Cornford MK50 II info and going price

peterc52

Cornford MK50II maybe the only amp I’ve never had that still peaks my interest. How much do they go for now?

and can you tell me about them? I’m familiar with most other amps. Atm I have a IIC+ and a Soldano Hot Rod 50+. 

Does it overlap with the Soldano? 

Fortheloveofguitar

peterc52 said:

Cornford MK50II maybe the only amp I’ve never had that still peaks my interest. How much do they go for now?

and can you tell me about them? I’m familiar with most other amps. Atm I have a IIC+ and a Soldano Hot Rod 50+. 

Does it overlap with the Soldano? 

I’ve owned every Cornford amp going and the MK50 is my favourite and I still have two of them 

The MK50 overlaps the Soldano SLO for sure which is why I sold my SLO 30 a few months back A/B them side by side and the MK50 sounds like a SLO but with more clarity and is more dimensional. 

I’ve never played a Hot Rod so can’t compare but it’s way too similar to a SLO hence why it went and the MK50 stays. Been my main amp since 2006. It’s unbelievable 

The MKii models are about but people try asking ridiculous money for them which is why they stay on reverb etc forever 

Dealer money I’ve picked up both my MK 1 models for £850-899 from Richtone and Guitar Guitar 

MKii normally dealers are sitting around £1100-1200 but you’ll see them online with bedroom dealers or muppets asking £2500. Clowns 

De_Batz

Did you buy that MK50 that was in RichTone a while back, then? I think they were looking at £900. I tried it, but it had a few noises that I wasn't totally happy about - and I really wanted a MK50 ii because I do use the channel switch a lot on my other amp (Mesa Heartbreaker) - so I never pulled the trigger.

In any case, I got a MK50 ii from a bloke in NI about three years ago for £1250 (without the FS). And I thought, based on what I'd seen, that was reasonable. I think you'd be doing well to get one with the FS for under £1500. 

The ii is a superb amp, the clean channel really is worth the extra for me. But the drive channel is what Cornford is all about. To my ears, you're talking about a bright 70s or early 80s Marshall-derived sound, which of course is roughly where Soldano got going as well, so no surprises there. Without the additional 'Overdrive' switched in, it's spot-on for me for that high-mids-heavy rhythm stuff that's on countless rock records, the sort of thing that The Darkness get in their better moments. 

With the OD in, it's a heck of a lot of gain, and plenty of treble bite, which is broadly controllable but can be a bit too much through some speakers. Having never played a (full-on) Soldano, I can't give you any feedback there, but I sold my GTO pedal (the big valve Soldano one) when I got the MK50ii because it was redundant, the 50 covers the same ground. The GTO maybe has a little bit more of that granularity that seems to characterise the Soldano sound, but the core sound was very similar (and that's running the GTO through an AC50, the Heartbreaker, and the Cornford itself). It has the cathode follower stage driving the EQ, which apparently is characteristic in the way it goes into overdrive. It's certainly different to anything else I own and play, but it deserves its place in my small collection. 

What else might you want to know: 
The switching system is a bit arcane and features a double relay that apparently has a reputation for being unreliable. I have only found this out recently because the one in mine is shagged, and whilst it's not a difficult fault to fix in itself, it's a pain to diagnose (see my recent thread on the issue) because it's a microphonic fault. It's also not the sort of part that is either ten-a-penny or used in a lot of other designs, so it's not a simple mission to get the right bit. 
It also features the most deviant footswitch cable connection - a 5 or 6 pin DIN depending on the iteration - which is great for all-in-one-ness but not the sort of thing you find on a shelf in the local music shop (all 5 pins on mine are wired, as is the sleeve - so that's six wired connections in a tiny plug). 

Were you to offer me £2000 for mine (once its finished having its switching fixed up), I'd say no. It's the right amp for me alongside my other main choice (the Heartbreaker) because it does what it does well, it's easy to open up and work on (I can follow the logic of the layout on the turret boards), and it sounds great. It's also the case that what £2000 buys you is diminishing as time goes on. 

I'm in Sheffield, and if you're really keen, the 50 usually resides at our rehearsal studio and you could come and blast it - although all that sort of thing seems likely to be kiboshed by the end of the week now - if you were so inclined. 

Fortheloveofguitar

De_Batz said:

Did you buy that MK50 that was in RichTone a while back, then? I think they were looking at £900. I tried it, but it had a few noises that I wasn't totally happy about - and I really wanted a MK50 ii because I do use the channel switch a lot on my other amp (Mesa Heartbreaker) - so I never pulled the trigger.

In any case, I got a MK50 ii from a bloke in NI about three years ago for £1250 (without the FS). And I thought, based on what I'd seen, that was reasonable. I think you'd be doing well to get one with the FS for under £1500. 

