The GAS has struck... Fender Princeton

JezWynd

JezWynd said:

There was someone selling an original in the classifieds a short time back. Reverbless model iirc. Norwich way?

Here it is. I was v tempted by this even though I have no plausible use for it...

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/95303/fender-princeton-non-reverb-1968/p1

susbemol

Yeah, I also found it earlier, thanks. Not sure about it for the price though. Plus he says no postage and I'm in London.

octatonic

fandango said:

octatonic said:

I've had 4 Fender Princeton reissues- so I like them, but they are not without problems.
The reverb is virtually useless- it is crashy and too dry- even on 1 it swamps the amp.
The amp produces too much bass.
I'm not massively into the stock speaker in either the 65 or the 68.
There are a few other things that bugged me as well- I will try to remember what.

I've ended up with a Princeton style amp from another maker- which is a Louis Electric Road Runner.
It is an astonishingly good take on the Princeton thing, but they are a lot more expensive- about double the cost of a Fender reissue.

@octatonic - I've got one of these Princeton Re-issues (the '68) and would like a better bass response (less flubby/farty). Been looking on and off for a suitable replacement speaker ... WGS, Weber, Celestion Gold, but don't have enough info to make that £100-£150 investment.

Any ideas?

A speaker change won't necessarily cure it because it is mostly down to the circuit but a G10 Gold or a G10 Vintage would be the way I would go.
I have a G10 Vintage in the Road Runner and it is very good- not a lot of money- I think they are £70
I still run the amp with the treble on 7, the bass on 3 and the mids (because mine has a mid control) on 4.
You just have to live with the Princetons being a bit bass heavy.

richardhomer

I too prefer the 65. Every time I try one, it sounds exactly like I want a Fender amp to sound.

When I can justify spending money on an amp I don't really need, I will get one.

RandallFlagg

Voxman said:

RandallFlagg said:

I just got a Morgan PR12. It's based on the Princeton but has a fixed baffle cabinet, Celestion G12M Greenback speaker and meatier transformer so has more grunt and headroom. The reverb has a dwell control to tame the splash as well. No trem though.

It sounds very nice and is plenty loud enough before it starts to break up but when it does it can sound very nice, not farty like the Fenders. Expensive though in comparison:

Sorry, maybe its me but that sounds very ordinary and a bit 'rough' (not in a good way) texture wise to me - my Laney Cub 12R with Vintage 30 sounds better than that!

Tone is on the ear of the beholder. We all have different tastes, that is room mic'd as well so not the best example I admit. Mike Hernans uses a PR12 on a lot of his pedal demos, and it sounds great. The PR12 is excellent as a canvas for drive pedals. I never get it loud enough to distort the power tubes, too loud for that, but use drive pedals so it can sound any texture you want that way.

ThePrettyDamned

octatonic said:

fandango said:

octatonic said:

I've had 4 Fender Princeton reissues- so I like them, but they are not without problems.
The reverb is virtually useless- it is crashy and too dry- even on 1 it swamps the amp.
The amp produces too much bass.
I'm not massively into the stock speaker in either the 65 or the 68.
There are a few other things that bugged me as well- I will try to remember what.

I've ended up with a Princeton style amp from another maker- which is a Louis Electric Road Runner.
It is an astonishingly good take on the Princeton thing, but they are a lot more expensive- about double the cost of a Fender reissue.

@octatonic - I've got one of these Princeton Re-issues (the '68) and would like a better bass response (less flubby/farty). Been looking on and off for a suitable replacement speaker ... WGS, Weber, Celestion Gold, but don't have enough info to make that £100-£150 investment.

Any ideas?

A speaker change won't necessarily cure it because it is mostly down to the circuit but a G10 Gold or a G10 Vintage would be the way I would go.
I have a G10 Vintage in the Road Runner and it is very good- not a lot of money- I think they are £70
I still run the amp with the treble on 7, the bass on 3 and the mids (because mine has a mid control) on 4.
You just have to live with the Princetons being a bit bass heavy.

I have a G10 Vintage I'd sell, but I don't know about posting it... 

It's in a vox - it has a pretty tight bass and plenty of midrange, so it really dominates the AC15 which is already very midrange heavy. I'd like a G10 Greenback instead really. 

It's loud, punchy and has bass - just very controlled. It's supposed to be a lot like a V30, but I don't think it is - it's not as aggressive, in my opinion. 

