SONICTONE AMPLIFICATION CLARKSDALE Vintage Series User manual

Vintage Series
Fixed-Biased Tube Amplifier
60-Watt Head or 2x12 Combo
- or -
120-Watt Head
Owner’s Manual
www.sonictoneamps.com
Made in the USA

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Table of Contents
Introduction
Safety Instructions
Features
Front Panel
Rear Panel
Warranty
Specifications
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SonicTone Amplification, LLC
P.O. Box 24456
New Orleans, LA 70184
[e-mail]
www.sonictoneamps.com
Made in the USA

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Introduction
I’d like to personally thank you for purchasing the SonicTone Clarksdale tube amplifier. I
know how important every player’s tone is to them and that consideration goes into every
amp. Carefully designed and hand-built here in the U.S., the Clarksdale represents a timeless
and classic era of rock n roll that has endured through the decades. From a sparkling clean
channel, to an overdrive channel capable of bluesy crunches to high-gain overdrives, this amp
will deliver a wide range of fantastic tones. Good luck and enjoy the amp!
Sincerely,
Nick Sagona
Always use the correct types of tubes for this amplifier.
Always match the impedance to correct value of the speaker load.
Do not attempt to bypass the fuses or use different fuse values.
Please only use the provided SonicTone footswitch, which is compatible with this amplifier.
Please only use an active 5-pin DIN cable to connect the footswitch to the amplifier.
Please operate the amplifier in dry and safe conditions.
Please store the amplifier in a reasonable, climate-controlled environment.
If you are experiencing issues with the amplifier, please have it worked on by a qualified
service technician only. Do not attempt to open the amp and work on it yourself.
WARNING!
Dangerous and potentially lethal voltages may be present in the amplifier even after it has
been turned off and unplugged. Do not open the amp yourself or touch the inside of it.
Only have a qualified service technician open up and work on the amplifier.
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Safety Instructions

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Features
The Clarksdale is a fixed-biased tube amplifier that uses four (4) 12AX7 preamp tubes. The 60-watt model uses
two (2) 6L6 power tubes and one (1) GZ34 rectifier tube. The 120-watt model uses (4) 6L6 power tubes. The
features include:
Tube/Solid-State Rectifier Switch (60-Watt Only):
The tube/solid-state rectifier switch is another interesting feature that can give you a subtle tonal option. When set
to the tube rectifier, the amp will produce a slightly more vintage sound, where there is a little more compression
and sag with the sound. Some players prefer this, saying that it gives the amp a more vocal and spongy sound and
that the notes have a nice “touch” or “bloom” to them. However, if that’s not your preference, switching to the solid-
state rectifier will give the amp a slightly more aggressive sound with a more firm and immediate response.
Footswitch Operation:
The footswitch requires the active 5-pin DIN cable to be inserted into the footswitch jack on the rear panel as well
as the jack on the footswitch. In order for the footswitch to operate correctly, the corresponding switches on the
amp must be set to the OFF position. The left button (orange LED) engages channel 2. The right button (green LED)
engages the FX loop.
2 independent channels with separate EQs
Bright switch on each channel
Master volume
Tube-driven buffered FX loop, bypassable and footswitchable
FX loop series/parallel switch with send and return controls
Tube/solid-state rectifier switch (60-watt only)
Negative feedback selector switch
Half-power pentode/triode switch
3-way output impedance switch (16, 8 or 4 ohm)
Two (2) 12” Celestion 60-watt 8 ohm Vintage 30 speakers,
wired for 16 ohm (stock combo only)
Birch plywood cabinet with finger-jointed construction
2-button footswitch

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Front Panel
Input Jack – mono input jack to plug your guitar into.
CH 1 / CH 2 Switch & LED – switch to change between channels 1 and 2 when not using the footswitch.
The LED illuminates when channel 2 is engaged.
Treble, Middle and Bass – passive equalization controls to adjust the tone of channel 1.
Bright Switch – switch to engage a slightly brighter tone for channel 1.
Volume – the overall volume of channel 1.
Gain – the overall gain of channel 2.
Treble, Middle and Bass – passive equalization controls to adjust the tone of channel 2.
Bright Switch – switch to engage a slightly brighter tone for channel 2.
Volume – the overall volume of channel 2.
FX Loop LED – illuminates when the FX loop is engaged.
Master – the overall master volume of the amp.
Standby Switch – allows the amp to be played. When the standby is off, the tubes are kept warm,
but the amp will not make any sound.
Power Switch – turns the amp on.
Pilot Light – illuminates when the amp is turned on.
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73 5 6
9 11
TREBLEGAINVOLUMEBASS
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
VOLUME
BASSMIDDLE
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
MIDDLE
2 8
0 10
4 6
TREBLE
2 8
0 10
4 6
MASTER
2 8
0 10
4 6
INPUT
CHANNEL 1 CHANNEL 2
CH 2
CH 1
Clarksdale
POWERSTANDBY
ON
ON
BRIGHT NORMAL BRIGHT
NORMAL FX LOOP
TREBLEGAINVOLUMEBASS
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
VOLUMEBASS
MIDDLE
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
2 8
0 10
4 6
MIDDLE
2 8
0 10
4 6
TREBLE
2 8
0 10
4 6
MASTER
2 8
0 10
4 6
INPUT
CHANNEL 1 CHANNEL 2
CH 2
CH 1
Clarksdale
POWERSTANDBY
ON
ON
BRIGHT NORMAL
BRIGHT NORMAL FX LOOP

