Sorry Guys, Only just found this topic, still recovering from a very eventful night on another Forum that I frequent. Means I'll be spending MUCH more time here from now on. :lol:
OK: Over the years I have (more or less) used Matamps exclusively and feel very fortunate that I found them as early on as I did. It certainly saved me considerable time and effort, not to mention MONEY.
Overall, the range has changed beyond belief over the last 10 years or so, BUT always for The Good.
Froglord is quite correct in saying that THE Matamp Sound is Crisp and Clear.
But do not let that mislead you! We are talking about an almost "Hi-Fi" Quality to the sound, which is hardly surprising when one considers Matamps Origins.
They have the same "Open" Sound that one so often hears when people are attempting to describe a Bare Knuckle Pickup. This means that the "definition" of Each Note is still there, No Matter What you are using in the way of Boosts etc, or, come to that if you are running your Matamp at pretty near Meltdown!
A perfect example (In Layman's Terms) would be a comment I heard made by a Good Friend of mine recently.....He is a very recent convert to The School of Matamp by the way. He said, " Marshall's Shout, Fender's Spit and Snarl whilst Matamp's Purr." He was a longtime Marshall and Fender Guy who has literally had his whole thinking changed by the arrival of my Matamp C7 Head and Alnico Blue Loaded 1X12. I sent it over to him in Canada with all manner of different Valves to try and he is HOOKED.
As Froglord said, It isn't unusual to use a Pedal or two with a Matamp, mainly because they do have Tremendous Headroom and things do get a bit loud....or can do.
The Mini Mat has been spoken about, as has the "First Lady" (The Successor to the C7). The Range can accomodate just about every player's desires as far as Wattage is concerned. The King Street is an absolutely Out Standing Amp, gaining Huge Popularity and about to make another Big Leap as The King Street Major finally becomes a regular part of the Line.
The 1224. What's left to be said about this amp? It has fast become probably the Biggest Seller in The Range. I'd guess that the most current versions have to be one of the most Flexible Amps around. I had one of the very First Ones and thought it to be wonderful, BUT, because I am a Sad Old Git and getting on in Years....I preferred the V28, which was a Rather more Simple equivalent. It did not share the Switching Facilities of the 1224, but the SOUND!!!!! Oh My Lord....That Sound!
I have a GT1 which has been modded to meet my personal requirements and I have covered this elsewhere so rather than repeat all that I'd suggest you take a look in other threads here in the Amp Section?
Right: I play mainly Blues and Blues Rock with the occasional foray into Country Picking. The GT1 can handle any of these with absolutely No Problem. The Blues styles that I tend to use are similar to Mick Abrahams (Blodwyn Pig & Jethro Tull) Rory Gallagher, Clapton, Roy Buchanon and of course Peter Green.
Rock would be Wishbone Ash, Floyd, Skynyrd, Early ZZ Top, Kansas, EARLY Whitesnake, Camel, etc. So I tend to use a sound that is basically "fairly" clean, by which I mean it isn't drenched in Gain. My All Time Favourite Guitar Sound has been Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, so the GT1 was a No Brainer as the vehicle with which to start? Then I can go through to a Dirtier Sound just by Hitting a Switch. Thanks again to Dave Green's understanding of exactly what I wanted to achieve I can cover just about ANY of the above without even thinking about any Stomp Boxes.
You want to get Dirtier? NO Problem. Using a Modded TS9 I can go straight into (shudders) Guns and Roses etc.
I run my GT1 through a 2X12 loaded with Celestion Hot 100s. These Speakers would NOT be my recommendation if say you permenently want to be doing a more Rock Flavoured thing, but for what I do and what I want, they are tremendous. I really thought that I'd have Alnico Blues again until I spoke to Dave and Jeff and they steered me to the Hot 100s and I am delighted.
Again.....As Froglord does, I use an RC Booster, which is Permenantly "On" no matter what Amp I have. Ever since this Pedal became available it has been my "Must Have" part of my sound. I gather that I use mine in a slightly different way to some in as much as I use mine as a Clean Boost.
Back in the early 70's through to the Mid 80's I was Gigging all over Europe using 2.....Yes 2 Matamp 120 Heads into Four 4X12s!!!!!!!!!!
Overkill or what? LOL BUT, They Never Broke Down, they ALWAYS sounded Great no matter where we were Gigging and My Lord....They were Loud. We were at that time becoming The Most Forgotten about Band in the so called "New Wave of British Heavy Rock" and supported countless Name Bands, My Matamps always were sought after by the Name Bands Guitarists and they were always wanting to use My Rig for their Set.
OK, enough! I LOVE em....But you have gathered that?
There isn't anywhere that I am aware of that can offer the Service that Matamp do. Where can you go and just say I want the Amp to Do This and That, Have this feature or whatever, and then get it at a Highly Affordable Price?
Cheer's
Rob
