Why I Sold My Matchless Amp & Other Channel Updates

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Hey all, follow The Pink Guitar Project on Instagram 🙌 @thepinkguitarproject

[@maximetremblay4546]

It would be really nice to have a follow on video on how the build is progressing for the pink guitar and the parts caster.I am sure that a lot of your viewers also share an interest in guitar building as well. Hopefully your wife is doing well, best wishes.

[@MikeMckenz]

Followed, really worthwhile thing to do. Count me in when it comes to the raffles etc

[@CarlyonProduction]

Dude I get it so much. For me it’s exactly the same in reverse. I can never get on with black panel sounds, yet I love them for other people. Whereas my matchless amp is just dialled in (don’t adjust it now) and I barely even use pedals now. For me now I have accepted that my sound is in the British realm (centring around a vox sound with a couple of variations). The more I hone my main sound family in. The less effects, eq, compression I need. I’m ending up with a really nice natural amp sound. Sounds like your journey is somewhat similar. It’s a good sign - you are uncovering your voice. It means you are making progress!

[@paulstaffordcook8799]

Hi James. It’s interesting hearing you reflect on your journey with gear, and particularly where you currently are. I can relate to that big time. So it looks like you’re settling down to becoming a Fender (style) amp guy. Me too actually (in my case, the Cornell which is tweed clone). And yes, ultimately it’s about the playing. Full stop. Happy learning James.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Hi Paul. Yeah i think you are so right… playing is the name of the game! I want to hit an on button and then get lost in the music 😃 and yeah those tweed tones are dreamy!

[@dfwlistener7593]

@@JamesOnGuitar You sound fabulous on the TR Vintage Deluxe.

[@KrenarCilkuGuitar]

I heard you mention Paul Stafford Cook, what an incredible player! Good luck with the project, James!

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Thanks! And yeah, love paul’s playing 🤟🏼

[@jamesoliphant4378]

So sorry to hear what your wife is going through! I didn’t realise the linkage to the pink strat. I truly hope she is comfortable as can be and recovers well. Thank you again for another great and interesting video

[@pcanarsky]

I love hearing you talk about your journey. Your videos are always interesting, entertaining, and educational. Love hearing you progressively finding your voice as a "youtuber". Really, really like your channel.

[@seo7880]

So great to just hear your genuine and honest opinion on your journey. I'm on a binge watch :D

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Cheers 😃🤟🏼

[@bobhardie6895]

Man snap I know were your coming from.Good luck with the future must say love your channell.Bob

[@RagnarKarlssonG]

James, you are my favorite guitar channel on KZbin. We have a very similar guitar journey, and I find myself scaling back on gear as well to focus on more blues playing technique. Your channel updates, gear review, and lessons are all great. Keep it up! And best wishes and prayers for your wife. Thank you.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate that 🤗

[@raydowley1038]

god luck with your transition and a bucket full of luck for everything pink James

[@johnround5894]

Ivison Dakota, great choice can’t wait to hear it on the channel 👍

[@richman6100]

As others have said, it's good to see how your gear journey has taught you more about yourself as a player. That must be very rewarding for you. Those of us who've followed your gear reviews have also learned a great deal about kit (amps especially) that we might not easily get to try out ourselves, so we've benefitted too. A win for everyone then. Great work with the pink guitar project - a hugely worthy cause.

[@graemero5532]

Good luck with The Pink Guitar Project James

[@CarlyonProduction]

Would love to know how you got on with the bartel and why you are moving it on. Did you have the ‘tweedy’ model? And did it not sound authentic enough? Interesting that you would settle with the lazy J instead!

[@lionhead7497]

There’s resonance in your words and perspective. I think it’s great that you acknowledge a personality or identity that our gear helps us step into. It doesn’t make the Matchless a bad amp, just not for you. At the same time, like different guitars recall various historical musical memories, the same is true for amps. A Les Paul into a Marshall vs a Strat into a Marshall are two distinct tonalities. They inform your playing differently. Same is true for amps.