The ii is a superb amp, the clean channel really is worth the extra for me. But the drive channel is what Cornford is all about. To my ears, you're talking about a bright 70s or early 80s Marshall-derived sound, which of course is roughly where Soldano got going as well, so no surprises there. Without the additional 'Overdrive' switched in, it's spot-on for me for that high-mids-heavy rhythm stuff that's on countless rock records, the sort of thing that The Darkness get in their better moments. 

With the OD in, it's a heck of a lot of gain, and plenty of treble bite, which is broadly controllable but can be a bit too much through some speakers. Having never played a (full-on) Soldano, I can't give you any feedback there, but I sold my GTO pedal (the big valve Soldano one) when I got the MK50ii because it was redundant, the 50 covers the same ground. The GTO maybe has a little bit more of that granularity that seems to characterise the Soldano sound, but the core sound was very similar (and that's running the GTO through an AC50, the Heartbreaker, and the Cornford itself). It has the cathode follower stage driving the EQ, which apparently is characteristic in the way it goes into overdrive. It's certainly different to anything else I own and play, but it deserves its place in my small collection. 

What else might you want to know: 
The switching system is a bit arcane and features a double relay that apparently has a reputation for being unreliable. I have only found this out recently because the one in mine is shagged, and whilst it's not a difficult fault to fix in itself, it's a pain to diagnose (see my recent thread on the issue) because it's a microphonic fault. It's also not the sort of part that is either ten-a-penny or used in a lot of other designs, so it's not a simple mission to get the right bit. 
It also features the most deviant footswitch cable connection - a 5 or 6 pin DIN depending on the iteration - which is great for all-in-one-ness but not the sort of thing you find on a shelf in the local music shop (all 5 pins on mine are wired, as is the sleeve - so that's six wired connections in a tiny plug). 

Were you to offer me £2000 for mine (once its finished having its switching fixed up), I'd say no. It's the right amp for me alongside my other main choice (the Heartbreaker) because it does what it does well, it's easy to open up and work on (I can follow the logic of the layout on the turret boards), and it sounds great. It's also the case that what £2000 buys you is diminishing as time goes on. 

I'm in Sheffield, and if you're really keen, the 50 usually resides at our rehearsal studio and you could come and blast it - although all that sort of thing seems likely to be kiboshed by the end of the week now - if you were so inclined. 

One went on the Cornford FB group a few months back. Went for £1200 including the FS in the end despite the guy asking £2000 for it 

I only paid £1600 for a MK50 ii head and cab and that was when Cornford were desirable amps and still in business 

 Since they went down the pan the prices plummeted. Still getting silly private sellers now asking £550+ for a harlequin. 

If you’re desperate and one came up even at £1500 it’s over the odds. I picked up a flight cased Hurricane from Charlie chandlers for only £400.

Yes it was me that bought that rich tone MK50. Zero noise at all for me and it’s never given me any trouble at all 

De_Batz

Fortheloveofguitar said:

De_Batz said:

Did you buy that MK50 that was in RichTone a while back, then? I think they were looking at £900. I tried it, but it had a few noises that I wasn't totally happy about - and I really wanted a MK50 ii because I do use the channel switch a lot on my other amp (Mesa Heartbreaker) - so I never pulled the trigger.

In any case, I got a MK50 ii from a bloke in NI about three years ago for £1250 (without the FS). And I thought, based on what I'd seen, that was reasonable. I think you'd be doing well to get one with the FS for under £1500. 

The ii is a superb amp, the clean channel really is worth the extra for me. But the drive channel is what Cornford is all about. To my ears, you're talking about a bright 70s or early 80s Marshall-derived sound, which of course is roughly where Soldano got going as well, so no surprises there. Without the additional 'Overdrive' switched in, it's spot-on for me for that high-mids-heavy rhythm stuff that's on countless rock records, the sort of thing that The Darkness get in their better moments. 

With the OD in, it's a heck of a lot of gain, and plenty of treble bite, which is broadly controllable but can be a bit too much through some speakers. Having never played a (full-on) Soldano, I can't give you any feedback there, but I sold my GTO pedal (the big valve Soldano one) when I got the MK50ii because it was redundant, the 50 covers the same ground. The GTO maybe has a little bit more of that granularity that seems to characterise the Soldano sound, but the core sound was very similar (and that's running the GTO through an AC50, the Heartbreaker, and the Cornford itself). It has the cathode follower stage driving the EQ, which apparently is characteristic in the way it goes into overdrive. It's certainly different to anything else I own and play, but it deserves its place in my small collection. 

What else might you want to know: 
The switching system is a bit arcane and features a double relay that apparently has a reputation for being unreliable. I have only found this out recently because the one in mine is shagged, and whilst it's not a difficult fault to fix in itself, it's a pain to diagnose (see my recent thread on the issue) because it's a microphonic fault. It's also not the sort of part that is either ten-a-penny or used in a lot of other designs, so it's not a simple mission to get the right bit. 
It also features the most deviant footswitch cable connection - a 5 or 6 pin DIN depending on the iteration - which is great for all-in-one-ness but not the sort of thing you find on a shelf in the local music shop (all 5 pins on mine are wired, as is the sleeve - so that's six wired connections in a tiny plug). 

