Fender Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue!

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Fender Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue!

It is a well known fact, that when done right, a PCB sounds just as good as PTP. Fender knows how to do it right.

Unfortunately, Fender also knows how to build PCB amps "inexpensively" when they feel the need to... maybe they didn't "need to" for this amp.

Electrons don't care about the construction method; they do care about the quality of components, their proximity & location, etc. Most PCB amps simply aren't built properly. Instead, they're built to hit a specific price point with a targeted profit built in.

Sound waves do care about what material they're bouncing off of. I guarantee you could hear the difference if you put that chassis in a good pine cab.

Jeremy is right about the Weber 10F150-T sounding just great in a Princeton Reverb! Whoops, he said 10A150-T but the 10F150-T sounded great in my P.R. clone ("A" for alnico, "F" for ceramic).

Chip

 

[ES350]

Re: Fender Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue!

It doesn't have to do with PCB vs PTP vs tagboard, but in the way Fender does it; pricepoint rules all, overhyped vintage appointments over MDF and what resembles the innards of a cheap Indonesian DVD player. Fender does not do it right, but you pay nearly as much as you would for a SF amp or another make of similar quality. If these amps are up to the standards of even late SF stuff, why are these boards full of people wondering why they don't work/how to mod them/or how many pedals you need to get some sound out of them...?

 

[Stratcat]

Re: Fender Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue!

Unfortunately, Fender also knows how to build PCB amps "inexpensively" when they feel the need to... maybe they didn't "need to" for this amp.

Electrons don't care about the construction method; they do care about the quality of components, their proximity & location, etc. Most PCB amps simply aren't built properly. Instead, they're built to hit a specific price point with a targeted profit built in.

Sound waves do care about what material they're bouncing off of. I guarantee you could hear the difference if you put that chassis in a good pine cab.

Jeremy is right about the Weber 10F150-T sounding just great in a Princeton Reverb! Whoops, he said 10A150-T but the 10F150-T sounded great in my P.R. clone ("A" for alnico, "F" for ceramic).

Chip

Good point,
From the reviews I have read, and the PRRI I tried out, the amp comes real close in tone to the original, and the audience will most likely not hear any difference.
http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=673184&lastpost=2008-06-3006:57:53

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Fender Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue!

If the PRri is similar in build quality to the other BF reissues then there will be definite cost saving component and construction variations from the originals.

The good news is that a resistor/cap/speaker/tube/input jack/cabinet swap should get you close to an original...

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Fender Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue!

all i know is part of Pete Townshend's sound on the Who's Next record is a cranked Princton... i believe an early silver faced series... he used one in his home studio in the 70's a lot as well so it's on a lot of demos... Jack Douglas said in an interview the basic tracks for the Who's Next sessions were a Hiwatt in a sound booth and a Princton on the band floor... both were mic'ed and the end sound was almost always a mix of both amps.... the famous Grestch/Fender combo that came from Joe Walsh came in at the end of the sessions and used on over dubs like the volume swells on Bargain....

there is also a story that Pete also had a modded Princton like Santana from the guy that started Boogie... but when and were he got that and if it was used on anything i have no idea....

 

[Rick1114]

Re: Fender Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue!

I played the reissue at GC and it does sound very good clean, not sure about the cranked sound. It doesn't sound like a PCB amp stuffed with cheap components at the volume I played it at. I own an older DRRI and the cheap components DID affect the sound and people are always trying to "cure" it. So I think this PRRI will be successful - it gives up a little grind at lower volumes.

That being said, the newer DRRI's sound good too, fender must changed something inside the amp. The GC in NYC (14th st.) has both amps sitting side by side, and I swear the new DRRI sounded better than my 10 year old DRRI. They must be taking better care all around I think.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Fender Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue!

Scroll down here to see the insides of the 65 Princeton Reverb Reissue. While it could be worse, PCB mounted pots (that you can't even see), ribbon cables, and quick connects all over the place don't make for an amp that's going to last a long time. Add in the MDF cab and the less-than-great speaker and I believe you'd be a lot better off with something from Dave Allen, Victoria, or somebody else (Bruce, where are you?) building a quality version of this great circuit.

Just my opinion - if it makes you happy, go for it!

BTW does anybody have a schematic for the reissue? Just wondering how close it is to the original.

Chip

 

[marcg71]

Re: Fender Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue!

Any other feedback regarding having this amp cranked? I ran across a youtube demo and it sounded rather decent. I'm considering this for a blues club amp, just wondering how it holds up?