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68' Princeton Reverb Reissue fizzy with gain pedals?
Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:51 am
by green_mario
I just picked up a 68' Princeton Reverb Reissue and I'm finding it pretty fizzy with all of my gain pedals (OCD, rat, big muff). Just a lot of not good sounding high end, even with the treble on the amp or pedals turned down. Don't have this issue at all with my silverface champ, for reference. On the Princeton, I have the Volume around 2, Treble at 4, Bass at 2-3.
I had a similar issue with my DRRI that I used to have, but clipping the bright cap improved it a lot. From what I understand, Princetons don't have a bright cap.
The previous owner had put a 10" Weber alnico in the Princeton, but I tried it with 10" ceramic speaker too (Eminence Red Fang), and it didn't seem to really solve the problem. The previous owner also did a complete retube without re-biasing, could that influence it? The amp sounds great clean, but I was planning to bias it anyway.
Anyone else notice this or am I insane and this is what amps sound like and my champ is just super dark?
Re: 68' Princeton Reverb Reissue fizzy with gain pedals?
Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 12:47 pm
by Arthon
green_mario wrote: ↑Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:51 am
I just picked up a 68' Princeton Reverb Reissue and I'm finding it pretty fizzy with all of my gain pedals (OCD, rat, big muff). Just a lot of not good sounding high end, even with the treble on the amp or pedals turned down. Don't have this issue at all with my silverface champ, for reference. On the Princeton, I have the Volume around 2, Treble at 4, Bass at 2-3.
I had a similar issue with my DRRI that I used to have, but clipping the bright cap improved it a lot. From what I understand, Princetons don't have a bright cap.
The previous owner had put a 10" Weber alnico in the Princeton, but I tried it with 10" ceramic speaker too (Eminence Red Fang), and it didn't seem to really solve the problem. The previous owner also did a complete retube without re-biasing, could that influence it? The amp sounds great clean, but I was planning to bias it anyway.
Anyone else notice this or am I insane and this is what amps sound like and my champ is just super dark?
I would have said "it's the speaker" since the orginal speaker of the '68 is not very good, but since you have changed it, I dont know. I use to have 2 PRRI (the '65) and they never sound fizzy to me with fuzz or OD. True, my Vibro-Champ sound a little darker then the PRRI...
Re: 68' Princeton Reverb Reissue fizzy with gain pedals?
Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 12:11 pm
by mulevaline
I had the same issue, fizz with fuzz, with my 68 Princeton Reissue....sold it and got a 1974 Princeton, with no reverb, and find it to be great with fuzz and all overdrives. The reissue sounds great clean, but I needed more versatility.
Re: 68' Princeton Reverb Reissue fizzy with gain pedals?
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:30 am
by wproffitt
I would it bias it before you give up on this. When I got my SFPR years ago, it sounded pretty amazing clean, but a bit harsh when it broke up or when I was using pedals to get breakup. I had it biased and it definitely smoothed things out.
Re: 68' Princeton Reverb Reissue fizzy with gain pedals?
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:01 pm
by tele_pathic
I know that the PRRI, either version, is supposed to be “the shit,” but I just couldn’t get on with it. I sold it and bought a 5E3 tweed deluxe clone, a Tungsten Crema Wheat. OMG!!! What a glorious sound with all my pedals, including fuzz.
Re: 68' Princeton Reverb Reissue fizzy with gain pedals?
Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 7:28 pm
by øøøøøøø
I don’t think the stock celestion speaker is a very good match for that amp.
I get PRRIs backlined for me on tour. Sometimes the black one shows up and sometimes the silver one shows up. I’ve probably played shows through at least three hundred different PRRIs at a minimum.
The silver ones are always weird to me. I don’t like them nearly as much. And I’m pretty sure it’s all due to a poor synergy between amp and speaker
Re: 68' Princeton Reverb Reissue fizzy with gain pedals?
Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2019 8:43 am
by Larsongs
Why are you running Bass so low & Treble so high?
On my Stock 65 PRRI I run Bass on 5 & Treble about 3 at most Volume levels. Works well with most of my Guitars & Pedalboard... Janglebox, TS808 Tube Screamer, Boss Delay, Boss '63 Fender Reverb & Keeley 30 Ms Double Tracker...
Re: 68' Princeton Reverb Reissue fizzy with gain pedals?
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 4:39 am
by secretroutines
You might be driving the front end of the amp too much which would give you that fizziness. Try bumping the volume on the amp up to at least 3 so the power tubes open up a bit more. If it takes away some of the fizz, then it's the amp being run too quietly. What are the settings on your pedals as well? I always redo my settings on new amps by setting all the knobs to 12 o'clock (except the volume i just roll that in to find the appropriate level), and tweaking from there.