Celebrated amp designer Mark Sampson, best known for his work with Matchless and Bad Cat, has recently passed away. The news was confirmed by Bad Cat via their official social media channels.
“It is with great sadness that we must announce that we have lost a beloved member of the Bad Cat family,” reads the statement. “Our dearest friend Mark Sampson has passed away. We will have much more to say on this later, but for now, please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.” No further information was given about the cause of death.
Since the 1980s, Sampson made a significant impact on the amp world, and was instrumental in shaping the golden age of hand-wired tube amps. He and his friend, Rick Ferrotta, founded Matchless Amps in Sampson's kitchen back in 1989 – and two years later, pulled together all their resources to exhibit their wares at the 1991 NAMM Show.
With Matchless, Sampson used his background in buying, repairing, and selling vintage gear to create amp designs that worked for the player – as epitomized in products such as the Matchless HC-30 model, Clubman, Chieftain, Thunderchief, and Superchief amp series.
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“[The idea for Matchless] changed over time, but the initial concept was to make a roadworthy amp that wouldn't break down,” Sampson said in a 2007 interview with Tone Quest.
“At the time, I was doing a lot of repair work on JMI Vox amps, and they were notorious for breaking. So the primary focus was on building a really durable amp, and as time went on, it became obvious that we could make this thing sound great and not break on the road, and these two goals were not mutually exclusive.”
In 1999, Sampson went on to help found and design amps for Bad Cat. He was heavily involved with the premium amp company until his departure in the early 2000s, before returning in early 2025 – just in time for this year's NAMM – with the two-channel tube amp, the Era 30.
“Having Mark back at Bad Cat feels like a homecoming,” John Thompson, owner/operator of Bad Cat Amps, had said upon his return. “His expertise and vision have always set the standard for what a great amplifier should be. The Era 30 is a testament to his legacy and our shared commitment to delivering the ultimate tone experience.”
