badbluesplayer Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I'm thinking of building a Princeton Reverb Clone, either a 1x10 or 1x12. Anybody got any opinions on the amps and speaker size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 oooh...oooh...Mr Kawtuh...Mr Kawtuh... I use a Fender Princeton clone called a Princeton Recording. Mrs saw that I had a carload of amps, and that I was recording a lot in my newly cleaned up area of the basement called "studio". So she saw an amp that said recording right on it and got it for me! What a Pip! It has compression and overdrive. It also has an attenuator, something I'm not real fond of but is totally useable and makes for some great sounds. But at its purest, just chunkin along with it dimed, it makes just righteous Fender sounds. As a Princeton is it priceless, I really do love it. It's the only amp I have left all these years later. It wouldn't last but a month if I took it out regularly, this I am sure of, but that is just how things are made these years. I know if you took it up, you'd build it right, it would sound right, so it would be a solid amp with a great set of uses, especially for recording when you only want to get somewhat loud but not kill the cats. I hope you do. It would be interesting to watch and hear at the end. Would you doodad it up, say a gain stage with Master, or just go straight up Princeton? I believe mine is a 10, but I drive a 2 x 12 cabinet along with the speaker in it, moves air good. I don't have much knowledge of speakers, only what I hear. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I know some folks replace the speaker (and baffle) of their Princetons with 12", but I think the 10" is fine. I have two vintage Princetons and they have plenty of low end with their 10" speakers. If I have time I can record a sample of one and then rout it through the 12" speaker in my Deluxe Reverb for comparison. Or you could do the same once you've built the chassis. I doubt there will be much difference in sound. That said there may be a difference in resale. You might consider using the 12" just as a selling point if this is an amp you intend to market and sell. As for Princetons in general, I am a huge fan. One of the best all around amps ever - great for a wide variety of sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I've got a Fender Prosonic combo. The amp was designed by Bruce Zinky. It has 2;10" Celestions. It has Class/rectifier options and is a very cool amp. Very punchy. I also notice most bass amps use 10 inch speakers to this day, as did the original bass amp. I don't know why people assume 12's are better for guitar, is my point. I would try a bunch of different 10's and try to find a niche. Be different. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I've got a Fender Prosonic combo. The amp was designed by Bruce Zinky. It has 2;10" Celestions. It has Class/rectifier options and is a very cool amp. Very punchy. I used one for ten years. Had Zinkys name on the board. I put Jensens in mine, Celestions too pointy for me. Best gigging amp in my life of gigging, 75 - 2003. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knucklebut Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 1414514749[/url]' post='1583378']I'm thinking of building a Princeton Reverb Clone, either a 1x10 or 1x12. Anybody got any opinions on the amps and speaker size? The 12 has more....bass dynamics but..I prefer the 10.... More grit I think...depends on what you play.....iv had a vintage on with a 12... I HAVE a 65 with a 10.....10 all the way for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I like the idea in general. And I also like the tighter response of the 10s as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 It should have a 10" if it's a Princeton...? I'd love a Fender Princeton Reverb reissue but they are ridiculously expensive, more than a decent Twin and you can get a small Rivera for less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonful Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I have a PRRI and I love it. I also have a clone from Vintage Sound Amps. Its a 20 watt version of the 65 Princeton. I got it as a head and cab. I comes with a 12 inch speaker. A bit louder than the PRRI and way more bass. The cab is very large which I'm sure contributes to that. Not as much of the high end jangle that I love in the PRRI though. I ended up swapping out the stock speaker for a current Jensen C12N. It came the closest to getting that jangle of several different 12's I tried. Great sounding amp too and very well built. I thought about getting a different baffle for the cab and installing two 10's. Pretty sure they would fit without a problem. I have a feeling that would sound awesome. Still may do that down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sg50 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 If the cabinet is big enough that a 12" baffle will just squeak in, then I'd say either one is the right call. You can swap the baffle if you aren't happy, and so could its next owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I don't want to sound out of my head or anything, but have you thought about a 10'x12' cabinet? My blues jr. comes with one and it sounds great with the two speaker configuration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon S. Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I've had a handful of Princetons over the years, and most times preferred the 10" speaker. They do sound good through a Marshall 4x12 though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 I have a Weber 12A125A speaker that I could use. It's a 12" alnico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I've been googling and there's a few different schematics around. Do you have a particular one in mind? I've never knowingly heard a Princeton so I couldn't even start to comment on speaker choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I have a Weber 12A125A speaker that I could use. It's a 12" alnico. Hard to go wrong there. I have the 10A125O in one of my Princetons. Nice sounding speaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 oooh...oooh...Mr Kawtuh...Mr Kawtuh... I use a Fender Princeton clone called a Princeton Recording. rct I'm on the prowl for one of those ... stalled too long on one a few years ago and ended up without. Sweet little amps they are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimi Mac Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I think I'd like any amp U build... Frankly I don't know enough about a Princeton Reverb to know what to look for other than I've seen the reissues on the market in recent years... I've chronicled my experience in here before, but I had terrible terrible luck with the 1980's red-knob solid-state Princeton reissues and that's all the experience I have with them so when I see "Princeton" I wince with Pavlovian angst... Do we have any history to relate that could help change my perceptions? Who was using them when or on what recordings that make these as covetous as say a '59 Bassman or a Deluxe Twin or Deluxe Reverb etc. My ignorance slip is showing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Do we have any history to relate that could help change my perceptions? Who was using them when or on what recordings that make these as covetous as say a '59 Bassman or a Deluxe Twin or Deluxe Reverb etc. My ignorance slip is showing... Ampwares has a nice it of info on each organized chronologically. http://ampwares.com/?s=princeton As far as an easy comparison, IMO they sound a lot like a Deluxe Reverb. Same power tubes but with a bit less wattage and bit less clean headroom. They get gritty around 5 generally. Interestingly the non-reverb Princeton stays pretty clean all the way to 10 because it has one fewer gain stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimi Mac Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Ampwares has a nice it of info on each organized chronologically. http://ampwares.com/?s=princeton As far as an easy comparison, IMO they sound a lot like a Deluxe Reverb. Same power tubes but with a bit less wattage and bit less clean headroom. They get gritty around 5 generally. Interestingly the non-reverb Princeton stays pretty clean all the way to 10 because it has one fewer gain stage. Thanks for the heads-up! The originals would have been right in my comfort zone I think! It's too bad the 1980's were so notorious for solid-state low quality garbage! If I had a tube amp at the time I'd have had such a better career run at the time! But in my locale everything was solid-state and tube amps were not only considered obsolete, but nobody had one in a shop other than some vintage stuff in the lesson rooms at the local guitar shop. That's where I plugged into original Deluxe Reverbs and other similar original vintage amps. But the same store personnel would tell you how the new amps were way better and old tube amps were something arcane... Yet I was virtually drawn to one particular lesson room specifically that contained an original tube Deluxe Reverb and I was smitten! But, I was also youthful and ignorant enough Circa 1984-1989 to simply take what the "experts" in that shop were telling me as the only "authority" I knew to turn-to... They were THE Fender authorized shop and the only place for miles and miles around... Never saw a Marshall or a Vox in that shop. Only some Peaveys, or whatever other line they were hawking that Fender would let them have on the floor at the time... Frankly I think Peavey solid-states are pretty good and even better than the Fenders of the era. Although a buddy of mine now has a couple Pro185 Twins from near that ear that are pretty good too, but I think they are actually from the 1990's, possibly after Fender got their solid-state act together a little better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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