Matchless Lightning - Could This Be The End Of My Search For My Ideal Amp?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ค. 2024
- This is the 6th video in the series where we are looking at a bunch of Boutique high end guitar amplifiers. In this video, I look at the Matchless Lightning.
Here is what Matchless say about the Lightning
The sound of the Lightning is that very classic EL84 “British Sound”. Much more scooped in the midrange than the Spitfire and Nighthawk, you will quickly see how well it sits in the mix against other instruments. Its clarity and voicing will slice through everything, making you very present.
Actual tonal possibilities are very extensive and it produces loud output volumes not normally associated with a 15 watt rating.
The Pro-grade single channel preamp with its interactive tone controls is coupled to a serious dual-EL84 power section with a tube rectifier. All models have active EQ to attain an excellent array of complex tones. User controls include Volume, Interactive Bass & Treble, and Master Volume.
Notes and tips from Phil Jamison:
“The tone stage is based off the early Top Boost circuit with some modifications unique to the Lightning. The Bass control will add a heavier sound and increase the midrange as you turn it up. This is very beneficial with different styles of pickup that have a thinner sound, or fatter pickups that need the Bass rolled off for more clarity. The Treble control will do two things in this type of circuit, first it will of course add more top end and brightness, and subsequently it will decrease the midrange. This is can be a very important feature to help tailor the sound of your pickup.
For a cleaner sound it’s always best to turn up the Master Volume, and keep the Input Volume around the 8 to 9 o’clock position. The foundation of the Lightning is to produce a flawless clean sound, but as you increase the volume control you will start to get into clean and dynamic front end breakup. Turning the volume control all the up will give a perfect distortion sound without over saturation. This is ideal for a hard rock sound where clarity and presence is needed.”
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs. - เพลง
![THE TOYS x NONT TANONT - ดอกไม้ที่รอฝน (spring) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pPa1d5cC8M4/mqdefault.jpg)
What a glorious-sounding amplifier.
Its the player, the amp has nothing to do with it. He sounds killer through everything he plays.
@@sv.graaljosua1163 It because it speaks to us in a profound way!
@@equalleftrights3130 No its the amp..
@@equalleftrights3130 No it's the amp.
@@godzoo18 I think its the guitar cable.
This amp ended my search for the perfect amp! Still happy with mine all these years later
I think you have made my year! Sounds incredible- and compliments your playing and tele so well!
30 years on, and I still remember the first time I heard someone playing through a Matchless amplifier. I’d simply never heard anything like it. I just had no idea that a guitar could sound so full and expressive and 3-dimensional. A spiritual experience.
Great sound too (I loved sky king)! I never wrote that but I like to come back and watch some new video just to hear your playing. Amazing feel in your playing. :) cant wait what verdict on the best amp will be ;)
I have had a two rock for years and it sounds wonderfull. Now I bought a Marshall SV20C, and I totally get what you mean with the cut through in a band. Starting to allmost love it more than the 6 times the price two rock. Tried them together and heaven apeared.
Thanks Paul, always time well spent!
Just wanted to mention this: one time I brought my Matchless Lightning to a jam session where the other guys were playing solid state amps…the Matchless sounded like it was going through a chorus effect compared to the others due to the 3 dimensional sound it had! Also, they sit in the mix SO well!!
Ewww, I don't think I'd like a chorus effect. But 3d sounds nice
That's the perfect amp for that Tele, beautiful sound.
Great tone! Love this one.
A great demo. Really informative, practical and with no crappy filthy reverb and echo blues noodles like all the rest. What a relief.
The later half of your comment describes the rest of my videos perfectly.
I love the clarity of that sound! One of the guys in CHON is using the Lightning as well and it cuts through the mix like a knife through butter. But it still has that natural sounding tone. A real beauty!
Such divine tones!!
Pure tasty tone! Subscribed.
Truly wish I had this one in Tonex❤
Timeless guitar tone, absolutely beautiful.
