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how would describe the cornford amps?
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shredrulez
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 10:02 am    Post subject: how would describe the cornford amps? Reply with quote

so what are these amps like compared to some others? what's the tonal difference between ptp vs. the pcb ones?
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Donnie B.



Joined: 13 Sep 2004
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Location: Chula Vista, CA

PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The main difference between PTP and PCB is $$$ Laughing

I have a Harlequin and, although I don't get to use it often because I mainly play at very low volumes, when I do it's awesome. Talk about the sound of what your hands are doing coming thru!!! The smallest change in pick attack, grip, pick angle, etc. results in changes to your tone. Plus the amp really responds to the differences in your guitar settings.

GREAT AMP!
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alexkhan



Joined: 10 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 9:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yup, great amps! They have a very particular and unique voicing about them that's distinctly "British", but they don't sound like a Marshall, a Vox, a Hiwatt or an Orange, etc. They have some characteristics of them all but their own spin on what constitues the British sound. The MK50H is a very punchy and tight head with loads of headroom and a snarly distortion that is somewhat more in the hot-rodded Marshall category. The Hellcat, although at 35 watts, is a monster with a broad range of sounds built in. The Hurricane is a great all-around no-fuss combo with all the features most players would ever need and the Harlequin is a superb little combo that's especially good for recording purposes. I'll post more thoughts about the Cornfords later.
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kirk95
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Joined: 09 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where's Steve Snider when you need him?? heheheheheh Wink
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Carlo



Joined: 13 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

man, I want the Hellcat so bad...and the Harlequin...if only I had the money. Sad
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alexkhan



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PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As far as the Hellcat and the MK50H are concerned, these are amps I term "Man's Amps". Wink They are bold, tight, and unforgiving with a punchy and thick tone that emphasizes the cutting high-mids. Someone asked in another forum what other amp lines fit that "mysoginistic" description. Well, I say some other amps that fit that female-bashing mode are: Hiwatts, VHT's, Roccafortes, early-70's metal panel Marshalls, the TR Ruby, Komets, etc.

Essentially, these types of amps are for advanced players with strong hands, IMHO. You have to have a strong touch to squeeze the juice out of 'em, while other amps in the opposite end of the spectrum ("Baby Butt Amps"?Wink) are really soft, spongy and juicy to begin with and don't require much effort from the player to pull those kinds of sounds out of. This is a rather broad generalization, but with these "Man's Amps", you have to know how to really work the guitar and the amp with your hands. Am I making sense?
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kirk95
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perfect sense.. I'm a TR Opal guy.. there is no place to hide!! Wink
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Donnie B.



Joined: 13 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed, you have gobs and gobs (and GOBS) of more experience with all types of amps but I think I know what you're saying. This is the first amp I've owned (since I've been old enough to appreciate such things) where I feel 100% in command of what will be coming out of the speaker based on what I do with my hands. It's also the only amp I've been able to play for extended amounts of time with zero effects in the signal path. No reverb, no delay, nothing but yet it's still a blast just hearing what you can get out of the thing. I think with most amps the reverb and echo are ways of applying frosting on a sterile cake anyway.

The first few times I messed around with the Harley I would find myself stopping to just chuckle at just how cool and responsive this baby is.

My other points of reference are (mind you I have to play at pretty low volumes) a Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket - non reverb model, a Yamaha DG80-112, a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, a Fender Blues Junior, a Line 6 Flextone I, and a Peavey Transtube something or other.

Yeah, the Cornford is also my first "boutique" amp too.

Ed, one thing you didn't touch on was the PTP vs PCB thing. I was reading a good article about that on the Mako amp site this AM but would like to hear your thoughts as well.

DB
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alexkhan



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PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kirk95 wrote:
Perfect sense.. I'm a TR Opal guy.. there is no place to hide!! Wink


Yeah, the Opal would fit in that "macho" category. It's a little scary plugging into these kinds of amps. Every little detail and the nuances of your playing come out so cleary and fast, if you don't have your chops together, they can make you look real silly in front of an audience - especially other guitar players. Wink Laughing

Speaking of the Opal, a customer who had bought one from me a while back is selling it and sending it in to be consigned. Haven't had one in here for a while so I'm looking forward to trying it again.
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alexkhan



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PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Donnie B. wrote:
Ed, you have gobs and gobs (and GOBS) of more experience with all types of amps but I think I know what you're saying. This is the first amp I've owned (since I've been old enough to appreciate such things) where I feel 100% in command of what will be coming out of the speaker based on what I do with my hands. It's also the only amp I've been able to play for extended amounts of time with zero effects in the signal path. No reverb, no delay, nothing but yet it's still a blast just hearing what you can get out of the thing. I think with most amps the reverb and echo are ways of applying frosting on a sterile cake anyway.

