Advice please: Fender Vaporizer vs. 68 Custom Princeton Reverb (with Speaker Upgrade)

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Hey there. Looking for a bit of advice here. Have the one could have the other. Is it worth the upgrade?
And anything particular I should look out for when testing?

Fender 68 Custom Princeton Reverb
Since the launch of the 68 Custom series I was intrigued.
I always loved the Dripedge look (since before the day I had my Bandmaster) - and the features (Bassman Tone Stack, Spring Reverb and Tremolo) sound (to be) amazing.
Basically like all I could ask for in an amp.
Originally I thought I‘d most likely get the Vibrolux Reverb…or the Deluxe Reverb - but now the idea of the Princeton Reverb has been haunting me since I missed one being offered in my city… and I could go to try one just an hour away this very weekend that already has a speaker update (Eminence Ramrod 75W) - that should take away that bass heavy „curtain“.
The current owner didn’t have any problems with interferences or noise.

Normally I‘m more of a head + cab kind of guy but none of them has inbuilt Reverb except for the

Fender Vaporizer
Unique „surfy“ look. Same wattage as the Princeton (12) but two 10“ speakers instead of just one.
Reverb is actually pretty nice… but has some interference noise on it - at least in our current flat… (wasn‘t the case in our old one).
Works great with my pedalboard(s)
A big plus would be the „silent super dwell“ late night friendly option (and that I already own it).
Don‘t use the „Vaporizer“ mode at all and always use the Brighr input… even with my Jags.


Pic for attention.

Any clear advantage from the one over the other (except the Tremolo or the probably better speaker)?
Pedalboard friendliness, overall sound, tame-ability, Surf-ability and maybe even gig-ability?
(I’m actually thinking about starting an instrumental-surf project - and one possible venue for such a show - actually right next to our flat - wouldn‘t require me to bring a 40-60W head + cab. I know Surf needs to be played loud! But that venue is full with 30 people.)

[Surfysonic]

Short answer - yes, go for the '68 Custom Princeton Reverb but do some research to be aware of issues...more on that below...

FWIW from my own experiences...

I had a "problematic" Vaporizer - the actual Vaporizer function didn't work correctly - no overdrive, instead a cacophony of noise. The stock speakers were very "meh" to me so I upgraded with more powerful Jensens which made it way louder so it was potentially gig-worthy without a microphone...but 12 watts without being mic'd and competing with bass, drums, and maybe another guitarist or keyboard - no matter the club size, I'm not sure it could cut through the mix. I also had gone through a couple of onboard reverb pans to improve the reverb...but I guess the power draw was complicated as the reverb only worked when my delay pedal on my pedalboard was engaged. Even after putting it all back to stock, I still had to have the delay pedal engaged.

I loved the cartoony aesthetic and really wanted the Vaporizer to work for me. It just couldn't cut it as compared to my other Fender amps. Sad yet relieved, I moved it on.

When deciding on an amp, it's great to hear what others think on the forums. You're likely already doing this but in case you aren't, check out demo reviews on YouTube. In the YouTube search bar, type "68 Custom Princeton Reverb issues". There's quite a lot of videos - some with respected amp techs. A better informed buyer is a happy buyer. This line of Fender amps has known issues. Maybe enough time has passed that there are mods for them or hopefully, inexpensive fixes for them if you get one and end up having to take it into an amp tech for help.

Of course, if able, try the amp out first before buying.

What Fender amp era are you keen on? Tweed, Brown/Blonde, Silver, or Black? Sounds like the Silver if you like the '68 Customs. That's cool. If you're into modern surf/instrumental music, you can use whatever amp that appeals to you, regardless of Fender amp era or any brand for that matter.

If you're into classic surf and are fixated on that tone and famous drip (still popular/respected in today's surf music international community), then the brown/blonde era is (for me) the best choice. You won't have onboard reverb but there are solutions for that. Also, frankly, outboard spring reverb units are THE surf spring reverb sound if you want the real deal - it's what they had to use back then until '63 when the Vibroverb with onboard reverb was introduced.

