About 6 months ago I made a switch in my gear which has shaken up some of my gear needs. I have played a Line 6 Flextone III for over 5 years now and have really grown to like it a lot. Over that time frame though I have consistently found myself migrating to a classic Vox tone.  I really like the Vox ‘chime’ :).
I loved the Flextone III because most of my playing time has been on small stages where the stereo direct outs help me patch into the local system and ultimately lower my stage volume. On ocassion I have even turned my master volume off…but that’s only when the worship leader has provided me with a Dr. Pepper or perhaps some M&M’s :).
As I was checking gear out one day (while up in Orlando), I came across the Vox Night Train. It was not the ‘classic’ AC-30 however I really liked the tones that I was able to pull off of it.  Needless to say I came home, did some more research and ended up making a purchase. Here are some specs for the Night Train
- Rock-solid, all-tube head that is made to travel.
- Uncompromising sound with two 12AX7 preamp tubes and two EL84 power tubes.
- Selectable BRIGHT or THICK mode switch provides EQ and Gain variations for just the right tone.
- Dual-power tube mode offers 15 watt (Pentode Power) or 7.5 Watt (Triode Tone) operation.
- Master Volume control preserves your gain settings at any playing level
I am still dialing in my ‘tone’ but after a few months of ownership I believe I have a compact/sleeker looking rig that delivers the tone I prefer.
Although I used the Flextone III (which has a plethora of affect options) for many years I do have a small compliment of pedals….
- Line 6 DL4
- Fulltone Fulldrive 2
- BBE Sonic Stomp
- Boss TU Tuner
I picked up a nice pedal board the other day as well…it is a perfect companion for a musician who has to move their gear a lot. The SKB PS45 comes with an array of power options and a great method for hiding cables.
Thus far I have been vasulating between my 2001 Texas Fat Strat and my 2002 Les Paul Studio (ephiphone). I am entertaining an idea of acquiring a Fender Tele…I am beginning the research now. I find that I am gravitatin to more of a rhythm player….especially when I lead w/o the acoustic. Next on my list is a volume pedal.
I will coninute to update this post as I add/delete gear. I will update it in the near future to include my acoustic guitar info and preferred methods of shaping tone.