Fender reissue amps?

[Jazzman301]

I'm debating between a deluxe reverb or Princeton reverb reissue amp. I'm thinking the deluxe will more than handle gigs with a drummer. My buddy uses a deluxe on big band gigs and never turns up much past 3-4. I really dig the sound of the Princeton despite the smaller speaker.

I mostly play at home or small venues and duet gigs with another guitar.

Thanks for your time and information.

'Moe

[Jonathan0996]

I'd go with the Deluxe. All things being equal you'll never regret having a little more power and headroom.

[Patrick2]

I agree with Jonathan on the Deluxe Reverb. I'd also recommend looking into Allessandro point to pint wiring upgrade on the DRRI. A few bucks more. But, tone to die for.

Fender Deluxe Reverb Hand-Wired By George Alessandro - Used

[Patrick2]

Alessandro Rewired 65 Fender Deluxe Reverb RI

[barrymclark]

I played both somewhat recently. I loved both.

The distinct difference I recall between them was that the Deluxe had a thicker sound. Not annoyingly so... just bigger. Makes sense all things considered.

If it were me, I agree with Patrick. I'd go with the bigger of the two if the weight didn't annoy me.

My Starlite will have much in common with the Deluxe when in the second channel and the mids max'd.

[monkmiles]

If you don't mind the extra weight, the Deluxe makes sense. Though I've owned the Princeton Reissue for 6 years and it is my most used amp and often enough clean headroom for me. I've gone through trying a couple speakers and have settled on a 12" Eminence Lil Texas and a 5751 preamp tube (together both help with volume and headroom).

While I too would prefer a handwired board, Fender has been making the reissues for a long time (especially the DRRI) and their pcb design has held up well.

[cosmic gumbo]

I'd go with a Princeton for your needs, or even a Super Champ XD.

[D.G.]

I've had both -- the Princeton is my ideal amp. The Deluxe is also good, but heavier and Strat unfriendly As far as headroom and drummer friendliness, the Deluxe wins, but really only by a bit. The difference between 15watts and 22 watts is much less than you might think. Put a high efficiency speaker in a Princeton and it'll keep up with a stock Deluxe. I don't like 12's so I'm not keen on the 12" baffle in a Princeton, but YMMV.

For some drummers, 22watts won't cut it and you'll need 40watts min. For other drummers, 15watts can be a bit loud. It depends on the drummer

I own several amps and choose the right power/tone for the gig. Which means either the Princeton or a Quilter.

[mad dog]

I played through a friend's '68 Deluxe Reverb RI. The silverface looking one. Really liked it. Especially the fact that you could jumper the channels, something that's not possible on the originals. Reverb on both channels in that amp. Being able to jumper channels opened up new sounds at lower volume especially.
MD

[Longways to Go]

Happy 65 PRRI owner here.

I kinda jones for a DRRI every so often, but then I think of the size & weight . . . and . . . not going there.

Sometime less is more. at least for me

[Jazzman301]

Wish I could hear more back to back comparisons of these. Tough to find jazz demos of either of these on YT. I know Tim Lerch plays a deluxe reverb amongst other amps and always sounds glorious. I currently have a 67 Ampeg Reverberocket II which is close to a DR in watts and size. 12" Speaker with a killer reverb. Perhaps I'll grab a PRRI just to cover another sonic possibility?

Thanks for the input and keep it coming.

'Moe

[Mark M.]

I have a DRRI and I like it a lot. I don't mind the weight. However, my other amp is a Twin Reverb RI, so by comparison the DRRI is lightweight.

