Leon, didn't I read you build and sell these amps. I did make an effort to find your thread on The Gear Page to no avail. I would be interested in your amps.
@jreagle58 - I did build one...and I actually just wound up selling it to a friend who doesn't trust his old 213 on the road. But that said, I'm not a professional builder or in that business per se...but I would consider making another one if you weren't able to find one else where.
Also - do make sure the tubes in there are good. Test them in another amp to make sure. The 12AU7 is the one that's used in the oscillator circuit, IIRC.
Hi Leonc, I have an original magnatone 213a Troubadour with all original parts and all of the tubes look operational, my question is do you have to have the foot switch to have the vibrato kick in?
@HelloScarecrow - no, you don't need the footswitch; turning up the Intensity knob should bring the vibrato into the signal. If it doesn't then your vibrato isn't working. As long as you have the original varistors in there, the problem is most likely just a bad capacitor in the oscillator circuit. This is not uncommon in these amps at this point, 50+ years later...
Hey Vibroluxor -Yah - send me your email address and I'll send you a parts list that I used, FWIW. Got the schematic? Mine is a 213A (not a regular 213), it uses a 5Y3 and a bit more filtering, but is the same otherwise. The only thing is, I don't have a layout for you to follow, though I can send you some detail photos of the clone I built which is pretty much identical to my amp.
Hey Leon, thanks for turning us on to the wonders of this circuit! Ithe stones riff was the closer for me. just a huge sound! I've made several clones - 5F6A, 5E5A, 5E7, plus I rebuilt a RI 63 Vibroverb with a AB763 tag board. I tihnk I'm ready to tackle this! can you hip me to where I can go to get the layout, partslist, etc?
Makes sence, more circuitry, less output. Plus the 440 has that bright/normal/mellow switching (more life sucking). And again, your statements are making me want a 213 also. Getting hard to find a nice one though for a reasonable price. They're getting pretty expensive lately. After years of playing Marshalls & Fenders, I picked up my 440 on a whim, and am hooked. Completey taken under the Maggy spell. I watched a few Phil X vids, playing his 213 reissue, and it just kills. The hunt is on.
Joe - You're making the same mistake that most people (including me) often make: power tubes do NOT directly equate to amp tone or volume. The pre-amp circuit and some other circuit/design features have as big (if not a bigger) impact on the amp's overall sound and volume. Essentially, the 440's reverb circuit sucks much of the life out of its overdrive and volume. I think the OT may be a wee bit smaller as well, IIRC,
I like the forward facing controls on your cab. Great plan.
You mentioned in the 440 vid Q&A/Comments, that you like the overdrive on the 213 better. I'm extremely happy with the OD on my 440, and cant imagine any better tone. You've got me wanting a 213 now. Any chance of doing an A/B demo between the two ?
@Japocaster1 - Howdy; I sold of my 440 because their clean tones are near identical but I really prefer the overdrive and louder volume of the 213. The 440 can't produce the same vol as the 213, at least mine couldn't. The 213 is loud enough to gig with. So I can't do a side by side. But I'll try to do a clip of just the over-drive sound on the 213.
It didn't come with varistors, but I bought a couple from a guy on the Maggie forum.It works OK, but isn't as deep as the 260 that I have (However the 260 has 4 varistors)
This is the Lyric Custom 214model & has a 6av6 vibe driver.Maybe thats part of the difference...Thanks for the quick reply;I really respect you for the music your playing & your accessability.(Is that a word???)
I bought a Tonemaster that someone had tried to convert to a 5E3 (Tweed deluxe)
& I wired it back to stock(with NOS varistors) It sounds great ,but I want to slow the vibrato down & get more depth out of it. Do you know which values I need to change out in it?
Jeff - wow..it's hard to imagine someone having a nice Tonemaster and butchering it into a 5E3 when there are a million ways to get/build an inexpensive 5E3 type amp. The 12AU7 is the vibrato oscillator in the 213 type amps. Try replacing that first, then if that doesn' work, the problem is probably a cap in the vibrato circuit. I'm sure you can slow it down, but you'll lose intensity. Do you know if they left the varistors in the amp? If they didn't you'll never get Maggie type vibrato...
Thank Allan. Like any 50+ year old amp, you should check all the tubes to make sure they're performing well. On amps this old, the electrolytic capacitors often need to be replaced too, but I did not have that type of problem with this one (canister-type filter caps used in these amps were very good and last much longer than other types, IME). This amp did need to have a couple resistors replaced, and then it was sounding very very good.
Nope. Not in this video; it's just the amp which is turned up pretty far--about 3/4 of the way up. And that's with a Tele. Really screams with humbuckers!
Great playing, and that Stones clip sounds dead-on-excellent! Hey,by chance, would you have a video demonstrating your amp's vibrato sound--something fairly sparse that would discern the pitch shift? I actually have a 213 and was curious at what sort of depth the vibrato achieves. I know it should be more subtile than tremolo, but as mine has the original capacitors I'm just wondering if they should be swapped out. Thanks for the videos.
