Got myself a blackface Princeton

Make it loud here.
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StevenO
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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by StevenO » Mon May 13, 2019 10:39 am

There are two different kinds of Blackface Princeton. There is this "Tuxedo", which is more-rather-than-less the same as the Brownface 6G2 circuit - this is the amp I own. Then there is the Blackface Princeton that is in this thread, which is the same circuit as a Princeton Reverb minus the reverb. However, the amp is more than just not having reverb, it also lacks the entire circuitry that exists in a Princeton Reverb that gives it the reverb circuit. This means it lacks an extra gain stage resulting in a different sound that it's Reverb-filled counterpart. The non-reverb Princeton amps of this era tend not to overdrive much if at all and are great clean machines and quite enjoy pedals as a result.

There are no bad vintage Princeton amps, as far as I'm concerned. They're all great in their own way.

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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by i love sharin foo » Mon May 13, 2019 11:31 am

Wound up full, it is still trying it’s hardest to stay clean. You get some break up and bark, but definitely no saturation. But, add a booster like the trusty old Super Hard On to the fray, and it gives in. By that point, I’d figure you are well past the volume level where a Reverb model could do similar sounds. Luckily though, I can run my amps as loud as I like at my place :ph34r: so no problem there. It is definitely not a gain-y circuit. But taken in the right context, it sounds great!
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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by i love sharin foo » Tue May 14, 2019 9:38 am

I gave the Princeton a good run through before I had to leave for work today. I have concluded that the volume dial really has only one position: full up. It is the most touch sensitive Fender that I have owned to date. The dynamics are really great. Even with the volume on full, you can play as quietly as you like. Just pick softly. With my ‘65 Jaguar and it’s stock pickups, you can get some natural drive on the wound strings if you dig in. But lay off a bit and perfect cleans are still there. I have been running my Big Cheese with the fuzz all the way down and volume to suit. It doesn’t even sound like a pedal, more like a natural amp tone, not an effect. I feel like this amp is a sort of baby Twin. But where the Twin just reproduces clean sound (for the most part), the Princeton imparts more feeling, more dynamics, a more interesting sound. I really like it.
The whispers cut like hard rain, Like sugar in a hurricane

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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by Maggieo » Tue May 14, 2019 10:37 am

How do you like the trem on it?
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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by StevenO » Tue May 14, 2019 11:08 am

He loves it, Maggie! :-*

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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by Maggieo » Tue May 14, 2019 11:28 am

StevenO wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 11:08 am
He loves it, Maggie! :-*
:w00t:
“Now I am quietly waiting for/ the catastrophe of my personality/ to seem beautiful again.”- Frank O'Hara
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.

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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by zhivago » Tue May 14, 2019 12:27 pm

I somehow missed this thread! Congrats on the new amp, Justin...it looks awesome! Great condition! :-* 8)
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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by i love sharin foo » Tue May 14, 2019 12:36 pm

Maggieo wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 11:28 am
StevenO wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 11:08 am
He loves it, Maggie! :-*
:w00t:
Indeed!! It sounds so full and three dimensional. Everything ive ever read about the bias type tremolo is true. It may not be a brownface but at least I have the same trem!
The whispers cut like hard rain, Like sugar in a hurricane

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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by Ursa Minor » Tue May 14, 2019 12:55 pm

Hey! Good for you!

I missed this thread too but a warm welcome to the club!

I've long thought about getting one of these to complete the trifecta. They do something a little different than either PR or 6G2 but are still right up there with the best of what these amps offer. And that trem... :?

fwiw - I have Webers in both my PR (10f125-T, no speaker dope) and my 6G2 (late-90s era Weber C10N which is basically the same speaker.) Both are 25w. I'd love to track a champagne oxford for my 6G2 just to have the option. Both Webers sound so good to my ears though that I'm usually dissuaded to go down the speaker rabbit hole.

until now... :ph34r:

I don't really do any 'gigging' these days so I could totally get away with a low efficiency speaker in either of my amps.
Curious how the old Jensen you got will sound.
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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by i love sharin foo » Tue May 14, 2019 6:40 pm

You guys wore me down.... I just bought a '62 6G2 :fp:
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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by Ursa Minor » Tue May 14, 2019 6:47 pm

i love sharin foo wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 6:40 pm
You guys wore me down.... I just bought a '62 6G2 :fp:
Image

:w00t:
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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by zhivago » Tue May 14, 2019 9:40 pm

i love sharin foo wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 6:40 pm
You guys wore me down.... I just bought a '62 6G2 :fp:
:D

Out of control!! :D 8) 8) 8)
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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by Despot » Tue May 14, 2019 10:57 pm

That's a great buy...

I currently use an early '70s SF PR ... and it's so so lovely sounding. I had both a Reverb and non-Reverb version of the same amp for a while - I kept the PR because it could get dirtier at a lower volume (which works for me as a home use amp), but the non-reverb Princeton might have been a better amp to keep now that I've had some time to live with the PR. It was entirely possible to play the Princeton at low volumes in the evening and get a lovely sound from it, whereas the PR sounds it's best between 3 and 4 on the dial, which isn't exactly loud loud ... but it's too loud for my apartment at night.

May it give you many years of lovely Princeton sounds.

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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by StevenO » Wed May 15, 2019 1:57 am

i love sharin foo wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 6:40 pm
You guys wore me down.... I just bought a '62 6G2 :fp:
:shifty:

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Re: Got myself a blackface Princeton

Post by shadowplay » Wed May 15, 2019 5:46 am

Aww two cool amps bought and sounds like they have gone to the best of homes. I've always wanted a Princeton but never had one in my path and only have a Deluxe.

Congrats.

D
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