Six months in any more thoughts on the Falcon 20?

[PrairieDog]

The ES Supreme is being a good sport about plugging into the Fender Mustang LT25, but she’s starting to make noise about having an amp that she can really party with.  

I’m a sucker for old tubes, but we are not clever/savvy enough to deal with buying and caretaking vintage amps and their many pitfalls.  So we are resigned to going new.  

We were looking at the old reliable Fender Reverb Deluxe reissue, but we are more intrigued by the Gibson Falcon 20 and the available power switch, since we are just messing around in our house and on our deck right now, and don’t need to strip the paint off the walls.  They are about the same price.  

So far, I can only find one early review on the meandering thread from the beginning of the year.  It was positive, and very helpful.  So that’s good.  

Just wondering if there are any more experiences and thoughts?  

 

Edited July 27 by PrairieDog

[PrairieDog]

19 minutes ago, ghost_of_fl said:

8. Before you start a topic, perform a search to see if the question or topic you wish to create has been made before. If it has, post in the topic that already exists. Duplicate topics will be moved or closed. 🫥

I specifically mentioned the previous thread.  That was a post about ‘they were coming out’ with pages of meandering speculation and side discourse, and only one actual review, and hasn’t had any activity since March.   I’m asking for actual experiences now. Sometimes, in cases like this, starting a new thread is not always frowned upon.  I thought it would help make a cleaner way to find any real reviews.  If the mods want to move this, It’s cool.  

Edited July 27 by PrairieDog

[Larsongs]

I just looked on You Tube & there are lots of reviews. Some good some not so good. One of the nits is they’re built like Mesa Boogies & Techs don’t like  working on them. Then there are some who think they’re great.

I think most will stick with the Big 3. Fender, Vox & Marshall Tube Amps. Proven work horses that have great musical histories & have stood the test of time.

[PrairieDog]

14 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

I just looked on You Tube & there are lots of reviews. Some good some not so good. One of the nits is they’re built like Mesa Boogies & Techs don’t like  working on them. Then there are some who think they’re great.

I think most will stick with the Big 3. Fender, Vox & Marshall Tube Amps. Proven work horses that have great musical histories & have stood the test of time.

Yeah, I’ve obviously been looking at the YT reviews, most are aimed at “selling” it or dissing it because they are fans of other brands.   I was just hoping for thoughts from the folks I trust here who actually are using it, especially about experience with smoother cleaner tones on the lower power.  

The videos all seem to highlight how much break up you can get out of it dialed down.  We are looking for the cleaner tube sound, just under less power so we don’t deafen the cats.  

Also, tech nits aside, I thought MB was one of the better brands?  

Edited July 27 by PrairieDog

[Dub-T-123]

If you can afford to buy something custom from someone like badbluesplayer definitely go that way

 

If you want ease of maintenance and reliability you probably don’t want a new mass manufactured tube amp

[badbluesplayer]

I haven't played one of those amps yet.  My local GC doesn't have them.  My 335 likes the Princeton Reverb pretty well.  It's 1x10.  12 watts.  It's kind of part tweed, part deluxe reverb, as far as the frequency response.  It doesn't the half power switch, so you can't crank the preamp like you probably can with the Gibson.  But like any amp, it has to be pretty darn loud to make distortion anyway.

Fender makes a handwired '64 reissue, a '65 reissue and a '68 reissue.  Must sell pretty good.

Lookit!  OMG!

Edited July 27 by badbluesplayer

[Larsongs]

Some of the YouTube reviewers ask, why hasn’t anyone opened it up so you can see how it’s constructed?

It is surprising there are very few if any on this Forum who have bought one & their review of them?

I do want to try both Gibson Amps.

I liked the idea of a Mesa Boogie California Tweed & have been wanting to play one. Though some of the negative reviews of Mesa Boogie have diminished my enthusiasm somewhat. Especially the comments by Service Techs.

I think I’ll know right away how I like it. I have a 65 PRRI, 65 DRRI & a Twin. I also have a Vox AC10 & a Vox AC15 with Blue. So it will be a pretty easy comparison.

For Clean it’s hard to beat Fender. You can always get an Attenuator if volume is an issue. 

[PrairieDog]

9 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

Some of the YouTube reviewers ask, why hasn’t anyone opened it up so you can see how it’s constructed?

It is surprising there are very few if any on this Forum who have bought one & their review of them?

