public interest, I had to return the Shadows Reverb much earlier than anticipated, but I still managed to record two different demo tracks with the Bluetone amp.
The first (clean) track features rhythm guitar tracks played on a Fender Telecaster (left channel) and a 1970s Japanese copy of a Gibson ES-335 (Kasuga; right channel). The lead guitar part was played on a Fender Stratocaster. All guitar tracks have been recorded with an AKG C3000 microphone placed approximately 80 cm from the combo’s front:
The second track (overdriven) has been recorded with a Stratocaster. The distortion comes from the Shadows Reverb (no pedals used), and all tracks have been close-miked with a pair of Shure SM57s:
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Bluetone’s Shadows Reverb is an outstanding boutique amp take on the Vox AC30 motif. Like all other Bluetone amps, the Shadows Reverb is carefully handmade in Finland to the company’s strict quality standards. This results in reliable top-drawer tools for the musician, with extremely low levels of hiss and negligible AC hum.
I had a great time test driving this combo. The Bluetone Shadows Reverb simply delivers all it promises with style and panache. The combo weighs approximately half of the original classic (AC30s usually weigh between 31 to 36 kg, depending on their specific vintage and the speakers they come loaded with). The reduced size means you won’t be having any problems lifting this beauty into the boot of a small car, such as a Ford Fiesta.
Thanks to the additional features of this Bluetone combo – like the Bass Cut and the Variac – you will be able to enjoy the great sound of the Shadows Reverb anywhere you want, be it at home or on stage.
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Bluetone Shadows Reverb
Prices starting at approx. 1,700 € (reviewed version: 1,950 €)
Monelle kitaristille Voxin AC30-kombo on se yksi ja ainoa varteenotettava kitaravahvistin.
Alun perin brittiyhtye The Shadowsia varten kehitetty AC30 tuli kuuluisaksi The Beatles -vahvistimena, mutta se on löytänyt tiensä monien erityylisten kitaristien backlineen. Tunnetuimpiin käyttäjiin kuuluvat mm. Brian May (Queen), Rory Gallagher sekä U2:n The Edge. Myös Suomen rautalankabändien keskuudessa AC30 kuuluu vakiovarustukseen.
Suosiosta huolimatta vanhoilla AC30-komboilla on myös huonot puolensa:
Isokokoinen, kahdella 12-tuumaisella kaiuttimella varustettu putkikombo on melko painava ilmestys. Vanhoissa Voxeissa ei myöskään ole master volume -säädintä, mikä tarkoittaa sitä että vahvistimen omaa säröä pystyy hyödyntämään asianmukaisesti vain isoissa keikkapaikoissa. Lisäksi vintage-Voxeissa kaikki putket – kyllä, myös pääteputket – on sijoitettu lähes kokonaan suljettuun metallikoteloon, minkä takia vintage-AC30:t voivat (käyttötavasta rippuen) syttyä palamaan herkemmin kuin moni muu vanha kombovahvistin.
(kuva: Studiofreak/Photobucket)
Helsinkiläinen vahvistinpaja Bluetone tarjoaa nyt oivan ratkaisun klassikkovahvistimen ongelmiin Bluetone Shadows Reverb -nimisen putkikombon muodossa.
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Bluetone Shadows Reverb (testattu versio: 1.950 €) on yksikanavainen, jousikaiulla varustettu täysputkikombo, joka lupaa aitoa Top Boost -soundia selvästi pienemmässä paketissa ja nykyaikaisilla ominaisuuksilla höystettynä.
Shadows Reverb on AB-luokan vahvistin, joka tarjoaa 15-30 wattia tehoa, riippuen Variac-säätimen asennosta.
Shadows Reverbin kaiutinkotelo tehdään vanerista, ja se on selvästi pienempi ja litteämpi kuin 1960-luvun esikuvansa.
Pienempi koko on osittain mahdollistettu käyttämällä klassikkokombon 12-tuumaisten kaiuttimien sijaan 10-tuumaisia Celestion Alnico Gold -kaiuttimia.
Shadows Reverbin kaiuttimia on, siniaaltogeneraattoria käyttäen, ajettu sisään useamman tunnin ajan, minkä ansiosta on saatu vähennettyä uusille Alnico Gold -elementeille tyypillistä alkukireyttä.
Tässä Bluetonessa käytetään etuasteessa kolmea 12AX7-putkea, sekä yhtä 12AT7:ää.
Päätevahvistin tuottaa tehonsa neljän EL84-putken voimalla. Shadows Reverb on katodibiasoitu kombo, mikä tarkoittaa sitä, ettei pääteputkia yleensä tarvitse biasoida vaihdon yhteydessä.
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Vaikka Bluetone Shadows Reverb on ”vain” yksikanavainen kombo, sen soundimaailma on selvästi laajempi kuin uskoisi. Kiitos siitä kuuluu Bluetonen monipuolisille ominaisuuksille.
Shadows Reverb tarjoaa kaksi kitaratuloa – High ja Low – single coil- ja humbucker-mikrofoneja varten.
