The VOX Showroom | North Coast Music: Contact

As I am a one man operation and as I need to respond to almost 300 emails daily, I ask that you read the following following FAQs (frequently asked questions) before emailing.

FAQ1: HOW OLD is my vintage amp, organ or guitar, can you provide any INFORMATION or OPINIONS on a vintage amp, guitar, or organ, or how much is a vintage amp, organ, or guitar WORTH?
A: I do not offer any of this sort of information, sorry. As I do not sell vintage gear, I do not follow market prices or offer any informational support or opinions on such items, nor is North Coast Music a vintage amp or guitar informational web site. I also won't comment on items for sale on online auction sites such as eBay.

However, I will be happy to answer all questions that pertain to items sold at North Coast Music.

FAQ2: Does North Coast Music sell or ever have leads on VINTAGE GUITARS, ORGANS, or AMPS?
A: I do not offer vintage guitars, organs, or amps, nor will we have leads where to find the same.

FAQ3: What is the DIFFERENCE IN TONE between the standard Vox GSH12-30 speakers and Vox/Celestion Blue Alnico Speakers used in the AC-30 CC and AC-15CC amps?
A: The Vox/Celestion Blue speaker has a bit more present mid chime that breaks into a very warm overdriven distortion when pushed hard. The Alnico Blue was the only speaker offered by JMI Vox in the 1960 era AC-30 amp, so it is the speaker you heard in all the earlier Beatle recordings. It is rated at 15 watts RMS.

The GSH12-30 is a sort of "Green Back" clone made specially for Vox by Wharfedale, and it has a more "edgy" or "trebly" top end and a higher power rating of 30 watts RMS..

FAQ4: Are Vox amps still MADE IN ENGLAND?
A: As of 2005, all Vox amps are designed at the Vox Research and Development Center in Milton Keynes, England under the supervision and direction of British head engineer Steve Grindsrod and are manufactured at several different Vox operated facilities in the Orient..

FAQ5: Are COVERS available for the AD15VT, AD30VT, or AD50VT amps? The AC-30HW head? My Super Beatle, etc?
A: The only Vox covers that we offer are shown at in our website, click here to see these covers. If you do not see the cover you need, we will not have one, nor will we have a suggestion where to find this cover.

FAQ6: Does North Coast Music RECOVER or REGRILL amps?
A: I do not offer these services. I suggest Gregg Hopkins at Vintage Amp Restoration. Email him at vintageamp@aol.com.

FAQ 7: I bought my Vox AD chrome front amplifier from another retailer or used. May I send it to you for the North Coast Music Vox grill upgrade shown in your web site? Do you have "do it yourself" instructions how to make this grill change?
A: Unfortunately, no, this grill kit is not available for customer installation. This is a complicated process that requires a full disassembly of the amp. It also requires that up to ten holes to be precisely drilled through the speaker (baffle) board. These holes accomodate machine screws that hold the specially made plywood grill board assembly covered in brown or black Vox grill cloth to the amp. This is not a simple, velcro type of grill assembly, but instead, it is rather a fairly difficult installation that was developed by our "Doctor Vox" exclusively for the Vox customers of North Coast Music. In fact, both the white piping and the gold fascia used in these conversions are unique parts used in this conversion and not even offered for sale in separately in the North Coast Music web site.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - NCM/VOX LICENSED ENCLOSURES

FAQ8: I see that you build, under license to Vox, certain Vox enclosures. Will you custom build or modify an existing Vox licensed enclosure you offer to my specs? Will you supply a Vox cabinet not pictured or offered in your web site? Are there other options, such as Midax horns or custom vinyls available for these enclosures?
A: Due to licensing restrictions, I may only build and offer those specific Vox enclosure models which are shown in my web site. These are only offered exactly as shown and described online. There is no customization or modification to these enclosures possible due to the licensing agreement I have made with Vox UK that limits this sort of activity. The only vinyl and grill cloth offered are those shown in my web site, and I do not install customer supplied vinyls or grill cloth. Midax horns are not available, Goodmans ceased making these about 30 years ago. I have no source for these Midax horns but to suggest you watch eBay.

FREQUENTLY ASKED GUITAR QUESTIONS

FAQ9: HOW OLD is my vintage amp, organ or guitar, can you provide any INFORMATION on my vintage amp, guitar, or organ, or how much is my vintage amp, organ, or guitar WORTH?
A: I do not offer any of this sort of information, sorry. As I do not sell vintage gear, I do not follow market prices or offer any informational support on such items, nor is North Coast Music a vintage guitar informational web site. I also won't comment on items for sale on online auction sites such as eBay.

However, I will be happy to answer all questions that pertain to items sold at North Coast Music.

