The trip to the Matamp factory was deffinitely worth the time, trainfare, and odd scowls from a young korean lady who decided to sit opposite me then secretly resent me for being there.
The guys at Matamp are bloody ace, I knew they had a good rep, but they really made me feel at home which was awesome of them. Even got me from the station! I ended up playing a C7 in combo form (black and silver) which was a prototype, and it's awesome. It's the most responsive, toneful little box I've played hands down. I can deffinitely see how that thing ended up with a Guitarist Gold award.
Also, (for Twilight Oddysey) while I was there I didn't play one, but Ralph was testing one of the 1224 combos out and it sounded absolutely killer. He's a blinding guitar player too. It was like rock and jazz and slap bass all rolled into one sort of "thing". But the sounds, both dirty and clean were great, but it's something you have to play or at least hear to really understand.
It's really cool how the factory is set out too, it really is probably the last place making amps like that, seeing it all was really good, and they make a great cup of tea. The bit where they make their cabs is inhabited by a half finished dalek of all things! :lol:
I now need look no further than Huddersfield for all my amplification needs. Incidently, I think the rail companies are comitting robbery. I'll have to check, but I've a suspicion getting a flight from luton to manchester than getting the train straight from there to huddersfield may have been cheaper! I know I could have gone to Dublin, Amsterdam, or Prague twice for what I paid. :lol:
But all in all I had a great time, got a great amp, and everyone at Matamp was really excellent to me.