“This monumental collaboration signals a new chapter in Bad Cat’s commitment to exceptional tone”: Bad Cat marks the return of amp design guru Mark Sampson with the Era 30

Bad Cat Era 30 head.

NAMM 2025: Bad Cat has announced the welcome return of respected amp designer Mark Sampson – best known as the man who founded Matchless and the design brains behind the brand’s early models – heralding his arrival with a new two-channel tube amp, the Era 30.

“Mark Sampson, renowned for his pioneering work in boutique amplifier design, was instrumental in shaping the golden age of hand-wired tube amps,” says Bad Cat.