Cornford MK 50 H

This is an amp made in England and mine was built in 2002. Definitely not for an amateur guitar player because of high price tag. Some of the worlds best guitar players are using this amp. Go to cornfordamps.com. Point to point wiring and is definitely one of the best built amps around. Lots of attention to detail and generous use of high quality parts. This is essentially a two-channel amp but the switching can only be done via the footswitch. By the way the footswitch is also well built (like a tank) although I don't like the cord coming out of the front of the footswitch instead the back. The amp has two inputs (Hi, Lo). Volume, Overdrive, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master 1 and Master2, Presence, Resonance. It also has a series effects loop, Impedance matching and the design of the box is such that you the feel of "well built" and "quality". The tubes and transformer have plenty of space to dissapate heat, very open design.
This amp does not have reverb but when you listen to it you know why... you don't need it. Nice fat sound with a lot of balls. This is just a fabulous tone machine. It does have a quirky way to get a clean sound because you have to switch off the overdive and switch on the Master2 (both on the footswitch) and turn down the volume pot on your guitar. This amp uses 12ax7 and two 6l6 in its design. It is smplicity at its best, once you play it, you'll be hooked.

I play this amp with a PRS custom 24 and I also use a gibson 335. It just sounds killer. When you switch to clean from a very high overdrive, the cleans are not so clean but useable. You find yourself using the guitar volume pot much more on this rig. The distortion is as brutal as you want it. Through a 4 x 12 stack it is huge, fat, ballsy and not ear piercing.

This amp just has a solid feel to it and I have had no problems in two years. Don't expect any except for tube wear. I don't go to any gig without a backup but that is just me. I always carry a small combo around just in case.

Never had to deal with them

I have been playing for 25 years and I have used Mesa, Riveras, Fenders etc. This is a high end amp that you will treasure for many years to come. I hope this is never stolen or lost because it cost a lot of cake. One suggestion for Cornford would be to put the on/off switches the right way ie UP is ON and Down is OFF. He has it the Engish way, just the opposite. The leather handle is nice but it did develop a crack from lugging this unit around. Perhaps a stronger handle?

this amp is simply the greatest. It is the simplest and most versatile amp i have ever used by far. The tone controls are so responsive that i will never have to use a patch ever again, and the way that this amp works through my guitar is simply genius aswell, the dials on the guitar just become so responsive with really crunchy rhythm tones being easily transformed into sum really fat clean tones simply by turning the volume down. This sort of versatility is unrivalled. the reason for the 9 is because it doesnt have reverb but i even feel guillty saying that cos i dont feel it needs it.

The sounds on this amp is juust amazing, seriously jaw droppingly good. i dont feel the need to ever get another amp, except maybe a cornford hellcat. This amp is just so incredibly versatile, i can create any sound i want, whether its a mega hard hitting distortion which will blow u away (if every metal band had cornford mk50h's the world wood be a heavier place) or a crunchy ac/dc sound or a blues sound or a really crisp fat clean sound etc, the list goes on. This amp is just kick ass!

never had any problems at all.

Those cornford guys are just awesome. They make this brilliant amp and continue to be genuinely helpful whenever u have any queries.

I have been on a search for the holy grail of amps for the whole of my life and i have finaly found it, the mk50 and reached my nirvana. if i could i would probably start dating this amp. This amp jusr blows the competition away. i would certainly buy another one if it got nicked. Hopefully this amp will just get more and more widespreadly used as it deserves it, and so hopefully marshalls will finally get exposed for what they really are, rubbish mass manufactured fizz soundmeisters that i am now completely sick of cos of their media induced popularity. Well done martin and paul this amp is definately a winner. LETS ROCK!

The tone controls are very receptive and a whole range can be done with them, add in the presence and resonance controls it its great. The 2nd master boost is a good idead. The only thing missing is a reverb, but the sond of then amp makes up for it.

Absolutely amazing. the veratility of sounds is great, from clean cleans with beautiful harmonics to jimi and some ACDC to a full blow metallica sound, I love this amp. The tone controls are very receptive as well and a wide range of tones can be made from them. The price of the mk50h head is 3 times that of a marshall dsl, and I can understand why. It simple does sound great. Only annoying thing is becuase it is a 1 channel amp, you cant go from clean cleans to full blown metallica style distrotion.

Its built like a tank. Had it a year, no complaints

I 've emailed them a few times and the actual designer of the amp emailed me back straight away, really helpful. Just cant beat that.

Been playing 11 years now, I own ESP Custom, Fender American deluxe and a Gibson Les Paul Standard. I would certainly by this amp again if something were to happen to it.

