jimmarchi1's Country Amp Rig

JMI ac30/36B with dealer rear top-boost module (currently removed, might not repair it and return it). She can be finicky and unreliable, but she has quite a sound. Mine's pretty similar to Brad Paisley's from what I understand. Got her around 2001 or 2. The pine cab is rebuilt and recovered and the previous owner loaded her with a pair of 16ohm pre-rola g12s speakers wired in parallel for 8 ohms, but all those little things coupled with her being the unusual bass voiced model just contribute to this particular ac30's unique voice. Unmistakably JMI, yet thicker and, dare I say it? YES! Gooier than your average grey panel. This amp gets HOT and has caught fire at times when in need of service. However, the danger is part of her charm. Did I mention she has the best sounding vib/trem channel ever? I'll put my ac30B against any other 6 input ac30 of any era any day of the week. This vox really rocks. UPDATE Currently loaded with vintage Blue and H30/55, fully serviced by yours truly and working as well as a new amp. Still 90+% original.

I like everything about this amp. I don't miss the vib/trem channel, the bright switch on the normal channel brings the non-top-boost JMI brilliant channel sounds and the 'hot switch on the top boost channel is to die for. The master volume is pretty useable and the half-power switch is a huge help in these days of stage volume restrictions. What a well-though-out take on the classic design. Did I mention the gorgeous fawn Nubtex? Even the stock greenbacks sounded pretty solid, but she really came alive when I installed a G12 blue and an H30 55hz clone. That pair of speakers really makes for a larger than life vox tone, clean or dirty.

I can't afford a real HC30 (without parting with my vintage AC30 that is), wish I could. Nik at Ceriatone does an outstanding job with his copies. Despite being built on a turret and having inferior iron this amp really goes toe to toe with Samson era matchless and badcat amps. My 1 caveat is that some of the hardware isn't of great quality (a friend broke the stock fuse holder somehow, that shouldn't be possible) AND the aluminum chassis is not welded properly and is prone to bending if jostled in a van or in a trailer. Not a great road amp. Also, good luck getting a spare in Spokane if she goes down. Of course, at this price you can afford a backup. On to the gist... this is my favorite circuit ever for teles. The EF86 'click' channel is the jam. So much bandwidth. Lately I keep her loaded with 1 or 2 5y3 rectifiers (depending on whether I'm running full power) to brown the old girl out a bit, but with the stock 5ar4 in 30 watt she does the punchiest, tightest ac30 sound ever and with the small rectifiers she's skronky and mean even played clean. Maybe its apples and apples, but I like having this other take on the vox sound at my fingertips. I can hear it and feel it, so who cares if no one else does?

I am unsure i anyone will ever run into one of these. Its an off brand sealed 2x12 with diagonal speakers. Got it unloaded on ebay as a local pickup. Its a powerful, punchy cab made of super thick plywood. Front liading in the 80s style.. I ttok thw dampening fiberfill out so she has some resonances now. Can get boomy with 55hz bass cone speakers. But she sounds great right now loaded with a cts alnico and celestion greenback. Truly a rock n roll cab. Gets some 4x12 punch! Kinda heavy though. Bad tolex and grill cloth work though. I still will never part with this cab. She records really well.