Matchless Independence 35 - Could This Be The Perfect Amp?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ต.ค. 2024
- I'm on the hunt for my forever amp. I'm this pursuit I've tried the Two Rock Classic Reverb Signature, the Divided By 13 RSA23, and next in line is The Matchless Independence 35. The Matchless Independence 35 is a 3 channel EL34 amp from the master amp builders at Matchless. In this video, I see if this is the amp I've been dreaming of. 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.
#matchlessamplification #matchlessindependence35 #matchlessamps
Quickly becoming one of my go players / channels on YT.
Smart guy,..Excellent player and very informative !
This helps me with my decision on this amp.
I saw a kid using one of these about a month ago at a country show and was blown away at the tone he was getting. I wish I could afford one.
very classy tone. sweet and warm.
Great to hear it with a full band scenario
I’m in total agreement with the Matchless. But as another suggested, I would probably try out a couple more. Specifically the SLO. And as was said in the live chat, a comparison (not really) to the Katana to see if you could get it into the ballpark. I love what you do with the Katana. Always interesting to see a matchup and discuss the ups and downs. It’s really hard for me to give up my Katana 😊
Cheers for the suggestion Mike. I’ve never really liked SLO’s but I will check it out again.
I had one of these years ago and it was an incredible amp. Only sold it as mine didn’t have a loop. Now I am back looking for another one with a loop on it.
honestly, there is a lot of good amps around.
For me, the Carol-Ann od2 with it's fendery first channel and british-american softmixed second, was the perfect machine for me.
And those excellents divided by 13 are strong with the force.
what I specially respect with matchless is the build quality. Lots of boutique amp Makers are compromizing nowadays. Matchless stays right on it's course.
Definitely my favourite of the 3, the clean with the tele is unbelievable and the drive channels sound epic, I preferred them with gain rolled back a little. Think you had it set up perfectly 👍
That’s one of the best drive sounds I’ve ever heard (channel 3).
I LOVE the EL34 based Matchless amps... the Chieftain has the most amazing deep powerful tones... Next best thing to a 100W Marshal Plexi
Dear Paul,
beeing beyond 40 now, I realise how important sound really is. I love your channel and the unbiased approach you take. Your amp demonstrations are unbelievably helpful in my journey towards finding "my" tone. Your playing is fantastic too. You have such a great tone. The attack, the open chords, the licks in between are so well played that I take these as lesson for playing too. I wonder if I could tell you apart from Tim Pierce in a blind test... Thank you so much for your work and effort! Chris from Bavaria
Cheers Chris, much appreciated. Tim Pierce is on another level.
Sounds great and I like that tele.
As a amp buider n tweaker since 1992. Sounds like a Marshall 1959 sorta set up, w/one XTRA stage for lead, Fender front end..very kool!
Jesus man, it sounds like heaven😍
Beautiful sounds and looks that sparkle!
That Matchless sounds killer! Some other killed amps: 65 Amps Soho is one of the best, Gabriel Voxer, Dr Z Zwreck, Carr Slant 6V, Dr Z Route 66 (for a completely different amp style). So many great amps. My favorite general amp is the Frenzel AC530.
Cheers for the suggestion
Congrats Paul!
That is a truly versatile amp, but your playing amplifies (no pun intended) it’s features. Love those open chords and you brilliant melodic ideas.
May I ask what pickups you have on your Telecaster? Thank you.
Sounds really smooth and nice, not spikey or fizzy in the slightest. The weight and the value of it would deter me from taking it to gigs. Amazing for recording tho no doubt.
Really great sounding amp, but what I especially enjoy is the riffs and the licks in these demos. I want to slow things down and get some of those licks under my fingers.
Hi Paul - how does this compare the a plexi? Or the blugamp1? Im looking for at great amp and I like the clean of a vox but the drive from a Marshall. I have tried victory v40 and Drz Maz 18. But so far not found the glassy open tone I like? Thanks for your hard work!
The Amp 1 is great, sounds just like what you are looking for.
Your quickly becoming my favorite go to for guitar tones! Your green strat is to die for!I am seriously considering using that color for my personal partscaster! Love the vibe of all your guitars. The pink telacaster is sick also! My bank account wont fund so meny treasures. Every channel an the matchless was stunning. With all the products available today... I still crave the sound and feel of a 59 basseman I played as a kid. Fender really got it right the first time! Marshall plexi and a good stratacaster, with a tube screamer pushing the front of the amp is almost as good. And in lots of cases, cheaper the some modern amps.
Cheers Ron. I had to sell the pink Tele to get the green one. Let us know how the parts caster turns out.
