Help! What's this worth?

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workshed
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Help! What's this worth?

Post by workshed » Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:03 pm

I've posted a couple other mentions of this old, apparently very rare, Magnatone PA head I picked up a few weeks ago. I just heard back from my amp tech and he says it's probably not very ideal for what I want to use it for, which is okay, I half expected that prognosis.

On top of that it needs about all the caps replaced which will cost me more than I want to put into something I can't use in my band. I also cannot afford to keep it around -- I need a working, gigging, rock amp.

Someone got in touch with me and is very interested in it, but I honestly have no idea what something like this is worth. It does work, but I think it's probably worth a bit more than what I paid for it. Given the rarity and odd nature of it, there really is no track record or transactional trail to follow to get a good idea. I don't want to jack up the price, but I do want to get what it's worth.

So with that, I will turn this matter over to the TOMB masses for opinions, appraisals, and general tomfoolery.

How much would you ask for this thing?

http://www.workshedaudio.com/magnatone/index.htm

-Bret

amishsixstringer
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Post by amishsixstringer » Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:33 pm

I have no idea, but that thing looks cool as hell. They really don't make things the same way anymore. wheew


Sorry I'm not any help, since that thing was made before my parents were born.


Neil

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Randy
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Post by Randy » Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:40 pm

wow.

Long ago in a galaxy far away, I used to play in a club that had one of those as a PA. It was useless as a PA.Wondering what it would be like as a 150 watt guitar amp, I plugged direct into it once and it sounded like ass, but I am not sure if that was just the speakers (very old Electrovoice columns.) Hell, the speakers could have been the problem in the first place. I remember a total lack of low and high end. A midrange assault on the crowd.

It looks like one of the transformers had a meltdown or something. There's some kind of stain around it. I'd post it on ebay and see what you can get.
not to worry, just keep tracking....

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workshed
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Post by workshed » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:13 pm

I ended up working a pretty good deal with a heck of a nice guy who builds custom amps. He's going to trade one of his amps straight across for the Magnatone, as he's really into collecting and archiving old Magnatones.

Anyhow, interesting anecdote about the PA at the club! I'm getting the Magnatone back from the tech tomorrow and will actually get a chance to plug it in to my 2x12 cab and see how it sounds.

-Bret

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Post by joel hamilton » Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:56 am

Workshed,
That is amazing looking.

getreel
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Post by getreel » Sat Oct 14, 2006 9:06 am

so.....what's it sound like?

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workshed
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Post by workshed » Sat Oct 14, 2006 9:24 am

Thanks Joel. I thought it was cool looking too, which was a big part of the appeal.

getreel, I am picking it up from the amp tech today and will actually get to plug it in and try it out. I wasn't able to try it out before because it was tripping the GFCI in my office as soon as I plugged it in. Turns out the person who had it before improperly installed the three-prong a/c cord.

If it sounds absolutely amazing and has enough volume, I may change my mind about trading it. But I the fact is I need an amo I can gig and practice with and I don't feel comfortable doing that with something that old and rare.

-Bret

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workshed
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Post by workshed » Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:27 pm

For those of you who are playing along, I got the amp back today and plugged it in. I ran my '56 LP Gold Top copy w/ P-90s straight into it.

It has a decent clean sound, nothing earth shattering, but sort of jangly. Not much gain at all to speak of. With the preamp volume dimed and the master volume dimed, output was pretty low (which could just be due to the age of components), but I did get some slight breakup that was pleasing to the ears. I didn't want to run it too long, as I was going through a 4 ohm cab and don't know what the impedance requirements are for the output tranny.

Overall, it's a great, very rare, museum piece that needs some serious restoration, but not a rock amp. I have a trade deal in the works for a custom, more rock-oriented amp, which I think will serve my needs better.

-Bret

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Post by joel hamilton » Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:00 pm

I just like that your thread title makes it seem like you are asking how much HELP is worth to us.

I think help is worth quite a bit...


Anyway,

Cool find.

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workshed
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Post by workshed » Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:50 pm

Hahaha, good catch. :-) Next time I will have to read the title back more carefully. Ahem.

I also think help is worth a lot, and I'm incredibly grateful that the TOMB masses have been here for the last couple years to answer all my silly questions. This really is a cool board with a limitless wealth of information.

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