Newbie question: What's a "Matchbox?"

[Seth Owen]

Hello, all! About three years ago, I was offered a 1954 Fender Dual Professional 6 for a price so low that I jumped on it, despite the fact I had never played steel. Well, after a couple of years I got good enough at it I was able to start making some money backing singer/songwriters, laying studio tracks, etc. I've been at it semi-professionally (still gotta have a day job) for a year now, but am looking to constantly improve, making the steel part of my arsenal (also play "regular" guitar) on the path to becoming a full-time professional musician.

As we all know, equipment is a part of this - though not, in my opinion, as large of a part as some might think - and I've been seeing a lot of ads here on the forum for a "Matchbox 7A," sometimes followed by "f/s." I think I get that "f/s" means footswitch, and from the photos I get the idea that the Matchbox controls gain and can help shape tone, but what exactly is it? Is it akin to a boost pedal? Is it something y'all feel I need to add to my arsenal? ("Need" here being sort of the operative term: I generally eschew pedals, having only very recently acquired a delay, and that was because a guy I was doing work for in a live setting had a couple of tunes where I needed it. Otherwise, I'm a "simpler is better" sort, basically insistent on getting various effects by using technique and what the instruments - guitar and amp - provide on their own.)

ANY input is welcomed, so don't hesitate to toss in your two cents! Thank you all in advance for helping make this decision!

[Melvin Elliott]

Most often f/s means for sale.
Check here http://www.tonetronix.com/pc/7A-Super-S ... edals.html for the Matchbox

[Seth Owen]

Thank you! Glad to know about "f/s" not meaning "footswitch."

I still need to know what it actually does, etc.

[Paul Sutherland]

If you like the sound of your steel, then you don't need it.

[Lane Gray]

A Matchbox is an impedance buffer. If you use a passive volume pedal, the pot will take some of the highs and clarity from the sound (in terms of things like "string separation").
An impedance buffer will prevent that.
Other similar gadgets are: the Lil' Izzy; Izzy Plus; the Sarno Freeloader; and a few others that I've forgotten.
Some, but not all, stomp boxen will act that way as well. My Holy Grail does it about as well as my Izzy Plus.

If you use a modern active pedal, like Hilton or Telonics, "tone suck" isn't an issue.

Think of a Matchbox as Pledge for audio: it brightens as it cleans.

[Chas. J. Wagner]

Here's a YouTube demo from a few years ago...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUMJj_T4nbw
Not the best demo I've seen, but it will give you an idea...

[Seth Owen]

Thanks, guys! I get it now: Sounds like I don't need one.

Thanks again!

[Lane Gray]

Unless you run a Hilton or Telonics volume pedal, it would make a significant difference. there are a few people, however, that prefer the tone changing characteristics of a volume pedal.

EDIT: To answer your question, it's what Carl Perkins keeps his clothes in.

[Tom Wolverton]

Is the basic Matchbox circuit also inside the MatchBro?

[Josh Yenne]

I absolutely love having a Matchbox...

I feel like it gives me more headroom on tube amps and way more flexibility in general...

At very very least it is a tone and gain right there at your fingertips which I love... the days of getting up and adjusting my amp during the set are basically over..

The sound of the room changes as others on stage tweak their sound, the room fills up, etc...

Not to mention that certain songs just need more high end twang and others need more rolled off jazz tone.. and I've got it right there..

I really prefer playing with one .