Low Watt Fender Voiced amp for stuido/small gig?

[lank81]

Hi Guys,
So a while back I had a Fender DRRI (stock) which was decent but I got "tone" hungry and upgraded to a Li'l Dawg 59 Bassman. It's a GREAT amp but just way too much amp for my needs. I'm looking to downgrade now and am looking for something that can played clean/OD from amp. My studio is a little sound proofed and on the 3rd floor(attic) so it can be a little louder of an amp. I'd also like it to be loud enough for jams/small gigs. If it needs to be mic'd that's ok. I'm looking for more blackface fenderish tones (Beatles White album->Let It Be sounds). I've got a Strat and Epi Casino for my guitars. Question is - Fender Reissues like PR or DR and mod them or go with something else. It doesn't need to be hand wired as long as it sounds pretty decent. Suggestions?

[21stcenturykid]

Try a Frenzel from FRENZEL Tube Amps

Theres quite a few models that would suit your needs. They sounds absolutely amazing for the price.thumbsup

[Ron Vogel]

Princeton reverb is right up your alley...I like the new ones, but don't like the "recording" one.

It would be better with a 12" in there, but the stock 10" is adequate. I had a blackface clone with a 12 in it, and was perfect for jamming with a drummer, and recording. Plenty of clean headroom, and has a great break-up.

Deluxe would be cool, but it is quite bit louder before breakup. My two favorite amps are old Champs and Princetions.

[lank81]

Originally Posted by Ron Vogel

Princeton reverb is right up your alley...I like the new ones, but don't like the "recording" one.

It would be better with a 12" in there, but the stock 10" is adequate. I had a blackface clone with a 12 in it, and was perfect for jamming with a drummer, and recording. Plenty of clean headroom, and has a great break-up.

Deluxe would be cool, but it is quite bit louder before breakup. My two favorite amps are old Champs and Princetions.

Yea, the Princeton has become very appealing to me. I never thought about getting one until as of late, not sure why. I'd probably swap out for something like a Weber to get some more volume than the stock Jensen RI but yea, definitely going to look in to it.

[slymo]

Have you played the Fender Blues Jr. NOS with the 12" Jensen speaker? It may break up too fast for what you want but I just fell in love with the little guy.

[Ron Vogel]

Originally Posted by slymo

Have you played the Fender Blues Jr. NOS with the 12" Jensen speaker? It may break up too fast for what you want but I just fell in love with the little guy.

There's more in common (timbre) with a 6V6 and a 6L6 than an EL84...otherwise I'd say try one out. Princeton is goind to be a bunch more blackface sounding than the Jr. The Jr is an OK amp, but that fizzy break up is totally different than the old designs.

If you were going there, the Vox nighttrain is pretty cool. No reverb or tremelo, but the tones are nice.

[lank81]

If I did go Vox for earlier Beatles tones, even though a little more expensive the new Vox AC15 Handwired series looks / sounds great.

[corworld]

White Album/Let It Be tones are surprisingly Silverface Twin Reverbs with a fuzz pedal here and there. If the Deluxe-type amp is too much for you, a Princeton or champ would be your best bet. Being gearslutz, I would get a 6v6 amp and a 6l6 amp so you had options. But then I have room full of different amps for that reason.

[analogjeff]

you want an older princeton...

[Ron Vogel]

Originally Posted by analogjeff

you want an older princeton...

Yeah, sounds like it.

I can throw this in though...The silverface Champs are easy to beef up. Sometime in the mid '70s Fender started putting in power trannies from the Princeton, so swapping in a 6L6 is a pretty easy mod and the the pt can take it...run it into a 1 x 12 cab and your golden. I still would like to have the vibrato and reverb...but they are easy enough to live without. The 4 ohm output limits speaker choices, but not too much.

[slymo]

Originally Posted by Ron Vogel

The Jr is an OK amp, but that fizzy break up is totally different than the old designs.

If you were going there, the Vox nighttrain is pretty cool. No reverb or tremelo, but the tones are nice.

Now that you mention it I do remember it having kind of a fizzy breakup. Made me think there was something wrong with the amp. So as a relative noob to the whole Fender sound and I absolutely love it, what would be an amp that has some breakup but you don't have to bleed your ears. I played through a friends Deluxe and I loved the cleans on it but it got really loud to get it singing. I have a 100w Marshall combo in the studio and I'd like to add a Fender.

[Sean Sullivan]

You can get a Fender Princeton (the one with the reverb) for decent prices these days. I'm not sure the Princeton Reverbs are worth the price they've been pulling these days...or at least the last time I checked.

[Ron Vogel]

Originally Posted by slymo

Now that you mention it I do remember it having kind of a fizzy breakup. Made me think there was something wrong with the amp. So as a relative noob to the whole Fender sound and I absolutely love it, what would be an amp that has some breakup but you don't have to bleed your ears. I played through a friends Deluxe and I loved the cleans on it but it got really loud to get it singing. I have a 100w Marshall combo in the studio and I'd like to add a Fender.

It's the EL84's...they break-up early, and are kind of fizzy. They are great for balls out distortion, but don't excell at subtle. I tried several EL84 amps, and just couldn't warm up to them for lack of versitlity.

Princeton is a great fender amp for the occassional gig and studio use for the volume reason, and the twin 6v6's. Champs weakness is the single 6V6; although it still sounds great (but has very little bass)...the Princeton has a good bottom to it, and having two output tubes to overdrive gives a nice, harmonic rich distortion at reasonable volumes. I have been playing for over 20 years, and never checked out Princeton's until last year, I honestly kicked myself for not doing it sooner.