I do want to try both Gibson Amps.

I liked the idea of a Mesa Boogie California Tweed & have been wanting to play one. Though some of the negative reviews of Mesa Boogie have diminished my enthusiasm somewhat. Especially the comments by Service Techs.

I think I’ll know right away how I like it. I have a 65 PRRI, 65 DRRI & a Twin. I also have a Vox AC10 & a Vox AC15 with Blue. So it will be a pretty easy comparison.

For Clean it’s hard to beat Fender. You can always get an Attenuator if volume is an issue. 

Thanks Lars, that is good to know there are options.  Yeah we were pretty set on a Fender DRRI until I started really looking into the Falcon. But now I’m seeing folks saying the Princeton might be better for smaller spaces/cleaner sound.  Just getting dizzy trying to keep track of it all.  

I am surprised too there hasn’t been more chatter from folks picking them up here, or at least trying them.  I wonder if it’s just a basic access issue.  They’ve been out 6 months now, and up here in the Twin Cities there are only three in stock across all our stores, four if you count the one three hours away.    Maybe they are just slow getting available inventory out for test drives?

I can’t imagine ordering an amp without trying it out first.  

[sparquelito]

Man. 

I checked your local Craigslist for Minneapolis/St Paul. 
(Which is a fun thing for me to do, especially if I am ever planning to travel somewhere far from home.)

There's a Fender Super-Sonic 22 a few pages in, and a Tube Works Pro Valve 60  rig on the front page. 
Both all-tube, both made in the USA. and both reasonably priced. 
Espectially the Tube Works amp. 

Neither amp have the power attenuation button, though, and so neither are what you are probably wanting.
 
I only had one amp that ever featured that power step-down. 
It was a 2020 Monoprice Stage Right tube amp. 15 watt, 1x12 amp.
Fabulous, affordable, Chinese-made tube amplifier. A copy of the venerable Fender Blue Jr. I bought it because I had to try it. And I have always wanted a Blues Junior. But I didn’t want to spend the money.  
I later sold the Monoprice to get my collection leaned-down a bit. 


Speaking of the page one jewel I spoke of earlier, I once had a Tube Works (a 1992 vintage TD-752 Tube Driver) that I got used from an old friend years ago. 
It was a beast of an awesome tube amplifier. 
I don't remember exactly why I ever sold it. 

Probably needed the money for Veterinary bills. 

Anyway, since I'm going more and more for leaving the amplifiers at home for gigs (and going pedal board right into the PA mixer), I should probably just shut up now. 
I'm rambling. 
🤔


 

[kidblast]

Try the Tone Masters from Fender.   I have a blonde deluxe, and I simply love the thing.

I have 3 other amps, Marshalls, all tube amps, so yea, I know what a lot of people will say about these,

But I think they sound great,  And they have power attenuation features.  

 

[PrairieDog]

48 minutes ago, sparquelito said:

Man. 

I checked your local Craigslist for Minneapolis/St Paul. 
(Which is a fun thing for me to do, especially if I am ever planning to travel somewhere far from home.)

There's a Fender Super-Sonic 22 a few pages in, and a Tube Works Pro Valve 60  rig on the front page. 
Both all-tube, both made in the USA. and both reasonably priced. 
Espectially the Tube Works amp. 

Neither amp have the power attenuation button, though, and so neither are what you are probably wanting.
 
I only had one amp that ever featured that power step-down. 
It was a 2020 Monoprice Stage Right tube amp. 15 watt, 1x12 amp.
Fabulous, affordable, Chinese-made tube amplifier. A copy of the venerable Fender Blue Jr. I bought it because I had to try it. And I have always wanted a Blues Junior. But I didn’t want to spend the money.  
I later sold the Monoprice to get my collection leaned-down a bit. 


Speaking of the page one jewel I spoke of earlier, I once had a Tube Works (a 1992 vintage TD-752 Tube Driver) that I got used from an old friend years ago. 
It was a beast of an awesome tube amplifier. 
I don't remember exactly why I ever sold it. 

Probably needed the money for Veterinary bills. 

