What's with the PRRI price differences?

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UlricvonCatalyst
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What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by UlricvonCatalyst » Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:18 am

Okay, I'm 10 pages into scrolling through my search for 'Princeton Reverb 68' in this section with no joy, so I'm hoping someone here can school me.

I've been hankering after a Princeton Reverb for years now and sometimes look in earnest when I've just been paid or have sold something from my collection. Was looking at PRRIs yesterday and was struck by how much cheaper the Silverface '68 is than the Blackface '65. I do remember reading or hearing about a popular mod for the '68 to roll off some excess bass (?).

So, I'm wondering whether or not the price difference is an accurate reflection of a leap in quality, or if it's something else I'm not aware of.

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by JSett » Sun Apr 03, 2022 1:45 am

A) People, for the most part, will always prefer the Blackface aesthetics and there's always a stronger market for vintage correct sounds.

B) The 68's have, apparently, quite a substantial amount of noise/hiss due to the changing of the NFB loop in order to get more overdrive from the circuit. It's pretty well documented as an issue so I think that drives resale prices down.

C) the '68 is £999 new and the '65 is £1199, so that'll make a difference I expect.
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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by UlricvonCatalyst » Sun Apr 03, 2022 4:12 am

Thanks for that, Johnny. I must be a weirdo, because I think I prefer the silverface look personally....though function's more important to me than how it looks.

Saw a keenly priced blackface one on FB marketplace, but it's in Wigan and the guy's adamant it's collection only. The blackfaces seem thin on the ground, which is why I'm wondering 'just how bad can the '68s be?' I suppose I'll just have to sit tight and hope for a '65 to come up locally at a good price.

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by JSett » Sun Apr 03, 2022 5:23 am

I like both looks to be honest but the 68 comes with a Celestion speaker and is supposedly quite different sounding to a Princeton Reverb as we know and love them.

I've probably had maybe 3 of the 65 PRRI and always sold them on for something bigger or smaller. They're too loud for home and not loud enough for a band. If you can find one that's seen plenty of use so the stock speaker has broken in then they're lovely sounding amps. They seem to go through phases of there being seemingly none on the market then a little explosion of availability. I think I paid 700 quid for my last one, in 2020
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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by Veitchy » Sun Apr 03, 2022 5:46 pm

I own a 68 and I wouldn't recommend it as a straight substitute for the PRRI. It's a very different sounding amp. You can mod them back to a black-panel sound without too much hassle* and if you dial them in they can sound good depending on your setup, but they're a different beast.

*I get that when you're dealing with amp mods, 'without too much hassle' exists on a curve, but I think its's only two or three component tweaks plus the speaker that re-voices them so radically.

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by hexes » Fri Apr 08, 2022 10:02 pm

the funny thing about the ‘68 custom PR is the circuit board is the exact same board with the exact same trademark date. very easy to change back to a PRRI if your time is free and you can read a schematic.

i, too, think the silver era fender amps look exceptional.

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by jdr1014 » Wed Apr 27, 2022 5:17 pm

All of the reissues need proper power tube bias and sufficient time for speaker to get well broken in.

I much prefer the tone of the 65PRRI over the 68 Custom - especially after a few years' use.

Some of the differences have been noted above. In terms of price difference, I believe the 68 Celestion speaker is cheaper than the 65's Jensen. The other thing is the 65RI line of amps is made(assembled) in California and the 68 Custom Line is from Mexico.

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by Larsongs » Thu Apr 28, 2022 6:08 am

The different prices are a reflection of different Model Runs. Different features, Speakers, Coverings etc.

I like my 65 PRRI a lot. It’s a pretty perfect little Amp. One of my Band mates has the 68 & they’re really good too.

I also have a 65 DRRI that I’ve owned for about 10 years & it’s never overwhelmed me.. It’s pretty good though.. That said, I really like the added features of the 68 DRRI’s & thinking of getting one..

I like both Blackface & Silverface.. I’d Really like a late 60’s or early 70’s in original mint condition.. But, finding one at a price I can justify is hard…

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by morgancolgrave » Sat Jul 09, 2022 1:46 pm

I’m borrowing my mates reissue blue princeton reissue. Such a fun little amp. Sounds great with my single coil guitars but shockingly low headroom with my Les Paul & Heritage H535.

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by Larsongs » Sat Jul 09, 2022 2:45 pm

morgancolgrave wrote:
Sat Jul 09, 2022 1:46 pm
I’m borrowing my mates reissue blue princeton reissue. Such a fun little amp. Sounds great with my single coil guitars but shockingly low headroom with my Les Paul & Heritage H535.
Fender has many variations of the traditional Reissue 65PRRI, 65DRRI & Twins..

In some cases it’s minor like a Different Speaker or more involved with Circuits, etc..

If you were talking about the 65 DRRI’s I’d seriously consider the 68 because of some pretty great additional features.. Like Reverb & Tremelo on the Normal Channel, Channel jumping & some other things that really set it apart from the 65 DRRI.

