The Epiphone Blues Custom 30 amp is designed and engineered in the United States by Gibson Labs. The guitar amp features include two channels of pure tone (footswitchable), selectable power and class operation (30W Class AB or 15W Class A).
Blues Custom 30
Reviewed by:
n2dablue, on september 19, 2007 2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 530
Purchased from: Musician's Friend
Features: This is an all tube amp: preamp tubes, 5X Sovtek 12AX7A's, Power tubes- 2X Sovtek 5881s, Rectifier 1X 5AR4 (I believe it's also a Sovtek. This is a two channel amp, clean/overdrive. It is switchable from 15-30 watts. Weight: ~70lbs (heavy). Nice vintage look with the creamy white piping around the grill cloth and chicken head knobs. It's got two 12" Eminence Lady Luck speakers rated at 70 watts each. A fan is located in the back for keeping things cool. No headphone jack or effects loop. // 9
Sound: I've tried my cheap strat knock-off with single coils. This gives a terrible tinny sound. I suspect I'd get the same effect though with any amp using this guitar. I mainly play my Ibanez Jetking2 with splitable humbuckers thru this amp, playing blues, classic rock. I also hook up a DigiTech DF-7 effects pedal when I'm looking for a little more crunch. This amp gives a real bluesy sound in the clean setting and classic crunch in the overdrive setting for classic rock sounds. // 10
Reliability & Durability: This amp is built like a tank, I've been playing it for about 6 months now and I'm still discovering new sounds with it. I don't foresee any problems. I don't gig, just play at home. I am planning on putting some castor wheels on it for ease of movement. // 10
Impression: Overall Impression: I've only been playing for a few years now and this is the first tube amp I've owned. It may well be the last as I'm very happy with it. If it were stolen I'd buy another for sure. It is a great bargain given the price, sound, and build. // 10
Blues Custom 30
Reviewed by:
V_mike, on november 27, 2007 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 420
Purchased from: eBay
Features: The amp was made in 2007 in China or Korea or one of those countries. Designed by Gibson here in the states. Man is she a beauty or what, I'll tell ya brother. Two channels of pure tube power (2 5881's, 3 12AX7's, & 1 5AR4 rectifier tube). Shared 3-band EQ with a mid-control on channel 2. Channel 1 has only a volume control. Channel 2 has gain and volume controls. Also, tube-driven spring reverb, and to boot you can Switch between 15 watt Class A or 30 watt Class A/B operation. 2 12" Eminence Lady Luck speakers. Other features include standby, cooling fan, footwitch jack, and selectable outputs (2 4 ohm, 2 8 ohm, and 1 16 ohm). Whole package is covered in black tolex with white piping and a basket weave grille. Could use an FX loop and/or headphone jack. // 10
Sound: I play it with a Les Paul and a Strat. Sound great with both, very bluesy and the reverb is very lush and lively. Very good for blues or classis rock, or for country or jazz. I can get a bit noisy when the guitar input is extremely high, but other than that, no unbearable amount of feedback. The amp can get a great variety of sounds from clean and chimey to down and dirty all at the flick of a Switch. Clean channel can get a great crunch at higher volumes. The distortion can be very raunchy, but not very metal-like. The mid-control on the overdrive channel is very fun to play with. // 10
Reliability & Durability: I depend on it for playing at home, but I would gig it without a backup for now. This thing is heavy, so I recommend a skateboard or some wheeled thing to help you move this sucker. Has not broken down yet, however have only had it for a few months. Shouldn't even have to replace the tubes for a while. Be careful with this one when going up or down stairs, too. You might want to get someone to help you if you're not a total hoss. // 10
Impression: I play blues/rock with some funk and reggae. This amp is perfect for that. I have been playing three years, and I'm alright. I use this with a boost and a wah, and I have the footwitch so I can get a good variety of sounds. This product is a very good deal for the money, and if it were lost/stolen, I might end up in jail for murder or attempted murder. I love the 15 watt Class A operation and the tube reverb. The footwitch is a really nice feature, very useful. I don't hate anything about it, only wish it had more. // 10
Blues Custom 30
Reviewed by:
ricketydog, on january 21, 2013 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 350
Purchased from: Local Shop
Features: This is a great amp! I am not the kind of guy who goes in and buys a product just because it gets good reviews, or looks cool, or anything like that. I research all of the products that spark my interest and try them out. When it came to the purchase of a new amp, I took my guitars into a music shop and tried them out. I tried Fender, Vox, Orange, Egnater, and others to name a few. I was looking for a tube amp or tube combo that was both in my budget and beyond, willing to make what ever adjustments financially I needed to to get what I wanted. This amp was sitting in the corner with the plastic tag loop still around the leather handle. // 10
Sound: I plugged in and though I did not know immediately this was the one, it had everything I wanted in tone and presence. I mulled it over for a few weeks, comparing it to the others. By the end, it was more than what I could expect. This amp has everything and more. The reverb is not substandard, but tube driven, with plenty of hall sound. Country Twang to shame a Fender Twin, gritty Blues that makes Rory sad. With my Dunlop Wah and the tube rectifier I can pull Hendrix tones from the sky. It is simply amazing. The best choice I've made in a purchase in years. I'll never look at another amp. Ever. // 10
Reliability & Durability: Like a tank is cliche. It is more than durable enough for the traveling or stay at home musician. It is not solid birch I don't believe, but at 70lbs, I would say that the construction is solid. It kills me to move it to practice, and even then I can't turn it up past 5 with a boost/overdrive plugged in. The speakers are mounted with Precision as is the rest of the electronics, and the tubes don't wiggle or shake, like some of the American made amps I've played through or tried. The fittings and fixtures are all solid. // 9