I like your interpretation of Sting :)
I agree: the Matchless is the best of the three and it's a fantasic amp - sounds great and it's versatile. I've been chasing the perfect sound - which includes a perfect amp - for many years and don't seem to be able to find it. At times the chase is a lot of fun but then again it can be very frustrating. This Amp1 seems to be worth trying
After getting Amp1 all my other amps are left unused. Fender 66 Bandmaster, AC30 (70’s with silver Alnico’s), Mesa Lonestar, Marshall Astoria & Tiny Terror. They will get used again but haven’t felt the need to since Amp1 arrived.
I’ve built a Do-It-All board around the Amp1 with analog fuzz/drive and Hx Effect & HxStomp for effects, speaker sim & stereo operation. Amp1 worth a look! Depending on your need AmpX is due for release 2022.
I alway feel the chase is more fun.
Oh hail yeah... All of these amps sound great!
Some awesome tones here. I have a Laurel Canyon and a Chieftain, and I feel like this would be a great compliment to those two.
just wondering...if you have chieftain why would you need this one? you have a bigger headroom and 1 channel with great tone
20 seconds in... "The Predator has Paul in his sights..."
Great video Paul. I’m not familiar with matchless but I am definitely going to look into it. How versatile.
Try to get your hands on a Matchless DC30 from the Sampson era 👍🙂
what cab do you use in the two notes studio?
I love the sound of this amp a lot! It would be interesting to see a video where you would try emulate the sound of your different amps with a software like S Gear.
Nice playing and a great review. I had the 2x12 combo for about 6 months and it has a divine clean tone, but I found the dirty channels to be not as good. It didnt take pedals very well either. However built like a tank and almost worth the price only for the clean channel.
Great video, sounds amazing. Gotta know what Telecaster you're playing??
how do you compare it to Chieftain(sound) i wan`t to buy it and looking at this amp it`s kinda not neccesery having all the channels if you have 1 great....hope Chieftain is a good pedal platform with overdrives
I’ve gotta buy one of these
Any chance this amp might get capture for the Cortex?? Such an amazing sounding amp--all three channels!
I would take a serious look at the new Magnatone amps. They blew me away.
Thanks for the video! Love your technique 👍
Definitely considering this Amp. You said you were having a problem running a reverb pedal in the effects loop. Curious, what was the issue and did you resolve it?
I didn’t resolve it. Basically the fx loop in a matchless is pants.
@@TheStudioRats
Thanks for your reply. That has been the concern that’s kept me from pulling the trigger.
@@TheStudioRats try a dumbleator outboard FX style loop Vox made one too....
The 3rd power Kitchen Sink is maybe the closest to having it all
I’ve been looking for this amp for quite a long time. Where did you locate one if you don’t mind me asking?
Sure, i got it from Renegade Guitars in the UK
@@TheStudioRats is it a newer/current model?
I noticed you indicated the matching cabinet “came with the head”?
On their website it’s a separate purchase. But I can’t find their cabinets loaded with the 25 watt Greenbacks that yours sport.
On Matchless’ website, the cabinet speakers are listed as Creambacks.
All I know is your amp and speaker cab sound fantastic.
What about also considering the new ( 2020) Two Rock TS1 which has a clean and an OD channel? I've been very impressed by what i have heard.
Would be interested to hear what the problems you are/were running into plugging a reverb pedal into the effects loop?
When connecting a reverb pedal to the fx loop. The clean channel sounds as it should, the overdrive channels loose clarity and punch. I’m not sure if this is a fault or a valve issue.
Does anyone happen to know if changing channels flips the phase? I have C15 head which does this, but it depends on the number of gain stages.
Would you try a fuchs amp someday? Digging the more beefy El34 tone.
Yes I’d like to.
Did you do a tone x capture?
One speaker was 30 watts, and the other 25 watts. So, I think only 1 of the 2 speakers is a Matchless treated Greenback. The other must be a V30 or H30.
Beautiful sound. Would be Keen to hear your opinion on a Morgan amp if you’ve played one.
I look into the Morgans Colin, cheers.
I played and gigged with the Matchless Chieftain, also El34 based. I bought an Independence 35 and ran them head to head on stage. The Chief is the same wattage. The Chief sounds much warmer and better to my earls and that of my band. Check out the Chief. It is a better Amp!
SLO 30 is really all you'll ever need ....
D 13 sounds the best for what I like.. Im not sure it gets any better than the RSA 23 or BTR 23. Very classic sound between Vox and Marshall but has it's own thing. One of the very best I've heard.
Agree! I have an RSA 23 and an FTR 37. By the way, in case you weren't aware, Fred deliberately wired the two channels of the RSA 23 out of phase, this means you get some INCREDIBLE tone possibilities when you jump the channels. Try the two volumes at the same level and take it from there.