Knocks the spots off of all other amps I have tried, I just love the sound soo much.

Got it Dec.24,'03. Merry Christmas to me! Production date June '02 which I discovered signed on the inside of the chassis. The design is simple and right to the point. Nothing more than I need. Hyper-sensitive to the guitar and its volume knob which makes my playing and my guitar's tone the driving force. I can take this amp anywhere my ear wants to go except ultra-clean (roland jazz cho. or fender twin). The effects loop is perfect with my rocktron replifex and lexicon pcm 42. Pedals, not as well. Dont like to use em in the loop anyway.
I wish it would switch (the overdrive in/out and master 1/2) with my CAE RL8 (Bradshaw) but it wont. It will switch with the replifex switching output. The Cornford switching pedal works fine as it should. Rehearsals, small clubs and recording.....great. Just as advertised on the Cornford web site: .."without pratting about". You will get your tone and be into your performance with a minimum of tweaking. This amp delivers the goods based on your versatility as a player which is to say: it is as versitile as the you are. Power? More than enough.

Les Pauls, custom strats, Ransom customs(Dan E.,mi amigo!) with vintage output (Custom shop SD), PRS w/stock dragon PUs.

This amp sounds great. It leans toward an exceptional Vox AC30/Matchless Chieftain but better, more fat and wholesome. Its sooo sweet with the guitar vol. backed off. Chime and charm! Roll on some volume and get that great break-up at the "right" frequencies. Articulate yet sustaining and warm. I set it and forget it....get lost in the guitar and whats in my head.

Overdrive. The British are.....HERE. HEAR-HEAR. Just listen. Rich and 3-D and obeys your guitar's vol. setting. This amp has an AWESOME dynanic envolope. Switch in the OD and there is no compressed drop-out of volume! There is a subtle yet audible boost so when its time to burn, just play! Some amps need a master vol. for overdrive. This one has it designed in! One less thing to ajust. It also has a second master vol. which is switchable. The overdrive is crush. Drop the mids and hear it for yourself. I've tried to use different dist./OD pedals at different settings but the pedals just get in the way. It delivers without any gain pedal in front.

I put a pair of THD Yellow Jackets in for fun. The result was predictable. It comes on huge at a much lower volume- just as any tube amp would. This is my "at home" and recording set-up. This is probably what the Huricane sounds like (without the overdrive).

Power. Its just 50 watts. I played an Ubershall before I got this. I also tried an Avenger Soldano. A Koch multitone and a Bogner 101b.
The Cornford MK50 has enough power and earth shaking energy to cause an attacking swat team to have a mass involentary bowel movement with a single strum. Without drop tuning. It is all that. Period.

No problems. Use it almost everyday. The tubes are two years old but I've swoped with new ones with no change in tone so the old ones continue on. I've looked inside and it looks like it was made at NASA.
I will write another review if anything goes bad.

Martin Kidd was kind enough to return my email reguarding the switching. It seems that Cornford has made theirs backwards or "inside out" and different than typical American latch switching (ala boogie, and CAE). Their power and standby switches are upside-down too.
Hey Cornford, are ya flying the Union Jack in the face of American amp builders?! Perhaps you HAVE turned this industry upside-down!!
How about a US export that works with US switching devices?

Played for years. Have: Old Egnater TOL 100(KEEPER).Vox AC30 RI (SOLD), Matchless Chieftain(SOLD), Naylor super 60(SOLD), Boogie MKIV(SOLD), Boogie dual rec.(SOLD). Celestions v30s, 80w, Tonetubbies.
The Cornford is my Favorite to date. I cant get over it, I just love it. I already want the Hellcat. Another one...YES. Special note: Abrownsoun.com makes Tonetubbie speakers based on the old "Blue Bell" Vox speakers with alnico mags. THEY SOUND FABULOUS WITH THE CORNFORD! As well as everything else. Dont spend a penny before you hear and PLAY the Cornford amps.

This is an update to the review I posted some time back and having the advantage of giiging it over 50 times. The features are as stated previously and in other reviews

Well, 50 gigs on I can confirm that for my needs, playing in a power blues band, this amp is great. It is more like a good early 70's Hiwatt with greater flexibility for bringing in more gain and having a handy boost function for soloing.

I agree with a previous review that it does not do prestine clean to grungy filth switching in the gain; but then it is not marketed as a two channel amp. However, going between clean and classic blues rock type of distortion it is great. Also, I learnt to use the volume control on my guitar with this amp.