Were you to offer me £2000 for mine (once its finished having its switching fixed up), I'd say no. It's the right amp for me alongside my other main choice (the Heartbreaker) because it does what it does well, it's easy to open up and work on (I can follow the logic of the layout on the turret boards), and it sounds great. It's also the case that what £2000 buys you is diminishing as time goes on. 

I'm in Sheffield, and if you're really keen, the 50 usually resides at our rehearsal studio and you could come and blast it - although all that sort of thing seems likely to be kiboshed by the end of the week now - if you were so inclined. 

One went on the Cornford FB group a few months back. Went for £1200 including the FS in the end despite the guy asking £2000 for it 

I only paid £1600 for a MK50 ii head and cab and that was when Cornford were desirable amps and still in business 

 Since they went down the pan the prices plummeted. Still getting silly private sellers now asking £550+ for a harlequin. 

If you’re desperate and one came up even at £1500 it’s over the odds. I picked up a flight cased Hurricane from Charlie chandlers for only £400.

Yes it was me that bought that rich tone MK50. Zero noise at all for me and it’s never given me any trouble at all 

Fair enough - didn’t follow the one on FB closely. At the time I got mine, I wasn’t in that group. 

I wonder if RichTone had a bit of a fiddle with that MK50 after I tried it. When my ii arrived it was a bit noisy as well, but that only took a new preamp valve to fix. It may even have just been the socket that needed cleaning…

In any case, the 50 and the 50 ii are both serious amps, and will compete sound-wise with all manner of boutique USA exotica.

daveyb27

I had an whiteface MK50 that I bought in 2008 direct from Cornford and it used to bug the hell out of me that it was significantly brighter than the old blackface models. My old teacher had two blackface MK50s that we A/B'd against mine and they were both so much smoother and less harsh. Does anyone know if they older blackfaces used different components/trannies etc....? 

Fortheloveofguitar

daveyb27 said:

I had an whiteface MK50 that I bought in 2008 direct from Cornford and it used to bug the hell out of me that it was significantly brighter than the old blackface models. My old teacher had two blackface MK50s that we A/B'd against mine and they were both so much smoother and less harsh. Does anyone know if they older blackfaces used different components/trannies etc....? 

So many people cried BS on that claim but you’re exactly right. 

Those in the know will always go for the black face version. Mine are black face too

De_Batz

Interesting. I tried a BF one when they first came out in Cactus Audio in Birmingham (maybe 2002?). I remember thinking at the time that it was brighter than I was used to with the Heartbreaker, but that's true of most amps. 

I've tried a couple more since, but only lived with my current MK50 ii. That amp is bright - and, with the wrong speakers, too bright - but is controllable enough for me with the treble and presence controls, and the choice of speakers. I've got a 2x12 with F70s that suits the MK down to the ground, as it goes. As with a lot of things gear-related, a bit of time spent with the thing has found me the right sort approach with my kit and playing, and I can get it to sound good for me. 

Gadget

The MK50H II was the top-of-the-line and a £2k amp new, so I'm not surprised some people are asking around that. Rightly or wrongly (and beyond the usual considerations of cosmetic and mechanical condition, etc.) the pre-Straight Edge models are more sought-after, especially if they have Martin Kidd's handiwork inside.

Cornford prices generally do fluctuate wildly. A Harlequin can be had for as little as £250 or as much as £800. Handwired heads can be anything from £600 to £2500. I guess it's the usual question of how much do you want one, how much cash do you have, how long are you willing to wait, etc.....

De_Batz

Gadget said:

The MK50H II was the top-of-the-line and a £2k amp new, so I'm not surprised some people are asking around that. Rightly or wrongly (and beyond the usual considerations of cosmetic and mechanical condition, etc.) the pre-Straight Edge models are more sought-after, especially if they have Martin Kidd's handiwork inside.

Cornford prices generally do fluctuate wildly. A Harlequin can be had for as little as £250 or as much as £800. Handwired heads can be anything from £600 to £2500. I guess it's the usual question of how much do you want one, how much cash do you have, how long are you willing to wait, etc.....

Mine is white panel (don’t think there are any black panel iis) and serial number 00232, with the man himself’s John Hancock right in the middle of the chassis. 

At the time of buying there were four in the six months running up to mine all speculatively priced at £2000 up. When offering on these, it was apparent that the sellers all had the sense that they had a valuable and rare item and weren’t going to go much lower. Oddly enough, there seems to be much more realism in the FB group, where people with a genuine affection for the kit are less ruthless with the bottom line and more keen to pass it on to someone who will use it. 

