Best Fender tone for around $850 ?

[phantomman]

BTW, BF amps have MDF baffles too.

"Baffle boards were made of plywood from 1946 to 1962. Particle board (some call it MDF - medium density fiberboard) baffles debuted in 1963 and were used through the early 1980s. The baffle board was removable on amps made from 1948 to about 1972 and glued-in thereafter."

Indeed they were, Rick. I debated long and hard about that when building some repros. Ultimately I decided "good enough for Leo, good enough for me" and chose particle-board for the baffles.

I won't dispute the description of your TR and VR cabs since I know you wouldn't deliberately misrepresent anything. I can only report on my own observations with my gear. Apparently in the late 70s CBS era, many different methods were employed for building the furniture. But I think it all substantiates the claims that these cabinets were not as sturdy as those of the BF era and did not sound as good. That said, it's something that can be fixed to make the SF amps sound better, albeit at some cost. Coupled with some minor circuit tweaks and decent tubes and speakers, there's no reason that a SF amp won't provide decades of enjoyable service.

[boobtube21]

More decades of service than some of the amps being built today, that's for sure...

[Wilko]

The smaller amps like the Princeton got fewer changes as they were lower on the totem pole. I've never heard a Princeton Reverb that I didn't love.

[John Richards]

Damn, I put in my new Slider 57 pickups in the Strat, went to Guitar Center and tried the Princeton Reverb next to the Blues Deluxe. They both sound GREAT with the Strat, especially the Princeton with its sparkle, each one unique in tone. A guitarist/sales guy also recommended the Blues Junior with the Jensen. That also sounded great, especially with the "fat" button pushed. I'm thinking that I would like a little punchier bass tone so I'm considering putting my Weber California ceramic 10 in the Princeton. Any comments on that combination? What a wonderful set of choices!

I also got the Italian Jensen to try in my SCXD. We'll see what that sounds like this weekend.

Thanks again to everyone. I'm in tone heaven. The Princeton definitely gives me the Hendrix sound I like the most.

[John Richards]

Another option for glassy Fender tone, if you're just using it at home, is the Superchamp XD with the right speaker in it. I have a well broken in Jensen C10Q in mine and it's real glassy- more in the direction of my Vibrolux Reverb and Super Reverb than my Princeton Reverb was!

Hey Don, you are absolutely right about the Jensen C10Q and the SCXD. I put it in this morning, and wow, major improvement in tone over the Weber Cali ceramic and the original SCXD unmarked speaker. It's got that natural small bit of crunchy distortion that adds some sparkle and bell tone. Obviously not to the degree of the bigger Fenders, but for $48, I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you.

I'll break it in over the coming week and I'm sure it will get looser and cooler.

I still love the Weber Cali ceramic, so I'm putting it in a closed back cabinet as an extension speaker for specific needs.

Now I have to come up with some creative reasons to buy a top-of-the-line Fender for the tone.

Thanks again,

John

PS. When I was in San Francisco Guitar Center yesterday listening to all the Fenders, a woman came in with a 71 Bandmaster, both head and giant cabinet. She wanted to trade it for a 10" Roland Cube (like $300), but Guitar Center told her no because when you turned up the reverb, the amp squealed like a pig. When I was finished with my sound comparisons, she was gone. What in incredible dumbass I am!!!! I could have had a 71 bandmaster for $300! Probably needed a couple of tubes or caps or resistors. I think I get the annual dumbass award for this.

[hippiebob01]

Probably just a bad reverb tube. Not like the idiots at GC would know what that means though.

[John Richards]

Here's the Super Champ XD with the Jensen C10Q:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=8687687

I still need a Princeton or something like it, but I like the SCXD tone with the C10Q.

[FrankJohnson]

I would consider one of these used right there with a DRRI.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...ELAID=26039703


One of the guys that sometimes plays with us uses one among a few other tasty originals.......this one (reissue I guess) is his main gig amp when he doesn't want to bring the vintage stuff.


Used it might be right in the ball park.....and have a little more clean head room.

Blues Jr will not give you clean head room. but can be a good backup. It is defiantly loud enough though.

