Matchless CH-212 Chieftain

I've actually owned a few of these over the years. It seems to be an amp I end up missing and buying again. All were good. I think I've had 4 in total and they were roughly the same. One had a slightly different control layout and was a bit different than the others in tone, but the other 3 sounded more or less the same. I currently own 2 because I like them so much. Matchless describes this as their high volume stage amp. I would say that's...sort of correct. In my opinion this is the EL34 take on the DC30 in some ways. Imagine if a low gain plexi and an AC30 had a baby...this would probably be the offspring.

UTILIZATION

The control layout isn't too complicated. It's surely not hard to get a good sound. It's loud as sin and this is a gigging amp in every sense of the word. To be honest it doesn't sound too good until at least half way up. Well it sounds okay, but not phenomenal. Not a studio amp unless you like it LOUD in the booth. It's almost even too much for a small club.

SOUNDS

I use a variety of guitars into it. My pedalboard is always changing. I really like using a TIMMY with it though. I find it likes humbuckers more than anything. This is a relatively clean amp until you get it to about 2 oclock. It stays on the edge of breakup and then when it really gets cranked it starts to give the dirt. I like to keep in a bit past noon and use pedals to get my gain. The sound is very upper register. The chief never gets muddy. If you play it by yourself it can sound freaking piercing to the ears. In a band mix it's fine. Other than that the Chief has a super flat response. It's definitely not Fender. But it doesn't sparkle like a Vox and it doesn't grunt or roar like a marshall either. It's really a unique voice. To me it sounds like a plexi with the aggressiveness taken out. The eq is closer to a Vox though. It has a lot of upper mids.

OVERALL OPINION

You can use the Chieftain for anything. It has a voicing that will sit in any style. I can't explain it really. It's hard to dial in a bad sound. I can play a blues gig with this and turn around and do indie rock, the do a weekend Jazz gig. It just works everywhere that doesn't require a high gain amp. I've never had one of these crap out on me and believe me I have tested their builds. They get gigged a lot. I think Matchless really did something unique and special with the Chieftain. The speaker choice is great too. I love these amps. So versatile and epic sounding.

This is a tube amplifier that is made by Matchless, a boutique amp manufacturer. It has 2 12" speakers inside, and delivers 40 watts of power. That might not seem like much to some of you, but for those who aren't aware, wattage does not equal volume, so this will be plenty loud for all of you who are concerned. There is a 1/4" input in the front, and there are knobs for Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Brilliance, Master, and Reverb. The brilliance control is a lot like the "Presence" knob found on other amps.

UTILIZATION

This amp is really easy to use. With 7 knobs, there's not a whole lot of room to mess around, there this is a decent variety of tone to be found. There's really not much need for a manual unless you want to get into the tubes. I haven't read the manual so I don't know how useful it'd be.

SOUNDS

This amp has an absolutely brilliant tone. There isn't any way you could go wrong with this amp if you are a blues player, jazz player, or rocker. Unless you require thick distortions from your amp, you can't really go wrong. This will sound great with any guitar, from a 1930s hollow-body Gretsch to a Strat or Tele or Les Paul, they all sound great. The hollow-bodies especially tend to sing with this amplifier, I've never had so much fun playing them. This amp just seems to be able to hit all the right notes, pardon the pun. I like hooking up pedals to it, when you plug in the right pedals it can really tear the roof off! It goes from smooth, to bright, to absolutely punishingly heavy.

OVERALL OPINION

This is probably one of the best, if not the best, amps I've ever played. It's also one of the most expensive, but it's totally worth it. Whoever is responsible for these tones deserves the money they'll make off of them. I'd say that most players who aren't professionals would probably not need one of these, and even some pros won't be able to afford it, but I'd think that overall, those who can should do it. It's probably one of the best purchases you'll make.

The Matchless CH-212 Chieftain is a guitar combo amp that delivers 40 watts of power and has two 12" speakers. It is a tube based amp and has a 1/4 inch input in the front to plug your guitar in. It has a good amount of parameters including knobs for Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Brilliance, Master Volume, and Reverb.

UTILIZATION

The make up of the Matchless CH-212 Chieftain is pretty easy to follow, as all of the parameters are pretty basic and found on a lot of different guitar amps. It is extremely easy to get a good sound from this amp as the inherent sound is very warm and rich. I don't have a manual for this amp, but it is easy enough to use that you don't need it if you don't have one.

SOUNDS

The Matchless CH-212 Chieftain is great for all types of music, but I use it mostly for rock and pop. I use this amp mostly with a Fender Strat and some modulation effects and delay sometimes, and always get an awesome tone for recording or for live shows. This has both a great clean sound, as well as an awesome built in overdrive sound. Overall, a great sounding guitar amp that is suitable for pretty much any style of music that you would want to use electric guitar in.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the Matchless CH-212 Chieftain guitar combo amp for about two years and have found it to be one of the best combo amps out there. Matchless makes high quality, hand wired mics that although are expensive, are aimed at professionals that are looking for the best tone available. I can't say enough about this amp and its tone, and Matchless amps in general. All in all, the Matchless CH-212 Chieftain is one of the best combo amps out there in my opinion.