Thanks p.r.s. - Listen to the beginning of this clip. You'll see that I click the vibrato on right at the beginning and then click it off after the first riff about 6 or 7 seconds into the tune. Then it gets clicked on again at about 0:56 and off a few seconds later. Watch my foot ;^)
Thanks very much! The reason this one sounds good (IMHO, of course) is the cab + speaker. The original cab had a tiny baffle and a very worn out 49 year old Oxford speaker. I kept them both but I made a new, larger cab with a big baffle (16x20) and put a Celestion G12H30 in it. The difference over the original sound is night and day. It was anemic, compressed and had no low-end.
Thanks for your reply Leon. Good stuff you built there. I'll just coast for now.
jreagle58 7 months ago
Leon, didn't I read you build and sell these amps. I did make an effort to find your thread on The Gear Page to no avail. I would be interested in your amps.
jreagle58 7 months ago
@jreagle58 - I did build one...and I actually just wound up selling it to a friend who doesn't trust his old 213 on the road. But that said, I'm not a professional builder or in that business per se...but I would consider making another one if you weren't able to find one else where.
leonc1234 7 months ago
Fantastic tone and playing! What is the song you play at the beginning?
TheSterlingSound 8 months ago
@TheSterlingSound - Thanks; that's the old Dobie Gray classic, "Drift Away" featuring Reggie Young's wonderful guitar playing.
leonc1234 8 months ago
Also - do make sure the tubes in there are good. Test them in another amp to make sure. The 12AU7 is the one that's used in the oscillator circuit, IIRC.
leonc1234 1 year ago
Hi Leonc, I have an original magnatone 213a Troubadour with all original parts and all of the tubes look operational, my question is do you have to have the foot switch to have the vibrato kick in?
HelloScarecrow 1 year ago
@HelloScarecrow - no, you don't need the footswitch; turning up the Intensity knob should bring the vibrato into the signal. If it doesn't then your vibrato isn't working. As long as you have the original varistors in there, the problem is most likely just a bad capacitor in the oscillator circuit. This is not uncommon in these amps at this point, 50+ years later...
leonc1234 1 year ago
Hey Vibroluxor -Yah - send me your email address and I'll send you a parts list that I used, FWIW. Got the schematic? Mine is a 213A (not a regular 213), it uses a 5Y3 and a bit more filtering, but is the same otherwise. The only thing is, I don't have a layout for you to follow, though I can send you some detail photos of the clone I built which is pretty much identical to my amp.
leonc1234 1 year ago
@leonc1234 add me as a freind so I can PM you with the email address !
vibroluxor 1 year ago
Hey Leon, thanks for turning us on to the wonders of this circuit! Ithe stones riff was the closer for me. just a huge sound! I've made several clones - 5F6A, 5E5A, 5E7, plus I rebuilt a RI 63 Vibroverb with a AB763 tag board. I tihnk I'm ready to tackle this! can you hip me to where I can go to get the layout, partslist, etc?
vibroluxor 1 year ago
Makes sence, more circuitry, less output. Plus the 440 has that bright/normal/mellow switching (more life sucking). And again, your statements are making me want a 213 also. Getting hard to find a nice one though for a reasonable price. They're getting pretty expensive lately. After years of playing Marshalls & Fenders, I picked up my 440 on a whim, and am hooked. Completey taken under the Maggy spell. I watched a few Phil X vids, playing his 213 reissue, and it just kills. The hunt is on.
Japocaster1 1 year ago
Joe - You're making the same mistake that most people (including me) often make: power tubes do NOT directly equate to amp tone or volume. The pre-amp circuit and some other circuit/design features have as big (if not a bigger) impact on the amp's overall sound and volume. Essentially, the 440's reverb circuit sucks much of the life out of its overdrive and volume. I think the OT may be a wee bit smaller as well, IIRC,
leonc1234 1 year ago
Interesting, both being driven by 2 6V6 power tubes, I would suspect the volume would be the same.
Looking forward to hearing the 213 dimed.
If you dont mind, send me a note when you've posted.
Joe. gigglestain@aol.com
Japocaster1 1 year ago
I like the forward facing controls on your cab. Great plan.
You mentioned in the 440 vid Q&A/Comments, that you like the overdrive on the 213 better. I'm extremely happy with the OD on my 440, and cant imagine any better tone. You've got me wanting a 213 now. Any chance of doing an A/B demo between the two ?
Japocaster1 1 year ago
@Japocaster1 - Howdy; I sold of my 440 because their clean tones are near identical but I really prefer the overdrive and louder volume of the 213. The 440 can't produce the same vol as the 213, at least mine couldn't. The 213 is loud enough to gig with. So I can't do a side by side. But I'll try to do a clip of just the over-drive sound on the 213.
leonc1234 1 year ago
PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE DROP THOSE SHOES IN THE DUMPSTER.
dusthaze 1 year ago
Reggie Young fan huh?
eggonstillts 1 year ago
@eggonstillts - Yes indeed! One of many unsung heroes.
leonc1234 1 year ago
That's some sound there!
