Here's one that was intimidating. A true barn find full of dead bugs and mouse faeces.... effing gross!
It was sold to my friend Dave at Sonic Circus for $50 a few years back. We weren't expecting much since it had spent so much time growing uglier due to neglect.
But once I cleaned it up, re-capped it, fixed the tears in the speakers it came back to life. And it has of course a gorgeous voice! I'm not a fan of the stereo Magnatone amps, too complicated, oddball expensive tubes, but these simpler ones are the bomb. It's about 25 watts with 2 6L6 tubes. Nothing expensive or difficult to find tube wise either. Just a 5u4 rectifier, some 12AX7 tubes and a 12AU7.
These 'stencil' amps built by Magnatone for other companies are a real bargain. Not exactly cheap but not what you pay for one labeled Magnatone. See my other post for the Panoramic amp I still have.
This amp is basically a Magnatone 260. It's now making music again at Sonic Circus. Dave has a beautiful Vox AC-30 with the copper panel. With the pitch shifting vibrato in the amp the 2 seem spiritually connected. Though, I prefer the Magnatone amps myself. Straight up Bo Diddley tone! Less noisy than the AC30 too, though, no diss on Vox. Those are amazing too.
Do notice the Celestion 'Guitar Center' model speaker I threw in. Not a bad choice but fortunately I was able to get the original speaker going again!
Bowl o' spaghetti construction:
And there you go! Get out there and try one of these. They have quite a sound! J
It was sold to my friend Dave at Sonic Circus for $50 a few years back. We weren't expecting much since it had spent so much time growing uglier due to neglect.
But once I cleaned it up, re-capped it, fixed the tears in the speakers it came back to life. And it has of course a gorgeous voice! I'm not a fan of the stereo Magnatone amps, too complicated, oddball expensive tubes, but these simpler ones are the bomb. It's about 25 watts with 2 6L6 tubes. Nothing expensive or difficult to find tube wise either. Just a 5u4 rectifier, some 12AX7 tubes and a 12AU7.
These 'stencil' amps built by Magnatone for other companies are a real bargain. Not exactly cheap but not what you pay for one labeled Magnatone. See my other post for the Panoramic amp I still have.
This amp is basically a Magnatone 260. It's now making music again at Sonic Circus. Dave has a beautiful Vox AC-30 with the copper panel. With the pitch shifting vibrato in the amp the 2 seem spiritually connected. Though, I prefer the Magnatone amps myself. Straight up Bo Diddley tone! Less noisy than the AC30 too, though, no diss on Vox. Those are amazing too.
Do notice the Celestion 'Guitar Center' model speaker I threw in. Not a bad choice but fortunately I was able to get the original speaker going again!
Bowl o' spaghetti construction:
And there you go! Get out there and try one of these. They have quite a sound! J
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