koula901 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Played a G&L Legacy through a Fender Princeton amp last night, and it was sheer tonal nirvana. I believe it's hard to get overdrive tones out of a Princeton amp, though. Would anyone know a way to get the equivalent of Princeton, in say a 15-22 watt amp, with a 12" speaker in it, and it being capable of overdrive tones? that would be the perfect amp. or . . . has anyone been successful using OD pedals with the Princeton and gotten good crunch/overdrive with it?
kidsmoke Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I'm not a personally familiar with the Princeton tone...but in my research of the various Champ clones...I read up on this amp, which claims to be a Princeton/Champ hybrid, that is capable of earlier breakup based on the rectifier tube used: http://swartamps.com/amplifiers_tweed_tone_6v6se.htm I know there are Swart fans on this forum....maybe one of them can speak to it...... hope that helps.
Thundersteel Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I know there are Swart fans on this forum....maybe one of them can speak to it...... I own a Swart STR--5 watts of glorious tone! Too bad it doesn't get used much. http://swartamps.com/swart_space_tone_reverb-tweed.htm
DetroitBlues Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 A new reissue Princeton is only $1000.... That Stuart will set you back much more (even though its tone is killer!) Princeton is not a high wattage amp, but if you want some Fender chime, try this out. Lovepedal High Power Tweed Twin OD... http://proguitarshop.com/lovepedal-high-power-tweed-twin-overdrive.html Low, low price of $159...
Gitfiddler Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Mojotone and Headstrong are two builders of excellent Princeton clones. Both can be ordered with 12" speakers. Also, there are 12" speaker baffles for sale on Ebay as an upgrade to stock 10" Fender Princetons. I use an 80's Princeton Reverb II that Rivera designed with a 12" and it's a tone monster...especially after a few mods. Otherwise, Princetons are clean machines. Some users dime the volume on the amp and control overdrive with the guitar volume. I prefer pedals.
DetroitBlues Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 There is a pair of 70's (or 80's?) Princeton Recording model tube amps at my local GC for $600 a piece. Also a 70's Champ for $350.
kidsmoke Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Well, T-steel had his STR on the block for an even grand....and I'd take a swart over any new Fender. The Swart Space Tone ( the first link I included) can be had for under 600.00 nearly new..... Thing about a pedal is it still has to run through and amp...Unless you've got a JC120 or something....the amp will color the sound reading Katy's initial inquiry....I think the STR is exactly what she's looking for.
koula901 Posted March 19, 2013 Author Posted March 19, 2013 So what I'm looking at is classic tweed tone?
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 For $139 you can own a V5 Booger like I just got today. Plenty of crunch and pretty darn loud too. Oh, but if you want clean tones, it cleans up nicely. Turn the gain down, the volume up and fine tune it with the volume on your axe. Did I mention $139? Gio has one, I think one or two other HOC'rs got one too. But if you want something even better for crunch tone, and not too much clean, my KPB 18 watt Tweed Deluxe is the ticket. For hundreds more however, I am afraid.
kidsmoke Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 So what I'm looking at is classic tweed tone? i don't feel qualified to say yes to that...but that STR is based on a Princeton circuit, breaks up fantastically and has a 12" driver...all of which you called out in your OP...that's the basis of my "perfect" statement. With the exception of the wattage. I'l say this, my "champlifier"...a true 5F1 clone with a 10" weber is only 5 watts, like the Swart amps called out above. there's no way in hell it's gonna compete in a live setting with a band....unless you mic it. BUT, the sounds available from it are AMAZING, and with a pedal or two, and proper use of the guitars controls, its perfect. I had an instructor friend of mine playing it, and we mic'd it at Indy tap, and off he went....his words (30 years of live gigging) were...if I knew I could always be mic'd, I'd never use another amp. At home it's perfect as is (even a bit too loud) and Mic'd...well, It's as big as you want it to be. It has me eyeing Thundersteels STR with the lustful gaze of Gollum looking at Bilbo....so move quick if you interested.
DetroitBlues Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I've played Thundersteel's Stuart.... One of the best tweed amps I've ever heard and it is a tiny, tiny amp. It's worth ever dime and then some.
Thundersteel Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Well, T-steel had his STR on the block for an even grand I'd take $1000 for it! Note to DB: it's Swart, not Stuart!
pegleg32 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Katy, I just purchased a Princeton Reverb II on Ebay, and in doing some research I see that the Deluxe Reverb II is a 20 watt amp with a gain channel. Both amps are point to point Rivera designed amps in the 30 year old age bracket, but you see them on Ebay from time to time. A really excellent one went for $1,000 a short time ago on Ebay.
koula901 Posted March 19, 2013 Author Posted March 19, 2013 Thanks guys. I'm still in the information gathering stage. Not buying anything anytime soon, just making a mental note that I think the Princeton is the best tone for me and research what alternatives I can come up with that would make it a gig able amp, in the future.