I love the way you play the first bit with the vibrato on; just excellent...
sleakitweasel 1 year ago
@sleakitweasel - Thanks, yeah, there's nothing quite like Magnatone vibrato.
leonc1234 1 year ago
Thanks Leon,
It didn't come with varistors, but I bought a couple from a guy on the Maggie forum.It works OK, but isn't as deep as the 260 that I have (However the 260 has 4 varistors)
This is the Lyric Custom 214model & has a 6av6 vibe driver.Maybe thats part of the difference...Thanks for the quick reply;I really respect you for the music your playing & your accessability.(Is that a word???)
Thanks again,
Jeff Barnett
jazznerd4 1 year ago
Leon,
I bought a Tonemaster that someone had tried to convert to a 5E3 (Tweed deluxe)
& I wired it back to stock(with NOS varistors) It sounds great ,but I want to slow the vibrato down & get more depth out of it. Do you know which values I need to change out in it?
Thanks a bunch & keep up the great playing!
Jeff
jazznerd4 1 year ago
Jeff - wow..it's hard to imagine someone having a nice Tonemaster and butchering it into a 5E3 when there are a million ways to get/build an inexpensive 5E3 type amp. The 12AU7 is the vibrato oscillator in the 213 type amps. Try replacing that first, then if that doesn' work, the problem is probably a cap in the vibrato circuit. I'm sure you can slow it down, but you'll lose intensity. Do you know if they left the varistors in the amp? If they didn't you'll never get Maggie type vibrato...
leonc1234 1 year ago
great sound, man
fjcurra 1 year ago
Hi, Your Troubadur sounds really good! Does it needed some electronical componet or tube replacements before such great playn' condition ?
THX!
allan4425 2 years ago
Thank Allan. Like any 50+ year old amp, you should check all the tubes to make sure they're performing well. On amps this old, the electrolytic capacitors often need to be replaced too, but I did not have that type of problem with this one (canister-type filter caps used in these amps were very good and last much longer than other types, IME). This amp did need to have a couple resistors replaced, and then it was sounding very very good.
leonc1234 2 years ago
Love the tone.
astroman30 2 years ago
did you use a fuzz pedal to get the stones sound or is it off the amp?/ Cheers
bluescountryfolk 2 years ago
Nope. Not in this video; it's just the amp which is turned up pretty far--about 3/4 of the way up. And that's with a Tele. Really screams with humbuckers!
leonc1234 2 years ago
Great playing, and that Stones clip sounds dead-on-excellent! Hey,by chance, would you have a video demonstrating your amp's vibrato sound--something fairly sparse that would discern the pitch shift? I actually have a 213 and was curious at what sort of depth the vibrato achieves. I know it should be more subtile than tremolo, but as mine has the original capacitors I'm just wondering if they should be swapped out. Thanks for the videos.
postrealitysyndrome 3 years ago
Thanks p.r.s. - Listen to the beginning of this clip. You'll see that I click the vibrato on right at the beginning and then click it off after the first riff about 6 or 7 seconds into the tune. Then it gets clicked on again at about 0:56 and off a few seconds later. Watch my foot ;^)
leonc1234 3 years ago
Is that what it sounds like without effects?
If so, that's an amazing amp I've never heard of and need to check out.
Love your tone!
JSGuitar80 3 years ago
Give me the beat boys and free my soul, I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away...
Love it!
slackandsteel 3 years ago
Nice Sound, I have 1956 Magnatone Starlet that sounds excellent maybe I will post someday. Thx.Play On.
heartofsoul 4 years ago
my previous reply was to the person who said that this sounds horrible...sorry :)
Plasticsoul 4 years ago
Sick playing. Nice and soulful. Great amp too - used to own a pretty ragged 213 Trouby, never sounded that good!
ocduff 4 years ago
Thanks very much! The reason this one sounds good (IMHO, of course) is the cab + speaker. The original cab had a tiny baffle and a very worn out 49 year old Oxford speaker. I kept them both but I made a new, larger cab with a big baffle (16x20) and put a Celestion G12H30 in it. The difference over the original sound is night and day. It was anemic, compressed and had no low-end.
leonc1234 4 years ago
It sounds kinda overcompressed and nasty through a video camera and the horrible digital compression of YouTube.
These amps rock. I've got one myself. Not miles away from a 5E3 Deluxe, but a bit more "marshally". And that vibrato is just psychedelic...
mourningleaves 4 years ago
Nice amps...i would like to have one but in France it's impossible. I have seen one on Ebay but the shipping cost is more expensive than the amp...
binsou 4 years ago
this sounds horrible
superskwrl 4 years ago
I think it sounds great, nice thick magnatone sound
I have tried them all new and old, can't beat a Magnatone with Alnico.
tommag480 4 years ago
you're an idiot who has no idea what you are talking about. These Maggies are the best!
Plasticsoul 4 years ago
I think it sounds great! Perfect for his style.
deathgrind1 4 years ago
Nice Crocks. We want to see some guitar faces man!!!!
opdev 4 years ago