The quite reasonably retail priced Surfy Industries SurfyBear Classic Reverb Unit, the SurfyBear Metal, and SurfyBear Compact will all get you that vintage spring reverb. I have a '64 Fender Reverb Unit and the SurfyBear units nail the sound. I have two Classic Reverb Units and the Compact on my primary board - sounds awesome.

Some spring reverb pedals are decent, too. If you're not already on there, it's worthwhile to get on the Surf Guitar 101 forums for all things surf/instrumental - the Gear section is one of my primary hangouts.

Also, there are so many great reverb pedals, some with a ton of options, that I absolutely prefer over onboard reverb in Fender amps. Mr. Black Deluxe Plus (tremolo and reverb), Mr. Black Super Swell Classic Spring Reverb, Electro-Harmonix Oceans 11, Keeley Caverns (reverb & delay), Strymon Flint, etc...

Yes, the brown/blonde vintage Fender amps are crazy expensive (as are a lot of gear on Reverb). I'm lucky to have a few vintage amps and had some others before prices skyrocketed that I've since moved on.

A modern amp that absolutely nails that brown/blonde tone is the Fender '62 Princeton Chris Stapleton Edition with the 12" Eminence speaker. It's size and portability convenient and although it's 12 Watts, it can get loud. I haven't played it in a band mix so I'll let others speak on if it can keep up and cut through the band mix. Of course, it can be mic'd. Yes, they're not cheap ($2399.99 new here in the US) but you can find used ones for quite a bit less. I got mine used for $1800. Still, far more expensive than a new '68 Custom Princeton and it doesn't have onboard reverb that you might want to use for other kinds of music. However, the Fender '62 Princeton Chris Stapleton Edition sounds just as amazing as my vintage Fenders ('62 Bandmaster, '63 Bandmaster, and '63 Showman). Also, the tremolo is just as wonderful as the vintage Fenders, too.

About similar in price on the used market is the 90's Fender '63 Reissue Vibroverb (2x10, 35 watts). At lower volumes, it's a bit wooly but when playing at gig/band rehearsal volume, it really shines/sings. I gigged with one for a few years.

Funny, I just sold and shipped out today one of my last two onboard reverb Fender amps - a 90's Fender "Custom" Vibrolux Reverb 2x10, 40 watts amp which is similar to the '63 Reissue Vibroverb. It's a great amp (once Fromel/Moyer mods are applied) but I needed to downsize. You can find them used for comparable prices with a used '68 Custom Princeton Reverb. Some may be higher in price if the Fromel and/or Moyer Mods have been applied to address the production issues. The other onboard reverb amp I still have is my Blues Junior - the reverb is not great and I usually keep it off and run one of my outboard reverb units with it or reverb pedals.

I hope I'm not sounding like I'm hating on onboard reverb in amps - they're way more convenient as opposed to hauling extra gear like an outboard unit or needing room on your pedalboard for a reverb pedal. I get it for sure. Of course, if the onboard reverb stopped working during a gig, you'd want a backup outboard reverb unit or pedal for sure.

Anyhoo, best of luck to you!

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Short answer - yes, go for the '68 Custom Princeton Reverb but do some research to be aware of issues...more on that below...
[…]
When deciding on an amp, it's great to hear what others think on the forums. You're likely already doing this but in case you aren't, check out demo reviews on YouTube. In the YouTube search bar, type "68 Custom Princeton Reverb issues". There's quite a lot of videos - some with respected amp techs. A better informed buyer is a happy buyer. This line of Fender amps has known issues.
Of course, if able, try the amp out first before buying.
[…]
What Fender amp era are you keen on?
[…]
A modern amp that absolutely nails that brown/blonde tone is the Fender '62 Princeton Chris Stapleton Edition with the 12" Eminence speaker.
[…]
About similar in price on the used market is the 90's Fender '63 Reissue Vibroverb (2x10, 35 watts). At lower volumes, it's a bit wooly but when playing at gig/band rehearsal volume, it really shines/sings. I gigged with one for a few years.
[…]
Funny, I just sold and shipped out today one of my last two onboard reverb Fender amps - a 90's Fender "Custom" Vibrolux Reverb 2x10, 40 watts amp which is similar to the '63 Reissue Vibroverb. It's a great amp (once Fromel/Moyer mods are applied) but I needed to downsize.
[…]
I hope I'm not sounding like I'm hating on onboard reverb in amps - they're way more convenient as opposed to hauling extra gear like an outboard unit or needing room on your pedalboard for a reverb pedal. I get it for sure. Of course, if the onboard reverb stopped working during a gig, you'd want a backup outboard reverb unit or pedal for sure.

