Magnatone Custom 260A

c.1958-62 magnatone 260-A. 35w 2x12,2 channel,true pitch-shift vibrato.All original except a couple of tubes. I play blues, classic rock, country and a little jazz. I works exceptionally well for all of these. Certainly not enough gain for metal. I play at home and a weekly jam with 2-5 other players. 35w (even though it's not a loud 35) is more than enough for me.

If you love the sound of a Maggie, nothing else will do. This amp is exceptionally quiet. The tone is very warm and round. It really doesn't sound like anything else. The vibrato colors the tone on channel 1 even when it is switched off. With single coils channel 1 stays clean almost to full volume. Channel 2 starts to break up at around 2 o'clock. With p-90's and humbuckers a little earlier. The vibrato on channel 1 is very unique sounding. I run it set fairly low to fill out the sound. I EQ channel 1 a little warmer and channel 2 brighter.The only downside for me is the fact that I have to crank it past home volume for break up. I use a pedal for that (see below).

My amp is over 50 years old and still running strong. The tolex still looks pretty good but has a few tears at the corners. The control panel has scratches to mark a previous owners settings but the printing and knobs have held up well. The cab is not super strong and I wouldn't drag it to gigs (if I gigged) without a road case.

Magnatone is long out of business so no customer support. Since this is a rare amp, most techs I have spoken to have never even seen one. Fortunately the vibrato work because the varisistors are long out of production and to my knowledge, unavailable.

I have been playing for 2 years and have had an awful lot of gear trying to find MY TONE. I have had a Peavey Classic 30, Vot VTX, Epi Valve Jr. Currently also own a 70's Fender Musicmaster Bass Amp and a 60's Kalamazoo Model One. I plan to sell the Fender and Kalamazoo to finance a 1x12 Maggie.
I use a MIJ Aerodyne Tele with a p-90 in the neck, an Aerodyne Strat and a Xaviere xv-700 w/ SD Phat Cats with it. I have also played a number of other axes thru it including a hollow body w/ hums, a Gadow w/ Fralin HB's and other Strats. EVERYTHING sounds great thru it. For earlier breakup I use a Paul Cochrane Tim boost/OD and/or a Huckleberry Fuzz. I use a Boss RV-3 for reverb and delay and a 60's Magnatone branded footswitch to turn the vibrato on and off. I also use a EHX Switchblade to switch between channels.

Circa 1958-62 two channel 35 watt amp with footswitchable vibrato. Usual TMB controls and Speed and Intensity controls for the vibrato. 5881 power tubes, tube rectifier, Oxford speakers. Reverb would have been nice, but a 460 goes for more than twice as much as what I paid for this one. No need for an FX loop as this amp is dead quiet. I can use my GMajor for occasional FX with no increase in noise.

Super cleans, more balanced than my '65 Twin Reverb. No twang, bottom!This amp makes any guitar sound better. I can get convincing jazz tones using my '59 LP Jr. Great articulation -- each note and string is represented equally in the sound. No mushy bass response -- this amp has punch! This amp is ideal for playing rockabilly and '60s R&B. When dimed, it yields a bassy overdrive, kind of like a fuzz bass. The vibrato is ghostly, dreamy. With both controls maxed out, the vibrato is reminiscent of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. When I hook up the speaker out with my Celestion 35 watt 4x10 cabinet, it yields a Malcolm Young-like treble crunch using my LP Custom. This is a true High Fidelity amplifier. Loves single coils, HBs, P90s, Mini HBs, DeArmonds, anything. Takes my Mesa V-Twin pedal well. Awesome!

So far, so good, even though the tubes are over 40 years old. Not too many amps out there with all original components that sound this good without any hisses, pops, or 60 cycle hum.

N/A. Company closed up around 1970. Help available at vibroworld.com

21 years playing at guitar. I also own a Mesa SOB, '65 TR, '71 TR, Bassman 135, Carvin X100B, and a Fender Tonemaster that is on the way. If it were lost or stolen, I would snatch one up right away, or perhaps one of the models with the Hammond reverb. This is a professional quality amp, available at a bargain price.

