Matchless DC30 or Cornell Legacy 30

jonnyedwards

I'm in the process of trying to sell my Bad Cat Hot Cat 30R Head and 2 X 12 cab as I want to change to a 2 x 12 combo.

For years I wanted to get a Matchless DC30 and it currently sits at the top of my wish list. That said, I've been pointed towards the Cornell amp range, and the Legacy 30.

I've emailed Denis and he has provided me with plenty of info about the spec. It's not that much different to a Matchless DC30 and so it's got my attention all of a sudden. The Matchless amp is more, and the likelihood is that the price will increase a little more due to the poor exchange rate too.

I've played through a Matchless before and loved it, but at the time couldn't stretch to buying one. I did absolutely love the amp. After speaking to Denis, it seems as though there aren't many Legacy 30's around and so trying one will be near-on impossible. Also, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of a review to look at on the amp either.

The amps look great, are clearly built by an amp guru, have a very similar spec to the DC30, and are a bit cheaper.

Can anyone help with this dilemma??!! Does anyone own a Legacy 30 and can give some feedback on it?

Many thanks

Moe_Zambeek

The Legacy - as I understand it - replicates 2 or 3 eras of Vox. If it's anything like the Cornells I've had in the past, it'll be a somewhat refined sounding Vox.

The DC30 doesn't sound like a Vox, it has its own signature sound - beefy, tight low end, no ghosting, very very punchy and immediate feeling. I love them.

Also bear in mind that a DC30 is exceptionally heavy and comes with only one handle

jonnyedwards

Moe_Zambeek said:

The Legacy - as I understand it - replicates 2 or 3 eras of Vox. If it's anything like the Cornells I've had in the past, it'll be a somewhat refined sounding Vox.

The DC30 doesn't sound like a Vox, it has its own signature sound - beefy, tight low end, no ghosting, very very punchy and immediate feeling. I love them.

Also bear in mind that a DC30 is exceptionally heavy and comes with only one handle

Thanks for the input

Dodge

As a Bad Cat fan, why not buy the Bad Cat equivalent - the Black Cat?

@simonroberts788 is selling one and is in the very same town:  http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/85312/fs-2006-bad-cat-black-cat-30-2x12#latest

Dodge

I'm pretty sure @Heartfeltdawn had a Legacy 30 too if you want a review of sorts.

simonroberts788

Cheers for the heads up Dodge

Heartfeltdawn

@Dodge and @jonnyedwards ;;;;;;

I actually had a pre-Legacy AC30. It was originally built for a guitarist who took it touring. When he came back to England, he moved to a smaller place in Dorset with wife and child. Because of the child, he changed to an Axe FX and put the Legacy on Ebay one night. It was under four figures including the 2x12 cabinet. Click I went and a couple of days later my flatmate and I drove down there to pick it up. We parked some 200 yards from the house, a small stone wall cottage. Even from there, we could hear the amp. I left my flatmate and went to pick it up. 

Ye gods, was it loud. Firstly, as Denis told me it isn't a completely identical circuit to the classics because it can't be. The original design could overheat and catch fire so Denis built in a cutoff. The amp shuts down if it gets too hot thus preventing fires. The chap I bought it from said he'd left it on for two days in the past and it hadn't tripped or combusted so clearly Denis built it well

The weight was huge. I eventually sold it to a chap I knew on HCFX in Ireland as it was simply too loud for me the bedroom player. Had to ship the cab and head separately, think it was 45 kilos in total. He loved it and wrote a small review on TGP. I remember he had an AC30TBX at the time and said the Cornell blew it out of the water. 

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/denis-cornell-ac30.723025/

How did it sound? Beautiful. Absolutely fucking stunningly beautiful. I've had Bad Cats and Matchless amps: the Cornell was better. Refined but not so refined that it was tepid. Beautifully constructed as usual. 

