Gary Grainger and I have been corresponding for several months and I always enjoy our dialog. Although we are on different sides of the pond, there is much common ground. A while ago, Gary wrote a post about the Laney VC30 and I asked a few questions about it. I’ve always been fascinated with British amps. Last week, I wrote a post called “Show Me Your Rig” and Gary said he would get back to me with more info. He is a man of his word and I received this very informative, insightful email yesterday. Take it away, Gary.
My first exposure to a valve (tube) amp was when I was a young budding guitarist. I’d been to a folk club and one of the performers announced that a friend of his had “some kind of American guitar and amp” for sale for £35. That was a lot of money in 1971, but I rushed home and persuaded my dad – he played a little guitar himself – that this would be a great investment and a step up the ladder to rock and roll stardom. He believed me, and I was soon the proud owner of a Harmony H75 from the mid fifties (yes, I really wish I still had it) and a British Selmer zodiac 30 watt valve combo – this had some great sounds. 2 months later I was in my first band and the rest, as they say, is history.
I loved the Selmer but didn’t really know enough about guitars and amps at all. I foolishly sold the Harmony and got into debt for a brand new Gibson SG Special (yes, I wish I still had it!). Shortly after that the other guitarist and I decided we’d like some matching new HH electronic 100 watt combos – transistor of course. We got them and they did fine for most of what we were playing.
Fast forward many many years. I’d been in and out of bands with several musical styles and various equipment – country music required the obligatory Fender Tele (Japanese Butterscotch – this was the early 90s – yes, I wish I still had it) and Peavey Bandit combo. A 60s cover band had me using the same amp with a Peavey Predator strat a like – a really good US made guitar for not a lot of money.
Then I sold all of that stuff when the job I had meant I couldn’t be in a band. Fast forward another 9 or 10 years and I was on an overnight training course in Harrogate. The 2 guys I was with were serious drinkers and I knew that if I didn’t step up and do some planning about our overnight stay I’d end up in a gutter somewhere. There is a bar in Harrogate called the Blues Bar and our stay coincided with a buskers night. I persuaded the guys that I would get up and do some stuff if we could go there. They agreed and drank loads of beer while I drank coffee and at the appropriate moment got up and did some acoustic stuff (Willin – Little Feat I remember was one) and then later got up and jammed on a strat for 3 or 4 numbers. I got that rush again that you only get from playing onstage. Not long after I was back in Harrogate and went to the same place, got up again, and decided I had to join a band.
I bought a cheap strat copy and searched ebay for a Gallien Kreuger 250 ML combo – these are really small but have great sounds. Picked one up, answered some ads and a month later was hired for a blues band. All went well until one night my amp fried – later found out that only one of the speakers had been working so I’d been trying to push 100 watts into a 50 watt speaker. It didn’t last very long. Our other guitar player said “I have an old Marshall combo you can borrow”. At the next gig he brought this “old Marshall combo” It was the classic Marshall Bluesbreaker combo. I plugged in, played one chord and knew I was in love. He wouldn’t sell me it despite my pleadings, but it awakened in me the long hidden desire and need for a valve amp. I did some research and the guys who frequent a uk guitar players newsgroup were very helpful and gave lots of advice. They recommended the Laney VC30. I made the foolish mistake of asking “Will 30 watts be loud enough?” They were very patient and explained the difference to me.
Trevor Ridney, a guy who builds small valve amps (http://www.tipton-amps.co.uk/) (6 watts, I think) told me that the Laney VC30 is basically a Vox AC30 clone, with the addition of a drive channel – and it had been designed by a friend of his.
I could have got a good deal over the internet but went to my local music store where I knew one of the guys. For not much more money than online and the guarantee of excellent service, I got the amp. I’ve never played a Vox AC30 so can’t compare the two, but Ron in the shop assured me that the comparable Fender valve amp cost at least £100 more.
I have loved the amp since the day I got it – it is certainly loud enough for bar work and it sounds great. I’ve never had the volume on the clean channel over 2.5 in a bar, and I’ve pushed it to 3 in some larger venues. When I got my ESP Tele, it sounded as if I had got a new amp too – the clean channel was great and every setting on the guitar gave great sounds.
The drive channel is a stunning channel ,giving everything from a little bit of gain through creamy bluesy tones to all out rock – though it won’t give you metal sounds, of course. It does benefit a little from a boost pedal in front of it for some stuff – I currently use a Marshall Bluesbreaker 2 on the boost setting as part of my fx setup.
It developed a hiss on the clean channel and I took it back and got the valves replaced under warranty. £ months later I got the same problem and while I was in the shop my friend rang Laney and told them to send a full set of valves. They did, and it has been fine since.
I’ve had it around 2 years now so it could probably do with a service - particularly if my new band is to start gigging soon.
When I was in Black River Blues we did a live recording and were very pleased with the results, but I hated my guitar sound. I had too much chorus and reverb and my lead work sounded murky. I realised that having the amp standing on the floor pointing at the back of my legs didn’t help me hear what the amp actually sounded like, so I bought an angled amp stand. Instant improvement and I cut back on all of my FX. One night I forgot my pedal board and remembered what Trevor Ridney had said – set all of the tone controls on 7 and leave the rest to the sound guy. We didn’t have a sound guy but that night I could hear my sound much better than before and I think I played better too.
I have recently rejigged my pedal board (details to follow) and do use quite a few fx, but I’m beginning to understand the amp and what it can do better than before. It is the best amp I’ve ever had, and I still don’t feel as if I do it justice. If I didn’t have back problems I’d have gone for the 2×12 rather than the 1×12 – just for a little more spread. I am considering getting a 2×12 extension cab and putting the Laney through that.
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Tags: Blues, fender tele, gary grainger, Guitar, laney vc30, Music, peavey predator, Rock, rock and roll
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
“when I was a young budding guitarist.” ..but I thought you were a budding guitarist now?
Link | May 14th, 2008 at 6:29 am
Gary Grainger wrote,
always budding - there’s always room to grow!
Gary Grainger’s last blog post..Kickstand - guitar stand
Link | May 14th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Phil Graham wrote,
Great piece by Gary. I’ve come to know this guy (a little) over the last year or so and he’s ace whatever he plays through.
Link | May 16th, 2008 at 3:06 pm