Anyhoo, best of luck to you!

Thank you very much.
From the looks I love Blonde amps and Dripedge/Silverface amps almost equally…

Blackface amps look classic and okay - but I’m not really after them…and Tweed amps always looked boring to me. I know it‘s about their sounds in most cases - but for me it also has to be aesthetically pleasing.

My main live amp is my Blonde/Oxblood Supersonic 60 with a 2x12 and a 1x15 cab (all matching). But I only use the „Bassman“ part of it on a regular basis.

My second Blonde amp is a 63 6G6-B Replica (with gold grill cloth) which maybe could have been built by Bel-Air Amps… or from a kit by someone. It sounds pretty great…but somehow it reacts different to my pedalboard… and I might move it on (along with my 4x12 Blonde/Oxblood Supersonic Cab I operate it at the moment). It was with me for our last show as a backup… and I still have to try it with Bass (and the 2x15 Silverface Bassman Cab…now that I have a Bass again).

And I do really do want to play out with my Bandmaster soon - but that shitty 120V to 230V adapter landmine thing really bugs me… so I‘m planning to get that changed. Recently I got a recommendation for an amp tech in my area. Might check him out for both the Bassman clone and the Bandmaster.

The Chris Stapleton amp sounds intriguing… but that‘s clearly out of my budget.
I already had eyes on that Vibrolux amp you sold (well not yours…but somewhere in Germany) - but my research came to the conclusion that they have some weird issues too - which then didn‘t convince me to put ~600-900 into it.

The Vibroverb reissue is not popping up so often over here in Europe… and I haven‘t had the guts to decide on any amp kit (also probably not qualified enough to build one… at least I stopped soldering pedals as I fucked up a few (all with bad documentation or missing parts tough).
I also heard the Vibro King amps should sound decent (also their onboard Reverb should sound more like the 6G15).

And yes I‘m on sg101 too. But for a lot of reasons I enjoy osg more. Maybe they‘re too purist for me over there…

I do have and play an old double diy Surfybear/Surfytrem already updated with the Surfypan… and a Topanga as a backup.

And of course I watched some of those issue videos already… but mostly for the 68 Vibrolux and the Deluxe Reverb. And yes, those mods exist… at least for those two… and with those mods they sell for 500€ more for some reason…or at least their asking price is significantly higher.
But that‘s the good thing here. Distance allows for testing before buying… I already had someone from Germany who originally wouldn‘t ship - change his mind… it would be 100€ cheaper too (it‘s stock tough) but I couldn‘t test it and some risk of it getting damaged in the shipping process would have remained.

The Princeton could just be that amp that comes along on a holiday and hopefully wouldn‘t need much else…

But then again if I have a tuner with me and a fuzz… I could also put a Reverb a Trem and a Delay on that list/board and would be fine with the Vaporizer too.

A tube and speaker update would also be a good call. I also fantasized about building a reverse/matching but slightly bigger cab (mirrored so that it would be wide on the bottom and slim were combo and cab would meet so kind of a hour glass shape) and fitting in a reconed JBL K130 (sadly the aluminum dome got lost in the process even if I asked for it to get saved/exchanged) - in the extension cab.

