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Pedal platform amp opinions..?


Travis

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44 minutes ago, soli'd said:

No, in fact if that's what I implied I misspoke. I am VERY pleased with the amp, especially considering the price. The amount of work that goes into them far exceeds the cost, and they're built to order in 6-8 wks. Look at these guts! 

20171101_145552.jpg

I've been using it as a pedal platform for a couple years now with no reason to switch. It works very well in that role, namely for the reasons i mentioned earlier. Just playing it on its own it may come across as a bit tight or kinda plain vanilla, but those attributes also make it a good pedal platform.

That's really good to hear.  The only thing that has me hesitant at some of the boutique builders is something I read not too long ago while researching amps, maybe in the past day or so...  It said that tube amps need repair from time to time and everybody knows how to repair a Fender amp.  Some of the boutique builders require special certified repair shops or shipping the amp out but with a Fender pretty much everybody knows how to work on one of those.  I guess it's kind of like the difference between driving a Ford vs a Ferrari.  The Ford is a workhorse and will get the job done.  It's easier to find someone to repair a Ford.  The Ferrari can be an otherworldly experience but maintenance and repair costs are exponentially greater...

 

That being said, I do love my Ford F150...

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Looking more into the Fender Princeton: it seems to be a popular mod to throw in a 12" speaker to replace the stock 10".  I see that both Sweetwater and Guitar Center offer that mod for new amps.  Having no experience with 10" speakers aside from the Fender Bassman 4x10 my high school had for our jazz band that I played through before ever knowing what it was (I totally should have asked if I could buy it from my old high school...  maybe I should see if they still have it almost 25 years later...)

What is the general consensus on a 10" vs 12" speaker for non-mic'd and recording situations.  Meaning, when playing at home or at the occasional jam session when mic's aren't factored in, I feel like I would be better suited for a 12" speaker but am I just subscribing to the "bigger is better" school of thinking, in which case, I should just build a 1x15" cab and get a head...?

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1 hour ago, geoff_hartwell said:

The Princeton RIs are great! Definitely check out the reissue silver face deluxe, it’s even better than the originals and a killer pedal platform.

THIS ^^ I tried a Princeron RI and thought it sounded great!! Had a great clean tone and cranked a great classic rock tone!!

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3 hours ago, Travis said:

Looking more into the Fender Princeton: it seems to be a popular mod to throw in a 12" speaker to replace the stock 10".  I see that both Sweetwater and Guitar Center offer that mod for new amps.  Having no experience with 10" speakers aside from the Fender Bassman 4x10 my high school had for our jazz band that I played through before ever knowing what it was (I totally should have asked if I could buy it from my old high school...  maybe I should see if they still have it almost 25 years later...)

What is the general consensus on a 10" vs 12" speaker for non-mic'd and recording situations.  Meaning, when playing at home or at the occasional jam session when mic's aren't factored in, I feel like I would be better suited for a 12" speaker but am I just subscribing to the "bigger is better" school of thinking, in which case, I should just build a 1x15" cab and get a head...?

Bigger doesn’t always equal better.

Princeton 12 vs 10: 

It depends on a number of things, first and most importantly the sound you want.

 If you want to be able to play with a band, mated with the 10” it will cut through the mix really well. You’ll also have a nice, tight bass response, and when cranked your playing will be very articulate. when you push the amp hard, the overdrive from the 10 will be very familiar sounding. It kills. It also sounds nice playing at low volume. 

Princeton’s mated with 12” speakers sound very nice, and if you’re just going to play at home, it’s a decent way to go. If you use it in a live band situation, depending on how loud you get, while the bigger bass response may initially be attractive, it will be less articulate sounding and more difficult to cut through in a loud mix. If you’re playing with a band that’s not too loud, it will sound great.

One of my favorite amps is a BF Vibrolux Reverb that I put two 10” Weber alnicos in. All I can say is wow. Princetons with stock speakers sound great. Throw one of these bad boys in there and the sound will be over the top good. 

if you want the 12” sound, and will be occasionally playing in a loud band, you ought to consider a Deluxe Reverb. At 22 watts it will give you the sound and volume you need to be heard.

As for recording situations they all record fine, but if you want to record the amp’s natural distortion, the Princeton with a TEN is by far the way to go.

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36 minutes ago, gtrdaddy said:

Bigger doesn’t always equal better.

Princeton 12 vs 10: 

It depends on a number of things, first and most importantly the sound you want.

 If you want to be able to play with a band, mated with the 10” it will cut through the mix really well. You’ll also have a nice, tight bass response, and when cranked your playing will be very articulate. when you push the amp hard, the overdrive from the 10 will be very familiar sounding. It kills. It also sounds nice playing at low volume. 

