Princeton advice.

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markjmarkj Frets: 910
edited January 2019 in Amps
Quite interested in one of these amps. What’s the difference between the silver face and the blackface model, also is there a version with a 10;” speaker?
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    edited January 2019
    65 blackface is pretty faithful reissue, 68 Custom (silverface) has tweaks to make more friendly with pedals and has a celestion speaker, both 10 inch from memory.  I wanted the 65, couldn't find one to try, tried a 68 and bought it on the spot and absolutely love it.
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  • markjmarkj Frets: 910
    Sorry I meant a version with a 12” speaker.
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  • martmart Frets: 5205
    markj said:
    Sorry I meant a version with a 12” speaker.
    There have certainly been limited editions with 12” speakers, e.g.
    https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-guitar-amps/valve-amps/valve-combos/fender-65-princeton-reverb-with-celestion-alnico-blue-speaker
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  • The cabinet is certainly large enough to take a 12". You can get replacement baffles so you can put it back to stock easily.
    My YouTube channel, Half Speed Solos: classic guitar solos demonstrated at half speed with scrolling tab and no waffle.
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  • markjmarkj Frets: 910
    What’s so special about the Princeton, had a blues junior it sounded horrible and boxy.
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  • olafgartenolafgarten Frets: 1648
    markj said:
    What’s so special about the Princeton, had a blues junior it sounded horrible and boxy.

    The Princeton is the furthest thing from Horrible and Boxy you can get. The Blues Jr is just a really bad amp, I don't know how they made it sound so bad, and why it's so popular.
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  • markj said:
    What’s so special about the Princeton, had a blues junior it sounded horrible and boxy.
    I wasn't a huge fan of the Princeton I had as my room isn't big enough to accommodate the volume, but there is no comparison between the Blues Jr and any model of Princeton. It's a bit like saying "what's so good about a Ferrari, I had a Fiat 500 and it was pants"
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
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  • fandangofandango Frets: 2204
    mart said:
    markj said:
    Sorry I meant a version with a 12” speaker.
    There have certainly been limited editions with 12” speakers, e.g.
    https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-guitar-amps/valve-amps/valve-combos/fender-65-princeton-reverb-with-celestion-alnico-blue-speaker
    That’s the FSR black and blue version. There’s also a limited FSR Tweed version with 12” Cannabis Rex. And then there’s yet another limited Fender Princeton with a different 12”.

    The cabinet is certainly large enough to take a 12". You can get replacement baffles so you can put it back to stock easily.
    Alder & Ash in the very forum made me a baffle that suited my choice of the 12” Celestion Neo Creamback. No more flub.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    markj said:
    What’s so special about the Princeton, had a blues junior it sounded horrible and boxy.
    What's so special about the Princeton is simply that it sounds nothing whatever like a Blues Junior.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    munckee said:
    65 blackface is pretty faithful reissue, 68 Custom (silverface) has tweaks to make more friendly with pedals and has a celestion speaker, both 10 inch from memory.  I wanted the 65, couldn't find one to try, tried a 68 and bought it on the spot and absolutely love it.
    I've got the 68 version.  I prefer it with a more "American" sounding WGS speaker.  It puts it back a bit closer to the 65, but there are circuit differences as well, so it's not identical.  I don't think the Celestion does it any favours.
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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6378
    edited January 2019

    ICBM said:
    markj said:
    What’s so special about the Princeton, had a blues junior it sounded horrible and boxy.
    What's so special about the Princeton is simply that it sounds nothing whatever like a Blues Junior.
    This

    Same applies to Pro Junior vs Blues Junior - totally different amp, and the Pro Junior is much better.
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

    Feedback
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  • teradaterada Frets: 5113
    Princetons are absolutely lovely, and as said above, nothing at all like an awful blues junior. 

    I A/Bd the 68 and 65, and with a les paul the 65 was a clear winner for me.

    I reckon with a strat a 68 may well be the better option though.
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  • Anyone have any thoughts on the 68 vibrolux Vs the Princeton? 

    Something I'm considering but haven't had a chance to try out.

    I
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Anyone have any thoughts on the 68 vibrolux Vs the Princeton? 

    Something I'm considering but haven't had a chance to try out.

    I haven't played the RI but the blackface Vibrolux Reverb is a fantastic amp.
    Smaller transformers than other BF 6L6 amps so breakup is a lot earlier.
    I don't own one because they are now quite desirable and therefore expensive, plus the usual caveats of keeping vintage amps running.
    If the RI is close to that sort of sound then you'll love it.

    It will be louder than a PRRI of course.
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  • Thanks @octatonic . Going have to find somewhere where I can give them a serious demo.
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  • Chris_JChris_J Frets: 139
    I used to have a 65 reissue with an updated output transformer and a g10 gold speaker. Lovely sounding little amp! 
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  • Hydra19Hydra19 Frets: 320
    Princetons are one of the hallmarks of Fender tone, they are also one of the most recorded amps due to their small size for the studio. Tommy Tedesco used a Princeton and a Tele!

    I traded a JCM800 for a PRRI and I was in tone heaven for 2 years until I sold it to 'upgrade' to a Vibroverb reissue, but I'm not so sure it was an upgrade. The VVRI is fatter, less scooped, more mids, but I still can't forget about how nice the Princeton was. 
    What is so special about it? Other than being a small amp with tube tremolo and reverb, it is already a classic in a way which a Blues Jr will never be.  
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