The first few times I messed around with the Harley I would find myself stopping to just chuckle at just how cool and responsive this baby is.

My other points of reference are (mind you I have to play at pretty low volumes) a Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket - non reverb model, a Yamaha DG80-112, a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, a Fender Blues Junior, a Line 6 Flextone I, and a Peavey Transtube something or other.

Yeah, the Cornford is also my first "boutique" amp too.

Ed, one thing you didn't touch on was the PTP vs PCB thing. I was reading a good article about that on the Mako amp site this AM but would like to hear your thoughts as well.

DB


Hey Donnie,

I'm sure you understand. Once you get your hands on amps like these, you really do feel the difference. And feel is almost as important as the sound. It's about how lively it feels in your hands and how it feels like the strings on your guitar are wired directly to the speaker(s).

Regarding the PTP vs. PCB issue, I'm not a techie but, in a broad sense, the PTP amps do have more of that direct "feel" from the source to the speaker. PTP amps do feel a somewhat more alive in your hands than PCB amps in general, although there are some great PCB-based amps that sound and feel better than some PTP amps. So, what I'm getting at is that the basic design is what matters most. A well-designed PCB amp is going to sound better than a poorly-designed PTP amp.
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shredrulez
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for your words of wisdom, ed. you sure know how to describe tone and music in general. fun stuff to read and very informative as well! Smile
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Donnie B.



Joined: 13 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

alexkhan wrote:
Regarding the PTP vs. PCB issue, I'm not a techie but, in a broad sense, the PTP amps do have more of that direct "feel" from the source to the speaker. PTP amps do feel a somewhat more alive in your hands than PCB amps in general, although there are some great PCB-based amps that sound and feel better than some PTP amps. So, what I'm getting at is that the basic design is what matters most. A well-designed PCB amp is going to sound better than a poorly-designed PTP amp.


Let me ask the question another way. I think the answer is fairly obvious but I'd like to again read your thoughts on the matter.

If you were to take the exact same amp design (schematic), and use the same exact grade components, would the end result be better if you mounted everything on a PCB or went the PTP route.
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alexkhan



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PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Donnie B. wrote:
alexkhan wrote:
Regarding the PTP vs. PCB issue, I'm not a techie but, in a broad sense, the PTP amps do have more of that direct "feel" from the source to the speaker. PTP amps do feel a somewhat more alive in your hands than PCB amps in general, although there are some great PCB-based amps that sound and feel better than some PTP amps. So, what I'm getting at is that the basic design is what matters most. A well-designed PCB amp is going to sound better than a poorly-designed PTP amp.


Let me ask the question another way. I think the answer is fairly obvious but I'd like to again read your thoughts on the matter.

If you were to take the exact same amp design (schematic), and use the same exact grade components, would the end result be better if you mounted everything on a PCB or went the PTP route.


As I said, I don't have any electronics or engineering background, so I think someone like Paul Cornford could better answer this question. In my mind, based on what you're asking, PTP is going to have a more direct, lively feel and tone. But my thoughts are that the "exact same amp design" wouldn't really be possible with both methods because they are fundamentally different ways of designing an amp, but I could be wrong.

There is a premium involved in PTP because the components are indeed handwired while PCBs have auto insertion and/or wave soldering machines that stuff and put the components in place. So you're talking about time that is saved with PCB as opposed to handwired labor on PTP, and as you know the old saying, time is money! It's really the main reason the PTP amps cost more than PCB amps.
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thing



Joined: 12 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 11:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of the main advantages of PTP vPCB is that PCB's can break if you like to throw your amp into the back of a van after a gig. They can even crack after a while just out of normal usage ie vibrations from the speaker. All the PTP amps I've tried have been really good but then I would say thats more down to the higher spec components that higher spec amp builders use.
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shredrulez
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

can the hellcat really do metal?
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