Impression: I play everything from Country, Rock a tad bit of metal and live in the blues corner. Been playing for about 15 years, and gigged numerous times with really solid little bands. My main guitar is a 1992 Fender Strat, but play my 72 Ovation Legend through it clean with sparkling results. I would in no wise look at another amp if it were stolen, but only go to eBay or anywhere else to purchase another one. This amp looks better on a stage than any other amp I've owned and I get nothing but compliments on its sound and appearance. // 10
Blues Custom 30
Reviewed by:
wannaberocker19, on june 20, 2008 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: B Sharp Guitars
Features: I bought this brand new this year after Christmas. It's a dual channel, all-tube 15W Class A/30W Class AB powerhouse, with two 12" Lady Luck Eminence speakers. It has a clean channel, and a Drive channel, with independent EQ and reverb (both can be bypassed). The salesman also gave me the footswitch from the Valve Standard DSP, so I can switch channels without walking over to the amp. // 9
Sound: This amp sounds awesome! I played for over two hours using everything from a Squier Bullet to a Gibson Flying V on it before I bought it, and everything sounded great, at low volume! I prefer the distorted channel exclusively, as you can clean it up quite nicely by rolling back the volume, or switching to the rhythm pickup. The distortion is not ever in excess, and with the treble maxed out, even Sabbath, even Metallica is possible. I play everything from B.B. King and Muddy Waters to Metallica and Nirvana, and this amp will do it all. With either my Black Toffee or Hothead distortion hooked up, I can set the distorted channel to sound similar to a overdriven Fender, and then stomp to get full on distortion, with little to no noise under half volume! // 10
Reliability & Durability: Besides being almost obscenely heavy, like 60+ pounds, it's a rock solid amp. I put casters on the bottom so it was easier to move between gigs, and that helped alot. Haven't had it long enough to worry about the tubes breaking or dying, but it has been dropped off of my bed onto the floor, and it didn't even stratch it! No Doubt I would gig with this, I just use a 2x12 extension cabinet to really make is sound like a half stack. // 8
Impression: Looking for a budget all-tube amp, this is definetly the best deal. If you don't think it goes heavy enough for you, use the money you saved to get the pedals to make it right! I've been playing 6 hours a day for almost two years straight and this is my second favorite piece of gear after my G-400 custom... If someone stole this, I'd run them down because they would get very far with the weight, and just drop it on them and KO them. Sounds almost as good as a Fender Twin, at a quarter of the price! // 9
I rly want to get this, as with a few effects, it seems like a rly good, versatile amp with the rectifier in it. a heavy od pedal and a Fat Strat, and u could theoretically get any sound u want out of it.
If you got a clean boost, you can run that on the clean channel for a pretty SRV-ish sound. The 5881's are pretty clean and chimey like a tweed-style fender. The reverb sounds awesome with the clean channel too.
Just played one at Center City Guitar, Wow it has Balls.
The tone is so warm, I did not turn her up past 8:30 way to loud,, Made a deal and its in my pickup truck right now. Oh, it is heavy as heck. Looking forward to cranking it up, I took back an amp I had bought from them "a valve sp." it just sucked..
The amp comes with "setting suggestions" as follows:
Clean Blues
Clean Jazz
Texas Heat
Thunder From Down Under
Classic Crunch
I did not try them all but the Texas Heat is very ZZ sounding, Clean Jazz setup was very good too.
I set it to Class A 15 watt and with the above setups I did not need to go over 1 on the guitar vol control..
I went up to 3 but dropped it down , my 20X35' room was shaking.
I think I am going to open a termite kill business, just plug in and shake them to death.
Man I finally found a place to crank this baby all the way up and woah was I BLOWN AWAY!!! The clean channel on this amp gets down n dirty past 3/4 volume on the 15 watt setting. Man my Les Paul was purrin', and I was plugged straight into the amp, no effects or nothin. Man I sure am glad I snagged this off e-bay.
The amp comes with "setting suggestions" as follows:
Clean Blues
Clean Jazz
Texas Heat
Thunder From Down Under
Classic Crunch
I did not try them all but the Texas Heat is very ZZ sounding, Clean Jazz setup was very good too.
I set it to Class A 15 watt and with the above setups I did not need to go over 1 on the guitar vol control..
I went up to 3 but dropped it down , my 20X35' room was shaking.
I think I am going to open a termite kill business, just plug in and shake them to death.
my amp didnt come with my suggested settings could you give me them please and if youve got a good sweet spot on the amp could u give me ur settings for that please?
The amp comes with "setting suggestions" as follows:
Clean Blues
Clean Jazz
Texas Heat
Thunder From Down Under
Classic Crunch
I did not try them all but the Texas Heat is very ZZ sounding, Clean Jazz setup was very good too.
I set it to Class A 15 watt and with the above setups I did not need to go over 1 on the guitar vol control..
I went up to 3 but dropped it down , my 20X35' room was shaking.
I think I am going to open a termite kill business, just plug in and shake them to death.
could you give me those suggested settings please my amp didn't come with them and if you have your own settings could you give me those too thanks
I just bought one of these. Anyone who says "no headphone jack" is probably missing the point of the creamy speakers and all the juice of the tubes. effects loop? fair comment, but where in the amp train would that fit? buy some pedals. I played this amp through with the same guitar as mine at the store - recommend to bring your own guitar and pedals and try them all.
epiphone rules!