Sounds beautiful!
That amp combo's really well with the Tele. BTW - Love that Tele!!!
Sounds killer man! Right up my alley as well!
Cheers Brett!
I am frustrated! I want your sound!!!! Great playing too! Best channel on YT!
Dream tones 🎸 combines perfectly with that awesome Tele ! 👌🏻
They are great sounding amps. I evaluated one a few years back but in the end chose a Bad Cat Cub IV15R.
Great tone! I really dig the Bad Cat amps as well. I saw a vid a few years ago where the owner of Bad Cat was talking with his pal (who happens to be a big time aerospace engineer). He says to his pal "I don't know". "I'm close but no cigar". So his pal (who never worked on amps before) said "Let me see the amp". "Well, I see the problem right now". I don't know what he did. But he did something. Big improvement.
That amp is definitely up my alley!
Damn Paul that intro sound/chords were killer
This one does sound lovely (as does the playing on that Tele!!). :) Makes me wonder how you'd get on with a Victory VC35 "Copper". (Also EL84....) Great video series!
The tones were beautiful. It’s hard to beat the sound of a good Tele through a great amp.
Fantastic little amp !!
sounds awesome !
I just sent this vid to my friend who's looking....phenomenal!
Man, those big frets look crazy good on that Tele! I bet bending is luscious feeling,,, That duo sounds beyond good too!
I want a Spitfire small box. But unfortunately here in Europe they are hard to come by. Wonderful video! Tks for sharing!
This is the tone in my head and in my hands
Incredible sound
Love the journey
Great sounding amp! I myself prefer the rounder Fender typ cleans but Marshall type OD and distortion. So I'm waiting on delivery of a Revv Dynamis 7-40. It's a 2 channels 40w amp that is apparently very loud. Loved the demos I've heard of it. Its distortioin channel is very veratile and the clean has all the headroom I need for the clean tones I go for but can also do edge of breakup. Can't wait! Finding the right amp is a hell of a process...
Great vid. I have an ac30cc2 which I bought on craigslist for $400. I can match this tone exactly with the blue channel of the protein pedal in the front. I did put blues in the cc2 though, that's a large part of this tone.
Incredible!! If possible, make a capture of it on Neural please!!
This video started auto playing after another video had ended and that opening riff made me turn my head like "what is this amp?!" Those cleans are just too good.
that sounds awesome
Great amp that with the tone king in stereo!!!! bit of vib on the tone thats a sound:)
Hey Paul, what a fantastic sounding amp, and your phrasing and dynamics are wonderful! Have you ever tried the Swart Antares?
Sounded killer!
Unfortunately I missed my opportunity to get a Matchless about a year ago. It was a 30 watt version of a Spitfire. I did end up a 65 Amps Marquee in its place though, and that is my favorite amp.
The amp sounds great because you're a great player 🔌🎸🔉🔊
This series has gotten onto my feed, and I feel like this is one the better amps? The Sky King was also pretty amazing. Reality of using a ‘smaller’ amp with pedals just makes more sense. Getting great OD sounds from the amp is also cool, and sometimes better…? But, most people stack, so multichannel amps present almost too many options.
Getting your sound together with pedals, and then having an excellent sounding base is a great way to go.
Bought one in 2009, and it’s been my only amp since.
The Vox style sound, with refinement is my favorite tone. Kind of a 70% Vox, 30% Marshall with control over mids.
I am interested to see the next amp you try. Part of me is hopefully by to see a 65 Amp Soho or Producer. A Dr. Z Z Wreck Jr is also a beast. Jackson Newcastle, Gabriel Voxer and less common Traynor YGM-3 vintage amp.
Perfect tone is an endless chase. That's why my starting point is what weight won't have me dreading long hauls to and from the stage while getting the job done. That's a heavy beast for a fifteen watt.
