Cornford Roadhouse 30 Combo

Very simple amp - 6 chicken head knobs (I love chicken heads, every amp should use them). It satisfies me to look at such a simple control layout, my heart sinks when I see an amp with a zillion controls, push this, pull that etc. No reverb but I switched off the reverb on my amps about 10 years ago and have never used it since. Single channel with a footswitchable boost function. This is a bit of a limitation because, having set up the basic tone to your liking, you have only one control to shape the boost function. The boost seems to have an effect on both gain and volume and the increase in volume is more marked as you wind the master volume up. I will reserve judgement on how well this works in a live situation as I haven't gigged the amp yet. I play about 2 or 3 times a month, next gig in 2 weeks time. As far as I can tell from playing at home Cornford seemed to have judged this about right as I compared it to the amount of extra volume and gain I would normally get from using an overdrive pedal.

I play a Gibson SG Junior heavily modified with a Seymour JB at the bridge. The band I play in does mainly smallish pubs (unmiked) or larger clubs with a sound guy. I need an amp that comes to life without being deafening particularly when I'm having to cope with a sound guy who's only happy when the amp is virtually turned off. The band plays mainly original blues material. I also play occasionally in a rockier covers outfit. I don't have much use for a totally clean sound, I want my basic sound to be on the verge of break up so that it's clean when I play softly and growls when I hit harder. The Cornford does this superbly. The amp is clean until you get the gain to about 5 when it starts to break up in a beautiful vintage style. I have never heard another amp do this so well at low volumes. There are lot of different degrees of drive available just by travelling from 5 to 6 on the gain control. From about 5.5 onwards the sound gets really thick and strong - if this tone was a bowl of soup you could stand your spoon up in it. Kick in the boost and it's like you added a liberal splash of tobasco sauce to the recipe. I've tried setting both gain and boost to maximum and the sound is unbelievable, masses of gain but still beautifully defined. As I mentioned, the boost function is going to take some adjusting as the amount of gain in boost mode is dependent on the amount of gain in un-boosted mode but I feel confident that I can make this work for me. It's a price worth paying for not having too many controls to faff around with. Others have mentioned that this amp is more forgiving to play than other Cornfords but I'm finding that I'm having to work a bit harder than normal probably because I got used to too much gain and compression fom my previous set-up. It's going to be worth it because this is the best sound I've ever had. The sound of the amp is somewhere in the vintage British amp arena - think late 60's early 70's back when we Brits used to make good amps i.e. Marshalls and Hiwatts. The Cornford obviously has a lot more gain available but it really sounds like a non-master volume amp cranked to the max with a great drive pedal kicked in when you engage the boost. I've listened to demos of the newer Marshalls, Deizels etc and they don't come close to the dynamics of this amp. I can't think of another amp I'd rather have.

This is Cornfords first effort at a PCB based amp. Their hand wired amps have a great reputation for reliability. I hope this amp is the same but cannot comment due to only just having bought it.

I did have a small problem when I first got the amp but it was sorted out with no fuss after a couple of conversations with Andersons (the retailers) and with Martin Kidd (designer of this amp). The service I got was beyond excellent - I've never been treated so well by ANY company. Many thanks to Martin and to Alan at Andertons - top top people. 10 +. I've given no ratings other than for customer support only because I haven't gigged the amp yet because this is what counts. I don't really have any worries because I think I have enough experience to make a judgement based on how the amp sounds at home but I will post again once I have couple of gigs under my belt. For the record I have been using Laneys for about 10 years (VC50 and VC30 depending on the gig). They're great amps but I think the Cornford is in a different league.

I'm a 50 year old Britsh Civil Servant so to America and the rest of the world this means I don't get paid much. I did get a small bonus this year and decided to gamble it (plus some other meagre savings) on this amp without hearing it first. I'm hoping this is the last amp I will need to buy.

Brand new, produced May 2008. I believe mine is one of the first run of Amps for the UK.
While being only a 1 channel amp the sounds are very versitile, every thing from clean, twangy country to heavy overdriven 'Vai Like' sustain, and everything in between.
There is a footswitch, however this is for switching on the 'Boost' which is kinda like having a built in Boutique Stomp Box, gives you that extra edge of volume / overdrive when you need to go 'Over the top' for solos etc... sometimes I just leave it on all the time.
There is tons of headroom, even though this is only rated as 30 watts. I think it is every bit as loud as my VOX AC30 or a Marshall Bluesbreaker combo.
The only thing I wish it had was the wonderful tube reverb, as found in the other Cornford amps, but I guess the Roadhouse 30 is less money than those other amps and Cornford were trying to keep it 'sub ??1000'.
I have rammed a Boss RV5 in the effects loop and it sounds devine.
If it had Reverb (or even a cost option of reverb) I would have scored it 10.