Etuasteesta löytyy kaksikaistainen Baxandall-EQ – interaktiivisilla basso- ja diskanttisäädöillä – sekä kolmiasentoinen Bass Cut -bassoleikkuri, joka tarjoaa aidon Vox Top Boost -soundin lisäksi kaksi hieman muhkeampaa vaihtoehtoa.
Reverb-säätimellä hallitaan kombon putkivahvistettua jousikaikua. Kaiun soundi on erinomainen, ja säätimen skaala yltää täysin kuivasta kaikuisaan Surf-vatkaukseen.
Päätevahvistimelle on varattu jopa kolme säädintä:
Cut-säätimellä voidaan säännöstellä kombon kokonaisdiskanttia.
Bluetonen Master Volume -säädin on signaaliketjun loppupäässä (vaihekääntäjän jälkeen), ja sen ansiosta voidaan tuottaa päätesäröä myös pienillä volyymeillä.
Shadows Reverbissä on myös kolmiasentoinen Variac-tehonsäädin. Variac toimii eri tavalla kuin perinteinen master volume -säädin, se nimittäin muuttaa pääteasteen sisäistä jännitettä. Tehoa laskettaessa päätevahvistimen puhdas headroom ja putkikompressio muuttuvat.
Testikombon palautuksen suhteen tuli ylättäen hieman kiire, mutta ehdin kuitenkin äänittää kaksi erilaista demobiisiä Bluetone Shadows Reverbillä.
Ensimmäisessä kappaleessa komppikitarat soitettiin Fender Telecasterilla (vasen kanava) ja vanhalla japanilaisella puoliakustisella (Kasuga, oikea kanava). Soolokitarana toimi Fender Stratocaster:
Toisessa biisissä särösoundi tulee pelkästään kombosta itse. Kaikki raidat on soitettu Stratolla:
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Bluetone Shadows Reverb -kombo on erinomainen boutique-luokan muunnelma Vox AC30 -teemasta. Kuten muutkin Bluetone-vahvistimet, Shadows Reverb rakennetaan kokonaan käsin Suomessa tiukkojen laatustandardien mukaan, mistä kielivät mm. kombon erittäin alhainen kohinataso, sekä käytännössä olematon verkkohumina. Vahvistimen laatuun suhteutettuna pidän Shadows Reverbin hintaa erittäin reiluna.
Testikokemuksen perusteella voin vain todeta, että Bluetone Shadows Reverb lunastaa lupauksensa avokätisesti ja tyylikkäästi. Bluetone-kombo painaa lähes tarkalleen puolet vanhan klassikon painosta (AC30 painaa noin 31-36 kg, vuosimallista ja kaiutinvarustuksesta riippuen), ja sen pienempi koko tarkoittaa, että Shadows Reverb mahtuu helposti esimerkiksi Ford Fiestan takakonttiin (kokeiltu on).
Bluetonen lisäominaisuuksien – kuten bassoleikkurin ja Variacin – ansiosta Shadows Reverbin tarjoama soundikattaus on yllättävän laaja, ja kombon erinomaisista soundeista voi nauttia sekä omassa olohuoneessa että keikkalavalla.
Earlier this year, Blackstar Amplification have released their new ID:Core series, which comprises three stereophonic practice amps (at the moment of writing).
Blackstar’s ID:Core combos are powered by the same modelling technology used in the company’s full-blown ID-series. The ID:Core amps simply take this technology to a smaller format.
Kitarablogi had the pleasure of testing the new series’ middle model – the ID:Core 20 (2 x 10 W) – as well as the largest member of the ID:Core family – the ID:Core 40 (2 x 20 W).
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The Blackstar ID:Core 20 (current price in Finland:149 €) comes equipped with a pair of five-inch speakers.
The larger Blackstar ID:Core 40 combo (current price in Finland:195 €) uses two 6.5-inch speakers to get its message across.
Except for the differences in power amp-, cabinet- and speaker-sizes, the rest of the specifications are identical in these two guitar combos. To make this review more readable I will concentrate on the Blackstar ID:Core 40, and mention any possible differences found in the ID:Core 20.
The new Blackstar combo has a very handy size, and it is easy to carry. In addition to the carrying strap, you will find the power supply unit and a quick start guide in the shipping box. You can download the full owner’s manual as a PDF-file from Blackstar’s website or HERE.
Even though the ID:Core series, naturally, isn’t really built to withstand the rigours of touring, these combo’s are rather sturdy little numbers. These may be mere practice amps, but toys they are most definitely not!
The electronics have been installed into the ID:Core’s top.
All the controls, push-buttons and inputs/outputs are identical throughout the whole series, with the exception of the smallest combo (the ID:Core 10) not offering the option of connecting a FS-11 footswitch unit (not included).
The ID:Core 40’s factory default uses the FS-11’s left switch for switching between two Voice-channels, with the right switch functioning as an effect mute for the selected channel.
