GW - let ME review the Princeton Rec Amp

[gtrdr]

Hey guys,

I generally love your reveiws, but the one about the Princeton Recording Amp is just horrible! First you compared it to the other current Princeton, which is a totally different amp, then you got into the 5W type amps, which are also quite different. So here for the straight dope:

The new Fender Princeton Recording Amp is a new blend of technologies that allows for great tone in a small package. The basis of the amp is a 40 yr old (that's not a typo) 20W, 1x10" design of the original "blackface" Princeton Reverb (BFPR) amplifier. The amp sports a pair of 6V6GT power tubes, with 12AX7's and 12AT7's and the preamp duties, and has Volume, Treble, Bass, and Reverb controls. Unlike the BFPR, there is no tremolo circuit, which in fact allows for better tone - also there are extra goodies that will reach across a wider range of musicians (i.e. more useful). There are three onboard controls that are usually reserved for pedals. One is a Compressor, which is hard to describe except that it can add sustain, evenness, and smoothness to the signal. Second, there an Overdrive effect akin to the famed Tubescreamer, which interacts amazingly with the amp's tube circuitry (the effect is in fact solid-state in nature) and produces excellent, natural sounding overdrive. Finally, there is a Power Attenuator (a.k.a. "hot plate" as named of the widely used THD accessory) which is like the best master volume you can imagine (i.e. it actually doesn't kill you tone with along with the volume). So basically, its like taking an overpriced and unreliable, 40 yr old classic lower-mid-powered tube amp, a good compressor (think "keeley"), a good overdrive (tubescreamer), and a THD Hot Plate, all in a single, simple box. And it sounds incredible. Great for studios and easily used in small gigs.
It also has an effects loop, a footswitch, a line out (XLR and 1/4"), and a 4-button footswitch (footboard?!) for the Overdrive, Comp, FX Loop and Reverb!
BTW this is HIGH END: the price is probably around $1,000 street ($1429 list), but one of the best offerings ive seen in a while.

The 20W key - it gives you enough power for full, crystal clear clean tones, but it can get outright nasty at reasonable volumes (even more reasonable with the attenuator, down to 1W or so). What else do you need in the studio?

[dagosto]

Hey man, welcome to the forums and thanks for the review. To our defense at the time of that review the amp was not available for retail or review and all we had to go on is what we saw at the NAMM show. Expect to see a full video review of the amp in our brand new Amp Lab section as soon as we can get our hands on one.

Thanks again for the input. Nice stuff.

[gtrdr]

sweet dude - can't wait for the updated review
~GD

[Ol'boy rivers]

I can't do a review onthe product, I've never played one. But here's the tink; It's an extremely old design ( One of their firsts If i'm not mistaken ) and we all know we're all vintage junkeys, But Leo Fender made new amps to -improve - on an old idea. In that view: It's 1000 dollors for a very small, Very single minded amp. ( Single minded meaning not versital. With pedals, I'm sure this am would rock your sawks off. ) Does it have bells and whisltes? Yeah. Is it probably a great recording amp? I can almost promise it is. But todays musicians want versitility; Spend just a little more money and find you a tubey Marshall head Pawnshop deal, Buy a Powerbrake, And you're in deal with not only a recording amp, But with a good cabinet you've got a gigging and practice amp. ( We all know playing gigs and practicing with a Direct line out is stoo-pe-dee. )