Matchless let down...

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Matchless let down...

The Phoenix is the only Matchless that I really like
But then my mate has a headversion, and we have tried through some different cabs, the one that suited it the best was the v30 and a greenback 25 watter in one cab.
As for drive, we pushed it with a compressor, got it into a nice drive right away.
He bought a 68 50 watts Plexi top later on....well I know what I like best there, and it is not the Matchless

 

[JeffB]

Re: Matchless let down...

I've not played any Matchless amps..but from what I've heard ...clips...descriptions..def can tell they are not my thing. Gotta get what ya like Christian and everyone has diff ears

I say you should grab one of those new Gibson handwireds...

or a 2061x

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Matchless let down...

How 'bout a Dr Z Route 66 for ya' Christian??????

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Matchless let down...

Wow...this thread blew up over night!

Im not trashing Matchless amps at all but I am gonna say that the one time I played through one it sounded broken and thats no joke.

As for the handwired Gibsons...I will never buy a new Gibson amp...I happen to love the amps from the 50's and 60's but the new ones are under built and over priced IMO. And if I bought a "small" Marshall it would be the 1974, I much prefer it to the 2061.

All that said Terry is on the right track...I love the tone of an EF86 front end but don' care for EL84's...most amps that use an EF86 also use EL84's (because the oldest AC30 did). Dr. Z offers several amps that do use the EF86 and do not use EL84's (Route 66, Delta 88, KT-45, and the Z-28)...I think those might be tha answer Im lookng for! I already have plans for my very next amp (hopefully I'll have it in a month or so...maybe less!!!:banana: ), but if I keep buying amps I think that Dr. Z's stuff will be next on the list. But for Lew, Joe, Scott, and all you other rabid Matchless fans out there I will be trying out more Matchless amps as the pop up!

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Matchless let down...

Like I said guts...there are no dealers around here so I have to wait on a used one to pop up...I am gonna keep looking but I think Im gonna go tomorrow and look at a few more amps.

I have never fallen in love with Matchless, limited time with them. But it was not a gain type that spoke to me.

I have an late 60s EF86/12AX7/6l6 loaded Mulitivox, (not to be confused with Univox, Multivox built Premier as well as Gretsch amps, after Valco went under) bass combo I picked up for 125.00, It needed a cap job, but now that amp sounds absolutely amazing. It has beautiful chime ala Vox, but Marshallesque grind and note clarity. I installed a speaker jack on it so I can run it through a separate cab. The EF86 is indeed a sensitive beast, vibration is definately an issue with these tubes. Running in a different cab should help. The new EF86 sounded like crap, I found an old RFT that just sounds beautiful. All EF86 are prone to microphonics but I have been told the old RFT are more stable than even the Mullards of the time, provided they have proper burn in. Track one of these amps down, you have to change a couple cap values, as they were voiced for bass. They can hang with any amp of it's type made, the tone gives me chills!. They are handwired and built very well. I live in the bargain bin and this monster is one of the best amps I have ever played. 125.00!!!:dance:

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Matchless let down...

Kev,

My love for the tone of an EF86 frontend came from an old Premier bass amp I used to have...1 EF86, 1 12AX7, 1 5Y3, and 2 6V6's with 3 knobs and a single 12 inch blackframe Jensen...killer sounding amp. I've had 2....one got stolen and the other just dies after years of ues and at the time I didn't know amps could be fixed so I chucked it!:smack: Live and learn!

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Matchless let down...

Kev,

My love for the tone of an EF86 frontend came from an old Premier bass amp I used to have...1 EF86, 1 12AX7, 1 5Y3, and 2 6V6's with 3 knobs and a single 12 inch blackframe Jensen...killer sounding amp. I've had 2....one got stolen and the other just dies after years of ues and at the time I didn't know amps could be fixed so I chucked it!:smack: Live and learn!

LOL, that is the beast. 3 knobs of heaven lol. I now have 5 amps with 3 knobs lol. Running it through my old Gibson 2-12 cab is just rock perfection. Thing just fills a room so nice. I would love to find a 6v6 version.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Matchless let down...

