dazed1
Junior Member
Posts: 93
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Post by dazed1 on May 31, 2020 20:36:45 GMT -7
Hey all!
My main amp for a long time now has been a MAZ 18 Nr. Just kinda does it all. I recently picked up a Matchless HC-30 in a yolo type moment after getting some good news from the doc. My question is for those that have played a Matchless and a Wreck is there enough difference to justify owning both? I may pick up a Wreck and run it in stereo cause.... why not?
I realize there would probably be some overlap but what is the Wreck bringing?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2020 8:42:37 GMT -7
I have an AC30 and a few AC30 variants including a Z Wreck and a Matchless DC30. They're both amazing amps, but the Z Wreck is more versatile. The Matchless is best right at the break up point, it's already pretty strident at that point and only gets moreso after that. The Z Wreck is just warmer, bouncier, more forgiving and has a more pleasant overdrive. The Matchless is really punchy and if I'm having a bad playing day, it gets disheartening really quickly. If I had to pick one, it would be the. Wreck. I actually might sell the DC, as it's a 90's model and could likely fetch a fair price.
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dazed1
Junior Member
Posts: 93
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Post by dazed1 on Jun 1, 2020 12:46:40 GMT -7
You are right on the money about the Matchless being unforgiving. Its certainly wants to be played in an exacting manner. I would not have expected the Wreck to be more versatile. That's pretty cool. I don't think I would ever sell the Matchless as that edge of breakup thing is just so unlike anything I have played so far. I did suspect that the Wreck would be a bit better dirty.
If I might ask what channel do you typically play on the DC30? I found input 2 on the ef86 channel is kinda my thing.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2020 14:17:27 GMT -7
I use the EF86 channel. I like the extra bandwidth that channel brings.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Jun 1, 2020 16:15:47 GMT -7
I own a Z-Wreck, and although I've never played a Matchless HC-30 a few years ago I went to see Robert Cray. It was a nice venue, about the size of the Fillmore East in Detroit. I didn't like Robert's tone. He's an amazing player but he had a couple of those Matchless amps center stage with him and that gold Strat of his just about took my head off with biting tone. I remember thinking how much I wished he was playing a Z.
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Post by KeithA on Jun 1, 2020 17:18:58 GMT -7
I own a Z-Wreck, and although I've never played a Matchless HC-30 a few years ago I went to see Robert Cray. It was a nice venue, about the size of the Fillmore East in Detroit. I didn't like Robert's tone. He's an amazing player but he had a couple of those Matchless amps center stage with him and that gold Strat of his just about took my head off with biting tone. I remember thinking how much I wished he was playing a Z. Yeah, Mr. Cray plays a couple Clubmans through 4x10 cabs in stereo. I don't think you can judge all Matchless amps by that, though. Like any amp (even the Z's), pair the wrong speaker and any amp can leave a sour taste. I love the Matchless DC-30. It has been on my wishlist for a long time. I have a kit build of a 15-watt version of a cross between a HC-30 and Lightning and it's fantastic. However, it sounds best to me run through AlNiCos (or maybe a variant of Greenback, etc.). I'm sure I wouldn't like it through, say, a pair oh G12-H30s or similar. I doubt Mr. Cray is running AlNiCos as well. The DC/HC-30 is a legendary amp for some good reasons. Even Dave Hunter remarks that "...The DC-30 really is a modern classic on so many levels, and its continued use by a multitude of pros is further testament to the achievements of Sampson and Perrotta." Don't let Mr. Cray's head cuttin' sway you on a classic I'm not saying it's better than my Z-Wreck, just different. Here's the band that turned me on to the DC-30-type Matchless. To me, this is exactly what a DC-30/Lightning sounds like through a pair of AlNiCos.
