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info    updated 31/1/2010

Mad Professor

Mad Professor effects - handmade in Finland.

Guitar Amplifier magazine article Mad Professor amps

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Mad+Professor

Madison

On May 2nd 2000, the day his daughter Madison was born, Andy Hitch created Madison Amps.  They are made in Loveland, Colorado USA

Images eBay:

Maestro

Maestro amplifiers were associated with Gibson.

Maestro catalog FSH-1

http://ushigomepan.cool.ne.jp/effect/catalogue.html

Maestro schematics

http://analogguru.an.ohost.de/

Maestro

current

http://johannburkard.de/blog/music/effects/legendary-guitar-effects-maestro-fuzz-tone-fz-1-fz-1a-fz-1b.html

Maestro Effects Technical Service Manuals (from Dredge Tone Internet Archive)

Maestro Fuzz

Maestro Fuzztain

Maestro Stagephaser

Maestro Phaser

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Effects/brand/Maestro

Image Maestro Fuzztain & Sustainer eBay:

Magnatone

Magnatone amplifiers 1937-1971.

The Magnatone name was owned at various times by Estey Electronics, Magna Electronics, and the Estey Musical Instrument Corporation. [Source: Brad's Page of Steel]

http://www.vibroworld.com/magnatone/

http://www.bellflowermusic.com/images/Amps/Magnatone%20Amp2.JPG

http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/vintage_amps.htm

http://www.scottymoore.net/guitars.html

http://www.myrareguitars.com/robergeamps.html

http://www.myrareguitars.com/vintage_magnatone_ROBERGE.html

Magnatone schematics (from Dredge Tone Internet Archive)

Magnatone 260A

Magnatone 460

Magnatone 480

Magnatone - Estey schematics

http://www.freeinfosociety.com/electronics/schempage.php?cat=1

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Magnatone

Image eBay:

Maison

Image Maison Photogenic amp Yahoo auction:

Mako Amplification

Mako amplification started in 1990 by Andrew Swellolner.

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Mako+Amplification

Mansley

see Mansley in guitars

Marble amps

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Marble+Amps

Marlboro Sound Works

1970s and 80s. Solid state amps distributed by Musical Instruments Corp, Syosset, New York.

Images eBay. The 30A Marloboro amp was made from 1981 to 1984 according to ebay seller:                         

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Marlboro

Marshall

In the early 1960s Jim Marshall was a drum/percussion retailer in Hanwell, London. He expanded his line to guitars and amps. Fender amps were popular but expensive and Jim thought he could produce them at a better price.
Jim Marshall copied the 1959 Fender Bassman. The main difference was he used four 12 inch Celestions in a closed back cabinet vs the Bassman’s four 10 inch Jensen speakers with an open. Initially using US amp parts he switched to UK components to save money. The switch from 6L6 to the KT66 valve gave Marshall amps a more aggressive tone. Eventually the KT66 became to expensive causing the jump to EL34 and even more aggression. In 1973 they switched to Printed Circuit Boards. [Source: Wikipedia]

Dating Marshall cabs and amps

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Bistro/3491/dating.html

Barcode version: http://www.blamepro.com/mar/date.htm

http://www.smittymusic.com/Marshall%20Dating.htm

http://users.aol.com/bluemuse/dating.html

Other Marshall amplifier information and examples

http://vintageamps.com/va/marshall/marshall.html

Google Book partial The History of Marshall

http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=176

http://www.blamepro.com/mar/date1.htm

Technical history http://www.lynx.net/~jc/marshallAmps.html

Marshall Schematics

http://www.drtube.com/marshall.htm

http://www.marshallschematics.com/

http://www.schematicheaven.com/index_HTML.htm

http://www.freeinfosociety.com/electronics/schempage.php?cat=1

Marshall Resources

http://www.smittymusic.com/Marshall.htm

Marshall amplifier ads and catalogs

http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/advertisements/marshall

http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_ampgear_marshall.htm

Marshall amp reference books at Amazon

A History of Marshall The Illustrated Story Of The Sound Of Rock

The Sound of Rock : A History of Marshall Valve Guitar Amplifiers

Jim Marshall the Father of Loud: The Story of the Man Behind the World's Most Famous Amp

