A Pint-sized Firecracker of British Tube Tone
Compact, lightweight, and ready for the stage, Magnatone’s Baby M-80 is a pint-sized tube combo amp powerhouse with classic British character. This amplifier dishes out an impressive 12 watts of power courtesy of a dual NOS 6AQ5/6005 power section, which is paired with a trio of 12AX7 tubes in the preamp section. Combined with a Master Volume control, 2-band EQ, Gain knob, and versatile Hi/Lo gain modes, the Baby M-80 is capable of dishing out rich, creamy tube saturation on the stage, in the studio, or in the bedroom. Further, the Baby M-80 also boasts a squeaky-clean tube-buffered FX loop directly on the front panel and a supremely punchy 10-inch ceramic speaker courtesy of Warehouse Guitar Speakers. Finished off with a black cotton levant cabinet covering a lighted Magnatone logo, plus an old-school warparound grille, the Baby M-80 delivers grown-up tube tones to rival any British-style amplifier out there.
Related Videos: Baby M-80 1 x 10-inch 12-watt Tube Combo Amplifier
Loaded with NOS 6AQ5 power tubes
Instead of the British-style EL tubes found on most Magnatone Master Collection amplifiers, the mighty Baby M-80 comes equipped with a set of miniature 6AQ5/6005 power tubes. Paired with a trio of 12AX67 preamp tubes, the Baby M-80’s voice can sing with sweet saturation or roar with the best of them, all at home-appropriate volumes. The final piece in this amp’s collection of glowing glass lies in the tube-buffered FX loop, located directly on the front panel for easy access.
Two flexible gain settings
Primed for plug-and-play simplicity, the Baby M-80’s control section is about as simple as an amp can get, featuring highly interactive Bass, Treble, and Gain controls paired with handy Master Volume. In fact, Magnatone tells Sweetwater that maxing the Baby M-80’s bass control transforms this combo’s tone into a menacing mid-scooped blast ideal for more modern tones and textures. Finally, this baby offers two distinct gain structures via the 2-way Hi/Lo switch.
- Lo Gain Mode: Fans of organic-sounding low-to-medium saturation will surely be thrilled by the Baby M-80’s Lo gain mode. This mode delivers big on dynamic tube tones, from hairy edge-of-breakup rhythms to a ripping overdriven rasp.
- Hi Gain Mode: Hunting after a higher-gain feel? Swap over to the Hi gain mode to be rewarded with seriously liquid-like lead tones and searing dirt-drenched crunch.
Magnatone: a slice of rock history
Magnatone first began producing electric guitars and amplifiers in the late 1930s. By the '50s and '60s, Magnatone amps had become highly sought after, largely because of their distinctive pitch-shifting vibrato effect, which was responsible for the "watery" guitar sounds you hear on Buddy Holly and early Bo Diddley recordings. Legendary blues-rock guitarist Lonnie Mack employed Magnatone amplifiers to achieve his signature vibrato-soaked sound. Today, Neil Young is also an admirer and uses a vintage Magnatone in his live rig. In 2013, the company entered into a new phase of its evolution, creating a new and improved line of boutique guitar amplifiers that have been embraced by guitar luminaries such as Keith Richards, Joe Bonamassa, and Billy Gibbons, as well as quite a few of the guitarists at Sweetwater.
Magnatone M-80 12-watt 1 x 10-inch Tube Combo Amplifier Features:
- A bite-size addition to Magnatone’s Master Collection of amplifiers
- 12-watt power section provides more than enough juice for the gigging guitarist, fueled by dual NOS 6AQ5/6005 power tubes
- A trio of 12AX7s in the preamp section pair with a Master Volume, Gain knob, and Hi/Lo Gain switch to deliver sweet tube saturation at any volume level
- 10-inch ceramic speaker from Warehouse Guitar Speakers produces a clear, punchy response with firm lows, gritty mids, and chimey highs
- Front-mounted tube-buffered FX loop to effortlessly integrate your favorite effects
- Highly reactive 2-band EQ to sculpt your sound
- Lightweight and easily portable cabinet, complete with a handsome black cotton levant cabinet covering, lighted Magnatone logo, and wraparound grille
