SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

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alvinstraight
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SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by alvinstraight » Sat Mar 13, 2021 3:29 pm

Thinking about picking up a mid 70s Princeton without verb for home recording and playing. Looking for Fender cleans plus maybe some crunch with the support of pedals. Amp comes with a stock Oxford speaker.

I imagine lots of people here have experiences with non-reverb pricetons? How do you feel about them? Is a mid-70s PR preferable to new Fender stuff?

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by andy_tchp » Sat Mar 13, 2021 3:37 pm

Amazing amps. Like a mini twin.

Circuit is different from the reverb models and so is the way they respond; will stay clean/tight and get louder almost all the way up the volume control (whereas a PR would be a spongy, overdriven mess (in a good way)). Bring your distortion/overdrive/fuzz pedals.
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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by Gavanti » Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:31 pm

Several people here are fans. I have a SFPNR that is my main band practice amp. It does stay clean all the way up and takes pedals very well. It’s never quite as lush sounding as my Deluxe Reverb but has a kind of natural bark to it as the volume is turned up that has made it great for cutting through a really dense band mix.

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by s_mcsleazy » Sun Mar 14, 2021 2:16 am

i've only ever played one sf Princeton non-reverb and i kinda liked it more than the reverb...... it was cleaner.
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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by alvinstraight » Tue Mar 16, 2021 6:29 am

Thx for the input! I went for it...

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:41 pm

I owned one for a bit. Maybe a little weaker in the bass response and a little less scooped from what I can remember. But, that could have been fixed with a speaker swap more than likely.

In saying that, it sounded great and I wish I still had the little guy

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by alvinstraight » Fri Mar 19, 2021 7:01 am

Image

Like it!

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by s_mcsleazy » Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:30 am

ooof. that one is clean
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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by wproffitt » Fri Mar 19, 2021 1:08 pm

Congratulations! I’ve only played one of the NR Princetons from this period and must say that I quite liked it. I have a 77 SFPR and was curious to know if it would sound as beautiful. It does, in fact, compare favorably! Enjoy!

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by beauzooka » Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:18 am

I love my little 1979 Princeton - definitely a great pedal platform.
It has an Eminence Ramrod for a bit of a midrange bump. The original cab was made of MDF, which was heavy and not so structurally sound. I replaced it with a pine cab that makes it more portable.

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by AwesomeWelles » Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:48 pm

^
Love the Gain Changer - has been a mainstay on my pedal board for years now

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by beauzooka » Mon Mar 22, 2021 2:15 pm

Agreed! Barber pedals are totally underrated.

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by Dok » Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:55 am

I love mine and am very excited for the new cabinet that is on the way. I put a Weber 10F150 in mine and it is absolutely perfect.
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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by hexes » Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:35 am

very awesome! I love these amps so much. I'm actually in the process of cloning this circuit. i've always found BF/SF fender reverb to be lacking after being devoted to ampeg amps for years.

i built a brownface princeton clone and its my favorite amp. spring reverb comes from my cloned brownface reverb unit, other verb from pedals.

that said, sometimes I want that later non-reverb princeton tone, this is the amp I'd buy today if I didn't want to spend the money building one.

so so cool.

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Re: SF Princeton Non-Reverb - How do you like 'em?

Post by alvinstraight » Tue Mar 30, 2021 4:06 am

Thx for all the responses!

The amp does really seem like a great little platform for all sorts of things. Currently running the line out of this EL84 Champ clone built with parts from an old tube radio into the Princeton, and it adds a lovely edge.

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