Matchless Spitfire

My particular model was ordered in mid 2006, so I've had about a year to play with it and I've gigged and recorded with it quite a bit.
This amp is not about features. If you need channel switching, multiple gain stages, drastic eq's, reverb, or tremelo look elsewhere.
I have played a fender strat (w/ texas specials), a fender telecaster thinline (with rio grande pus), a PRS hollowbody spruce, and a gibson sg classic (w/ P-90's) thru it, along with numerous analogman, moog, and boss pedals. It all sounded fantastic.

For what the spitfire does I really have not heard better. It essentially is a bright, punchy, harmonics rich amp. It has that sound that matchless amps are known for: sort of a vox amp on steroids. I think people looking for that fender clean and warmth will be very disappointed in this amplifier. However, if you are looking for a really bright, clean, punchy sound that is very very articulate and clear: this IS your amp. At first the amount of clarity that this amp has scared me but I have since gotten used to it and love the clean sparkly tone. The amp, BTW is DEAD quiet...not a hum or a buzz to be found. It's also very clean and quite loud for a 15 watt amp. You really have to peg the master and the volume controls to get it to crunch but when you do the amount of chimey harmonics that come out of this thing are unbelievable!! It's not really a high gain sound or that warm breakup of a fender but more aggressive and "British." These Matchless amps are not for everyone but if you love that vox tone and need the clarity you'll not find better. I'm surprised you don't see more jazz guitar payers using this amp...it has that clarity, headroom, and note separation that a good solid state jazz amp (like a polytone) has but with so much more complexity and richness that only a tube design can give...maybe it's just too bright for that trad. jazz tone. It excels at funk, rock, reggae, blues and just about anything else. It takes pedals very very well with the only issue being that because it's so clean boost pedals (like my klon centaur) have trouble really making the amp bark. Overall though it really has so much clarity that it brings out nuances in good pedals more than any other amp I've played and unfortunately if you have somewhat crappy equipment (be it pedals, guitars, or even cables) this amp will magnify that tone so use some good quality stuff and you'll be very happy.

When it arrived from the factory with the factory installed tubes the first time I turned the amp on it just made a loud buzzing sound with no guitar sound at all. Turned out it was some cheap el-84 tubes that matchless shipped the amp with...luckily the dealer that I bought it from was nice enough to give me some new el-84's for free and the amp's worked great since then, although I opted to put a NOS GZ-34 rectifier tube in there just for added reliability since I gig with this amp so often. Then, after about a week of playing it I noticed that the input jack was kind of messed up and most of the time I need to coil my cable up over the top of the amp to get the jack to work and sound to come out. Now, if this amp was $500 I could totally understand the input jack being dodgy and the stock tubes being kinda crappy but for $2000 there should be ZERO problems with a brand new amp. Get it together matchless and put some decent tubes in your amps when they ship out from the factory...especially in an amp with so much clarity where tubes can really make such a huge difference in tone!!! This seems unconscionable to me and might have something to do with the fact that Mark Sampson is no longer heading up Matchless...I dunno but I know people always seem to want the Samson era amps over the post sampson era amps...maybe this is a part of it. I will say that I have opened this amp up to look inside the chassis and this thing is made REAL well...now I know why it cost so damn much!!

Never talked to them...ordered through a local dealer.

It is an amazing amp with a beautiful and unique tone that really might not be for everyone. I also have a 1962 brownface fender princeton that sounds so beautiful but it's almost the opposite of the spitfire in terms of tone and I think running them both together is great: the princeton gives that warm, milkshake thick sound and the spitfire gives that clarity and sparkle. However, sometimes I just want that meaty thick bluesy sound of the princeton and the spitfire will absolutely not do that...it's is a very un-versatile amp but for what it does it does it very very well. I'd love to give the overall rating a ten but considering that it is VERY expensive and from the factory it's not exactly ready to go I'm gonna have to take a few points off here. However, the Matchless Spitfire is a clean ,quiet, beautiful work of art and if you can afford one you will not be disappointed...just make sure you test one out before buying it because that matchless sound is not for everyone but for people who do like that tone there's nothing better.

