Magnatone Amp Thread

[jeremyb]

Seeing as Molly has one now, we should celebrate these great sounding amps!

[jeremyb]

[murky]

Vintage 213/Tonemaster 214 for the win!

[jeremyb]

Vintage 213/Tonemaster 214 for the win!

Mmmm much love for the tonemaster after watching the fretted americana vids with Phil X for so many years

[goldtop0]

Prices put these in the boutique realm.
There are a lot of other brands that I'd look at because of that.

[Molly]

Prices put these in the boutique realm.
There are a lot of other brands that I'd look at because of that.

I guess that's true of most things. I just visited a car museum and was lusting after a McLaren. But for the price I suppose I could buy a few Toyotas. Would still want the McLaren though.

[KNNZ]

I've got them all in my Fractal and Kemper

[clubhouse]

Headphones advisable...

[murky]

Vintage 213/Tonemaster 214 for the win!

Mmmm much love for the tonemaster after watching the fretted americana vids with Phil X for so many years

I used to laugh when he’d switch from the Tonemaster, which always sounded great, to AC30 - and you’d instantly lose the chub.

[jeremyb]

I've got them all in my Fractal and Kemper

Yeah but nah!

[olegmcnoleg]

I've got them all in my Fractal and Kemper

Yeah but nah!

Duh, yeah. I was just thinking how much I like those two stereo combos they make, and what I'd need to sell to buy one. Your email reminded me that I have already got one (probably).

(My Kemper came with over 1000 amp profiles, so I have no idea which amps I have!)

[godgrinder]

Not the biggest fan of boutique reissues of yesteryears budget amps, especially when it's done by oppotunists that have zero connection to the original manufacturer. These US$750 Evil Robots were ok but the current lineup is a bit ridiculous.

[Molly]

Not sure how it does it but I was saying to one of the chaps the other day that in an a/b with my other amps the Magnatone just fills the room. It's a big but unforgiving tone.

[clubhouse]

Not the biggest fan of boutique reissues of yesteryears budget amps, especially when it's done by oppotunists that have zero connection to the original manufacturer. These US$750 Evil Robots were ok but the current lineup is a bit ridiculous.

Not much love for Leo Fender then and the bandwagon of free-loaders who've contributed to re-imagining his company's designs at every price-point, feature set and material/labour cost over the decades It's a market of free-to-pursue opportunists at all levels. That's the name of the game.

Granted, it's a lot of money for, what may be to some, an average sounding amp with a specific effect gimmick that you can approximate in a pedal. If that's your jam the market caters for you. If not, then there is finally an off-the-shelf offering that nails the intrinsic Magnatone vibe without having to scour the earth (and I've read the handy-dandy online research that some cats have done comparing the frequency slopes of various new stock and old stock varistors and network designed approximations of the effect's sound - upshot: none come close to the now out of production originals) for NOS parts to make your own or refurb an original...all with their cost/price outcomes.

The varistor based vib/trem is a very expensive circuit to build. Magnatone have secured a supplier to manufacture new varistors to the original spec. This would take considerable negotiation and contracted supply agreement quantities to make it feasible for both parties...very spendy.

The Evil Robot amps were knock-offs (and that's cool) of a rebranded Magnatone design from the time that these amps were favoured by purveyors of one of El Diablo's racket mongers...the electrified piano-accordion. The Evil Robot vibrato/tremolo onboard effect sounds like an opto-trem (standard Fender fare on BF/SF amps) and not the much more complicated (more parts/labour/skill required and much more expensive parts) varistor derived vib/trem featured on the modern version of the 60s units.

I'm a bit of a tool perv. I like using nice tools...they feel good, often look good and last longer...I love my Stahlwille torque wrench with DRO I use to tighten the cylinder nuts on my Vespa engine by feel. Practice for a while then go for the Tight as Fuck method. I've used cheap spanners and the jaw spread and rounded the nut...went to a Hazet and the thing went on sweet and held...could have stopped there. But I knew I could have done better and the market had an offering that met my criteria.

The Magnatone vibe is like a sonic tool, now available, if that's your jam and an approximate isn't swinging it for you. Some cats have to have an amp that has the gain structure that's just right for their chug. Some like clean for days...there's plenty of room for all tastes and the name of the game means there'll probably be an offering to satiate that taste. You may have expensive taste...so long as nobody loses an eye, that's cool. Your budget may be tighter...that's cool...creativity is often enhanced by limitations (necessity, invention and mothers).

I like dudes who give a shit about the stuff they make rather than clutter the planet with crap...these current Magnatone dudes obviously care a LOT. I'd like to support more of these types of makers in all the aspects of my consumerist life...but, yadda yadda.

[Slowy]

I like dudes who give a shit about the stuff they make rather than clutter the planet with crap...

I am so with you on that!