Jump to content

Thinking about building a Fender Princeton


TheRymanChu

Recommended Posts

  • Members

I've been home with the flu and reading up on building blackface and brown Fenders. I've been seriously considering building a blackface Princeton Reverb or brown Princeton. I would like to put better than spec transformers in it so it can run 6L6s. I'd like to put an FX loop in it. I like the London Power tube-buffered loop and the Metro loop. I think I'd rather it be a head than a combo. Where can I find plans and parts lists? Which components should I be using? I don't know the difference between, sprague, orange-drop, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by Kap'n View Post
Build the 6G2 brown over the blackface anyday.

A loop seems like a silly thing to put into an amp like that. It only has two gain stages.
Why do you say the 6G2? I know it only has 2 gain stages, but my thinking was to add reverb with my rocktron in the loop. Plus I use distortion pedals a good amount, not fuzz or boost, but distortion.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by Kap'n View Post
Build the 6G2 brown over the blackface anyday.

A loop seems like a silly thing to put into an amp like that. It only has two gain stages.
Why do you say the 6G2? I know it only has 2 gain stages, but my thinking was to add reverb with my rocktron in the loop. Plus I use distortion pedals a good amount, not fuzz or boost, but distortion.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by TheRymanChu View Post
I've been home with the flu and reading up on building blackface and brown Fenders. I've been seriously considering building a blackface Princeton Reverb or brown Princeton. I would like to put better than spec transformers in it so it can run 6L6s. I'd like to put an FX loop in it. I like the London Power tube-buffered loop and the Metro loop. I think I'd rather it be a head than a combo. Where can I find plans and parts lists? Which components should I be using? I don't know the difference between, sprague, orange-drop, etc.
Why not just buy a SF Bandmaster or Bassman?

Quote Originally Posted by Kap'n View Post
The tone stack in the AA964 loses a lot of gain, and just sounds wimpy.
That's plain silly.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by TheRymanChu View Post
I've been home with the flu and reading up on building blackface and brown Fenders. I've been seriously considering building a blackface Princeton Reverb or brown Princeton. I would like to put better than spec transformers in it so it can run 6L6s. I'd like to put an FX loop in it. I like the London Power tube-buffered loop and the Metro loop. I think I'd rather it be a head than a combo. Where can I find plans and parts lists? Which components should I be using? I don't know the difference between, sprague, orange-drop, etc.
Why not just buy a SF Bandmaster or Bassman?

Quote Originally Posted by Kap'n View Post
The tone stack in the AA964 loses a lot of gain, and just sounds wimpy.
That's plain silly.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Quote Originally Posted by sled

View Post

That's plain silly.

 

No. See the second half of my note. The non-reverb BF/SF Princeton is probably the least valuable of the classic Fender push-pull combos, with perhaps the exception of the MusicMaster Bass, while the reverb version has skyrocketed in the past few years. My guess is that a LOT of other people share my view.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Quote Originally Posted by sled

View Post

That's plain silly.

 

No. See the second half of my note. The non-reverb BF/SF Princeton is probably the least valuable of the classic Fender push-pull combos, with perhaps the exception of the MusicMaster Bass, while the reverb version has skyrocketed in the past few years. My guess is that a LOT of other people share my view.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

To be clear, as I said in the OP, I'm debating between the AA1164 bf princeton reverb and the 6G2 brown princeton. I'd also consider an AA763 build, but the tremolo is better on the princetons. I'm not interested in a bassman, bandmaster or bf princeton.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

To be clear, as I said in the OP, I'm debating between the AA1164 bf princeton reverb and the 6G2 brown princeton. I'd also consider an AA763 build, but the tremolo is better on the princetons. I'm not interested in a bassman, bandmaster or bf princeton.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by TheRymanChu View Post
To be clear, as I said in the OP, I'm debating between the AA1164 bf princeton reverb and the 6G2 brown princeton.
Sorry, missed the "reverb." The 6G2 is an easier build obviously, and is much more tweedlike in circuit - it's the same schematically as a tweed Vibrolux. I've got one, and I like it, but I like my other amps more. The 6G2 is very picky about speakers.