Princeton’s mated with 12” speakers sound very nice, and if you’re just going to play at home, it’s a decent way to go. If you use it in a live band situation, depending on how loud you get, while the bigger bass response may initially be attractive, it will be less articulate sounding and more difficult to cut through in a loud mix. If you’re playing with a band that’s not too loud, it will sound great.

One of my favorite amps is a BF Vibrolux Reverb that I put two 10” Weber alnicos in. All I can say is wow. Princetons with stock speakers sound great. Throw one of these bad boys in there and the sound will be over the top good. 

if you want the 12” sound, and will be occasionally playing in a loud band, you ought to consider a Deluxe Reverb. At 22 watts it will give you the sound and volume you need to be heard.

As for recording situations they all record fine, but if you want to record the amp’s natural distortion, the Princeton with a TEN is by far the way to go.

I just walked passed a Vibrolux Reverb tonight locally and my wallet almost fell out on the floor. LOL Staying strong though, i'm good on amps. 

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37 minutes ago, bubs_42 said:

I just walked passed a Vibrolux Reverb tonight locally and my wallet almost fell out on the floor. LOL Staying strong though, i'm good on amps. 

I kind of feel like at this point I should just hand you my wallet and let you get me whatever it is that you want but can't justify...

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12 hours ago, gtrdaddy said:

Bigger doesn’t always equal better.

Princeton 12 vs 10: 

It depends on a number of things, first and most importantly the sound you want.

 If you want to be able to play with a band, mated with the 10” it will cut through the mix really well. You’ll also have a nice, tight bass response, and when cranked your playing will be very articulate. when you push the amp hard, the overdrive from the 10 will be very familiar sounding. It kills. It also sounds nice playing at low volume. 

Princeton’s mated with 12” speakers sound very nice, and if you’re just going to play at home, it’s a decent way to go. If you use it in a live band situation, depending on how loud you get, while the bigger bass response may initially be attractive, it will be less articulate sounding and more difficult to cut through in a loud mix. If you’re playing with a band that’s not too loud, it will sound great.

One of my favorite amps is a BF Vibrolux Reverb that I put two 10” Weber alnicos in. All I can say is wow. Princetons with stock speakers sound great. Throw one of these bad boys in there and the sound will be over the top good. 

if you want the 12” sound, and will be occasionally playing in a loud band, you ought to consider a Deluxe Reverb. At 22 watts it will give you the sound and volume you need to be heard.

As for recording situations they all record fine, but if you want to record the amp’s natural distortion, the Princeton with a TEN is by far the way to go.

Preach!!! I love my 10s! My 3 amp rig is 7x10. I made a baffle board to put a 12 in the Princeton when I first got it, but after I pulled the original Oxford and put a Kendrick 10" in, that was it! I might eventually build an extension cab for the 12, but the amp sings with that 10 when you push it, and more than 15 years on I still haven't felt the need to try a 12 instead.

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17 hours ago, Travis said:

That's really good to hear.  The only thing that has me hesitant at some of the boutique builders is something I read not too long ago while researching amps, maybe in the past day or so...  It said that tube amps need repair from time to time and everybody knows how to repair a Fender amp.  Some of the boutique builders require special certified repair shops or shipping the amp out but with a Fender pretty much everybody knows how to work on one of those.  I guess it's kind of like the difference between driving a Ford vs a Ferrari.  The Ford is a workhorse and will get the job done.  It's easier to find someone to repair a Ford.  The Ferrari can be an otherworldly experience but maintenance and repair costs are exponentially greater...

 

That being said, I do love my Ford F150...

My 62 Princeton came to me all original with a bad power tranny. Replaced that and the speaker, put on a 3 prong power cord and it hasn't needed anything else. Even the tubes are original. Tube amps sometimes need caps and resistors in specific locations replaced periodically, but many require little more than microphonic preamp tubes being replaced and the occasional new power tubes (and phase inverter) and rebias, and quality tubes can make all the difference in longevity.

All tube amps, be it a vintage blackface or a modern boutique amp, share common designs and basic architecture. A good amp tech or builder can service almost any tube amp. Unless you buy something from a builder like Jelle Welagen (who makes amazing Dumble and Trainwreck inspired amps), you can most likely have the local "go-to" tech handle it for you. If you are buying something in that price range, however, potentially needing to send it in to the original builder isn't gonna be the deciding factor in the purchase.

Also, the electrical components in an amp are pretty standard stuff, and save for custom transformers that might only be available for replacement by sending it back "home," there's very little in a high priced boutique amp you yourself couldn't buy. If it's out of warranty (or you aren't the original owner, since most warranties don't transfer), there's no reason to be gun-shy about a depreciated boutique amp. Everything (almost) is based on a Fender, Marshall, Vox, or some combination of parts of different circuits similar to the above. Unless the builder is paranoid (like Dumble) about someone "stealing" their secrets, and they encased components in black epoxy to hide their markings, most amps look pretty similar when you open them up, so a competent tech can handle most basic maintenance on the vast majority of designs, regardless of builder or brand.

