Cornell Traveller 5

Funkfingers

Today, I have been mostly trying a Cornell Traveller 5 amplifier. I regret to say that I found its higher gain settings simultaneously boxy and raspy. I cannot decide whether to blame the small cabinet or the 8" loudspeaker. (The user manual sheet explains that the midrange peak is intentional.)

Tested with a yummy Fender American Original Sixties Stratocaster, the amp had less overdrive saturation than I would have liked - regardless of which input jack I tried. The clean sounds were nice in a "VOX" way. 

The one thing that I did not get to test was the external loudspeaker connection. If the weeny Celestion loudspeaker is the cause of the unsatisfying sound, bypassing it might have proven the point.

Has anyone else tried this amplifier yet? Is it just the example I tried or do they all sound small and boxy?

Woody123

Hi, have not tried this amp, but I’m very very interested.......but my main concern was exactly what you have confirmed.....the 8” speaker.......however I have been in contact with Matt Cornell.....his dad was on the factory floor....anyway Matt has said that they can do anything under their ‘custom’ banner, including bigger cab with 10” or  12” speaker......or an effects loop (something I’m quite interested in).....obviously this incurs a further cost, so you would need to be certain that the amp was the one for you.
I'm going over to Liverpool in the near future to try a traveller....and I will be trying it into a bigger speaker cabinet.
In the meantime I have serious GAS for their Vintage Brown 10, so I shall be giving that a go aswell..that means that my Boogie 5/25 will need to go but so be it.
ill let you know on here my conclusions when I finally get a go of the Traveller.

Funkfingers

Woody123 said:

the 8” speaker

My concern was not the size of the loudspeaker but its Cheepnis. (MIC Celestion.) 

Woody123 said:

I have serious GAS for their Vintage Brown 10

Good. It is a seriously better amplifier. The VB10 did not exist when I purchased a Romany Plus. If it had, it is probably the model that I would have bought.

Woody123 said:

an effects loop (something I’m quite interested in)

Good thinking, Batman. The standard Traveller 5 has no reverb tank. A BOSS FRV-1 would smooth things out a bit.

uncledick

Chatting to Dennis Cornell at yesterday's show and Matt was there although they're not related in any way.  I thought the Traveller sounded a bit boxy but some will love it.  Definitely worth spending the extra on a Plexi or Romany imho.

Funkfingers

uncledick said:

I thought the Traveller sounded a bit boxy

I'm glad to know that it wasn't just me. 

Schnozz

Ah dang - What do you think of the Plexi?

Funkfingers

Schnozz said:

What do you think of the Plexi?

Which one? There is a wee "7" model, the 18/20 and the full-on 45/50 shortcut to deafness. 

I regret to say that I have tried none of these.

Schnozz

Funkfingers said:

Schnozz said:

What do you think of the Plexi?

Which one? There is a wee "7" model, the 18/20 and the full-on 45/50 shortcut to deafness. 

I regret to say that I have tried none of these.

Hmm probably the 7 model for me

I'm looking for a combo to use at home and for jams/rehearsal

It's pretty difficult to choose between the Romany, Plexi, or Vintage Brown, as there doesn't seem to be too many recent demos, but I thought the Plexi would bridge the gap

I was going to go for a Flynn until they hiked all their prices

Babones

I had a Plexi 7 for a good few years. It saw off a JTM1H, as it covered that ground and did more. It also sounds great plugged into a bigger cab with Celestions (just unplug the built-in speaker's cable and attach an 8 ohm cab).

Schnozz

Babones said:

I had a Plexi 7 for a good few years. It saw off a JTM1H, as it covered that ground and did more. It also sounds great plugged into a bigger cab with Celestions (just unplug the built-in speaker's cable and attach an 8 ohm cab).

Thanks Babones - Did you have the 1x12, or 1x10?

Babones

it was the 1x10

Bennyboy-UK

Woody123 said:

Hi, have not tried this amp, but I’m very very interested.......but my main concern was exactly what you have confirmed.....the 8” speaker.......however I have been in contact with Matt Cornell.....his dad was on the factory floor....anyway Matt has said that they can do anything under their ‘custom’ banner, including bigger cab with 10” or  12” speaker......or an effects loop (something I’m quite interested in).....obviously this incurs a further cost, so you would need to be certain that the amp was the one for you.
I'm going over to Liverpool in the near future to try a traveller....and I will be trying it into a bigger speaker cabinet.
In the meantime I have serious GAS for their Vintage Brown 10, so I shall be giving that a go aswell..that means that my Boogie 5/25 will need to go but so be it.
ill let you know on here my conclusions when I finally get a go of the Traveller.

'ere @Woody123 ; I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts and experience with the Vintage Brown 10 - as I also quite fancy one from what I've seen and heard - but not yet had a go, and also have an Express 5:25 as it happens, which is my do-it-all amp.