Matchless Amp - Help please?

dannyp64

dannyp64

Member
I can’t find the answer I’m looking for so I thought I’d ask this forum…. I’m creating a patch with a Matchless DC-30. I’m copying the tone from Zack’s video (link below.) I’m very close but there is a clarity in the E, A and D strings that I cannot seem to get.

There are two spots in the video that I’m noticing the clarity that I can’t seem to get by tweaking parameters. The first 30 seconds of him playing in drop D and at the 4:35 mark when he plays Kings of Leon. His open E on that has the clarity I’m talking about.

I’m being nitpicky but it’s that clarity I hear that makes the real Matchless sound the way it sounds.

Does anyone else understand what I mean and able to help? I’ve tweeked so many parameters that I’m out of ideas…

 
People mention improved clarity a lot for the new beta, as well as tighter bass, IIRC. Are you on that yet?
 
I was able to get pretty close using the stock settings on the EF86 channel, only changing drive and B/M/T. 57+121 legacy matchbox IRs on both sides. I used a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover neck pickup which is basically their '59 PAF with slightly more mids, the '59 would probably be a better choice for this but oh well. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mx4j...demo.m4a?rlkey=dxo67r5d4ah2fkc2oy7xegyox&dl=0

I agree that I'm not getting as much string separation as in the video but I also think we are splitting hairs here. The DC-30 isn't my favorite amp of this style in the Fractal, I prefer the AC20 tbh. For reference here's the same type of riffing with the AC20: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ld79...demo.m4a?rlkey=5uxqt172i2va3yos9rt2nm6ca&dl=0
 
Last edited:
I use two dc-30 models panned hard L&R. A DC-30 and a DC-30 EF86 it gets close to doing the jumped thing.

He is using the 12ax7 side for the intro and the EF86 side at 4:35 for the kings of Leon in that video.

I also use the York audio matchless IRs with a H30 on one side and a M25 on the other side of the cab block panned hard L&R to nail the separate micing of the dis-similar speaker thing.
 
WKSmith said:
I use two dc-30 models panned hard L&R. A DC-30 and a DC-30 EF86 it gets close to doing the jumped thing.

He is using the 12ax7 side for the intro and the EF86 side at 4:35 for the kings of Leon in that video.

I also use the York audio matchless IRs with a H30 on one side and a M25 on the other side of the cab block panned hard L&R to nail the separate micing of the dis-similar speaker thing.
Click to expand...
Looks to me like he's using the EF86 side for the intro as well? But I agree on the York IR's. Matchless changed which side the H30 and M25 speakers are on at some point. I have a 2014 ESD cab and the M25 is on the right (when facing the front of the cab) so it looks (and sounds to me) like they are mic'ing the M25 speaker in the video - which the stock Fractal IR's don't include. Justin's IR's of the ESD (especially version 2) are just great.
 
boyce89976 said:
Looks to me like he's using the EF86 side for the intro as well? But I agree on the York IR's. Matchless changed which side the H30 and M25 speakers are on at some point. I have a 2014 ESD cab and the M25 is on the right (when facing the front of the cab) so it looks (and sounds to me) like they are mic'ing the M25 speaker in the video - which the stock Fractal IR's don't include. Justin's IR's of the ESD (especially version 2) are just great.
Click to expand...
At one point in the video it shows the back of his cab. The 25w is on the left and the 30w is on the right if you are facing his cab. So it would appear he’s Zack’s micing the 30w.

I’m using the Yorks ESD Matchless cabs as well. They are great!
 
strabes said:
I was able to get pretty close using the stock settings on the EF86 channel, only changing drive and B/M/T. 57+121 legacy matchbox IRs on both sides. I used a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover neck pickup which is basically their '59 PAF with slightly more mids, the '59 would probably be a better choice for this but oh well. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mx4j...demo.m4a?rlkey=dxo67r5d4ah2fkc2oy7xegyox&dl=0

I agree that I'm not getting as much string separation as in the video but I also think we are splitting hairs here. The DC-30 isn't my favorite amp of this style in the Fractal, I prefer the AC20 tbh. For reference here's the same type of riffing with the AC20: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ld79...demo.m4a?rlkey=5uxqt172i2va3yos9rt2nm6ca&dl=0
Click to expand...
Clarity and “string separation” is exactly what I was trying to describe! I was wondering if anyone would get what I was talking about in my original post.

I’m using a Les Paul with Alnico 3’s for those that were wondering.

I’ll check your Dropbox out. I’m like 90% of the way to getting the exact tone as Zack but that string separation and clarity is the other 10%.
 
Any tips from the experts on increasing the dynamic range of the EF86 model ? I can match the tone and breakup of my BadCat really well, but the tube has a lot of headroom I seem to be missing somewhere.
 
WKSmith said:
Any tips from the experts on increasing the dynamic range of the EF86 model ? I can match the tone and breakup of my BadCat really well, but the tube has a lot of headroom I seem to be missing somewhere.
Click to expand...
Try setting input dynamics in the amp block to 2.
 
Maybe try a guitar with Alnico5 PU, reputed for having more treble output. If you have an IR miced a bit more close "off axis" that also might help. There's so many options... Speaker impedance curve, slightly undermatch (95%) the speaker OT...etc
You also can try the Marco Fanton patch
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom