RIP Princeton Recording

[Ray175]

After 12 year of loyal service my Princeton Recording has finally died. Sadly the issue is around those circuits that carry the power attenuator and on-board compression. As you probably know, nearly all amp techs shy away from this beast and I've been unable to find anyone in the Paris (France) area willing/able to see if they can by-pass the attenuator/compressor/distortion circuits whilst leaving the rest operational.

For the time being I've pulled my 1986 Laney Linebacker out of retirement, which gives a great solid state clean sound for jazz, but dosn't "crunch" well - the reverb is OK but not better than OK.

Whilst the PRRI's are undoubtebly good amps, I want my replacement to include an effects loop as well as the capacity to provide clean sounds for jazz but also some crunch (6V6) without disturbing the neighbours - so some sort of onboard attenuation preferred. On the Princeton Recording this meant that I got a perfect crunch with the volume around 6 but the perceived output was rolled back substantialy via the attenuator.

Any replacement amp will be used for humbuckers (thunky 1961 ES 175D, bluesy 1980 Ibanez AS200, rocking 1978 Ibanez MC400), crunchy Gretsch Broad'tron pickups (GS5220) and single coil instruments (Custom Shop 1961 strat, Peavey Omniac Jerry Donahue, 1986 Charvel 4) so needs to be fairly versatile to carry these different inputs satisfactorily.

For Blackface sound (clean and crunch) I've considered and ruled out :

• Toneking Imperial Mark ll - great amp but no effects loop, and Mark Bartel has said elsewhere that he dosn't recommhent adding one) - very pricey
• 65 Deluxe Reverb - no effects loop
• 65 Princeton Reverb - no effects loop
• Rivera Venus Deux Recording 112 - ticks the boxes, but for some unexplained reason I hesitate - but I'm open to convincing arguments from those who have one)

So... after listening to the video demos of the Nextone amps, I'm quite tempted by the Nextone Stage. Although the reverb is not the same as the long springs in the Princeton, it's still acceptable, and I would probably swap the speaker out for a cannabis rex for a stronger bottom end. Has anyone on our esteemed forum had any recent experience or exposure to the Nextone amps? Can you share, please?

Any other ideas are also welcome, but remember the amp must be available in Europe so the better clone builders in the US are excluded...... (transport and customs)

Many thanks
Ray

[Alder Statesman]

If you like the 65 Deluxe Reverb you may want to to check out the Supersonic 22. The vintage channel is based on the Deluxe Reverb and it has the fx loop.

[Ray175]

If you like the 65 Deluxe Reverb you may want to to check out the Supersonic 22. The vintage channel is based on the Deluxe Reverb and it has the fx loop.

Thaks for the suggestion and much appreciated. The clean side of the supersonic 22 is fine, but the hard side of the burn element is a bit OTT for me - if I want to go into that territory I would prefer to use a a pedal. Thanks all the same
Ray

[morroben]

Thaks for the suggestion and much appreciated. The clean side of the supersonic 22 is fine, but the hard side of the burn element is a bit OTT for me - if I want to go into that territory I would prefer to use a a pedal. Thanks all the same
Ray

I really like the second channel on a SS22 but I keep the gain(s) low. More like a second clean channel, and still use a pedal for dirt. I still use the first channel most of the time when I use that amp.

But my main amp is a 65 Amps Tupelo. 6V6 with an effects loop. Master voltage, which helps maintain friendships with neighbors. Might be worth checking out.

[Ray175]

I really like the second channel on a SS22 but I keep the gain(s) low. More like a second clean channel, and still use a pedal for dirt. I still use the first channel most of the time when I use that amp.

But my main amp is a 65 Amps Tupelo. 6V6 with an effects loop. Master voltage, which helps maintain friendships with neighbors. Might be worth checking out.

Again, thanks for the suggestion and I like the sound of 65 amps - sadly, they are rarely on sale in most European countries (except UK where prices are atrificialy high) - I live inFrance......

[Alder Statesman]

I really like the second channel on a SS22 but I keep the gain(s) low. More like a second clean channel, and still use a pedal for dirt. I still use the first channel most of the time when I use that amp.

But my main amp is a 65 Amps Tupelo. 6V6 with an effects loop. Master voltage, which helps maintain friendships with neighbors. Might be worth checking out.

The dfference between the vintage and burn channels can be quite subtle with the two gains dialed low.

[DRS]

Blues Cube Artist with one of the tone capsules.
You would never need to worry about it failing.