For an amp made in 1959 it sure has quite a few features. Two seperate channels each with two jacks. One jack for high gain the other for low. Channel one has the option of using magnatones famous vibrato, which has controls for speed and intesity. Channel two is labled hi fidelity but i could hear no difference in the two. Since the second doesn't have the vibrato i don't use it. No reverb though. It has a remote cabinet jack and a foot switch jack that i don't use. It is rated at 35 watts but that may be a bit optomistic. Two oxford 12's. 6L6's. All tube. Gave it a 9 because of no reverb.

I currently use a 51 nocaster and a re-issue 62 strat. I'm a blues guy, mostly west coast jump style. Here's the thing with the magnatone, it stays super clean until you turn it all the way up. For my style i like it really dirty because you get more sustain but the cool thing is, with this amp you get sustain no matter what, clean, dirty, half way up, all the way up. That is super cool. Its giving me more options for my tone, more variety. Robert Cray uses this exact same amp and he gets a really clean tone out of it. I've tried using different pickups that really over drive the speakers and it sounds fantastic. When you turn it up it gets really crunchy but loses none of its defenition. You can play full chords and it doesn't start farting out like a fender deluxe.

The amp is super dynamic and very touch sensetive. With the amp all the way up you can control the break up really nicely. The harder you pick the louder and more distorted it gets. Try the same thing with a line 6 or a tech 21 and you get none of that. There is just something about a point to point wired amp. Another thing i should mention is the excellent low end. Unlike a mesa where the low end seems to be artificial and can over power your sound, this is really round and full but not intrusive. It's because of the two twelves. The origional catalog said that this amp could be used for guitar, accordian, or bass.

The vibrato is what makes these amps sought after and i can really tell why. It sounds like nothing else on the market, currently or other wise. It is rich, vintage, cool, creamy, and any other good things you'd like to say about it. Truely unique.

The amp is super quiet even at full volume, even before i had my tech go through it. About the 35 watts, i don't think that is correct. Some say that magnatones were under powered and i see why. It is definately loud enough for any normal gig, like a bar or small club, sometime too loud. that's where i use it mostly. But beyond that you would have to mike it. Not a big deal. Louder than a deluxe, quieter than a twin or super.

I have no back up amp so if it breaks i'm S.O.L. It's really light but built solidly. I have no worries as long as i take care of it. It has survived almost 50 years and should survive 50 more. Since i haven't really gigged with it i wont give it a reliablity rating. How should i know?

The company is long out of business so none there. If you have a good tech than it shouldn't be a problem. the unofficial amp site for magnatones is vibroworld.com and they can probably help you with anything you might need.

I've been playing for about ten years and this is my first reall amp. all the others are not worth mentioning. I got it at really good price considering a vintage fender with a similar sound and loudness would have cost me an arm and a leg. These amps are under valued because fenders get most of the attention. Not that i have a problem with that. I paid only two hundred more than the list value in 1959!!!!! If you can find one of these at a good price you would be crazy not to buy it. I wish it had reverb but it's not that big of a deal. I can just spend the cash i saved on a premier reverb tank. Well worth the money.

This amp is very unique and sounds fantastic. Anyone who digs the sound of an old tube amp with fall in love with this one. I know i have. In fact, i think i'll go play it right now......

2 x 12, 35 watt amp. They have all the features any reasonable person needs. Two channels, channel A has the greatest vibrato sound available, and B has very cool overdrive when pushed. It is loud enough to gig with. I rate a 7 because it doesn't have the neat-o useless crap in today's amps that seem to be desireable in today's market.

Nothing sounds like a maggie. Sounds best with no pedals, pure magnatone bliss. Famous Magnatone users are Lonnie Mack, Duane Eddie, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly and Robert Cray. They are quiet and clean, but will give you great overdrive in channel B, and outrageous vibrato in channel A. I don't know an amp to compare this with, they are not for everyone, but if you it is for you, nothing else will do. Check them out, it's worth it. I can't give you it's sound in words.

