tsp17 Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Sold my Carr Rambler locally, so i had a stack of cash (but not for very long). Walked into the local shop where I bought my first Heritage (535 ASB w/HRW, ohh the memory...), and where i often stop on my way home from work to check out gear and noodle. I've bought guitars, amps and other gear there over the years, but nothing for a while. Asked the guy what the best cash price he could give me on a new '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue. He talked to the manager and they gave me a price i could not ignore. i walked out with one. Sweet! Sounds just like it should, like a Princeton Reverb. Warm, scooped, touch sensitive, articulate, a great straight ahead grab and go jazz amp. It just sounds cool. Not as hi-fi as the Carr Rambler, but warmer and more of that sound i wanted. After all the looking the one i wanted was right in front of me the whole time. I'd played that amp 10 times in the shop while thinking about other more expensive boutique amps. Ended up coming back home. Jensen C10R is a nice speaker. A little bright for me, but we will see what happens as it breaks in. Having fun with it tonight. Turned on some Wes Montgomery and played along. Only issue is some rattle at higher volumes (and it gets plenty loud). Probably the baffle on the low end from what i can tell from the BillM site. There is also what sounds like tube rattle on several notes on the B string. Not sure it is tube, but that's my guess. Will probably put in a 12 inch speaker eventually, but i'll let it settle down a bit and see what it needs. Long live the local guitar shop!
rockabilly69 Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 I can't count the number of people I know that rank the Princeton Reverb as their favorite! They are great amps, just perfect for clubs!
H Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Well done There are not a lot of mods for the PRRI because it just does not really need to be tinkered with!
DetroitBlues Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Love to support local shops as often as I can. I've wanted to give one of those PRRI a whirl myself, just haven't been shopping lately where they have one available. Congrats, hopefully BillM has the know how to get it souped up just right for you.
pegleg32 Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Hey, I'm glad you found what you wanted. Sometimes that search can take forever.
Gitfiddler Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Nice catch, Tad. Princetons are the prince of 'grab n go' amps. If you plan on doing a 12" speaker mod, there are tons of baffle sellers on FeaBay. Enjoy!
tsp17 Posted May 31, 2013 Author Posted May 31, 2013 Well done There are not a lot of mods for the PRRI because it just does not really need to be tinkered with! Agreed. Sounds pretty darn good out of the box. Perfect match for my new used 576. Sounds great.
Guest HRB853370 Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Sold my Carr Rambler locally, so i had a stack of cash (but not for very long). Walked into the local shop where I bought my first Heritage (535 ASB w/HRW, ohh the memory...), and where i often stop on my way home from work to check out gear and noodle. I've bought guitars, amps and other gear there over the years, but nothing for a while. Asked the guy what the best cash price he could give me on a new '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue. He talked to the manager and they gave me a price i could not ignore. i walked out with one. Sweet! Sounds just like it should, like a Princeton Reverb. Warm, scooped, touch sensitive, articulate, a great straight ahead grab and go jazz amp. It just sounds cool. Not as hi-fi as the Carr Rambler, but warmer and more of that sound i wanted. After all the looking the one i wanted was right in front of me the whole time. I'd played that amp 10 times in the shop while thinking about other more expensive boutique amps. Ended up coming back home. Jensen C10R is a nice speaker. A little bright for me, but we will see what happens as it breaks in. Having fun with it tonight. Turned on some Wes Montgomery and played along. Only issue is some rattle at higher volumes (and it gets plenty loud). Probably the baffle on the low end from what i can tell from the BillM site. There is also what sounds like tube rattle on several notes on the B string. Not sure it is tube, but that's my guess. Will probably put in a 12 inch speaker eventually, but i'll let it settle down a bit and see what it needs. Long live the local guitar shop! Whats a price you could not ignore? Better than Fleabay or Musicians Friend?
tsp17 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Posted June 1, 2013 Whats a price you could not ignore? Better than Fleabay or Musicians Friend? Meaningfully better than any new price I've seen on line. I did have to pay tax, but eliminated the shipping risk, supported the local shop and i have someone to take it to in case of warranty issue. Also got to take it home right that moment, which may be the best part of all.
