TC Electronic debuts Ampworx Vintage Series preamp pedals

June 1, 2023 · 2 sources

TC Electronic has debuted three affordable amp modeling/preamp guitar pedals as part of a new range, dubbed Ampworx¹. The range includes the Combo Deluxe '65, DC30 and JIMS45, each of which has been carefully designed to emulate a vintage '60s tube amp (namely a black panel Fender Deluxe Reverb, a Vox AC30 and a Marshall JTM45)¹. The Ampworx Vintage Series is available now for $149¹.

All of the Ampworx preamps feature a two channel design, Celestion IR cab sim, headphone output, USB connection and 1/4" DI output¹. They also share similar control formats, with a distinctive six-dial top panel (with three-band EQ) and two footswitches¹. Each pedal in the lineup is a two-channel affair with an amp-like control setup, six dials apiece, and the dual-footswitch design sees one footswitch for selecting the channel, the other for an additional feature². On the Marshall-esque JIMS 45 and Vox-y DC30, those second footswitches activate a boost; on the Combo Deluxe '65, it's a four-second convolution reverb algorithm that is engineered to give you the sort of spring reverb splash you might find on a vintage Black Panel combo amp².

The JIMS 45's boost packs an extra 5dB of heat, its channels are Normal and High, each with their own individual gain controls, and global controls include Bass, Middle and Treble, and output Level². It comes equipped with an official Celestion 4x12 G12M Creamback cab sim emulation². The DC30 has Normal and Brilliant channels, each again with their own gain controls, with EQ handled by Bass, Treble and a Cut control, and its cab sim is a Celestion 2x12 Alnico Blue². The Combo Deluxe '65's EQ is expanded, with Bass, Middle and Treble controls, and there is a control on the back of the pedal for adjusting the reverb's tone and a Bright switch². The cab sim is a Celestion 1x12 G12M Creamback².

The pedals include brand-specific control knobs: gold for the JIMS45, chickenhead for the DC30 and witch's hat for the Combo Deluxe '65¹. The Plexi-style JIMS45 and Vox-aping DC30 both have boost circuits, which can be tweaked with a mini-toggle and dial positioned on the I/O panel¹.

MusicRadar reports the pedals are priced at $149 each².