Matchless Lightning 15

2003 Matchless Lightning 15 head. All tube, including tube rectifier, class A. I was told this amp was made by Matchless specifically for Michael Landau, session guitarist reportedly appearing on more than 600 albums and soundtracks in the 80's and 90's. As far as features: Volume, Treble, Bass. No effects loop, no direct out, no master volume, no channel switching, no reverb. It has everything I need and nothing I don't need; just the way I like it. It is very versatile in one very important way. So I'm giving it a 10 for features. It has 15 watts of class A power, which is just right for what I do.

I'm in love. I've been playing for 41 years. I've had a ton (literally 2,000 lbs.) of tube amps. No amp has ever sounded as good to me as this Matchless.

Currently I have a Dr.Z, a handwired Marshall, a silverface Deluxe, a Vox AC30 and a Vibrolux reissue. They all sound really good. But the big difference is the way the Matchless sounds IN THE MIX. It sounds great in the mix, and furthermore, it sounds great in the mix ALL OF THE TIME. Clean- sounds great in the mix. Some grit- sounds great in the mix. Screaming lead- sounds great in the mix.

This amp is so forgiving: playing a bit too loud? Still sounds great because it's never shrill or harsh. A bit too low? It punches through just enough because the frequency compensating gain structure puts the sound right where a guitar needs to be.

Here's why I say an amp with no frills whatsoever is versatile: I play a '57 Les Paul reissue through it. The neck pickup sounds fantastic, the bridge pickup sounds fantastic, and the middle position sounds fantastic. I play a '62 US Strat Reissue through it; as I go through all five switch positions, each one just sounds better than the last.

This amp doesn't have a lot of pristine clean headroom, but I don't care because I never play pristine clean. But it does have just the right amount of electrons-boiling-just-to-the-point-of-breakup analog clean-ish headroom. I set the volume on the amp just at the edge of breakup so I can control it with my pick. This is really easy to do with this amp.

I'm not going to say this is a "loud 15 watts" like everyone else, but it will keep up with a drummer absolutely no problem. Just today I was playing some hard rock with drums and a full SVT Classic bass rig and I was never hurting for power.

My T-Rex Dr. Swamp and my Lightning love each other. I can't go into that here, but the T-Rex is a dual overdrive pedal, and it makes the Lightning into essentially a three channel amp. I am an overdrive snob: I hate pre-amp overdrive because it is essentially phony and sounds phony. I only like output stage overdrive. My theory is that the Matchless output tubes are right on the verge of overdrive all of the time, so that when I hit the T-Rex it doesn't overdrive the preamp, but just throws the output stage over the edge and I'm hearing the kind of drive I want. Of course when I go to stage 2 on the T-Rex I'm getting it from all directions, and that's good too.

This amp won't do metal. I mean that as a compliment.

This amp is nearly silent at idle, and very quiet at any given volume.

I've been playing it through a Marshall 2 x 12 slant cab. My next step is to experiment with some other cabs.

I haven't had this amp long enough to know about reliability, but everyone says these amps are built like a brick... you know the rest. Supposed to last a lifetime.

Haven't dealt with them.

Overall, this amp is my holy grail. It makes me want to play all of the time. I want to go play it right now. If it were lost or stolen- I'd freak out like Daffy Duck (if you remember, when Daffy Duck freaks out he freaks out really bad). Then I'd start looking for another one.

On the used market, this amp wasn't all that expensive, as nice amps go. It's very light weight too.

What else do you need? Digital effects? Yeah, that's why you suck!

The guy at the bottom obviously doesn't play out in a band or in the studio. It's one thing sitting in a guitar center playing by yourself with no other instruments, it's another thing when you've got a whole band behind you. Most amateur guitarists in guitar shops crank the bass and scoop the mids and try to get a HUGE tone. But in a band setting, that kind of EQ literally sounds like shit. This amp is perfect full-band material for any rock gig. It sits right in the perfect spectrum where a guitar would sit. All the tones most amateur guitarists THINK sound good playing by themselves will sound shitty and muddy when they get in a full band. Trust me, I've been doing this a LONG TIME! I think I'm probably preaching to the choir here...let's face it, if you're looking at this amp, you probably know what you're doing. Probably.