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dazed1
Junior Member
Posts: 93
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Post by dazed1 on Jun 1, 2020 18:09:54 GMT -7
Yeah, I should mention I play a full step down and typically fairly dark sounding guitars. I recorded this Saturday through an ox box into apollo duo. Say what you will about ox the character of whatever amp you use really does come through. I augmented with a maz 18 nr on some parts. I am curious if the Wreck will kinda round it out some.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Jun 2, 2020 6:23:06 GMT -7
I own a Z-Wreck, and although I've never played a Matchless HC-30 a few years ago I went to see Robert Cray. It was a nice venue, about the size of the Fillmore East in Detroit. I didn't like Robert's tone. He's an amazing player but he had a couple of those Matchless amps center stage with him and that gold Strat of his just about took my head off with biting tone. I remember thinking how much I wished he was playing a Z. Yeah, Mr. Cray plays a couple Clubmans through 4x10 cabs in stereo. I don't think you can judge all Matchless amps by that, though. Like any amp (even the Z's), pair the wrong speaker and any amp can leave a sour taste. I love the Matchless DC-30. It has been on my wishlist for a long time. I have a kit build of a 15-watt version of a cross between a HC-30 and Lightning and it's fantastic. However, it sounds best to me run through AlNiCos (or maybe a variant of Greenback, etc.). I'm sure I wouldn't like it through, say, a pair oh G12-H30s or similar. I doubt Mr. Cray is running AlNiCos as well. The DC/HC-30 is a legendary amp for some good reasons. Even Dave Hunter remarks that "...The DC-30 really is a modern classic on so many levels, and its continued use by a multitude of pros is further testament to the achievements of Sampson and Perrotta." Don't let Mr. Cray's head cuttin' sway you on a classic I'm not saying it's better than my Z-Wreck, just different. Here's the band that turned me on to the DC-30-type Matchless. To me, this is exactly what a DC-30/Lightning sounds like through a pair of AlNiCos. I see what you mean, that's a great guitar tone, no doubt. Thanks for redirecting my thinking about Matchless!
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Post by sharkboy on Jun 2, 2020 8:53:16 GMT -7
I have an HC30 clone that was my main amp for many years. It’s been heavily neglected since I bought my ZWreck. They are on the same end of the spectrum for me, but the Z has a bit more usefulness for me. I never made friends with the HC30 12AX7 channel and the MV alters the tone a fair amount. I still love it, but it gets used less than my other main amps.
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Post by KeithA on Jun 10, 2020 19:41:29 GMT -7
Funny, after this thread I decided to toy around with some Robert Cray tunes. I decided to learn Smoking Gun. I found this Kemper profile in a recent M .Britt pack download. Man, sounds great. Robert Cray in a box...it sounds great
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Post by gotmojo on Aug 16, 2020 14:06:26 GMT -7
Hey Dazed. I’ve owned a DC30 since the 90’s and a Z Wreck since it was introduced (2010?), and I must say these are both simply superb amps. I run the Matchless in both channels - guitar into channel 1 with bass turned all the way off and the treble all the way up, then patch out of the 2nd input of channel 1 into the pentode channel with the multi position knob almost all the way up. I like to run both channels hot at about 2:30-3:00 and get lots of smooth distortion, no pedals, all distortion controlled with guitar volume knob. Driven in this manner, channel 1 is your treble volume and the pentode channel is your bass volume, and you can dial in your tone to the room with ease. Kills in my humble opinion, and with the half power switch and master volume pulled, I can play at home or any gig with extremely satisfying results at any volume. Until I discovered Z amps, this was the ONLY MV amp that had good tone turned down at low dB’s to my ears, and I used it for everything, studio to live gigs. Of course, I was younger and stronger back then.
That being said, once I discovered Z amps and acquired the Z-Wreck ...... well, since then I’ve hardly played the Matchless at all, nor the 2-10 Lightning or Clubman which I also own. Especially since I converted my original Quantum Silver rig to a combo with a gold Celestion. The Wreck and Matchless are two GREAT amps, but the Wreck is quite a bit more versatile than the Matchless in terms of tone shaping, and though I had a MV added to my Wreck, I still run it through a Brake Lite down on 4, but the tone is killer, again with no pedals. The Matchless, to me, gets this one ridiculously superb tone, but the Wreck is way more malleable: that treble knob does wondrous things for highs and mids in the 1:00-3:00 range!! And the Matchless is a big cab and 85 lbs!!!!!! Who can move that kinda size and weight anymore??? The Wreck combo comes in at 53 lbs, so much more manageable. And nowadays, I’m mostly playing the Wreck Jr nearly all of the time! Absolutely superb MV and only 44lbs in a combo. The Jr is voiced a bit different than the daddy Wreck to my ears, but is ridiculously musical and versatile and it’s all I’ve played since getting it about 6 months ago.
Although I virtually never play the Matchless anymore, it was my tone for so many years that I can’t let it go. And I have so many old recordings where it kills, so I keep it around in the expectation that I’ll use it for tracks again at some point in the future. But at this point in time, the Wreck Jr does everything I need at any volume in a portable package I can handle, so that is my current addiction! (And it goes nearly without saying: Thanks again, Doc!)
jj
p.s. sorry about the longwindedness, but you just happened to ask about 2 of the most favorite amps of this lifetime.
p.s.s. Oh how lucky, we’re jamming/rehearsing this very evening, so the jr gonna get a lil work out tonight!
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