[Harp-L] Another amazing fender princeton mod done by Ron Holmes (True Genius)

["nickdeem" <nickdeem@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Or Why spend close to 2 thousand for a "boutique" harp amp? For less money &
a Holmes mod you can have perfect tone!!! Once again Ron proved that he
really has that creative edge and as he told me on the phone the day I
bought a harp commander from him about 4 years ago "musicians compose with
music I like to compose with circuits)... About a year ago I purchased the
amp section of an early "silverface" Princeton (about 1967, it still had the
original fender 2 prong ac cord) The tubes were OK but it really sounded
weak and lifeless...I emailed him one day with an idea I had to bring it
back to life as a harp / guitar Amp.I asked him if he could use the first
input as a guitar channel and then knock out the useless vibrato circuit and
mod it as a second channel strictly for harp on the second  input. The
results are truly amazing..the first input is for 

guitar and it utilizes the volume bass and treble controls along with the 2
12ax7 tubes in the original preamp section..the second input is for the
harp.he made it very high impedance for a mike or a harp commander,  he
knocked out the vibrato circuit completely.and made the speed and intensity
pots volume and tone.since the 2 12ax7's were now being used for Guitar,,,he
added another tube into the circuit he put an additional tube socket in the
chassis and gave the harp channel a 12au7.he also rewired and recapped the
chassis (its more like a deluxe now).and changed the tube biasing to cathode
(he said it makes things more efficient and louder sounding even though
technically theres a few less watts) He emailed me photographs of before and
after.Getting it back from him I must have looked over his workmanship for
almost an hour.he really does one of the neatest soldering jobs you've ever
seen.Plugging it in and putting it through a Legend 12" alnico has been one
of my best playing experiences ever.Soundwise I always thought my main harp
amp a Premier T-12R was perfect in the past  But the harp side and the
guitar side on the princeton really sound "fat and juicy"...jt30 ,
controlled magnetic reluctance bullet, shure 545 all really "shine"
amazingly with very little feedback...that guitar channel has such a full
sound my Strat sings and my archtop sounds so warm and jazzy.. Before you
spend  "the big bucks" Give Ron a call..