Beat this thing around from gig to gig. This gets thrown in the trailer and banged around with no sweat. I have to baby those crappy Vox boards. I feel confident in this one.

Like I said, 2000 is pretty hefty, but it's a phenomenal amp. I've AB'd this amp against my Blackface Deluxe, BF Bassman, Vox AC15 with the blue, Vox AC30, and Badcat Cub. I will never let go of this amp. The others collect dust until a particular day at the studio requires them (except the Badcat. He sees about equal playing time).

Not the most versatile amp...but what a tone!

mine is a 2x10 Lightning 15 made in May 96'. I have played MANY amps and this one is on the top line, does one sound and it rules! people on this page that say this amp sounds bad probably opted for a Line 6 or a Rockman amp (remember those). Any one that has been playing a while and does many gigs a week (or not) will definitely appreciate this amp! Not a bad tone in her.

Built solid, keep extra output tubes on hand...

The new owners are nice and helpful (though my amp is from the Sampson era)...

For you knuckleheaded guitar players that don't know any better....it doesn't get much better than this! For those that do understand....this is a real SOLID choice.

Matchless Lightning 15 loudwatts 1x12 combo in blood red vynil, 1994 on the power transformater, with 2 EL84, 3 12AX7 and 1 5AR4, and vol, bass, treble and master... it's only you need for tone...

The tone is amazing for an amps like it. I'll play with vintage princeton reverb blackface and sold it after playing with my matchless. I'll play it with an 100% original 66 strat, and the new 2tone Bad Cat and it's extremly good for blues power and rock ( to BB King's blues to Hendrix rock...) The sound is very high (no filtrer?) so i put the treble between 0 to 4 and bass 6 to 8, (interactive tone so it's very sensitive for the sound)
The crunch is very tube crunch, espacially if volume is up ... i put usually the master uo and vol in middle and the sound is VERY VERY LOUD 15 WATTS ( i leave in the 7th floor and the people in the 1th floor listen my strato!!!)

no pbs

no pbs

i'm playing about 10 years, with many amps and guitars (vintage and others), and i love the little amps with loud sound, tone, portable and nice. The Matchless have all... and more! It's a rare amps in red with 220v transfo for europe. The "old and first" Matchless are now colllector's intems so i think it's a very good value for the future... MATCHLESS IS THE BEST MODERN AMPS AND PARTS....

Great amp. Don't forget that the tone controls are interactive. i.e., cranking the bass up past a certain point will cut treble and vice versa. That's the way I get my favorite sounds.

I'm playing blues with a Tele on the neck pick up. Just crank the bass untill the Tele treble bite starts to be attenuated.
No reverb or delay but just put a Boss reverb/delay pedal in front and you're done.
The wattage is a little low to play out with. But the 45 watt Matchless amps are too much for me. Might try a 30 watt Brave

Built like a brick shit house. Heavy amp for 15 watt 1 x 12.
So valuable you'd better get an "anvil"-type flight case.

It's the only amp I play. Want to get another one.

1990-something Matchless Lightning 15, 2X10 combo.
2 inputs, 4 knobs (volume, treble, bass, master), one on/off switch and two, 10-inch Celestions. Simple.
Extremely clean tone and true EL-34, hand-wired, all-tube Class A power-amp distortion form this 15-Watt combo. Well made, and kept under it's dust cover, it's an heirloom amp. Line out, 4-Ohm and 8-Ohm speaker outputs. I wish it had reverb, but there's a Lightning 15 Reverb out there somewhere for me to grab later. It's mint, and I never play out with it, but I use it almost exclusively to record. Very loud for 15 Watts, especially in my spare bedroom, but it wouldn't fill a club, and would distort (albeit Nicely) at any appreciable volume.
Tan leatherette covering, and oxblood grillcloth (yes, fabric cloth, not plastic) add to the professional quality of this amp.

