Matchless GRP Preamp

Everything you'd expect

PRS Custom 24-Keeley Comp-Parachute Wah - Bud Wah-Zvex Machine - Zvex Fuzz - Effectrode Phaser-Fulltone TTE-GRP-custom 3 watt amp- 1X10 cab

This is one of the main components of my home setup, the low watt power amp lets this preamp reveal itself. By the way, 3 watts class A, when cranked, is louder than you can scream, perfect for home.

CH1- Transparent, not as chimey and not as much character as a Fender, but very honest and responsive to your pickups. Seems to need a boost to reach an acceptable output level. A good starting point for any tone, a good guitar and an echo make this channel happen.

CH2- The BEST blues sound I've ever gotten, hands down. This amps breaks up in all the right ways when cranked, responsive and full of character. I'm not a blues guy, but when I'm going for that vintage blues sound, I bypass the who pedal board and go straight in. This channel is worth the price of the amp, if you can find one.

It's hand wired, so I'm a little worried about servicing, we'll see what happens.

never dealt with them.

It's a spoiler, one of the big 3, along with the X88 and fish.

2 channel rackmount preamp with ch.1:vol,bass,treble,master.Ch.2:gain,bass,mid,treble,master.Inputs/outputs on front and back w/ sum(a channel blend).Footswitch for the 2 channels or sum(blending of both).I switch channels with a Skrydstrup orBradshaw footcontroller and rack interface;(1/4" tip to ground short).Point to point wiring inside.Perfect Matchless quality(one reason I bought it.)8 preamp tubes,in which different 12ax7's can be experimented with.Front panel label lights up also.Very well built;again it's just the Matchless way.Nothing fragile or "cheap" about this unit.I'm amazed that I'm only the 2nd reviewer of one!Mainly because I know I had to deal with a guy that had 5 of them,and I'm aware of a few in prominent studios and guitar rigs the world over.

Channel one is very clean,although with both volumes full up,it will produce some distortion.I doubt it was intended to be ran that way though.You can set it up for a very twangy,spanky clean sound. Ya,I know, "here we go with subjective terminology".It sounded the best to me that way.It remind you of a little fender twin,but with that added chime that all Matchless amps have. Ch.2 can get pretty knarwly.Way more gain for sure.Not a metal channel,but very responsive and alive.I have to agree, much like a Chieftain ,perhaps even a tad of "pre-badcat-hotcat" in there.Backing off a guitar volume control cleans up both channels really well; and in M.O.OP;that's what sets the really high end stuff apart from the not so great stuff.If they or Badcat would make this again;I,know at least from the session circle I come from,it would sell for sure!Ive ran Lespauls,strats,teles,and jacksons through it,and it makes no difference what is sees, it likes all the guitars!I use it in a custom made rack with a bogner fish,soldano x88r,and triaxis to tc.elec.effects to vht power amps.I would also recommend running it into an effects return of any high end tube amp head.Mainly for country,rock,top 40,and maybe some metal.

If you cant depend on this thing to give you years of trouble free service;youve just wasted a lot of money!Absolutely built like a tank,extremely heavy,and it runs fairly cool and really quiet.It's Matchless the whole way through!(circa late 80's-90's).I'd have a hard time finding another one since theyre out of production, which is why I just dont understand when a company ceases a product like this.In this day and age,someone,somewhere will always buy one of these.

This product is no longer made.Ive talked to Matchless appr.4 times about this piece and only one guy there can barely recall anything about it.One would think that there are records of this stuff,spec.sheets.etc, somewhere with them.They were polite about what they did know.I can only cross my fingers that they'll service it if need be.

I've been playing for 20 years,hopefully with more to come.At this current time,I'm in a country band,metal band,bluegrass band,and I'm an active session player.It does have that "ringy",chimy"bell like Matchless tone that put them on the map in the first place.If youre touring,put it in a rack and keep that 'prized collector's amp" at home,(unless this is that).I wish Badcat or the like would make a product like this today.I would buy this again if I could find one.As far as that "great class a sound" goes,sure this is a great 1st prt. of a system to start with,but as most know,your class a sound is happening in the power section,which this doesnt have..make sure you have a good one,and youll love this thing!It's way above the digital amp clone stuff.

2 space Rackmount 2 channel preamp with 2 separate in's and outs also with a "Sum" channel out. Inputs on the front or back with a handy switch for using either the front input or the back input. A Footswitch is supplied with a TRS that you can run both channels (sum) together or use each channel separately. I have it hooked up to a stereo TRS with the other 2 1/4 inch ends in a DMC GCX switcher. It looks to be hand wired point to point like any other Matchless. WOW! Channel 1 has a Gain, Treble Bass and a Master Volume. Channel 2 has a Gain, Treble Middle Bass and a Master Volume. I have owned a Matchless Chieftain Head before so it's the only Matchless amp I can compare it too. I can get that sound out of the preamp. Nice to be able to choose what power amp you want to use.

I was surprised at the level of GAIN I was getting out of this preamp in the 2nd channel. It's got a sweet distortion that?s a little loose in the bottom end but cuts through the mix very well. I have a Bogner Fish as my Main Gain Preamp and I found myself at a gig looking at the rack to be sure i wasn't on the Bogner Fish cause it was really rocking' and cutting thru- A Great Classic rock tone! Channel 1 gets a nice "Matchless" clean channel. I haven't messed with the tubes yet. Wish I could find some info on the Web!

I wanted to get a review up here despite only having the preamp for 2 weeks (1 gig). I hope I see some more reviews now on ANY Matchless Preamp. I may put up another review in the future.

It's the former Matchless Company that went out of Business. I have found no information anywhere about this or any Matchless preamp. I have contacted the new Matchless Company and they have been helpful but don't know anything about the preamp either!

What a cool preamp to own. I feel very luck to have found this. There are a lot of sounds to discover in this jewel. Anything Matchless is top notch!