Anyway, since I'm going more and more for leaving the amplifiers at home for gigs (and going pedal board right into the PA mixer), I should probably just shut up now. 
I'm rambling. 
🤔


 

Naw, that’s all good.  I wish we had enough confidence to buy a used one.  Normally I would be all over that, but I’ve witnessed tubes frying out and burning up, and heard enough stories of such, I am just gun shy.  We were at our Music go round last week to check out a newer DRRI they had in, and our guy is a really good Joe, thank god.  He saw us looking at it, and piped right up that it worked fine when he brought it in, but something had happened to a couple of the pots he had to check out.  He thinks some kids may have been messing with it.  I don’t know if we would have caught that something was wrong,  he could have just watched us walk right out the door with it.  Anyway, that enough to remind what us warranties/return options are for.  

[PrairieDog]

5 minutes ago, kidblast said:

Try the Tone Masters from Fender.   I have a blonde deluxe, and I simply love the thing.

I have 3 other amps, Marshalls, all tube amps, so yea, I know what a lot of people will say about these,

But I think they sound great,  And they have power attenuation features.  

 

Thanks for this, still, TMs aren’t  tubes.   We do have the solid state.  The Mustang really isn’t a bad little amp, it has some great sounds.  I just thought the Supreme would really go to town on tubes.  

Edited July 28 by PrairieDog

[kidblast]

11 minutes ago, PrairieDog said:

Thanks for this, still, TMs aren’t  tubes.   We do have the solid state.  The Mustang really isn’t a bad little amp, it has some great sounds.  I just thought the Supreme would really go to town on tubes.  

I would not make the comparison of a Mustang with any of the Tone Masters series. 

I've had Mustangs, 2 of them. 

These are not those.

[PrairieDog]

7 minutes ago, kidblast said:

I would not make the comparison of a Mustang with any of the Tone Masters series. 

I've had Mustangs, 2 of them. 

These are not those.

Yeah, I realize that, I should have qualified it more.  It’s just I have a tube itch I’m trying to scratch right now… having said that, I’ve probably jinxed us that we’ll end up with a TM 😆

Edited July 28 by PrairieDog

[Dub-T-123]

20 hours ago, badbluesplayer said:

I haven't played one of those amps yet.  My local GC doesn't have them.  My 335 likes the Princeton Reverb pretty well.  It's 1x10.  12 watts.  It's kind of part tweed, part deluxe reverb, as far as the frequency response.  It doesn't the half power switch, so you can't crank the preamp like you probably can with the Gibson.  But like any amp, it has to be pretty darn loud to make distortion anyway.

Fender makes a handwired '64 reissue, a '65 reissue and a '68 reissue.  Must sell pretty good.

Lookit!  OMG!

I have to say that looks surprisingly good. I really wouldn’t mind having one, but just saw the cost and holy smokes.. $3K USD for that little guy. Unreal 

 

I respect fender for doing this but at that price I don’t imagine these will be flying off the shelves. I bet it’s a fantastic amp but makes me glad I’m not afraid of soldering lol

[PrairieDog]

18 minutes ago, Dub-T-123 said:

I have to say that looks surprisingly good. I really wouldn’t mind having one, but just saw the cost and holy smokes.. $3K USD for that little guy. Unreal 

 

I respect fender for doing this but at that price I don’t imagine these will be flying off the shelves. I bet it’s a fantastic amp but makes me glad I’m not afraid of soldering lol

So, okay, what is the diff between a Custom and a regular?  Is this what folks are talking about “hand wired?” Or is it the US vs import thing, or both? We were looking at the 1,499/1,699 versions of the Princeton and Deluxe

Edited July 28 by PrairieDog

[Larsongs]

To my ears the Tone Master are an improvement but still sound Solid State to me. Tube Amps still rule.

A new Fender 65 PRRI is a perfect Amp right out of the box. They sound excellent & need nothing. They do Clean & can get loud. And can get dirty too. They’re smaller, lighter & easy to travel with.

If you think you still need an Attenuator & are budget conscious they can be had from about $65.00 on up.. Here’s one example.

When you buy new ask for their lowest price. Usually you can get up to 20% off if you negot

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LittleBAB--jhs-little-black-amp-box-passive-amp-attenuator

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PrinceRev65--fender-65-princeton-reverb-15-watt-1x10-inch-tube-combo-amp

Edited July 28 by Larsongs

[Dub-T-123]

I’ve always kinda disliked the term “hand wired”. I can hand wire a PCB, it doesn’t mean anything. 
 

What they mean to imply is that the “hand wired” version is built using the old eyelet board style construction. In this style none of the pots or jacks or switches or tube sockets etc are mounted directly to a PCB, which greatly improves reliability and ease of maintenance. 
 

