Matchless Nighthawk Reverb 1x12 combo review demo

[@bigleemac]

My Matchless has been gigged for the past 5 years in hot humid venues, outdoors in a field, at a Marshall sponsored guitar festival (Where it stole the show according to many), its been everywhere in the back of my car, it's had knocks that would dislodge the valves from most amps and carried on performing, it has never missed a beat...ever! If you think these are "cork sniffing" amps you are incredibly misinformed, they are among the best built pro quality amps in the world, hence the price tag, I have previously used Marshall, Fender, Mesa, Cornford, Orange, EVH and Two Rock, all of them had shortcomings of one sort or another, Matchless are, for me, the best out of the lot.

[@Almogmonn]

Lee McDonald Please enlighten me on the Two Rock shortcomings.. I'm currently deciding between Two Rock and Matchless and some insight would be helpful. Thanks!

[@vminator]

I feel the same way about my DC30. I will be buried with it when I pass, hah.

[@52Tele]

The best reviews are done by these guys...they stick to the product and deliver the best.

[@flips220]

No kidding. The quality of their reviews are top notch. I watch everything, regardless if I'm actually interested in the particular product or not, just because they do that good of a job. Brief, informative, and very high production value. Makes things like Guitar World look like a joke.

[@davidkieltyka9]

Nicely done. I wouldn't have minded hearing the Master turned up a bit for more singing EL84 tones, but I understand focusing on the EF86 as it's not featured in many modern production amps.

[@tomtigerwoods]

This is the actual amp which I bought from World Guitars 3 months ago. I have been gigging with it since then using a Stratocaster, Gibson 339 and a PRS Studio. It makes everything sound great even at low volumes. I think my search for the perfect amp may be over!

[@Quicksilver_Cookie]

Tones at around 3 minute mark are really sweet.

[@mikelundquist4596]

I was at NAMM in about 1988 and wandered into their booth. Plugged into an amp and was trying to get a tone when the then owner, Rick I believe, came over and asked what I thought. I just said that it's not really what I was looking for. He looked a little disappointed. I have always felt bad, because I didn't give it a fair shake. Since then, almost immediately, they have been a favorite amp of mine.

[@Tonetwisters]

Super sweet guitar choices, ace! The heavy chord distortion of this amp vacuums. Clean is fabulous.

[@xankyxankyxanky]

what a fantastic tone!

[@thunderbirdted]

unfortunately for some reason people don't ever turn the master all the way up on all these amp demos

[@slickcross]

I love the sound of the stereo drum kit. very nice. Best heard while wearing headphones.

[@ebbulk]

Great sound!

[@jeremiahwilson1781]

Bad ass little track. Funky cool.

[@jimmyparris9892]

Wow. I gotta get me one of these! Listening to this makes me want to learn to play much better.

[@talldavid30]

Really good demo and tastey playing. Could've used an example with the power tubes dimed...maybe next time.

[@hawg427]

These HW Boutique amps are made of great quality, I agree that they should be a little lower in price so you don't need to sell a Kidney. LOL This demo should have shown the amp at full out volume. Some people don't realize that a 8-12 HW amp will knock your socks off. You don't need anything more than 30 watts if you mic up your amp for clubs. I hate to own a 100 watt amp and I can't turn it past 2 on the volume, your not getting the full potential out of the amp. I'd rather have a quality 10 watt amp that you can play with the actual volume know :-)

[@TheUrblaike]

WOW, that reverb!

[@stevesolo16]

Within the first 5 or 6 notes I fell in love with this little amp. I am glad they are affordable, as well. Yeah, right! Affordable? Mmm, no.

[@vminator]

Not affordable, still worth every penny. I have a DC30 I will NEVER part with!

[@barneyrubble8255]

@@vminator did you get the onboard reverb with your dc30? im trying to decide wether to get reverb or use a pedal?

[@vminator]

@@barneyrubble8255 I did and it’s great. But I opted for a pedal for live reverb options. The amp has an FX loop so implementation of a reverb pedal is no sweat. I will say that the reverb sound has started having noise issues to where I don’t use the reverb on the amp at all anymore. The amp itself is amazing, I probably wouldn’t have ordered it with the reverb if I had the choice again.

[@maxpeck4154]

@@vminatorMy amp has no loop and a Strymon Flint sounds fantastic in the front. The Edge uses more effects than just about anyone, all in the front of an AC30 or Tweed Deluxe. I don't get the effects loop thing.

[@raytheprinter]

Sweet amp! Also some very nice playing.

[@slickyjorj]

Great sounding amp.

[@jeffmakor7135]

A real tone generator.

[@canotephil7493]

Sounds starts at 02:42

[@1willywonker]

when u did start playin sounds nice

[@breathtimebreath4934]

Well done!!!

[@sgostt2158]

Perfect! I need to start saving....

[@EightTicks8]

Hello Jamie from Guitarist. Do you have any music for sale on iTunes, etc. that features music similar to what you played on this video? It was quite nice. Thx

[@jamiedickson2196]

Hi Eight - thanks for the kind words, the demo tracks are all original and actually I'm in the process of recording some material in the same style for an EP that will probably go up on Soundcloud at some point. I'm only doing it for my own amusement but it will have a full band, proper old hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, all that good stuff... will let you know nearer the time if you're interested.

[@EightTicks8]

Jamie Dickson That would be great! Thanks

[@luisignaciosanchezmaza6783]

Excelente maestro

[@Tonetwisters]

VERY nice playing. Great clean tone, great individual string pushed sounds. Chords just sound too much like mud, though. This amp would be great if matched with a Kingsley overdrive pedal ... wow!