I bought my Matchless Lightning cheap from a guy who didn't know what he had, hoping to make a quick $1000 turnaround profit. Then I made the mistake of plugging it in and playing it.
I used to agree with (Groove Tubes Founder) Aspen Pittman that the Fender Deluxe Reverb was the best amp on the planet.
...That is, I used to agree.
When I played through the Lightning, sweet clear tones I'd never heard before came from my guitar. Side-by side with my Matchless - the Holy Grail of Fender Amplifiers - my '64 Deluxe Reverb sounds "honky" and thin. I haven't used it much since, because my Matchless is my new sweetheart.
The distortion is great just when the power tubes are breaking up ("Volume" low, "Master" full-up), but it is a little buzzy when the preamp ("Volume" knob) is cranked. Both knobs full up is a little to much mud for me. This amp is for clean freaks, or bluesy players who play soft clean rhythms and hit hard for solos.
Expect more high-end response than you get from a Fender. I keep the Treble backed off to about 4, and it sounds great.
Again, not a super loud clean amp, but nice tones abound for low volume situations or moderate volume distortion applications.

It's built like an ox, but looks like a swan. It's my "Closet Princess" and only comes out to record. I'm guessing has about 10-15 hours on it, and my only regret is that the speakers aren't played-in yet. It hasn't broken, but it's hardly been played.

Matchless is no longer in business, but a reliable professional amp tech can fix 'em. I'd never take it to "My buddy Joey who modifies his Marshall all the time."

It's been with me for 3 years, and it's sweet tones have appeared on CD and pop radio, although it's only been powered-up for a few hours. I get the right tone every time, and don't have to search for another amp when recording. It's insured for 4X what I paid for it, specifically so I can (and would) get another if it was lost or stolen. There's no reverb, so I'd probably move up to a Lightning Reverb or Chieftan if that happened. The only thing I hate is that I'm afraid some components might fail if I don't use it reguarly, and that I might ding it if I play out with it. I know it's just an amp, but man is it sweet.

This amp has no effects loop and is very simple. Treble and bass knobs and it has a line out. Plenty of volume!

This amp sounds great. I picked it up from a friend who was moving and he passed on the deal he got just to get rid of it. After cranking the volume up a touch and jamming on the strings, I felt like michael J. Fox in "Back to the Future". Totally blown away.

Haven't had it long, but the thing is built solid.

I've got a fender bassman, but this is nice for playing in my apartment because I don't have to crank it all the way up to get some good crunchiness. I picked it up, because it was such a good deal, and it sounds really nice. If I lost it, I probably would not shell out the money for another, especially at the price they regularly go for.

I like to play various styles of music and this amp is very versitile. I can play straight rock or jazz. I wish it had a top boost to push it over the edge but I also wish I had an actual AC-30. It is also loud enough to play in a small club setting. Over all a fine amp.

I play a Rickenbacker 360 semi-hollow body. This amp was everything I had hoped, for the money. It definatly brings out the Byrds/Townshend-esque sound of my Rick. However, if you are looking for something to shred on, this isn't your amp. The overdrive is good for what I want, but does lack the substance for fingerboard action. But then again, I don't want to play that sort of stuff. Great for 60's alternative, clean sounding, and country. Not good for metal. For what I want to use it for, I'll give it a 9. But I have to rate it for everyone.

Absolutely no problems thus far. Tubes are starting to go a little. I've had it for 3 years with no problems at all.

I've been playing for 9 years. I played through a 76 Fender Twin before I traded it in for my current Matchless. The twin was loud and had a great overdrive to it but I was looking for an AC-30 sound to complement my Rickenbacker. I found it. Although I still want a Vox, I'll never get rid of my Matchless.

Basic controls - see other reviews.

I just played one of these at Guitar Center. The whole point of this review is basically to say how "underwhelmed" I was with the tone. I couldn't get any attitude whatsoever on the bass strings using a PRS Santana as a test guitar. This thing just "lays there". Don't crank the treble too much or it will get really shrill.
I suppose it doesn't so much "sound bad", it just sounds "unremarkable".

If you are a real tone freak, look elsewhere. This thing sound no better than a Carvin Bel Air. It's not a "pice of junk", so I can't give it a 1 - it's just not worth anywhere near this kind of $$$.