[Surfysonic]

Short answer - yes, go for the '68 Custom Princeton Reverb but do some research to be aware of issues...more on that below...
[…]
When deciding on an amp, it's great to hear what others think on the forums. You're likely already doing this but in case you aren't, check out demo reviews on YouTube. In the YouTube search bar, type "68 Custom Princeton Reverb issues". There's quite a lot of videos - some with respected amp techs. A better informed buyer is a happy buyer. This line of Fender amps has known issues.
Of course, if able, try the amp out first before buying.
[…]
What Fender amp era are you keen on?
[…]
A modern amp that absolutely nails that brown/blonde tone is the Fender '62 Princeton Chris Stapleton Edition with the 12" Eminence speaker.
[…]
About similar in price on the used market is the 90's Fender '63 Reissue Vibroverb (2x10, 35 watts). At lower volumes, it's a bit wooly but when playing at gig/band rehearsal volume, it really shines/sings. I gigged with one for a few years.
[…]
Funny, I just sold and shipped out today one of my last two onboard reverb Fender amps - a 90's Fender "Custom" Vibrolux Reverb 2x10, 40 watts amp which is similar to the '63 Reissue Vibroverb. It's a great amp (once Fromel/Moyer mods are applied) but I needed to downsize.
[…]
I hope I'm not sounding like I'm hating on onboard reverb in amps - they're way more convenient as opposed to hauling extra gear like an outboard unit or needing room on your pedalboard for a reverb pedal. I get it for sure. Of course, if the onboard reverb stopped working during a gig, you'd want a backup outboard reverb unit or pedal for sure.

Anyhoo, best of luck to you!

...The Chris Stapleton amp sounds intriguing… but that‘s clearly out of my budget.
I already had eyes on that Vibrolux amp you sold (well not yours…but somewhere in Germany) - but my research came to the conclusion that they have some weird issues too - which then didn‘t convince me to put ~600-900 into it.

The Vibroverb reissue is not popping up so often over here in Europe… and I haven‘t had the guts to decide on any amp kit (also probably not qualified enough to build one… at least I stopped soldering pedals as I fucked up a few (all with bad documentation or missing parts tough).
I also heard the Vibro King amps should sound decent (also their onboard Reverb should sound more like the 6G15).

And yes I‘m on sg101 too. But for a lot of reasons I enjoy osg more. Maybe they‘re too purist for me over there…

I do have and play an old double diy Surfybear/Surfytrem already updated with the Surfypan… and a Topanga as a backup.

And of course I watched some of those issue videos already… but mostly for the 68 Vibrolux and the Deluxe Reverb. And yes, those mods exist… at least for those two… and with those mods they sell for 500€ more for some reason…or at least their asking price is significantly higher.
But that‘s the good thing here. Distance allows for testing before buying… I already had someone from Germany who originally wouldn‘t ship - change his mind… it would be 100€ cheaper too (it‘s stock tough) but I couldn‘t test it and some risk of it getting damaged in the shipping process would have remained.

The Princeton could just be that amp that comes along on a holiday and hopefully wouldn‘t need much else…

But then again if I have a tuner with me and a fuzz… I could also put a Reverb a Trem and a Delay on that list/board and would be fine with the Vaporizer too.

A tube and speaker update would also be a good call. I also fantasized about building a reverse/matching but slightly bigger cab (mirrored so that it would be wide on the bottom and slim were combo and cab would meet so kind of a hour glass shape) and fitting in a reconed JBL K130 (sadly the aluminum dome got lost in the process even if I asked for it to get saved/exchanged) - in the extension cab.

I had a '62 Bassman (now owned by DeathJag(Daniel)) and a tweed '59 RI LTD Bassman - both have that wonderful Bassman sound. The '62 Princeton RI Chris Stapetone Edition nails that tone - I did a side by side comparison with these amps...decided to move the bigger ones on because taking the Princeton out is way more convenient for me. I get that this particular Princeton is pricey but IMHO it's definitely worth saving up forand totally worth the investment. As much as I love my vintage amps, this Princeton is very likely the last one out the door or I'll have it sit under my urn when I'm gone...hopefully in 30 years or so.

I got nostalgic for my first '63 RI Vibroverb and bought another one while also having the "Custom" Vibrolux Reverb with the Fromel mods installed. Even though I'm crazy for the brown/blond aesthetic, it wasn't enough to hang onto the Vibroverb - the "Custom' Vibrolux was an all-round better amp (also liked the "tuxedo" aesthetic, too. I let the second '63 RI Vibroverb go. BTW, the first one I let go because I "upgraded" to a Vibro-King.

