California Dreamin'

The new Matchless Laurel Canyon and Coldwater Canyon amps capture classic West Coast splendor.

- By Dave Hunter

As a highly respected forerunner in the sector, Matchless has enjoyed a lifetime membership in the pantheon of boutique guitar amplifiers. Yet in all its 32 years, this is the first time the company has offered production models based on 6V6 output tubes. The Laurel Canyon and Coldwater Canyon deliver two variations on an American-toned theme, yet both still scream Matchless through and through.

First delivered in 1989 by Mark Sampson and his production partner Rick Perotta, the Matchless flagship DC30 combo represented the company’s take on a more roadworthy AC30, and the California maker’s sonic predilections have leaned toward the other side of the pond ever since. The company went bankrupt in 1998 but sprang back to life with a vengeance in 2000, with Phil Jamison,who’d started with Matchless in 1992, taking the helm as chief operating officer. That’s the position he’s retained ever since, and while the company itself has continued to craft its reputation on hand-built, American-made renditions of British-flavored tone machines, he’s also brought a lot of innovation to the format in the years since.