Matamp 1224 MkII opinions?

[HJM]

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...)

[DeanS]

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.

[hunter]

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 ...

[indysmith]

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)

[math2014]

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.

[HTH AMPS]

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:

[Underground_Player]

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  :)

[math2014]

i hope not...

[math2014]

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.

[The amazing Phil]

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.

[hunter]

There is one for sale in ebay in NEAT CONDITION
(GAS)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7422710277