Fender '68 Custom Princeton Reverb Reissue or Fender '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue????

**gggomez** · 10-06-2018, 06:27 PM

Actually I saw two weeks ago late Lund was selling his with a 12 inch and I think a Deluxe Reverb transformer

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**christianm77** · 10-07-2018, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by Gitfiddler

This is a little known secret in Fender amp circles. Now you've ruined it for all of us PRII owners.

What? Everyone bangs on about the Rivera era Fenders.

**Litterick** · 10-07-2018, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by christianm77

What? Everyone bangs on about the Rivera era Fenders.

I have just taken a look at The Fretboard and some other guitar boards: quite a few readers have tried one in the past and liked it or want one now; others report that they are becoming more expensive. Time for a reissue, Fender.

**Gitfiddler** · 10-07-2018, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by Litterick

I have just taken a look at The Fretboard and some other guitar boards: quite a few readers have tried one in the past and liked it or want one now; others report that they are becoming more expensive. Time for a reissue, Fender.

There is quite a cult following of PRII amps. That said, on the interweb, some folks love em', and others hate em. I've owned two and each sounded different, one had more mids than the other. These are not typical Fender 'mid-scooped' amps. Rivera and Jahns were chasing after Randall Smith's Mesa Boogie tone and channel switching. The irony is that Smith based his amps on souped up Fender Princetons. But ya'll already knew that.

Here is a site for fans of these amps:

Unofficial Fender Princeton Reverb II page

**KirkP** · 10-07-2018, 05:09 PM

Comparing schematics: If you leave the gain switch and bright switch turned off on a PRII you basically have the reverb channel of a Deluxe Reverb. There are a few tweaks around the volume pot and phase inverter, but not much. The PRII also has a SS power supply instead of tube, so shouldn’t compress as much at high volumes. I don’t know why they called it a Princeton (other than marketing).

**Litterick** · 10-07-2018, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by KirkP

I don’t know why they called it a Princeton (other than marketing).

It sounds like a Princeton (with modifications).It does not suit all tastes. The Princeton Reverb page on Reverb.com dismisses the PRII curtly:

A Princeton Reverb II would follow in 1982, but it was unremarkable and deserves little to no mention.

**DMgolf66** · 10-08-2018, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by gggomez

Hand Wired Guitar Amplifiers & Speaker Cabinets. Vintage Fender and Marshall Replicas - Achillies Amplification

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Wow, those look great. Scratches alot of boxes. Not cheap, but it seems like the only thing to do when you get it is to plug it in and you're off to the races!

Did you go with the Princeton clone? Any pics? Thanks again for heads up.

**gggomez** · 10-08-2018, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by DMgolf66

Wow, those look great. Scratches alot of boxes. Not cheap, but it seems like the only thing to do when you get it is to plug it in and you're off to the races!

Did you go with the Princeton clone? Any pics? Thanks again for heads up.

In Australia only a bit more more than the recommended retail of a Fender ReIssue but at another level in terms of quality and tone (I know he ships international).

Will do a video of it in the oncoming weeks to show off its sound as it is so much bigger, fatter, more mids and clearer than the guy that has demoed them on you tube (I think he must have had the bass and treble dialled up).

**Gitfiddler** · 10-08-2018, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by Litterick

It sounds like a Princeton (with modifications).It does not suit all tastes. The Princeton Reverb page on Reverb.com dismisses the PRII curtly:

The Reverb.com author referenced above received severe criticism for his disparaging PRII comments by several readers.

**rintincop** · 10-08-2018, 06:48 PM

Of the current 2018 models I have tested:

65 Reissue (Blackface)
68 Custom (Silverface) BEST
65 LTD (Lacquered Tweed at Sweetwater with Cannabis Rex 12")
65 LTD ("Bordeaux Reserve Guitar Center 12" Jensen P12Q, Blackface)

I recommend the 68 Custom for Jazz.
For loud overdrive rockers I suppose it's the Blackface.
I recommend against the Bordeaux Reserve for jazz

**christianm77** · 10-10-2018, 04:58 AM

I like Pro Junior now.