[blewgrass]

Princeton Reverb Reissue: $1000
hand wired princeton reverb (silver face) : $1000-$1200

Is this a no brainer or what? Why... I say why is this so difficult for people to understand?

Play some vintage fender amps and then play some vintage ones... preferably with vintage well played (but not blown) speakers...

your ears should tell you the difference.

cheers.

[Wilko]

$650

eBay Princeton Reverb

[phantomman]

And for a REAL TREAT......

http://cgi.ebay.com/FENDER-ORANGE-VI...item53df5dbb27

[blewgrass]

Nice Wilco... your find solidifies the no brainer here... That winner scored!

You can wrap the reissue in pink sparke leather with snakeskin accents and you still aren't any closer to a hand wired amp..

The reissue sounds fine but for $350 less than the reissue, you can have vintage!

[Wilko]

I had friend looking for a good amp (older man, mostly bluegrass banjo picker, plays at home, maybe a rare jam). I made him buy a Princeton Reverb about 8 years ago. Got a real nice cherry SF for 650 on eBay. I shoulda got one then. They are bit pricey these days, but they sure sound good.

[Don]

I was just asked to accompany a fried who was auditioning for a traditional country band (He was trying out on bass. This band is newly forming and doesn't have a guitarist yet. Just the drummer, singer, my bass playing friend and I were there.). I was asked to provide a "Fender sound".

I brought my USACG T-Style (blackguard Tele) and my SCXD with a Jensen C10Q speaker. I used the regular channel and voice 1 with the gain at 8. I also used the amp's reverb and delay. It sounded great. No one complained, in fact, they seemed to like it and were shocked to hear that it was a $200 amp.

Not bad for $230 (I bought the amp and pedal on sale for $200 and the speaker slightly used for about $30)!

It's not quite as great sounding as my '68 Princeton Reverb was but I use it where I used to use my PR with satisfying results.

[John Richards]

I'm looking at a 1999 Vibrolux Reverb tomorrow for $700. We'll see...

[Wilko]

a 1999 vibrolux reverb is likely not like avibrolux reverb. Look for a tube rectifier.

You may like it just fine. They have a bit more headroom thana real one, butsound a little "thinner" to my ears. Some think that the tighter bottom makes up for it.

[phantomman]

a 1999 vibrolux reverb is likely not like avibrolux reverb. Look for a tube rectifier.

Dittos with the late '70s SF Super Reverbs and Pro Reverbs. The S/S rectifier makes them sound tinny and weak.

[John Richards]

The 99 Vibrolux didn't thrill me. A few good sounds, especially with the Tele, but not much sparkle and depth for the Strat. I looked at a 79 Princeton Reverb for $750. Sounds really good with both the Strat and the Tele. Not very much bass, but the sparkle is wonderful. I'm thinking to hook up extension speakers to add depth to the bass. So many choices...

[phantomman]

A thoughtfully-selected speaker will put some grunt into a PR's bottom end.

[John Richards]

I would build a Weber 6A14 or 6A20.

A Weber 6A14 head is EXACTLY what I need:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeJ8Q...eature=related

This one on youtube has a mid control on the back to lower the mid frequencies, which helps get what I want even more (it's 32 watts instead of 14, I just need 14). After listening to dozens of new and used amps, this single channel Weber Blackface Showman with reverb is just right. Guess I have to add it to the projects list, unless someone knows of a '60's Showman head with reverb for under $500. Doing the soldering is no problem, just finding the time. The Weber 12F150 sounds very good in the demo. I'll have to play with speakers after getting the head.

[boobtube21]

PS. When I was in San Francisco Guitar Center yesterday listening to all the Fenders, a woman came in with a 71 Bandmaster, both head and giant cabinet. She wanted to trade it for a 10" Roland Cube (like $300), but Guitar Center told her no because when you turned up the reverb, the amp squealed like a pig. When I was finished with my sound comparisons, she was gone. What in incredible dumbass I am!!!! I could have had a 71 bandmaster for $300! Probably needed a couple of tubes or caps or resistors. I think I get the annual dumbass award for this.

This seriously almost made me cry!