Epitome of the stressed designer/tinkerer, Mark Sampson has co-founded 4 guitar-amplifier corporations, two of which – Matchless and Unhealthy Cat – are indelible figures within the commerce whose authentic builds draw perpetual curiosity from collectors, particularly the Matchless DC-30 and SC-30, that are prime examples of “boutique.”

Sampson began Unhealthy Cat in 2000 with Rick Perrotta, James Heidrich, and Joe Allrich. His departure 5 years later was lower than amicable, however the a long time that adopted noticed each events flourish.

Within the run-up to this yr’s winter NAMM present, Unhealthy Cat introduced it was reuniting with Sampson on a brand new design known as the Period 30. We spoke with him simply prior, as he handled challenges exterior the store; ping-ponging between Mason Metropolis, Iowa, and Cleveland whereas settling his father’s property, he was additionally in common communication with two of his grownup youngsters who have been minding his L.A. residence because the Pallisades Hearth approached from three sides.

“They have been in a troublesome spot,” he mentioned. “We’ve lived by fires and I knew they may deal with it, however after we talked, I heard the cracking of their voices.”

Fortuitously, the hearth didn’t attain the home.

What spurred your return to Unhealthy Cat?
Properly, John Thompson, who has owned the corporate since 2011, tried for awhile to pay money for me earlier than [L.A. guitarist/producer/songwriter] Joel Whitley linked us. John supplied all the things I needed if I got here again, together with the flexibility to maintain engaged on different tasks, as a result of I like working in studios. Actually, I’m proper now engaged on a patent for 2 condenser mics and I don’t need to must set that apart or get too strung out by coping with the enterprise finish of constructing amps.

I additionally didn’t need to be concerned within the work of bringing an amp to the manufacturing degree, as a result of it’s one factor to construct a prototype that works properly, but it surely’s one other to make the drawings and make use of individuals for a manufacturing line. John and the crew at Unhealthy Cat now are additionally far more in-tune with the web and trendy advertising and marketing. Getting in control on all that isn’t what I needed to do once more.

Anyway, John talked about that it was about to be 25 years since Joe Allrich and I began Unhealthy Cat, so he puzzled if I’d be concerned about a Twenty fifth-anniversary amp. I contemplated it for some time then requested, “What do you actually need? One thing with one knob, 5 knobs, 10 knobs?” I needed to be in sync along with his considering. He mentioned, “You possibly can do an up to date model of the unique Black Cat 30 with an energetic results loop…” they usually’ve named it the Mark Sampson Period 30. I constructed a prototype and allow them to take it from there. They’ve made a half a dozen and the workmanship is nice; I used to be impressed and we’ll be demoing them at NAMM.

What’s its configuration?
It has 4 EL84s with a 5AR4 rectifier tube, 4 12AX7s, and an EF86. It’s somewhat completely different; it’s bought one enter jack that feeds each channels with a relay swap between them managed with a silent footswitch that has LED channel indicators. You may as well bypass the relay and feed each channels on the identical time.

And the management format?
The EF86 channel has a passive rotary Depth swap for low-frequency roll-down, and, like a tweed Fender, a high-frequency roll-down; it’s a easy Tone management. The opposite channel is kind of a High Increase AC30, with Quantity, Bass, Treble, and Achieve. It has an energetic results loop that’s hardwire-bypassed, which is among the issues I insisted on and can by no means get away from as a result of I just like the pure sound of an amp with no pedals within the center or in entrance of it. I need to simply hear the amp, particularly for recording; in that world, all of the extras simply get in the way in which and add noise. You’re higher off monitoring clear and dry after which doing no matter results post-recording.

When it comes to perform, what units it aside?
Properly, every channel has its personal Quantity, and the channels are now not out of section, so you possibly can mix and blend them to your coronary heart’s content material with out worrying about section. Additionally, there’s an total Grasp quantity so you possibly can play it in a bed room with every channel set to the acquire and distortion you need, then set the general quantity down if you’ll want to. Every channel Quantity is pre section inverter, and the general Grasp is put up section inverter, so you possibly can overdrive the section inverter a bit and get shading of distortion and acquire.

Whereas engaged on the circuit, we eradicated lots of the mechanical issues with EF86 tubes rattling due to how their grids are made, which is necessary.

Have you ever and John talked about different amps?
I’m engaged on others for him based mostly on present fashions that simply didn’t sound superb to me, however there aren’t any agency plans.

What does your ear need to hear that the majority amps don’t provide?
Properly, I all the time need to hear as a lot harmonic content material as doable and a pure, clear tone that provides area across the be aware. On high of that, it’s bought to sound good whether or not it’s actually clear or well-distorted.

There’s lots of listening and a few compromising after I’m creating an amp. I spend days at my workbench, soldering iron in a single hand, a guitar throughout my lap, simply attempting issues within the circuit. – Ward Meeker

To learn an prolonged model of this interivew, go to VintageGuitar.com and enter “Mark Sampson” within the search window.

This text initially appeared in VG’s March 2025 concern. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.