Matchless John Jorgenson

One channel 30W EL84-powered 1x12 combo amp (featuring an EF86 and some 12AX7 pre-amp tubes) with tube rectifier (either one 5AR4 or two 5V4Gs). The amp also features reverb, tremolo, ? power switch, phase reversal switch, dis-engageable master volume, two speakers outs. The speaker is a ?tweaked? Celestion Matchless speaker.

The tremolo has a depth and speed knob. There are two tone-shaping knobs: 6-position variatone and treble cut. The master vol is wired at the phase inverter (I think) and can be disengaged. It works quite well be I almost never use it.

If you dig the Matchless/Vox AC30 family of sounds, you will be astounded by this amp. It is, IMO, at the pinnacle of the Matchless sound, the very best of what they have to offer. Shimmery, sparkling cleans. The crunch is beautiful, liked crushed glass. The overdriven sound packs an intense wallop and will knock you out of your shoes.

The tone knobs are pretty easy to use and provide an adequate range of tones to make virtually any guitar sound good. I play guitars with humbuckers that split (Tom Andersons, PRS and others) and P90 equipped guitars (PRS, Driskill) and they all sound simply phenomenal through this amp.

This amp produces my all-time favorite clean sound and crunch sound. Its sound is rich and sparkley. It is the richest amp I?ve ever played through in terms of harmonic content. The tones drip with rich, colorful harmonics.

If it has an Achilles heel, it is that the low end doesn?t remain real tight when the amp is intensely overdriven. It doesn?t get nearly as flabby as an AC30, a Matchless DC30 and many other similar amps, but it doesn?t remain tight the way some amps do. I think that this is a really a tradeoff for the harmonic richness that the amp provides.

In terms of responsiveness, this amp is hard to beat. I have some Alessandro amps that are also incredibly responsive; perhaps the Alessandro English is even more responsive?but if it is, it?s a small difference.

The reverb is lush, clear, excellent. I don?t use it that much but it is outstanding. Same for the tremolo, which I use even less. The tremolo is warm, round, lush; somehow makes the guitar sound even bigger.

I don?t really know what kind of mojo Matchless did to this speaker and cab, but good grief?it is amazing sounding. I?ve plugged the amp into other cabs too, but the little combo cab it comes with (same size as an SC30) is outstanding. Chimey, woody, gorgeous sparkley sound brimming with harmonics and overtones.

This amp also produces the best sustain and natural harmonic feedback I?ve ever experienced. It simply must be heard to be believed. If you?ve not heard the Hellecasters cover of 'Passion', get it (on their Return of the Hellecasters CD). The tones on that song (both rhythm and lead) are what this amp is about. Jorgenson?s playing is just killer too :) !!

I got it used. It?s worked flawlessly for me for 7 or 8 months through rehearsals, practicing at home and gigs.

Doubt if the new Matchless supports this amp.

This is still my all-time favorite amp. I have other amps that I like about as much for different things?but whenever I come back to this amp, my mind gets sufficiently blown to make me realize how much I enjoy it. I?ve owned many amps in the last year (Bogner Ecstasy Classic & Shiva, Koch Multitone, Rivera Rake, Two Rock Emerald Pro, Alessandro Bloodhound & English, Roccaforte Custom 80, Bad Cat Black Cat) and I?ve played many others recently too. But this one has the best clean and crunch sound I?ve ever heard. The overdrive sound is simply pulvarizing too, but I wish that it somehow had a bit tighter low-end.

My other favorites include the Roccaforte (for that old Marshall sound, probably my favorite amp for my classic rock cover band) and the Alessandro English (similar to JJ but woodier, rounder, not quite as harmonically rich, but tighter low end), but the JJ is still probably my favorite overall. There have been times when I?ve thought I should sell it because its worth so much; but each time, when I go back and play it, I say to myself that there?s just no way I could ever sell it. I?d replace it with another one as quickly as I could if anything ever happened to it.

This is an update to the above review/test. After 2 years I have decided that this amp kicks the Dr Z Maz 38s' ass in just about every way. I also erroneously stated that it had an emminence speaker. Of course it has a special design Celestion like all Matchless amps. Also I meant to say that I left the chinese tubes in the trem and REVERB sections not "tone" as I wrote.

