The Cornford Roadhouse series has been a longstanding favourite of Andertons customers. Using the expert design knowledge of Cornford, modern manufacturing techniques, and the same great components as used in their handwired amplifiers, Cornford have kept the prices of the Roadhouse affordable to normal, hard-working guitarists. Now, the Cornford Roadhouse amps are better-priced than ever, and set to become real legends in the mid-priced tube amp market, owing to their creamy tones and broad dynamics!
Don't forget the reverb! The Roadhouse series doesn't have a built in Reverb, but it does have a handy effects loop. Check out the related items section to the right to see some of our best selling reverb pedals!
The Roadhouse 30w head is ideal when you need just a little tube breakup from your amp. Paired up with a Cornford cab (see related items) you have a great sounding amp that will have you smiling at its beautiful tones whenever you plug in.
The Cornford Roadhouse Ethos
Andertons Music have been long time fans of the handwired Cornford amps. We're not sure what Cornford do to create such a magical tone, but the end result is a tube amp that sounds unlike anything else we stock and with a reliability track record that is streets ahead of any other amp manufacturer we deal with. On top of that, Cornford amps are all made in the UK (actually not that far from Andertons!), so you don't pay any of the freight, duty, or distribution charges that you'll typically pay on a USA-made boutique amp. Quite often an identical quality amp built in the US will cost as much as 50% more than a Cornford! It's testament to how good Cornford amps are that most of the Andertons guitar staff have ended up owning a Cornford amp (or are saving up for one!)
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 (we don't know what exactly, we just 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 & speakers as the hand wired amps, and yet is less than half the price of the equivalent hand wired model!
If you're looking for a mid priced, gigging, tube amp we can't recommend the Roadhouse range enough - it really is that good. We just hope that Cornford can keep up with the demand!
Cornford Roadhouse gets the Guitarist Magazine Gold award
Guitarist Magazine gave the Roadhouse 30 combo a 5 out of 5 review and awarded the "Guitarists Gold" award to the Roadhouse. The Roadhouse series has received other accolades too including the Premier Guitar Magazine the "Premier Gear" 5 Star Award and the Guitarrista Spain 5 Star Award.
You can read the full Guitarist Magazine review of the Roadhouse 30 by clicking here.
Here's what Cornford say about the Cornford Roadhouse series of amps
- Amplifier type: Combo/Head
- Wattage: 30 Watts / 50W
- Speaker: 1 X Celestion Vintage 30 (combo only)
- Features: FX loop
The Cornford Roadhouse Series of amps comprises 4 models - the Roadhouse 30 1x12" combo and amplifier head (featured on this page) and the Roadhouse 50 2x12" combo and amplifier head. 1x12", 2x12" and 4x12" matching speaker cabinets are also available to complete the range.
Featuring top quality PCB design and still constructed and handwired in the UK, these amps represent the ultimate affordable price point for Cornford tone junkies.
Putting out 30 watts rms into 4, 8 or 16 ohms. There are a total of 5 external speaker sockets on the rear panel, which will enable the user to accommodate most eventualities in terms of combinations of speaker cabinet. Please note: only one secondary tap should be connected to a speaker load at a given time.
The preamp consists of three 12AX7/ECC83 in the preamp and a pair of cathode biased 6l6s in the output stage.
The preamp has Gain; a switchable Gain Boost with a level adjustment control and front panel switch, which is bypassed when the remote footswitch is plugged in using the rear panel socket; Bass, Middle Treble and Master Volume controls. The Master Volume configuration enabling the user to obtain a fluid lead sound, with the Gain Boost engaged, for those late night practice sessions, or wind up the wick for touch sensitive overdrive from the output valves, going into meltdown when you kick in the Boost: just what's needed for playing with the rest of the band. All this and you'll still hear every note!
Series effects loop: this is aimed at being used with effects pedals, though it will work equally well with rack type processors.
Transformers are, as always, designed in house and wound to our specifications.
The chassis is 14 SWG, powder coated, silk screened and has external test points to enable valve checks to be made out on the road, without having to dismantle the amp.
Roadhouse - Story
The Cornford Roadhouse Series of guitar amplifiers are stripped down and simple to operate: simple yet very versatile.
The Roadhouse 30 Head and 1x12 Combo offer a combination of enough power to cut through a mix but with a power amp design that can be pushed into overdrive, giving touch sensitivity and harmonic richness without too many decibels!
The Roadhouse 50 Head and 2x12 Combo offer more of the above but with 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!
Roadhouse 30 - Specification
- TYPE: Cathode biased, valve guitar amplifier head and 1 x 12 combo. One channel with footswitchable boost.
- OUTPUT POWER: 30 Watts
- POWER VALVES: 2 x 6l6
- PREAMP VALVES: 3 x 12AX7
FRONT / TOP PANEL
- 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
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).
Other Features
- 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): Single 12" Celestion Vintage 30, 8 ohm (combo only).
- 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.
PLEASE NOTE, THE CORNFORD ROADHOUSE HEADS DO NOT COME WITH SPEAKER LEADS - YOU NEED TO BUY THESE SEPARATELY.