[@jeremywalker2210]

Have you thought about checking out the matchless Laurel canyon? Has those black panel vibes right through tweed sounds.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Yeah definitely one for down the line 👍🏼 cheers

[@pauldavid2407]

Fair enough! It's one thing to watch other people play shiny things on KZbin, and another thing all together to actually play them in real life. I had this experience in my local guitar shop recently. I went in to play a couple of Tele's that I thought would be awesome for me after watching reviews. In reality I couldn't gel with them at all when I played them. I enjoyed this video, thanks James. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Pink Guitar project goes!

[@barryroberts9388]

That amp sounds just like the tone im looking for!! LOve it!

[@TommySG1]

Hi James, Everything you brought up makes so much sense, a bit less gear and more focus on playing. I need this sunken into me as well!!!!

[@preeteshpatel3962]

James I ordered a rift AL based on your videos. Agree with u on the matchless.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Love that rift - all the power i need!!

[@dfwlistener7593]

Hello the James. Love your playing and your sound. Love everything about it. But yes Sir I understand (I think) about the amp just not making you happy. Yes absolutely been there myself. But whatever distress you describe (no matter how slight) in it just not doing it for you, I sure can't hear it in your playing or tone. Man you really sound great!! You are a pure and wonderful soul. Thank for posting. I truly enjoyed it, and plenty of your other content. Please keep memoralizing your gear journey James. It is great stuff ;)

[@tubetone74]

I'm with you bro. A Tele is nice w/ Matchless for many.

[@harleythespider852]

thanks for leaving the marcus out for me to see in a lot of videos recently! i really need to bring mine home from the beach house

[@pstreetblues]

I think your tone and playing sounded great in that clip. I have had all different kinds of amps and I've come to the conclusion I like EL84 amps. I love my Dr Z Maz 18 reverb.

[@stuartkelly8745]

My sky king blew up

[@daviddixon7326]

I felt the same with a 1994 HC30 & 212 I owned. I decided to put it up for sale, and a local musician came and played it, and it came alive! It just wasn’t sounded like that through my hands. However, I recently acquired a Matchless Avalon 30 head, and it’s like ‘home’. I can coax almost any sound I want out of it. A better amp for my abilities and style. Cheers!

[@ZofoZofo]

Awesome video James

[@marcospintor1333]

I feel you, i never liked the sound of my les Paul into the Matchless. It kinda has this pillow tone i don’t like. But a telecaster into a matchless is pretty incredible

[@giangiiu]

Hey James, I really can see myself in your tone journey. Actually I'm in my "accumulation" phase, where I keep buying and trying stuff (mostly pedals since they are cheaper than an amp). I really want to end up with one or two amps and a bunch of pedals since that's all I need. Glad for you, cheers

[@smalltown4855]

doing exactly the same at the moment. gone from 11 guitars to 5, sold 10 or more pedals and now only have 3 amps, one for home, one for gigs and a spare. quite liberating isn't it. my pedal board will have 3/4 pedals only.

[@stuartkelly8745]

I looked at a Bloomfield. But when I heard your rift amp that ticked all the boxes

[@thegreatriffs2552]

You describe the journey through the various stages of gear exploration very well. There is, of course, a trap into which it's easy to fall: concentrating on gear rather than technique or the music you make. It's always worth remembering the obvious point that anyone can buy gear if they have the cash, there's no minimum ability requirement. For example, there is a guy I know (not a great player to be brutally frank) who has fallen right into this trap. He once said to me that he likes to turn up to his pub gigs in Norfolk with the very expensive amp he owns because "It shows people I know what I'm doing." In that thought he is sadly mistaken. I once said to him "Why not learn some new chords rather than buy new gear?" unfortunately, that fell upon, in every sense, deaf ears.