The Vibro-King is a killer amp. It's the only Fender amp in all of their amps that seems to have an outboard spring reverb unit built inside the amp as an onboard reverb. I loved the 3x10 configuration and with 60 watts, gigging in both indoor/outdoor venues is not an issue (obviously turned down for some indoor venues). You can find them used still for as low as $1650 on Reverb over here. I moved the first one on once I got into vintage Fender amps...then bought another one at a local shop for a decent price. The biggest issue for me is the weight - they weigh 73 lbs/33 kilos. Not too big a problem if you use a hand cart (unless you have to haul gear up a flight of stairs). Ended up moving along...

There are some really great and helpful folks on SG101...sadly, there are also some toxicity as well. Not sure why - some surf music is high energy but some is also very chill/relaxing. I don't get it. Possibly due to being a generational thing, possibly due to language barriers (international) causing misunderstandings, partly due to it being a fairly close knit community. I find OSG and my old haunt of now defunct The Gretsch Pages being the most welcoming communities.

Cool that you have the SurfyBear and Topanga - you're good to go with any amp!

Glad to know there are mods for the '68 Custom issues. Yeah, I sank about $417 for the mod fix and then add the shipping from across the US and back. If you get an amp that will require a mod, I wouldn't recommend working on it yourself - safer to have it done by an experienced amp tech. There is a really solid amp tech repair shop about 50 miles (Big Crunch Amp Repair in Baltimore) that I take my vintage amps. If I knew of them back when I got the "Custom" Vibrolux modded, I'd have taken it to them for sure. Hopefully, there's someone over your way who can mod your amp if needed. I hope you get a good one without issues!

Yeah, I forgot I also put in new tubes as well on the Vaporizer. Hopefully, you won't end up with the power draw issues with the internal reverb unit only engaging with my delay pedal activated.

[s_mcsleazy]

one of the amps my bandmate uses is a vaporizer and they describe it as "a one trick pony that's so good at it's one trick, you make the effort to watch it do that trick" it's a great amp, but very limiting. they pair it with a hotrod deluxe because that balances out all of it's issues. but if you can only own one amp, i'd go for the princeton.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Thanks everyone!
I watched many youtube videos yesterday night and those vids - to make sure what I should check.

(And some are other videos backed my first impression of the Pro Reverb. That‘s the one amp I tried in person originally to try some pedals but I almost walked home with that amp instead…it‘s basically a 40W variant of that Princeton with added Bright switch and mid control).

…
So I got up early today and picked up the amp - 90min drive and now we enjoy the sunshine and the nice clear water of the most beautiful lake in Austria as a reward and to split the way back home.

First impression: very clean, great condition - 2 years old mostly used at home as one of 5+ amps…he played only one or two shows with it.

The eminence speaker gives it some further headroom which is a good thing - but it starts to growl on around 4-5 (haven‘t pushed it much further do to neighbors and our own ears).
At first there was some sizzling that we couldn‘t determine…I suspected the reverb… but it might just have been some loose jacks. It completely vanished when we pulled all cables out and plugged them back in.
My Jaguar‘s Bridge/Vibrato arm also might have had something to do with it (the noise got more intense when touching either) - we then changed the guitar cable and later to his Jazz guitar equipped with Humbuckers… and it just shined. Back to the Jag everything still in order… the Reverb is very nice. And the tremolo is too!
So far I‘m very happy!

I‘ll make a shoot out in the rehearsal room and at home… and will then decide which will be on my side for the next few years.

one of the amps my bandmate uses is a vaporizer and they describe it as "a one trick pony that's so good at it's one trick, you make the effort to watch it do that trick" it's a great amp, but very limiting. they pair it with a hotrod deluxe because that balances out all of it's issues. but if you can only own one amp, i'd go for the princeton.

Yeah, I love the look of the Vaporizer and it has a „nice enough“ tone to play it with the pedalboard in front…takes all the pedals well.
My favorite „trick“ with it was: guitar straight into the Bandmaster‘s Vibrato Channel Input 1 and out of Input 2 into an „all wet“ Vaporizer. Wow! That was really inspiring!

But in the new flat they live on different floors… the Vaporizer‘s Reverb doesn‘t sound as sweet as I wish it would…but we‘ll see!

