Cornford Hurricane head project.

chillidoggy

Looking at some of the incredible guitar projects around, I’m kind of embarrassed posting this! But as I’m rather chuffed with my efforts, I thought I’d repost it as it was lost in the forum move, and I’m not likely to attempt anything like it again.

 

The project started a few years ago when I asked Martin Kidd from Cornford to build me a Hurricane head, because although I loved the sound, I struggled with the weight of a combo. The request fell on deaf ears, so after a long time prevaricating I finally decided to take the plunge. I searched for the cheapest, tattiest Hurricane combo I could find, and eventually located one about 15 miles away, which I bought for a reasonable price.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/003-2_zps7b1809ec.jpg

chillidoggy

The next stage was to remove the guts of the amp, before doing the head scratching job of deciding how I was going to achieve what I wanted. The head scratching, measuring, and thinking went on for a long time. Some days I’d just sit looking at it, working out the best way to arrive at a ‘normal’ looking head.

 http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/002_zpsaa32c325.jpg

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/001-1_zpsb8a1b9bc.jpg

 

 

The Hurricane chassis is upside down to a ‘normal’ head when you view it from the front, with the controls in the correct orientation. I imagine a lot of combos are similar. The main problem I faced though was the fact that the transformers were stuck up on the chassis, and the valves out the back. In order to keep the box as compact as possible, I decided to move the transformers. This caused me some problems with feedback, and after advice from ICBM and ecc83, I ended up running the new transformer wires in a square section alloy tube, which cured the problem.

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/Hurricaneafermods001_zps9a180215.jpg

chillidoggy

So, after drawing up the dimensions for the box, and giving some thought to ventilation, I did the usual “belt, braces, and a bit of string” overkill, and vented the box on its underside, and back, the main reason being to avoid the ‘beer-trap’ vent on the top of the amp. I was lucky enough to have a mate who does woodwork, and after some discussion, he persuaded me to let him dowel the ends, rather than do the finger jointing, which would make it so much easier. Picking the box up, I fitted the guts in to check I’d got it about right.

 http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/0024_zps2098e556.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/0043_zps798e6981.jpg

chillidoggy

The other thing I really struggled with were the mains connection, the reverb and speaker sockets. I could either leave in situ, or move them by rewiring them onto a removable backplate. After days of mulling it over, I chose the latter because I didn’t fancy poking around in a tunnel, trying to plug stuff in. also, the Hurricane mains lead is hard wired, which I don’t like, and the backplate gave me the option of fitting a fused kettle-lead socket.

 

I then searched around the web for vids to show me how the do the covering, and found a couple of good ones. I already had some vinyl (not Tolex) to cover the box with, so armed with glue, roller, knife, and Mrs C, I retired to the garage to make the first attempt. As it transpired, we made a nice job first time, and were really pleased with the result.

 http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/0035_zps52015000.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/0044_zps72033358.jpg

 

chillidoggy

I then turned my attentions to the backplate, I fabricated it out of some mild steel plate, and fitted the sockets. It is the only thing I’m not happy with, I’ve tried to trim around it as best I can, but it’ll have to do. I took my Roadhouse head apart to see how they’d done the piping, and applied the same method to the new box, after some arguing about whether to put piping at the sides of the front panel, which I did.

 

Then I put the corners and the feet on.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/0073_zps5197cf1e.jpg

 

 

So here’s the finished article, which does everything I want, in as much as it’s a Hurricane, but weighing about a third as much as before. Finally, thanks to Viz, I put a panel in the combo box, and fitted a speaker socket, so I can now use it as a 1x12.

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/hurricaneheadproject011_zps77f87ba5.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/Hurricaneheadproject004_zpsbd62c6c7.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/Hurricaneheadproject005_zps80713448.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/Hurricaneheadproject002_zps518ae281.jpg

 

 

 

chillidoggy

And the 'new 1x12 cab -

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/0015_zps5e783fa1.jpg

chillidoggy

And being used as intended:

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/Cornfordheadproject2a_zps32604b7b.jpg

horse

You shouldn't be embarrassed posting this - looks great and I'd never dare attempt anything like that myself.

ourmaninthenorth

I think you should be rightly chuffed with the outcome, looks excellent.  =D>

ICBM

As I said on the original Musicradar thread, you've just corrected the mistake the factory made by building it as a rather clumsy-looking combo.

It's way better like that, even if the cabinet is still the same as the combo! For some reason it looks better as a cab - maybe because the handle is hidden, I'm not sure - and the head is really nice.

The workmanship is excellent, nothing to be embarrassed about at all.

Misterg

Neat! It looks well worth the effort.

chillidoggy

Thanks for all the kind words, guys! I'm now mulling whether to re-cover the cab to match, but the vinyl is not as durable as the Tolex, and I can't get the correct ox blood stuff, it's not available. This definitely needs a good deal of prevaricating!

holnrew

Nicely done.

chillidoggy

Having just discovered that I can get original oxblood Tolex from the company that used to build Cornford amps, I decided to order some, and re-cover the head, and the Hurricane combo that it came from. I might even replace the original metal grille with the more modern cloth, but my mate is doing his first and I want to see how it's done.

Yes, I know, it's a ball ache. But I'm such a pedant, and I was never happy with the result. More news as it comes, but I can see a Chrimbo project looming.

jd0272

How did I miss this??? Looks killer that does. Far more 'arse on' than I'd do but what a result.

chillidoggy

Much obliged! It's going to kill me getting the vinyl off the head, but never let it be said that old Chilli shied away from hard work.

Probably get the missus to help, though......................

Deijavoo

Have a WOW!  Nice job sir. 

jd0272

How 'technical' is recovering? I've had a fancy to redo my 4x12 in an embossed paisley leatherette type number. As seen on some funky heads of late.

I'm shit at wrapping stuff mind, as the run up to Christmas had proven!

johnnyurq

Liking your work @chillidoggy it looks absolutely ace. Bet it sounds trouser flappingly shit hot too.

Barney

that looks great....what a nice job you have done

dchwhite

That's really nice