Anaheim, CA (January 23, 2013) – Magnatone, a legendary brand from the past, is staging a comeback, re-launching at NAMM this week after laying dormant for more than 40 years. Magnatone’s line of American-made, high end, vacuum tube amplifiers features the iconic “pitch-shifting” vibrato effect. These amps and a line of solid body electric guitars will be on display at NAMM Booth #4794 located in Hall C of the Anaheim Convention Center from January 24 thorough 27, 2013.
Magnatone’s President and CEO is Ted Kornblum, whose music industry career began as Artist Relations Director for his family’s business, St. Louis Music (Crate, Ampeg, Alvarez, etc.) From his teen years on, he formed relationships with such notable talents as Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead, Sting, Keith Richards and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones, The Who, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Ani DiFranco, and many others.
Today he’s focused on the new Magnatone line of amps – 100% tube powered, handmade with point-to-point wiring, made in the USA. The creative team behind Magnatone’s new lines includes the engineering talents of Obeid Khan, George McKale, Greg Geerling, Gregg Hopkins, Chris Villani, Dave Hinson and Dan Ryterski, and others.
ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons has been closely associated with Kornblum and Magnatone, and said, “This is nothing short of a rockin' resurrection. The Mag is back!” In the studio and live concerts Gibbons has been using a prototype Magnatone Super Fifty-Nine, and his input, as well as that of guitar tech Elwood Francis, has had a significant influence on Magnatone design and execution. Likewise, Neil Young’s guitar tech Larry Craig has provided input into upgrading the Magnatone sound.
Magnatone history dates back to the 1930s when it opened its doors in Los Angeles, CA. manufacturing radios, record players, lap steel guitars and amplifiers. Perhaps, the company’s most noted innovation was its patented pitch-shifting vibrato effect using non-moving parts to create “true vibrato,” in contrast to what others called vibrato but was actually mislabeled tremolo. Today’s Magnatone engineers have used the patented vibrato circuit from 1958 as their design platform. They have engineered the models to include the vibrato effect as well as tremolo, as both effects are applicable to musical instrument amplification.
For more information:
www.magnatoneusa.com
Announced at the 2025 NAMM show, Cory Wong’s new collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man scratched an itch—namely, the itch for a humbucker-loaded guitar that could appease Wong’s rock-and-R&B alter ego and serve as complement to his signature Fender Strat. Inspiration came from no further than a bandmate’s namesake instrument. Vulfpeck bassist Joe Dart has a line of signature model EBMM basses, one of which uses the classic StingRay bass body profile. So, when Wong went looking for something distinctive, he wondered if EBMM could create a 6-string guitar using the classic StingRay bass body and headstock profile.
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II ReviewErnie Ball Music Man StingRay II ReviewDouble the Fun
Wong is, by his own admission, a single-coil devotee. That’s where the core of his sound lives and it feels like home to him. However, Wong is as inspired by classic Earth, Wind & Fire tones and the pop-punk of the early ’90s as he is by Prince and the Minneapolis funk that he grew up with. The StingRay II is a guitar that can cover all those bases.
Ernie Ball has a history of designing fast-feeling, comfortable necks. And I can’t remember ever struggling to move around an EBMM fretboard. The roasted maple C-shaped neck here is slightly thicker in profile than I expected, but still very comfortable. (I must also mention that the back of the neck has a dazzling, almost holographic look to the grain that morphs in the light). By any measure, the StingRay II’s curves seemed designed for comfort and speed. Now, let’s talk about those pickups.Hot or Not?
A few years ago EBMM introduced a line of HT (heat-treated) pickups. The pickups are built with technology the company used to develop their Cobalt and M-Series strings. A fair amount of the process is shrouded in secrecy and must be taken on faith, but EBMM says treating elements of the pickup with heat increases clarity and dynamic response.
To find out for myself, I plugged the StingRay II into a Fender Vibroverb, Mesa/Boogie Mark VII, and a Neural DSP Quad Cortex (Wong’s preferred live rig). Right away, it was easy to hear the tight low end and warm highs. Often, I feel like the low end from neck humbuckers can feel too loose or lack definition. Neither was the case here. The HT pickup is beautifully balanced with a bounce that’s rich with ES-335 vibes. Clean tones are punchy and bright—especially with the Vibroverb—and dirty tones have more room for air. Individual notes were clear and articulate, too.
Any guitar associated with Wong needs a strong middle-position or combined pickup tone, and the StingRay II delivers. I never felt any significant signal loss in the blended signal from the two humbuckers, even if I could use a bit more midrange presence in the voicing. The midrange gap is nothing an EQ or Tube Screamer couldn’t fix, though. And not surprisingly, very Strat-like sounds were easy to achieve for having less midrange bump.
Knowing Wong’s love for ’90s alt-rock, I expected the bridge pickup to have real bite, and it does, demonstrating exceptional dynamic range and exceptional high-end response that never approached shrill. Nearly every type of distortion and overdrive I threw at it sounded great, but especially anything with a scooped-mid flavor and plenty of low end.
The Verdict
By any measure, the StingRay II is a top-notch, professional instrument. The fit and finish are immaculate and the feel of the neck makes me wonder if EBMM stashes some kind of secret sandpaper, because I don’t think I’ve ever felt a smoother, more playable neck. Kudos are also due to EBMM and Wong for finding an instrument that can move between ’70s George Benson tones and the hammering power chords of ’90s Blink-182. Admittedly, the nearly $3K price could give some players pause, but considering the overall quality of the instrument, it’s not out of line. Wong’s involvement and search for distinct sounds makes the StingRay II more than a tired redux of a classic model—an admirable accomplishment considering EBMM’s long and storied history.
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II Cory Wong Signature Electric Guitar - Charcoal Blue with Rosewood Fingerboard