Still on the first set of Sylvania NOS EL 84 tubes( at least 1000 hours)and the first EF 86 Telefunken.The EF 86 is NOT a problematic tube. The shitty Svetlana/Sovtek EF 86 IS a problematic tube. Buy Amperex etc.I put a small fan on it except for recording.It does not even get hot.

Reckon the "NEW" guys at Matchless will be honoring those previous lifetime warranties? Right.

10 only 'cause there is no 11

Reprinted from www.blues2001.com Interplanetary Guitarist magazine for the web. That is why there is some mention of clicking on links in this review and the one I posted of the Dr.Z Maz 38 Invasion.Sorry for the confusion.
The Matchless fared somewhat better in the UPS test due to being shipped in a proper amp box and of course the thing is built like the Space shuttle. ( better actually , the space shuttle didn't get Teflon sheathing for the wiring until VERY recently)With the Matchless there is no current pricing. There ain't no more amps being made at Matchless to put a price on. At the time I bought the JJ-30 the list price was up to a porky $4049.00. I paid the somewhat less princely sum of $2500.00 for it brand spanking new from the Atlanta sales rep for Matchless. Quite a deal seeing as how I just saw a used chieftain in babyshit green Tolex with nicotine brown grill cloth for $2495.00. There is also a dealer who has a leftover new Chieftain and also a DC-30...Try $3195.00 for the Chieftain and $3995.00 for the DC-30!!! Ouch!! They also have four new lightning 2-10's for which they want $2195.00!! As you can see I got quite a deal thanks to Stu at fatsound guitars in Cary North Carolina. Stu can also get you a modest discount on the DR.Z amp line as well as Bogner and Top Hat.

This amp has the biggest transformers you are ever gonna see in an amp under a kilowatt. Especially the power transformer. It is about the size of one of those small hotel refrigerators. {and does not have crappy copper foil peeling off it or mysterious stuff oozing out of it either} No wonder this amp never sags and has such a power reserve. If you have never heard one of these you will be amazed at how loud 30 watts can be. It is twice as loud as the MAZ and the MAZ has Celestion Blues which are very efficient .The wiring was beautiful but every screw in the amp was loose . Transformers, chassis bolts, AC outlet, AC acc. outlet, everything! The #1 input jack was falling out etc. I think maybe it was put together in a hurry by people who knew they were losing their jobs due to the company going under.The actual wiring and cabinet construction are flawless. it's just the final assembly that sucked. (There seems to be quite a bit of that going around.)

The JJ is a single channel Thirty watt bomb of an amp with good reverb and KILLER tremolo that is based on the EF-86 vari-tone channel of the SC-30. The JJ-30, or John Jorgenson signature model was the true flagship of the Matchless line.

This two input class A amplifier has Gain-Tone-Speed -Depth-Reverb-Cut-Master controls.She's also got a half power switch, speaker phase switch, output impedance selector switch, AC acc. outlet, extension speaker jack, a very nice padded handle,a very sturdy cab with a T brace in front of the speaker which stiffens the unit ( nothing like a stiff unit)and also protects the speaker from your foot.

The JJ lists for $4049.00 and came with Sovtek power tubes . Let me up!! Give me a fucking break!!The stock Shit-tek EF-86 went crack-up about 2 hours into the life of the amp. I replaced the Rooskie EF-86 with a Telefunken ( gee, reckon that made a difference?) and the power tubes with a quartet of NOS Sylvanias.I also replaced some of the Chi-comm 12AX7 tubes with RCA's. I left a couple in as they were pretty decent in the trem and tone circuits.

This amp also sounds a ton better with the Mullard 12AT7 in the phase inverter position.Once again a glassier less humped up in the mid range tone and better dynamics . This amp has a shit load of gain and is LOUD enough to be a nuclear deterrent.The reverb also sounds better with the 12AT7 due to the increase in bandwidth.It still sounds like a VOX but with a Fender / Marshall edge. And no VOX ever had as much gain as this puppy.The JJ has about as much gain with the the volume on 12:00 CHT as the Maz does full up.I have not yet turned this amp all the way up because it is too damn loud.It sounds partic