Some years ago, I had the opportunity to purchase the matchless amp that was used to play the friends tv show theme song, and tour all over the world. I have this notion vox's are sort of a one trick pony doing a beatles/queen sort of sound, and overheating due to cabinet design shortcomings, but I am thinking these notions are outdated. In any case I didn't realize that vox amps were so versatile as to go from country to rock and roll, and given he was a music dealer and could have anything he wanted, that is what he settled on-at least for playing on stage. Maybe he upgraded the transformers, I don't recall. He happened to mention that he settled on a vox amp and was very happy with it. I was once talking to a music dealer in texas who I was buying a mercury magnetics transformer from.

I think I just need to go and play a few and work it out for myself. Thanks for the continued feedback everyone. But many clients love that and they are always right :-) Similar but not exactly the sameīoth sound great in the cleaner range, not a fan of the distorted sounds which are too aggressive for me. To me Matchless amps sound a little harder but 'bigger', The BadCats are more aggressive and have a little more gain. Apparently the early BCats were identical to the Matchless inside (components marked Matchless) but later ones have components with different labels. They seem a little different then the Matchless's. I would not get hung up on the Simpson era build. Very similar, the differences are due to the different power sections.

WiggyHave a dc30 (?) Simpson era and a Phoenix which is a later amp, same pre-amp but el34 PAmp. Is there really much diff between new and old Sampson era matchless amps?Īm paying 79 LP goldtop with those searing mini humbuckers, 73 Tele deluxe and custom shop strat. What are people’s geveral feelings between the two as they seem very well regarded tone wise and build is super solid. Looking for an amp for my home studio that’s versatile for some of my own tunes.

Bad cat amp history