The 68PRRI & other variations, IMHO, don’t offer much other Speaker & color differences.. The 65PRRI is perfect out of the box.. You can always swap out Tubes & Speaker if you want to experiment. But, it’s reversible.. You’d still have the perfect out of the box 65 PRRI…

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by Larry Mal » Sat Jul 09, 2022 2:48 pm

I went through a period of research recently and dismissed the silverface reissue for the noise reason, also, with the Princeton you only get the one circuit.

I ended up with this (I paid less), and the reason I bought that one was because it has a 12" speaker instead of the 10", and because it has a solid pine cabinet instead of the laminate.

The 12" speaker makes a big difference and it's fantastic sounding amp.
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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by Larsongs » Sat Jul 09, 2022 3:11 pm

Larry Mal wrote:
Sat Jul 09, 2022 2:48 pm
I went through a period of research recently and dismissed the silverface reissue for the noise reason, also, with the Princeton you only get the one circuit.

I ended up with this (I paid less), and the reason I bought that one was because it has a 12" speaker instead of the 10", and because it has a solid pine cabinet instead of the laminate.

The 12" speaker makes a big difference and it's fantastic sounding amp.
I’m sure that’s a great sounding Amp with those Celestion’s.. If I didn’t already have Vox Amps that would’ve been my choice too.. But, I wanted the USA Fender Surf Sound for one of my other Bands & different Projects…

I’m curious if you can get Fender Clean tone like the standard 65PRRI’s too? I’d like to try one like yours… Great looking in Tweed BTW!

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by Larry Mal » Sat Jul 09, 2022 3:30 pm

Larsongs wrote:
Sat Jul 09, 2022 3:11 pm


I’m sure that’s a great sounding Amp with those Celestion’s.. If I didn’t already have Vox Amps that would’ve been my choice too.. But, I wanted the USA Fender Surf Sound for one of my other Bands & different Projects…

I’m curious if you can get Fender Clean tone like the standard 65PRRI’s too? I’d like to try one like yours… Great looking in Tweed BTW!
Well, I did end up selling a Fender Princeton Recording amp, and I compared the two. The Recording isn't exactly a reissue, but it does have the 10" speaker.

I found I greatly preferred the tweed with the 12". It did all the stuff the other one did but more.
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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by Larsongs » Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:20 am

Larry Mal wrote:
Sat Jul 09, 2022 3:30 pm
Larsongs wrote:
Sat Jul 09, 2022 3:11 pm


I’m sure that’s a great sounding Amp with those Celestion’s.. If I didn’t already have Vox Amps that would’ve been my choice too.. But, I wanted the USA Fender Surf Sound for one of my other Bands & different Projects…

I’m curious if you can get Fender Clean tone like the standard 65PRRI’s too? I’d like to try one like yours… Great looking in Tweed BTW!
Well, I did end up selling a Fender Princeton Recording amp, and I compared the two. The Recording isn't exactly a reissue, but it does have the 10" speaker.

I found I greatly preferred the tweed with the 12". It did all the stuff the other one did but more.
Does it do Clean? I play several genres & eras of music.. I use several Guitars not only an AV65 JM… AV65 Jag, Strat, Tele’s, ES335, LP’s, Casino’s etc…

I have 12” Celestion UK Alnico Blue in my Vox AC15 & I love that Amp & the Sounds it can get.. It always sounds great but never completely Clean.

I have the 65PRRI & 65DRRI that get great Clean sound.. Much of the time I use a Keeley 30ms Double Tracker Pedal & use both Vox & Fender Amps Stereo or switch to either Amp for the Sound I want..

It would be ideal to have 1 Combo Amp that would do both well..

Would you say your Amp does both exceedingly well?

Thanks

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Re: What's with the PRRI price differences?

Post by Larry Mal » Mon Jul 11, 2022 1:53 pm

Larsongs wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:20 am



Does it do Clean? I play several genres & eras of music.. I use several Guitars not only an AV65 JM… AV65 Jag, Strat, Tele’s, ES335, LP’s, Casino’s etc…

I have 12” Celestion UK Alnico Blue in my Vox AC15 & I love that Amp & the Sounds it can get.. It always sounds great but never completely Clean.

I have the 65PRRI & 65DRRI that get great Clean sound.. Much of the time I use a Keeley 30ms Double Tracker Pedal & use both Vox & Fender Amps Stereo or switch to either Amp for the Sound I want..

It would be ideal to have 1 Combo Amp that would do both well..

Would you say your Amp does both exceedingly well?

Thanks
I'd say you get a little more clean headroom than you do on a model with the 10" speaker. Still, you start hearing it break up around 5 or so. It's a Princeton, after all.

But otherwise, it has tremendous cleans at lower volumes.

Still, if clean what what I really was focused on, it would be a Deluxe as you can imagine. I would think that if you have the Deluxe and Princeton reissues then you more than have the ground this amp makes covered.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

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