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matchless b-15

T

TheOldFlatwound

Supporting Member
Jan 26, 2005
946
355
Nashville, TN
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: D'Addario
#1
I know matchless made that b-15 copy a while back (thunderman or thunderchief??)--very cool, switchable 50 or 100 watts--
anyone ever mess with one of these??
do you ever see them around??
for all I know, maybe they didn't make many of them.....
 
#2
It was only 50 watts. It was the Thunderman. It was not 100 - their head (Thunderchief if I remember) was more watts.

The B-15R, Ampeg's reissue B-15, was 60/100 switchable.

I played the Matchless in Manny's in NYC about 10 years ago. It was very nice, but for $2000 or more, you need to decide if it's the amp for you. It's hard to find these days.
 
#4
Here's my Thunderman. It sounds just as you might expect - tremendous. Not too loud, as mentioned, so it needs to be miked in larger venues, but is has tone.

The gold plated hardware also gives mine that extra panache (don't know how many feature this 'over-the-top' extravagance; not all of them. It was a feature of the Matchless Exotic line of guitar amps - really BIG $$$).

Match full.jpg

match gold.jpg
 
#5
the_home said:
Here's my Thunderman. It sounds just as you might expect - tremendous. Not too loud, as mentioned, so it needs to be miked in larger venues, but is has tone.

The gold plated hardware also gives mine that extra panache (don't know how many feature this 'over-the-top' extravagance; not all of them. It was a feature of the Matchless Exotic line of guitar amps - really BIG $$$).

great thunderman--right on....
wow, so the thunderchief was a bass head, not combo?? very cool--what are those like?? i'm guessing those are hard to find as well.....
Click to expand...
 
#7
I played the Thunderchief at Bass Northwest once. Tremendous sound. Very, very expensive even when it was new. I've never seen one used. The Thunderman shows up occasionally.

The problem with Matchless ultimately is finding someone to repair it properly since these are long out of production. If you get one, make sure you have a good tube amp guy you trust.
 
#9
timmarks said:
i want a thundercheif--but i'm sure there are not many around....
Click to expand...

Yeah, I want one, too. Last one I saw on the 'net for sale had a $4000 price tag. Rather steep! :eek:

I have never heard of what the production numbers were on these original Matchless bass amps. One poster on eBay who was selling a Thunderman said in the listing that there were no more than 12 made - that's somewhat hard to believe but who knows. BTW - that one had no gold, so I passed. ;)
 
#10
I only saw one Thunderchief, so I'd say it's in the 100s at most. Same for the Thunderman. 15? At that point, it's a why bother. You can't make money. But I'd say there were less of the Thunderchief than Thunderman.
 
#11
timmarks said:
good point, but wouldn't the point to point wiring and lack of circuit boards actually make it easier to fix for a good tube amp repair-guy??
i want a thundercheif--but i'm sure there are not many around....
Click to expand...

I've heard bad things about some of Matchless' guitar amps and repair, so I don't know. It's not like an Ampeg where you can find NOS or replacement parts easily.
 
#14
the_home said:
Here's my Thunderman. It sounds just as you might expect - tremendous. Not too loud, as mentioned, so it needs to be miked in larger venues, but is has tone.

The gold plated hardware also gives mine that extra panache (don't know how many feature this 'over-the-top' extravagance; not all of them. It was a feature of the Matchless Exotic line of guitar amps - really BIG $$$).

View attachment 35391

View attachment 35392
Click to expand...

Did they use 6L6's or 7027's for the power tubes?
 

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