1963 Magnatone Panaramic Model 1210 Amp with "True" Vibrato
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- In this video, we will closely examine a mint 1963 Panaramic Model 1210 amp, made by Magnatone primarily for accordion use, but ideal for guitars. This amp closely resembles the Magnatone model 250 and 213, and has the famous "True" Vibrato effect. The circuit is analyzed, coupling caps and bias are checked, and the Vibrato circuit is explained verbally, then demonstrated both audibly and on the oscilloscope. In addition a brief discussion of the key components for this effect, the varistor, is provided. In the middle, for a break, we will visit the feral cats living inside (Jack & KC) and outside (Ollie, et al) of our house.....including a handsome newcomer with a cartoon character name.
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An in-depth discussion of the Magnatone Vibrato effect is available at this link: / uncledougsvintageamps
Here are links to one of my Tremolo videos, featuring oscillation loops: • How Does a Bias-Shifti...
As far as I'm concerned you're the best thing on UA-cam.
You guys are too kind.......but all compliments are very gratefully accepted :)
Thomas Burnett I totally agree with Mr Carlson’s Lab being a close second!
Yeah, greatly appreciated! :D
from Erlend, north Norway. \m/ :D
I've been binging lately and I must say your voice is so soothing. And I mean that in the most polite way possible.. let me tell you why.. you sound just like my Grandfather who passed away 22 years ago and your voice helps me go to sleep.. just like he did when I was little
Love Doug's spring and marked rod frequency adjustment illustration, brilliantly simple. Respect!
Glad you liked it, Rob :)
I loved hearing your clear and poignant explanation of the difference between vibrato and tremolo, the oscilloscope was very helpful in developing my mental picture of the mechanics for these modulations. Great content as always, thank you for sharing with us.
You're welcome, Billy. We really focus on content.....and it's great to hear that viewers (like you) appreciate it.
@@UncleDoug Can you imagine a band like kiss with accordians.
@@donaldheitger6731 Only after ingesting 7 ounces of hallucinogenic mushrooms and a quart of mescal :)
@@UncleDoug b
Wow Uncle Doug your little frequency tool made the difference between tremolo and vibrato crystal clear. Great job.
Thanks, Jeff. I'm glad it was clear and helpful.
Doug you are the Yoda of amplifiers!
To you, thanks I say :)
@@UncleDoug I see what you did there.
That would be an understatement.
Yes feel the force within you but beware of attacks from the Death cap🛸
L.L.&P. 🖖🖖🖖
Almost forgot, snow in West Texas, homesickness abounds. I remember a day in 1979 seeing 12 inches of snow at noon, then by 4 PM the only snow left was on the shaded sides of the mountains. Gotta love West Texas weather.
Yep, it's like living with a menopausal woman......you never know what to expect :)
Hello Doug! Very nice find with this amplifier. I always liked the way the Magnatone amp sounds with a guitar. In fact, I tend to like it a little better than the Fender. Magnatone amps have a sound of their own...Buddy Holly used one for his live stage shows. Your explanation of the vibrato circuit is right on target. I've serviced Mags in the past and I will say that if the Varistors fail, it can be tricky getting exact replacements...although, now they are available. This circuit design goes back to the late 40's/early 50's. in some of the earlier Magnatone models. If you turn up the vibrato speed and intensity together, it actually creates the effect of a Leslie Speaker which is a mechanically-based phase shift and it varies the frequency---the Doppler Effect. There's an interesting trick you can do to make it sound exactly like a Leslie Speaker. add a chorus pedal and add a slight amount of the chorus effect with the vibrato, and you will have the authentic Leslie sound, There are other circuit designs to electronically create vibrato which Hammond Organ company used in their "Solovox" back in the 40's which was a small keyboard attachment that mounted on the outer front rail of a piano as an accessory. This amp is in mint condition and should give you years of good service. Hand pick any replacement tubes if you have to replace the 12AU7. It's also critical to the performance of the vibrato. another great video as always. :)
Thanks so much for your detailed and informative input, Frank. It's always good to hear fro you.
I think Holly was mostly experimenting with Magnatones during his NY apartment era. Guessing he used Bassmans and Twins live.
Tonetwisters speaks true. Also...those varistors almost never fail
Thanks Uncle I loaned my 1210 to a friend in 1985. I just got it back as he's leaving Columbus Ohio for warmer weather. replaced the speaker it was missing and 1 12ax7 failed. Hopefully be in business soon. Thanx a bunch for the great video and demo I used this when I was a boy and am looking forward to a reunion
Greetings, Nick. I hope the reunion goes well.
Thx uncle Doug! It was so nice that it didn't need the Jack scan? Glad the cone of shame time is up. Thank you for everything you do for the puddies. Mabe next vid the birds could make a peek in with your wife's artwork if she is still painting. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!
You're welcome, Ken. She is between paintings at the moment, which gives her a lot more time to come up with chores for me, rather than workshop projects :(
Although this video is 4 years old, I wanted to drop you a line about your "polka" comment.
I spent 5 years in my early teens, I am 79 now, playing accordion and at no time did I ever play a polka. All of my instruction in music was directed towards symphonies and other classical music. We actually had to not only learn music theory but write our own compositions. The 100 or so students formed an accordion orchestra which included 2 Electroniums which had somewhat of an organ tone but more crisp and precise. They were amplified thru a pair of Panaramic Amps. In the last year of my musical tutorials, our orchestra was honored to play in a competition at the New Your City Music Hall. We only finished 3rd, but, wow, what a trip. As a group, we played in many different cities at competitions placing 1st in many.