GuitArtMan Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Ok I'm gonna jump in hereas I've had access to my older brothers Black Face Princeton Reverb since I started playing in the mid '70s so I'm kinda familar with the amp. If you can't get overdrive out of that amp (by just turning it up) there is something wrong. Anything above 3 or maybe 4 on the volume control should just start adding more grind, especially with humbuckers. Stick the volume on about 6 and then use your guitars volume to control gain/grit/grind/dirt. In fact, you should find most Vintage Fender will max out on the volume around 4 or so and after that you will just be adding overdrive. You should be able to go from beautiful Fender cleans to nice vintage overdrive with just a twist of your volume knob and/or picking dynamics. If you want a little more dirt just stick a Tubescreamer in front of it and you'll have classic guitar tones for days. You can stick a 12" baffle in a Princeton but you have to be careful which speaker you use. If the bell is too big it will hit the transformer an/or tubes. If you want a similar tone with a little more headroom/volume the Deluxe reverb would be the next choice in the Fender line.
rockabilly69 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I can chime in here, as I have a TON of experience with Princeton amps. I love them!!! I personally like Fulldrive Mosfet II's for pushing Princetons into the zone, but they work well with many different pedals. And they don't need to be boutique, although some of the boutique pedal do work great with them, like Klon, Zendrive, and Lovepedal. Reissue Princetons do not sound like the originals, they are flat sounding in comparison. I've owned many, and still play through my friends Blackface model all the time. The best deal on a Vintage Princeton is to buy an early Silverface model and have it Blackfaced. If you can't swing an original, or just want something new, these are the ones to get.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-15-Amp-cover-Fender-Princeton-Reverb-Vintage-Sound-Amps-/230739119459?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b91f8d63 they come with a 12 " speaker and a mid control, which really helps Princetons give up the goods. They are made EXTREMELY well.
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I'd take $1000 for it! Note to DB: it's Swart, not Stuart! I caught that too. Where the heck did he get Stuart?
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Thanks guys. I'm still in the information gathering stage. Not buying anything anytime soon, just making a mental note that I think the Princeton is the best tone for me and research what alternatives I can come up with that would make it a gig able amp, in the future. Katy, you should know that opinions on amps are like, you know what, everybody has one, but you should settle on what sounds pleasing to your ears but for the features/power/functions you get with a Deluxe Reverb RI compared to the Princeton RI, for just a little more money, that was the way to go for me. Even though they are critisized by the P2P purists.
DetroitBlues Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I'd take $1000 for it! Note to DB: it's Swart, not Stuart! I hate auto spell check sometimes....
Gitfiddler Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I can chime in here, as I have a TON of experience with Princeton amps. I love them!!! I personally like Fulldrive Mosfet II's for pushing Princetons into the zone, but they work well with many different pedals. And they don't need to be boutique, although some of the boutique pedal do work great with them, like Klon, Zendrive, and Lovepedal. Reissue Princetons do not sound like the originals, they are flat sounding in comparison. I've owned many, and still play through my friends Blackface model all the time. The best deal on a Vintage Princeton is to buy an early Silverface model and have it Blackfaced. If you can't swing an original, or just want something new, these are the ones to get.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-15-Amp-cover-Fender-Princeton-Reverb-Vintage-Sound-Amps-/230739119459?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b91f8d63 they come with a 12 " speaker and a mid control, which really helps Princetons give up the goods. They are made EXTREMELY well. +1 for Vintage Sound. Great products!! And cheaper than vintage in the long term you save from reconditioning/modding/re-tubing used amps.
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I hate auto spell check sometimes.... You always blame your lack of grammar on that!!!!
Blunote Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 My KBP810 Reverb Deluxe is 22 watts and I get great overdriven sound out of it when the volume is turned north of 8 on the dial. Plug it in through a quality attenuator, and you can get power tube distortion at indoor volume levels. You can still put a pedal in front of it but the overdrive will tend to be a bit fizzier.
koula901 Posted March 20, 2013 Author Posted March 20, 2013 I can chime in here, as I have a TON of experience with Princeton amps. I love them!!! I personally like Fulldrive Mosfet II's for pushing Princetons into the zone, but they work well with many different pedals. And they don't need to be boutique, although some of the boutique pedal do work great with them, like Klon, Zendrive, and Lovepedal. Reissue Princetons do not sound like the originals, they are flat sounding in comparison. I've owned many, and still play through my friends Blackface model all the time. The best deal on a Vintage Princeton is to buy an early Silverface model and have it Blackfaced. If you can't swing an original, or just want something new, these are the ones to get.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-15-Amp-cover-Fender-Princeton-Reverb-Vintage-Sound-Amps-/230739119459?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b91f8d63 they come with a 12 " speaker and a mid control, which really helps Princetons give up the goods. They are made EXTREMELY well. I just heard the VSA 112 on You Tube and it sounds amazing!!! I could just use pedals for my OD sounds.
yoslate Posted March 20, 2013 Posted March 20, 2013 I have a Princeton Reverb re-ish. Keep swapping out speakers for slightly different tones. What a killer little grab-and-go!
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