Bat Cat vs Matchless

[HamerHokie]

I recently read a Gear Page thread in which someone wanted a reasonably priced alternative to the Matchless DC/HC30 and was told to look at the Bat Cat Black Cat 30 (which is no longer made).  Not much on the BC30 on YouTube, much less comparing the two.   But the Matchless sounds amazing.  Can anyone vouch for this favorable comparison?  

[currypowder]

I have no experience with a Bad Cat, so all I can do is muddy the water. I have had really good experience with my Ceriatone Muchle$$ Lightning head that I ordered direct from them. I believe their DZ30 is the comparable model to the HC/DC30. There are a few demo videos on the site

https://ceriatone.com/muchless-dz-30/

[stedge]

Been looking at matchless and bad cat for a while, but dont own one - just bought a IIA, instead, actually.  But from what I gather, they are similar, some shared inheritance.  Some models very close - early bad cat 40 watt model similar to HC/DC/SC, etc.  But then as time wore on some divergence.  Both well made, generally, though some recent bad cat not in same league (this excludes most recent reincarnations as I have not looked into those at all).  All are heavy.  

 

All this Sampson made stuff I think is crap and selling hype, but he did go from matchless to badcat, hence the similarities esp early on.  But a matchless made today woudl seem at least as good as one sold for more that MS made.  So woudl not get hung up on year of a matchless amp and search or pay more for a Sampson one.

 

I have not seen a Matchless local to try out, but did play briefly through a 2013 cub IIr, and I liked it.  Still hand wired then. I did not like it enough to pay what was asked, but still for the kind of money those bring, they seem like a lot of amp to me.  

 

A SC30 or HC30 are still way heavy, and a DC30 even more so, but I’d love to try them.  And really, they are kinda similar weight vs what I ended up getting this round (a koa cab mark IIA w EVM), so obviously I wan not taking the weight thing too seriously.  

 

Off al the various matchless and bad cat amps, the one that most interests me is the laurel canyon reverb, then some of the small box versions, and an SC30, probably in that order.  But I have yet to play them and really know.

 

Good luck.  

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

If you listen to me, you get what you deserve.  ESPECIALLY about amps.

That being said, there was someone on this forum who, any time anyone asked about ANY amp, said, "Get a Top Hat."

Can't remember which model he suggested.

But the Club Royale does sound pretty good.  Seems like there are some priced in about the same range as a Bad Cat Black Cat?

 

[JES1680]

I've owned most Matchless over the years, including a DC30, and TC30 (2x10). Also owned a Bad Cat Black Cat. It's basically a slightly? tweaked DC30. Great amps for what they do, however more so than even most tube amps they really need to be loud to get the sound otherwise they can be a bit stiff / brittle. 

If you are chasing the DC30 sound and don't want to pay the Matchless premium, I'd say the Black Cat will do just fine, but I'd try and find a very early one as I believe they modded the circuit as the years went on as they did with most Bad Cat amps.  

The one I had was an early production and still had Matchless labeled components. 

[Jeff R]

One of my pickup artists, Scott Dalhover of Dangerous Toys, recently defected from Friedman for a full ride with Bad Cat and he picked this model. His should arrive any day now, it was delayed in order to do it in purple tolex.

In the meantime, Matchless and Vox British bluesy yada yada ... listen to this one's GAIN tones.  Second link shows it still has the versatility.

[kizanski]