Ruby '63 Top Boost Amplifier

I've been hauling around my first "real amp" for many years. Back-breakingly hauled it up and down 3 flights of stairs (where each floor was 15 foot ceilings above a bar) where I used to practice.

But couldn't let it go. It was my thing. It's a beautiful, amazing amp.

However, life went on - married, had kids, and still wanted to have that incredible sound.

Ultimately, sold the AC-15 because it was just untenable in my home and bought this pedal hoping it would fill the void.

It's an astonishingly accurate replacement. I don't miss the original for a single second.

If you like the AC sound, but want the control (and the variability of different speakers, etc.) and want peace in your house, this is the thing.

Run, don't walk. Buy this thing.

I own the corresponding originals for both the Dream and the Ruby, but of different years: a Fender Deluxe Reverb from 1979 and a Vox AC-30 from the 90s.

So far I have not found a better simulation of these amps either in pedal form or as a plugin. T

The playing feel is authentic and the sound in the mix is ​​indistinguishable from the original. On one of the last productions I didn't mike the amps and just used the pedals. The result has a lot of character and punch an is easy to mix.

Live at smaller locations I use the pedals and otherwise the amps with the pedals as a backup. Great.

My first amp when I started to play electric guitar in 1975 was a 1964 Vox AC30 top boost. I’ve had two more since and I have two AC15 HW now. And I use treble boosters, Rangemaster and Hornby-Skewes.

The Ruby sounds ridiculously good; when I play in the control room it sounds - and feels - like those amps I am used to. All the classic great sounds are there; The Beatles’, Rory Gallagher’s, Status Quo’s, Ritchie Blackmore’s, Brian May’s and even the great Brad Paisley’s AC30 sound. To name a few. And the treble booster adds good heft!

And so easy to dial them in and go along in the studio; I just connect both outputs to my Apollo’s line in on the back and use an appropriate Unison preamp, e.g. a Helios 69.

I hard pan the channels and use the Ruby’s Room control and the sound is glorious!

Ni hassle!

I’ve always loved the vibrato channel on my AC30s but the speed settings where quite rudimental, on the Ruby I can dial in any speed and intensity. Great UA, thank you!