New Fender Amp

[wintermoon]

if you're only playing at home the PR should be more than enough. if you get it and don't think so return it and get a DR, yeah it'll have more bass but only you will know if it you really need it once the PR arrives.
a lot of helpful responses, but it's probably time to stop taking advice and do some experimenting of your own, nothing like experience.

[st.bede]

Further reading on the Princeton reverb people talk about it breaking up at volume 5 and higher. Will this be a problem for me? I got no idea how high volume under 5 is, but will it be to low? I do sometimes want to play a little louder

I have found that to be a problem for me. I really like my non reverb 65 Princeton. I can only use it in low volume situations. It has worked great for just jamming at home with other guitarist. I do not think I have ever taken it to any more serious situations.

[Skip Ellis]

They'll sound different to different people - you can't go by what someone says - that's why amps and guitars have tone controls. If you buy from a reputable dealer, they'll let you return it if you don't like it. Some people buy two and return the one they don't want. You just have to try them and find what suits you - you can't judge tone by someone else's ears. I understand that you're new to this, but you have to learn by trial and error like the rest of us. I don't mean to sound harsh but it's an individual journey that you have to travel yourself - no piece of equipment will sound the same to two different people as evidenced by all the different suggestions made in this thread. Personally, I don't like guitars with rosewood fingerboards - many people do; I like Evans amplifiers and some people don't care for the preamp setup; some people like Blue Chip picks - I can't see the point. Nobody is going to tell you which amp will make you sound like Wes Montgomery because the majority of Wes's tone was in his hands - you can have a single pickup L-5 and a Standel amp and you still won't even come close to sounding like him.......again....TIME ON THE INSTRUMENT. You've got a decent guitar without doing any mods - put some flatwounds on it, get an amp with, preferably, reverb and start playing. No amount of advice from an internet forum (as much as we love it) will get you there - you have to stop obsessing about equipment and start playing.

[John A.]

I dont think I gotten specific advice on if the deluxe sounds better with its deeper bass on low volume. And as I mentioned before I have no option on trying them both, especially at the same time to compare

The Deluxe does not sound better, and it does not have "deeper" bass. There are subtle differences in how the two amps reproduce sound at different levels of loudness and distortion that are a matter of personal preference. At low volume those differences are minimal. The PR actually has louder bass (to my ears, anyway) at low volume.

[bluejaybill]

Problem is I dont know if the 12" deluxe has better bass, and better sound even at low volumes. Not "better", but more to my liking. Sure theyre both excellent, but it'll be a shame not to get the perfect one for me, when I drop the coin on this.

For the record, I have a '66 Deluxe Reverb, and I don't consider it to be a particularly good jazz amp. It's OK, and it's a versatile amp that's great for a lot of other styles as well, it was my main gigging amp for years. Just not my favorite for jazz. I actually think that I might prefer a Princeton, my recollection of the old ones I've played is that they are not as scooped in the midrange. I mostly use a Fat Jimmy amp which is more like a Princeton, but the preamp is a bit fuller sounding.

When we talk about getting the Wes sound, keep in mind that playing with the thumb is so fat sounding that it negates the scooped Fender sound. Plus, Wes preferred a Twin, a much fuller sounding amp than the little guys. OP, if you play with a pick, when you get the amp, try playing with your thumb, but then also try playing with the round side of your pick. If that gets you closer, you might look for a thicker pick with a rounded tip. That might help. I use a Blue Chip pick with a more rounded tip when I want the classic jazz tone, but it doesn't get me all the way to a Wes sound- that's the thumb! And of course his brilliant imagination.

I think the Princeton is a good place for you to start. Good luck!

[pdfiddler]

I have ordered a a Princeton reverb! But I can return it if I want to. Ive read that the deluxe will sound better (especially in the bass) due to the 12". I can get for about the same price. It's also only 22watt. But I dont know if will perform better at low volume than the Princeton at 15w. With low volume I mean volume that does not hurt in my ears. What do you guys think?


I have no stores available to try any of them, unfortunately.

And yes, I know buying an amp won't make me sound like Wes, but I can still buy an amp that makes me sound the closest!

The PR will be cleaner. The DR breaks up pretty fast.
I think Fender has a custom PR with a 12" speaker.

[Alter]

It's hard to dislike a Princeton reverb. If you play single coil guitars the differences between 10' and 12' are greater. Many (me too) prefer 10' speakers for archtops and jazz. I love 12s for single coil guitars though.. i should get one, all my amps right now have 10s or even smaller!