Think it sounds better with single coils tho. I should try one with a P90 guitar.

**thrush40** · 10-10-2018, 10:06 PM

Just throwing this out there, although it does not pertain strictly to the OP's question re: reissues.

I own a 1968 Princeton Reverb, not the reissue. I bought it back in the early 90's when no one, including myself, was paying much attention. I switched over years ago from the stock speaker (yes, it had the original Oxford, which I still have) to a Weber P10Q (AlNiCo). To this day, it remains one of the best sounding amps I have ever owned.

I don't play it much. It's in semi retirement. I bought a clone from Vintage Sounds amps. This clone has become my favorite. I intend to replace a 1976 Deluxe Reverb that I just sold with one of Rick's amps, a single channel deluxe that he makes and sells exclusively through a store in Georgia. I have no affiliation with Vintage Sounds (or the store), but want to suggest that anyone interested in a Princeton Reverb (A1164) take a look at what Rick Hayes is doing these days. Now he builds some of his clones (including the Princeton, I believe) voiced for jazz, although I have not played any of these.

Home • Vintage Sound Amps

**rintincop** · 10-11-2018, 12:46 AM

$1500 for a Princeton that doesn't look exactly like a Princeton.
I can get the actual Fender 68 Custom Princeton reissue for $750.

**christianm77** · 10-11-2018, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by rintincop

$1500 for a Princeton that doesn't look exactly like a Princeton.
I can get the actual Fender 68 Custom Princeton reissue for $750.

Worth paying the extra for a point to point wired amp if you plan to do a lot of playing?

Amp techs always moan about dealing with PCB amps. The reissues are PCB made in Mexico jobs.

I have the PRRI ‘65 btw, it’s great BUT I probably would get a nice hand wired amp if I had the dough. $1500 seems reasonable.

**thrush40** · 10-11-2018, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by rintincop

$1500 for a Princeton that doesn't look exactly like a Princeton.
I can get the actual Fender 68 Custom Princeton reissue for $750.

or you can buy my real (quite worn) '68 for 2k.

Like I said, just throwing out the link for those who might have interest. I put a lot of stock in "boutique" builders (guitars and amps), but you certainly pay for the craft and attention to detail.

back to the reissue 68/65 question

**asedas** · 08-14-2019, 11:06 AM

I voted to '65 because like it better than '68.

What more I tweaked mine - switched speaker to Celestion Gold (12) + changed tubes to vintage. Now I don't need anything more... this set is awesome

**rfmando** · 01-31-2020, 05:28 PM

The nice thing about this discussion is they are BOTH great amps!

You really can't go wrong, much of it depends on what can you afford and how loud will you be playing/pushing them?

For years I used a buddies of mine vintage silverface for gigs, it was so awesome I was scared to get one of the new ones as it might not have the same "vibe" however a recent gig had me having to really push the amp and at that point the 10" speaker and the vintage tubes really started straying into Neil Young tone territory - I loved it! But my band mates were a bit alarmed ;-) lol

So when it came time I pulled the trigger on the 65 blackface reissue and got the 12" speaker - this has all the mojo of the vintage silverface but doesn't buckle as early w/the larger speaker and more wattage headroom.

BUT, I think either of those amps are incredible value and while they are still affordable I'd like to get one of each, they are that good.

RF

**Hammertone** · 02-02-2020, 01:34 AM

I vote for the Princeton Reverb clone-ish amp I currently have for sale right here.
It's clearly the bestest of them all:
Princeton Reverb clone with a twist - "this amp really boogies!"

**ruger9** · 03-08-2021, 08:50 AM

I voted 65, the circuit is more accommodating to hollow jazz boxes, imo. If you're playing a tele, the 12" in then 65 is definitely preferred, and the 68 becomes a choice again.

I love love love my PRRI with 12" Alnico Cream.

