IN-DEPTH SPECIFICATIONS

Matchless’ first amp hit it big for the Californian company. The 30-watt DC-30 burst out of the gate in a big way, finding its way into the rigs of players as massive as Neil Young, Brian May and The Boss. The company’s reputation is built on its handwired point-to-point circuitry, and since their start in 1989, they’ve expanded their product range significantly.

For those who are unaware exactly what these terms mean, it essentially indicates that Matchless use as few pre-fabricated components or processes as possible when constructing the circuit itself. You’re talking wires and solder more than a bevy of green PCBs.

The Spitfire ’15 is part of a trio of similar amps from the company. It’s a bit cleaner than its rowdier Lightning and Nighthawk brothers, yet the Spitfire '15 shares a similar purpose. All three models focus on different styles, but share the lower 15-watt range that works both in the bedroom and small stages.

Although it has its own distinctive and intentional gain structure, the Spitfire’s particular circuit is intended to work best with clean styles, such as jazz, country, blues and easygoing rock. Overall, the amp’s simple design and relatively specific sound suggest it’s designed to be a solid master of certain styles more than a middling jack-of-all-trades.