I‘d say I only „need“ to own one combo amp. And 2 out of 3 heads that I have are going nowhere anyhow…except to the tech at some point…the third is debate-able.

[deluxejazzmaster]

I have to say that I use a Vaporizer as a "beater amp" and it is pretty killer. That and the Excellsior just did a show recently and they totally pull their own weight. Got both new when they were released and when I have people over that don't want to lug their own gear, I put them through those. I don't use any pedals between the guitar and them because I mostly use overdrive or fuzz and these amps can be totally dimed for great effect. That being said, I don't play my Jazzmaster through either (if I use them it's either a reissued airline 78 or a keyboard (vox/farvisa reissue) and I don't have experience with the princeton you referenced (but I do have a Chris Stapleton one and it's a goto for me over any amp other than my 57 pro). People tend to love the vaporizor and if I had to compare it to any other amp it would be like the old silvertone amps I used to find for cheap (and love)as a kid which was the draw for me to have the two amps mentioned.

[tqi]

-

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Wait, we're "purist"? We just had a thread where a couple of us were telling someone to keep using their Rumble 100 as a guitar amp. Someone else suggested a Peavey. I don't think purist is a fair commentary. ;P I mean, ok - the consensus was "stick a blossom point in front of it" but can you blame us? It sounds so good.

I came to OSG for an unrelated reason but I'll stick up for the Vape here. I've been using it a lot as a Jazz amp lately. Back in the old days it mainly did a kind of 60's garage thing. And I love to shove a muff into it and go grunge. I think people mistake it as being a "one trick pony" when - if you ignore the fuzz and reverb circuits - it's not far off being a solid state princeton pre-amp into an AC15-copy power amp. As someone else said - it takes pedals very well (I love pushing mine with a rangemaster), it's a very responsive amp to how you play and I think it can perform in a lot of different sound spaces. You just have to treat it more like a Champ than a Twin.
[...]
I'd be interested to know which is louder flat out - I'd normally expect 2x10 to win over 1x10 but the Vape cones are notably inefficient.

[...]

That was not meant negatively - the purist comment was just about the approach - as for many Surf Guitarists it (still) seems to be (more or less strictly of course) just GUITAR-REVERB-(Blossom Point into whatever) AMP without much frippery.
And while my sound is definitely "surfy" - it also contains a lot of Fuzz and some Psychedelic elements... and is also Drop-Tuned (all strings a half step down + Drop D) - which is more of an exception I guess.
And in my early SG101 days I once made a comment that while it may be unconventional you could really spice up your spring reverb pedal
sound with some dirt behind it - my FuzzBear Tonebender just makes any reverb instantly super drippy and trebly nuanced - but I felt like I got looked at funny for my response.

And yes, I have a blossom point too and it is just great - I use it more at home at the moment because of the attenuation-function for fat sounds at low volume! On my main board I also use a JPTR FX Jive (Reel Saturation) pretty much at the end of the chain for a similar effect of breathing some additional life into the sound.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile I got the 68 custom and put the Vaporizer up for sale for a month or so - but as I just got offered 100 bucks less than my moderate 300€ asking price... it stays for now.... so I also play both back and forth. In the flat the Vaporizer really is great - also because the Reverb makes ZERO noise when dialed in (well I played around a lot to get it there and also flipped the spring, tried different cables and all).
Unlike the 68 custom Princeton... it seems to receive some kind of interference - but in the rehearsal room that wasn't (so) present.
I flipped the spring tank - which made it a little better. Maybe I have to check the cables too - but those extras with gold jacks and all that I would have made a lot MORE noise in the Vaporizer than the cheap stock cables...have to find them first anyhow...
But without Reverb it has a very low noise floor.

