Matchless H/C-30

Two channel, Vox style amp. Channel one is a little cleaner with not as much gain as channel two. I prefer channle two because it has more gain. It is not a very clean amp. It's a Brittish sounding amp (it's modeled after a Vox AC-30). Effects loop for each channel. Not many features. I love it.

To really appreciate this amp, you have to be a decent player. This is not some all-in-one, multi effects piece of crap. This is a REAL amp. Beautiful tone! The more you crank it up, the better it sounds, imo. Some amps I've played are kinda "farty" at high volumes. The HC-30 sounds great at any sound level. It does have a nice, chimey clean sound but the volume has to be fairly low. This amp has the best dirty sound ever! When you really let it rip, the overdrive is to die for. Awsome. I use a Marshall 2x12 cab and it sounds great.

Built VERY well. Handmade, hand wired. I doubt anything will go wrong...ever.

The few times I have called Matchless with some random questions, they were very polite and helpful.

Fantastic!!! The best amp I've ever played for sure. Matchless amps are known for being a little pricy but if you buy one, it'll be the only amp you'll ever own.

2003 Matchess. Features are nice and basic, and very well known by now: Channel 1 is 12AX7 pre + 12AX7 tone stack, channel 2 is an EF86 pre with a six-position tone switch. Both channels are active all the time, pushed through 4 EL84s. Both preamp channels have their own effects loops.

I play modern rock, and sometimes bluesy clean. The amp is excellent for the rock and not quite so for the clean; even with channel 1 turned down pretty far, it still isn't very clean. This may be because I bought some tubes from Eurotubes that were specced at 34ma, which means they'll break up way early (EL84 anode current spec is 48ma.) So my tube choice probably drives this.

It's in my basement and it's not just loud, it's holy-crap-loud. I'm used to it now, but when I got it I couldn't play it at 30W without earplugs. I probably shouldn't :)

I have a stock 2000 SG Special. It has extremely high-output pickups that tend to overload the preamp channels a bit at full volume (and I have Telefunken throughout the preamp!) Since in my band I'm looking for a nice crunch, this setup delivers. I run both channels at the same time (using a Radial Switchbone), and in the channel 1 effects loop I have a Line6 FM4 and a phase 90. The input from the P90 is usually too strong to use, but with this config it adds just a hint of flavor to the sound, and sounds awesome. It can dirty up great, but I like it to where if i hit the strings lightly it comes through kinda clean.

I must have listened to 50 amps, including a fair number of boutique amps, before I settled on this one. I then bought a heck of a lot of NOS tubes -- 9 EF86s including Mullard, Amperex, and T-funk, 8 12AX7s, and four sets of EL84s. After swapping them in and out for awhile, I settled on the current config. (I use a graded and balanced JJ 12AX7 for the phase inverter. Balancing makes a big difference here!!)

Oh man, this thing is so overbuilt I expect it'll be excavated in 3500AD and still work flawlessly. It chews up power tubes, but not horribly -- I get about 3months out of a set of JJs. The design keeps the EL84s very hot, which shortens their life but makes them sound fantastic. I'm perfectly fine with this trade-off. :)

Keep in mind that Mark Sampson designed this thing to be the most reliable AC30 design on the planet. He succeeded.

The internal guts are way overbuilt but final assembly was weak: two chickenhead knobs were loose, and one of the speaker jacks wasn't screwed down tightly. Two minutes with a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench put the amp in tip-top.

They haven't been particularly helpful, but it's not problematic. The guy I bought the amp from spoke to them and got me a new EF86 after the GT it came with went microphonic in about 2 days. The actual tube guts rattled! They got me a replacement but I never put it in, because I bought a NOS telefunken from europe.

It comes with a six year warranty, instead of the old lifetime warranty. No big deal there, with 1W and 2W resistors where 1/4W would do, I expect this amp will never die.

I've been playing almost 20 years. I have an old Laney EL34 head, and a Line6 combo. The matchless blows both away, and I can't imagine playing without it. Of course I would replace it, though I might choose a vintage DC30 next time. Not sure.