In conclusion, I wanted to thank you for your videos as they bring back many good memories of my days playing and experimenting with electronic circuits. You are appreciated.
That's great to hear, Mike. Thanks so much for sharing :)
Wow, $1274 for an accordion and amp in the early 60's. My parents bought their first house for $4000 in the early 60's
No kidding, Ron. That was a huge investment back then. No wonder the owner took care of it :)
Just the amp is the equivalent of $2000 today. That accordion would have been $7,000! No wonder stuff was made better back then, people were paying a lot more for things!
A good accordion was a VERY expensive instrument. My mother's accordion was almost that much by itself in 1955 and it was hand carried back from Italy by her teacher to avoid the middleman importer and taxes.
@@AlanW you have to think about how much more we are paying for things like a mortage, rent and insurance now a days in comparison.
I recall being able to buy nice, running 1955-57 Chevrolet cars for around $500 back in the 60's, and the thought of paying 2 1/2 times that amount for an accordion and amp certainly never occurred to me, thank heavens......but, who knows, I might have ended up being a star on Lawrence Welk's show :)
The other guy holding the accordion pictured with Mr. Welk was the always smiling Myren Floren accordionist extraordinaire.
My grandparents were huge fans of Lawrence and the gang. My grandmother's eyes would tear up whenever Mr. Floren would appear......she was an ardent groupie :)
i'm 0ld enough to remember when there were more electric Accordions around than electric guitars ... 'had an Ampeg Gemini 6 with Accordion , Mic AND Aux inputs - - -
Rockers never even Heard Of Magnatones !
When I was a youngster, my mother insisted that I take music lessons......and chose the accordion as my instrument. What a nightmare. The first "recital" sounded like someone torturing cats. I think my father got tired of my awful home-practice sessions and finally "pulled the plug" on my accordion career. Thank God.
P.S. You may be forgetting that Buddy Holly, Keith Richards, Lonny Mack, Neil Young, Link Wray, etc. etc. all used Magnatone amps during their careers.
@@UncleDoug Speaking of sounding like torturing cats: So did my father's fiddle "playing" during my childhood. What a horrid noise ...
@@UncleDoug , and yet, accordion playing can be pretty cool in the right circumstances. A Texan like yourself might be familiar with Flaco Jimenez, who has played accordion as a member of Ry Cooder's various bands for probably about 40 years! And of course Flaco also plays with the Texas Tornados, a hot little Tex Mex band. And then there is John Kirkpatrick, a British guy who played accordion on records and tours with Richard Thompson in the 1980s and 90s, Kirkpatrick's accordion playing was so versatile that they did not need a keyboard player in the band. Sometimes you'll hear accordion played on stage at a Los Lobos show. And when my wife and I went to the Tab Benoit voice of the wetlands Festival in Louisiana last October, one of the local guys named Johnny Sansone played guitar, Blues Harmonica, and accordion equally well. Also performing at the festival was Chubby Carrier & the Zydeco Swamp Band, you can bet we heard some accordion there!
If you want to see a sweet, slightly sad movie having to do with accordions, there's a German film titled Schultze Gets the Blues about a retired German miner who plays accordion and is kind of bored in his retirement, until one day he hears some zydeco music on the shortwave radio and is mesmerised by it. Ultimately he makes a pilgrimage to Louisiana to track the music down to its source.
Me too!! They were everywhere and there were many great accordian heros preforming regularly with groupies in every VFW for miles around.
What a museum piece of an amplifier. Not one component changed, and not one needed to be changed as yet. Money well spent on this jewel. Extremely interesting amp and explanation of the circuitry. You, your videos, and your pets are part of my household.
Thanks so much, E250. We are all honored.
Historic users of Magnatone amps include Buddy Holly, Lonnie Mack, Robert Ward, Link Wray, Neil Young, and Keith Richards. The small Magnatones I have worked on pretty much nailed Keith Richards tone! I have often wondered if the guitar intro to Gimme Shelter was played through a Magnatone, as it has a warbly sound that sounds similar to Magnatone vibrato.
Excellent observations, GU. The larger Magnatone Vibrato amps use four varistors and provide an even more "warbly" effect. I believe that Buddy Holly (for one) used one of the larger models.......perhaps Keith did too.
Good ears fellas. Keith actually used a Leslie speaker to warble his way through some of those very early seventies exile sessions. The four varistor / two speaker models and eight varistor top of the line models create a more pronounced Doppler effect. A great Keith song to hear the warble is "Let it Loose" on Exile on Mainstreet.
Thanks, KM. I'm considering the purchase of a 4-varistor 260 or 280 just to experience the more intense Vibrato effect.
@@UncleDoug , note that the Reverb in magnatone amplifiers that are so equipped is very smooth and Lush, not boingy like Fender Reverb. It's a capacitor driven Reverb circuit, somewhat similar to the Reverb circuit in an Ampeg reverberocket, and the Reverb tank itself is different from the tank used in a Fender amp. And then you've got amplifiers like the 280 and 480 that are true discreet two channel stereo amplifiers and have stereo vibrato. Very different animals sonically, extremely clean and not that prone to being over driven when pushed hard. The 480 has Reverb, and if I remember correctly the 280 does not.