[ruger9]

Blues Cube Artist with one of the tone capsules.
You would never need to worry about it failing.

I have been very interested in these amps.... especially for gigging, where the "tube tone" you hear at home and on recordings becomes almost irrelevant.

[newsense]

Hi Ray
You asked about the Nextone Stage. I recently bought one, but have not yet posted a NAD, as I want some more time to assess it. Over the last 20 years I have had a number of good value amps, incuding valves, solid state and modelling amps: Bugera 22, Ibanez WT80 & TSA5, Fender Princeton Recording Amp, Super Champ X2, Cube 30, Boss Katana 50, VHT 6 Special and others I have probably forgotten. The Super Champ, through a C. Rex lasted the longest. For the last year I have played try through Laney Studio 5, which had all the features I need, but was too heavy in the mid-range. At the moment, I seem to prefer the Nextone to all the previous amps. It has the feature set I need (and no more) and the clean tones are great. All my guitars - a tele, an SA2200 and a Godin Composer, sound fantastic. The gain control on the dirty channel is very progressive and can dial in anything from light breakup to singing overdrive. The differences between the 4 output stages are quite subtle, but noticeable. So far I'm very happy, but need u o give it longer for a more comprehensive review.

Sent from my H8216 using Tapatalk

[jads57]

Small Fender and vintage Gibson tube amps are wonderful sounding, when they work properly. But I have moved on from tube amps to Quilter Aviator amps and have probably never been happier with my Clean tone.
I know tone is also very subjective and personal to each player. But after 4 years and countless different gigs and venues, still haven't found a better alternative.

[zcostilla]

I have been very interested in these amps.... especially for gigging, where the "tube tone" you hear at home and on recordings becomes almost irrelevant.

if this is the case, do the Quilters get close enough to your sound preferences? You can always get a spring reverb pedal if you want the real thing.

[christianm77]

Princeton too loud. I need a champ.

[Ray175]

Hi Ray
You asked about the Nextone Stage. I recently bought one, but have not yet posted a NAD, as I want some more time to assess it. Over the last 20 years I have had a number of good value amps, incuding valves, solid state and modelling amps: Bugera 22, Ibanez WT80 & TSA5, Fender Princeton Recording Amp, Super Champ X2, Cube 30, Boss Katana 50, VHT 6 Special and others I have probably forgotten. The Super Champ, through a C. Rex lasted the longest. For the last year I have played try through Laney Studio 5, which had all the features I need, but was too heavy in the mid-range. At the moment, I seem to prefer the Nextone to all the previous amps. It has the feature set I need (and no more) and the clean tones are great. All my guitars - a tele, an SA2200 and a Godin Composer, sound fantastic. The gain control on the dirty channel is very progressive and can dial in anything from light breakup to singing overdrive. The differences between the 4 output stages are quite subtle, but noticeable. So far I'm very happy, but need u o give it longer for a more comprehensive review.

Sent from my H8216 using Tapatalk

Thanks Newsense for the detailed reply about the Nextone. I was beginning to think no-one had bought or tried one.... Always useful to get first impressions.
Yesterday I watched a video by Andertons (UK) with blind testing the Nextone against a Delux Custom, PRRI, Vox AC30 and a Marshall I can't remember which model - clean, crunch and ovrrdrive for each pairing. The Princeton sound was very close in all three areas but very slightly less mid-scooped - I expect my parametric EQ would compensate that. For the other three amp sounds I really couldn't guess which amp was being played. How do you rate the digital reverb versus the springs in the Princeton's you've played? Boss products are usually pretty solid - is this the case for the Nextone too?
Thanks again
Ray

[ruger9]

if this is the case, do the Quilters get close enough to your sound preferences? You can always get a spring reverb pedal if you want the real thing.

IDK, I haven't played either, only saw/heard demos.... I know Tommy Harkenrider swears by his Quilter... I'd be looking for dirty sounds too tho, for my gigging band (it's a rock band, not jazz), and I suspect the Rolands would give me more of that than the Quilters?

I just like the idea of not worrying about tubes getting old, going bad, getting broken (or even worked loose)... I LOVE tubes and will always have a tube amp for my own pleasure, but for gigs, I'm not sure it really matters. I mean, I'm not Stevie Ray Vaughan or Eric Johnson, sculpting a signature tone with a complicated rig...

Altho- it's Eric Johnson's demo of the Roland that got me interested...