THis is a mid 90's model, I've owned it for 2 years now. 2 Channels, 3 knobs for each channel - it doesn't get much simpler! But make no mistake there is plenty of complexity within the 2 channels & 6 knobs + master volume, 7 knobs. I play mostly classic rock, country and new age originals. This amp does have the optional effects loop.

I use several guitars including, Gibson SG Custom Shop 61', G&L ASAT Classic, G&L Legacy with Fralin P90 lead pickup and a Gibson Les Paul Standard. I've been playing for over 30 years and this is the only amp I have ever owned that I would never sell and I've owned plenty including a 65' Twin, b/f Deluxe, an original 59'BAssman, 66' Vibrolux, Dr Z Prescriptions, a MusicMan, a Bedrock, a Vox AC15, a Bruno Underground, a Dual REctifier, several Boogies and probably a few more that I can't remember! I love the way this amp sounds - like to coats each note with harmonics. This is the most consistant amp I have ever owned - in that it sounds almost the same at every gig. It sounds best with open back cabs. I use two Marshall 1936 cabs which have been converted to open back style. One cab has two blue bell Celestions the other two Heritage Celestions. For larger gigs I use both cabs, for smaller gigs, just one. This amps sound can be changed dramatically by changing output tubes. This amp's volume is perfect for classic rock music - I never use the master volume, sounds too mushy. I use both channels - channel 2 is aggressive and where I stay for driving rock songs, channel 1 is great for more chimey sounds.
I have to have reverb for some songs and the effects loop is great for that - I use a reissue 63'Fender model. Without the loop you would have to play the reverb into the input and the problem with that is that if you use a boost pedal - I use a Klon - the reverb gets boosted also, often disproportionally. Few amps break up as smoothly as this - I recently reviewed a reissue Fender Super Reverb and hated the obnoxious buzzy sound heard right around the point of tube break up.

I had to repair a bad resistor and clean a tube socket but this is peanuts compared to the hard gigging I do with it.

Never had to use it.

This amp is for the advanced player who will appreciate the subtle nuiances and shades of color. It will not get a loud clean sound, like a Twin, nor does it have the super aggressive edge for medal but if your thing is a fat warm sound right around the edge of distortion it doesn't get any better. After two years of solid gigging, I love this amp more all the time!

So I just read your bitter little rant about Matchless...I own two..a HC-30 head...and a little 15 watt Lightening...I bought these amps directly at the factory...from some of the nicest people/ equipment manufacturers I`ve ever met...I could of had any amp out there...but this is where my ears pointed me too...that`s what I use when deciding on gear MY EARS!!!...now taste is really a subjective matter...but I gotta tell you guys, regarding why people hold these amps in high esteem...they produce a sound that IMHO is easily one of the greatest recording amps ever made!!

I use the HC-30 with a Marshall 4x12, playing in low-power mode...cause it actually sounds better...I believe it switches the power tubes into triode mode...very 3-dimensional!!!

I toured with this head for almost a year, and it never went down!!

This amp was made in 1997. Regarding versatility, this amp delivers virgin tone. What I mean by that is that is there are no bells or whistles to clutter up the basic signal paths and get in the way of the basic class-A tone. This amp has two channels. No channel switching (must use an A/B box). This amp does have an F/X loop, which some of the earlier versions did not, but I do not use the loop. No headphone jacks. I really do wish the amp had anything added. The simplicity of this amp is the reason for its renown tone. Because of its simplicity (three knobs chan. 1 and three knobs chan. 2) all knobs truly affect the overall tone profoundly. I have been playing for over 30 years (rock, fusion, country, jazz, etc.) and this amp delivers in all catagories that I deal with. This amp is conservatively rated at 30 watts, but can hang with any amp at twice the power easily. It is huge sounding. I do play through a Matchless 2-12 cabinet with one Vintage 30 and one 25 watt green back that was broken in by some process at the Matchless factory. I here they condition the speaker somehow using acetone where they are much more sensitive to a signal fed to them. It really is evident. The tube configuration is four EL-84 (power tubes), 12AX-7 preamp tubes for the first channel, which is very near to a Vox AC-30 sound, and channel two is wired in pentode mode with a EF-86 tube which is the rocker channel, very smooth and creamy, but a little noisy. It is imperative that you use a NOS Telefunken EF-86 tube if you this channel to deliver the goods. That is really the only niggle with this amp. It demands the best EF-86 tube you can buy (NOS Telefunken EF-86). If you use a cheap Russian EF-86 tube your asking for lousy tone and annoying noise. Using NOS GE EL-84 tubes is the best for the power tubes, but for the new stuff use Tesla/JnJ EL-84 power tubes, as they sound good and are cheap.

