Repair: Impossible...Unusual Magnatone Gets "The Treatment"
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- In this video we'll address several issues with an early 50s Magnatone in a way some people may not like. This 1952 Magna Electronics made Don Noble Deluxe faux gator-covered amp was itching for some attention. In this video, we'll replace power cord, remove death cap, and replace ALL caps, including the Sprague Bumblebees. I also discover another factory wiring error and correct that. Somewhere along the line, I lost a tube. Still can't find it. Amp repair essentials: kit.com/TheGui...
Here's my other new channel. Feel free to subscribe to that one too. I'll have some outtakes, bloopers, and other stuff over there: / @fixologist1
MISSING: RCA 6SJ7 pentode.
Age: approx 65 years
Race: black
Sex: yes please
Last seen: in 1950s Don Noble guitar amplifier
If seen, immediately contact Brad, The Guitologist. Do not try to approach! Subject is believed to suffer from brain damage and may be unpredictable or even dangerous.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Here's my other new channel. Feel free to subscribe to that one too. I'll have some outtakes, bloopers, and other stuff over there: ua-cam.com/channels/i6WKIHJuBlYSiwtdyZ3MRw.html
Works for me
Maybe try deleting cookies and refreshing page.
I'd love to see a video on how you got started playing and or amp fixing.mentors or self taught ..I'm getting there and having fun every step of the way and you've been an ispiration..especially your versatility. It's all cool if done right .I used to think heavy heavier heaviest but now a good clean is jst as cool.. thanx for eveything
Oh bumble bee's or so i call bumble bombs because they like to short and blow up. So you are in Kentucky? I live about 15-20 miles north of bowling green ky myself.
i guess it is quite off topic but does anyone know of a good place to stream newly released series online ?
6 years later .and that sounds great ..love your playing ..
From Australia
I'm 15 seconds in .I love the look of this amp.they dont make classy looking stuff that look cool old anymore ...I'm exited to see what unfolds......also I loved the microphone review yesterday..got me to get my cheap mic out .I used it to pick up my keyboard beats so I can play to it with guitar. Thanx for the content always love em . This channel us a rare bird in the best ways
The best part of your videos is sometimes just listening to you play... rock on.
Thanks, Buddy.
I don't want to keep repeating myself over and over. So when ever you see my message saying "YEP" it means another great video. and this one's a "YEP".
10-4
I'm not really into vintage stuff, but I'm a guitarist who's been playing for 18 years.
And I love electronics lol
Your videos are great!
I absolutely love the tone you're getting from this amp! I think I'll be frequenting ebay looking for one myself
Love these vids. Many of my vids have dumpster or Craigslist guitars/amps cost under $50. Desire, some know how, and the right tools have saved me thousands!
That amp and guitar sound perfect together. I enjoyed the blues riffs.
Good job man,and great chops,I don't think I have heard sweeter notes played on an awesome "strat"through a sweeter amp.Beautiful mate.Thank you.
Just took a glimpse and looking forward to viewing all of this one. Loving that faux (assumed) Gator cabinet finish 👍
This is the tone i'm after. Sounds awesome!
It's the 6SJ7 octal type pentode in the front end. Look for something that has one of those up front and you should get close.
The Guitologist Thanks Brad. I will let you know if I find something to send your way.
Another great demo for Friday night. Thanks! Plus you found a factory mistake. Great troubleshooting skills.
Always a pleasure. Keep makin' that great content. I learn so much with every video.
Thanks DJ. I realize your occupation ain't easy, and I appreciate you finding time from your exhausting pimpin' schedule to make time for watching my channel. :P
*retired* LOL
Dude, I am seriously fathomed by your genius.
Hey Brad.. Off topic to this video but a few videos ago you said you should/might do a Q&A video. I just wanted to say that would be awesome but I've noticed a lot of UA-camrs do offline ones first. ie just get a bunch of questions from vid comments, emails, Twitter or facebook and then put those into a prepared Q&A. :) Keep the knowledge coming :)
Man! That's one hell of a sweet amp! I keep my eyes peeled for Magna amps here in SoCal but Joe Bonamassa has a vintage gear crew that hordes all the good amps.
We mere mortals are left with vintage diarrhea.
Matt Fields Figure out what people like Joe Bonamassa are buying, and buy something else. Nice stuff is still out there off the well-beaten path.
What's he doing with all of them?
I love you videos, Brad! They want to me drag out that old Blond Tremolux basket case I was given years ago and begin my education.... the only problem being I wouldn't be able to demo it quite like you do!!
Make a video if you do.
Very nice mellow jam, Thanks a bunch for the videos.
