Vox Pathfinder 15R

[ZMAN]

Ii picked one up about a year ago brand new for $115 in Maine. I leave it there with a couple of pedals so I only have to take a guitar down when I go for an extended visit. I have played it through my 2/12 avatar cab and it sounds really good. I use a Boss BD2 and DS1 in front of it and I am getting some really good blues tones with the stock speaker. It is a fun little amp.
It really is amazing when you can pay 30 to 40 bucks for a decent guitar cord. For an SS amp it sounds very "tuby".,

[bigG]

I played thru one a couple years ago when I bought my Vox AC15 (now gone). The sales guy was stoked to show it to me, and I was VERY impressed! SWEET little combo, fer sure!

[Duffy]

I dusted off my Pathfinder 15R and plugged it into my 16 ohm Epiphone So. Cal. 4 by 12 cabinet - wow, what a great sound. It has an 8 ohm ext. speaker jack on the back so I don't think I'll hurt the amp section or the cabinet, will I?

Sounds good.

Just fo the fun of it I unplugged it from the Epi 4 by 12 cabinet and listened to it straight up thru the stock 8" speaker - super great sound an LOUD.

I will have to think twice before putting in a ten inch speaker, which I'm leaning toward, a lot of variety: I'll get a real sensitive one, like 102dB, this will be LOUD.

I wonder how much room I'll have for the ten incher? Will I have to worry about the back of the magnet area touching the amp section or chassis?

Also, when you PUT IN YOUR 19 INCH SPEAKER did you have to use a jig saw and cut out a larger circumference for your speaker opening? Obviously you must have done that. Did you just use a pencil with a piece of string and scribe a specific diameter circle around the perimeter of the hole? I imagine there is a specific desired BEST opening size to maximize the speaker freedom of action and to allow ample space for the screws/bolts to fasten it up to the baffle.

It looks fairly simple, and did you get a noticeable differenced in the tone? The stock speaker sounds pretty incredible as is.

I am amazed at how tube like this Pathfinder 15R sounds stock. Now I know why I bought it in the first place. Or should I say, now I can appreciate this amp that I had no idea was so great when I bought it. That would be more correct I think. My ear has developed so much since buying that amp years ago. The old Pathfinder 15R now sits in my amp wall in the living room and is plugged in and ready to go at a moments notice. It adds some grace to my amp wall, I must say.

I have not had the time to a/b it to the AC15c1 new style yet but it sounded mighty good cranked yesterday with a twin humbucker Hartly Peavey Signature EXP superstrat. Just the way you would want a guitar like this to sound thru a small tube amp cranked. And this is solid state. Amazing little amp that should get some positive input from those of us that have them here at the Fret. Beginners could benefit from hearing about these great inexpensive amps.

[Kestrel]

Great little amps, those Vox Pathfinders. They're best sounding small solid state amps I've come across.

[Duffy]

I must say that I really like my Vox DA5 "chromie" solid state modelling amp without any tubes. It produces some great sounds, but the Pathfinder 15R does one thing really well and you can crank it up and it does it even better.

I bought my son a Crate RFX 65 three channel solid state that is also a great sounding amp, discontinued.

Vox still makes the Pathfinder. I find this impressive because the sales are probably miniscule compared to the sales of the inexpensive chromies. Maybe they keep making it out of respect or tradition. Maybe they want to maintain that traditional image, even in the low cost range. Or maybe there are things we don't know, like professionals might like and order a lot of Pathfinders for studios and practice, and keeping these serious customers happy might be one of their priorities.

I hope they keep making the Pathfinders for a long long time. It is an amp that is almost like an instrument. With a decent guitar you play the Pathfinder. It is more than just a means of amplification of a guitar's sound. It has a sound all its own, almost like my AC105c1 Custom new style. The new AC15 I have is an amp that I am growing into, constantly learning new things about it and how to set it for different sounds. It is capable of some really chiming sounds, unlike my other amps and a range of other tones. Tonight I noticed that two different strats sounded completely different thru it at the same settings. One sounded shrill and uncontrollable, with Texas Specials; the other, a Squier Deluxe sounds incredible and smooth and rich with no problems at all, pure excellent sound. That Squier Deluxe is a great strat. Really glad I got that guitar. That is another instrument I have grown with and it ages with a real vintage vibe. The "white" necks a lot of people complained about is aging beautifully into a beautiful honey color. I have been polishing the basically unfinished fretboard with lemon oil. This brings out the grain and soaks in a little.

[Tarin]

Ok, so i got some pics now of my 10" speaker mod.
As i was saying earlier on this thread, i used the same baffle board but the cutting part has a twist to it... you need to make a straight cut just under the golden-metal-thingy that goes across the amp (and holds the grill cloth on the top side).

Here a comparison of the stock speaker:


The baffle board once it's off the amp (very simple to take off):


You have to take out a lot of staples... they are fairly easy to take out with a thin flat-head screwdriver (or a knife):


In this next picture you can see were the screws are to take out the baffle board (you can also see some fungus from the humidity at home... yikes!).
The white-poorly-photoshoped lines indicate the way i had to cut the board in order to fit the seaker:


One last thing... the speaker magnet does touch the amp's chasis once it's in place.
Hope this is helps.

[Tarin]

Disclaimer: With this amph (mod) you won't get screaming solos.

That's right fellow fretters... the amph word has just made it's way into Mexico.

[poodlesrule]

One last thing... the speaker magnet does touch the amp's chassis once it's in place.
Hope this is helps.

I just looked at the inside of my 15R a minute ago, after reading this. Effectively, there is not that much depth available.

if looks are not a concern, one could make a new box from scratch, as the chassis design is rather simple and compact?

[Duffy]

Poodlesrule,

I'm not sure what you are talking about, specifically here? What doesn't fit and in which dimension? What is it going to touch? Which speaker?

Quote: Effectively, there is not that much depth available. Unquote.

That Mod speaker upgrade looks like a good idea, or another speaker even.


Are you saying that it won't fit?

[macareves]

Hi Tarin,

I am thinking of doing the same thing with my amp. Thanks for the pictures, but:
can you post pictures of the amp after the operation? How does it fit?
This Jenssen speaker seems to be one of the most chosen as a replacement for this amp,
what are your experiences after the change?
I suppose it is vital that I choose the 8 Ohm version,
or does 16 Ohm work too?

Tarin, or anybody else?

Thanks!
Mcrvs

Ok, so i got some pics now of my 10" speaker mod.
As i was saying earlier on this thread, i used the same baffle board but the cutting part has a twist to it... you need to make a straight cut just under the golden-metal-thingy that goes across the amp (and holds the grill cloth on the top side).

Here a comparison of the stock speaker:


The baffle board once it's off the amp (very simple to take off):


You have to take out a lot of staples... they are fairly easy to take out with a thin flat-head screwdriver (or a knife):


In this next picture you can see were the screws are to take out the baffle board (you can also see some fungus from the humidity at home... yikes!).
The white-poorly-photoshoped lines indicate the way i had to cut the board in order to fit the seaker:


One last thing... the speaker magnet does touch the amp's chasis once it's in place.
Hope this is helps.