Ford or Ferrari, an oil change is an oil change. Drain it, change the filter, refill it. The price gouging happens at the dealership. Take it to a local garage instead. 😉

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14 hours ago, gtrdaddy said:

That bad-boy has your name all over it Shawn  :lol:

I know right, but really trying to real it in. ;) 

14 hours ago, Travis said:

I kind of feel like at this point I should just hand you my wallet and let you get me whatever it is that you want but can't justify...

That can be done, there is only a couple amps and guitar that failed to acquire before shutting the road show down. Fenders are great platform amps, you have a slight scoop in the mid that take well to TS Type pedals or any pedal really that taylor the midrange as part of the effect. Getting a neutral speaker may sound like a bore, but you will be amazed that it lets your pedals shine. I did not play through that amps, but I did venture over to GC and play the 66 Princeton that they have again. A Princeton, Bassman, Bandmaster, Deluxe or a variant of those would be a great choice. 

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I like the amp on the verge of breakup and interact w the drive pedal. Ive had success for my tone ( Im going for a mini jimi beck trower ritchie b ) via

Tophat Club Royale

Fender pro jr

3 monkey sock monkey

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The Reverend Goblin 5/15 watt amp with its custom Mojotone 1x12 combo cab or Reverend Kingsnake 1x12 combo amp are my current gig amps with my Fractal Audio FX-8 floor processor for the clean pedal platform tube amps. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Guitar George

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The Pro Jr can be flipping loud, but also a good amp for pedals. I had completely forgot about that one. 

10 hours ago, it's me HHB said:

I like the amp on the verge of breakup and interact w the drive pedal. Ive had success for my tone ( Im going for a mini jimi beck trower ritchie b ) via

Tophat Club Royale

Fender pro jr

3 monkey sock monkey

 

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On 10/25/2019 at 1:49 PM, Travis said:

I hadn't heard that Eddie story before, it's funny as that reminds me a lot about how I once snagged a '62 Blonde Bassman head...found it in the Bargain Post back when I lived in the Chicago area in the mid-'90's, the ad read: 'needs work, $300'.  I get to the guys house, and the speaker he was using was plugged into the Ext. Spkr. jack, not the regular Spkr. jack that he should have been plugged into...and it sounded really anemic.  I switched the speaker cable over to the Spkr. jack, and the amp perked right up!  Needless to say, I bought the amp on the spot, before he could change his mind.  Moral: know thy gear. :rolleyes: :lol:

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I'll give a nod to the Frenzel camp. I have the Sweet Lil AC15. It is built incredibly well. The clean channel is just a volume knob and nothing more. The boost channel is RockandfuckingRoll. Has a ton of features (5/10/15W, 4-8-16 ohm, etc).

I was considering a Fender Bassbreaker 15 (great reviews everywhere) but for about the same money a hand-built USA-made Frenzel would beat its ass to dust. Best bang-for-the-buck I've seen anywhere.

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8 hours ago, hamerhead said:

I'll give a nod to the Frenzel camp. I have the Sweet Lil AC15. It is built incredibly well. The clean channel is just a volume knob and nothing more. The boost channel is RockandfuckingRoll. Has a ton of features (5/10/15W, 4-8-16 ohm, etc).

I was considering a Fender Bassbreaker 15 (great reviews everywhere) but for about the same money a hand-built USA-made Frenzel would beat its ass to dust. Best bang-for-the-buck I've seen anywhere.

This thread practically had me convinced of getting a Princeton. I’ve been looking at the Bassbreakers as well. Perhaps I should spend a little more time checking out the Frenzels...

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On 10/27/2019 at 9:47 PM, crunchee said:

I hadn't heard that Eddie story before, it's funny as that reminds me a lot about how I once snagged a '62 Blonde Bassman head...found it in the Bargain Post back when I lived in the Chicago area in the mid-'90's, the ad read: 'needs work, $300'.  I get to the guys house, and the speaker he was using was plugged into the Ext. Spkr. jack, not the regular Spkr. jack that he should have been plugged into...and it sounded really anemic.  I switched the speaker cable over to the Spkr. jack, and the amp perked right up!  Needless to say, I bought the amp on the spot, before he could change his mind.  Moral: know thy gear. :rolleyes: :lol:

I ran a 64 super reverb like this all the time as a kid

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23 hours ago, Travis said:

This thread practically had me convinced of getting a Princeton. I’ve been looking at the Bassbreakers as well. Perhaps I should spend a little more time checking out the Frenzels...

Bassbreakers are throwaway amps. I'd stay clear, no matter how the "reviews" are. Buy something that will last, the Frenzel's are a good option. Like Hamerhead said, just contact them and see if they can steer you in the right direction. Your still close enough to enough stores to get out and put your guitar into some amps, and that is the best way to go. 

 

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