Magnatone 213 112 Combo

1962 Magnaton Tonemaster 214 made by the Estey company. This amp uses 12AX7,12AU7 & 6V6 tubes. The schematic on the inside wall of the amps says "Model 413". Two channels with a killer vibrato! I love vintage amps, I use Univox amps in the studio eveyday. I picked up this Tonemaster on ebay simply because of it's vibe.

When this amp arrived to my home I couldn't wait to try it out! It sounded like total crap..............I pulled out the stock speaker and dropped in a Jensen Alnico 5 PRO P12N and fired it back up..............WOW this thing really came to life! Huge tone from a very small box and acts like a pissed off little monster when it's cranked! I will now be using the Tonemaster in the studio everyday! Loads of power if you want to gig with it! Simply great tone, warm bluesy and full.................The tube driven vibrato is the best I've heard period!

This amp is 42 years old and bone stock.....................Reliable? I think so!!!

Out of buss........................

I really love vintage tone.............You can't get it in a reissue! I love this amp and plan on keeping it!

1957 Magnatone Troubadour rated at 18 watts. 5v4g rectifier, two 6v6's, three 12ax7's and one 12au7. Two channels each with A and B inputs. There is one volume for each channel one tone knob that controls both. The amp also has the famous pitch shifting vibrato which is really just...well, defies description. I don't wish it had any other features, this is what I look for in an amp. Simplicity, and cool tone. I won't rate the features.

I use Strats and Tele's with boutique pickups. I play a variety of things: primitive rock, primitive country, jazz, indie and ambient. This is an "indie's" dream amp. Funky, solid, underappreciated. I don't gig with it but it is not a noisy amp. I'm comparing it to other tube amps and like other tube amps it will hiss and crackle from time to time. Basically there are only a few tones to get from the amp: Both channels sound very similar as opposed to larger Mags I've owned (B inputs are mellower). The volume increases slowly as the volume knob is turned until it is nearly 3/4 of the way up. Then it sounds like my Victoria Deluxe on three. It's loud but not very. But then the last quarter turn really kicks in the power. It's hard to comment because I have the original cone in the speaker (oh my!) and I really only drove it for a minute. Very unique overdrive. When you turn the tone knob it seems you are increasing the mids and treble and volume. I set it 1/3 of the way up. If you had the tone and volume up this is a loud amp. But I haven't jammed much that way. This amp sound nice on its mellower settings and it sounds, when I play primitive music, very different than a tweed deluxe. Funkier if you will. It's really a warm, liquid and wet sounding amp. It really has a wonderful tone. But it is very midrangey, more so than a Fender...and much less bass. But a guitar is a midrange instrument. It should fill the midrange. Quite frankly, I think this amp is every bit as cool as my Victoria Deluxe (tweed deluxe clone). The original cone has a lot to do with the fluidity of its tone. I popped a Weber in there and it was gone. But I could crank it and the vibrato came through loud and clear. If you haven't heard Maggie vibrato then ...it makes me think of Venice Beach circa 1966 or something. It is so indie, so boingy, so wet. I won;t rate quality of tone. This is a really nice sounding amp for what I like. Magnatone built expensive, hi tech amps for the time. However they were designed for numerous instruments, opposed to Fender who made them for guitars. Chances are if you hear an old record and its not a Fender sound, its a Gibson or a Magnatone or a Premier.

This amp looks like it has been through hell. It is original but just beat to s*#&. I've never seen an amp with worn out corners and edges like this...and dustbunnies and grime all over it...and still work perfectly! All original. Somebody else thought this thing sounded good. So I'll let that speak for itself. I think that with regular maintenance that this could last a while.

Magnatone is gone. Plenty of nice guys on the web to help out though. www.vibroworld.com also there is a yahoo Magnatone/Valco group.

Over a decade on the guitar. I should know what's up at this stage of the game. I know what works for me and what doesn't. This amp sounds cool and I'll use it as a fun as all get out practice and recording amp. It sounds better than my 260A did (that I reviewed here as well) but this thing is so USED that it is double vintage. I wouldn't gig with it merely because it is as loud a a fender tweed Vibrolux at the tone settings I like. Overall, a well made amp by a great company who, though not as great as some others, made some cool amps that we should respect and maintain so people can hear them in the future.