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Tone King Meteor 40 Series II 1x12 Combo Amplifier - MINT  From Other

40w 1x12 Combo Amp w/tremolo, reverb, lead channel and custom grill

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Our product photos are the actual, specific serial number for sale!

This specific item was photographed by us here in Durham, North Carolina. We are a very small team dedicated to providing you the most accurate photos possible, through our obsessive focus - individually photographing nearly everything that comes through the door. Questions about what you see? Want more information, photos, or just a friendly conversation with someone that cares and who has actually had their hands on this exact item? Contact us now!
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Buy Pre-owned from Sound Pure with Absolute Confidence

Sound Pure's dedication to pre-owned products is unprecedented in the industry. We are a small team of dedicated experts that buys, trades, and consigns. We are trusted by customers all over the world. Our curated collection, is thoroughly tested and inspected by some of the best in the business. Our inventory is constantly changing, ever-evolving, with some items sold before reaching the website. Looking for something specific? Have questions about this product's condition or history? Want more photos, or to simply chat with an expert who's had his hands on this actual piece? Contact us now.
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This one is sold. Don't miss the next one. Some things never even make it to the site so stay up to date on our used collection.

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What We Think

Here's a seriously special amp!  The Tone King Meteor is one of the cleanest 1x12 combos on the boutique market.  With lead and rhythm channels, reverb (with mix and tone controls on the back panel), half power switch to go from 40 to 20w and one of the nicest on-board tremolos I've ever heard, there's no question that this is a seriously versatile package!

The grill cloth is a custom one-of-a-kind aesthetic picked out by the original owner at time of ordering.  it's like the vintage ampeg blue-ish grey color. Very cool!

Add the included footswitch for channel switching and trem control and there you have it. A serious "tone king" with everything you need and nothing you don't.

Call or Email Sound Pure for more info on this mint condition amp!

Manufacturer's Description from Other

The rhythm channel starts with a classic "blackface" era tonal voicing, familiar to fans of the late 60's Deluxe Reverb or Super Reverb. It gives you the shimmery clean tones and gritty, ringing overdrive that this style of amp is known for, but with a vivid clarity and lush depth which brings out all the harmonics and overtones in your guitar's sound. A three-position "bright" switch allows you to tailor the response for just the right amount of shimmer in the top end.

The unique and effective Mid-Bite control makes the Lead Channel a lot more versatile than you would expect from a channel with only 3 controls. The Mid-Bite control is an exclusive Tone King design feature which does a lot more than simply adjust the midrange level - it completely transforms the overdrive character.

With Mid-Bite fully off, the Lead Channel reacts much like a tweed amp. When played clean, the woody resonance of the cabinet, liveliness of the 5AR4 tube rectifer, and the expressive response of the cathode-biased output stage work together to give you the raw midrange, silky top end, and soft compression that define the vintage tweed sound - perfect for honky tonk or blues rhythm playing with a tele.

As you dig in harder, you'll feel the sweet, round top end begin to develop a stinging bite. Crank it up into the distortion zone, and the tone gets even fatter and thicker. Compression from the cathode-biased output stage softens the pick attack as single notes and chords swell and sustain in endlessly evolving shades of thick, meaty grind.

As you turn up the Mid-Bite control, a midrange peak appears while the bottom end is simultaneously tightened up, which transforms the tone into more of an English-style crunch. The amp develops a tighter feel as single notes really start to sing and sustain, and chords become chunky with a rich array of overtones.

The Meteor/II includes a reverb circuit which is inspired by the classic standalone reverb units of the 1960s. This circuit has its own 12AX7 tube preamp and 6V6 tube driver, driving a full-size 3-spring pan. A 12AX7 tube driven reverb receiver allows for shaping the sound of the reverb signal with its own reverb tone control, and for controlling the reverb level for each preamp channel individually, via the back-panel mix controls for the lead and rhythm channels.

The "dwell" control, located on the front panel, controls the signal level of the reverb driver, and gives you even more control over the reverb sound. At lower settings, you'll get a lush sound which is more like a vintage plate reverb sound. At higher settings, you'll get an over-the-top splashy, drippy surf sound.

With the dwell, tone, and mix controls, you have the ultimate flexibility to dial in your own perfect reverb sound.
The Meteor/II uses a vintage circuit which creates the tremolo effect by modulating the bias current of the output tubes. Compared to other methods (e.g. the opto-coupler method used in the Fender "blackface" era amps), this method creates a smooth, gradual, and rounded tremolo effect.

The tremolo effect can be turned on and off via the footswitch.
Although the output tubes of the Meteor/II are primarily cathode-biased, bias adjustment controls are provided for precisely setting the bias current of each output tube. Bias current is measured by attaching an external ammeter to a set of test jacks, and activating the each tube, in turn, with a bias activation switch (shown at left). Bias current is set by adjusting a 20-turn trimmer pot with a small screwdriver. The entire biasing procedure can be performed in less than 5 minutes, and does not require disassembly of the amp.

The speaker used in the Meteor/II is the hemp cone model #1891. This speaker was designed in collaboration with Eminence Speaker Corp. It is a unique speaker, and is unlike any of the standard Eminence models. It combines the sweet, articulate top end of an alnico speaker with the percussive power and warmth of a ceramic magnet speaker. It has a rich, balanced tone which manages to deliver both exceptional clarity and a sweet, musical top end.

Other (Miscellanous Used/Vintage/Consign)

About Manufacturer

Here at Sound Pure we hand-select used and vintage pieces of gear for our inventory. Our used selection always reflects the high standards of quality and craftsmanship that we expect from all of our manufacturers.   We are a small team of dedicated experts, located in Durham, NC.  We buy, trade, and consign instruments that we truly believe in.  Because of this, we have developed a reputation of quality and trust with our customers, located all over the world.   Our best customers are the ones that truly understand our personal touch and commitment to everything we sell, and range from hobbyists and enthusiasts to some of the biggest names in the business.  Our passion bridges the products we love with the real relationships we develop with our customer - whether they are a lifelong musician, or they are just getting started on their musical journey but care about value, quality, and being treated right.  

We vigorously test everything we take in to ensure authenticity, functionality, and reliability.  We are supported by one of the most well-respected luthiers in the Southeast, guaranteeing products that come in are thoroughly vetted, and that products that go out our in premium, performance- ready shape.   We are so confident in our ability to provide the highest quality music equipment in the industry, we even invented our “Try Before You Buy” program where we can ship out a product before collecting actual payment. 

Sound Pure's inventory is constantly changing, ever-evolving, with some items sold before reaching the website.    Looking for something specific? Have questions about this product's condition or history?  Want more photos, or to simply chat with an expert who's had his hands on this actual piece of gear?  It is truly our pleasure to talk with our customers, please do contact us now.  

Specifications

Model

715 720 730 740

Output Power 15W 20W 30W/15W (switchable) 40W/20W (switchable)
Output Tubes 2 x EL84 2 x 6V6 4 x EL84 4 x 6V6
Rectifier Tube 5U4 5AR4 5U4 5AR4
Preamp Tubes 5 x 12AX7
Reverb Driver Tube 6V6

Preamp Channels 2 (Rhythm, Lead)
Rhythm Channel Controls Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Bright Switch (3-pos.)
Lead Channel Controls Volume, Tone, Mid-Bite

Reverb Tube driven, full size 3-spring pan
Reverb Controls Dwell, Tone, Mix(Rhythm), Mix(Lead)

Tremolo Bias modulation type, footswitch controllable
Tremolo Controls Rate, Depth

Footswitch Included, controls both channel switching and tremolo