The Princeton Reverb is also a nice circuit as well. Cleans are more what people think of as Fender clean, but I don't particularly like how they sound pushed - the 6G2 is better for that.

Both amps get a bit squishy and swamp the tremolo when pushed.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by TheRymanChu View Post
To be clear, as I said in the OP, I'm debating between the AA1164 bf princeton reverb and the 6G2 brown princeton.
Sorry, missed the "reverb." The 6G2 is an easier build obviously, and is much more tweedlike in circuit - it's the same schematically as a tweed Vibrolux. I've got one, and I like it, but I like my other amps more. The 6G2 is very picky about speakers.

The Princeton Reverb is also a nice circuit as well. Cleans are more what people think of as Fender clean, but I don't particularly like how they sound pushed - the 6G2 is better for that.

Both amps get a bit squishy and swamp the tremolo when pushed.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Kap'n or any others. I will use this amp for church. I play with a drummer, a bassist, a baby grand piano or organ, and a full chorus. I usually mic for foh. I think the choice is down to the 6G2, AA1164 bfpr, or AB763 bf vibroverb. I want the most sparkly cleans. I think the bfvv would give that. I don't do leads very often in this group. Would it be possible to put the bfpr tremolo on a bfvv?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Kap'n or any others. I will use this amp for church. I play with a drummer, a bassist, a baby grand piano or organ, and a full chorus. I usually mic for foh. I think the choice is down to the 6G2, AA1164 bfpr, or AB763 bf vibroverb. I want the most sparkly cleans. I think the bfvv would give that. I don't do leads very often in this group. Would it be possible to put the bfpr tremolo on a bfvv?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by TheRymanChu View Post
Kap'n or any others. I will use this amp for church. I play with a drummer, a bassist, a baby grand piano or organ, and a full chorus. I usually mic for foh. I think the choice is down to the 6G2, AA1164 bfpr, or AB763 bf vibroverb. I want the most sparkly cleans. I think the bfvv would give that. I don't do leads very often in this group. Would it be possible to put the bfpr tremolo on a bfvv?
If you're looking at cleans, of those choices I would go with the AA1164 Princeton Reverb or the AB763 Vibtroverb for sure, probably the AB763, if weight/size are not a concern. If you are imaginative it is not hard to stick the 6G16 bias wiggle tremolo into the AB763 circuit - which is pretty close to the PR tremolo - warm rich and smooth, and less likely to get swamped. I've done the mod on existing amps - it works fine with the standard eyelet board.

Don't overlook the AA763 (my favorite) or AB763 Deluxe Reverb schematic. About midway in weight and power between the Princetons and the Vibroverb, and you can put that 6G16 trem in there as well. I've got a kit on order for one of these. I'm sticking with optotrem, but I am going to build it as a 2x10.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by TheRymanChu View Post
Kap'n or any others. I will use this amp for church. I play with a drummer, a bassist, a baby grand piano or organ, and a full chorus. I usually mic for foh. I think the choice is down to the 6G2, AA1164 bfpr, or AB763 bf vibroverb. I want the most sparkly cleans. I think the bfvv would give that. I don't do leads very often in this group. Would it be possible to put the bfpr tremolo on a bfvv?
If you're looking at cleans, of those choices I would go with the AA1164 Princeton Reverb or the AB763 Vibtroverb for sure, probably the AB763, if weight/size are not a concern. If you are imaginative it is not hard to stick the 6G16 bias wiggle tremolo into the AB763 circuit - which is pretty close to the PR tremolo - warm rich and smooth, and less likely to get swamped. I've done the mod on existing amps - it works fine with the standard eyelet board.

Don't overlook the AA763 (my favorite) or AB763 Deluxe Reverb schematic. About midway in weight and power between the Princetons and the Vibroverb, and you can put that 6G16 trem in there as well. I've got a kit on order for one of these. I'm sticking with optotrem, but I am going to build it as a 2x10.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...