FREQUENTLY ASKED AMPLIFIER TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

FAQ10: Can you help me FIX, MODIFY, OR "HOT ROD" MY AMP, EFFECT, GUITAR OR ORGAN?...What size fuse does my amp need?...Can you help me with tube placement...etc.
A: North Coast Music does not offer repairs or service advice on vintage or new Vox amplifiers. We also do not maintain a list of service shops that might repair vintage guitar amplifiers.

However, I will always be happy provide prompt and personal technical assistance, help, and advice for any item purchased from North Coast Music, even years after the sale to the original purchaser.

For warranty and non warranty service on new Vox amps I suggest you click here to find Vox service centers at the online Korg Service Center Locator. North Coast Music offers the electronic schematics online for most vintage Vox amps to help a local service person fix your older Vox amp. Click here for a link to these Vox schematics. For new Vox AC-30TB and AC-30TBX amps, we offer extensive online techical assistance in our website. Click here for the AC-30TB/TBX tech assistance page.

FAQ11: Can you help me to understand the correct operation of my amp, guitar or effect? Can I get a manual for an item I purchased elsewhere?
A: I am most certainly happy to provide techinical assistance on the specific amps, guitars, or effects that were purchased at North Coast Music, but I do not offer customer support on products purchased elsewhere.

FAQ12: Does North Coast Music offer VOX ORGAN POWER CORDS or ROTARY POWER SWITCHES for American Vox amps?
A: I have not been able to find a source organ power cords for Italian made (two prong) Vox organs. Vox organs made in the UK often used the three pin "Bulgin" connector on the organ end of the power cord. Click here to purchase the Bulgin power plug.

There is no known source of supply for the specialized rotary power switch for Vox amp heads, as used the Super Beatle and similar models.

FREQUENTLY ASKED ORDERING QUESTIONS

FAQ13: How may I PLACE AN ORDER?
A: I accept orders through our secure online shopping cart, by fax to (414) 483-3344, or by snail mail. You can download a faxable or mailable order form if you wish by clicking here. (Adobe Acrobat file - 33k). If you prefer to print an order form direct from the North Coast Music website, click here. For an easy set of step by step instructions for online shopping, click here. Guitar orders are accepted by fax only.

FAQ14: What is your PHONE NUMBER?
A: I am a one man operation at North Coast Music, I do not have staff to answer the phone, sorry. I will respond promptly by email, even on weekends and holidays whenever possible.

FAQ15: Is your online order system SECURE?

A: You can shop at www.northcoastmusic.com online with confidence. We have partnered with Authorize.Net, a leading payment gateway since 1996, to offer safe and secure credit card and electronic check transactions for our customers. There are three online pages that lead to checking out an order at North Coast Music. The third page (the page where you actually enter your credit card information) is linked directly to Authorize.net.

The Authorize.Net Payment Gateway adheres to strict industry standards for payment processing, including:

128-bit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology for secure Internet Protocol (IP) transactions.

Industry leading encryption hardware and software methods and security protocols to protect customer information.

Compliance with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard.

For additional information regarding the privacy of your sensitive cardholder data, please read the Authorize.Net Privacy Policy. North Coast Music (Barking Dog Productions) is also registered with the Authorize.Net Verified Merchant Seal program.

FREQUENTLY ASKED GUITAR PARTS QUESTIONS

FAQ16: Does North Coast Music sell VINTAGE or REISSUE GUITAR PARTS?
A: I offer a limited selection of new, reissue guitar parts for Rickenbacker, Hofner, and Gretsch. The only guitar parts we offer are shown in the respective manufacturer areas of our website. If you do not see the part you need online in our website, we do not offer this part, even by special order. We do not offer any schematic diagrams for guitars. We offer no VOX guitar parts, but you can click here to read more about vintage Vox guitar parts..

FREQUENTLY ASKED RICKENBACKER QUESTIONS

FAQ17: What is the difference in tone between the Rickenbacker HI GAIN and VINTAGE PICKUPS?
A: The RIC 7.4K ohm Vintage Pickups are chimier in tone and were the pickups that were used by the Beatles and the Byrds, among other 60s groups. This was the only pickup offered on RIC six and twelve string guitars in the mid 1960s. The modern RIC Hi -Gain pickups have greater output and can be heard in recent recordings by REM and Hootie and the Blowfish, among others. They have a bit more mid, and a bit less high end when compared to the RIC Vintage Pickup upgrade.

FAQ18: Does North Coast Music offer any LH (left handed) Rickenbacker guitars or basses?
A: Unfortunately, no, we do not. Currently, RIC is not even accepting orders from dealers for LH insruments..