NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

[guitfiddle]

I traded off my MIM Tele for this the other day. The guy I got it from wired it all up himself. *pictures later today.*

He called it a 5E3 clone on the c-list ad, but in checking out some schematics against what I could tell looking at it, it's a bit closer to a 5F2 Princeton circuit, but he biased it to run a 6L6 tube instead of a 6V6.

It sounds so good...truly touch responsive. Gain dials way back when I pick lightly, but roars out when I hit it hard. The OD is nice and smooth, and it's just loud enough for a small room by itself.

Takes my OD pedals better than my other two amps, too.

I'm going to save a bit of money from the next few shows, both for taking it down to Mission amps for a looking-over, and to buy some killer old bottles from Lord Valve in Denver.

Someone care to recommend a great speaker for this type of circuit?

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

10"?

weber 10X150t or 10X125 either alnico or ceramic depending on if you have room and what you want

 

[Got_tone?]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

10" or 12"? 12" = Cannabis Rex, maybe? :dunno:

http://eminence.com/guitar_speaker_detail.asp?model=CANNABISREX&speaker_size=12&SUB_CAT_ID=4

Eminence would be a good place to start though. I once traded a ragin cajun for a pedal and the guy wanted to test out the speaker first. It sounded great in his princeton RI (IIRC). Made the amp louder and just made the top end sound so rich, IMO.

*edit*

I'd go with a eminence if money is tight but a weber would better.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

Looking at Emi's site, I'm thinking Black Mountain...:scratchch

I have to add that I will build a seperate cab for the speaker, so size is no obstacle.

 

[glassman]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

Sounds like a really nice amp...anxously awaiting the pics!

 

[Got_tone?]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

The Black Mountain sounds good on paper.

I like the swamp thang and the screamin eagle. If I ever get a bassman, I think I'll rock those speakers in a 2x12 cab.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

we need those pics man.

sounds like cool amp.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

Pics

The guy built the cab out of some walnut he found on his parents land. There's nothing holding it in for the moment. I'll probably just use a couple of L shaped pieces of wood on the sides.

The face plate is fugly, but that's ok. Strange layout of controls for a small Fender style amp. The P is presence. Gotta get me some knobs that match, but that's just small stuff.

It has a built in booster, which is nice. Adds a bit more hair.

Actually, I don't think this amp apes any Fender design that I know...more like it just borrows some nice riffs from a lot of them.

I played this through it today. Nice...:14:

 

[FuseG4]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

that's got that home-made fresh-from-the-oven kinda feel. Matches the tele!

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

I settled on a jensen c12n in my princeton after trying a few options, but ealier princetons had 10s in there. One dude i play with has an old silverface with a JBL speaker. Anyway - they both have more tubes than your amp in both pre and power stages, so I guess yours is not a princeton circuit. (Its pretty obvious i am not an amp tech!). I am glad your amp sounds good tho. Try plugging in into some other amp's speakers and getting a rough idea what suits you and then choose a speaker to match your cabinet. I like jensen ceramics and their various derivatives for fender amps and celestions g12 for dirty marshalls - pretty standard stuff. But perhaps the extra bucks on a nice alnico speaker might give you a more vintage vibe? So if i had to choose one speaker and hope for the best for that amp (which i have never heard in my life), get a P12N or whatever Weber makes that is similar.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

Black- and silverface era Princetons have more tubes - they have a 2x6V6 output stage. This amp was based on a tweed Princeton, which is basically a tweed Champ with a tone control. That's why it has so few tubes.

I'd like to build something like that - I have a chassis lying around that would work.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

Black- and silverface era Princetons have more tubes - they have a 2x6V6 output stage. This amp was based on a tweed Princeton, which is basically a tweed Champ with a tone control. That's why it has so few tubes.

I'd like to build something like that - I have a chassis lying around that would work.

It's pretty dang cool. I suppose the boost switch takes out the neg feedback, but IDK.

What I DO know is that my style feels real good on this amp. It kills through my 4x12.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

Interesting - i am toying with building a 5e3 from a kit too! Tube rectifier etc. Very hip.
Guitfiddle - I didnt know you were running 4x12! Were you planning on staying with the quad or downsizing?

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

Interesting - i am toying with building a 5e3 from a kit too! Tube rectifier etc. Very hip.
Guitfiddle - I didnt know you were running 4x12! Were you planning on staying with the quad or downsizing?

I'm thinking of havng a cab built for it in walnut to match the head, and get a single 12 for it. The 4x12 is the one I use with my Music Man amp in the big rooms.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

I'm thinking of havng a cab built for it in walnut to match the head, and get a single 12 for it. The 4x12 is the one I use with my Music Man amp in the big rooms.

Walnut doesn't sound as good as pine. Doesn't sound as good as birch ply for that matter. Lew

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

Walnut doesn't sound as good as pine. Doesn't sound as good as birch ply for that matter. Lew

I might just go with pine then, and make it the same color.

 

[glassman]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

or perhaps a walnut veneer over a more suitable base wood?

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

for low wattage stuff like that i love pine with a thin floating baffle. on big amps your sound will turn to mush but on small amps it can give them a wide tone

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NAD...handwired Princeton-y goodness content.

Then definitely a P12N and a pine cabinet.
ps- i am a musicman amp user too!