Cornford vs Soldano - UNCHAINED

[donnyboiler]

https://soundcloud.com/donnyboiler/http ... dano-hr100

Best two amps I've ever had. Choose your favourite, first or second. Go!

Order will be revealed later...

[hammered]

The 1st one sounds best to me and great playing btw

[Velva]

Both are solid clips. I lean towards #1. It sounds thicker but woodier which don't often happen together in my mind...

[jape88]

2nd one for me, little more 'space' and 'hair' sounds a tad more alive. Both aren't world's apart I have to say.
Great playing.

[fivecoyote]

Agree with Jape. I like #2. Single notes fatter on #1 which attracts me, but more air and brighter on #2. I would buy that amp. What is it???? What is the sustain like on #2?

Why do I get the feeling that these are both 5153 clips...??

[rgalpin]

cool! the second clip sounds more like a plexi tone. the first one is pleasing but there is something about the soldano tone that offends me. lol. because it feels cool in your hands and it sounds cool - but it's like a 2 cycle engine when compared to the 4 cycle power of the 1959 circuit. [googling Cornford]

[donnyboiler]

Thanks dudes. Answer coming in one week... I have this up in a lot of places so I need to do the "reveal" all at once

In the meantime, keep the opinions coming

[Carbia]

cool! the second clip sounds more like a plexi tone. the first one is pleasing but there is something about the soldano tone that offends me. lol. because it feels cool in your hands and it sounds cool - but it's like a 2 cycle engine when compared to the 4 cycle power of the 1959 circuit. [googling Cornford]

2 stroke engines blows 4 strokes
40% more power using the same capacity, lighter, easy to repair, the smell...

[JiMB]

Both sound good but I favor #2, more grease/hair, sounds like you could really control all the finer nuances with you hands better with that one.

[donnyboiler]

OK, voting seems to have slowed now, so here's the score:

Cornford was first, Soldano second. If I add up all the votes from everywhere, it's a tie!

[jape88]

If I add up all the votes from everywhere, it's a tie!

I always thought there was only one forum on the net that knew the real deal on the brown sound! ...so I make that 4 to 2 for the soldano!

What do you prefer Donny? I had an MK when the first came out but px it for a soldano decatone, still pleased with it's reliability and performance 10 years later

[fivecoyote]

Which Soldano is it?

[donnyboiler]

HR100+

I prefer the Cornford, but not by much. I like the string definition and natural punch of the Cornford, but I enjoy the high mid saturation and more tied-together feel if the Soldano. The Cornford has warmer more extended lows in the room.

I had a Decatone once, great amp, just wish the MV dial was more transparent. Three very usable channels and the middle one was magic. Third one was a bit like this but more saturated iirc. Still the best solo sound I ever recorded.

[rdodson]

Guys who know how to deal with the Decatone's rather unique master volume circuit get killer tones. It is the one amp that has often tried to draw me away from my beloved Bogner Ecstasy.

[donnyboiler]

Funnily enough I went straight from a Decatone which was my main amp for two years to a 101b which did two years as well. At the time I was frustrated with the Soldano's stiffness and was over the moon with the accommodating feel of the 101b. It was amazing to have a master volume control that could be set to something other than 9 or 10.

Looking back now, the Deca is the 3 channel monster I'd buy. Leave the master on full and it has three great channels. FX mix again is best on full dry or full wet but that's fine. I guess tastes change - right now I enjoy the more robust feel of the Soldanos and Cornfords over the liquidy Bogner thing. In another two years it could be a different story.

This was the lead sound I got with the Deca's red channel. Never topped it. It's 4:11 in case the link doesn't work.

https://soundcloud.com/donnyboiler/demo-reel#t=4:11