**rbbrnck** · 05-02-2021, 11:43 AM

i went to try different Sadowsky Jim Hall Signature guitars, among which i picked my own, in 2008 – on a Princeton Recording Amp that the shop kept there especially for these occasions... had i not totally exhausted my budget on the guitar, it would have been a most wise choice to bring home the amp, too – the two of them were quite a match, to my ear, but i couldn't pay for both.

i couldn't forget that amp so easily, though, and at a point in time i stumbled onto a used one, which was way too expensive for the sorry state in which it was – but i kept to try it for a short while, until the point in time at which the owner chose to not drop the price to what i thought a reasonable whereabout, at which i gave it back to him.

on such Princeton Recording Amp, though, the original speaker had previously gone bananas, and the owner had replaced it with a 10" Jensen Tornado... i could not remember that the stock one i used, when i went to choose my guitar, had such a big bloom, a way-wider sonic image... but since the amp wasn't becoming a buying option, i just didn't spend more thought on the matter.

out of necessity, i bought a blackface 65 PRRI right then and there – the silverface 68 PRRI had not even been released at that time. worked real hard at killing the horrible cabinet rattles and air leaks that plagued it, and when i finally succeded in stabilizing it, i could raise its volume beyond where i used to, and soon felt the need to extend its "clean zone" beyond where it actually started to breakup and was on the verge of crunching.

i installed a 10" Jensen Tornado into my 65 PRRI just because i had liked the one that was inside the Princeton Recording Amp, not even knowing if the difference in circuitry made the experiment even senseful, or just a throw of dice... on simple figures, the added sensitivity boost would have at least increased the max SPL, and the support person at Jensen shared with me that the speaker had been designed to put whatever little breakup it could have right at its edge of usable range, clean all the way until that point... and it was true, it became the amp that i had always dreamt it to be.

my (jazz) guitar teacher of ever fell in love with it, and wouldn't let go of mine, until he just proposed to buy me whatever amp i wanted in exchange of it, not a new one, not another one, but my own.

i asked for a George Benson Twin Reverb for sound reasons alone, the stock Jensen Tornado speakers part of the equation, too, and a brand new George Benson Twin Reverb i got – but it's always been lined with my regret, for its size and weight. my heart has always remained with that blackface 65 PRRI with the 10" Jensen Tornado, into which i refuse to even plug in my guitar, at lessons, for fear i start to lust after it once more, now that i could never afford it again.

**Roy Boy** · 05-02-2021, 09:09 PM

Not sure how this old thread was revitalized, but I've done some experimenting with a '65 PRRI and it's now my weekly gig amp. As I listen to other players' take on the amp, I can tell that speakers make a huge difference in how it's perceived. I tried the amp with the 12" C-Rex that came in it, didn't last 10 minutes. I tried the Jensen P12Q that others mentioned- a decent alnico tone if you're playing quietly, but low efficiency and the bass gets farty when pushed and the speaker breaks up too soon for my liking. Finally, Celestion Cream alnico, WOW! Sparkly chimes, tons of headroom, and amazing breakup tone (It's so loud I have to use an OD pedal to achieve this). Granted, I'm not jazzing this amp, but praise and worship, which covers the whole gamut of guitar sounds. I need the clear cleans headroom so I went with the cream. It makes the Princeton sound so big that I don't bother to lug my DRRI around anymore. I imagine the Gold alnico would render incredible rich, warm jazz box tones. Too bad the 12" English Celestion alnicos are $300 or I'd by one just to find out.

**gggomez** · 10-26-2021, 08:16 PM

I just swapped the Gold out of mine (mine being a hand wired copy by Achillies) for a Blue. WOW!!!

It is so so so much better with the blue, it has such a fantastic bell top end and less bass. It is more Fendery.

Only draw back with the blue and the gold is man they are so loud but at volume on 1 or 2 with the blue when the amp is not working the blue sounds excellent. (I took the blue out of my Tweed Deluxe and put a Jensen in as I could not use it due to the volume even at a smidge from volume off on the tweed it was too loud for home use.)