[@GRBAquatics]

Very Cool and Honest Video. Thankyou. I have 4 Amps, 2 Fenders, A Marshall and A Vox, plus an Acoustic Amp. And am happy with that number, But am fighting the urge to get another amp ever day, lol. Same with Guitars, always want another but happy with what I have. Constant Battle LOL. Cheers

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Thanks! Yeah, i still get urges, but then i settle down with a guitar to watch my favourite players and try and figure things out to learn 🙌

[@HooksBill]

I have been through so many guitars and amps over my 38 yrs of playing. Some I regretted selling. Some, not so much. I once saw an old photo of me playing through an amp I'd totally forgotten I owned. That sorta tells me it must not have been so great. I sold a very high end amp recently. I miss some things about it, but I've settled with two amps that I feel meet my needs. One is a Friedman SmallBox and the other is a Blackface.

[@stuartkelly8745]

Never get rid of ya rift amp. That is awesome. Nothing can beat that.

[@stuartkelly8745]

I done pretty much as you. I’ve reduced my rig. When I the cash gunner get a rift amp.

[@JN-North.Guitars]

Robert Cray loves Matchless amps. I've seen Jimmie Vaughan use this amp too. I agree Justin. Not all high end gear suits everyone. It's easy to get bogged down in the gear and forget the music

[@jon_the_kanon]

VOX style is like a good vodka - Clean, crisp and lot of overtones perfect for cutting through mix and airy tones. Fender style is like a good brown rum or whiskey - Complex, clear, sweet and perfect for the blues. Seems like your style is more on the brown side :)

[@stevefearon9337]

Hey James, this really resonated with me, I’m looking for a blues power kingtone if it ever comes up for the chop. Cheers

[@bzbuzz76]

Hi what string gauge are you using?

[@JamesOnGuitar]

In this one 10’s 👍🏼

[@rjo8500]

That Matchless belongs in a live band mix. That’s where they excel.

[@djt6546]

Cool video reflecting on your personal journey to date… It makes me wonder how I am going to feel when I finally get my shipment, having been without my gear for going on a year now. I have my new Bloomfield Drive which TR kindly shipped directly to my new location and couldn’t resist a used CS Fender Thinline ‘52 style from Peach. So given my love with what I currently use, it really will be bonkers when I get an overload of choice again at the end of the relocation. Will I dive right back in to a wall of gear with gusto or will I want to cull right back. Time will tell 😊

[@preeteshpatel3962]

Dc 30 and all the el 84 matchless are too bright for me. I have a 6v6 laurel canyon which i love but it is so bright compared to other 6v6 amps. But I do still love it. Sounds great with dark sounding hollow body guitars.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Yeah, there is definitely an inherent brightness which is probably useful in certain situations. The laurel canyon does sound interesting!

[@lanceholland]

I went through a similar phase years ago and owned all of the blackface amps from 1965. They moved on over the years. The second to last to leave was a Bassman and I still have the Deluxe Reverb. Of all, it’s the best but not powerful enough to stay totally clean with a loud band so it needs to be miced. For Strats, a blackface Bassman is heaven.

[@cliverkay]

Looking at your jpurney and it seems too familiar... Found I couldnt play blues too easily with either a Bad Cat or a Vox AC... The EL84 's didnt do it for me .. EL34 dont either .. Just a 6L6 man now !! Your playing is getting there ! Just need a bit more reverb !! Keep going ! You know you have my support on your Pink Guitar project !!

[@paulc4935]

Hey James - are those amps that are for sale collection only?