2005 Spitfire, red tolex and brown grill with gold piping- looks fine and understated. With one 12" Celestion speaker, two inputs and three cream-colored chickenhead knobs: Volume, Tone and Master Volume. Simple elegance.

I play a reissue '57 Gretsch Duo Jet with Dynasonic single coil pickups. If the Matchless Spitfire's looks are understated, its tones are complex. The combination of the sensitive Dynasonics and the rich harmonics of this amp enable me to play music at a level I have not been able to reach before. At the same time, the amp is honest, it will show all of your flaws. I play the things I grew up with and love: rock 'n roll, classic rock, Motown, country music, reggae, etc. It all sounds good through the Spitfire. It's amazing how much low end the small box can produce. The Matchless sparkles like a Vox, but it has a capacity for harmonics and girth my Vox AC30 and AC15 never had. The Spitfire is a loud and wonderful 15 watts.

The Matchless is probably the best-built item I own.

No need yet for support.

I've played guitar for 38 years. Amps I've owned include Gibsons, Fenders, Voxes, Bad Cats and now, the Matchless Spitfire. It's just the perfect mid-size amp for me. I don't know why it took me so long to find it, but my search is over. Try to find one and see if it suits you. They're elusive, but worth it.

I've had this amp for over nine months now. Mine is a 1994 small box combo. Black tolex/gray sparkle cloth. Still had original tubes (GE el84s, russian 12AX7s, chinese rectifier). First thing I did was take a screw driver and tighten the screws to the speaker, cabinet, and a few in the chasis. I replaced the cheap rectifier with an old mullard, phillips 12ax7s, and NOS amperex el84s. As far as features go: 1 12" modified vintage 30 speaker, 4 ohm & 8 ohm speaker out, line out (off the output transformer), preamp gain, tone (low pass filter), master volume, backlight control panel. 11 ply birch cab, lucite handle. Weighs about 35 pounds.

I am the guitar player for a band on Tall Boy records (small LA label) with a heavy sixties and seventies influence. We like the Faces, Stones, Big Star, the Band, so on and so forth. I got this amp to play out and record with. I have a 1996 30 watt Matchless that I love but can't stand how much it weighs. I play an early 70's blonde telecaster, gibson LP STD, and a 57' stratocaster reissue. This amp sounds very voxish. However, no reissue vox amp can touch this thing. It is very sensitive to your touch as a player. Amazing clarity and detail. Every guitar sounds different through it. Turn the master all the way up and add preamp gain to taste. Not a high gain amp at all. This thing is loud and sounds clear with loads of rich even order harmonics. The very last bit of preamp gain gets buzzy...but I never push any amp that far into saturation anyway (except old fenders). I let some people try my spitfire and they don't like it because it makes them sound clumsy. That or they want more gain and sustain. Not me. This amp is for me. My search is over. I would also consider the original Matchless Lightning to be this amps equal. I have owned and played many other amps and for what I do this is it. No questions.

To my knowledge, this amp has never been serviced. The guts are untouched. Just new tubes. I gig with no backup. I just keep fuses and tubes in my bag god forbid.

What support? Everybody knows the story. None needed.

I've been playing now for 18 years. God I'm almost 30. This is an amp that the kids will not like but their dads will. I grew up with a brownface fender Pro, blackface twin reverbs, blackface bassmans and princetons. I love those amps but this is my favorite. Tough to find though. Good luck!

Just got a NEW 2005 Spitfire head --Went through All the good 18 watters and this one was the best -the cleans are fantastic and the grit and girth are amaizing .The three knob simplicity is purrrrrfect!My search in this area consisted of lightning,GDS,Marshall PA-20 and 18,D-13 9/15 and a very brief play and listen w/ a 65 amp.Great amps and great company.Spitfire.

Mainly strats and teles

If you look inside of the Jamison Matchless products --just plain artwork.Mil spec beauty.just amaizing workmanship.