Don’t forget Robert cray and his magnatone m10A
Your ability to simplify complex concepts is fantastic. You are a gifted teacher, I always look forward to your videos. Thanks for the explanation of the Magnatone Vibrato circuit. I have a 440, nothing sounds like it.
Thanks so much, Troy :)
Thanks for the video! Having a crappy day and wham, Uncle Doug and the cats are just what the doctor ordered. Love the coupling cap leakage tip resulting in ever-changing plate current. Are you sure you weren't a physics teacher? Your spring/shaft/electrical tape visual demo was absolutely wonderful! I guess the amp was a little more than $239.59, you know, a little extra for 56 years of storage. I'm glad our Patreon contributions are helping the channel. See y'all next time, and yes, Chris is happy. For those interested in the Moses Vibrato, here's a link dalmura.com.au/static/Magnatone%20vibrato%20design.pdf
You're quite welcome, Craig. I'm really glad to hear that the teaching approach worked :) Yes, indeed, you Patreon patrons and PayPal contributors make it all possible.
Equal parts Bob Ross, Dick Proenneke and your high school Voc- Ed teacher. I love this stuff. Thank you, Doug.
Thanks, Steven :)
'Crimson and Clover' by Tommy James and the Shondells must have been produced with maximum vibrato. Trippy dude.
My guess is that they used a Leslie speaker for that. They sound different. But I am also prepared to be proven wrong.
According to Wikipedia, it was a Tremolo effect, used both on the instrumental and voice sections......but what do they know ??
@@UncleDoug Wikipedia is right in this case but even a broken clock is right twice a day 👌😉✌
@ Thanks for posting that, years ago I had heard it was an Ampeg. They have a feature called "afterbeat" which is tremelo that goes all the way silent between oscillations so I am pretty sure that is what they used on C & C.
AWESOME! Loved the spring analogy to demonstrate phase compression and modulation.
Thanks, Thomas :)
Robert Ward ! Lonnie Mack !
What a relief to see you have a right hand, too, and to see both hands in the same show. Another great video, Uncle.
Thanks, D. Yes, the right hand has been clamoring for some screen time lately :)
On the scope, vibrato looks more like phase shifting to the left and to the right.
That's exactly what I was seeing as well.
I'm not sure if the unaltered frequency is in the middle of the two phase- shifted waveforms, and appears to shift in both directions.......or coincides with the right-hand wave form and only shifts to the left. I guess more study is needed.
@@UncleDoug hi, the Geeetoligist did a video on a magnatone and discussed phase shift circuit. I think it's a pseudo vibrato using phase shift. Same same but different....
,hello uncle Doug, on a magnatone mp1 schematic there are triangles with letters inside the triangle what does this mean thanks
I looked at the schematic and at first thought it might indicate higher-wattage resistors, or perhaps a certain type of resistor.....but they also use the triangles with capacitors. Perhaps there is a chart somewhere that decodes these symbols, Mark, but I sure don't see it anywhere on the schematic.
One of my go to secret weapons in the studio is my panoramic amp . The model I have is true stereo with 2 amplifier sections with an 8 inch and 12 inch speaker,, which in combination with that amazing vibrato can produce some subtle to very far out textures. Your explanation of the varistor was exactly the way I will explain it from now on ! I also have another amp that is identical with the exception of a slightly taller cabinet badged with the Titano brand. Also for you pedal guys this is a great platform for all of your mod based effects , Also it appears that these amps were built by Estey then later Audio Guild. A hand wired amp like this would likely set you back a few bucks . The modern reissues are probably built as good or in fabrication terms as the old ones . A pristine example such as this would be an amazing amp for any guitar player searching for their sound. This was an amazing end to my day. Thank you !
You're quite welcome, Dana. Thanks so much for your detailed and interesting input.
I can't believe such an amp exists. Virtually no repairs or improvements in an amp that is nearly 60 years old. No abuse of the exterior; absolutely amazing.
.......and I got it on Ebay, which simply triples the level of surprise :) Thanks, JD.
Very cool amp! Thanks for making this video. I have a 60s Magnatone Troubadour 213 that was my grandfather’s. He was an accordion player who used to gig regularly with it in the Chicagoland area. Had it restored a few years ago and it sounds beautiful with guitar, like time traveling.
You're welcome, Geoffrey. Glad you enjoyed it :)
@@UncleDoug just thought of a question.... My Magnatone 213 has 2 channels, with 2 inputs for each channel. I haven’t ever tried to “jump” the A & B channels with a patch cable. Would it be ok to give this a try without hurting the amp? Thanks!
I love the Magnatone sound- Lonnie Mack used them on 'WHAM!" and other tunes. Thanks for the brilliant explanation!
You're welcome, Davy. We're glad you liked it.
Amazing information. I love the ease at which you make this understandable. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge.
Thanks, 49. The pleasure is all ours :)
Hi There from Down under Doug, Just been to the UK for the Holiday season and to see Family, I get back to Australia and there is a plethora of Uncle Doug on the UA-cam box to catch up on plus I have an Amp(Vox AC15HW) to fix for a client all is now back to normal and well in the World great to see you still giving us your knowledge and expertise you are a true inspiration thanks as always
You're quite welcome, Steve. We hope you enjoy our new videos. Thanks for the nice comments :)
My cats go nuts with the 500 hz tone, but they still loves your work!