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Rear Panel
AC Jack – jack to plug the provided AC cord into.
Fuse Holder – receptacle for the amp’s main fuse. (There is an additional high voltage fuse inside the amp.)
Solid State/Tube Rectifier Switch – switch to change between using the tube rectifier or the solid state
rectifier.
Full/Half Power Switch – switch to change the power setting between half and full power. This feature
changes the operation of the power tubes between pentode (full) and triode (half.) The amount of power
reduction in wattage is approximate.*
Punchy/Smooth Switch – switch to change the amount of negative feedback injected into the amp.
Impedance Selector Switch – switch to select the correct impedance of the speaker load hooked up to the
amp.
Parallel Speaker Jacks – mono input jacks to plug the speaker(s) into. PLEASE NOTE: The jacks are in
parallel, so if you plug two equal impedance speaker loads into them, you must set the impedance switch
to half their impedance. For example, with two 16 ohm speaker loads plugged in, the impedance switch
should be set to 8 ohms.
Bias Probes – test jacks to check the bias values of the power tubes.**
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The bias pot is located on the top of the amp chassis near the power
tubes. Please only have the bias adjusted by a qualified technician.
Please note, the power reduction in wattage does not
equate to a 50% reduction in overall loudness (dB.)
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Rear Panel (continued)
FX Loop Send Level – control to adjust
the level of the send signal to the
outboard FX chain.
FX Loop Return Level – control to
adjust the level of the return signal to
the amp.
FX Loop Send Jack – mono input jack
for the send FX loop signal.
FX Loop Bypass Switch – switch to fully bypass the FX loop circuit.
FX Loop Return Jack – mono input jack for the return FX loop signal.
FX Series/Parallel Switch – switch to operate the FX loop in either series or parallel mode. In parallel
mode, the original signal is allowed to pass through unaffected and the send control acts as a “wet/dry
blend” to mix the level of affected signal into the mix with the unaffected signal. In parallel, depending
on the amount of “wet” signal set by the send control, the overall signal may be louder due to the dry
and wet signals being mixed together. In this scenario, it is recommended to use the return control to
balance out the overall volume.
Footswitch Jack – 5-pin DIN jack to plug the provided footswitch cable into.
A note about the FX Loop – When the FX loop is off (bypassed), the entire signal will bypass the FX loop circuit
altogether. However, the send and return jacks are switched jacks that are connected together when nothing is
plugged into them. Therefore, when the circuit is on, signal will be allowed to pass through the FX loop if nothing is
plugged into it. Once a cable is inserted into either one of the jacks, that connection is broken and will the signal will
go out through the send jack and have to be returned through the return jack. If the FX loop is not being used, the
return control can be used as an additional volume control to reduce the volume when the FX loop is on, and then
boost the volume when the FX loop is switched off. This will effectively provide a volume “boost” option.
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2-Year Limited Warranty
This amplifier is protected with a limited, 2-year warranty for any and all defective issues with the build
workmanship and parts, excluding tubes, transformers and speakers. The warranty does not cover general wear
and tear, neglect, misuse or abuse, damage from liquids (water, alcohol, etc.), disasters, acts of God or unauthorized
modifications. Any modifications made to the amp by the owner or a technician will void the warranty. The owner
is responsible for all warranty shipping costs. Once the warranty work is completed, the customer will be notified
and sent a final shipping invoice. The owner then is required to pay the shipping invoice to have the repaired amp
shipped back to them. Returned warranty shipping will be insured and will require a signature.

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www.sonictoneamps.com
Made in the USA
Specifications
Product Series:
Product Model:
Vintage Series
Clarksdale Head or 2x12 Combo
Width: 30 in
Height: 10.75 in
Depth: 9 in
Weight: 39.5 lbs
Width: 30 in
Height: 10.75 in
Depth: 9 in
Weight: 29.5 lbs
AC Input & Fuses:
Dimensions:
Footswitch:
U.S. Standard IEC jack rated for 120V @ 60Hz
Slo-blo mains fuse: 60W - 3A; 120W - 4A
Slo-blo high voltage (B+) fuse: 60W - 0.5A; 120W - 1A
2-button SonicTone footswitch
5-pin active DIN cable required for proper operation
60W 2x12 Combo120W Head60W Head
Width: 30 in
Height: 20.75 in
Depth: 10 in
Weight: 55.0 lbs
Speakers:
Two (2) 12-inch 60W 8 ohm Celestion Vintage 30s, wired for 16 ohm (Stock Combo Only)
Tubes & Power Output:
60-watt Model 120-watt Model
Four (4) 12AX7 preamp tubes
Two (2) 6L6 power tubes
One (1) GZ34 rectifier tube
60W @ 16, 8 or 4 ohms
Four (4) 12AX7 preamp tubes
Four (4) 6L6 power tubes
120W @ 16, 8 or 4 ohms