North Coast Music: FAQ For Vintage Vox Gear

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT VOX REPAIRS

FAQ1: 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...Can you suggest sources for repair parts not offered in the North Coast Music website.....etc.
A: North Coast Music does not offer repairs or service advice on vintage or new Vox amplifiers. However, I recommend Victor Mason and Craig Tathwell at Plexi Palace & Mojave™Ampworks LLC. for the best repairs on Vox Tube Amps in the United States. In my opinion, there is no better place to have your vintage Vox tube AC-4 through AC-100 serviced. Please contact Victor directly by email: victor@mojaveampworks.com You may also visit their websites at http://vintageamps.com

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. This assistance is only offered if you purchased the item at North Coast Music. If you purchased elsewhere, please ask the dealer that sold you the item for help and assistance.

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 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.

The only Vox repair parts I offer are those shown in the North Coast Music web site. I do not offer suggestions to find Vox parts not offered here.

FAQ2: 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 help or support on products purchased elsewhere.

FAQ3: What is the WARRANTY on new Vox amplifiers purchased from North Coast Music?

A: Click here to read the detailed manufacturer's limited warranty on Vox amplifiers. This warranty is offered by Korg USA to all purchasers of Vox amplifiers within the United States.

Warranty repairs are completed by local authorized Vox service centers that are located in most major cities. Click here to go to the online authorized service center locator for Vox products.

Grill modifications or custom cabinetry packaged with new Vox amps sold by North Coast Music do not affect the warranty in any way.

FAQ4: My Vox AC-30CC2, AC30H2, AC30TB/X, AC15CC, AC50/100CPH or vintage AC-10/15/30 blows the fuse the moment the power switch is turned on. Help!

A: This is a rather common problem with tube amplfiers, and not really a "Vox" specific problem.

All amplifiers that use tubes in their output (or power) stage (i.e. EL-84 tubes in the AC-30 and AC-15 models, or EL-34 in AC-50 and AC-100 models) are susceptible to tube failure. When even one tube of a quad or duo of output tubes shorts out, the amp will blow the fuse.

While only one tube of a set may be shorted or blown, it is difficult to determine which tube is the culprit. For this reason, many people with this problem choose to change out all of their output tubes with a new matched set. All AC-30 amps have four EL-84 tubes. All AC-15 amps have two EL-84 tubes. AC-50 amps have two EL34 output tubes while AC-100 have four EL34s. While I do not sell tubes, I personally like Sovtek tubes best for reliability.

AC-30 and AC-15 amps do not require a bias adjustment after changing output tubes, but an AC-50 or AC-100 might require this. I do not recommend that you try to do this bias adjustment yourself.

After you replace the tubes, you must also replace the fuse.

Most AC-30 amps also have a rectifier tube. This is the largest tube in the amp, and is normally called a GZ-34. This tube, if shorted, will also blow the fuse.

There are also other causes for blown fuses when "powering on," but in 99% of all cases, it will be either a defective output or rectifier tube that causes this problem.

New Vox amps have a ninety day warranty on tubes. Warranty repairs are completed by local authorized Vox service centers that are located in most major cities. Click here to go to the online authorized service center locator for Vox products.

FAQ5: 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.

FAQ6: Does North Coast Music offer separate REPLACEMENT BACK OR FRONT PANELS for Vox amps and cabs?
A: I do not offer replacement back or front panels. There have been too many issues with sizes discrepancies on Vox cabs and heads, I have chosen to not offer these such replacement panels for this reason. Additionally, I do not offer replacement front or rear panels for the Vox licensed cabinets produced at North Coast Music, as well.

FAQ7: Does North Coast Music offer VOX ORGAN POWER CORDS or ROTARY POWER SWITCHES for American Vox amps such as the Super Beatle, Royal Guardsman, Buckingham, and Viscount?
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.

Click here if none of these FAQs answer my Vox repair question.

North Coast Music
"The American Home of the British Invasion"
Cudahy WI 53110
We offer online or fax service only
Fax (414) 483-3344

Click here to contact North Coast Music

URL: /www.northcoastmusic.com

VOX is a registered trademark of VOX Amplification, USA. Gretsch is a registered trademark of FMIC, Rickenbacker and RIC
are registered trademarks ofRickenbacker International Corporation, USA. Hofner is a registered trademark of Hofner, Germany.
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