[@JBRockingjoe]

loved it

[@soulassasin10]

it sounds great but it's over $2200?! ... for that kinda money one could get a PRS Archon 50w 1x12, Marshall JVM 100W 2x12 combo, MesaBoogie rectoverb 25 1x12 or a Victory V45C combo amp which is a fantastic sounding and versatile amp for $1800 ... and the list goes on and on ...but to each his own i guess :)

[@DiegoManning]

For $2200, you could get great boutique amps. Redplate, Two Rock, Milkman... *can't afford any, tho*

[@soulassasin10]

DiegoManning true but i never understood this overpricing of boutique amps. why should i pay over 2000$ for a 18w 1x2 boutique amp? when for that price you could get an amazing sounding 50w or 100w 2x12 combo from the brands (and more) i mentioned before. don't get me wrong i love the way they sound but in my mind it's just a waste of money. but hey if someone has over 2000$ to spend on an amp like this be my guest ... i wouldn't spend over 2000$ on a practice amp LOL btw Diego i saved up for about 8 months to get the amp & cab i wanted :)

[@DiegoManning]

I'm a gear geek, though i still play acoustic only. I'll need to save for more than 8 months to buy the gear i want. At least here in Brazil.

[@Robstafarian]

***** You are paying for the amp manufacturer's time and the quality of the components. I almost started an amp company (long story), and it was obvious that I could not compete with the pricing of mass produced PCB amps without reducing my profit margin below the cost of living. Some boutique companies trade on their reputations, no argument there, but the basic math of a boutique amp company is not for the faint of heart.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

***** No other commercially available amp has all the true point-to point hand wiring, and even the transformers are custom made in house, and it's all over spec'd........military standards. These amps can truly take a beating, can stand up to humidity better, etc. Phil, the owner & founder of Matchless, says it takes 18 hours just to hand wire only 1 amplifier. The only way to truly appreciate & gain respect for these amps, is to have one in your possession for a good period of time, to try all your own guitars and run them through their paces. Trust me........if you have decent guitars that aren't junk, you will get sweet tones from them that you never knew they were capable of, no kidding. I've been to 3 original Led Zep concerts. And then I saw Page & Plant during their Unledded tour during the mid 90's in Orlando Florida. I had just started hearing & reading about Matchless amps at that time.........and guess what Page was playing that night? He was running 2 of the DC-30's.......with no Marshall or Orange or anything else in sight all night. Talk about "a demo" for these amps!!! Every guitarist I know who was there that night agreed that Page had the best & sweetest tone any of us ever heard, no matter which guitar he was using, clean or dirty. It made an instant believer out of me. I want the Avalon 30 so bad I can taste it.

[@barneyrubble8255]

330 0r 335? why does it sound muffly with the strat

[@TempoDrift1480]

Might be a dumb question but I'm not certain from the video but is that logo backlit?

[@wolvyn4692]

Wizzle yes I believe most if not all matchless amps the logo is backlit.

[@t.sewell1513]

There’s a reason they’re called Matchless.......nothing can match it! Period.

[@snotmale]

sounded great with the 330 rubbish with the Strat

[@acasadorocknroll7]

HORRORSHOW

[@Honkey_Tonker]

Sounds great but for the money I like my VOX AC30c2.

[@zofo666]

Ever heard the emperor's clothes fable?I admit i just don't get this boutique snobbish amp situation! As i,ve had most marshall's ac 30,s and many others i just can't see the justification.I had a Bugera BC 30 which was was just as distinct.One of th ebest sounds i ever had wea through te BC30,a £20 danelectro clear boost and a delay! Don't get me wrong,some vintage guitars are just in their own league but in MY OPINION it,s cork sniggers paradise! No haters please,this is an educated opinion!

[@howabouthetruth2157]

zofo666 You just have to actually have one of these amps in your possession for a period of time.........long enough that you can play all your guitars & effects.......and then, trust me.........you'll hear and feel what all the fuss is about. These amps truly complement the tones of different guitars far better than anything else commercially available.......and the point-to-point hand wiring, CUSTOM hand-made in-house military spec'd transformers, etc.....means these amps WILL take a beating better than anything else too, on top of that sweet tone you never heard from your very own guitars before. You can't go by these compressed videos on youtube, and ya can't even fully appreciate this stuff in a music store. Quite frankly........I just don't get your "snobbish" accusation, because not only do these amps have the VERY BEST components in them, and over-spec'd.......all that hand wiring TAKES TIME & LABOR.........and that adds up. What is so hard to grasp about that? I saw Jimmy Page play through 2 of the Matchless DC-30's in Orlando Florida back in the mid 90's........and I was FLOORED by how sweet his tone was, no matter which guitar he was using, clean or dirty. And that was the 4th time I've seen him in concert. ( The 3 times earlier was with ZEP of course.) That night in Orlando made an instant believer out of me for these amps. I want the Matchless Avalon 30 so bad I can taste it.

[@Thathugheschap]

Ive got a c30. I wouldnt swap it for your Bugera.

[@danieltravis5082]

"Educated opinion" That's a good one man

[@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040]

Bugera amps look identical, sound great and cost only a fraction of what Matchless do. Choose wisely.

[@florentchatelain3057]

:D nice try

[@paultiplea]

Are you really comparing a Chinese made amp to a Matchless

[@18190sparks]

Hahahah. Incredible.

[@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040]

@@paultiplea Yes sir.