Gearfight: Matchless HC30 vs JMI AC30/6TB

Today we are comparing the Matchless HC30 guitar amp to a JMI AC30/6 top boost combo amp. The HC-30 (DC-30) is often touted as the best boutique alternative to a vintage AC-30. Listen to both amps in action and let me know which you prefer in the comments down below.

Details about any of the gear used in the video can be found below.

Gear & Settings

Guitars:
• ’17 Mario Martin Tele (Don Mare Hayride pickups),
• ’19 Fender ’62 Reissue Strat (Custom Shop Fat 50’s pickups w/ Ilitich SSCS),
• ’60 Gibson ES-345 (Ron Ellis Signature Humbucker pickups).

Pedals:
• Kingtone Blues Power overdrive (always on, no settings were changed between amps or guitars)
• Strymon Timeline delay (only when the Strat was played)

Amps:
• ’20 Matchless HC-30 head into Matchless ESD 2x12 Cab (Matchless G12H30 was miked):
• ’08 JMI 30/6 TB Combo with 2x12 Fane Alnico Blues (more midrange than Celestion alnico blues)

Recording Signal Chain

Microphones:
• Shure SM-57 dynamic mic (guitar left)
• Royer R-121 ribbon mic (guitar right)
• Shure PG-81 (voice)

Audio interface:
• Universal Apollo x8p

Mic preamps:
• Universal Audio Helios Type 69 Plugin for SM57 (left)
• Universal Audio Helios Type 69 Plugin for R-121 (right)

Recording Software:
• Apple Logic

Audio Plugins:
Sum bus for guitar mics (no settings were changed between amps or guitars)
• Universal Audio API channel strip
• Universal Audio LA3A compressor
• FabFilter Pro Q eq
• Universal Audio EMT 140 plate reverb

Master bus (no settings were changed between amps or guitars)
• FabFilter Pro Q eq
• Universal Audio Precision limiter

Video Gear:
• Fujifilm X-H1 mirrorless digital camera with 23mm lens, f4
• Aputure 120d for key lighting
• LIFX 80” LED strip + 40” LED strip for background lighting.
• Adobe Premiere

Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:33 - Matchless with Tele
01:01 - JMI with Tele
01:29 - Matchless with Strat & delay
01:50 - JMI with Strat & delay
02:11 - Matchless with ES-345
02:42 - JMI with ES-345
03:13 - Matchless with Tele
04:14 - JMI with Tele