1967 Ace Tone Mighty-5 Vintage Tube Amp Head & 1x12 Cab, Fully-Serviced 117v, Japan

Up for sale, a 1967 Ace Tone Mighty-5 head and 1x12 cabinet, near-mint and fully serviced. Founded by legendary Japanese engineer Ikutaro Kakehashi, Ace Tone can be considered an early iteration of the Roland Corporation (also founded by Kakehashi), known for its amplifiers, keyboard and early synths/drum machines.

This rare Japanese-made Mighty-5 features a dual-channel, dual-input design (Normal and Treble), with onboard spring Reverb and Tremolo. At the heart of this amp are a pair of 50HB26 power tubes, rated at 25 watts, resulting in fantastic headroom and a notably even-tempered clean response, even at higher volumes. Tonally, this amp falls firmly in the “American” camp, but a little more Valco and a little less Fender. Channel One is full and rich, with brighter, crisp tones at Channel Two (regardless of input), and the Treble/Bass EQ knobs have a broad sweep. The tremolo is very musical, thick and pulsating, and the Reverb adds a welcome touch of atmosphere. The Reverb circuit is also highly unique, with two small reverb tanks inside the chassis (one tank per channel) coupled to a Reverb Balance control and dedicated Volume for the effect.

The circuit has been extensively recapped, with the original transformers present. The power transformer has taps for 100v (Japan) and 117v (USA) operation, with a discreet switch on the underside of the chassis to toggle between voltages. The chassis stamp is from the 27th week of 1967, the original wiring chart is intact, and the stock two-prong cable is present (a three-prong cable can be installed at no additional cost). The tube complement comprises all of the original matching Matsushita-branded valves, with a pair of 50HB26s power tubes and a preamp comprising three 12AX7s, a 6AV6, and a 6AQ8.

The cabinet is loaded with one 12” speaker and one 8” tweeter, and both original alnico magnet Ace Tone-branded speakers are present. The 12” speaker has been reconed, while the tweeter retains its stock cone.

Cosmetic touches include black tolex, with black grillcloth on the cabinet framed by white trim and accented by a large Ace Tone badge. There is only light wear on the tolex, and the brushed aluminum faceplate has pristine graphics, with all of the silver barrel knobs intact.