Majestic Amplification 420 Lightning?

[bagman67]

Howdy, folks -

I have a line on a small tube combo - a 420 Lightning made by an operation called Majestic Amplification out of Chico, California. I have found exactly one other specimen of their work - an El Rey that sold on Reverb 10 months ago. They have no web page, and any other information out there is either out-of-date or pertains to a completely different Majestic Amplification that seems to be in the automotive power-amp business.

So: Anybody know anything about these guys? The price is objectively pretty good for a small combo but I'm interested in whether anyone has any more info before I commit. The seller claims to have no knowledge, and I have not yet gone to test the amp myself. I'll save the trip if y'all wave me off.

Yours,

Ian

 

[mayfly]

I don't know much but I know it's a one man shop hobby type business. It might be great, or it might be crap.

When checking it out, look for this:
1 - does it sound good? Any rattles or strange noises? Does it hum too much?
2 - have a look at the outside of the chassis. Is it hand cut? if so, is the metalwork done well?
3 - Pull the chassis and inspect the inside.
- does it look neat, or is it a rats nest in there?
- are the sockets high quality?
- how are the solder joints? Any cold ones? Nasty blobs of solder?
- hows the twist on the heater wires? Nice and tight? loose and wonky?
- How's the power supply decoupling caps? Good quality Sprague or nasty Illinois capacitor?
- what's the brand of the transformers? Does the power transformer carry a UL (or other) safety mark?
- and -
does it have a three prong cord with the green (ground) wire bolted securely to the chassis?

Post picks if you can get them.

 

[bagman67]

Let's see if the images from OfferUp will show:

 

[Rick]

That looks good, but hard to tell what's going on inside and, of course, the hum, if excessive. Looks like the 5th one ever built.

 

[bagman67]

yeah, that is a pretty low serial number. The guy selling it doesn't even know what kind of power tubes are driving it.

 

[mayfly]

... The guy selling it doesn't even know what kind of power tubes are driving it.

That's a bit of a red flag - anyone who buys a boutique amp from a local builder knows exactly all the details of it - probably obsessed over them. I'm wondering if it fell of the back of a truck (IYKWIM)

On the other hand, the only other tube company in Chino that I know about is Manley Labs. If it's a Manley employee that made it, it's bound to be excellent.

 

[bagman67]

Yeah, the price plus the lack of information suggests to me that this might be property I'd just as soon not purchase. But I'll feel the guy out when we talk to one another directly. Thanks so much for the insight.

 

[syscokid]

The Lagunitas plaque indicates someone with excellent taste in craft beer…

420 indicates

Nice speaker!

 

[bagman67]

The Lagunitas plaque indicates someone with excellent taste in craft beer…

420 indicates

Nice speaker!

I'm not a drinker, but my wife is a beer aficionado. When we lived in the Bay Area, we would go to the Lagunitas brewery when I would visit my sister in Petaluma, long before the big Heineken buyout. Great hippie-style bar and ramshackle music venue, serving the day's goods.

 

[Rick]

The penny just dropped on 420!

 

[mayfly]

oh! Well, hopefully the amp was not made after 4:20pm...

 

[bagman67]

The penny just dropped on 420!

California, amirite?

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I'm not a drinker, but my wife is a beer aficionado. When we lived in the Bay Area, we would go to the Lagunitas brewery when I would visit my sister in Petaluma, long before the big Heineken buyout. Great hippie-style bar and ramshackle music venue, serving the day's goods.

When I worked in Oakland, Ca, I sold Tony from Lagunitas his first pallet of bottle when he was brewing in his garage, early 90’s. They’re right across the street from Mesa Boogie nowadays.