Moe_Zambeek

This is my favourite Princeton clip:



Anysley Lister and the Probett bursts obviously help too!

skaguitar

I have a Princeton

great little amp...this one has a celestion 12 creamback in it...sounds superb although I agree the reverb is unusable after around 2-3

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3/itsandygardner/18221772_10154741813060186_9077814594888551128_n_zpsd67htzhq.jpg

susbemol

That looks really beautiful. Is it a limited edition or did you just get a custom cab made for it?

skaguitar

susbemol said:

That looks really beautiful. Is it a limited edition of did you just get a custom cab made for it?

thanks..it's a limited edition...it's called a 'knotty pine' ...I gig it all the time at the moment...we do mic up at every gig though and this is up to around 15watts.

fandango

ThePrettyDamned said:

octatonic said:

fandango said:

octatonic said:

I've had 4 Fender Princeton reissues- so I like them, but they are not without problems.
The reverb is virtually useless- it is crashy and too dry- even on 1 it swamps the amp.
The amp produces too much bass.
I'm not massively into the stock speaker in either the 65 or the 68.
There are a few other things that bugged me as well- I will try to remember what.

I've ended up with a Princeton style amp from another maker- which is a Louis Electric Road Runner.
It is an astonishingly good take on the Princeton thing, but they are a lot more expensive- about double the cost of a Fender reissue.

@octatonic - I've got one of these Princeton Re-issues (the '68) and would like a better bass response (less flubby/farty). Been looking on and off for a suitable replacement speaker ... WGS, Weber, Celestion Gold, but don't have enough info to make that £100-£150 investment.

Any ideas?

A speaker change won't necessarily cure it because it is mostly down to the circuit but a G10 Gold or a G10 Vintage would be the way I would go.
I have a G10 Vintage in the Road Runner and it is very good- not a lot of money- I think they are £70
I still run the amp with the treble on 7, the bass on 3 and the mids (because mine has a mid control) on 4.
You just have to live with the Princetons being a bit bass heavy.

I have a G10 Vintage I'd sell, but I don't know about posting it... 

It's in a vox - it has a pretty tight bass and plenty of midrange, so it really dominates the AC15 which is already very midrange heavy. I'd like a G10 Greenback instead really. 

It's loud, punchy and has bass - just very controlled. It's supposed to be a lot like a V30, but I don't think it is - it's not as aggressive, in my opinion. 

You might not have to post it depending on where you are relative to where I am.

ThePrettyDamned

fandango said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

octatonic said:

fandango said:

octatonic said:

I've had 4 Fender Princeton reissues- so I like them, but they are not without problems.
The reverb is virtually useless- it is crashy and too dry- even on 1 it swamps the amp.
The amp produces too much bass.
I'm not massively into the stock speaker in either the 65 or the 68.
There are a few other things that bugged me as well- I will try to remember what.

I've ended up with a Princeton style amp from another maker- which is a Louis Electric Road Runner.
It is an astonishingly good take on the Princeton thing, but they are a lot more expensive- about double the cost of a Fender reissue.

@octatonic - I've got one of these Princeton Re-issues (the '68) and would like a better bass response (less flubby/farty). Been looking on and off for a suitable replacement speaker ... WGS, Weber, Celestion Gold, but don't have enough info to make that £100-£150 investment.

Any ideas?

A speaker change won't necessarily cure it because it is mostly down to the circuit but a G10 Gold or a G10 Vintage would be the way I would go.
I have a G10 Vintage in the Road Runner and it is very good- not a lot of money- I think they are £70
I still run the amp with the treble on 7, the bass on 3 and the mids (because mine has a mid control) on 4.
You just have to live with the Princetons being a bit bass heavy.

I have a G10 Vintage I'd sell, but I don't know about posting it... 

It's in a vox - it has a pretty tight bass and plenty of midrange, so it really dominates the AC15 which is already very midrange heavy. I'd like a G10 Greenback instead really. 

It's loud, punchy and has bass - just very controlled. It's supposed to be a lot like a V30, but I don't think it is - it's not as aggressive, in my opinion. 

You might not have to post it depending on where you are relative to where I am.

Pm incoming. 

uncledick

ThePrettyDamned said:

octatonic said:

fandango said:

octatonic said:

I've had 4 Fender Princeton reissues- so I like them, but they are not without problems.
The reverb is virtually useless- it is crashy and too dry- even on 1 it swamps the amp.
The amp produces too much bass.
I'm not massively into the stock speaker in either the 65 or the 68.
There are a few other things that bugged me as well- I will try to remember what.

I've ended up with a Princeton style amp from another maker- which is a Louis Electric Road Runner.
It is an astonishingly good take on the Princeton thing, but they are a lot more expensive- about double the cost of a Fender reissue.