Most repair work could be done on the eyelet style construction without disassembling anything other than the cover panel. When all the hardware is board mounted things become so much more difficult to access and then whilst desoldering you may damage the delicate PCB traces/solder pads etc then you’re having even more fun. 
 

Another big problem with board mounted hardware is that the engineer will often PCB mount tube sockets to save money. This is pretty horrendous IMO because everytime you change the tubes you’re stressing the PCB. More so, in a case like the Korg AC30, you have a tube like a GZ34 that just gets screaming hot while the amp is in use. That heat transfers to the circuit board, and all that hot/cold cycling is not ideal for the PCB itself or surrounding components/hardware

 

part of the reason the Princeton Reverb is so expensive is because despite its small size, there are two additional tubes needed for the reverb and tremolo circuits. So with the 12ax7 and 12at7 of course being dual triodes, it’s like 4 more stages you’re working with

 

if you want a similar package but don’t need reverb and trem then the tweed Princeton is an extremely cool amp albeit not the same as a blackface Princeton without reverb and trem. You should be able to get one built very nicely for not a crazy amount of money. 

[Larsongs]

It is truly a matter of preference. I like Fenders’ Reverb & Tremelo. It is the Sound. I also like not needing extra Pedals to haul around.

I’ve owned Fender Amps for years. My Twin is about 20. My DRRI is about 15. My PRRI is about 13 years old. The Twin is used in the Studio almost every week. My DRRI & PRRI are used just about every other day respectively. They have PCB’s. I’ve never had a problem.

I do need to change Tubes occasionally.

[kidblast]

21 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

Yeah, I realize that, I should have qualified it more.  It’s just I have a tube itch I’m trying to scratch right now… having said that, I’ve probably jinxed us that we’ll end up with a TM 😆

yea I get it!  completely!

I do love the tube amps I have and they've been pretty reliable for me.

FWIW, if the new Falcon's are anything like the Gibson Goldtone amps were, I don't think you'll be disappointed

[PrairieDog]

24 minutes ago, kidblast said:

yea I get it!  completely!

I do love the tube amps I have and they've been pretty reliable for me.

FWIW, if the new Falcon's are anything like the Gibson Goldtone amps were, I don't think you'll be disappointed

That’s good to hear about your tubes.  I’ve been reading so many horror stories it’s nice to hear something that isn’t doom and gloom.  but I keep telling myself, if they were such unreliable disasters, tubes would have fallen off the face of the planet decades ago 😏 

As I understand it, they are “harkening back” to the GTs, but the new ones are dressed up Mesa Boogies, so not really a comparison.  I always really liked the MBs I knew, but that was back in the last century, chuckle. 

[kidblast]

4 minutes ago, PrairieDog said:

That’s good to hear about your tubes.  I’ve been reading so many horror stories it’s nice to hear something that isn’t doom and gloom.  but I keep telling myself, if they were such unreliable disasters, tubes would have fallen off the face of the planet decades ago 😏 

As I understand it, they are “harkening back” to the GTs, but the new ones are dressed up Mesa Boogies, so not really a comparison.  I always really liked the MBs I knew, but that was back in the last century, chuckle. 

I know  Tube amps can be finicky  it's not a myth.

I've been fortunate I guess, knock on wood and all.

The good thing about the Goldtones is they were all Class A, and did not need to be biased when you wanted to replace the tubes.

I had a GA30RVS,  it was the heaviest amp I think I've ever owned,  just under 90 lbs.  it sounded great but you did not want to move it.

 

 

[PrairieDog]

25 minutes ago, kidblast said:

I had a GA30RVS,  it was the heaviest amp I think I've ever owned,  just under 90 lbs.  it sounded great but you did not want to move it.

 

 

Umm yeah, weight is now a serious issue.  My wife, who is just learning about amps, naively went to test picking up a dual DRRI, and nearly dislocated a shoulder.  I tried to warn her…🥹

[kidblast]

fwiw,  tone master DLX RVB are like 25lbs.  😀

Edited July 29 by kidblast

[Larsongs]

A Fender 65 PRRI weighs about 15 lbs. A Vox AC-10 weighs about the same. Great Tube Amps! For most of us they’re all the Amp you’ll ever need. When you play Coliseum’s you can Mic them.