[Alter]

I'm kind of the opposite. Don't really care what i play through at home, but for gigs tubes do make a difference! If it was for rock, i 'd get me one of these new Marshall studio vintage 20 combos.... I think i might actually get one this fall...

[newsense]

Thanks Newsense for the detailed reply about the Nextone. I was beginning to think no-one had bought or tried one.... Always useful to get first impressions.
Yesterday I watched a video by Andertons (UK) with blind testing the Nextone against a Delux Custom, PRRI, Vox AC30 and a Marshall I can't remember which model - clean, crunch and ovrrdrive for each pairing. The Princeton sound was very close in all three areas but very slightly less mid-scooped - I expect my parametric EQ would compensate that. For the other three amp sounds I really couldn't guess which amp was being played. How do you rate the digital reverb versus the springs in the Princeton's you've played? Boss products are usually pretty solid - is this the case for the Nextone too?
Thanks again
Ray

Although I haven't delved into the software editing of the Nextone, there are plenty of options including (I believe) a parametric EQ, as well as sag and other tune related stuff, so that you can home in on your perfect tone. I'm not sure I can help with the reverb comparison, as I always play through a TC HoF - hence the reason I always go for amps with FX loops.

A couple of other points - I much prefer the basic tone to that of the Katana 50, plus I have played it through my Cannabis Rex, but at this point don't feel the need to do a speaker swap - I'll be sticking with the stock speaker for now.

I am always conservative about recommending others to buy something I like, as tastes differ so much. However, in this case I would go as far as to say it is worth auditioning one, either in a shop or on a 30 day online return basis.

[Sam Sherry]

Yesterday I watched a video by Andertons (UK) with blind testing the Nextone against a Delux Custom, PRRI, Vox AC30 and a Marshall I can't remember which model - clean, crunch and overdrive for each pairing. The Princeton sound was very close in all three areas but very slightly less mid-scooped - I expect my parametric EQ would compensate that. For the other three amp sounds I really couldn't guess which amp was being played. How do you rate the digital reverb versus the springs in the Princeton's you've played?

Hyper-compressed online videos through earbuds about guitars strung for rock are no substitute for bringing your guitar into a shop and running your own test.

A trip to Paris seems in order. Chercher le ton et profiter de la chasse!

[Ray175]

Although I haven't delved into the software editing of the Nextone, there are plenty of options including (I believe) a parametric EQ, as well as sag and other tune related stuff, so that you can home in on your perfect tone. I'm not sure I can help with the reverb comparison, as I always play through a TC HoF - hence the reason I always go for amps with FX loops.

A couple of other points - I much prefer the basic tone to that of the Katana 50, plus I have played it through my Cannabis Rex, but at this point don't feel the need to do a speaker swap - I'll be sticking with the stock speaker for now.

I am always conservative about recommending others to buy something I like, as tastes differ so much. However, in this case I would go as far as to say it is worth auditioning one, either in a shop or on a 30 day online return basis.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply - much appreciated.
Ray

[Ray175]

Hyper-compressed online videos through earbuds about guitars strung for rock are no substitute for bringing your guitar into a shop and running your own test.

A trip to Paris seems in order. Chercher le ton et profiter de la chasse!

Totally agree, Sam, and in normal circumstances that's what I'd do..... however....

I'm currently recovering from major operations plus 2 months of chemo and radiotherapy and am not in much of a shape to haul or drive 4 different guitars plus pedalboard across Paris. The fibula in my right leg was removed to graft and reconstruct my jaw and gum on one side of my face after a cancerous tumour was removed - motor control of right leg is therefore still far from 100% so heavy town traffic across Paris is out of the question for the moment - hence my call for views of others.

Pour l'instant, le chasseur est un peu immobilisé et doit faire son travail par procuration.....

[Alder Statesman]

Totally agree, Sam, and in normal circumstances that's what I'd do..... however....

I'm currently recovering from major operations plus 2 months of chemo and radiotherapy and am not in much of a shape to haul or drive 4 different guitars plus pedalboard across Paris. The fibula in my right leg was removed to graft and reconstruct my jaw and gum on one side of my face after a cancerous tumour was removed - motor control of right leg is therefore still far from 100% so heavy town traffic across Paris is out of the question for the moment - hence my call for views of others.

Pour l'instant, le chasseur est un peu immobilisé et doit faire son travail par procuration.....

Wishing you a complete and speedy recovery.

[Ray175]

Wishing you a complete and speedy recovery.

Thanks Alder, things are slowly and surely getting better