New Amp Day! Vox Pathfinder 15R

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 4:03 am

So far so good! I haven't had time to play with it a lot yet, but it sounds pretty sweet.

IMG_2851 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_2853 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_2855 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_2857 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_2858 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

BearBoy · Post by **BearBoy** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 8:45 am

Happy NAD HNB.

I've got one of those. Nice amp, especially considering the price.

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 9:30 am

I'd really like to have two of these for a cheap, but nice sounding stereo set up.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 1:12 pm

I am doing stereo with this amp and my Fender Eighty-Five.

plaidbeer · Post by **plaidbeer** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 3:07 am

Congrats on the Pathfinder. I've always liked mine a lot.

mkt3000 · Post by **mkt3000** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 4:06 am

I've wanted to get one of these for a while... maybe the inventory will hold up at Amazon that I can snag one with Prime

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 4:51 am

Played with it more today. I like it with the treble rolled up high and the bass backed off when using my Jaguars. The tremolo is extrordinary. Really nice sounds from this amp. Very affordable too.

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:47 pm

I have a Pathfinder head and 2x10" cabinet. It's the one amp I have that I could never even think about selling. I use a Celestion Alnico Blue 1x12" cabinet these days, I'll probably start using the Emi Red Fang instead for added volume, it keeps up at gigs for rhythm guitar. It's funny, using speakers that cost more twice as much as the amp. Stock speaker is fine but it doesn't really hold up at high volumes, whereas a good 10" or 12" will. I also replaced the reverb w/ an Accutronics tank, pretty easy change.

MikeG · Post by **MikeG** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:58 pm

They're great little amps. Bought one second hand a few years ago, mainly for home practice. Took it to a gig last year and was pleased with how good it sounded.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:45 am

Love them Pathfinder 15Rs, they're probably my favourite amp of their class (15-watt solidstate practice box with an 8") I used to play through one every time I went to the shop like 6 years ago or something and was gonna buy one but I kept putting it off until one day I just bought a VCXD. The one that got away for sure.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:05 pm

i thought you said these were affordable?
i just looked on m.f. these things are pricey! 379 for the cheapes. the others are 699 and up. i would rather find an old bassman head and beat to shit cab and keep it under 400 bucks for the lot.
unless im somehow looking at the wrong thing.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:16 pm

Mine was only $130 new shipped.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:41 pm

that is affordable! i went on evil bay and found a few that looked a bit different(front panel) for about 100-200.
still not what i was expecting. i figured you guys were scoring these things for 75 bucks all day long.

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:55 pm

rob, you're probably looking at the AC15VR which is their tube/solid state hybrid. The one in this thread is a 15 solid state with 8 inch speaker.

plaidbeer · Post by **plaidbeer** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:04 pm

There's a "Pathfinder Lounge" thread on HCFX and it was mentioned several weeks ago that the Pathfinder 15r was apparently being discontinued. If you do a search on Amazon, you can only find the Pathfinder 10. It's also no longer available at Sweetwater, Zzounds, or MF. Not sure why they're discontinuing the 15r.

Edit:

I read through a thread on TDPRI and it has been discontinued (confirmed by Vox). No reason given. Maybe it was eating into their lower-end modeling amp sales? The 10 is still in production, though.

And I found a place where you can get a new Pathfinder 15r:
http://www.musiciansbuy.com/Vox_V9168R_ ... 9168R.html

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:24 pm

i have been enlightened.
honeslty i have never liked a vox amp that i have tried out. altho i have only tried a few here and there at stores. ive never personally known anyone that will let me really crank on thiers and see what it can do, especially with my old gear. and i have some weird stuff so.... kinda hard to try to reproduce my sound at guitar center, especially at the time. perhaps when i get back on my feet i will try vox out again, i really want to like them.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:12 am

I'd imagine it's being discontinued due to the influx of cheap Class A practice amps, in addition to modeling ones. You're spoiled for choice for a great sounding practice amp nowadays which was not always the case, so even if the Pathfinder 15 was a great buy on that side of things the whole market has kind of taken a hit. I doubt they'll skyrocket in secondhand price or anything, and they were made so long they'll be available to those who want one for many, many years to come.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:22 am

in reality i really need to start researching some of these smaller practice amps. i probly won't ever be in the position again to own a really loud large gigging amp, but it would be nice to be able to plug in and jam in the bedroom, and talk of the good ole days when i was punk as fuck and try to play like i used to.

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:59 am

Vox AC4C1 is a fun practice amp, just saying. But that's if you like Vox to begin with. Pathfinder is a better amp for someone who isn't already a Vox fanboy.

BearBoy · Post by **BearBoy** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 10:44 am

plaidbeer wrote:I read through a thread on TDPRI and it has been discontinued (confirmed by Vox). No reason given. Maybe it was eating into their lower-end modeling amp sales? The 10 is still in production, though.

The response from Vox on that forum says, "Thank you for your inquiry. We do not expect any more shipments of this amp into the US. The Pathfinder 10 is still available however."

Maybe it's just the US? Checked a number of UK online retailers this morning (Andertons, GAK, DV247, GuitarGuitar) and they all have the 15R in stock.

Someone on the Vox forum has pointed out that the photo of the 15R on the Vox UK site has changed so maybe they are launching a revised model?

New pic:

Old pic: