Amps

Ten years ago Dr. Z launched the original Z Wreck amplifier in close collaboration with the late Ken Fischer of Trainwreck Amps and Brad Paisley, who collectively parlayed their deep experience and passion for tone to assist Z in creating the Z Wreck. Even in the midst of our troubles here in America, Z found […]

Following the acquisition of our silverface Princeton Reverb, we pondered our next amp to be reviewed in these pages expressly for you. We’ve had a good long run with guitar amps, acquiring and reviewing nearly every Fender ever made, John Mayer’s Dumble, vintage Hiwatts, Ampegs, two old Vox AC 30’s and a head, Magnatones, Traynors, […]

In 2019 it seems that the 12 watt Princeton Reverb has attained a level of desirability and popularity that may eclipse that of any other Fender amp ever built. As volume levels have come down on stage, at home and on recordings, the Princeton sits squarely in the wheel house of many guitarists today who […]

“It never was about the musician or the instrument— it was about the laser notes in a hall of mirrors, the music itself. It was going to change the world for the better and it has. Maybe not as fast or as much as we wanted, but it has and it still will. Whether your […]

The difference in the quality of sound between modern output and preamp tubes and their classic equivalents in direct A/B tests is usually depressing. No contest. For touring pros, burning up rare old tubes really isn’t an option, but for those of us craving tone with a lighter workload, we can still selectively find stellar […]

“The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware… joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely, aware” — Henry Miller It’s a rare day when we fail to receive a request for enlightenment, guidance, or affirmation of someone’s chosen path in the quest for tone. Handwringers like, “Do chambered guitars sound ‘better ‘than […]

Mark Sampson and Rick Perotta founded Matchless Amplifiers in 1989, initially building prototypes for friends and professional contacts in Southern California. Sampson had previously been involved in importing and repairing original JMI Vox amps for resale, as well as working as an on call repair tech for some of the top recording studios in and […]