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I just bought a Magnatone 280 amp


guitarcapo

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Pitch shifting vibrato!

 

It's not very clean but apparently it's one owner and all original. The seller swears it sounds fine but how can those filter caps still work great after 50 years?

 

Here's my plan for it:

 

I'm going to make an exact replica of the cab and tolex it. Then load it with new speakers. Maybe a pair of Jensen C12N speakers and some sort of "tweeters". Keep the original in storage. I keep thinking this thing has GOT to at LEAST need a cap job. We'll see when I get it.

 

I've always wanted one of these with the 4 speakers and vibrato and stereo. They're getting hard to find. I kept trying to convince myself that simply running a chorus pedal between two clean Fender amps would get the almost the same sound...but I couldn't let it pass up.

 

Anybody else have one of these? Any advice? I'm scared of the maintenance issues more than anything else. There's this thing called a "varistor" that controls the pitch-shifting vibrato that's not made anywhere anymore on the planet. The vibrato works on this one so that's o.k....but if it ever gets damaged it's a big problem. Anyway here are the Ebay pics for now. I'll post clips when I get it:

 

 

!Bnp)G2Q!Wk~$(KGrHqIH-D!EtDeyRk,oBLkWePP

 

!Bnp)LNQBmk~$(KGrHqMH-DsEtsiPf)+jBLkWedP

 

!Bnp)hNQBGk~$(KGrHqQH-CIEtpvKevb0BLkWfeC

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Varistors are usually pretty sturdy. I don't see why you shouldn't be able to get them. As far as I know, they're still being made. it's just that they aren't exactly something you can get at the local Radio Shack. You might have to go through Mouser, Newark, Digikey, etc. to get them. BTW, don't get all hung up about having to buy waxed paper caps, or carbon comp resistors. I've been doing electronics stuff ever since I got my ham radio license when I was a teenager in the late 70s, and IMO, carbon comps, and waxed paper electrolytics, versus their modern counterparts? - no effect on tone at all. Most of the vintage amp tone mojo, comes from aged components (as in the components have drifted out of spec. over decades of the amp's use). I assume you're going to install a grounded power plug for safety sake?

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