Magnatones were built like tanks, they were higher priced than Fender, top quality material and construction.

Sadly, Magnatone does not exist, out of business.
They can be serviced by amp techs, and you can only buy them used anyway so why bother discussing customer support.

Magnatones are unique, not for everyone. They are fine quality amps with a sound of their own. Too cool for me to describe, words are words, go listen to one. They are surprisingly "unknown" to the masses. If you dig vintage tones, find one and buy it, any of the "desireable" models, 213, 260, 280, etc., from the mid 50's to early 60's, will do, they all sound great. If you are sick of the same classic rock/modern rock tone that is so common and boring, find a Magnatone and buy it.

This is a 1960 Magnatone 260 A. It is a 35 watt 2x12 amplifier. All tube 5U4g, 2/6L6, 2/6cg7, and 2/12ax7. All are easy to find. It has two channels: A Vibrato channel and a Hi-fi channel. Both have bass, treble, and volume controls. The Vibrato channel has a normal/deep switch and the Hi-fi channel has a bright/normal sound. It also has an external speaker jack and a jack for Vibrato footswitch. The intensity of the vibrato can be controlled by a volume pedal for swells and shimmering vibrato. Very hip. As far as volume, the thing is very loud for 35 watts and really doesn't break up until about 3/4 of the way up. I've found that most Fenders break up around 4 on average (depending on guitar and your attack). This might be why Magnatones are considered underpowered. But I don't believe it is. I use the amp at home and soon I'll take it to the studio where I'm sure it will sound great and unique. As far as features: I consider that, ease of use, tonal quality and vibrato effect.

It sounds great with My 1959 Strat and my 1978 tele Custom. I play classic rock, alternative, folk, country, rockabilly, etc. It does all of them well. The amp is whicper quiet. Quietest amp I've ever owned -- and its all original. As far as variety of sounds, not much except for that unigue magna sound. It has its own tonal frequency. It would be hard to compare the sound to another amp. It sounds different just like a Vox sounds different than a fender. I would definetly put it up there with other classic amps. These things are way underated. The distorion is pretty crispy. Almost like a Brown face Fender. It clips very well and I think this is where it sounds best. Again, it is very loud then.

I might gig with it. I wouldn't use the amp on every song so I'd have a backup. The amp is all original and I guess it hasn't broken in forty years. As far as getting them fixed; I think a good reliable tech could fix them. I don't think they are as easy as an old Fender but I consider this like getting an old Alfa ROmeo fixed; don't take it to Bob's Auto. I've replaced the original tubes with some great tubes and it sounds as good if not livlier and better. Overall the amp is reliable but it is old.

There are plenty of places that deal exclusively with old Magnas. Try www.vibroworld.com...that is Zack Engineering. Very friendly people and they have parts and schematics. But if you find an old Magna with broken Vibrato you should think twice before buying. The varisistors used for its operation are almost nonexistant. Magna electronics doesn't exist but I don't think they could do much for you anyway. But they are fixable and reliable. But be careful which model you buy. The Custom 280 is a great amp but tubes are rare and expensive. I would got with a 213 or a 260. Much easier to deal with. You don't get the stereo vibrato of the 280 but, hey, you'll be pleased with the other two.

Iv'e been playing for 10 years and I own a Vibroverb reissue and some old guitars. I own some cool pedals too. But they don't seem to work to weel with this amp. I would buy another one of these at this price. I got a great deal. These amps may never get the respect they deserve and that is fine by all Magna fans. Keep the price down. It may be 3/4 the amp an tweed Fender twin but compare prices. This is a bargain. A lot of famous artists use this amp as their signature sound. What sets you apart from the rest is your tone and it is this factor that draws the fine line between players and artists. These are great amps with futuristic(for the time) features. Give one a try if you bunp into; and don't be too quick to judge.