In response to Kris Singh's ranting non review of this amp, based on playing it in a shop; I agree it does not sound like a Matchless or Victoria, but it's not supposed to. From what was written in this non review, you did not mention Marshall, Hiwatt, Bognor, Wizard, or this type of amp so my conclusion is that you obviously aren't taken to this sound. Your choice, but really, you own over 70 amps; you really ought get more and play a little in real situations.

Never let me down yet

Mailed Cornford a few times and Paul has respondd each time, although it does sometimes take a while. It is a small outfit so I expected that; as I would with Clark, Victoria and all the other genuinely small output producers of quality product.

I purchased the amp for a specific purpose and it has repayed me with my first 50 gigs and I have no desire to change it for my next 50. So, still happy and this must be fantastic value. I haven't even changed the valves yet!

Very well built, top notch quality, heavy duty 50 watt all valve head. One channel with footswitchable master volumes and gain/overdrive (effectively the same as most companies 2 channel amps). Valves: 2 x 5881, 4 x 12AX7WA Hardware: All corners, screws, cup washers, handle fixings etc are nickel plated. Grills are bespoke CNC punched and powder coated. 14 gauge (2mm) powder coated chassis with 14 gauge base / screening plate secured to chassis with 4 machine screws. Leather handle. Transformers: Custom designed in house and hand wound. Controls: Chicken Head knobs. Metal toggle main switches. 2 x inputs (hi and lo). Front panel from left to right:- Volume/Gain, Overdrive (footswichable extra gain with red LED indicator), Bass, Middle, Treble, Master 1, Master 2 (footswitchable for volume lift, power amp, tonal differences etc. with green LED indicator), Presence, Resonance, Standby, Mains. Rear Panel from left to right:- Mains Inlet, Mains Fuse, H.T. Fuse, Speaker Impedance Selector 4, 8 or 16 ohms, Series Effects Loop send and Return, Footswitch Socket.

English High to moderate gain and Vox like cleans by rolling off the gain. It seems impossible to get a clean sound out of the amp if you want high gain and clean without rolling your ax volume back. This amp ONLY works with the footswitch which I find insanely stupid. There are NO switches on the amp to change "channels" or turn the gain on and off. You MUST have the or "a" compatible footswitch connected to even access the gain knob. Essentially you have an overall gain /master volume knob that goes thru some eq'ing, gain and 2 other switchable "channel" master volume knobs. The only thing this is useful for is to boost the amp level for a solo or something because it's essentially the same eqing. on the footswitch you can change those "channels" or access the gain knob. I was able to get a wonderful warm cooking rock tone out of the amp with the gain on about 2 o'clock. It seemed to get muddy after that depending on the guitar. I also had the 1st volume cranked to about 1 or 2 o'clock in order to really make the amp scream with excitement. With these settings I was unable to get a decent clean out of the amp when I turned off the gain on the footswitch. Plus I still felt I wasn't really getting enough gain in the gain channel. adequate, but not filling my needs...Still the amp sounded kik@ss and being a 50 watter it really gets at the verge of feedback easier than a 100 wt. Definitely a warm sounding moderate gain amp. Not a metal amp...

Seems to be pretty rock solid. Hate the having to hook up the footswitch scenario. And my GCX switching system was unable to change channels on the amp. So you'd HAVE to use the footswitch. I'd only use the amp as a one channel gain amp anyway due to the way it had to be set up.

Emailed Cornford a few times with NOT A RESPONSE EVER.

Basically a great 50 wt head if your looking for a moderate gain amp with a good warm feel to it. I'm selling it as I like my Marshall, Soldano and Mesa amps better.

Features for this amp as stated before - single channel but with gain, overdrive, 2 masters, hi/lo input, FX loop. The 1*12 cab I have has a Celestion Vintage 30.

I use a number of guitars - PRS singlecut, Fender USA strat, Tom Anderson Drop Top, Ibanez Jem. I play all sorts from jazz to nu-metal and everything in between. I've been playing for 20 years and only had 2 previous amps - a Marshall DSL and a Mesa Boogie F50. This amp is the only amp I have ever heard that brings out the sound of each guitar, pickup, touch, and pick attack with such musicality. Clean sounds are Vox and Fender like; distortion is whatever you want it to be. The controls are intuitive and easy to use; its dead simple to dial in the sound you want and be rewarded by the sonic treat you get in return. Its also good enough to allow you to develop your own voice, without being pigeon-holed to any particular tone/maufacturer.

Not had it long enough to say, but the way its built I doubt if I ever will have any problems except the run of the mill valve changes from time to time. The cab is also well built and solid.

