I added piggyback hardware to my ac30

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Tue Oct 28, 2014 7:23 pm

I run my ac30 through a fender tonemaster 2x12, it has kickback legs so I figured why NOT add the rest of the piggyback hardware? I couldn't come up with a good answer, so....

Definitely sounds much different when tilted back, and it was a pretty easy job once I got the proper hardware.

WayToHip · Post by **WayToHip** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 1:51 am

Nice looking piece of kit, I'd be worried about it being top heavy, and it probably sounds different b/c now the full range of the speaker is coming at your head, rather than being on the floor. If I can, I'll raise my amp to chest level to hear my amp better.

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 2:12 am

I figure the head is around 40 pounds, same ballpark as a vintage fender head so the hardware should hold up

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:10 am

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 9:56 am

I'm looking at this but I have no idea where the bars go. Could you take pics of the installation or where the hardware is now?

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 1:05 pm

Sure

Updates! The vox has a much thicker cab, so I couldn't secure one of the bolt anchors through the back, as a solution I just put the retainer through the surface, works like a charm. The two inner bolts went in fine, I lust need longer bolts to compensate for the height. The stoppers I am using are slightly to tall, but some quick work with a sander should solve that.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 1:25 pm

Ah, I see now. Very good. I'm not sure I would trust that for some reason. I'm sure it's fine, but the paranoid in me would want to see it much more heavily engineered. I'd also like to see one that fits to the he'd and can without needing modification, perhaps using the existing feet on the head as a mounting point.

I wonder how much it would cost to have a fabricator cut something like that. And perhaps kick legs too. It wouldn't look as pretty, mind.

It looks great though, and slightly like a magic trick.

Thanks for the pics.

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 3:40 pm

No problem, I also got longer bolts to make sure the head hardware was secured in the same way as a stock fender, so no worries about only holding on by a thread or two. The stoppers, while looking somewhat ghetto, help spread the load to the head and bracket, and the stock feet on the head also support it.

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:56 am

More updates...

I am just getting old Mullard glass installed currently (12ax7's, gz34 and ef86, reissue el84s though, I hear these amps eat them quickly so held off on NOS)

Also waiting for this guy in the mail, and trying to figure out where to put it due to the piggy back function of the cabinet now. I'm sure my neighbours and ears will be much happier when playing it at home.

Hopefully this will complete what I am looking for, a reasonably volumed ac30, that sounds great, and can be moved as a head/cab instead of a 70 pound tank.

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 2:41 pm

If you're going with all out with full NOS retube(Mullard!!!), you might as well go all out and get some Celestian Blues in that cab.

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:23 pm

I am running one blue, and one green to get a slightly different sound. I also toyed with the idea of getting some old silver's but couldn't get the money together at the time. I will see how I like this combo with the retube and attenuator, worst case I only need to buy one more speaker.

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:35 pm

finboy wrote:I am running one blue, and one green to get a slightly different sound. I also toyed with the idea of getting some old silver's but couldn't get the money together at the time. I will see how I like this combo with the retube and attenuator, worst case I only need to buy one more speaker.

Cool speaker combo. I envy this setup, my AC30 clocks in at 75lb and it's very unweildy to carry by yourself.

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 6:17 pm

Still have to learn how to use the attenuator 100% but it does what it says it will

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 6:22 pm

Photo looks strange, like it's a tiny guitar or something.