Had one of my clients had to leave abruptly for a tour and had a rectifier problum (tube) Phil took care of them like they were the Rolling Stones (no really) just amaizing.The best!

Matchless is just that .MATCHLESS

1996 year of manufacure.
very versatile amp. covers all bases.
1 channel 2 inputs second input padded down.
it has volume tone and master volume.
i use it in all kind of situtaions. from 20 to 5000 seats.
i mic the amp for larger venues.
i am comfortable with its size and power.

i use 4 guitars. 2 heritage archtops. 1963 es 335 with paf pickups and a schecter strat. i play different gigs all the time. I am currently working in Las Vegas. I was working in New York for 20 years prior. Jazz and standards 1 night rock funk blues the next. No metal or shredding. i use a distortion box from time to time as well as a vintage wah. no reverb as i believe if you have a great sound then reverb is not needed. i have never had any body say nice sound but i miss the reverb.
there is only 1 channel so i usually run the amp pegged and use the volume control to color my sound.
the sound of this amp is unreal. i have not heard a better sounding amp. i always liked british amps marshalls vox hi watts orange etc.
the spitfire completly satisfies me. i never even think about getting another sound. i'm there.
the amp is built like a tank. i do not care for the lucite handle.
thats about the only thing i would change or add to this amp. i wnet through 5 matchless amps before settling for this one. so all matchless amps are not created equal. tubes do make a difference and need to be changed. i change them twice a year.
I think it sounds like the best vox ac 30 crossed with that killer deluxe revereb we all remember so well. my other amp is marshall silver jubilee 2 12 combo. these are the only amps i kept in 30 years of gigging. i have gone through 250 amps in this time period. for me this amp is the best.

i depend on this amp with 100% confidence.
i gig without a backup.
the ac plug housing cracked and needed replacing. it was a transport issue. no roadcase just a tuki cover.

n.a. out chapter 11

30 years as a professional.
i would buy another in a heartbeat.
i love everything about the amp tone volumne size etc.

A very simple amp. Plug in and play.

I bought Skeet Myers Spitfire so please read her review [ along with the amp came a very cool CD of Skeet jamming loose improv that I have enjoyed very much ]. I have no idea why she sold this incredible amp because it truely lives up to it's reputation. It does not seem to have a preference for single coils as other Matchless amps are rumored to. It is hypnotic and slightly understated compared to the Lightning 1x12" I also own. The Lightning is dangerous and in your face, plus it offers more tonal possibilities but the Spitfire will beg you to come back over and over. I couldn't be happier.

Matchless amps are tough.

This Spitfire is everything I expected and a perfect complement to my Lightning. These Matchless low watt amps are definitely the way to go. The Spitfire will seduce you in and destroy any hope for the competition. You will soon discover that you are playing the amp as well as the guitar and will settle for nothing less.

Not loaded with features, i.e., reverb, channel switching, etc. However, I bought this amp for the one feature that mattered most-pure, awesome tone. If it were up to me, I'd love to have this amp with a reverb and tremolo, but that would have driven the cost way up. With tone this good, you don't necessarily have to have verb. Also, don't let the 15 watt rating fool you. This amp gets plenty loud.

I typically use guitars with single coil pickups with the Spitfire. I do lots of country style playing, but plenty of rock and pop as well. This amp has the baddest clean tone I've ever heard. It totally rules with a bridge Tele-type pickup. EMG's tend to be real sterile with this amp. I've recently installed Barden Tele pickups in one of my axes and the combination is nothing short of awesome. The amp works well with higher dollar effects, like the Fulltone Fulldrive. It also breaks up nicely on its own. The one thing with an amp like this, is if your effects or pickups suck, it will expose them. The amp has a volume, a tone knob, and another volume. The first volume has as much to do with warming up the tone as the tone control. This amp represents simplicity at its best. I've found it virtually impossible to get a bad sound with the Spitfire. It rules with an iron fist in the studio.