One bloke had his with a 2x12 up at £3200 on Reverb. He did claim afterwards that he had sold at his asking price. One can only imagine that it was a tax ruse or something…

De_Batz

Incidentally I got mine back with the switch replaced earlier this week, and I had it going at the studio with my Cicognani 4x12. That cab has  2 G12Hs and two Goodmans Audioms, and can be overly bright. I thought the MK50ii had enough range on the controls to cope, but not much past… 

All that said, it’s a great example of that bright, crisp drive sound with the emphasis on the upper rather than lower mid range. I wouldn’t sell mine. There are other great amps, but this one is British, wired on turret boards, easy to understand (ish) and service, and has a feature set that all makes sense. 

Gadget

De_Batz said:

Gadget said:

The MK50H II was the top-of-the-line and a £2k amp new, so I'm not surprised some people are asking around that. Rightly or wrongly (and beyond the usual considerations of cosmetic and mechanical condition, etc.) the pre-Straight Edge models are more sought-after, especially if they have Martin Kidd's handiwork inside.

Cornford prices generally do fluctuate wildly. A Harlequin can be had for as little as £250 or as much as £800. Handwired heads can be anything from £600 to £2500. I guess it's the usual question of how much do you want one, how much cash do you have, how long are you willing to wait, etc.....

Mine is white panel (don’t think there are any black panel iis) and serial number 00232, with the man himself’s John Hancock right in the middle of the chassis. 

At the time of buying there were four in the six months running up to mine all speculatively priced at £2000 up. When offering on these, it was apparent that the sellers all had the sense that they had a valuable and rare item and weren’t going to go much lower. Oddly enough, there seems to be much more realism in the FB group, where people with a genuine affection for the kit are less ruthless with the bottom line and more keen to pass it on to someone who will use it. 

One bloke had his with a 2x12 up at £3200 on Reverb. He did claim afterwards that he had sold at his asking price. One can only imagine that it was a tax ruse or something…

Serial number 00232? That's strange. Mine was one of the first built, alongside Dweezil's, yet #296?

All MKIIs are white chassis.

As for prices, I guess sellers are free to ask what they want and buyers free to ignore if it's too high. 'Rare' is an over-used term, but there won't be any more buit, so it is a limited pool.

The handwired Cornfords were designed with V30-equipped pine cabs, so that is the best reference point. Some like the mid cut-through on those (I do), others don't. It'll depend on what you play, where, how loud and the rest of your chain, of course.

De_Batz

I’ll check the SN. 

De_Batz

Embarrassing for me. 0320. I blame the Moderna booster I got a couple of days ago. 

I will then also check my insurance, because that could be a bit of an error!

De_Batz

Might I have had SN 00232 for the Harlequin (Black panel, maybe 2004)?

Gadget

Haha no worries

TheBigDipper

De_Batz said:

Might I have had SN 00232 for the Harlequin (Black panel, maybe 2004)?

My Harlequin is a cream panel, made in Sep 2003, cloth front with badge in top left corner (as you look at it) and a serial number in the mid 600s. Your black panel must be earlier than that.  

De_Batz

TheBigDipper said:

De_Batz said:

Might I have had SN 00232 for the Harlequin (Black panel, maybe 2004)?

My Harlequin is a cream panel, made in Sep 2003, cloth front with badge in top left corner (as you look at it) and a serial number in the mid 600s. Your black panel must be earlier than that.  

I bought mine from Holiday in Leytonstone sometime before 2005, but no idea exactly when! Think it might have been the grille front, too. Sad to have let it go.

TheBigDipper

De_Batz said:

TheBigDipper said:

De_Batz said:

Might I have had SN 00232 for the Harlequin (Black panel, maybe 2004)?

My Harlequin is a cream panel, made in Sep 2003, cloth front with badge in top left corner (as you look at it) and a serial number in the mid 600s. Your black panel must be earlier than that.  

I bought mine from Holiday in Leytonstone sometime before 2005, but no idea exactly when! Think it might have been the grille front, too. Sad to have let it go.

When I moved to the Isle of Dogs in 1987, Holiday Music (in the old shop on the high street) was the closest decent guitar shop to me. Buzzy crowded little place. The warehouse up the road that they moved to later was bigger, but it was dead in comparison. 

rockmonster

I had a couple of black faced 50’s the original one was lovely. It played up I had it fixed and it was never the same again. The other was serial number #0001 that didn’t sound right either. I had 2 further white faced ones that were much brighter and a mkll which I didn’t like either. They seemed to be far too inconsistent. I miss the original one though! They sound way  better with the matching pine cabs though…..   

rockmonster

Incidentally Jamie Humphries  told me that he had the only number #0001- which was bollocks as Neville Marten had one with the same number - the one I got it from Jeff at worldguitars. God bless him!