[Harp-L] Princeton Reverb Recording Amp

["Mark D. Friedman" <colofriedman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Fender Princeton Recording Amp Review



I use to play through a 1974 Princeton Silver Face that I had since 1978 
and I totally loved it -- until it electrocuted me in 2003.  Since then 
I have used & still own a Fender Vibrolux, an Epihpone Valve Jr. & a 
Fender Blues Junior with a vintage 10" (64 ceraminc Jenson) speaker I 
put in it.  The new Princeton sounds very much like a friend of mine's 
old Black Face Princeton which is killer for electric harp but it's that 
big knob, the power soak,  that makes it perfect for harp.  Most the 
time you can't turn an amp on above 4 or it feeds back with a harp mic. 
I run this puppy on 8 & 9 to get that great tube break up sound I could 
only dream of before or maybe just barely taste when the moon was full 
and the planets were aligned just right.

I know it's designed for the studio but with the great speaker emulated 
line out I can run through the PA or another amp, sound great, and I get 
all the stage volume I need.  Really it's surprising loud for 15 watts 
by itself.

It's got that great Princeton clean bouncy sound I love for rhythm harp 
and country at low main volume settings and a totally killer tube 
distort for leads at high settings (with the speaker turned down).  ( & 
You can get that same sound at any volume you want!!)

The spring reverb sounds better on harp (ala Little Walter) than the 
"tube" reverb on my Vibrolux and the compression is very useful to tame 
those piecing high notes on harp that will spilt your head open on my 
Vibrolux.  The electronic distortion hums a bit but I rarely use it on 
harp because of the feedback that lives on the edge of that effect.

All in all it looks like Fender has inadvertently designed the best 
stock harmonica amp ever!  It does cost a quite a bit for 15 watts but 
so does a vintage Fender Princeton and the special features, especially 
the power soak, put it league with a custom built harp amp.

~Mad  Dog