If someone says “British amp tone” they are probably referring to a Vox amp, and having played backline for artists such as The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and even The Beatles (basically any band with “The” in the name), it’s not difficult to see why Vox amps became synonymous with British rock.
Established in Kent in 1957, Vox were perfectly positioned to be the voice of British rock, and with the launch and popularisation of the AC15 in 1958, they were well on their way. With the introduction of the AC30 in 1959, in response to the demand for a more powerful amp, Vox’s place in Rock and Roll history was fixed. Far from being stuck in the past, these amps are still firm favourites of many modern bands, such as Muse, At The Drive-In and Tame Impala.
Vox have also branched out, and as well as their famous valve amps, they have digital modelling amps, headphone amps, a line of FX pedals and even guitars and basses.