I'm not discounting the Deluxe, it's great too, but has a bunch more headroom. The ocassional jam with a drummer can be a little on the loud side for good break-up.

The newer Princetons are SS rectified, and highly recommend them. I had a '64 clone with a tube recto. The PT in my amp allowed different recto tubes, and the GZ34 was the winner. I like some sag in amps, but didn't like it in the Princeton...the GZ34 had the highest output voltage...and the least sag. I'd have no qualm on owning an ss rectofied Princeton, but I normally prefer tube ones.

[vernier]

I like tweed over blackface but either way, around 15 watts is all you need if you're looking for smaller. Almost any old 15-watter will do the job.
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[slymo]

Originally Posted by Ron Vogel

I have been playing for over 20 years, and never checked out Princeton's until last year, I honestly kicked myself for not doing it sooner.

The newer Princetons are SS rectified, and highly recommend them. I had a '64 clone with a tube recto. The PT in my amp allowed different recto tubes, and the GZ34 was the winner. I like some sag in amps, but didn't like it in the Princeton...the GZ34 had the highest output voltage...and the least sag. I'd have no qualm on owning an ss rectofied Princeton, but I normally prefer tube ones.

After looking at this thread I did some Princeton research and had the same reaction, "why haven't I ever looked at this amp." Thanks for the info.

[David_Kessler]

The Egnater Tweaker is a cool little amp that is pretty versatile.

Welcome to Egnater Amplification

[Protools Guy]

I just bought a used Peavey Classic 20 for $100. The amp sounds GREAT!

[djemberecords]

Try a Mesa Boogie TransAtlantic TA-15 head. It's like five amps in one and they all sound great. Plus, Made in America. I'm using a couple of closed Blackheart 12" cabinets with it.

Sounds great both loud and soft. Great for the studio and you could play a pretty big gig with it.

[Welldigger]

For small gigs and studio recording, why not try a Fender pro jr. It's plenty loud (15 watts) to play with a band, sounds real good, relatively inexpensive, and light enough to carry up and down stairs.

[Masaaki]

I recommend Victoria's fender tweed clone like 20112, if it is for clean/slightly OD'ed sound. Tele and strat sounds fantastic. If you want even smaller, 5112 is also good sounding.

[decocco]

Yeah, I think the Beatles were using silverface Twin Reverbs on the White Album and Let it Be. They are great amps (despite what people will say) but they are EXTREMELY LOUD!

Fender Princeton is lovely too, and much lower wattage.

[FFTT]

Absolutely check out the Allen Sweet Spot.

This is a wonderful all hand wired Princeton Reverb Circuit
with a better mid/edge control. Very good build quality.

Even though the single 10 or 12 combo is popular,
for the studio, I would buy a separate Sweet Spot Head
and leave yourself the freedom to run it with 10's or 12's
in cabs of your choice.

[Al Rogers]

If your soldering skills are up to it you might consider building a tweed Champ or Princeton. The circuitry is simple enough for a beginning builder. The sound is classic. Reasonably priced kits that include cabinets and parts are available from Marsh Amps, Mojotone, and Weber.

Another way to go would be to buy a small tube practice amp and do a little work on it. Mercury Magnetics offers some cool aftermarket mods for the small Epiphone, Fender, and Orange amps. Check their website for the mod kits and Youtube.com for some videos featuring the modded amps.

[Masaaki]

Originally Posted by Al Rogers

.... are available from Marsh Amps, Mojotone, and Weber.

Let me add Ceriatone as well.

[popmann]

I dig my Fralin model VVT a good bit. I'm not sure it's going to be quieter than the Bassman, if that's your concern. It will break nicer. They did a nice job of making a sort of "best of Fender" in a single speaker amp...lightweight...put 6L6 for 30wt or 6V6 for 15 or 18 (don't remember exactly)...sweet reverb tank, made sweeter with a cheap NOS 12AT7.

It breaks nicer than the Fender 59 RI I have...it has a kind of in between Tweed and BF sound. It's like a BF that has a tweedy high end quality.

But, it's NOT quiet. In fact, the way they have the preamp voiced, it's gets most of it's volume from 2-4--after that, it's just breaking. So, it starts very loud. But, I can't say I want for any other amp for "that" sound. I still like the hollowed out bright ass 59 BassmanRI sound, particularly for humbuckers/drive pedals...but, for "that" old Fender clean reverb sound, I love the little VVT.

[FFTT]

Nice to hear such a solid review of the VVT Fralin.

Another very good builder is Dave Gries

From the 5 watt Gries 5 to the Gries 20 to the 35
all very well built and right on for black face tones.

[drbob1]

I'm not buying amps these days so I guess I can let a few secrets go...

1. For a good BF Fender sound, with reverb and tremelo, at 15w and a LOT cheaper than a vintage Princeton, try and find a 70s Traynor Guitarmate. Most of them have EL84s, but a pair of NOS American 84s (which have a lot less crunch before they completely break up than Mullards) will work well. Upgrade the speaker to a JBL and you have a killer studio/stage workhorse for about $500.

2. For maximum flexibility in the single-ended camp try Emery's Superbaby or better the Stage Baby, which is 15w I believe. You can get all the way from tweed tones to BF depending on tubes.

[pan60]

i have a couple brown Princeton i love.
also loving the new jule amp
Jule Amps, Hand made All-Tube Guitar Amplifiers and Spring Reverbs