Kuz Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 Sold my Carr Rambler locally, so i had a stack of cash (but not for very long). Walked into the local shop where I bought my first Heritage (535 ASB w/HRW, ohh the memory...), and where i often stop on my way home from work to check out gear and noodle. I've bought guitars, amps and other gear there over the years, but nothing for a while. Asked the guy what the best cash price he could give me on a new '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue. He talked to the manager and they gave me a price i could not ignore. i walked out with one. Sweet! Sounds just like it should, like a Princeton Reverb. Warm, scooped, touch sensitive, articulate, a great straight ahead grab and go jazz amp. It just sounds cool. Not as hi-fi as the Carr Rambler, but warmer and more of that sound i wanted. After all the looking the one i wanted was right in front of me the whole time. I'd played that amp 10 times in the shop while thinking about other more expensive boutique amps. Ended up coming back home. Jensen C10R is a nice speaker. A little bright for me, but we will see what happens as it breaks in. Having fun with it tonight. Turned on some Wes Montgomery and played along. Only issue is some rattle at higher volumes (and it gets plenty loud). Probably the baffle on the low end from what i can tell from the BillM site. There is also what sounds like tube rattle on several notes on the B string. Not sure it is tube, but that's my guess. Will probably put in a 12 inch speaker eventually, but i'll let it settle down a bit and see what it needs. Long live the local guitar shop! Actually, I agree with everything except the "scooped" adjective. The Princeton circuit is different from the other "blackface" Fender circuits. It is actually closer to a "tweed" circuit and has the enhanced mids of the tweed amps. The warmth you are hearing (especially over the Rambler) is do to the tweedish mids of the Princeton circuit. I have a Headstrong Lil' King ('65 Princeton Reverb clone), '67 Deluxe Reverb, '67 Vibrolux, and Chicago Blues Box Roadhouse (Blackface Super Reverb clone).... the Deluxe, Vibrolux, & Super all share the same circuit (with different transformers and power output wattage). These 3 have the mid scooped tone, the Princeton has that big, warm, round tone of the tweedish mids. I absolutely agree the Princeton sounds great for jazz (just guitar-->input cord--->amp)!!! If I need a HUGE fat overdriven tone that is warm and doesn't need to be in the front of the mix, then I use my Headstrong Lil' King with an OD pedal. The DR, VR, & SR amps have more chime & sparkle, but less mids..... your version my vary.
tsp17 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Posted June 1, 2013 Actually, I agree with everything except the "scooped" adjective. The Princeton circuit is different from the other "blackface" Fender circuits. It is actually closer to a "tweed" circuit and has the enhanced mids of the tweed amps. The warmth you are hearing (especially over the Rambler) is do to the tweedish mids of the Princeton circuit. I have a Headstrong Lil' King ('65 Princeton Reverb clone), '67 Deluxe Reverb, '67 Vibrolux, and Chicago Blues Box Roadhouse (Blackface Super Reverb clone).... the Deluxe, Vibrolux, & Super all share the same circuit (with different transformers and power output wattage). These 3 have the mid scooped tone, the Princeton has that big, warm, round tone of the tweedish mids. I absolutely agree the Princeton sounds great for jazz (just guitar-->input cord--->amp)!!! If I need a HUGE fat overdriven tone that is warm and doesn't need to be in the front of the mix, then I use my Headstrong Lil' King with an OD pedal. The DR, VR, & SR amps have more chime & sparkle, but less mids..... your version my vary. Well stated! Totally agree with your assessment. I should have said "slightly scooped". It is the less scooped quality that makes me prefer the Princeton to the DRRI. I like more mids and more focused bass, and a little more subdued on the high end. A little less aggressive than a Tweed and a little more mids than a Blackface Deluxe Reverb. More "lush" than either.
Kuz Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 Well stated! Totally agree with your assessment. I should have said "slightly scooped". It is the less scooped quality that makes me prefer the Princeton to the DRRI. I like more mids and more focused bass, and a little more subdued on the high end. A little less aggressive than a Tweed and a little more mids than a Blackface Deluxe Reverb. More "lush" than either. Bingo!!! Perfect assessment and this is why the Headstrong Lil' King (aka Princeton Reverb) is my "go to" jazz amp. Not that I can play much jazz. I have TOTALLY fell off of my jazz practicing and even jazz playing. I have been into more of a fusion to blues period for the last 5-6 months. I will return to the jazz side someday soon, even if smooth jazz.
H Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 The Princeton circuit is different from the other "blackface" Fender circuits. It is actually closer to a "tweed" circuit... Not so, I'm afraid, Kuz. The blackface Princeton is an AA964 circuit, just like my VR (and yours), and that's nothing like a tweed circuit. It sounds different because of the smaller transformers and a little speaker. If you mean it 'sounds' more like tweed circuit then that's another thing.
Gitfiddler Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 All this Princeton Reverb talk is getting me all hot n bothered! Seriously, I learn from all of these discussions. And PR's are such cool little amps for home, studio or small venues!
Kuz Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 Not so, I'm afraid, Kuz. The blackface Princeton is an AA964 circuit, just like my VR (and yours), and that's nothing like a tweed circuit. It sounds different because of the smaller transformers and a little speaker. If you mean it 'sounds' more like tweed circuit then that's another thing. Sorry H but I am sticking to my guns on this one. The expert amp whisperer Mike Slider13, has told me several times that the Princeton is a different circuit, different component and is closer to a Tweed. I will email him and try to get the diffinitive answer.
tsp17 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Posted June 1, 2013 All I know is this little amp is super. Build quality is pretty good, but not as good as the Carr I sold. the Carr Rambler I had was amazing and the quality of components and build was beyond compare; and the tone reflected that quality, but it was but just not for me and the music i play. Going on tone alone, hard to imagine another amp currently in production with this small a footprint having more of the mojo we seek than this PRRI, certainly not in ths price range new.
H Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 Sorry H but I am sticking to my guns on this one. The expert amp whisperer Mike Slider13, has told me several times that the Princeton is a different circuit, different component and is closer to a Tweed. I will email him and try to get the diffinitive answer. I've *built* tweed and blackface circuits and I know the difference in sound and construction. It's possible you're thinking of the brownface Princeton - the 6G2 - which has been likened to a tweed amp sound and which has a partial tweed style circuit. This article makes that reference: http://www.vintageguitar.com/8931/the-fender-princeton/
Kuz Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 H, I know you know a lot more about amp circuits than me. I only know what Mike tells me and I haven't called him to get his opinion. Maybe the circuit is the same but the components are different. I did find this on fenderguru.com The Princeton Reverb is the smallest blackface/silverface Fender amp with both tremolo and reverb. With a 10 inch speaker run by a 12-15W dual 6V6 amp, it delivers a true American Fender tone with punchy, responsive lows together with chimey highs. When it is cranked it tends to sound a bit browner than the bigger two-channel amps, meaning more breakup in the lower frequencies and mid-focused tone. Much of this is due to an unefficient phase inverter circuit design. http://fenderguru.com/amps/princeton-reverb
Kuz Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 One more post from Fenderguru that might make more sense of what I am trying to describe tone wise.... Here they are comparing the Blackface Deluxe to Blackface Princeton.... The DR is a small/medium-sized amp with an ability to deliver both sparkling clean tones and low wattage breakup at 22W with 6V6 tubes and relatively small transformers (power and output). It has found its way in to more recording studios, clubs and bars than any other Fender amp. It has met many players’ expectations. It is just powerful enough to cut through in practise in a band with a drummer and, unlike some bigger amps, it will reach its sweet spot at a reasonable volume. It has the typical blackface 60′s sparkle with a scooped clean sound just like the bigger Fender brothers, just with more smooth breakup, sag and compression. The smaller brother Princeton Reverb is rolling off more top frequencies and breaks up earlier with more warmth producing a brownface type of tone. It will not cut through the mix as easily as the stingin tone of the Deluxe Reverb.
H Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 I'll agree that the blackface Princeton doesn't sound quite like its blackface brothers and sisters, Kuz. That's mainly because it uses one side of a pre-amp tube to handle phase inversion. There's no resemblance circuit-wise to a tweed though. Anyway, I don't want to get pedantic - I enjoy your posts here and I'm glad to see you back
tsp17 Posted June 2, 2013 Author Posted June 2, 2013 One more post from Fenderguru that might make more sense of what I am trying to describe tone wise.... Here they are comparing the Blackface Deluxe to Blackface Princeton.... The DR is a small/medium-sized amp with an ability to deliver both sparkling clean tones and low wattage breakup at 22W with 6V6 tubes and relatively small transformers (power and output). It has found its way in to more recording studios, clubs and bars than any other Fender amp. It has met many players’ expectations. It is just powerful enough to cut through in practise in a band with a drummer and, unlike some bigger amps, it will reach its sweet spot at a reasonable volume. It has the typical blackface 60′s sparkle with a scooped clean sound just like the bigger Fender brothers, just with more smooth breakup, sag and compression. The smaller brother Princeton Reverb is rolling off more top frequencies and breaks up earlier with more warmth producing a brownface type of tone. It will not cut through the mix as easily as the stingin tone of the Deluxe Reverb. That's the best articulation of it I've seen.
Kuz Posted June 2, 2013 Posted June 2, 2013 I'll agree that the blackface Princeton doesn't sound quite like its blackface brothers and sisters, Kuz. That's mainly because it uses one side of a pre-amp tube to handle phase inversion. There's no resemblance circuit-wise to a tweed though. Anyway, I don't want to get pedantic - I enjoy your posts here and I'm glad to see you back Sorry if this came across as a debate or argument, certainly not my intention. I just knew that there was reason (not sure why) that the PR had more mids, bass, and a brown/tweedish tone. Again, I am not big on schematics or circuits. I just love the way vintage Fender's sound!!!!!!
koula901 Posted June 2, 2013 Posted June 2, 2013 Shut up!! That's EXACTLY the amp I want!! Or a clone. Congrats on having such fine taste ; ) and a great amp!
tsp17 Posted June 7, 2013 Author Posted June 7, 2013 Just ordered a 12" baffle. 1/2" BC pine ply. should arrive over the weekend. I've got an Eminence Cannabis Rex that i pulled from my Carr. So hopefully i'll be able to install both next week. Also just ordered an upgraded tube compliment. I know there is disagreement about whether upgraded tubes make much difference. What's the consensus among HOC members? Haven't been able to identify the rattle yet. might be the cage around the output tubes. ideas? when i take it in for rebias for new tubes maybe my tech can find it.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.