Matchless Amps, Waaaay Over Rated? |
(kidding)
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Nov 19 2014, 11:41 PM
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Which Matchless amp? A new one, or one from the 90s?
The original Mark Sampson (later of Badcat and now of Star Amps) designed and built models are the ones the reputation was built on. They're definitely a specialized animal. Clean to medium breakup in the vintage Vox AC camp is where they excel. They are friendlier to normal output pickups and the lighter OD/boost type pedals. They were always comparatively expensive but I wish I had the forethought to buy one in the mid 90's when you could get one of the heads for around a grand. This post has been edited by klasaine: Nov 19 2014, 11:57 PM -------------------- - Ken Lasaine
https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/foolin-the-clouds https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/surfin-at-the-country-hop Soundcloud assorted ... https://soundcloud.com/klasaine3 New record ... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kenlasaine Solo Guitar ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...5iIdO2tpgtj25Ke Stuff I'm on ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...b-dhb-4B0KgRY-d |
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Nov 20 2014, 10:21 AM
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I have a Matchless Lightning, which I bought new in 1995 (give or take a year). When I got it I tried out over 10 different valve amps all more or less in the same price band including ones from Mesa, Dumble and quite a few other boutique marks. The Matchless had a more organic sound than any of the others that i tried and that is what I liked. Some 20 years and a few tube changes later it still impresses me.
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Nov 20 2014, 11:16 PM
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QUOTE (Mertay @ Nov 20 2014, 06:41 AM)  I'm sure the components are very high quality but being unique specially on guitar sound (where to me its more about imperfections) I think doesn't have much relevance to quality components. The imperfections that you (we) hear are a by-product of the inherent 'drift' of component values (especially the caps) as well as the idiosyncrasies of certain components (tubes, transformers, diodes) and not an attribute of their original design or quality. 'Vintage' Vox amps used high quality components at the time. Same for all the iconic amp brands - Fender, Marshall, Gibson, etc. The main reason there are so many Fender amps from the 50s and 60s still around is that they were very well made with great quality parts and workmanship (and they aren't that complicated to repair). One of the reasons why so called boutique amps are so expensive is that most of them try to use the same types of high quality transformers, caps, tubes, etc. ... which are getting harder to find and/or more expensive to have made. Pedal and amp makers are constantly complaining about the current (inconsistent) quality of op amps, switches, potentiometers, etc. This post has been edited by klasaine: Nov 21 2014, 06:28 AM -------------------- - Ken Lasaine
https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/foolin-the-clouds https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/surfin-at-the-country-hop Soundcloud assorted ... https://soundcloud.com/klasaine3 New record ... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kenlasaine Solo Guitar ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...5iIdO2tpgtj25Ke Stuff I'm on ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...b-dhb-4B0KgRY-d |
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