Featuring top-quality PCB design and constructed and handwired in the UK, the increasingly rare discontinued Cornford Amplification UK Roadhouse 50 represents the ultimate affordable price point for Cornford tone junkies.
The Roadhouse 50 is a more brutal version of its 30-watt sibling. The Cornford Roadhouse Series of guitar amplifiers are stripped down and simple to operate: simple yet very versatile. The Roadhouse 50 2x12 Combo offer a little extra power, for those players that need extra punch; the Combo also having the extra 12” Celestion Vintage 30 to shift more air!
Point to point hand wiring an amp takes a long time and as such, the cost of the hand wired Cornfords will put them out of reach of many players. The design team at Cornford began planning a PCB (printed circuit board) valve amp quite a while ago, and have taken the time to ensure they get the design right and find the right company (also UK based) to manufacture the boards for them. Whilst there is still something special about the hand wired amps (call it "Mojo"!), Cornford have managed to design and produce a PCB based tube amp that creates some fantastic tones, has almost no background noise (a good sign that the components have all been well placed and shielded on the PCB), uses the same cabinet construction and speakers as the hand wired amps, and yet is less than half the price of the equivalent hand wired model.Specs:
- TYPE: Fixed bias, valve guitar amplifier head and 2 x 12 combo. One channel with footswitchable boost.
- OUTPUT POWER: 50 Watts.
- POWER VALVES: 2 x 6l6
- PREAMP VALVES: 3 x 12AX7.
- FRONT / TOP PANEL: From left to right:
- Input (1 megohm impedance. Suitable for guitars with most types of pickup. The amplifier may, in general however, not give good results with the types of pickup associated with acoustic instruments);
- Gain (this controls the amount of preamp gain and hence level of preamp distortion in the amplifier);
- Boost (this controls the amount of extra signal sent to the preamp from the first gain stage and the amount of extra distortion in the preamp. This function is useful for heavier rhythm and lead guitar playing);
- Bass (this controls the low frequency response of the preamp);
- Middle (this controls the midrange frequency response of the preamp);
- Treble (this controls the high frequency response of the preamp);
- Send (this socket sends a low level signal (-6dBV) from the preamp suitable for driving effects pedals or rack processors);
- Return (the output signal from your effects units is reintroduced back into the amplifier's signal path after the preamp, via this socket);
- Master (this controls the overall output level of the amplifier and should be adjusted to suit your playing environment);
- Mains/Standby (this is a 3-position toggle switch. In the ‘Off' position, no mains power is sent to the amplifier's circuitry. In the ‘Standby' position, the low voltages are switched on and the valve heaters are allowed to warm up before the high voltage is applied to them - allow 30 seconds or so in this position to prolong valve life. In the ‘On' position, the amplifier is ready to play).
- REAR / BOTTOM PANEL: From left to right:
- Mains inlet socket (this accommodates a standard IEC mains lead. The mains fuse is contained within a drawer in this socket and should always be replaced with a fuse of exactly the same type and rating to reduce the risk of fire or electric shock);
- High Tension Fuse Holder (this accommodates the high voltage fuse for the amplifier. If it fails, this may indicate that the output valves have developed a fault. Once again, as with the mains fuse, it must be replaced with a fuse of the same type and rating); Speaker Sockets (there are a total of 5 speaker sockets: one is connected to the 16 ohm tap, two are connected to the 8 ohm tap [this will accommodate two 16-ohm speakers or one 8-ohm speaker] and two are connected to the 4-ohm tap [this will accommodate two 8-ohm speakers or one 4-ohm speaker]. It should be noted that only one output tap should be used at any one time. That is to say a speaker load may only be connected to the 16-ohm socket, or one or both 8-ohm sockets, or one or both 4-ohm sockets. No other combination should be connected). NB: To avoid damage to your amplifier, always connect a speaker to the output before switching on; Footswitch Socket (this is used to connect the supplied footswitch to the amplifier for remote switching of the ‘Boost' function and overrides the front panel toggle switch).
- ACCESSORIES: All metal footswitch.
- EFFECTS LOOP: Series effects loop. Send level is a nominal –6 dBV. Send impedance is 33k ohms. Return impedance is 145k ohms. Suitable for foot pedals and rack processors.
- HARDWARE: Metal corner protectors; top carry handle (head); side metal bar handles (combo).
- CONSTRUCTION: Quality PCB (printed circuit board) design. UK built.
- TRANSFORMERS: Custom designed and built by one of the UK's leading manufacturers.
- SPEAKER(S): 2 x 12" Celestion Vintage 30 G12.
- REVERB: No.
- FOOTSWITCH: All metal footswitch, to enable remote switching of the amplifier's ‘Boost' function..
- CABINET: 19 mm, lock jointed ply (head) or pine (combo) covered in black ‘Lizard' vinyl with black grille cloth and white piping.
Notes:
This Early 2000s Cornford Amplification UK Roadhouse 50 50-watt 2x12" Tube Combo is in Excellent condition, part of a single-owner, climate controlled collection, with extremely light wear consistent with age and occasional home use. Missing one black plastic screw plug (pictured) near input, does not affect functionality or performance. Includes original single-button footswitch.
All instruments from Music Makers are professionally evaluated and set-up in our historic Galesburg, IL. storefront prior to shipping.
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