Thanks for watching them. If you didn't watch them, I wouldn't be doing it.
Do you know what Bradley, I haven't a clue what your on about with all the electronic stuff, but I still find you video's entertaining and informative, I guess as a guitar player I just have a natural curiosity about what goes on inside my amps so I'll keep watching :-) BTW, give the missing tube its own show :-).. keep up the good work.
Another day and another buck 2,98 ...enjoy your vids . now off to check out your other channel ...tks Brad
Excellent! Very Villanova Junction-ish. Hendrix would be proud. Next year will be Woodstocks 50th anniversary. Damn I'm getting old. Amp sounds great with the Strat BTW, add some Univibe and you'll be there.
Best repair videos on You Tube. Love your stuff. ps, You are a very talented guitarist too!
Thanks, man. I'm very flattered. Appreciate you watching.
Great stuff. A recent discoverer of your channel with the 5 minute Lotus renovation, + 5 minute restring challenge ;o)
I really like the mix of electronic savoir faire and some actual playing. The one where you miked up the head was pretty sizzling.
Keep on rocking, dude. Best regards.
Thanks for watching the channel. I really appreciate the comment too. Yeah, I didn't used to joke around so much on my channel. It was more all business, but I'm pretty much a juvenile in a man's body in real life, so why not capture it in video.
Brad , I knew there was something about you !
Found this very interesting bro. All the best from New Zealand
Ah man, really great playing there, esp the slower stuff. Would buy. The amp is a real treasure too.
Nice one. Your eye for detail is impressive.
Damn Brad that’s a great sound. And that’s Strat sounds amazing.
Sounds like a great studio and small gig amp!
Man that things sound great I bet that thing would be blistering with some Texas specials love it brad
Read the "missing report" of the tube, it is hilarious!!!!! We need more humor like that in this world!!!
Oh man -- That documentary film Spinal Tap makes so much more sense to me - He was so amazed by the amp going to 11, but maybe he grew up with something like this. It only goes up to 8... 11 is three more than 8.
SYNTHS!! You ever see the meme where he's holding that Les Paul? It says "These go up to 11"
"Chapter 11".
Oh man, loved the Villanova Junction cover, suddenly I was 18 again! :D
People bash ply wood but if the guitar sounds good and plays good why worry about what its made of?
Another great video Brad keep it up. I need to get up your way and hit a few spots I'm getting low on gear.LOLOL
that 10 dollar guitar sounds SICK. I bet you made money on that one!
$10 strat.., plus your extensive labor & efforts.., sounds like a million bucks!!
Niiiiiiice !!\m/!! Nice job on the amp and The Lotus is amazing !! Those Cort copies are the some of the best of the the imports..
I have a 1949 OAHU TONEMASTER 237 the app that you working on here is so reminiscent of it but I do see a 12 ax 7 in mine preamp had an awesome day in it but it was way microphonic I believe it or not the Tung Sol out of all of my 12 ax7 collection did the job the best still got a weird noise though when I put my hand over it it kind of goes away like in certain area and it's still got that what I call that death extension cord on it as well LOL I love watching your stuff man it's great
dig the jam at the end.. thanks for the vid!
That Lotus with that amp Quite a combination!!!
Wow, another brilliant video, but as usual its your guitar playing which scores the most.
sounds awesome brad very nice
Another great video. That amplifier would fall into the "keeper" category and would be hard for me to off load unless I got into a hippie fen-shway mode. Would be nice if a schematic was available to tweak the bottom end more, but that could probably be changed by playing a warmer hollow body.
Entire vid was on Instrument channel (hotter in this amp) with volume cranked and tone cranked.
what a great tone...
Good video! Nice amp design.
Nice sounding amp
I didn't want to watch this video because amps aren't really my thing, I mod guitars not amps, but I still left a like because I knew it'd be a great video. : )
Both interesting and cool fun, thanks
I need to bring you a 1938 Bronson Lap Steel Amp I have. You do incredible work. Let me know if you'd be interested.
once again, glad yer givin' that lotus strat the spotlight. sounds great thru that amp. good on yeh fer supporting the underdog guitars. :D i got one question tho ... amp-related. before you replaced all the caps in that amp, the amp sounded pretty mellow and smooth (really liked the sound of it that way)... it sounds a little overdriven/distorted in the last part of the video with all caps replaced and such. is that just because when you were initially testing it you were running it on half power with the variac, or did the change you made make it a little more prone to overdrive? or was it just clipping the mic you were using to record it with?
Is it possible the cricket walked off with the tube ? Don't laugh but I misplaced a tube that later turned up in the bottom of the tub of washing machine, damn the bad luck. Such is life. Curtis
A subminiature tube?
