Matchless Amplifiers

Rick Perrotta started Matchless while living in Hollywood, California in 1989. He, along with partners Mark Sampson, Steve Goodale and Chris Perrotta were the initial force behind the company, often working on Rick's kitchen table. When Rick and Mark started working on their first prototype amp, the C-30, they wanted it to sound significantly better than the amplifiers that were currently being mass-produced. They also wanted their amps to take the rigors of the road and remain completely reliable for musicians who played night after night.

As prototyping neared completion, Mark and Rick came up with the name MATCHLESS—because that's what they intended their "no-compromise" amplifier to be. Chris designed the amp's trademark light-up logo. Steve Goodale joined them as a co-founder in 1991, bringing financing and marketing to the company. Goodale insisted that they participate in the 1992 Guitar Player Magazine boutique amplifier shootout by delivering an early DC-30 (Dual Combo 30) from Los Angeles to Cupertino. The amplifier wound up in the hands of editor Andy Widders-Ellis from Guitar Player Magazine. The amplifier won first place in and effectively helped launch the company.

Matchless is widely regarded as being the company that kick-started the boutique amplifiers.
The company also manufactured tube stompboxes such as the Hotbox, the Hotbox II, the Dirtbox (higher gain version of the Hotbox), the Coolbox (a Booster pedal), the Splitbox (a tube buffered signal splitter), the Mixbox (a tube buffered mixer), and the Vibrobox (a tube tremolo effect), as well an echo/delay pedal called the Echobox, which employed a tape format from an adapted cassette.

Due to financial problems, Matchless Amplifiers closed down in 1998 but reopened in 2000 under new administration. They currently manufacture several lines of amplifiers and speaker cabinet enclosures.