I play many different styles but lean towards a Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, type Blues/Jazz. This amp is very dynamic and with the right setting (gain at 3.5 boost on) I can get the sound to go from clean to overdriven on my Les Paul just by my picking dynamics.
It also cleans up real great with rolling off the guitar's volume.
Crank the gain and past 5 your into Van Halen / ZZ Top Plexi meltdown, with amazing harmonics jumping off the guitar everywhere...
even the feedback is musical. With a single coil Strat you can also get some great Jimi tones, both clean and overdriven. I plugged in my Boss DD 3 and instantly was in Eric Johnson's tone world.
It's gets even better a loud 'gig leval' volume. I have to say many amps I have owned in the past disapointed me when they were turned up loud, even ones that were meant to sound better loud!!! The Cornford on the other hand stays real tight and snappy, and what's more stays controlable with high volume.
Whats more this seems to be very much a 'players amp', unlike a lot of handmade amps out there, the Cornford kind of 'helps you along' rather than shows up your shortcomings
This is the closest I have ever got to dialing in that sweet Larry / Robben / John Mayer Dumble sound.
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seems built like a Nuke.
This is still early days but from what I've heard Cornford are like 'Boss' of the amp world, their products simply don't break.
Remember this is handbuilt in England, not mass produced in a sweatshop in China or Mexico.

The dudes at Cornford all frequently go 'online' at the Cornford Forums and are very cool about answering your questions. In fact this helped me decide to buy one, as so many amp manufacturers are 'Faceless, Corporate Sluts and don't give a rats *** about customers. You know who you are!
Cornford are different.

I have been playing over 17 years and over 10 years on a Semi Pro basis.
This is the only amp I have ever owned where I know I would straight away buy another one if this one got nicked.
This is the kind of amp that makes you want to bin your stomp boxes (thank god for ebay) and get back to the real source of tone (your guitar, your fingers and a damn fine amp.
I also played a Mesa LoneStar which was also delightful, however the Cornford is half the price, you could buy 2 Roadhouse's and run them in stereo for the same price as the Mesa!
Take my advice, if you are interested in true, uncomplicated, sublime guitar tone sell a limb or a kidney and buy a Roadhouse 30. IMO ??750 is cheap for what you get, Cornford could have got away with charging upwards or ??1200...

All-valve single-channel combo with solid-state rectification, 3 x ECC83/12AX7 preamp valves, 2 x EL34 power valves

Series effects loop

30 watts

Bass, Boost, Gain, Master, Middle, Treble

1 x Celestion V30

This is the amp I've been looking for because don't be fooled by the 'single channel' title. I use my Gibson LP to dial in a chunky rhythm tone, use the guitar volume to go clean, but then using the 'Boost' function, the amp goes into lead solo heaven, and as well as being able to dial in just the right amount of gain, you can also dial in exactly what solo level you want.

Using my LP or Clapton Strat it sounds fantastic. I just can't stop playing it. I play in a rock/blues covers band and it suits everything I need to do. The term 'creamy fat tone' sums this amp up. It does take pedals. My Carl Martin Quattro adds some lovely delay. but to be honest I don't need the compressor or the overdrives on the quattro at all with this amp. Used in the series loop the balance is great.

The amp is very low noise and although it has no reverb, it just doesn't seem to need it. I might buy a Reverb pedal but it seems to have a natural space to it because of the deep cabinet. It's nearly twice the depth of my Fender DRRI.

Only had it 2 weeks! Delivered next day by Andertons online, and boxed very well.

I've spoken to Paul Cornford on the Phone! He happened to answer. But I've also had replies on the Cornford Forum from Martin Kidd (MK50!)and at every turn it's like talking to your mate. These guys just want to help. The forum's great and it's good to hear how others are finding the Roadhouse C30.

I would drive to Kent to buy another if anything happened to this. I need a cover and don't know if Cornford do them, but the guys said they'll send replacement backup valves if I ring the office....with my CC of course, but at least I know I'm getting exactly what they use.