They really like it, because it stimulates their purring receptors, Gustavo :)
@@UncleDoug ah, the purr and its healing qualities! Greetings from Brazil!
You never sounded better. Nice amp. Thank you for all the information and thanks again for sharing.
You're welcome, DM. Thanks for your very nice comments.
W O W!!! What a find! I have been obsessed with magnatone vibrato ever since first hearing it. I have tried every vibrato pedal I could find and nothing has ever touched the Magnatone. It’s such a treat to finally understand just what it is that makes it so special. Thanks Doug!!!
You're welcome, Joby. Thanks so much !!
Uncle Doug... Thanks for a great demo and explanation of your very unique sounding Panaramic 1210. What a very different "True Vibarto" sound!!
You're welcome, Dave. We're glad you enjoyed it :)
I absolutely love the sound of this amp...clean tones are just sweet, and the vibrato adds such a unique sound. Congratulations, I am very envious
Thanks, Jim :)
What a beautiful historical piece. Someday all of the timeless pieces will inevitably be gone. Thanks for keeping the history alive, it’s not easy, but it is rewarding. Nice to see folks appreciating things like this. Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much, Jack. It's an honor to have one of these.......while we still can.
Wow! That is a BEAUTIFUL amp. I have always thought that Magnatones are GREATLY underappreciated. Your detailed examination of this amp shows the excellent workmanship and engineering that went into making these.
Thanks, Gabriel :)
Really enjoy your videos Uncle Doug... I bought this same 1210 Panaramic amp from an accordion player that bought it new in 1965 ( he also bought a new accordion at that time ). Fantastic sounding amp. Mine had a Jensen C12R speaker... I put a C12N in the amp and the headroom increased quite a bit... can hold it's own in a live band situation. Love the Panaramic and the vibrato!. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks so much, 69F. We will :)
Vibrato almost sounds like the Doppler shift you get from a Leslie. Another fine video, Uncle Doug. I never miss a one!
I agree, JG, the sounds are quite similar, but created in very different ways. Thanks so much !!!
Magnatone Chassis Support Pat. Pending is totally approved!!!! Uncle Doug Is a True Master!!!
I'm glad you were impressed by the magnificent design and appearance of these beautiful supports, Izzy. Thanks !!!
THANKS!!! I'm about to clone the Magnetone M4 and I had very little understanding of the vibrato circuit. Your tutorial fixed that better than any of the other online material I found.
You're welcome, GC. I hope you have a source for suitable varistors.
@@UncleDoug I'm not sure if they are suitable but I have found some currently available varistors that have been recomended online. Fortunately, they aren't very expensive if some experimentation is required.
Wow... I’m liking that Panaramic amp.. what a great find!! It sounds really awesome.. I like it’s chimey tone which could be the with Gretsch helping out some... also enjoyed the feline update along with a superb breakdown on the Vibrato circuit!! Outstanding Uncle Doug!!
Thanks so much, Luth. It is chimey.....somewhat Vox-like in that regard.
Fascinating breakdown of the complex structure and interrelationships within the system. And besides the cats, that amp is also sweet! That is a gorgeous, jangly shimmer. And I adore that Gretsch!
Thanks so much, PC :)
Very cool amp, very cool vibrato effect! I’m addicted to your videos, and am constantly learning from them. The Gretsch Tennessean is great, too! Those appear to be the HiLo Tron single coil pickups. I have those in my Tennessee Rose. Low output, but very nice sounding.
Thanks so much, Thomas :)
Amp is Glorious!! I had a neighbor who had one of these and was really good on the accordian. When i heard it, though, all i could think about is how one of my strato types would sound thru it.
Wow.......thanks, GM. I agree, it has to be a guitar......or nothing :)
@@UncleDoug The accordian gets picked on but i'm cool with it. The neighbor was hired to play an Italian wedding reception about 10 years ago and borrowed one of my amps (Peavey Studio Pro 112) as a back up in case anything happened to the PanO. Thankfully he didn't need it.
Great video, thanks for sharing. I have a Panaramic model 1220, bought by my dad at an auction in rural Illinois for $27 in 1994. Didn't see the 1220 mentioned in that brochure (other than the cloth cover listings, which mine came with), but it's a 2x12" with individual bass / treble tone controls, similar to the 1262. I misplaced the original tubes (including some Esteys & Bugle Boy 12AX7s) some time in the late 90s, and a couple years ago had it modified to a 3-prong cord (grew tired of getting shocked) and a onceover by a St. Louis-based Magnatone techs who work out of Killer Vintage. Amazing tone, love the amp.
We're glad you enjoyed it, Eric :)
Great video, I love Magnatone. Great Gretch. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it, 49. Thanks !!
Wow! I loved your lesson on how the true vibrato works Doug! You are a very good teacher. I"m a visual learner, and your coils on the rod made it crystal clear. Thanks! Keep those mini-lessons coming, and I may just have to sign into Patreon. Stunning amp, and very sweet Gretsch guitar. :)
You're welcome, Johnnie. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks Doug. Great insight on a circuit I’ve not come across before. The amp sounds lovely. Also love the car updates. My cat “Missy” loved seeing Jack and Ollie on the screen. I hope you’re well too Doug. Also like hearing “Wicked Game”
You're welcome, Dan. Thanks. It's always good to hear from you.
