Fender Princeton - opinions

V

Vincent

New member
Hi guys,

In my quest for a good workable clean tone at bedroom volumes, I am considering the purchase of a Fender Princeton. Has anyone used these amps before and is able to comment on the tone compared to other fenders of the same wattage range? I am using a Les Pau and I play acoustic style jazz but I also want the flexibility to go SRV-ish all the way.

If you guys have any other amp suggestions, then I am all ears. My 5150 head / Marshall cabinet just isn't doing it for me clean-wise.

THanks
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

Princetons have a great clean sound but keep in mind...they are only 12 watts...you won't gigging much with them. I love the sound of then though...the sinlg 10 makes it seem kinda small sounding to some people...I for one love the tone of thoes amps when they are stock, a Princeton Reverb will have a bit more gain...it won't be any louder, but they are a little hotter, and if you runthe up they do crunch a little faster, and with all controls on 10 they are a tad crunchier.

Good luck
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

Are you talking about an old tweed, blackface or silverface Princeton? The tweed versions are similar to a Fender Champ but with the addition of a tone control. Not alot of output, but a cool "play at home" amp.

If you can find an old Princeton-Reverb that would be the one to get.

I'm not familiar with a more recent version...

I still have the late 50's Fender tweed Princeton I took guitar lessons on in high school in '66 and '67.

I went back to the store where I worked and took lessons about 10 years later, asked to see the old room in back and the amp was still sitting there. I bought it.

Great little amp! Gets pretty farty when you crank it up but gets a great overdriven tone at low volumes. Sounds like a little Marshall.
 
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Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

Lewguitar said:
Here's a nice silverface for sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10171&item=3760565291&rd=1

Here's a nice tweed like mine: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38074&item=3759804227&rd=1

Here's one from the 80's made during the Paul Rivera era at Fender: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38074&item=3761466202&rd=1 This one looks like a steal!
Click to expand...

These are all real, hand wired 100% TUBE guitar amps! Highly recommended!
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

Lewguitar said:
These are all real, hand wired 100% TUBE guitar amps! Highly recommended!
Click to expand...

Lew,

What do you know wbout the one with the boost pull on the volume control...like the silverface one on Ebay? I really want a princeton...but Im unsure about that model...they go a little cheeper that a 60SF...what do you think?

I want to run it with my Twin Reverb...both amps at the same time
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

The Twin would be so much louder I don't think they would sound great together. I never cared for the pull boost on late 70's silver Fenders and when I mod those amps I remove it. Lew
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

One of these days I'll grab a 1962 Brown Princeton.
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

I've done it before...what you do is you turn the Princeton almost full up...around 8 or maybe 9 then you run the twin up to be about as loud as the Princetn=on...mic both amps and it's a killer tone, you get the nice compressed mids from the Princeton with a little bark, and the nice big open sound from the Twin with lots of bottom and lost of highs...I like it, but I just need a Princeton...the one I used last time belonged to the studio where we recorded...
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

I've got a fender princeton chorus that has REALLY good clean tones, and has built in chorus and reverb, but it is SS, so I guess its a matter of preference.
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

I'd suspect that the best bang for the buck in a REAL Princeton would be the Rivera era Princeton IIs.
Original Princeton Reverbs are just too much $$$ these days for what you get. The BF PRs are one of the greatest recording amps, but the selling price has gone crazy.

As for the newer SS models, I can't say. Fender is guilty of taking well known model names and screwing them up till there's nothing in common with the original besides the name. Caveat emptor.

In smaller amps, I like the Pro Junior and Blues Junior, or similar amps from some other company.

I know there are lots of fans of the smaller SS modeling amps these days, especially at the prices. However, I think "versatility" is probably an over rated selling point. Most players need two or three good tones - clean, OD, and gainy.
Anyone on the path to true tone will eventually find that SS amps are somewhat of a compromise to the harmony rich tone of a good tube amp. Tube amps also offer more tweakablity than most people realize, as far as tuning the amp with different tubes and bias points.
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

Curly said:
I'd suspect that the best bang for the buck in a REAL Princeton would be the Rivera era Princeton IIs.
Original Princeton Reverbs are just too much $$$ these days for what you get. The BF PRs are one of the greatest recording amps, but the selling price has gone crazy.
Click to expand...

Like this one. Someone grab it:

Here's one from the 80's made during the Paul Rivera era at Fender: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38074&item=3761466202&rd=1 This one looks like a steal!
 
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Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

hehehe... you guys are suggesting amps waaaaay beyond my budget. I was referring to a mid-90's model Princeton 1x12 65 . Nothing vintage or fancy. Just a stable workhorse to do some clean work. But thanks for the prompt responses anyway.

Alternatively I was considering a Deville 2x12... a bit more expensive but I really like the tone.

BTW I live in Australia, the guitar arsehole of the world. You would freak if I told you the list price of a Gibson Les Paul here.....or a BMW for that matter.
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

Vincent said:
hehehe... you guys are suggesting amps waaaaay beyond my budget. I was referring to a mid-90's model Princeton 1x12 65 . Nothing vintage or fancy. Just a stable workhorse to do some clean work. But thanks for the prompt responses anyway.

Alternatively I was considering a Deville 2x12... a bit more expensive but I really like the tone.

BTW I live in Australia, the guitar arsehole of the world. You would freak if I told you the list price of a Gibson Les Paul here.....or a BMW for that matter.
Click to expand...


This one http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38074&item=3761466202&rd=1 is sitting at $99. right now. It'll probably go for more, but I bet it goes for less than a Deville 2x12. And it's handwired! Lew
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

Lewguitar said:
This one http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38074&item=3761466202&rd=1 is sitting at $99. right now. It'll probably go for more, but I bet it goes for less than a Deville 2x12. And it's handwired! Lew
Click to expand...

That amp is a re-list. It went for $495 not too long ago. The Rivera-designed Fenders are becoming highly collectible.

I have a PRII and it's a great amp. The only major flaw is that the second channel uses the tube designated for Reverb for the overdrive. It's a bit of a bummer, especially on such a great amp.

I wouldn't suggest it as a bedroom amp though. It'll tear your head off. I used mine to jam with the loudest drummer I've ever known and it cut through just fine.
 
Re: Fender Princeton - opinions

I use a Princeton Reverb as my main giging amp ! It's only 12 watts, But a
loud 12 watts IMO. I modded the phase inverter section so it's more
balanced.( ya get a little more umph outta it too) Put good tubes in
like JAN 6v6s and change the speaker to something like a Weber Caili
And you have yourself a nice Lil' Tone box. I used to gig w/t a Twin
I got sick of people telling me to turn down :yell: So I got the Prineton.
I crank that lil' sucker and it cuts thru no problem. The last gig I did
the other guitarist hade a Blues jr.(15 watts) He couldn't believe my
amp was louder and sounded better. :laugh2:
BTW, The pull out volume knob is useless IMHO
 
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