Some pictures for your eyes t'enjoy. 

http://i.imgur.com/c5QO19Z.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Wr2g73K.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/qEsNSlw.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/m82Hp6h.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/fkmcGa4.jpg

Cabicular

Moe_Zambeek said:

The Legacy - as I understand it - replicates 2 or 3 eras of Vox. If it's anything like the Cornells I've had in the past, it'll be a somewhat refined sounding Vox.

The DC30 doesn't sound like a Vox, it has its own signature sound - beefy, tight low end, no ghosting, very very punchy and immediate feeling. I love them.

Also bear in mind that a DC30 is exceptionally heavy and comes with only one handle

I have Moes
I LOVE it but
A: he's right .. it sounds nothing like an AC30
B: He's right it would give you inspector gadget arms
C I have a Bad Cat Hotcat 20 1x12 and it s heavier

Moe_Zambeek

Cabicular said:

Moe_Zambeek said:

The Legacy - as I understand it - replicates 2 or 3 eras of Vox. If it's anything like the Cornells I've had in the past, it'll be a somewhat refined sounding Vox.

The DC30 doesn't sound like a Vox, it has its own signature sound - beefy, tight low end, no ghosting, very very punchy and immediate feeling. I love them.

Also bear in mind that a DC30 is exceptionally heavy and comes with only one handle

I have Moes
I LOVE it but
A: he's right .. it sounds nothing like an AC30
B: He's right it would give you inspector gadget arms
C I have a Bad Cat Hotcat 20 1x12 and it s heavier

You should buy my HC30 too, @Cabicular, to save your arms  It's for your own good, you know! 

jonnyedwards

Thanks for this but after a conversation with the wife, and a conversation with Mark at World of Guitars, I've just reserved a new DC30. Very very pleased.

Moe_Zambeek

Well done that man! Enjoy.

jonnyedwards

thanks, ridiculously excited

Cabicular

Moe_Zambeek said:

Cabicular said:

Moe_Zambeek said:

The Legacy - as I understand it - replicates 2 or 3 eras of Vox. If it's anything like the Cornells I've had in the past, it'll be a somewhat refined sounding Vox.

The DC30 doesn't sound like a Vox, it has its own signature sound - beefy, tight low end, no ghosting, very very punchy and immediate feeling. I love them.

Also bear in mind that a DC30 is exceptionally heavy and comes with only one handle

I have Moes
I LOVE it but
A: he's right .. it sounds nothing like an AC30
B: He's right it would give you inspector gadget arms
C I have a Bad Cat Hotcat 20 1x12 and it s heavier

You should buy my HC30 too, @Cabicular, to save your arms  It's for your own good, you know! 

If I didn't already have a King Cobra head....

jonnyedwards

Just returned from World of Guitars after picking the DC30 up and had an hour on it at home. It's simply unbelievable. I've never played through anything like it before, in fact, I've never head anything as good as it before. I love it. What an amp.

SidNewton

I've owned both the head and combo versions. Great amps but no way I would buy the combo again....it's a back breaker.
 Great amps though, wish I still had the head version.

jonnyedwards

It's heavy, but no real drama to move it at all.

richardhomer

jonnyedwards said:

Just returned from World of Guitars after picking the DC30 up and had an hour on it at home. It's simply unbelievable. I've never played through anything like it before, in fact, I've never head anything as good as it before. I love it. What an amp.

I played through one in the late 90s - never forgotten it. Nothing else comes close.

Congratulations!

Cabicular

SidNewton said:

I've owned both the head and combo versions. Great amps but no way I would buy the combo again....it's a back breaker.
 Great amps though, wish I still had the head version.

I'm not sure the head is much lighter...

SidNewton

Cabicular said:

SidNewton said:

I've owned both the head and combo versions. Great amps but no way I would buy the combo again....it's a back breaker.
 Great amps though, wish I still had the head version.

I'm not sure the head is much lighter...

50lbs versus 83lbs, I'd say it is considerably lighter.

jonnyedwards

Honestly, the weight has no part to play in it at all for me. If the combo was twice as heavy I would still have gone for it.