Vox History

Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer based in Britain, which is most famous for making the AC30 guitar amplifier and the Vox organ.

The Jennings Organ Company was founded by Tom Jennings after World War II and made the Univox, an electronic organ. In 1956 Jennings was shown a prototype guitar amplifier made by Dick Denney, an old workmate from a wartime munitions factory. The company was renamed Jennings Musical Instruments, and in 1958 the 15-watt Vox AC15 was launched. It was taken up by The Shadows and other British rock 'n' roll musicians.

In 1959, with sales under pressure from the more powerful Fender Twin, Vox produced the 30-watt AC30. The AC30, fitted with Celestion "blue" loudspeakers and later Vox's special "Top Boost" circuitry, helped to produce the distinctive sound of the British Invasion, being used by The Beatles, The Who and the Yardbirds, among others. AC30s were later used by Brian May of Queen (who is well known for having a wall of AC30's on stage), Paul Weller of The Jam, Rory Gallagher, The Edge of U2, and Radiohead guitarists Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Ed O'Brien.

Vox Amplification Ltd has been owned by Korg since 1992. Korg revived the tube rectifier and alnico speakers for their version of the AC-30 in what is considered the most faithful version of the amp produced for many years. Korg have also used the Vox name for a new range of digital modelling amps. In 2003 manufacturing was moved to China.

Recently Vox has emerged as a leader in the digital amp modelling market with the release of its Valvetronix technology, which combines a low-power tube power amp with solid state modelling software. The latest line, the AD15VT/AD30VT/AD50VT/AD100VT, has received many awards and much praise for its faithful recreation of eleven classic guitar amplifiers at a price that most guitarists can easily afford. The company, however, is hesitant to reveal, in particular, which amplifiers each of the eleven models are supposed to replicate. However, many guitarists have their own opinions as to the various amplifiers modeled.