Magnatone Varsity 1948 MOTS Pearl Burgundy M-197-3-V Leilani Lap Steel Combo Amp

1948 Magnatone Varsity Amp Pearl

Beautiful sounding vintage Magnatone amp!

Perfectly smooth drive sounds.

Original MOTS burgundy colored pearl wrap.

This amp has been used professionally and serviced professionally.

These amps came in a combo set with a matching MOTS lap steel. They also came branded as Leilani in the same sets. This amp likely would have had a palm tree motif on the grill cloth but the grill cloth has been changed on this amp. It does mach the pearl very well.

The amp as 2 inputs labeled No1 and No2. The No2 jack has been converted to a preamp out. So you can take the beautiful overdriven tones from this little amp and put it into your preferred power section. Perfect for taking your tone onto any stage and using their backline to meet your volume needs. That being said this little amp is surprisingly loud at 6 watts. This amp is a great contender against the Fender Champs of the same era.

Some notes about the amp are that it has a reconed 1951 or 1961 8" Jensen C8R speaker. The 6SJ7 tube has been replaced with a vintage zenith 6AU6, they're the same tube but just different sizes. The 6V6 is a vintage RCA and the 5Y3 is a vintage GE. Most of the leaky electrolytic caps have been replaced, including the power capacitors. The transformers are original and Triad branded. The on/off switch/volume potentiometer has a code reading 137834 which dates that part to the 34th week of 1948.

Built in Los Angeles, CA by the Magna Electronics Company, the parent name of Magnatone Amps, and its model number is M-197-3-V.

You can hear this amp in action on the studio recording "Tesla" by Gospel of Mars.

This amp is used and shows signs of it including nicks, dings, dents, scrapes, scratches, bumps, and bruises but, is in otherwise great shape and 100% functional.

Please feel free to ask if you have any questions!

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