Swart STR-Tremolo vs. 65 PRRI 1x12 Limited Edition(s)

[powderfinger]

First of all, so happy to be part of this group! I finally bought a Jazzmaster after over 30 years of playing primarily LPs and Telecasters and have never been happier with a guitar.

My gigs have primarily been small solo affairs lately, and I'm looking for an amp that can perform well in these situations. I've played through the GC Princeton Reverb Tweed and was quite impressed. I liked its cleans and was impressed by the tremolo and reverb (about as good as my early 60s Ampeg Gemini I). I can find one of these used for around 1200 (w/ tax and shipping). In my scrolling through the millions of posts on this and other sites, I've also become intrigued by the Swart STR-Tremolo, mainly due to its size and lower wattage. I have the opportunity to get one of these for about 1500 (w/ tax and shipping). Dear pros, what do you think?

I'm currently playing a Fender Pro Jr IV for small gigs. It's a bit too loud and I don't like that it doesn't have reverb or tremolo. When I gig with a louder band again, I'll likely use a stereo rig with the Ampeg Gemini and whichever amp I get.

Thanks, guys and gals!

[Jonesie]

Out of those two I'd go Princeton. I don't know how far you'd get with a 5w amp gigging, even if you're just doing solo stuff. It doesn't really move any air and you're not going to get a lot of headroom, especially with an amp designed like that one, which is tweed-ish. If you're down with a slightly saggy overdriven tone (I don't mean that in a derogatory way, it's just the tweed "thing") then go for the Swart, but if you want a clean platform that you can use with pedals I'd go Princeton.

[marqueemoon]

I have had an STR Tremolo for several years.

It’s a great sounding amp and very loud and authoritative for 5W. It has the heft of a larger amp thanks to the 12” and the big, sturdy cabinet. That’s a slight downside in that it’s a bit heavy and awkward to move around for such a low powered amp.

I think the Princeton Reverb with the 12” would get you slightly more volume and would be a little better match for pedals. That’s my favorite modern Princeton. The STR Tremolo favors a minimalist approach to effects.

If you can stretch to an AST that would be my recommendation. I eventually got one, and the extra headroom makes it a bit more pedal friendly, and it has enough volume for just about any situation without sacrificing sweetness at lower levels.

As for running two amps, I bought a Lehle P-Split to to do it and some other splitting tasks that needed doing and haven’t ever bothered live. Just feels a little extra for the small places I play. It’s nice to have the option though, and I highly recommend the P-Split.

[hulakatt]

Yeah, the Swart's run pretty damn loud for "only" 5 watts and are 100x better built. Also, PRRI are a dime a dozen and Swarts are something a little more unique and fun. Everyone I know who used to own one always talks about how they never should have sold it. No one says that about the Princeton Reverbs.

[marqueemoon]

Yeah, the Swart's run pretty damn loud for "only" 5 watts and are 100x better built. Also, PRRI are a dime a dozen and Swarts are something a little more unique and fun. Everyone I know who used to own one always talks about how they never should have sold it. No one says that about the Princeton Reverbs.

I feel like some people buy Swart amps expecting them to be something they’re not. The main thing they are not is Fender tweed copies.

Really great amps, and while not cheap they are a legit bargain compared to, say, Benson.

[powderfinger]

Thanks a ton for the great feedback!

Yeah, the Swart's run pretty damn loud for "only" 5 watts and are 100x better built. Also, PRRI are a dime a dozen and Swarts are something a little more unique and fun. Everyone I know who used to own one always talks about how they never should have sold it. No one says that about the Princeton Reverbs.

Great point, hulakatt!

It's going to be a hard choice, for sure, as I do some ambient stuff that definitely involves pedals. I like marqueemoon's suggestion to get an AST for the added headroom. We'll see if I can sell enough gear to swing it!

Jonesie—I totally hear you and understand what you mean. I'm sure at some point I'll end up getting a Champ-style amp (for the second time). As you might guess from my username, I'm a huge Neil Young fan.

I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again for the kind welcome to the group. I'm glad to have joined!

[Jaguar018]

Yeah, the Swart's run pretty damn loud for "only" 5 watts and are 100x better built. Also, PRRI are a dime a dozen and Swarts are something a little more unique and fun. Everyone I know who used to own one always talks about how they never should have sold it. No one says that about the Princeton Reverbs.

I have no regrets about selling the Swart STR I used to have. I couldn’t stand how the reverb got swallowed up when the amp got pushed, which was ALL THE TIME at five watts.

My Princeton Reverb is a Silverface. It has been with me for way longer.

[powderfinger]

I have no regrets about selling the Swart STR I used to have. I couldn’t stand how the reverb got swallowed up when the amp got pushed, which was ALL THE TIME at five watts.

Thanks for the information, Jaguar018! I can definitely see how that would happen. It's probably going to come down to whichever good deal I see first. I've heard some of the swampiness in some Swart demos I've watched—Swarts remain an unknown for me, while I was enchanted immediately by the few PRs I've played.