Hey Uncle Doug!
I have a similar amp made by Magnatone called a Da Vinci. It was sold as an accordian amp. I paid 37 dollars for it at a thrift store in Texas. It has a great sounding Vibrato! The amp is well used with a tear in the original grillcloth and part of the logo has rubbed off leaving only inci- instead of DaVinci. This is probably the favorite amp in my collection of Blackfaces , small Gibson and Marshall JCM800, which hasn't been turned on for five years!
Greetings, Mike. I read that Magnatone made these amps under all sorts of names.....but that the circuitry is identical to the original Magnatone version. It has a wonderful tone and exceptional build quality......it's one of my all-time favorites too.
Very good démonstration for the vibrato, beautiful Gretsch guitar ! Thank you for the démonstration !
You're welcome, Joel. Thanks for your nice comments.
The phase with auto tune is very interesting. Makes a lot of sense. What a amp great find to bring to the table here. Nice job Doug.
Thanks so much, Carl. I'm sure the real circuit is much more elaborate, but it seemed like a good way to improve a lot of modern "singers".
I had to download and watch this later for a variety of reasons but it was worth the effort. Lovely guitar, SUPERB condition and the explanation of how the vibrato worked was great. A a sometimes cello player I was aware of what vibrato actually is but finding out how that mob achieved it was really interesting. It may be a factoid that I'll not use but it is one that I enjoyed absorbing.
Thanks so much for watching our video, Ray. We appreciate your time and consideration.
Another great video, Doug. Good to see the cats as well. I just got in from 3hrs of snow shoveling here in S.W. Ontario .. you can borrow my shovel if you wish.
Thanks, Bob. I may need your shovel, with all the semi-buried cat poop around the perimeter of my yard :)
Doug - I'll bet that the original owner of this amp played one gig with it, wrapped it in plastic and put it in his closet, where it's been ever since. I've never seen and amp this old that is so clean and has all it's knobs (all looking new with no chips). Incredible.
I agree, Paul. It is in truly excellent, original condition.
You've really hit the mark with the Maggie!! They were quite popular here in St Louis, as before they were made by Estey they were made by Imperial Accordion Works in Chicago... and early blues musicians and early rockers loved the sound of those little combos! Buddy Holly was known to use them, though he used the larger cleaner ones, but Bo Diddley was the obvious and most famous user, as you can hear the familiar warble of that special vibrato in his early recordings... I've had a Tonemaster 250 and have held on with a death grip to my Custom 440... both from the Imperial plant. ACCORDIONISTS did actually play these, BUT the blues and early rockers LOVED the overdrive you get from the early 6v6 combos... the 440 I have, has the most amazing overdrive... both dynamic and very colorful. Also, you nailed it with the unknown value if the mysterious VARISTORS... as the early players would try out several amps to find one with a spunky vibrato... different amps would mix the effected sounds and also ad some clean unaffected sounds, as this created a chorus... or the use of two amps. One 20 feet away, to perfectly replicate the short delay used in modern stereo chorus pedals... the 440 I have, has perfect vibe, and a surprising and beautiful REVERB tank as well. It's also the ugliest amp I've owned, and I found it literally holding the door of a barn open! Ok... I have to fix four echoplex units today. Great find with that Maggie. Your vibrato sounds almost exactly as mine. Mine uses the 12au7 as well, but I think the tube used to bend the tone is a 6eu7... and that tube has as much to do with the depth and quality of the effect as the 12au7, as a weak one can completely render the vibe inaudible. Maybe experiment with some tubes and see what I mean.
Also check out the mid 50s original version of Who Do You Live by Bo Diddley to hear that amazing tone and overdrive... and bear in mind, he as no band as such, he played the heck out of that square home made guitar and had a guy banging often on just ONE drum at live shows!!
Thanks so much for all the great input, Sean :)
Very fine. I remember reading Don Adams, voice of T.T. being a Marine drill instructor previous to his comedic life in Hollywood. Quite the switch.
No kidding, John. I had no idea.
What a great amp, very nice, musical distortion! Bonus, I was looking for information on how to adjust the speeds on my Harmony H306C and a short diversion to watch your video on tremolo circuits was just what I needed! The vibrato definitely is a very useable effect!
Thanks for your kind words, Donn. Good luck with your H306.
Wow Uncle Doug, you’re on fire lately, so many videos! Thank you.
You're welcome, Ideal. We're trying to keep you folks entertained :)
Hi Uncle Doug, I've been enjoying your videos for about a year now. I too have a black feline friend named Misty Midnight. I have noted in your last 2 videos you found speakers from oxford. back in the 70's when I was still in high school I worked at the Oxford Speaker Company in Sabula Iowa. It was an after school job. I was a gasket dipper. I worked in a shed with a bunch of toxic chemicals. The factory made speakers for cars. The assistant manager once gave me a set of their 2nd best speakers, they had smaller magnets than their best. used them for years in my own car. The factory caught fire one night and there were many explosions (about 1979) I had moved away but saw it in the news. The only part left standing was the shed where I dipped gaskets.. if that had gone up the whole city block would have been gone, including the city hall/fire station, that power substation, and a shell gas station! Thanks for sharing your videos and a glimpse of your home and town through your lens.