[TLerch]

I use one of 4 fender amps depending on the situation and a few higher powered amps as well for outdoors things or loud Blues gigs.
The Blues Jr is ok for rehearsals etc especially if I need a little grit at lower volumes. the Princeton Reverb (replaced output transformer) is great for solo gigs and small club things but it doesn't have the headroom for Jazz when there is a drummer present. The Deluxe Reverb is my basic go to amp for just about anything and I use a Sunyside K-Verb (40 watts like a vibrolux Reverb) a lot too especially when the headroom is needed (organ trio etc) I love em all until i get the wrong one on the wrong gig, thats why i have so many and keep a DRRI in my trunk.
you can never have too many amps, especially tube amps since you never know when one will fail.

all the best
Tim

[blkjazz]

I've had both -- the Princeton is my ideal amp. The Deluxe is also good, but heavier and Strat unfriendly

The deluxe reverb is Strat unfriendly? You have to be kidding.

[monkmiles]

I use one of 4 fender amps depending on the situation and a few higher powered amps as well for outdoors things or loud Blues gigs.
The Blues Jr is ok for rehearsals etc especially if I need a little grit at lower volumes. the Princeton Reverb (replaced output transformer) is great for solo gigs and small club things but it doesn't have the headroom for Jazz when there is a drummer present. The Deluxe Reverb is my basic go to amp for just about anything and I use a Sunyside K-Verb (40 watts like a vibrolux Reverb) a lot too especially when the headroom is needed (organ trio etc) I love em all until i get the wrong one on the wrong gig, thats why i have so many and keep a DRRI in my trunk.
you can never have too many amps, especially tube amps since you never know when one will fail.

all the best
Tim

Totally agree with Tim on having a few tube amps for different playing situations. I get a lot of mileage with my PRRI though, mainly because of a loud 12" speaker in it (102db, Eminence Lil Texas) and a lower gain preamp v1 tube. But then I have a blackfaced '71 Bandmaster that I have in a 2x10 combo cabinet, makes it sort of like a Vibroluxe minus the reverb and with plenty of clean headroom. Those two Amos get me through organ trio gigs and rehearsals. Then a little Champion 600 to use at home. But I would like a Champ flavored combo for lower volume situations when I don't need the PRRI.

[Greentone]

Like TL erch, I have a selection of Fender amps to meet the needs of the moment. I used to do the Blackface amp thing and had amps from the Champ, Vibro Champ, Deluxe Reverb, Pro Reverb, Twin Reverb, and Showman on hand. That's a lot of Fender iron (and Jensen/Oxford speakers). The Showman, by the way, was a GLORIOUS amplifier for jazz. It was just too damned big and a PITA to carry around. It sure sounded wonderful, however, at home. _Every one_ of those amps is gone, now. (Oh, I used to also have a Pro Jr and Blues Jr. The Blues Jr was on hand for whenever anybody wanted to borrow an amp. The Pro Jr was actually one of my main gigging amps--it was an absolute killer; it was bought by a touring rock band and subsequently used for extensive gigging and recording.)

Now, I use an array of tweed amps the same way. (I have a Fender Reverb Unit, so the absence of reverb is not a problem.) I have a Champ, a Deluxe, a Pro, and a Bassman. These amps work for home, recording, and gigging situations, providing and "Fender" sound in different packages and different volume/headroom combinations.

For me, the most useful amplifier is the Deluxe, at 15-watts with a single-12" speaker. I use it for everything from jazz to blues to rock. GREAT amplifier.

FWIW, if you want the Fender reissue amp, and want the one that provides the most utility for the bucks, I would recommend the DRRI.

[Melodic Dreamer]

The deluxe reverb is Strat unfriendly? You have to be kidding.

That's what I was thinking. A Strat and a Deluxe is a match made in heaven.

[D.G.]

The deluxe reverb is Strat unfriendly? You have to be kidding.

Nope. The DRRI's I've owned -- 2 of 'em -- have been really bright. Kinda weedy. Most distortion pedals sounded like fizz. The normal channel is a bit better -- i.e. no bright cap -- but even then, not great. The PRRI otoh, sounds great stock with a much wider variety of dirt pedals, and even better with a different speaker.

The last DRRI I owned I sold to a bandmate who uses it with his Anderson Metro, and it sounds amazing. But then, that guitar sounds great through pretty much anything.

