Matamp C7 112 Combo

Not sure what year it was made in but I'm pretty confident it's 2004, and there are apparently no others as it is a prototype combo version of the "guitarist gold" winning Matamp C7 head.

It's a single channel, non-master volume amp which runs at a suprisingly loud 7 watts. The speaker is a Celestion 12" one rated to handle 100 watts which I imagine is so that all distorted sounds come from the amp itself and allows for a very clean performance.

It runs on a single output valve, in this case a 6CA7, but is capable of running a variety of other valve types without rebiasing. It also has suprisingly large transformers for a 7 watt amp.

The controls are Volume, Reverb, 3 band EQ and Attack. It has a beltane reverb tank, and is capable of driving a speaker cab at 4, 8 or 16 ohms. It also has a direct recording output on the back.

I rate this at 10 as it's very versatile even with such simple controls, but is also very highly spec'ed.

This amp sounds absolutely brilliant. It fits what I play perfectly, which is mostly stuff ranging from blues to more contempory and heavier rock styles. But I've had sweet jazz and surf sounds from this unit as well so if you play either of those it'd be excellent. As for more heavy metal sounds, you could pull it off with an OD or Distortion pedal infront of it, but if that was what you played then Matamp make other models far better suited to that style.

The amp runs very quietly, although like all amps it will fall victim to things like neon lights and EMI. Also, the attack knob has a side affect of the noise being louder when it's turned fully anti-clockwise, although without a lot of noise to begin with this is barely noticeable.

I've been using this with a parts-bin tele fitted with bareknuckle pickups and a cheap SG copy, although I've also tried it with a LP junior single cut and they all sound great with it.

Using the controls on the amp you can take it from a smooth clean tone to a fantastic classic rock sound. But even with the volume maxed it still retains it's clarity and it never masks the guitars character, it's very transparent and allows you to hear every naunce of your playing. By playing with the tone and volume knobs on your guitar and varying the pick attack you can go from creamy dirt to sweet clean sounds. Also, using the attack knob you can go from tweedy (as in bassman) sounds to AC-30esque sounds. It's really amazing how they've managed to make an amp with such a simple layout so sonicly versatile.

It's built to last that's for sure. However like all valve/tube amps it will need new valves eventually, or sooner if FedEx or somebody throw it about a bit, but more on that later.

Everything is handwired, the transformers are massive, it's a small 1X12 weighing in at 20 or so kilograms, and the valves are well ventilated due to the grille at the rear of the chasis; this thing is very solidly built.

When the nukes start flying there'll be nothing left but cockroaches and Matamps. "Built like a tank" is pretty cliche on here, but if any amp is, this one is. I can't say yet as I've not owned it for a long time yet, but I have no doubt in my mind that this amp will last a life time.

It's rated 10 but if there was an 11 they'd get it.

I can't think of a single other company that'd invite you to the factory to try out the amps, make a cup of tea for you, show you around and even pick you up at the train station.

I was pretty overwhelmed by how friendly everyone was, and not a single query was unanswered and they weren't happy until they knew I was. I can't stress enough how great customer support at Matamp is.

I initially found out about them due to an unfortunate business with another amp company, and even though it wasn't really their problem they helped me out with it, and the fact that they were willing to help me when they had no need to really meant a lot. And after parting ways with the "other" amp, I knew exactly where to go for an amp!

So off I went up North, and even though I stupidly forgot to give them much advance warning that I was coming on that day they still managed to not only see me and set me up with an amp, but take me to and from the factory from the station.

Then when the amp was shipped down to me the output valve was damaged, and again I picked up the phone to hassle them, and again they took the time out from what they were doing to figure out what was wrong and sent me out a new valve for nothing. That's fantastic.

Nobody, and I do mean nobody deserves a 10 in this category if they've not gone to the lengths Matamp do to satisfy the customer. Absolutely peerless.

I've been playing for about 4 years, and I own a Laney LC-15, a parts-bin telecaster (Warmoth), an SG copy, and an Eastwood Guyatone which is a bit of an oddball. I use planet waves cables and I've got an ernie ball volume pedal, an EHX big muff pi(russian made), and a jim dunlop wah.

I expected to end up paying about twice what I did, but Matamp were kind enough to give me a great deal because it was surplus to requirement as it's a prototype version of an amp they no longer produce.

If it were stolen or lost I'd be gutted since there are no others like it, but I'd deffinitely get another Matamp. And if I ever saw it again there'd be no question as to who's it was, so I doubt I'd have too much trouble hunting it down.

I love everything about it, but it could be bright bloody pink as long as it still sounded the same! As for hate about it, there's nothing really to hate. I mean how could you?

There's nothing else I wish it had, but if I was getting them to make it rather than buying it already made I'd probably have chosen something other than black/silver. And I may experiment with other valves and speakers, but that shouldn't be construed as the components being inferior, it's a matter of personal preference and the amp is designed with this in mind. (speaker outputs and being able to run most octal power valves)

The other products I've compared this to are..

*a Laney LC-15 which I also own, good for the money, but it's not a patch on the Matamp. I'd say that if you're starting out as a player and don't want to spend much on your gear that this is an good little combo, but only at that price point.

*an Orange AD-30TC, very cool sounding (and dare I say looking too), but I'd have gotten very little use out of it. But had I needed an amp that loud, *and* didn't know about Matamp, I'd have seriously considered it.

*an Ashdown(now Hayden) Essex blonde which is actually based (but not 100% the same) on the C7 circuit, but it wasn't working properly due to it being made differently inspite of using the same design and the majority of the components. However this didn't stop them repeatedly telling me and the company I purchased it from that it was working fine. They were either oblivious to the fact a product they sell was not working correctly , had no idea how to fix a product they sell, or were happy to take my money and let a customer have a bad amp, any one of these is a good reason to stay well away from any Ashdown/Hayden amp. No doubt conducting buisiness in this way will cost them in the long run. Enough about them though...

Considering how good the Matamp C7 combo is, and how great the customer support has been, I need look no further than Matamp for all my amplifier needs. Give them a call, you won't regret it.