That thrift store strat sounds beauty!
I've got the blues .heading over to the other channel.
Best $9 guitar I've ever heard.
Brad, great video ( as always) - have you already covered where you learned your electronics ? I'm curious as to where you learned to work on tube amps.
Beautiful guitarring and a great vid...
thanx and...
cheers
Thanx for telling me about channel number 2 I jst subscribed. Wouldn't miss it for the world.lol
I really love the Unique tonal qualities, the clean is awesome. Is this because some of larger glass bottled tube characteristics? Also; the 9 Dollar guitar is showing me that the amplifier as the last chain in the Sound Output is VITAL. This is best demo yet. What output wattage and speaker is used? Nice studio amp for getting some old vintage Hi FI / LO FI tonal variations. Thank you for all you videos.
Your amplifier is more important than your guitar in terms of your overall tone.
The most important piece of the audio chain is always the player.
The Guitologist ...That little old Magnatone sounds HUGE!
I have an old Magnatone lapsteel, which that amp was probably designed for back in the day.
Another great tubefix moobie. I have a friend who's got your $9 lotus strat beat. $5 Squier strat, yard sale. He doesn't fix amps on UA-cam tho. 😎
great playing guy
Thanks, buddy.
Great indeed, friend.
Thats a nice strat,would like to own that one.
YES.. Killer Tone ... tube amp and the Mighty Lotus...!!
Another interesting video. Wondering what it sounded like before you replaced the Cap's to hear if there's a difference?.
There is another older video on my channel showing the before: ua-cam.com/video/TE84_9TuYFY/v-deo.html
I didn't use a Strat though, so kinda apples and oranges.
One of my greatest friends about 20 years ago had a Lotus also but it was painted like Eddie Van Halen's guitar, He traded it to me for a amp I have I took it and painted it black.
Hi - Just a heads up - from the repair video it looks like one coupling caps (replacing one of the original paper-wax magnas) might not have been installed - thus only one output tube would be driving the speaker. Also not sure that the power cathode cap is being bypassed by the new electrolytic bypass, though cannot see all the wiring that would connect both in this config.
Goodwill is a great place to find stuff, Ive got a 12.00$ Classical that sounds pretty good after I got all the buck shot out of it.
I knew the amplifier was going to sound great, as it's design is so similar to various other brands from that era... What took me by surprise, was how good the $9.00 ($13.00 if we include the cost of the new strings) guitar sounded through it.. Unbelievable!!!
Actually, the strings were $1.50. I got a smashing deal on several cases.
very nice as always. H440 ? looking forward to.
STill coming. Trying to knock out these few client amps first before I can get back to my own stuff. H440 is first in line when I get back to that.
Initially, output did sound pretty low. Seems to be a happy amp now.
great video,
I have a 1960 Magnatone Custom 460 amp. It has only one side operating on the Stereo amp. Would you know of a Amp repairman that lives around Saginaw,Michigan. That works on old Amps, I can't find anyone around here.If not thank you anyway. This was my dads he used it many years.It is a sentimental piece for me . Again Thanks.
If you have Facebook, pose your question here: facebook.com/groups/tubeampbuilders/
i wish i had your skills!
I dig that Lotus, if I wasn't a lefty....
You could totally Hendrix it up with this one.
you can easily find lefty lotus strats for REALLY reasonable prices. you just gotta go on the hunt. i found mine really easily and it was stupidly cheap. i hate strats and i love mine. just dig into yer local listings and watch for 'em. music-go-rounds have 'em for super cheap sometimes too. not $9.59, but usually reasonably priced (tho high). just keep an eye peeled. the lefty lotus strats are more common than you'd think. good luck. :D
maybe the mic level control is sort of a gain control for the mic input and the instrument volume functions as a global or overall volume.
They both control volume on that channel, but the channel overall has less gain than the Instrument Channel.
This amp sound great in the first minutes of the vidéo 😛
The AC jack is for an iPod or phone charger.
I've got it Brad- survey says we name that little guy at the end 10-70... police code for Prowler...or 10-66 suspicious person..... he appears to be guilty of a 10-31 crime in progress... haha.... definitely needs future scenes... but as I stated earlier watch that shady guy around money and that pretty wife of yourn.... keep up the great work
Stumped on what I liked most ....the first 26 min. OR LAST 10 seconds...... CLASSIC- that lit' guy peeping round the corner needs a name and future appearances..... I'd keep on eye on him tho'- he looks shady- WAY SHADY. ML out🎸
Brad,You made that $9 gitbox sound just like the $15 model...you're that good!Just funnin'...another superlative job, as we've all come to know and expect.I have an old Gretsch amp which is unlike anything I've seen elsewhere...I'll send you some pics when I get home and see if it's something you'd like to tackle for a vid...let me know...
