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If you have tried out both amps (and only if), could you please vote on this poll?
Thank you

Boring in your part of Oz right now?

Matchless are great. Fender are great. I'd love to own both. Different food groups.

I vote matchless because they are more like Vox's and i love vox cleans

They both have great cleans, but for my taste, Matchless is the ****. They are voiced more like Vox amps like James Rock said and that's really my favorite in terms of clean tones (may not be for everyone, but I love the chime).


Originally Posted by the_ChrisThey both have great cleans, but for my taste, Matchless is the ****. They are voiced more like Vox amps like James Rock said and that's really my favorite in terms of clean tones (may not be for everyone, but I love the chime).

Matchless..... HC-30, to be exact !

I love the idea of mixing clean amps. The best clean tone I've ever heard from a strat was through an AC-30 and a Fender Twin. Both excellent vintage versions. The AC-30 had the shimmer and the Twin had the beef. What a sound!!


Originally Posted by msawitzkeI love the idea of mixing clean amps. The best clean tone I've ever heard from a strat was through an AC-30 and a Fender Twin. Both excellent vintage versions. The AC-30 had the shimmer and the Twin had the beef. What a sound!!

What you're doing there is getting the best of the 2 different tubes....like a Mesa Boogie Blue Angel in Simul-link; 1 amp doing the same job

I have quite a few tweed and blackface Fenders and one Matchless SC-30. I'd say if really clean tone is your thing (maybe for jazz or country) the Fender Twin Reverb or Super Reverb is cleaner than the Matchless. But if it's touch sensitive tone that's clean when you pick lightly and semi clean when you pick harder, then the Matchless is the one. I've been playing only my Matchless all summer and it's going to be the amp I'll be using on my new gig. Great great amp...thanks Gearjoneser for recommending it to me.


Originally Posted by PUCKBOY99What you're doing there is getting the best of the 2 different tubes....like a Mesa Boogie Blue Angel in Simul-link; 1 amp doing the same job

Hmm...interesting...I'll have to try one of those out some time. . .

Mike

Matchless is the pinnacle of quot;British cleanquot; EL-84's EL-34's
Fender is the pinnacle of quot;American cleanquot; 6L6 6V6

In my musicroom, I have a 2-12 Chieftain (EL-34) sitting next to a Bassman LTD (6L6).
If you listen to each one, they both have incredible clean tones, but the Fender will have a more tightly rounded bottom, higher mids, and bubbly highs. The Matchless has a room-engulfing low end, lower mids, and the highs are as transparent as glass.

Like Lew said, the touch sensitivity is better on the Matchless. If you spank the chords on the Bassman, it breaks up a little, but smacks you with clean punch.
If you spank a chord on the Matchless, it'll transcend into OD a little more.
The DC-30 is Matchless's version of a Vox AC-30, with a more complex preamp.
The Chieftain is Matchless's version of an RCA Bassman preamp mated with a Marshall Plexi styled power section. (Not exact, but that's what the owner told me).

The Bassman is a well designed PCB amp with flying leads attached to pots and tube sockets. The Matchless is 100% handwired PTP, similar to a Hiwatt. The Bassman cost $1259 and the Matchless cost $3300. However, I paid a measly $700 for my Bassman LTD. and $2000 for the Matchless. I'd sell the Bassman before I'd let go of the Matchless.

I have a real 45 year old '59 tweed Bassman. Great amp, but I'd part with it before I'd part with my Matchless SC-30 too! As far as I'm concerned, the Matchless gives me more of the tones I'm looking for. It's just has a more comfortable and pleasant tone. I like the channel with just a volume and tone control best...and the cut control. And the master volume actually works! Lew

Yeah, the master volumes on these amps almost sound like a non-mastervolume amp. The Chieftain also has a gain knob and reverb, but you can't think of it as an amp made for gain. I just nudge the gain up to the point where the breakup is right in the perfect spot....around 10 O'clock. The Chieftain is much more like a Bluesbreaker w/reverb than a Vox, but addictive, nonetheless.

Maybe you should sell that Bassman and buy a Chieftain to go with your SC-30.
You'll get a renewed love for EL-34's.


Originally Posted by GearjoneserYeah, the master volumes on these amps almost sound like a non-mastervolume amp.

That's right. Even when I lower the master volume to the 9 o'clock position I can still get a nice, cleanish rythym tone that's totally usable when I lower the volume control on my guitar...not the weird, sometimes thin and buzzy tone most amps get when you turn the master volume way down. I'm mostly a blues player when it comes to my electric style, and I think the Matchless is one of the 2 or 3 very finest amps I've ever owned. The AC-30 would also be one of those 2 or 3 but without the master volume I had to play it to loud to get the tone I like.

Crystal clear cleans, gimme a Fender. A Twin, please, minus about 50 pounds though.


Originally Posted by LewguitarI have a real 45 year old '59 tweed Bassman. Great amp, but I'd part with it before I'd part with my Matchless SC-30 too! As far as I'm concerned, the Matchless gives me more of the tones I'm looking for. It's just has a more comfortable and pleasant tone. I like the channel with just a volume and tone control best...and the cut control. And the master volume actually works! LewLew, when you get ready to let go of the Bassman let me know!


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireLew, when you get ready to let go of the Bassman let me know!

I'm ready. I just don't play it enough and it's to cool of an amp to not be played. Lew

Give me fender or give me death!

Nothing beats a strat neck pickup wailing through a cranked Deluxe Reverb, or singing clean through any fender amp. If I could have ONE amp and one guitar with one pickup, it would be a strat w/ neck pickup and a DRRI-does it all! It just has that hollow but textured, singing type tone that cuts like a knife but is easy on the ears...

Matchless. Because it's, well, matchless.

I like them both. Pretty different styles of clean.

The Franklin I make is based on a Lightning. I love that darn amp. I gotta get off my butt and finsih the 30 watt version. Gotta take care of my customer first though. hopefully soon. The 30 watt version will be like the 12AX7 channel of a DC 30. Two tone controls, gain and MV.

I have been quite impressed with both the cleans and overdriven tube meltdown. I'm thinking the 30 watter will give some more clean headroom, but adding a 2nd speaker to the 15 would probably do just about the same thing.