I know what you mean! I have a Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne. It's the best sounding amplifier that Mesa ever produced imo. While it's my go to #1 amp, the thing weighs almost 100 pounds (45kg), and it's so difficult to get up and down my stairs that I usually just bring my old Fender DRRi lol
Amazing and beautiful
Thanks a lot 😊
I quite liked that one more than the Independent it had more bells ! sounded sweet 👍
thanks Paul, your videos always are useful to me. Im going to check this out. Thats curious that its so loud at 15. Glad you surch has come to an end but you and I both know it neer ends lol. thanks as always
I owned one of these! If you play a Telecaster this is one of the best amps to pair with IMO.
I have an ORIGINAL Lightning Reverb - have owned it for about 20 years. It is a great sounding amp! The best!
That's awesome brother!
Outstanding amp for a Strat too.
You really surprised me, with this one. Said it before, will say it again- top hat more specifically the super deluxe el34, right up your street. Brian at top hat even gave phil from matchless a job when things went bad there for a while.
My Matchless Clubman is my “die with” amp. Many have come before it and I’ve bought many after it since I no longer take it on gigs but my Clubman is the best of the best.
beautiful amp. now about that relic’d shell pink lovely????!!
the lick around 7:20 is so beautiful
The best sounding combo amp I have ever owned was a Matchless Lightning. It didn't have reverb but I regret selling it to this day. I will get another.
Hi Paul, you're better stop believing of an end of searching the perfect amp.There will be always another one which could be better... I swear, I can't count all this supposedly perfect amps anymore... Realy love watching your channel! Bert from Germany
Cheers Bert, it’s true, but the hunt is the fun part.
That intro though😳
Beautiful. Kind of on the AC30 vibe, but has its own unique tone
Sounds great
What is the chain signal
I hear delays also
Thx
Some incredible tones there. Did you record this with the line out or micing the speaker?
Great job
How are we hearing this? Are mixing pro tools with outboard gear
Or is it straight on mixed or 🎤
Thx D
Does sound nice. I do like the OD by pushing the amp volume up better than using a pedal. Sounds more natural somehow.
Absolutely. Pedals just attempt to mimic what an amp does naturally. I bought an amp with power scaling (which is NOT an attenuator) and found it to be invaluable. Great breakup flat out or bedroom volume and everywhere in between. I haven't used an overdrive pedal since I bought it. Don't need one. When buying an amp, effects like reverb, delay, wah, etc aside, I don't think the question should be "how does it take pedals?" but rather "how many pedals can I get rid of?"
Sounds amazing. This has been asked a few times here in the comments but no answer. What speaker is in this one? Thanks
Great Sound !! Which microphone you used ? thanks
When you did the Marshall Gov Pedal video just recently you ran it into your matchless HC 30. Will it sound the same if you do that into this 15 W amp? Because that Marshall sound was freaking unbelievable. I’m wondering if the sample take it as well.
Do you still have the ÷13 head? I hear some similarities here. Matchless is without a doubt a brilliant amp, but if you still have the ÷13 you have this sound covered..... Loved this series of clips. I guess what has been discovered here is that you definitely have a type. Cleanish Vox type sound, thats boostable for drive and lead. Good luck with your continued search
This is the best I’ve heard this amp sound, and makes me want to purchase one. I borrowed one for a few days and didn’t like the flubby bass but that might just be humbucking pickups, Tele sounds spectacular….. Curious if your recording setup has something to do with this, does it sound this good in the room?
Wondering the same as well. Heard one in the room the other day and it sounded nothing like this, but I do realize there are wild numbers of variables at play..
Those frets look massive
Going to add to the quad cortex library for us?! :)
Very nice sound. Really nice. How much?
That tele sounded like church bells. Sweet sweet tone from the amp.
Have you looked at the Budda verbmaster 18. The original hand wired model before Pevey
Curious what would be your pick between this and a bad cat cub? If that's even a comparison. I watched your Cub 3 video not too long ago and I was thinking about getting the newer version. But then I hear this and it sounds pretty good
WE need a Kemper Performance of this ASAP.