Wow, Jim, what a harrowing tale. We're glad you moved on before 1979. It's great to hear from viewers who were personally involved in the production of the amps and components we love. Thanks !!
From Leo: Looks like a great keyboard amp. I have never seen any amp that old that did not have rust discoloration on the input jack hardware. With no corner protectors and the tolex not damaged on the edges, you know that one never lived in a garage or basement. Amazing. I am confident that you will treat it right. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome, Barb. I agree......it is in amazingly good condition.
Thank you very much Douglas for explaining the difference between tremolo, and vibrato circuitry, and operation. Though I am familiar with phase shift circuits - I encountered them when I serviced televisions - and frequency modulation - though in vibrato terms it is different, the general principal can be linked to VHF radio, I was never taught, at any time throughout my five year apprenticeship how they have applications in musical instrument audio amplification. My training was for the purpose of servicing televisions, radios, and Hi-fi, as well as some limited references to domestic appliance, and electrical power tools servicing. I had no training whatsoever on servicing guitar amplification …training for that type of electronics servicing wasn’t an option! So, my friend, once again, thank you for your time and patience for explain guitar amplification. I’m very much able to understand what you are explaining as I link it in with my servicing skills and knowledge of Hi-fi audio amplification servicing, whist at the same time being aware of circuit differences between the two types of amplification.
Best regards, Phil. P.s, see my Y T radio servicing series videos I uploaded just before this last Christmas.
You're quite welcome, Phil. It's great to hear that the videos are helpful, even to those with experience in electronic repair. I will definitely take a look at your videos.
EXCELLENT explanation of vibrato. I looked at a billion circuits and varistor arrangements but unless you’re willing to bribe the factory I don’t think you’ll be able to get what magnatones been using for the reissues. I’m a big Buddy Miller/Taylor Goldsmith time fan and they use it subtly on all the time. Wound up using a Keeley Hooke Reverb which emulates that optional reverb.
Getting close to finishing up my first cabinet’ed amp. Inspired by your instructionals and channel. Thank you again so much! My favorite monthly “bill” is the patreon receipt. Keep rocking 🤘❤️🇺🇸
Thanks so much, Bill, both for your nice comments and your continued support of our channel. You guys make it all possible.
Beautiful amp find treasure. Thank you all your educational videos!!!
You're welcome, F1. Always good to hear from you :)
That amp seems to give a bell like quality to the notes very pleasing to the ears.
I agree, Robert. Good observation :)
A great looking and sounding amp! I enjoyed the circuit description and analysis.
Thanks, Andrew.
I've been watching your videos for years, learned a huge amount from them and want to thank you for this one especially. I bought a Magnatone (Estey) model 15 amp that has stereo vibrato and a separate reverb output section... 5 speakers in total! The amp was in the opposite condition of this gem you found, non-working but it was cheap and I was certain I could restore it. I rebuilt most of the reverb section and corrected some prior fiddler's mistakes and got it working and sounding very nice, but the preamp voltages have remained about half what they should be on schematic. Each preamp/vibrato tube when put in one at a time drops about 20-30 volts each... I've been very reluctant to touch anything in the vibrato circuit because I didn't understand how it worked at all, and as you point out information is scarce. I suspect somewhere in there is an excess of current drawing the voltages down, so maybe now with some help from your video I can track it down easier. I really appreciate you.
You're welcome, Ryan. I agree that either some component is drawing too much current, or there is some problem with the HV winding in the PT. Best of luck with the completion of your restoration.
I struggled a good length of time trying to get my head around the concept of mixing signals so very useful in radios for example to drop the frequency down a decent notch so some serious gain could be achieved with cheaper components. The combined frequencies remain two and not the third wanted one until the two signals are subjected to active gain. The third offspring frequency occurs within the gain slope of the active device and is impossible to achieve using any and all passive devices. When I finally read that part, the light came on for me, but it was a lot of reading before I stumbled upon that jewel. Just a tune up for your very excellent run down of how the true vibrato works. I must say the effect here is a wonderful thing, I can hear so many favorite songs I love are using this too. Reverb/tremolo is fine as far as it goes, but true vibrato for me is a WOW thing. As you very simply put it (and I do love simple), much more musical. Thank you patreon people for giving Uncle Doug the bucks to bring this one to the cheap seats and thanks again Uncle Doug.
Thanks so much for your very knowledgeable input and nice comments, Lee. We're glad you enjoyed the video.
Hi Uncle Doug,
Another great video. I have. Got to say I don't know how you do it. That Panaramic amp is absolutely beautiful. It looks like it just came from the factory. Wow!!! I really liked the explanation of how Magnatone produced the true Vibrato. You know me, I had to research, and the company that made those varistors pulled off a miracle of manufacturing for the day. Not even GE could ever match their specs. I saw one circuit that comes close but uses 3 MOV’s and 3 trimmer pots in parallel and requires meticulous adjustment to replace just 1 original varistor. Your explanation of the circuit principles sounded almost exactly like the class at electronics trade school (35 some odd years ago) on AM and FM radio modulation theory. Same exact principles, just lower frequencies. Phase modulation was used for many years and probably still is by Motorola in their commercial two way radios rather than true FM modulation. I never really understood why, . A trained ear can hear the difference between someone transmitting on a Motorola Micor as opposed to a GE Mastr II (yes there is no ”e” in Mastr II). The subtle difference between PM and FM. Both change the input frequency but PM also affects the amplitude of complex waveforms to some degree, especially in harmonic rich waveforms (like notes from a guitar string ) Perhaps that is part of the musical quality reproduced by the Robert Moses design. Who knows?
