# Cordovox CL-20 Questions



## Cardamonfrost (Dec 12, 2018)

Hi All,

LOT of questions here, I am quite a bit outside of my box on this one.

So I am going to be picking up a Cordovox CL-20 on Easter weekend. I have some questions about how I should run it. For those that are not familiar with the Cordovox name, the product is the same as the Leslie 16 or Fender Vibratone. It is original (?) it has a 10 inch CTS speaker rated for 35W RMS, no idea the impedance, I know some Vibratones were 4?

I wont be gigging this (almost 100lbs), so its in my home basement studio. Currently I have a couple amps that may work, but I haven't actually got it yet to figure out what to do about speaker impedance.

I have a Fender 68 CPRRI, a Gibson GA-5T and could repurpose a Dynaco MK3 60W monoblock (but would rather not...). I have a Rotel Intergrated stereo amp that is tolerant of multiple impedance loads. 

There are a couple of things I would like to examine.

1) Running the CPRRI internal speaker (8ohm) and using the parallel speaker jack for the CL-20. I believe that the CL has a 4 ohm speaker so (8*4)/(8+4)= 2.7 ohm load which I suspect is way too low and will cause damage, or the very least accelerated wear on the tubes and OT. I do have another 10 inch around that is 8 ohm I could swap in which would bring me to (8*8)/(8+8)=4 ohm. Still not sure if the CPRRI will like that.

2) Running the CPRRI as main and jumping from the 2nd input to the Gibson and using the Gibson to power the CL. Not sure what the load of the Gibson speaker is, its original and all it says is "Ultrasonic, made for Gibson" on it. Can I check across the +- to read the impedance? Anyone know if it has mutitap, or if it can handle mismatch?

3) As above but instead of jumping, using an ABY (?) to turn it on/off as an effect.

4) Using the Rotel integrated. I think this would be cool as it has tone/volume/etc (like amp), its SS so its dead quiet. Not sure about line level matching or whats required on the input side, I think output should be fine? Input would be from jumping the CPRRI or maybe a ABY?

Also, to make it more interesting, I think that a natural add on here would be something like a sewing machine pedal that will allow me to make it infinitely variable in speed. I don't think the motor will like that, but maybe it will, or maybe a motor swap to....?

Anything else I should be looking at doing/not doing? Is there a better way to accomplish what I am talking about? I mean ideally, I would have a Leslie 147/122 with a pre pedal modded for a guitar input, but im not quite there yet .

Cheers,
C


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## Cardamonfrost (Dec 12, 2018)

I cant believe no one here has comments? Its the same as the Fender Vibratone and the Leslie 16...
C


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

A lot of guys here swear by these for running one guitar into two amps. I own two myself. I have even used them to split my record player signal into a couple of subs. Total passive and transparent.

BigShot ABY - Radial Engineering 

EDIT: check their website for many other splitting and routing options. Don't let the prices scare you, worth every cent.


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## Cardamonfrost (Dec 12, 2018)

Thanks Kapn!

They are pretty pricey eh?

C


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Cardamonfrost said:


> Thanks Kapn!
> 
> They are pretty pricey eh?
> 
> C


Initially. But pay for themselves with their quality and longevity. Completely pro level gear, found on stages all over the world.

I have both an ABY and an EFX, both passive (no LEDs) and they weigh more than a decent stomp box. Good enclosure, good switches and jacks, good iso transformers. They'll easily last the rest of my life and probably a couple of generations of offspring as well.


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## Cardamonfrost (Dec 12, 2018)

As an UPDATE.

I have been running my Cordovox by plugging it into the 8ohm parallel output on the back of my PRRI. I have probably 6 hours on this combo with no ill effect on the amp, and I suspect there will not be.

Was worried at first, because the change in tone of the amp is noticeable when the Cordovox circuit is engaged, but its still more than passible, with only a minor volume drop.

it appears the reissues are as sturdy as the originals.