[yebdox]

I like Deluxes, but I don't think they have the headroom for some medium volume gigs for archtop. I would go with something with 40 watts (used Pro or Vibrolux, or Allen Old Flame, etc.) and a PRRI. I've gigged with a Deluxe that started to fart out when the keyboards and drums started cranking. Nothing like breaking up when you don't want it.

40 watts with some pedals, and a Princeton for the times you don't need the headroom. Or, do as Mr. Lerch does, and have 3 or 4 - best option.

[Stringswinger]

I own a 1964 Princeton and a 1974 Deluxe Reverb. I bought the 65 PRRI and the 65 DRRI to check them out and sent them down the highway after about a year in both cases. The Deluxe reissue is way too bright, it is not in the same ballpark with my vintage Deluxe. The Princeton was better. With a speaker upgrade (all Princeton's need a speaker upgrade if you do not want farty bass) it was OK but not nearly as good as the real thing. Point to Point amps DO make a difference in tone.

I use these two tube amps when I play Western Swing or Trad jazz and want a very old school sound. Neither is powerful enough to compete with a powerful bop drummer. And the tube amps that are, are too heavy for me to want to carry to a gig, so I use solid state (which I prefer for a modern jazz sound in any case) amps in those applications.

[lpdeluxe]

Here's the cure to the too present top end on the DRRI combo (which I owned prior to setting up this rig): a DRRI head on a Weber California Ceramic 15 cabinet with a closed back:

[Jazzman301]

Thanks for the response guys.

I was able to play a 68 PRRI and a 65 DRRI. The Princeton sounded darker and warmer with everything set at noon/5 and reverb on 2 than the DRRI at almost any setting I could dial in. The DRRI was had tons of treble even with the treble at 1. Lots of shine. If you are into the shimmer and sparkle then that amp is for you(at least in its stock configuration). I could not dial back the high end in a pleasing way. I could certainly find an acceptable tone on the DRRI just not a desirable tone. The Deluxe reverb with the treble at 1 and the bass at 5 sounded almost like the Princeton with the everything flat at 5. You could certainly dial in more fender "sparkle" on the Princeton but it could also dial in warmer darker tones with ease.

The SF 68 PRRI set at noon/5 on treble and bass and reverb at almost 3 sounded awesome with the 58 Guild CE100(single Franz P90). No real tweeking needed. If I turned up the treble to 10 and left the bass at 5 it sounded exactly the same as the DRRI with the bass at 5 and treble at 0.


I wish I could A/B the 65 and 68 PRRI. What a lovely little amp that stayed clean until about 6-6.5 on the volume then started to fart out a bit on chords.

I was a bit disappointed in the Deluxe reverb reissue(black face). I guess if you are into shimmer and sparkle or chicken pickin this would be an awesome amp with a tele.

I am not sure if its just a speaker change to something warmer like a WG12SC/S would do the trick or what. I am a little concerned about buying a brand new amp in the hopes I can mod it to suit my tastes.




'Moe

[drbhrb]

The DRRI breaks up after 4 on the dial. Neither are well suited to gig use in my opinion. In Fender land I think a Vibrolux is the minimum needed to stay clean on all jazz gigs. Your usage may differ though.

[lpdeluxe]

I keep looking at the Vibrolux... a local jazz guitarist has had one for years and loves it. The 2x10 configuration appeals to my interest in larger cone area in guitar amps (only one of mine has as little as 1x12). I may end up with the Vibrolux, even though I have a number of other amplifiers (Silvertone 1484, the DRRI/Weber combo shown above, an Excelsior 1x15 I bought for a harp amp, a '59 Bassman LTD and a Jazzmaster Ultralight -- the 1x12 model) and even though I spend 99% of my time playing bass.

[D.G.]

If I could get a straight across trade of a '59 Bassman RI for my Twin RI, I'd do it in a heartbeat.