I've had this amp for 2 years and have gigged extensively with it. I haven't had a single problem with it. It doesn't burn tubes as fast as, say a Chieftain or Brave, also Matchless Amps. I never bring a backup amp to gigs.

Matchless is out of business. Prior to that, I had no reason to seek assistance.

I'm 34 years old, and have been playing semi-pro and pro for over 20 years. I have a Matchless Brave at work (I play full time for the US Air Force Band) and I use a variety of effects, like Fulltone Wah, Fulldrive, Tremolo. I use a I also own a Line 6 POD and a small Roland home studio setup.

If my Spitfire were stolen, I would cry like a 3-year-old girl for a week. Then I would scour the internet until I found a replacement. When I was in Nashville recently, Kenny Vaughn (guitarist with Lucinda Williams, Patty Loveless, etc) told me that I owned the greatest studio amp ever made. I believe him.

dated 5-4-96, with 2 10 inch matchless celestions. vol., tone, and master...what else do you need? TONE, TONE, TONE!!! Kills everything else comparable. Perfect studio or small gig amp.

Tone knob has tremendous amount of effect on sound. Hint: turn all knobs toward heaven for the perfect sound with any guitar!

What's backup? For more volume (if you want tinnitus) run the line out into a blackface Vibrolux reverb

When they were here they were great; but......they're gone!

After playing for 17 years through every amp imaginable, THIS is THE
PERFECT AMP!

Volume, tone, master volume on front. Speaker out, ext. spkeaker out and recording line out on back. One 12-inch Celestion 30 watt speaker specially made for Matchless (basically a stock Vintage 30 with a different label from what I'm told). Shower curtain black tolex. Mine came with NOS GE power tubes. Tube rectifier. The cabinet is tiny, barely big enough to fit the speaker. It gets a 9 only because it's not a swiss army knife amp. You can do a lot tone-wise with what little is there.

British Invasion in a box! Fabulous clean and crunch sounds. I sought it out as it's the only modern amp I've tried that does the early Kinks and Beatles Revolver era thing really authentically for under $1,000 (if you can find one - they are very rare). This little amps rocks. The AC15 & AC30 reissues can't touch it!
I use a 65 Gibson ES330TDC, a Les Paul Jr (year uncertain) and an Ibanez PF-300 Les Paul copy. The 330 makes it sound the most British invasion. I also plugged in a friend's Guild Starfire 12 string electric, and it does The Who's "Can't Explain" sound perfectly.
Very punchy, lots of crunchy midrange (much more than the Lightning). Treble can be a bit shrill as with all Matchless amps, but that can be tamed with an EQ pedal. Has an EQ bump around 250-400hz or so. Some may not like this, but IMHO this is what makes it sound so British Invasion. Again, the EQ pedal can tame this too. Breaks up a little rougher and sooner than the Lightning, but that's what I was looking for. The master volume is very useable and changes the tone of the amp a lot. Like other Matchless amps, tweaking makes noticeable changes in the sound. Not meant for shredding - gets pretty mediocre if you take the master back below 10:00 and crank the preamp.
This amp isn't too loud, noticeably less headroom than the Lightning, and would have to be miked in some gig situations. I've yet to try hooking up an extra speaker - that would lower the ohms and most likely bring the volume up to gigging snuff. Perfect volume levels for recording. Sounds like a big loud AC30 at ear-saving volume.

I'd gig without a backup. It's a Matchless, built like a tank. No problems yet.

I bought it as NOS from a private party, but it had an unsigned warranty. Matchless said to send the warranty in so they have it on file, but they didn't clarify whether or not it would be warrantied. Any time I e-mail, they take a long time to respond, but they're very helpful when they do. I don't lose sleep over my warranty situation. A Matchless is a pretty safe bet, even used.

I searched for this amp for over a year because they were discontinued. Matchless stopped making all the 15 watt amps except the Lightning because the Lightning was outselling all the others by something like 8 to 1. Gets an 8 only because it's so expensive, but I'm comfortable shelling out the $850. You get what you pay for.