C


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## ga20t (Jul 22, 2010)

@Cardamonfrost 

Did you ever have yours modded re the foot switch and/or TRS speaker cable? I just picked one of these up & stuck an 8Ω speaker in it hoping that my amp's speaker + the speaker out would equal a 4Ω load (my amp is switchable 8/4). Everything seems to work, but unless I run a speaker cable straight from the amp to the speaker in the Cordovox, I get weak signal in the Cordovox and intermittently at that. I'm guessing it has something to do either with that TRS's function or some kind of crossover/bad caps in the chassis.

Ideally, I'd like to run my combo then be able to click the echo/main button to either have the Cordovox added to the combo's sound or silent (which it seems to do but it's janky AF). IDK I'm thinking full-time sound would be ok-ish, but I'd want to mod for one button to start/stop the drum and use the other for half speed/full speed. I'm still not exactly sure what's going on with mine.


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## Cardamonfrost (Dec 12, 2018)

ga20t said:


> @Cardamonfrost
> 
> Did you ever have yours modded re the foot switch and/or TRS speaker cable? I just picked one of these up & stuck an 8Ω speaker in it hoping that my amp's speaker + the speaker out would equal a 4Ω load (my amp is switchable 8/4). Everything seems to work, but unless I run a speaker cable straight from the amp to the speaker in the Cordovox, I get weak signal in the Cordovox and intermittently at that. I'm guessing it has something to do either with that TRS's function or some kind of crossover/bad caps in the chassis.
> 
> Ideally, I'd like to run my combo then be able to click the echo/main button to either have the Cordovox added to the combo's sound or silent (which it seems to do but it's janky AF). IDK I'm thinking full-time sound would be ok-ish, but I'd want to mod for one button to start/stop the drum and use the other for half speed/full speed. I'm still not exactly sure what's going on with mine.


Currently I am using a epi valve Jr head to power mine. I plug the hardwired input cable from my cordovox into the head (head gets its signal from the second input Jack on my Princeton.).

Doesn't need any more wizardry than that. I did have a volume drop when I was powering it from my Princeton parallel Jack, at the same time as using the speaker after I engaged it with the footswitch...fwiw, there were no I'll effects to my Princeton I could find even though it certainly wasn't recommended by anyone I asked. That's why i changed to the Jr.. If for some reason you think yours looks different I could send a couple pics. Actually, tomorrow night I will try to make a quick vid for you about how mine functions. 
C


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## ga20t (Jul 22, 2010)

Cardamonfrost said:


> Currently I am using a epi valve Jr head to power mine. I plug the hardwired input cable from my cordovox into the head (head gets its signal from the second input Jack on my Princeton.).
> 
> Doesn't need any more wizardry than that. I did have a volume drop when I was powering it from my Princeton parallel Jack, at the same time as using the speaker after I engaged it with the footswitch...fwiw, there were no I'll effects to my Princeton I could find even though it certainly wasn't recommended by anyone I asked. That's why i changed to the Jr.. If for some reason you think yours looks different I could send a couple pics. Actually, tomorrow night I will try to make a quick vid for you about how mine functions.
> C


I'd appreciate that. Yeah, my CL-20's hard wired speaker jack has a TRS end, and I'm kind of wondering if I should be even using it that way (electrical shock? sending voltage back up the extension speaker jack?). I wasn't sure if the volume drop was that incorrect TRS (for an ext. speaker mono out) or some phase issue. It's loud and clean and sounds fantastic when I bypass all that and just run it as a speaker, but then I lose the stop/off function. I could use a second amp, maybe a solid state jobby and something like an ABY after the pedalboard and just let 'er spin I suppose.


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## Cardamonfrost (Dec 12, 2018)

@ga20t It will be obvious that I am not a professional reviewer here... Not sure if its right or wrong, but the TRS hasn't caused any issues yet. I know carrying a webcam is atrocious, but its all I had with a long enough cord, and the mic was on the other side of the room. You should still get the idea.




C


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## ga20t (Jul 22, 2010)

Cardamonfrost said:


> @ga20t It will be obvious that I am not a professional reviewer here... Not sure if its right or wrong, but the TRS hasn't caused any issues yet. I know carrying a webcam is atrocious, but its all I had with a long enough cord, and the mic was on the other side of the room. You should still get the idea.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for that. I'll try setting mine up that way. I think the echo/main function must be tied to the ring in the TRS given that that function only works when I use the TRS (and doesn't when I bypass it.


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