Hey mate, what mic and preamp did you use here? Sounds sublime!
You should move to Rumble! Great info!
Listening to you play, and, boom, I am off and running on a search for a jellyfish aquarium lamp.
Mate they’re the nuts Amazon £15
How awesome is a Lightening? Matchless makes amazing amps 👍
Not boutique but would be really interested in your thoughts on the Peavey Delta Blues 210. I get some of those vibes from this video.
I have one of these (older style with the blue tweed) and I have to disagree. I've never been able to get these tones, but I bought mine with upgraded ragin Cajun speakers.
It’s great, but I would highly recommend you try a Magnatone head before you end your search.
Do you think you're going to try one of the C15 or C30 amps now that you've had this?
Sounds killer......
You must have swapped with someone going through hard times or just not knowledgeable in their gear. These are worth their weight in gold. Absolutely regret selling mine to this day and it’s been over 10 years. Beautiful sounding amplifier tools.
Just got the head. Like it a lot more than the spitfire. Have both going to sell the spitfire. Both are great but this one has much more customizable tone. Bass and treble goes a long way vs a knob that just says tone.
That guitar is incredible, details?
Sounds fantastic. I still remember plugging into a Lightning Reverb, probably 15 years ago. I was speechless at how much there was to each note over and above the fundamental note, how you could still hear all of that when playing a chord and how much feel their was under the fingers. At the time, these were beyond what I could justify financially, but I could probably stretch now and make this a bucket list thing. This really has reminded me again of that experience. A question .... now I know these sound glorious when turned up a bit, but how do they do at lower (home) volume, at edge of break-up with the output dialled back via the master? (Hard to try one myself as there's only one shop in Sydney that sells them, and stock there is thin at the best of times ... non-existent at the moment)
So you're telling me the first 4 min of this video is without pedals? If thats the case, this amp incredible!
Beautiful sound! Can we get a Tonex capture?
Possibly
You said the most important thing: it's YOUR opinion! For me the best amp of all time is my Mesa Boogie Mk5 35-watt combo amp! So versatile and a real pedal platform if you need it for doing cover band work. You can contour the tone and output of EACH channel to suit yourself. A bit pricey, but as they say: "You get what you pay for" and Mesa gives you the absolute best quality!
Same for me, a Marshall, 4 Mesa amps, fender hotrod.
My mk2c and Nomad have ability to alter the tone in a multitude of ways and Mesa express I use for most gigs as it weighs much less.
Most reliable and flexible amps out there. The market is somewhat flooded with new one trick ponies.
@Brett no they don't, I was a tech years ago. The components are up to scratch and good quality. Pots get a little scratchy as they all do over time. Changed one op amp (LDR) in a Mk3 years back. My mk2 still using the original filter caps after 34years and going strong.
Later circuit board changes no different from other brands.
I suggest you try a 65amps Ventura if you can find one.
What a beast! Have you ever given a Morgan AC-type a run out? Wonder where they sit in the scheme of things?
I’ve had friends that have had them, they sound great, but go through valves like my wife and a bottle of wine.
@@TheStudioRats one bottle or two? Asking for a friend. 😘
Sounds just like my Vox NT 15 Night Train on clean, but NT 15 has way more usable dirt tones built in.
This is an awesome 3D sounding amp. Do you still have it? I'd pay good money for a collection of your profiles of this amp and others for NAM.
Paul you should try the prs mt15 amp , you r gona love it
Already done, there’s a vid on the channel
Awesome job! What speaker is in the combo - Matchless greenback or g12h30? I've been holding off grabbing one of these as it's so hard to find good clips - this one nailed it for me - just what I was looking for thanks!
Please make a paid capture library of this Matchless Lightning for NAM (Neural Amp Modeler)