@@thegreatriffs2552 Oh wow I didn't that. Fred has some great ears. Interesting that the channels being out of phase with each other that it would yield some amazing tones jumped together. I would have never guessed. I want an RSA because of the 2 channels but I do like that the BTR has a master and supposedly a tad more gain. I wonder if he could just make an RSA 23 but with both channles of course but also the changes he made to the BTR like the master and a tad more gain. Not that I would really need more gain but I thought the BTR sounded a tad more present too.
it's made of pure want. I can see why you like it so much.
Nice!
Okay... this is the amp I will be getting!
I really like the matchless but I found the perfect amp for me. It’s a Carol Ann OD-2 100w EL34 (paired with a 1x12 cab with s EV12. If you ever get a chance to try a Carol Ann, do it. Nice demo a usual.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about those Carol Ann’s cheers for the tip!
Yup, my Carol Ann OD-2 with 6L6 into a carol ann 1x12 with redback scratched my clean itch for a loooooong time! Great amp!
The speakers is mismatched. It’s a g12h30 and a g12m25. Great demo 👍🏼
So Paul, right now in Sept 2024, what would you say is your "forever amp"?
@@katsafone I would say the amp I would never part with is my Amplified Nation Overdrive Reverb, it’s now called a Phoenix Fury.
Amp distortion doesn't normally beat a good distortion pedal but I think this one does,it's brilliant!!! if I bought this amp I wouldn't have any pedals as I wouldn't need any,well done Matchless.
I think a well made amp designed to distort will ALWAYS beat a distortion pedal. This is a great example of that.
I owned an Independence 35 around 10 years ago & i have to say it didn’t sound like this! I found the overdrive channels too harsh & unforgiving… I suspect Matchless have re-voiced the amp since then… sounds killer now! Anyone know if this is the case?
Thats strange as I wouldn’t say this one sounds harsh at all.
@@TheStudioRats Indeed- yours sounds REALLY nice… mine sounded quite ‘ratty’ - the clean channel was really good mind… just didn’t like the overdrives… I actually traded it for a FUCHS ODS (which you have to try btw) a Dumble style circuit… much happier…
I see this amp head is up for sale on Facebook marketplace! Too pricey for me, but someone will want it...
I had a look, I can’t see it for sale. I’m selling an HC15 but that’s a different amp.
How are you able to demo these?
Try the Bludotone Joyese and South Saturn Delta!
Paul, that’s the last amp you’ll ever need. It does it all.
Gotta try a boogie before this quest is over surely? Lonestar/special or Mk5, killer amps
I really fancy trying out the Loanstar, I had a mk5 for a while and it wasn’t really my thing.
@@TheStudioRats I bought my Lonestar from Dan Hawkins of the Darkness (thoroughly nice guy) it was incredible, with BB preamp in front and on board reverb was stella!
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Are u gonna try the Soldano?
Ive never really liked the Soldano sound but maybe ill check them out again
@@TheStudioRats cool.
I think u should just stay Katana.
U sound the the same on that Tele on most amps...
Katana cheaper ...save your cash
I would prefer a 2 channel with different tone controls! I have yet to hear a 3 channel sound good in all positions with the same tone settings!
This is really a 2 channel amp with and extra gain stage. Channels 2 and three are identical and share the same eq
Rivera. No Rivera? In this company, get your hands on a Rake head. Could be perfect ... was good enough for Jay Graydon.
This amp reminds me of my Bad Cat Cub 40R. Sounds beautiful!
Yes it’s definitely got some similarities
Mezzabarba
There is no perfect amp, there is only a perfect amp for a particular situation. If you want versatility just go with a high class modeller, they are good enough and if you want to have one sound then any of the things you recently reviewed can do "the thing" for today but will it do tommorrow? That's a question only your psyche can answer. Anyway the sound is gorgeous as is the playing
agree 100%!
But this one is arguably the most versatile amp, from clean to crunch to high gain.
Not even ten seconds in and the answer is yes… that’s the perfect amp
There is a serious amount of post production/effects on this. I don't actually know what this amp sounds like 'raw' For all the public know, there could be £1000's worth of effects/studio equipment enhancing the sound....
I’m adding reverb post the mic thats it. I dont really understand your comment. I’m a music producer, so I will show how an amp sounds how it would sound in a track.
To me this is rock amp. I need a blues amp. I also need a jazz tube amp not a wimpy solid state.
You look very sweet, playing a "PINK" tele. Kisses sweetie.😙
They are biased to run too hot for my liking.
Man your Marshall SV sounds better
But it has no mid control… get a top hat super deluxe, thank me later.
And nor does an AC30 but ive never heard any complaints about lack of mids.
@@TheStudioRats but the mids knob on said amp let’s you switch between fender, vox and Marshall sounds all in one amp, which make it extremely flexible.
You get what you pay for in this instance
the best amp that i've ever played