It's the best amp I've ever heard or used. Period. If stolen I'd get another one.

I don't know when this amp was made.But I play Blues,Rock,Soul and I play at functions like weddings etc I play in pubs and small club gigs also have done outside mini festival type gigs.It's only got one Channel but with footswitchable overdrive and two master volumes I find it very versatile. I've never found that I needed more volume.The only thing I wish it had is a built in reverb like the Hellcat head.

I use Gibson Les Paul,Fender Strat, Fender Tele,Prs McCarty. The great thing about this amp is different guitars sound different.I've been playing 30+ years. Usually through a variety of Marshalls,a fender and also spent several years with a Mk4 Boogie Which cost me nearly twice the price of the Cornford. This amp breaks up with a lovely just on the edge sound which I haven't been able to get from the Marshall TSL 100 which I was using.Then when you start pushing it you get a lovely creamy fluid sustaining overdrive.Definitely in the British mode (Not Fizzy). I've found that using the guitars volume gives you a range of sounds most amps would be hard put to emulate with multiple channels.I just plug the head into a 2x12 or 4x12 depending on the size of gig, incidently both cabs (Marshall) I've had loaded with Celestion Vintage 30's.

It is built like a tank, never had reliability problems with it yet.

I sent an E-Mail enquiry regarding their cabs and Paul Cornford himself responded within two days.I also rang the factory to ask about the amp and they were friendly and helpful.

As I said been playing, 30+ years. I still own Some Marshall amps but I just love what you can do with this amp. I would get another one.
It would get a 10 for this catagory if it had reverb.

I DO NOT OWN IT. I DO NOT REMEMBER THE FEATURES. I JUST TRIED IT OUT.

Not that great. Amps like Bruno and Matchless whhop its ass. Easy. I was not impressed after all the hype I have heard. It was not that good. I buy every good amp. I have over 40 amps and 79 electric guitars. This was not up to snuff. Try it next to a Bruno 30 or a Matchless Chiefton. It will suprise you. It is not a bad amp. It is good. It is not great. It is no Bruno, Victoria, or Matchless. It is n where near them. Do your own testing and thank me later. Keep in mind, I give it a 7 seven because it is good. I do not want to bash it to hard, but see the others I have mentioned. See for yourself.

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See the sound section. That is all I have to say.

I own two MK 50's SN 0001, built 4/9/99, so today is it's third birthday! The other head SN 0010, built 24/2/00. I use both of these amps in stereo, using one as a slave split with a boss DD5 delay pedal. I have used many amps over the years, and have found that the Cornford MK 50 is the simplest and most versatile amp I have ever used. I use this rig for both recording and live, with the current set-up playing approximatly 250 shows a year. I have not even had them re-valved yet!I have found since using Cornford I have re-discovered the controls on the guitar, as opposed to relying on programmed preset patches. The amp is perfect in every way, and when people ask me who do I feel has the best guitar tone, I simply reply ...ME!

I use Musicman Axis Super sport, and Sport guitars fitted with Humbuckers and Soap bars, and find the match is perfect. Being a Musicman endorsee I have used the heads on two extensive clinic tours,where I have had to demonstrate a wide variety of tones, and styles. I have also recorded several Total Accuracy Jam with CD's/books, as well as a long running column for Guitar Techniques magazine. I have also just had my first book/CD published by Sanctuary publishing call Giants Of Metal. All of the above projects have been recorded using this amp and guitar combination. The setup is both quite and vesitile. I have recorded everything from Country, blues and metal with this rig, and as a working guitarist the amp is flawless. The cleans are crisp glassy, and fat, while the distortion is a real bowel mover! It kicks my ASS! My rig is a no fizz/no fuzz pedal zone...I love my creamy Cornford filth.

As I have said, I play over 250 gigs a year as well as tons of sessions. I have yet to have any form of problems with my heads, and never take a backup. The amps have not even had a re-valve in over three years.

Cornford Rock! They even built me a a custom foot switch that operates the over drive and Master two on one head, and just the Master two on the slave. Paul and Martin are great to work with, and are always open to suggestions. They even invited me to try the prototypes of the Hurricane, and the Hellcat, both of which I have now bought!

I have been playing guitar for 26 years, ( I started when I was 4 yrs), and for the first time in my entire playing career I am happy with my setup, for both sound and reliability, and easy of use. I was in the market for a new rig after using a large rack for years. I tried many other boutique heads, but all sounded weak, fizzy and average compared to the MK50. I could not be without my Cornford's, they are the most important part of my sound. If you want to see pictures of my gear, feel free to check out my web site www,jamiehumphries.co.uk