Cornell Romany or Plexi 7?

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beed84beed84 Frets: 2403
edited February 2017 in Amps
So I'm looking at getting an amp fairly soon (hopefully from a fellow forumite as I've seen both on here) and it's between the Cornell Romany or Plexi. Problem is I'm struggling to choose. My main issue is that I'm currently in a shared house and I'm worried about volume, although I know the Plexi goes down to 1/4 of a watt, which is great. Continuing with the plexi, I love the naturally overdriven tones and how it cleans up; however, I love the Romany cleans and could put a nice overdrive pedal in front of it. Style wise I play blues/jazz/rock. So the question is, if you were me what would you go for and why?  And before someone chimes in with the obvious, the answer is no, I can't have both  :)
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Comments

  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    As a former Romany Plus owner I'd say get a Fender PRRI and use a pedal for drive.
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30826
    Romany's are very tinny and farty IMO

    Plexi's are a wonderous thing though.

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • simonksimonk Frets: 1467
    I find the Plexi 7 a bit boxy sounding, and needs to be LOUD to sound anything other than average.

    I'd be tempted by the Mesa Subway Rocket in the classifieds...
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  • beed84beed84 Frets: 2403
    Mesa would be too much for me right now. As for Fenders, call me snobby but they simply don't appeal. 

    So three posts in an already quite mixed opinions. As it happens, I Iiked both amps when I tried them, although on reflection I remember the Plexi sounded effing huge! Anyone else wanna throw their tuppence in?
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  • CloudNineCloudNine Frets: 4254
    Agree with Simonk there. I owned a Plexi 7 and didn't think it sounded that great on the lower settings, and it is so insanely loud on full power setting that it is too much by the time it starts to sound good. A little frustrating all round. If you are buying it because it is 'low wattage' and suitable for home, then I would think again. There are many many higher wattage amps which can sound much better in a home environment. In fact most probably do. If it's portability, then fair enough I suppose.
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  • Arktik83Arktik83 Frets: 431
    The plexi's need to be run bastard loud to get a decent tone out of them in my experience.  I had one and I live in a flat but had to move it on because it was too loud.
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  • beed84beed84 Frets: 2403
    edited February 2017
    Thanks for the further replies lads. Ultimately I aim to use the amp in gigging setting, but right now I need something more home worthy. If the low wattage setting doesn't necessarily mean it's going to cover those needs then I suppose I best have a rethink.
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  • chris45chris45 Frets: 221
    I have owned both of these amps.  They are both fantastic if employed "correctly" but have failings outside of this.

    Romany Plus:  Superb jazz and edge of break up pop / blues.  Not much clean head room (I struggled to hear myself when playing live with this against the band); if overdriven it can get really flubby on the bottom E especially with humbuckers.

    Plexi:  if turned up, a great early Marshall sound.  Average sounding if attenuated for home use; you will struggle to keep your volume consistent live if you try and use your guitar volume control to switch from clean to drive.

    If you look on old threads on Cornells you will see the phrase "they are a one trick pony - but what a trick!" and it's true.  If I was in a Cream covers band it would be the Plexi, and if I did smooth George Benson jazz it would be the Romany but IMHO there are better options if you need more style flexibility and need to use it for home and live.

    I now have a Tone King Imperial Mark 2 which covers the range of both and is good attenuated and also has lots of volume for live.  A used Fender is a good cheaper shout.
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  • beed84beed84 Frets: 2403
    simonk said:
    Thanks @simonk, that's a very good call indeed. I'm heading over there right now!...
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  • RichardjRichardj Frets: 1538
    I've had both and loved them but agree that they are designed to be used hard to get the best tones.

    If you want clean at home volumes and the ability to go loud for gigging I would suggest, if you have the room and ability/will to move it around, a Fender Twin. No really.  It has the same sound whisper quiet as roaring loud.  Failing that my Bassbreaker 18/30 does the same thing on the 30 watt channel, albeit without reverb. It is however about two thirds the weight of a Twin so is relatively portable.
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  • JeremiahJeremiah Frets: 629
    Never tried either, but there seem to be a lot of people who say that the 1x12 Romany sounds a lot better than the 1x10.
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    Jeremiah said:
    Never tried either, but there seem to be a lot of people who say that the 1x12 Romany sounds a lot better than the 1x10.
    I certainly thought so, hence ordering a Romany in the Rambler cab with a 12.
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    After trying many, I'd say there are no low power valve amps that sound satisfying

    Either buy an iso cab, or use  a Kemper or Axefx2. I have all these, and favour the AF2, when I'm not playing through big amps
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  • slackerslacker Frets: 2215
    Gassage said:
    Romany's are very tinny and farty IMO

    Plexi's are a wonderous thing though.
    The Romany Plus is very good with speaker and valve changes but it puts the price up. 
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  • I'm afraid they both fall down in my opinion when set beside various carrs and swarts in the low wattage bracket. 
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  • simonk said:
    I should chime in as I've owned that very amp and now have a Cornell Plexi 7. If I wanted mid level gains I'd pick the plexi 7. If I wanted more dirt I'd pick the MJW, plus it has an effects loop. I only sold it to bridge a gap with DVLA fines.

    can't comment on the Romany plus as I've not played one.

    I can play the plexi 7 loud enough at home so it sounds as intended. I love it
    the plexi 7 sounds nice clean and unattenuated with pedals for dirt. If you needed really quiet you could do that with the MJW, or either Cornell
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  • hotpickupshotpickups Frets: 1813
    edited March 2017
    So many great amps out there so it's a tough choice although both those amps will be loud for home use. I'm picking up my newly built amp this weekend so I'll throw that into the mix when I've played with it a bit 'cos I'm good like that lol
    Link to my trading feedback:  http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/59452/
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    slacker said:
    Gassage said:
    Romany's are very tinny and farty IMO

    Plexi's are a wonderous thing though.
    The Romany Plus is very good with speaker and valve changes but it puts the price up. 
    I played with various speakers and valves in my Romany Plus, and came to the conclusion that it sounded best with the stock Jensen mod and 6L6.

    When I tried a Lazy J it was gone.  It's not in the same class as something like a Lazy J.  I've not played some of the other amps mentioned above like Carr but they are probably better as well.  Like I said above, with what I know now I'd prefer a Fender PRRI to the Cornell.  To me push pull power stages sound better than single ended ones.
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  • breadfanbreadfan Frets: 376
    @simonk @CloudNine @Arktik83 @chris45 ;

    I'd be interested to hear what speaker was/is in your Plexi 7.

    I've long been tempted to get rid of my 50w Plexi & 4x12 in favour of a Plexi 7 - for space as much as volume, I'm predominantly a home player but I do get away with murder in terms of dB (although I do use a Power Brake).

    Does the Plexi 7 sound like a small amp?

    @beed84 Could you use a drive pedal at home?

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