65 princeton ri possible wrong reverb can installed by service tech

Last year I had my 65 princeton ri, serviced. I had bought it new, and the date of manufacture stamped inside the cabinet says 03/03/2017.

Anyway I had had an issue with the amp that a local authorized tech troubleshot down to a defective reverb can. He replaced the reverb can and it has worked fine ever since.

I had never asked him at the time if he replaced it with the stock reverb can and not a similar, nor aftermarket, nor anything else but the stock can that should be in it, as came from the factory, for that model, for that month, and and year.

Well, last night i was bored and decided to take the lower back off the amp and take a peak at the reverb can.

What i found raised an eyebrow because it wasn't what i was expecting. I found a model “ruby tubes” ruby reverberation unit model RRVL2AB1C1BV4.


I called fender to voice my concern but they weren't specific enough as to what should be in it. I guess they get tons of questions like this and did not want to research this in depth.

i went on line and pulled the specs for this unit and noted the decay time is listed as shorter than what other fender princeton ri’s reverb units have. Others have a 2 to 4 second delay specification. What was installed by the service tech on this unit is listed as a 1 to 2 sec delay.

I was wondering if anyone here could help and has the same amp from the same year around the same month who can confirm this is what is in theirs too. I dont think what i have is what should be in there.

thanks in advance

Have you tried contacting the tech who serviced the amp?

It could be that FMIC is now sourcing their reverb tanks from Ruby instead of the more common Korean-made Accutronics units of the past. Fender will do literally anything to squeeze an extra nickel's worth of profit from their products and if the Ruby tank is less expensive then that's what they'll furnish their customers.

How does it sound? Maybe it's an upgrade!

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Originally Posted by phantomman

Have you tried contacting the tech who serviced the amp

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phantonman, no i did not want to contact the tech yet. I wanted to have my facts lined up in a row in case he tried to give me an alternate story or excuse as to what is suppose to be there. If its the wrong reverb tank, then yes i will be contacting him. Thanks for chiming in.

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Originally Posted by Offshore Angler

How does it sound? Maybe it's an upgrade!

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haha. Yeah i get it. This amp had the issue with the reverb right out of the box when new. I bought this amp from one of the internet sellers. I did not audition the amp nor any other princeton before i bought this one. What i’m saying is that im not sure what a perfectly running princeton reverb ri with the correct reverb tank is suppose to sound like. Since the fix it hassounded beutiful, but maybe im suppose to have a tank with a longer delay and its suppose to sound even better...

If I'm suppose to have a 4 second reverb and it got fixed with only a 2 second reverb, then by golly, hells bells, yippi doo daa, I want my extra 2 seconds. Kidding asside though, i want whats suppose to be in there. I want to make it right. I’ll make my own upgrades latter if they require it.

thanks for chiming in.

It looks like that tank was/is installed in some PRRIs at the factory.

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Originally Posted by Don

It looks like that tank was/is installed in some PRRIs at the factory.

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Hi Don, where did you derive this info from?

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Originally Posted by BoeingMan

Hi Don, where did you derive this info from?

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I Googled RRVL2AB1C1BV4 and found a couple of links implying that this tank was found stock in some PRRIs.

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Sweetwate...%20Reverb.html

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Originally Posted by Don

I Googled RRVL2AB1C1BV4 and found a couple of links implying that this tank was found stock in some PRRIs.

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Sweetwate...%20Reverb.html

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Great info thanks!!!

Your link documents that at least on a “2019” princeton ri “fsr” it has that model reverb. Now if i could only confirm this reverb should also be installed in my “exact march 2017” build date plain non fsr princeton ri

again great info!!

Can you post pics?

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Originally Posted by Sérgio

Can you post pics?

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Unable to post pics, but if you go to the link provided in a post by Don above, you will see pics over there.

If you scroll to the bottom you can see that this reverb unit is installed on 65 princeton ri tweed fsr built in april 2019. I wanted to know if a non tweed fsr princeton built in march of 2017, like mine that was repaired, is supposed to have that model reverb tank in it. I think my tech may have installed the wrong tank. I think the regular march built
princetons are suppose to have the longer reverb decay tanks, and possibly by another manufacturer too, as i stated in my original post. Was wondering if anyone with a build from March 2017 could take a peak in their princeton and check.

thanks

Good reverb tanks are inexpensive, and it would be a simple matter to swap another tank into your amp. If you like the sound, leave it!
I took an 8 series tank out of a Peavey VK, and installed a 4 series which I think sounded much better/fuller, but last year while refurbing a Fender BJ, I found the short tank out of the Peavey sounded pretty good in it.

I don't believe there are any circuit differences between the regular '65 PRRI and the one in the link I provided so I wouldn't worry about compatibility. Regarding the difference in decay time, I'd welcome the shorter duration. I find the decay in Fender's reverb to be too long.

Thanks Don good to know.

As long as the reverb tank sounds right, and is the proper impedance for the circuit, you should be fine. Ruby Tubes, MOD, Belton, Accutronics, etc., all make 'Fender Style' spring reverb units. They're kind of commodity items now...not a whole lot of difference between them nowadays.

Can't remember what I put in my BFPR reproduction...I want to say Accutronics, but it could have been a Belton. Ruby makes decent stuff though, I wouldn't sweat it personally.



Gratuitous amp porn (Phantomman gave me that speaker - I like it in the PRRP :D ):

http://www.tjadamowicz.com/amps/gall...RP/PRRP-42.jpg

http://www.tjadamowicz.com/amps/gall...RP/PRRP-30.jpg


Click here for the project thread of the build. Geez...has it been that long?!

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Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar

Click here for the project thread of the build. Geez...has it been that long?!

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I enjoyed re-reading that!