gringopig's guitars

The Magnatone amplifier. Also known as the Maggie, this brand was quite the competitor to Fender and Gibson in the day. Based in California, they made guitars and amplifiers from the 30's and '40's seeing a rising interest in Hawaiian music and became 'Magnatone' in 1946. 

Uniquely, they integrated an effect into their amplifiers in 1957 in their premium amplifiers: a frequency modulated vibrato. True vibrato, unlike Fender's 'vibrato' which was actually a tremolo effect with modulated amplitude and is much more known as an amp effect with that pulsing throb known universally today.

However, the Magnatone true vibrato effect is a wonder to hear. They even made a stereo version!

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The effect can be heard on Lonnie Mack's recordings and Stevie Ray Vaughan and Neil Young used them too. It's a pleasing frequency wobble akin to a whammy bar effect but more pulsing and complex. It's not just a simple vibrato like some pedals produce but a swooshing complex interaction that, once heard, can't be forgotten.

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Many attempts have been made to reproduce the Magnatone vibrato and I have 2 pedals that do it well.

The Magnavibe is only mono but gets that warble down perfectly.  Now, this sounds wonderful but you have to hear a stereo Magnatone vibrato in person. This amp  is actually 2 separate amps in one box. The frequency shift runs up and over from one amp to the other as the frequency shift runs down in the other direction and the stereo is true stereo with independent circuits feeding each output. Sounds amazing really.

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Magnavibe pedal demo below.