This amp was the very first "drop shipment" from Huddersfield ENGLAND to the United States of America in 1998,
for MATAMP USA's brand new dealer in Nashville Tennesse.
Originally in GREEN Vinyde, with a GREEN Matamp Plex Panel over the top of this fine ORANGE Enamel Panel.
The USA dealer in Tennessee ordered 3 GREEN GT120 Non Master Volume Amps and 3 4x12 Cabs from MATAMP USA.
To save time and shipping, the 6 pieces were shipped direct from the UK to Tennessee.
When biasing the amps for 120volt, the shop owner discovered they were 80watt and had Orange Voice of the World
front panels under the engraved ones. He then returned them to MATAMP USA to eat/refund.
This ended "drop shipments" for the USA Imports.
Notice the GREEN Power Light. Left in from it's GREEN Life.
It took 7 years of International Phone Calls and Faxes to get these knobs. Finally they showed up in 2005.
Prior it had some real funky round knobs that were common era 1998-2000 from Huddersfield before the
Ashdowne Chicken Head knob format Units.
Since MATAMP USA was not supported
by the UK over this ordeal, the amp was put into archive, and an
orange basketweave vinyde sleeve
was later ordered from the UK shop for $400 US Dollars + Duty and Shipping.
FAC ,
GAIN, BASS, TREBLE, PRESENCE, MASTER.
[ actual EQ control function
above ]
The Controls are left as they
were with the GREENAMP, Panel.
The current text is off if
you compare the actual knob text as shown with the front panel text.
The eq line could be changed
easily, but it is incredible sounding as is, so we don't want to "tinker"
with something that is fine.
Such an incredible fresh enameled
front panel, it had to be used.
Most of the Orange OD's seen
are beat up, and the panels are not fresh and new.
THIS ONE is VIRGIN NEW !
Notice the chassis is an actual
MATAMP GT type metal chassis.
Cream Enamel instead of the
standard Orange Enamel chassis.
If the front panel was not
so "white" it would not be noticed if that it was a VOTW panel except to
a gearhead.
The Chrome handle roll bar
system on these models is similar to a rubics cube to service.
These handles were problematic
from th factory typically, with stripped threads for a one time fit.
This amp has all 4 pieces and
all 4 correct studs. Very Rare to have we found over the years.
Fresh and Clean still 10 years
after it's assembly by Dave Green/UK in 1998.
This amp was modified, and
refabed into a full on rock and roll tone machine.
Unit assembly display from
Matamp UK in Huddersfield for USA Orders:
From 1994-1997
the GREEN amp line was made from Matamp Spares and Old Matamp Amp Units.
From 1997
to 2000 ORANGE Voice of The World parts were mainly used, then about
55 GREEN amp
units made from fresh parts
intended only for their specific production toward
the end of 1999 before the chassis change in 2001.
After 2001
the GREEN amp line was assembled from Ashdowne UK type parts by the Huddersfield
Shop.
A little Puff makes the Tone
Light UP like a Christmas Tree, making the Master knob a real "Master"
!
Swap some wires around to the original spec locations, and "Wang Dang Sweet
Amp Thang like Florida
Orange Wedges in your Mouth After Sex on the Beach" type of tone TONE !
In the UK often in their "Forums"
they always refer to Matamp and Orange as the "hardwire point to point
amp".
There are a more than a couple of aces out there that with bad ideas brewing
and really posting it up.
Something some forum wankers
argue blind and riffpowerless in the UK about for some pointless reason.
What they need to do is take a look inside their units and look at those
awesome traks that are DOH ! PC's!
PC = "Printed Circuit" Boys...
Not "Personal Computer".
These amps SOUND GREAT when
set up right and with correct voltage supply.
The down side is ordering a
new one and having to do all of these mods right out of the box especially
when it is actually an "orange"
underneath and you wanted to be the new kid on the block in GREEN.
This type of shifty weasel assembly
in the UK created a bad name for the UK Shop in Huddersfield
which then created very bad
publicity for MATAMP USA since they were the only front line for sales,
service and repair in the World
until 2004 .
In 2004
Matamp USA began to seek new a manufacturer for it's products.
In the end MATAMP
USA ended importing and turned over the innovation to ELECTRIC
Amp, USA
and for the first time GREEN AMP Units
were made from
100% new materials and a sturdy
design that is a real keeper.
GREEN Amps are now Hand Made in the USA.
Sold as a "new GREEN Amp" simply
just could not be done under such terms, so the amp unit remains in archive
and used in the studio often
still. This amp in particular has incredible silence until
the strings are hit.
The feedback at low volume
has so much control you could draw with feedback on a wall.
An amp that was sent to the
USA with wierd intentions, that in the end turned out to be a good amp.
Now when the amp is sold one
day, it will be a good deal for both parties involved.
An interesting piece of USA Amp Import History.
In the end we found out, it all depends what side of the "pond" you are.
"It is what it is."