The free Blackstar Insider -software (PC and Mac) also lets you select a different footswitch mode that offers you all Voice-channels, and which uses the two switches to step through all the channels, either up (right switch) or down (left switch).
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The ID:Core 40 is very easy to use:
The Voice-selector lets you choose one of the combo’s six Voice-channels (= digital amp models). In Preset-mode calling up a channel automatically recalls all the stored preset settings, like gain, ISF or effects. In Manual-mode switching to a different Voice only changes the selected amp type, with the other settings staying the way you have manually set them.
Naturally, all presets can be adjusted by the user, and the changes can then be stored in the ID:Core combo’s memory, wiping the factory preset in the process.
The new Blackstar-combos also come equipped with a digital tuner, which springs to life when you hold down the Manual- and Tap-buttons simultaneously for a couple of seconds. In Tuner-mode the combo’s red Voice-LEDs represent the six guitar strings, while the LEDs in the Effect-buttons tell you whether the pitch is flat (REV), sharp (MOD) or right on the money (DLY).
By downloading Blackstar’s Insider-software you get access to additional features of the ID:Core combo via its mini-USB-port (Hey, Blackstar: Why isn’t a USB-cable included with the amp?):
The most crucial of the additional functions, in terms of the combo’s tone, is the access to its internal three-band EQ. The combo only offers you a physical knob for the ISF-setting, which lets you change the amp’s character from bright-ish ”American” (ISF = 0) to chunkier ”British” (ISF = 10). The Insider-programme also lets you fine-tune each preset’s Bass, Middle and Treble EQ-settings.
Insider also allows you to create you own ID:Core-presets, save as many as you like, and send them to your combo for use. But note that each preset is always tied to the Voice-channel used as its basic ingredient. This means that an ID:Core combo will always offer six different Voice-channels – you cannot load six different Warm Clean patches, or six OD1 Metal sounds, into the combo’s six Voice-channels.
If you want, you can set up an Insider-account, which enables you to share your own patches with other ID:Core users around the globe.
The Blackstar Insider software also includes some tools for practicing. There’s a simple rhythm box, as well as a music player (looking like an old cassette recorder), which even allows you to change a music file’s tempo and/or loop a certain part.
Insider’s tuning section gives you an on-screen, graphically-enhanced version of the combo’s internal tuner.
Thanks to its USB-connectivity you can also use the ID:Core combos as an external sound-card for direct recording to your audio sequencer. You can even configure the combo for re-amping (using the Insider-software), but I wasn’t quite satisfied with the way the ID:Core performed as a sound-card (at least with the tested firmware version). I’d like to see an even shorter audio latency, as well as a hotter audio signal, before I would seriously consider using the ID:Core for direct recording.
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Blackstar’s advertisements are placing quite a lot of emphasis on the ID:Core series’ Superwide Stereo function. With Superwide Stereo turned on (factory default, you can also switch it off via Insider) especially the delays and reverbs sound impressively lush. You feel enveloped in a cloud of sound, with some of it seeming to even come from behind you.
Actually, the ID:Core’s effects aren’t really stereophonic at all – you shouldn’t expect ping-pong delays, or anything of that sort. In reality, these Blackstar combos have a signal path that is completely monophonic, up to the point the signal reaches the power amp section (and headphone amp). It is only at this point that a stereo signal is created from the mono by splitting the mono signal in two, and by changing the phase of one of the signals. The result is a lush, broad, and fairly natural ”stereo” sound.
This method of creating ”fake stereo” has long been used in analogue modulation effects. There’s nothing ”wrong” or ”deceitful” in doing things this way, and Blackstar’s Superwide Stereo sure sounds impressive, but I’m not sure I’d want to trumpet this amp series’ ”stereo-ness” so loudly.
But now to the most important aspect of an amp – it’s tone:
I could sum it all up by saying that the amps sound great! Regardless of the fact that we’re talking about very pocket-friendly practice amps here, the sounds and dynamic response Blackstar’s excellent ID-modelling technology dishes out will leave you with a big grin on your face. Six well-chosen Voices and 12 quality effect types shouldn’t leave anybody wanting.
The ID:Core 40, naturally, sounds noticeably ”bigger”, compared to the ID:Core 20, with its smaller speakers and cabinet. Nonetheless, you get the feeling that both combos make the most of their respective wattage. Miked up both combos sound virtually the same.
The following sound clips have been recorded with the Blackstar ID:Core 40, using the factory presets as a basis, which I then fine-tuned to my liking. I played these clips on my Kasuga (a Japanese ES-335 copy from the Seventies), recording the sound with two dynamic Shure microphones.
Clean Warm:
Clean Bright:
Crunch:
Super Crunch:
OD1:
OD2:
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Blackstar have successfully managed to transfer the great sounds of their ”grown-up” ID Series amps to the ID:Core practice combos. Together with Blackstar’s Insider-software, the ID:Core 20 and ID:Core 40 combos are fully-spec’ed and inspiring tools for practice, home recording, teaching and warm-up. You get genuine Blackstar tone in a handy package!
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