@octatonic - I've got one of these Princeton Re-issues (the '68) and would like a better bass response (less flubby/farty). Been looking on and off for a suitable replacement speaker ... WGS, Weber, Celestion Gold, but don't have enough info to make that £100-£150 investment.

Any ideas?

A speaker change won't necessarily cure it because it is mostly down to the circuit but a G10 Gold or a G10 Vintage would be the way I would go.
I have a G10 Vintage in the Road Runner and it is very good- not a lot of money- I think they are £70
I still run the amp with the treble on 7, the bass on 3 and the mids (because mine has a mid control) on 4.
You just have to live with the Princetons being a bit bass heavy.

I have a G10 Vintage I'd sell, but I don't know about posting it... 

It's in a vox - it has a pretty tight bass and plenty of midrange, so it really dominates the AC15 which is already very midrange heavy. I'd like a G10 Greenback instead really. 

It's loud, punchy and has bass - just very controlled. It's supposed to be a lot like a V30, but I don't think it is - it's not as aggressive, in my opinion. 

I'd sooner put a 10" Gold with an AC15.  A Greenback can be a bit meh...

ThePrettyDamned

uncledick said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

octatonic said:

fandango said:

octatonic said:

I've had 4 Fender Princeton reissues- so I like them, but they are not without problems.
The reverb is virtually useless- it is crashy and too dry- even on 1 it swamps the amp.
The amp produces too much bass.
I'm not massively into the stock speaker in either the 65 or the 68.
There are a few other things that bugged me as well- I will try to remember what.

I've ended up with a Princeton style amp from another maker- which is a Louis Electric Road Runner.
It is an astonishingly good take on the Princeton thing, but they are a lot more expensive- about double the cost of a Fender reissue.

@octatonic - I've got one of these Princeton Re-issues (the '68) and would like a better bass response (less flubby/farty). Been looking on and off for a suitable replacement speaker ... WGS, Weber, Celestion Gold, but don't have enough info to make that £100-£150 investment.

Any ideas?

A speaker change won't necessarily cure it because it is mostly down to the circuit but a G10 Gold or a G10 Vintage would be the way I would go.
I have a G10 Vintage in the Road Runner and it is very good- not a lot of money- I think they are £70
I still run the amp with the treble on 7, the bass on 3 and the mids (because mine has a mid control) on 4.
You just have to live with the Princetons being a bit bass heavy.

I have a G10 Vintage I'd sell, but I don't know about posting it... 

It's in a vox - it has a pretty tight bass and plenty of midrange, so it really dominates the AC15 which is already very midrange heavy. I'd like a G10 Greenback instead really. 

It's loud, punchy and has bass - just very controlled. It's supposed to be a lot like a V30, but I don't think it is - it's not as aggressive, in my opinion. 

I'd sooner put a 10" Gold with an AC15.  A Greenback can be a bit meh...

Based on the 12 inchers, I really like ac15 with greenback. It's warmer, looser and rockier. 

Never heard one with a gold, but I have heard with an alnico blue and it's a cool (and more accurate) tone but it's a bit too clear and piercing. Perhaps because they were not worn in, but I genuinely preferred the greenback. 

Golds are very expensive too. Although just one isn't so bad... Maybe I'll try it but I think I'll love the greenback anyway. 

susbemol

I agree, AC15s (and AC30s) sound great with greenbacks and the AlNiCo blues are not always better.

Never heard, seen or played one with 10" speakers either. 

Voxman

susbemol said:

I agree, AC15s (and AC30s) sound great with greenbacks and the AlNiCo blues are not always better.

Never heard, seen or played one with 10" speakers either. 

I like Greenbacks in an AC15/AC30 because these are better suited to blues/classic rock.  If you're heavily into Queen, U2 etc then you'll likely prefer blues.  However, the volume difference between Greenbacks & Blues is very noticeable, Blues are louder, brighter/shimmerier, and their break-up is a bit different to Greenbacks.

Both are great speakers - one isn't better or worse, they are just different. I've played 2 current Vox AC30's with both speaker sets next to each other - if you're not sure what you like, trust me - that's the way to do it.  Not a huge difference at low volumes, but as you crank both amps you'll really start to hear the differences in tone, break-up, and volume.  

susbemol

Getting back to Princetons... I have been wondering if a Deluxe 68 could maybe offer me something similar. The problem is that, while I have never played one myself, I expect it to want to be turned up a bit to sound as good as the Princeton at around 4.5 which would make it too loud for the studio. Even live I reckon it would be too loud as pretty much all my gigs are amp miked up with the band wearing in-ear monitors so the front of house people want stage volumes as low as possible.

What do you guys think?