Two weeks ago we tried both amps as combos and with 3 different speaker cabs (1x12 FANE, 2x12 Supersonic with Vintatge 30 and with a 1x15 Celestion Full Back) - and I must say: with more volume the Vaporizer really sucked (and the Vaporize switch is THE WORST - but I knew this before) - even with an external cab... the headroom just stops above 10 o'clock - it just gets's dirty in a not so pleasant way... While the Princeton hasn't even been pushed to its limits - so I'd say the Princeton definitely is louder.
And to keep it fair: both sucked in comparison to the 68 Bandmaster and the mid 70s Bassman 100. so this is where the magic really is at. *
For clean, as a pedal platform and I guess for Jazz too the Vaporizer is indeed a great amp! I've just played a Silverface Vibrochamp once in a friend's flat - and the 68 custom vibro champ reverb in a store (the digital reverb sounded alright) - but I never played a Champ-Champ...

*This experiment just reassured me that the Bandmaster is indeed a great amp! Maybe I should just get that power transformer exchanged. But it didn't help in the question whether to buy the Bassman 100 and sell the 6G6-B Bassman Clone (and the Bandmaster) to have just one additional amp that can manage Bass and Guitars - and has the Silverface aesthetics to match my 2x15 Bass speaker Cab).

[tqi]

-

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

That was not meant negatively - the purist comment was just about the approach - as for many Surf Guitarists it (still) seems to be (more or less strictly of course) just GUITAR-REVERB-(Blossom Point into whatever) AMP without much frippery.

I DID put a winky-face at the end of the sentence.

And while my sound is definitely "surfy" - it also contains a lot of Fuzz and some Psychedelic elements... and is also Drop-Tuned (all strings a half step down + Drop D) - which is more of an exception I guess.

I definitely think that's well within current 101 scope. Loooot of Messer Chups fans around. Drop-D is sure weird, but no judgement here.

Well I'll try to check in more often then... Satan's Pilgrims are sometimes very fuzzy too.
Maybe I can connect a bit more before next year's Surfer Joe Festival. This year was already very cool - met a lot of nice people!

And in my early SG101 days I once made a comment that ... you could really spice up your spring reverb pedal... - but I felt like I got looked at funny for my response.

And quite right, you dangerous lunatic! Jokes aside, I'm sorry you had that experience. But I'm glad you have a community you feel good with here. Especially since half the names I see are eerily familiar...
[/quote]
- well I'm a regular lurker at SG101 too...I just don't post very much... but somehow I like the overall website/thread experience quite a bit better here at OSG.

A full hardcore silverface fan! Unusual but cool! We need more of you so Fender will stop only emulating fricken '65 amps.

Dripedge = Love
But I'd say I love the Blonde/Oxblood early 60s style Amps equally. But somehow the Supersonic series was the only one in decades to feature those looks... Oh how I would love a 63 Custom series - with mostly heads (Showman, maybe a low wattage version"Little Showman", Vibroverb, Deluxe and Princeton) all featuring the "Custom" Bassman voicing, Tremolo (or Harmonic Vibrato if that should be more appropriate), Presence Control - ALL with 6G15 Reverb with all three controls (but actually first in chain - so that it would sound like it was actually sitting before the amp like an outboard unit - was it that way on the Vibro King?) and just one or two combos, but a few (2x10, 1x12, 2x12, 1x15, 2x15 or even 4x12) cabs that go with them... piggy backing if possible.


That might just be the coolest 4x12 I've ever seen!

If they'd have the DARK Brown (vintage and first Supersonic Series) then YES (the lighter Brown that is also used on the DIY kits doesn't look that good imo. Otherwise Black - but with the cream-white knobs. Or cream witchhat style amp knobs. I'd love to see that...but won't happen.

Oh dear. I fear I may have committed a faux-pas with my bass head.

Oh how I would still love to make a "mirrored" Vaporizer extension cabinet with a 1x15 speaker (so that they'd make a hourglass together)

[tqi]

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[MechaBulletBill]

having had a vaporizer, and a friend who had a 68 custom princeton, i'd take the princeton any day. vaporizer is a fun weird amp that looks cool but, while it is very fun, simply not that useful for how big it is, how noisy it is, and how loud it isn't.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

having had a vaporizer, and a friend who had a 68 custom princeton, i'd take the princeton any day. vaporizer is a fun weird amp that looks cool but, while it is very fun, simply not that useful for how big it is, how noisy it is, and how loud it isn't.

I'm absolutely with you other than the noise factor... which isn't that bad (after some mild tweaking - without a tube swap yet).