Re-tubing my Princeton Reverb II

[coyote-1]

Been years since I did this. Not been using the amp in some months because the power amp tubes are both fried, so I figured I’d do all the tubes in one shot. The tubes should be arriving next week.

I don’t know whether I’ll keep the amp, or eventually sell it and get something lighter. I have tested some modern modeling amps, and many are capable of very good jazz tone. Katana 50 II, a couple of Fenders, all with 12” speakers and work quite well. If I sell the PRII, I could get two such amps AND pocket some hundreds of dollars! But of course the amp needs to function well in order to sell. Or I might just use it, as it’s a great amp! So re-tubing works in any event.

[Gitfiddler]

PRII's are cool rigs, thanks to Ed Jahns and Paul Rivera. They're basically a 20 watt Deluxe Reverb with a solid state rectifier, an overdrive channel and no vibrato. New tubes will likely have it sounding too good to sell.

There are a number of solid state alternatives these days that sound great and weigh much less than your Princeton II. As you may know, these Fenders are increasing in value due to Rivera-era collectors looking for a hand-wired point-to-point tube amp. Just another reason to maybe hold onto it for a while.

[Litterick]

What tubes did you choose? I am all ears, because I must find some for my PRII.

[Jimmy blue note]

PM me when you're ready to sell, or what's your price in its current condition? They are some of the best amps, in my book. Some people like them, some people like yourself, not so much. I'll gladly deal with the heft and take it off your hands.
Yeah, let me know what you're selling it for. I'll retube and bias it myself.

[orri]

Pre amp tubes can last much longer than power tubes so power tubes ending their life cycle doesn't mean you need to replace your pre amp tubes too.

But if you've already ordered them you can try to swap them and listen if you can hear any difference in case that interests you (it's a rabbit hole some people like to fall into).

[coyote-1]

Pre amp tubes can last much longer than power tubes so power tubes ending their life cycle doesn't mean you need to replace your pre amp tubes too. But if you've already ordered them you can try to swap them and listen if you can hear any difference in case that interests you (it's a rabbit hole some people like to fall into).

Last time I did the power amp tubes I did not do the preamp tubes, so I figured a wholesale change is in order. Maybe I’ll do some of that swapping, just for kicks.

PM me when you're ready to sell, or what's your price in its current condition? They are some of the best amps, in my book. Some people like them, some people like yourself, not so much. I'll gladly deal with the heft and take it off your hands.
Yeah, let me know what you're selling it for. I'll retube and bias it myself.

PM sent, though I’m not sure I’m ready to sell quite yet lol. Who knows? It might sound excellent with my new Eastman AR610ce. Will find out soon!

[6v6ster]

Preamp tubes do tend to last longer, but the driver tube works hard and generally could use a change when you change the power tubes

[coyote-1]

Well, I done went and did it. Added a pot for biasing. Sounds great, except… it revealed that the tubes were only part of the issue. There’s ferocious 60 cycle hum, and everything I’ve seen about this says the amp, built around 1982 or thereabouts, is due for a change of its capacitors.

So I picked up a Katana MkII 50 to hold me over while I take the amp apart and do that job. Great amp; my Eastman sounds wonderful thru it when set correctly. My current footswitch strategy for jazz on this amp:
BANK1, CH1: chord sound
BANK1, CH2: single line (lead?) sound
BANK2, CH1 & CH2: zero volume, no sound

So one switch serves as a mute, while the other switches between two optimized sounds. Btw, any latching switch (such as the one from my Marshall combo) works.

[coyote-1]

Update on the Katana. I now have the tone controls essentially flat on the amp. I have a hint of reverb in my two sound channels. The chord sound is built on the acoustic amp type; the single line sound on the Clean amp type. Single line has the Booster on at its lowest possible setting.

I have the Volume and Master controls almost full up. This makes for a nice fat sound even at low volume. (When those controls are low, the amp sounds thin and nasal.) I’m using the Gain control as my volume control.

[BBGuitar]

I sold my 1960's Deluxe years ago and bought a Fishman LoudBox Mini with lots of money left over.

Not a slight bit sorry.

[coyote-1]

I realize this is a long past due update… I did get the work done on the PRII. It worked for awhile. Still works, but now there’s 120 cycle hum!

Obviously a different section of the amp has failed. I did some research and think I know the issue. So I’m going to (perhaps foolishly) bring it in for more service. Got references for a guy closer to my home. So I’ll bring it to him and see what he has to say.

It’s not easy to spend $150 or likely more on a repair when an entire new amp can be had for not much more.

[Freddels]

I realize this is a long past due update… Still works, but now there’s 120 cycle hum!

That's twice as bad as it was before.