I am using an early Strat 1962 reissue (#547 V) and play, as previously mentioned, rock, fusion, country, and jazz. It covers the bases all very well. Channel two (high gain channel) has a bit of subtle noise. The first channel is what I use the most. It is based on the Vox AC-30, but is much more fat. Of all the amps I have ever owned this one has the most sparkly rich sound that truly is very sensitive to your touch. This channel will break up in a beautiful bluesy edge with good sustain which pushed on, but remaines articulate and cleans up quickly when backed off. Channel two can rock pretty hard, but I would not recommend it to the head banger/metal-mania folks. To me this amp would be most appreciated by seasoned players who can really appreciate a precision instrument.

All Matchless amps are made for the road--i.e., hard wired, military spec. materials, etc. If you look inside the chasis it is instantly apparent that no shortcuts were made in materials or craftmanship. I read where a Matchless Chieftain was washed out to see in a tidal wave off of Japan and was later found wash up on land all full of debris, mud, all beatup, you name it, and the owner was reunited with it. He shipped it back to the Matchless factory where the techs were curious to see if it still worked. What they found was astonishing--it worked perfectly! The Matchless Company kept that as a testament to their workmanship and materials and sent the guy in Japan a new Matchless.

Matchless went out of business in 1999. So customer support is not there. Phil Jamison (former Matchless master engineer), who makes the wonderful line of Jamison amps, can be contacted with regard to any question about Matchless amps.

Like previously mentioned, I have been playing for 30 years. I have other great amps as well--i.e., 1964 Fender Black face Deluxe Reverb, 1963 Fender black face Twin Reverb, 1964 Fender black face Princeton Reverb, Lab/Series L-9, and they all sound great in their own way, but the HC-30 delivers what I need all across the board with beauty.

two channels/cool master volume that is removable from the circuit, nice cut control.

great sounding amp but..... get's a little buzzy on the high end distortion. everything's cool because of the cut control though. oh hell let me cut to the chase..this amp is great but has a couple of serious flaws: the master volume sucks! not that anyone else can make one worth a damn, but this one can get real sterile below 60%. so what's it for then? the pentode channel is real cranky also, not a design flaw i'd say, just that it is sensitive to tube quality. the only other beef is that mine goes thru output tubes fairly quickly.

built like a brickhouse but.............i have seen numerous examples of 30's that start to sound weak after 3 or 4 years, i have a theory as to why that happens and i hear that a former employee named rick is fixing them in L.A.

give me a break, i mean, they are nice guys but something out there needs to be fixed if they are even still in business. they quit answering the phone and they still have one of my amps that has been there for 6 months

the 'lightning' and small amps are unbeatable, but when you get to the large amps there seem to be good ones and bad ones. if you are looking at one used i'd hear it first, i don't think i'd buy one untested that is between 3 to 7 years old.

The amp is versatile not in features but in sound. It's amazing how many sounds you can get with a true volumne, bass, treble, and master volume. Some unique features includes; Power Hi/Low switch, Polarity Switch, 5-Position Tone knob, cut knob, and a master volume bypass. Two channels; one wired triode, the other pentode. Channel switching can be done with an external A/B box. No Effects loop. No preamp out. No Reverb or internal footswitch I Wish it had Reverb. 30 real watts. All tube. Rectifier is Solid State or tube [Ed. According the Matchless, the rectifier is TUBE ONLY].

The amp is clean, clear, and glassy sounding. The amp sounds like a Fender Bassman mixed with an Vox AC 30. The amp suits my music style of rock, blues, and alternative. The amp has fine distortion tones but does not have that Marshall "crunch" tone.

I never had a problem.

Lifetime warranty. Never contacted customer support

I would buy it again. I love the sound and the looks.