The Gretch was to die for. As soon as I heard the hum I instantly knew it still had its original pickups. I had a Gretch slab-body Corvette and ended up putting a Gibson Humbucker in it because of the hum from the old pickup. The image of your shop guitar is about to drive me nuts trying to figure out what brand it is. This is what I see, Gibson stop tail piece and tune-o-matic bridge, Gibson humbucking pickups, although they could be DiMarzio, Gibson Speed knobs, all like an SG or Les Paul Jr. Deluxe. But the body shape is all wrong. Horns are not pointed enough for an SG, the body is too rounded to be a Les Paul Jr. Appears to be a 3 piece solid body similar to how Les Paul built his first guitar. could not see the headstock so no help there. What the heck is that beautiful thing? Well as always loved the video.
Another complex and wonderful commentary, Mark. Thanks so much. I do envision the oscillator input as acting sort of like a carrier wave for the music signal......whether that is wildly wrong or not, it's still easy to visualize.
Yes, the Filtertrons are original, with ultra-low output and ultra-high noise.....but I'll be darned if they don't sound great :)
I enjoyed your speculation on the shop guitar. It's a 1980 Matsumoku Vantage V-695 Performer with MMK-45 humbucker pickups that I got from a local pawnshop many years ago......for $225 including a hard case. It took a lot of work to repair, re-wire, and set up properly, but it's been the go-to guitar for countless videos, and has seen all sorts of Fender and Gibson guitars come and go :)
@@UncleDoug Those are Hi-Lo Trons, single coil pickups that Gretsch used on their lower end instruments. The FilterTrons were hum cancelling. Both seemed to come into use as the company phased out DeArmond single coils sometime in the late 1950s.
The Vantage guitar is a nice example of guitar aesthetics of that era. In the late 70s to around 1980, there was a trend toward natural wood finishes, sometimes contrasting laminations, neck-through construction. I don't know how heavy it is, but heavier guitars with heavy brass hardware was also a corresponding fashion. Some nice examples of this aesthetic came from the likes of BC Rich, Martin, Alembic.
I have seen a Rickenbacker base with a stereo jack for sale at an auction. I think it was a 4000 series. Great sound.vibrato is real. Guitar and amp set-up is great. I like,Thanks
You're welcome, Hack. Thanks so much :)
Wow what a great sounding amp! The vibrato is awesome sounding, and I agree it is very musical. Oh, and thank you for looking out for all your cat friends, I am sure they appreciate it!
Thanks so much, Wade:) You're welcome......it's our pleasure :)
Your a joy to learn from thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and this beautiful made in U.S.A amplifier a true peace of American engineering
Thanks so much, Robby :)
Just found your channel Uncle Doug. Your a treasure sir, thank you and just subscribed! Btw, just purchased a new Magnatone Panaramic and waiting for delivery.
Thanks so much, Richard. Welcome aboard !!! Best of luck with your new Panaramic.....a wonderful amp indeed.
Excellent video UD, from explanation of sophisticated concepts to cat mini documentary to guitar amp, this one got it all. Also, beautiful gretsch right there
Thanks several times, K :)
I am a collector of old guitar and also amps I also fix guitars and amps and you helped me find new thing's that can go wrong so thanks for that it a big help keep up the great work
You're welcome, HW. We're glad the videos were helpful.
This was so great! Thank you for such a interesting video and explanation, I was so interested in this and this video, in addition to your tremolo instructional videos, really fill out how this all works. You have really done a great job putting all this information together. You are a wonderful instructor Uncle Doug, thank you again! Buddy
You are quite welcome, Buddy. Nice, appreciative comments like yours make it all worthwhile.
Doug you're the best! Wish I had something to send U but ,sorry! However I always learning something new when looking at your great videos. Keep on Doug!
Thanks !!! No problem, Peder. We're just glad you enjoy our channel.
nicely explained and demonstrated vibrato-tremolo GREAT JOB!
Thanks, G.
the condition of that amp is amazing and it sound's nice too, great score,
Thanks, Paul.
Doug, I firmly believe if Cadillac made a tube amp with tail fins you could find one. That Magnatone is amazing, and your explanation of the Moses phase shift circuit was excellent. Thank you again for sharing another piece of history.
You're welcome, Randy. Thanks for your very nice comments :)
Wow! What a truly stunning piece, Doug! I am happy to see that despite its prestine condition, there are the tiniest of ubiquitous white paint spots. That must mean it's the real deal!
@46:18 I'm not kidding you, my heart began to melt and I nearly cried. And no, I dont think is was an apoplectic... Such a wonderful sound! Thank you so much for sharing this lovely bit of kit.
I'm also very glad the cats are staying warm and full!
Thanks so much, Britt. The vibrato effect does have the musical ability to move the listener. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who noticed :) The kitties say "Hi".
Hi Uncle Doug! Thx again for a very interesting video. I have an Magnatone M6 in a plastic cabinet that looks more like a mid-century tv set than a guitar amp enclosure. But it's a real tone monster.