Thanks for the comment. Feel free to send pics, but I'm not taking in any more outside work for a while. I desperately need to catch up on my own projects and move some stuff out of my space.
Funny that a $9.95 guitar sounds this great. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
What version of AutoCAD do you think the schematics were created in? Is there a code on the modeling processor that tells what the operating system is running? These are all good questions (if you are a time traveler) and need answers (if you're a loony tunes psycho)
Great Video, I like what you do.
What song was that you were playing?
I would guess the receptacle is for a light on your music stand. Think Big Band Era...
I noticed that you have Tiesco guitars hung up on the wall. Peace, Flood!
Sounds great :-)
Hey Brad love your videos! Can you tell me where you buy your electrical components(caps, resistors...etc) I know I could just google it but there is a ton of places out there and would like to hear the recommendation from someone with experience. My local radio shack closed where I used to get all of my components :( now I have to figure out where to go online. Thanks!
Listening to that demo, the memory of certain snide comments about "plywood" guitars from my teen years just makes me laugh.
Do you have flat glass cabinets with rare capacitors and other components displayed like so many insects in an entomologist's collection?
Is there a software in the vein of Sketchup that helps you make electric diagrams?
There is such a software. I found it by googling. Not installed on this machine, but had it on my old one. It's laborious to use, but produces a nice looking result.
ha ha a good one .
Not all Plywood guitars are the same . Back in the 90's when I worked at a guitar shop, we had many plywood guitars. Some great some total deadness.. We found out the key is the lighters ones where usually better. The spruce ply's with less adhesive or glue being the best. In fact I still have an 80's Epiphone plywood Bass with amazing natural sustain and bright spank.
I appreciate your content so much! Have you ever thought about singing a song??
Here's a whole bunch of 'em: ua-cam.com/play/PL68vqBBsqTi_iDmBQhXBCi44E_tk4J6_Z.html
Spent the last hour listening to some of them. Some real gems in there.
Thanks, Fritz.
Thank you for sharing, Sir!!! I knew from your speaking voice that you had some "pipes"!!!
Thanks, Abe. ...and I know you're being honest. ;)
I've recently seen a "vintage bumble bee capacitor" on Reverb .. Just one capacitor. $300! I'm not making this up! >:-(
would you take 19.99 for your lotus strat?
Already sold for $100. I think they got a good deal, considering the setup.
I was going to offer $101.59. Drat!
What the he'll did you to it bro! Hey it smells good!?
Kewl man!!!!
Nice soundn
Hey, do you have any amp chassis like this that I could custom build a box for. One that you could sell. And it has to work because I know nothing about repairing one.
No man, sorry. Not right now.
Hey David Davis, If your interested, and Brad doesn't mind, I can build you that chassis...
Do you Still have that Guitar Brad I like it ,if you wanna Sell it I’m in to it thanks
Edgardo Parales - get yourself some Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups or either the Fender Custom Shop '69s or the overwound FCS Texas Specials
Prince Westerburg Thanks Brother I’ll do that I have an Old Greco Made in Japan ,I’m gonna try the Seymour Antiquity thank you
How do you determine the year of a tube or transformer by 1 number? Above tube shows 1-22. how do you know it was in the fifty's and not the sixth's or another decade?
Just retired and looking for a hobby and your videos or really helpful.
Play that Funky Music!!!
Only reason I played that riff is the tone seemed very close.
11:44 Notices microphonics... Must wiggle the shit out of that even more
play that funky music white boy!!! (sorry could't resist...lol)
Commence producing that funky music, Caucasian male! It is imperative that you do so, posthaste, before you expire.
lol!!
:D I wish more songs were written like that.
Oh my! The pickups on that strat + a small 1x10 combo + mic almost dead center, on axis + headphones = pain. Sorry, not trying to complain about your twang-box or your boom-boom sticks, just an observation.....
The camera has an input adjustment which I forgot to cut all the way. That's one problem. But it still sounds ok on my speaker system. My ipad sounds a bit trashy though in this demo. Oh well.
I just record the audio separately. Even if you have a proper mixer in front, the audio circuitry inside that camera can't be very good, almost like putting an 1/8" adapter on a mic and plugging it into the soundcard on an old laptop. I have also played strats with cheap pickups through very similar amps, and it's always a bit brighter than I can stand. There's a huge spike around 4K that is just too much, makes the attack feel like a boom-boom stick is being bang-banged next to my head.
Got 5 mins of ads in the middle of your vdeo! A little excessive don't you think?
I can’t control ad duration.