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Matchless Amplification

Rogue Guitar Shop is your expert Matchless dealer!  

Matchless Amplifiers was founded in 1989 with a simple philosophy:  Build the best, most versatile amplifier possible. Built and designed by and for professional musicians, Matchless lives up to their name. The mission is and has always been to build the best sounding, most durable amp on the market.

Mark Sampson started the company while living in Hollywood, California in 1989. He, along with partners Rick Perotta, Steve Goodale and Chris Perrotta were the initial force behind the company, often working on Rick's kitchen table. When Rick and Mark started working on their first prototype amp, the C-30, they wanted it to sound significantly better than the amplifiers that were currently being mass-produced. They also wanted their amps to take the rigors of the road and remain completely reliable for musicians who played night after night.

As part of their research, they'd solicit working musicians to play through the prototypes. By listening to their feedback, they'd incorporate those desirable changes into the amp design. As prototyping neared completion, Mark and Rick came up with the name MATCHLESS—because that's what they intended their "no-compromise" amplifier to be. Chris designed the amp's trademark light-up logo. Steve Goodale joined them as a co-founder in 1991. Goodale insisted that they participate in the 1992 Guitar Player Magazine boutique amplifier shootout by delivering an early DC-30 (Dual Combo 30) from Los Angeles to Cupertino. The amplifier wound up in the hands of editor Andy Widders-Ellis from Guitar Player Magazine. The amplifier won first place and effectively helped launch the company.

Mark Sampson went on to design the Clubman 35', followed by the 15 watt series consisting of the Spitfire, and Lightning. This series was followed by the Chieftain. These models were all designed while the company was in the early stages of its development in North Hollywood, California. The models created following the C-30 series were an attempt by the company to create a unique entity within the market place. Matchless is widely regarded as being the company that kick-started the boutique amplifier craze among electric guitar and bass in the early nineties, paving the way for high-end tube amplifiers.

The company also manufactured tube stompboxes such as the Hotbox, the Hotbox II, the Coolbox (a Booster pedal), the Splitbox (a tube buffered signal splitter), the Mixbox (a tube buffered mixer), and the Vibrobox (a tube tremolo effect), as well an echo/delay pedal called the Echobox, which employed a tape format from an adapted cassette.

Rogue Guitar Shop is proud to offer a great selection of Matchless Amps for sale including the popular Matchless SC Mini (a great place to start with Matchless amps).  Shop now here at Rogue Guitar Shop!  For all inquiries call +541-223-5478 or email sales@rogueguitarshop.com.