You're welcome, Rick.
The new Magnatones sound incredible. Absolutely the finest sounding amplifier made (in my personal opinion of course, so I'm biased towards that opinion ;) ). They show their varistors in several videos. Simply imprinted with the Magnatone "M" and V. They're not giving up their secret.
I understand that the newly created Magnatones are splendid amps, Marc. Thanks !!
That is one good looking amp.
Well done the previous owner/s and well found sir!
Thanks, PD. Agreed :)
Being a ham radio operator, I have a unique way of viewing tremolo vs. vibrato. Tremolo, as it alters the size of the wave, is a form of Amplitude Modulation (AM). The vibrato, as it alters the frequency of the wave, is a form of Frequency Modulation (FM).
And as a cat fancier myself, I LOVE your cat updates! 😺🐈🐈🐈😺
I agree with your assessment, Erz. The cats all say "Hi".
stunning condition amp and a video that does it more than justice as usual.
Thanks twice, MS :)
Wow, that effect is scrumptious. Your tremelo videos and how to contruct one in an amp circuit were brilliant and I am not done viewing them multiple times until it is hard-wired into my memory. Any chance of teaching us how to do the same with a vibrato circuit? If you actually did that here, then I need to watch it a few more times. This is a must know circuit for me. Thank you again for the invaluable work you do. Only my current poverty prohibits me from showing my gratitude in a manner other than words. You are a teacher par excellence.
Thanks, Mod. The problem with cloning the circuit is the inability to obtain proper varistors. Perhaps it is now possible, but not without a lot of research and investigation. Good luck.
Looks like new and sounds great. Very nice explanation of tremolo vs. vibrato! Within the video I experienced the difference between a pro at amp technology repair/ maintenance and hobbyist. You have the perfect amp support for all the different amp types existing. As normal people would use a log of wood they find. Think this is at least part of the difference.
Thanks, Murrat. Yes, indeed, a tech is only as good as his tools will allow, and my custom universal chassis supports (patent pending) definitely elevate my stature to Supreme Exalted Maestro of Technology.
I love this channel! You sir, are great. Sense of humor is right on point. Also, as a bonus, we get an extra wildlife segment in most videos. Lol. Thanks for the great entertainment
You're welcome, Mike. Thanks !!!
What a treat! A beautiful new amp and a new, very handsome Tuxedo. I found it interesting to compare Fender and Magnatone amps. Almost identical components, aside from the Shumacher transformers in Fenders. While Magnatone continued to use Triad transformers very, very similar to the Tweed Fender era.
Thanks, Matt. We appreciate your knowledgeable input.
I can get that sound with my TC Electronic dual modulation Nova fx device. I just don't have the ability to foot control the rate of the stereo tremolo. I got to hear the real deal in person at Sweet Water Gearfest 2019! I was also blown away with the Super Fifteen as well!
Thanks for the kitty intermission Doug. It's good to see the clowder. (A group of cats is called a clowder) I also truly enjoyed your discussion and visuals on tremolo and vibrato. I really didn't know there was a difference.
You're welcome, XT, from all of us in the clowder :)
What a gem. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome, Daniel.
Glorious. Piece of art.
Thanks, Lost :)
Very cool amp , thanks . Enjoyed this one a lot Doug 😁
You're welcome, Phil :)
Very nice. A good explanation of the difference between Vibrato and Tremolo. My only complaint about Magnatone amps are the preamps and the power amps. They are underpowered for their size and weight. A project I undertook a few years was to couple a standard Fender preamp to the Magnatone M-9 vibrato circuit and a 40 watt Fender power amp the results were excellent. I plan on integrating that circuit into a 6G8-A Twin on the Vibrato side and a 5F6-A Bassman on the Normal side with an 80 watt power amp. Just so nobody freaks out, I'm doing this with a repro chassis and cabinet as I would not wish to alter an original Brownface Fender Amp. The Varistors used in Magnatone amps are Workman FS 1205 .05mA@80V although others would probably work. The company that makes the varistors for the new Magnatone amps is Metrosil in the UK but I have never seen them for sale. Occasionally original ones turn up on Ebay for ridiculous prices.
Thanks for your very informative input, Arnold, especially regarding the proper varistors for Magnatone vibrato.
Great presentation as always Doug.. To my old ears, that was the nicest sounding amp to date with and without vibrato and with both guitars .. I appreciate this topic is very subjective.
Thanks, Pete. I agree......it is a wonderful-sounding amp.
Nice One Doug. That front logo brings to mind your "Danosonic" . "But this one goes to 7".
Thanks, Dan. I'll have my attorneys investigate them for copyright infringement :)
wow I really like the sound of this one, Doug
Thanks, DK.
Great video Doug. As always a great explanation. The vibrato sounds like a cross between a flange and phase.
Thanks, 6S :)
One thing that strikes me, Uncle Doug, is that the States produced some really interesting tube amps in the 50's and early 60's. Even todays super solid state modelling amps aren't as interesting as some of these old tube amps.
Good work, let's hope you can find more odd and interesting bits of kit from bygone years to keep us entertained.
Thanks, TW. I agree, it was a great period for audio invention and development. I share your hope......we're always looking, and from time to time generous viewers donate really nice gear as video subjects.