It was a killer amp...I ran it with a matching Premier 90 outboard reverb that I used as a gain boost...man that was a great set up!

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Matchless let down...

Clubman may be more your style. It's got the EF86 front end, basic controls and a 2xEL34 power section that is set up in cathode bias mode. It's a good amp. Might distort earlier to your ears than most traditional EL34 amps, but I like the effect.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Matchless let down...

I like the tone of big bottle preamp tubes too! My '51 Super uses the 6CS7 tubes and although they are hard to come by, I like the tone of those better than 12ax7's. The tone is rounder...they actually sound like the tone is coming from a bigger bottle...although that's probably not the only reason they sound "nicer" than little 12ax7 tubes. The design is quite differant and unlike the 12ax7 the 6CS7 has one pin for the cathode from what I understand instead of each half of the tube being completely separate from the other as is the case with the 12ax7.

Is that also the case with EF86?

Lew

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Matchless let down...

I like the tone of big bottle preamp tubes too! My '51 Super uses the 6CS7 tubes and although they are hard to come by, I like the tone of those better than 12ax7's. The tone is rounder...they actually sound like the tone is coming from a bigger bottle...although that's probably not the only reason they sound "nicer" than little 12ax7 tubes. The design is quite differant and unlike the 12ax7 the 6CS7 has one pin for the cathode from what I understand instead of each half of the tube being completely separate from the other as is the case with the 12ax7.

Is that also the case with EF86?

Lew

The EF86 is a 9 pin mini like a 12AX7 but it has a dark tone and lots more gain that a 12AX7. They are just dark and full of very complex harmonics...I love 'em!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Matchless let down...

I know of a nice Red Matchless Chieftan one x 12 combo amp for $1850 shipped if anyone's interested. It's not mine but it's a good deal and very clean.

Lew

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Matchless let down...

Kev,

My love for the tone of an EF86 frontend came from an old Premier bass amp I used to have...1 EF86, 1 12AX7, 1 5Y3, and 2 6V6's with 3 knobs and a single 12 inch blackframe Jensen...killer sounding amp. I've had 2....one got stolen and the other just dies after years of ues and at the time I didn't know amps could be fixed so I chucked it!:smack: Live and learn!

I don' know how much you have read about the dr. Z's but you just gave a perfect description of the Z28. I haven't played that but it has the same front end as my route 66 but has 6v6's. I have wanted one of those since i got my route 66. Skip ahead a month and get a Z. Fat sounds in NC always has a good price on them and they were very helpful, though I didn't get my second Z through them.


Just as a side note, Lew, Joneser, and Guy who invented fire, I always learn so much from reading your post on things that I do not always have access to. Thanks

 

[Jeroen]

Re: Matchless let down...

Don't click this link if you are a serious Matchless-fan, it WILL hurt you!

Thought I'd share though :fingersx:

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Matchless let down...

Just as a side note, Lew, Joneser, and Guy who invented fire, I always learn so much from reading your post on things that I do not always have access to. Thanks

Thanks Scott!

We talked a bit about the Route and that's why...I really want something with thet EF86 front end...the Route 66 seems like a killer amp, IM gonna go try one pretty soon.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Matchless let down...

the rt 66 has an ultralinear power supply. it goes from 0-200mph in about the turn from 1-2. It's one seriously loud mofo. Definitely try one to see if it meets your situation. Also, give a Clubman a try if you can find one.

 

[DesertRose]

Re: Matchless let down...

My church uses a Matchless 1/2 stack during service.
Just few days back it blew and no sound came outta it and although the guitar is hardly audible, the guitarist was trying to figure out how to get the amp back working again which created a "not-so-good" scene.

Anyway, Murphy visits anytime he wants. Just that the stack is NEW, really BRAND NEW, few weeks old prolly a month and its giving that problem.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Matchless let down...

If an amp is going to melt down, my experience is that it happens during its infancy. One thing about Matchless, they don't carry around a rep of DOA products.