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…mmm…I do love me some coffee cans….
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11-28-2017 11:23 PM
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I was so happy that I found this twin with the EV... for about a week...
then another twin came up in Champaign/Urbana with the original pair of D-120F for $700. I jumped on it the same day the ad went up but somebody beat me to that one.
when you consider what the speakers are worth they're practically giving these amps away.
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I know amps have been discussed ad nauseam, but I am considering buying, sight and sound unseen/unheard, a 1979 Fender Princeton Reverb with an extra Eminence speaker, new tubes, and with caps replaced some unknown time ago. I currently have a stock Blues Junior, made in Mexico I think with the green circuit board, and I like its tone with my Ibanez PM-2 (sure beats all the computer amp models I have), but I want to go up in sound quality. While the jazz guitar comes first, I would also like to use it for my Strat, Tele and Les Paul and pedals. I have played a few of the Fender reissues in stores and while some are nice, I have read too much about quality issues. Any way, any direct experience with this amp and an arch top? I do not gig - this will just be at home.
Edit, I meant to type 1978. I graduated high school 1979, so I guess it is stuck in my brain.Last edited by deke; 03-29-2019 at 06:31 PM.
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I'm a big fan of the Princeton and Princeton reverb, and a 70's Silverface edition is usually a great buy used--particularly if this one has been kept up with.
The only thing I'd say about the PR is that it gets a little dirty pretty quickly, so it's not a great gig amp with a hard hitting drummer--if you need to stay "clean clean." But for home, it should be great.
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Go for it!! With the upgraded speaker and recent work, it should make an exceptional jazz amp.
Just ignore the ill-conceived and worthless 'push-pull' boost knob.
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Thanks to both of you. I will not play very loud at home, so I think I'm safe with the head room, but it should be nice for the solid body guitars too. Yes, read about the push pull thing being worthless.
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I have a '78 Princeton Reverb (SFAIK, the same thing as a '79). I've owned a lot of different vintage tube amps, and it's my favorite of all of them. I have a Godin Kingpin archtop, a Strat, and a D'Angelico semi-hollow, and they all sound great through it, for jazz or blues. I've tried some other archtops through it as well. All have sounded good. I've gigged with my PR. It's loud enough for the groups I've played with. TBH, it's even a bit too loud for home -- it sounds best at 3-4 on the volume knob, but I can't turn up that much if my family is home.
John
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Every guitarist should have a Princeton in their amp arsenal
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The deal is done! Also, I made a typo, it is a 1978.
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It should be a nice amp for you. Just don't a pay "vintage Fender" price for it. It's not valued like a '60s Fender amp and those 70s amps can be a good buy.
If you don't love it you can easily sell it, but I think you'll probably love it.
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I paid less than what the silver face Princeton reverb reissue costs.
Originally Posted by Jonathan0996
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Pretty hard to go wrong with a properly functioning Princeton Reverb. I'd jump on that with both feet.
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Not the same amp (no reverb and one less 6V6) but I had the pleasure of diming my silver faced vibrochamp last weekend with my band. I usually play my VC at living room volume but I brought it to practice just to change up my usual digital modeling set up for the VC. I’ve fallen in love with this VC over and over again so many times. My drummer kept asking what pedals I was using and couldn’t believe it was just an amp cranked up.
Your PR will hopefully be equally as glorious! Fabulous amps! THE SOUND.
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Originally Posted by deke
Decent prices for vintage Silverface PR can still be found, especially from 1977 models forward. One merely has to be patient...and lucky.
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Watch out. PR is notorious for being a rattling machine. It's soooooooooooooo annoying when it occurs. You can't fix it. I had to sell mine so that I could sleep peacefully without thinking about it. Make sure it doesn't before you buy it. Let the owner crank it and play.
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Late[r] breakup 6V6’s and the Weber speaker AND a midrange control added where the external speaker jack is makes the Princeton Reverb into a superb jazz amp. Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
Yes a heavy drummer will still be a problem. But even with an eardrum-rupturing Twin, do you really want to be in an arms race with a drummer who has no dynamics?
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If a heavy hitting drummer is overpowering your guitar amp, it’s not the amp that needs to be replaced by something better.
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I was in a band with this moron drummer who would actually play softer during the sound check then blast during the set. In a rather unprofessional move (it was a dumpy club), during a ballad where he was whacking away far too loud, instead of my intended solo, I went up to the mic and shouted (as if he had just finished a drum solo), "Ladies and gentlemen, the amazing [DRUMMER NAME] on the drums! Let's give him a hand! WOOOO!" He didn't get much of an applause. The rest of the band finally addressed this, including his girlfriend singer, but he still sucked.
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As ptchristopher said, add a middle pot in it. I did that for my SF’79. Made a huge difference.
It is a great little amp. (Although I sold mine after starting to play with tweeds.)
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Thanks, it is fine in this regard. If one did have this problem, a replacement case from mojo is just under $300 and that would still put someone way ahead of the cost of a used blackface. Originally Posted by takauya
Watch out. PR is notorious for being a rattling machine. It's soooooooooooooo annoying when it occurs. You can't fix it. I had to sell mine so that I could sleep peacefully without thinking about it. Make sure it doesn't before you buy it. Let the owner crank it and play.
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Update, I have had the amp a few days now and could not be happier. It sounds so nice and is so versatile. Never have I had am amp where the treble and bass knobs do so much. It is mind blowing how the slightest tweak can give you a whole new sound. Also, the whole thing about being responsive and "breaking up" a little is super present here (when you want it). I have had other Fenders, Boogies and more and none responded like this. My only regret is why didn't I just buy one of these way back in 1978 when I was a teenager...
Does it make me play better? It sure feels like I do, but even if it doesn't I am no longer obsessed with hunting endlessly for the right sound. I play other styles too and this thing is fantastic. It makes playing even more fun. I don;t know if it is the right amp for everyone, but if you are even considering it, try one out. I have no idea how it compares directly to a blackface or RI (either type), but don't right off a 1970s PR.
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A sensitive drummer is worth a whole collection of guitars and amps!
That said, the late-70s Fender Princeton Reverb Amps I have used have been great amps. Adding a Weber speaker to give the original a rest is just good, common sense.
So many guitars sound nice through the PR, but archtops in particular sound great.
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i have the original speaker, but it came with an Eminence Copperhead. I’m pretty happy with that! Originally Posted by Greentone
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Exactly. I wasted years trying to milk that tone out of a big amp that was just way too loud, or a small one that wasn't loud enough for a band. PR=Goldilocks. Originally Posted by deke
John
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