[@JamesOnGuitar]

It depends really - shipping would be at cost otherwise though 👍🏼 you can email me [e-mail] if you want to chat more

[@paulc4935]

@@JamesOnGuitar Great, cheers - will be in touch

[@frantisca]

Matchless: depends also on the speaker. I have a Fender Pro Junior and I had a Dr Z Maz 18, both run on EL84’s. Switching from ceramic speakers to Alnico helped a lot in getting the right tone. 🎸👍🏻

[@zeroamplification]

From seeing where you get inspired in other videos, I'd wager a decent amount of the mismatch between the sound in your head and the C-30 (I had the same amp btw) come down to EL84's. They can do a wondrous thing but traditional designs have voiced them as bright, articulate and can border on a harsh higher frequency thing. I stayed away for the longest time from EL84s in my own playing and only embraced them in designs that bring out their more 6V6-ish character (like Tony's TEX amps) or EL34-ish character (like a Marshall 18w). Thanks for sharing your journey of discovering what inspires you and your playing, it's fun to follow along!

[@larshole]

James, funny how things work - I have spent the last two weeks contemplating getting rid of stuff for exactly the same reasons you dive into (minus the blues connection), one of the amps popping up as a sale contender is my DC-30. .....Then you drop this video! I still think it is one of the absolute best sounding amps out there, but it is a challenge to play for a mediocre player (refering to me, not you!). The punchiness require precision which I am not sure I am capable of. I also have a Magnatone Super 15 and as I look back over the last 6 months, that is the one which gets powered up 9 times out of 10. Like you said, perhaps somebody else should get to enjoy the magic of Matchless instead.

[@carpediem4413]

Similar journey… At first, I cast a wide net but now I turn on my ‘66 Twin Reverb 90% of the time.

[@digbyranford6657]

I’ve found Matchless amps are often used by session players and pro guitarists, they’re incredibly unforgiving and show up any flaws in your playing, however once you get it right they’re glorious and I don’t think you can really get any better, that’s just my humble opinion. I think you might prefer an EL34 based Matchless. Hope you find what suits you 👍

[@RogerThat902]

A lot of this is just gear can only do so much but actually playing is what will make you sound more like what you want to sound like than anything else in most cases. I am also addicted to gear, but ironically it was my gf and friend who pointed out that I talk more about gear than I actually do playing. They were joking, but it really pointed out that I'd probably be a million times better if I just played more instead of lusted after gear hah. It's not like it used to be wear the gear was a limiting factor for a huge chunk of people. Now even $100 modelers can sound just fine (they may be limited) and the gear is more a luxury. I decided I was going to trim my collection down as well. I have a David Allen Chihuahua that I love and can't see ever selling, but apart from that I'm not going to buy an amp unless it's truly special and/or serves a purpose I can't solve currently.

[@reverb508]

Goes to show how subjective the concept of “good tone” is. Of all your amps, I think you sound best through the Matchless. It just has such a nice, cutting midrange that jumps through my speakers.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Yeah i get that. It isn’t about the quality of the sound, rather the connection to it and the sound it makes 🙌

[@cechichan]

Consider writing tabs for ur stuff, and make a patreon ;D

[@MrNastyguitar]

sounded like you had a wah-wah on

[@MikeMckenz]

Hi James, just reflecting about what you said at the end about largely watching carter j videos and figuring out how to play them. I don't know if you'd find it too distracting, but I'd find a blog style video at key points on the journey of learning something really interesting. I can't play by ear so it would be cool to see how you do it

[@frantisca]

633 Engineering are superlative amps. Too bad you sold your Bartel (at least not to me…! 🤣) Cheers

[@brunoantony9257]

I find Matchless amps to be overly strident and bright with a very grainy overdrive

[@thebigleone1066]

Dude, I think it is illegal to sell a Matchless amp. When you buy one, you are committing it to a forever home.

[@xiscogg]

He's going to hell! I'm sure he somehow knows it

[@npet6842]

I've got three , but don't use them much . Yes , they're in your face for sure . As I don't need the money , they decorate the studio , but that's just me . They're EQed for bright , hence sound poor at lower volume . Cranked up they're quite good , but you need a field or basement to let them rip . They are designed for a purpose , and the average quiet playing person is not that buyer .