The High Performance Marshall Handbook: A Guide to Great Marshall Amplifier Sounds

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Marshall

http://www.guitaramplifiermagazine.com/pub/2005/premier_issue/marshall-18-2.htm

Image eBay:

Martial

1970 Martial amp catalog

Martin

Martin schematic

Masco

Masco Sound Systems

MASCO stands for Mark Alan Simpson Company and the amps were produced on Long Island, NY during the 1940s and 1950s. They were largely a mail order brand available through Layfayette, Archer and other large electronics supply catalogs and music stores and appliance stores as an inexpensive house brand [Source: Harp Amps ]

Masco schematic

Model MA25 example with schematic

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Masco

Images Masco MAP and Masco Model MC-17 amp eBay:

Massie

1940s. Ray Massie

Ray Massie schematic

Matamp

Key Matamp history and dates [Source: Matamp at 60 by Martin Celmins 2006.]

1964 - The Matamp brand was established.

15 August 1968 Cooper Mathias formed to make amps for Orange Musical Industries (The Orange Matamp brand)

1975 Partnership dissolved. Orange and Matamp go their separate ways.

1989 - Mat Mathias dies. Mat's sons Peter and Richard take over the day to day running of the company.

1992 -  Jeff Lewis took over Matamp.

1992-1994 Green Matamp retro phase

1994-1999 Gibson licensed -Orange  reissue phase.

2002  Jeff commissions Dave Green to develop new model range.

Amplifiers and speaker cabinets are currently produced in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.

I don't own a Matamp amplifier but do own a single 12 cab for a while which I use with my Tiny Terror and a Retro 2 by 12 Cabinet.  They look way cool and they are still made in the UK so that is enough for me.

Planet of the Amps - Matamp Reference site

Matamp schematics

http://www.nicosonic.com/english/indexen.html

Pictures of Matamp speaker cabinets under construction.

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Matamp

Matamp forum http://officialmatampownersclub.yuku.com/

see Orange

Image Matamp 1969 and Orange Matamp from Planet of the Amps. Image eBay:

Matchless

1989-1999, 2001 to present.

Founded by Mark Sampson and Rick Perrotta in Califronia.  Following the demise of the company in 199 it was reestablished by Phil Jamison, head of production of the original company.

Dating Matchless Amps

"Hi, Sometimes dating Matchless can be difficult. Serial numbers on amplifiers do not reflect dates. However, all extension cabinets have serial number date codes. Ex. A020707, B020707... would mean the extension cabinet was made on Feb 7th, 2007. "A" would be the first cab of the day, and "B" would be the second cab of the day.

For the amplifiers themselves, sometimes a date is stamped in white on the side of the transformer, this would indicate the date the transformer was made only. Since transformers are expensive we wouldn't have several hundred lying around for long periods of time waiting to be installed. Usually the amp was built with in a 4 to 6 week window of the date stamped on the chassis.

The only other way of finding a date is by pulling out the chassis and "Sometimes" there is date written inside."

[Source: Phil Jamison, Matchless Amplifiers, 1933 Pontius Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025, email 9/2/2007]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matchless_Amplifiers

Matchless schematics

http://www.freeinfosociety.com/electronics/schempage.php?cat=1

http://www.schematicheaven.com/post70s.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Matchless

Maton

Australian guitar manufacturer.  Amps made from about mid 1950s to 1974. http://ozvalveamps.elands.com/maton.htm

Image eBay:

Maven Peal

Amps and pedals. Since 1999. David Zimmerman, Plainfield, Vermont.

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Maven+Peal

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/Maven+Peal+Instruments

Maxon

"Japanese company Nisshin Onpa started making guitar pedals in the mid 70’s marketed as Maxon in Japan and Ibanez as exports.  Ibanez and Nisshin parted ways in early 2000, Maxon is now available in most countries and have specialized in reissuing the old Maxon line from the late 70’s. The Maxon OD808 is the same pedal as the Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-808." [Source: John Butler Trio Forum ]

http://tix.gozaru.jp/stompbox.html

Maxon Pedal Catalogs

http://brochures.yokochou.com/index.html

http://ushigomepan.cool.ne.jp/effect/catalogue.html

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Effects/brand/Maxon