Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: math2014 on April 27, 2006, 06:52:41 PM
-
Hi all,
After a long amp search i think that theoretically the 1224mkII should be the ideal "bedroom to band-practice" amp for me. PtP turret board, loads of valve options etc etc.
I got 2 main questions , or 3 actually.
1. Is the master volume that good (as an Orange RV50) for low volume practicing? (the RV50 is ace at this)
2. The build quality, is it really as good as it looks? Tank built for years of trouble free roadworthy operation and easy servicing with a solder iron and good knowledge? (comparatively to PCB amps)
3. Will it cover Zeppelin, Who, Cream, GnR, Sabbath etc?
I heard the following clips
http://www.matamp.co.uk/Matamp_Clean.mp3
http://www.matamp.co.uk/Matamp_OD2.mp3
http://www.matamp.co.uk/Matamp_OD3.mp3
http://www.matamp.co.uk/Matamp_OD5.mp3
Now if the amp can do the above tones at conversation level, i ll "walk" from Devon to W.Yorkshire to buy one...
I am looking forward to your advice.
PS. Is the customer service good?
-
No idea about the volume thing, but that thing sounds awesome to my ears, I'd go for it, and get a hotplate if it doesnt sound that great with the master down.
-
whereabouts are those soundclips on the actual webpage? I had a look around and couldn't find them!
-
http://www.matamp.co.uk/MATAMP1224.htm
:) more clips of the 1224 on this page, i had to fish it out traditionally through google.
I already have an 8ohm hotplate.
What do you think about long term reliability user serviceablity and customer service?
-
I think you should listen to the guys on the Matamp forum!! :D
PS get it it's a great amp, with a hotplate you'll have no problems whatsoever, plus as you know it's switchable wattage. You'll love it, and it should be reliable - they're a work of art inside!
-
thanks for the link! :D
-
why are yu worried about bedroom level sounds if yu already have the hotplate? i don't like the clips much - it sounds harsh and sorta fuzzy...
-
I know I WANT ONE.....! :(
-
Well i am worried about the master volume because i want to use just a couple of clicks with the hotplate if needed. With the Laney LC30 i have to use -12db of attenuation to get it down where i want it (and its still loud), whereas the Orange RV50 for example was more "silent" even without the hotplate.
-
Those clips aren't great - sounds much better in the flesh. Come to LGS and try one for yourself!
-
Man, I like the second clip. Not so bad at all.
Agree that the recording might not bring across the real thing, but how could I tell, never experienced it?
I just thought I'd be cured and now I have GAS again :(
-
Have they increased the price by 80% since 2003?
Here it says GBP 649,- on the guitarist review
http://www.matamp.co.uk/history1.htm
And now it's >1,000 GBP !!
-
Well compare the price of Steel, wood, plastic and oil since 2003...
Hayden, is the MV good? ie can i get the tone of the clips at low volumes?
-
Have they increased the price by 80% since 2003?
Here it says GBP 649,- on the guitarist review
http://www.matamp.co.uk/history1.htm
And now it's >1,000 GBP !!
I think that's for the combo version.
As for the customer service at Matamp, there's none better. They're practically the BKP of amp making. I heard Ralph jamming on one of those amps while I was picking up the C7 combo they had, and it sounded brilliant. It's really worth taking a trip to the factory if you can manage it since you're really treated well and'll be given a great idea of exactly how the amp sounds, all the options you can have for it, etc, etc etc.
I doubt I'll own another companys amps after dealing with Matamp.
-
Well i ll try to find sometime to visit the factory. I hope i could try one in Devon to get an idea before hand.
Any impressions on low vol performance?
If Matamp is the BKP of amps, then i thing it settles all concerns with respect to build quality and customer service...
-
Have they increased the price by 80% since 2003?
Here it says GBP 649,- on the guitarist review
http://www.matamp.co.uk/history1.htm
And now it's >1,000 GBP !!
They didn't price including VAT or shipping in the review
£649 + VAT=762.50+£30 /40 shipping
Transformers are about 3 times the price, as is the stainless chassis, labour is very expensive in the UK. Prices had to go up to allow the business to survive and pay for R&D on new models, independent safety testing to satisfy the EU etc.....profit has not really increased!! If anything it's gone down. Perhaps it should have been a gradual increase but the company held off for as long as possible. But you are getting an amp made with premium components, you're not getting one loaded with far east circuit boards screwed together in the UK!
Matamp prices are still under Ashdown's Hayden range that Matamp designed for them (name thieves...)
-
Matamps are really cool but like any valve amp you only get the 'real' sound when its driven flat out ie power valve saturation (if distorted sounds are what you want of course) so a hot plate or similar power soak is needed. I've found that these do afftect tone in different ways according to amp type so as you say, better test it out first.
-
Matamp prices are still under Ashdown's Hayden range that Matamp designed for them (name thieves...)
Yes, but at 1050 GBP they are competing in a completely different league. Buying the amp for 650GBP however, is almost a no-brainer.
650GBP (= 999EUR) is where I usually draw the line for a tube top, unless one day I'm going to be able to afford (and crank up) an SLO-100 ...
-
Those clips aren't great - sounds much better in the flesh. Come to LGS and try one for yourself!
Ohhhh I'll be there hayden; dying to try some matamps 8)
-
Well at 1050 they compare to Orange Rockerverbs which are pcb.
If you compare the Matamps to Mojave, Rivera, Mesa, Cornford etc... they are then reasonably priced.
-
Matamps just used to be CHEAP - I often wondered how the hell they were making anything on them at all. If you look at the replacement transformer companies, they have all put their prices up recently due to rising costs of the metal used in their production.
At £1000, Matamps are VERY good value for money - where else can you take the amp back and get them to tweak it to your taste too? Look at the price of Cornford amps, you're talking £1500+ for their 50w heads. Dennis Cornell has been knocking out some tasty amps for years too but his prices are fairly hefty.
:twisted:
-
When I called the factory a couple of weeks ago they were just waiting on the delivery of new 'EU compliant' transformers...it's a safety thing I think, all I know for sure is that they end up significantly bigger than the old ones, and so woud presumably be more expensive. Matamp haven't put the prices up to compensate for that though :)
-
i hope not...
-
I just tried a Cornford Carrera... sounded very good at the volumes i want (MV at 2oclock gain at 3oclock hi input).
I wonder if the 1224 could do an "as good" or better job at similar volume/settings.
-
Well, having played low wattage amps from both Matamp and Cornford, I would deffinitely say I prefered the Matamp. That's not to say there's anything wrong with cornford, they do some good stuff, but I just find the Matamp does what I want better. I can't speak for the bigger models however, but I'd imagine it'd be much the same story.
I think considering the price of even some mass produced amps, like Fender and Marshall etc, that Matamp offer exceptional value for money. You get what you pay for and then some, and you can't really put a price on the kind of customer service you recieve, they're top blokes.
-
There is one for sale in ebay in NEAT CONDITION
(GAS)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7422710277