Fender '57 Deluxe - actually '65 Princeton

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:18 am

Has anyone tried one? Linky

Am considering selling my Rockerverb - never thought I would do this, but I'm just not using it. Trying to thin out my gear and this might have to go :S
If I do sell the Rockerverb and the TT, then I would like a really nice amp for at home and the '57 Deluxe has been something I have been interested in since they reissued it.
Just wondering if anyone had had a go on one.
There's one in a shop in Exmouth, so I might go and give it a go later on.

James · Post by **James** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:04 am

How does the price compare to an original? I'm seeing Â£1,200 at GAK for the reissue, that's the sort of price I would guess an original wuld go for but I wouldn't be surprised if it was more like Â£2k

Also 'lol' @ custom for a fixed spec product.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:22 am

Yeah I haven't seen any originals for sale, so not sure to be honest. Wouldn't be surprised if they were closer to the Â£2k mark.
I reckon I could cover the cost of a reissue fom the sale of my Orange amps/cabs so that's the sort of price I'm shooting for.

kypdurron · Post by **kypdurron** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 12:48 pm

James wrote:How does the price compare to an original? I'm seeing Â£1,200 at GAK for the reissue, that's the sort of price I would guess an original wuld go for but I wouldn't be surprised if it was more like Â£2k

I saw those from 3.000 up to ... 15, 20? k, depending on age and constitution. â‚¬, that is. Don't know for what they sell, but these were the asked prices in Germany, which usually are comparable to GB when it comes to Fender stuff.

But this is one of the most cloned amps, I guess, so there are alternatives.

http://www.twinsound.de
http://www.marble-amps.com/

and so on.

But these may not be cheaper than the Fender Reissue. Can't say anything bad about the Fender, exept that it has no reverb. I tried it once or twice in a shop, and it's a cool amp for clean and crunch sounds.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 12:49 pm

Progress...
The '57 Deluxe sounds a bit boxy...fairly nasal...doesn't like digging in on the bass strings, not the amp for me - but glad I tried it. For certain things it sounded great though, no doubt.
Then had a long chat with my friend who built my Les Paul, and he suggested that the '65 amps were closer to what I would like - we have fairly simlar tastes.
So task for next week is to try out a Princeton Reverb and a Deluxe Reverb.

kypdurron · Post by **kypdurron** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:14 pm

Those are nice amps, also try the Vibrolux and the Twin Reverb. Bu tthey usually don't have much or any overdrive ability. In case of the blackface reissues, the 70ties silverface models are decent alternatives, espacially the bigger amps like Twin Reverb, Super Reverb, Bandmaster etc sell often much cheaper than the reissues.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:18 pm

Yeah totally, cheers. Guess I am looking for something that will mostly be home use, so the bigger amps are not really appropriate. Will certainly have a look around though.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:19 pm

I was going to say about a Princeton, funnily enough, and almost bought a Deluxe Reverb before I bought my Matamp. Also, for Â£2K, there are an awful lot of people making Fender amps better than Fender... In fact for that money, you could have something made to your spec - Matamp were knockout for me, and will bend over backwards to spec their stuff to what you're after. Also, this place up in Bristol seems worth a visit, amp wise.

Wish I'd known there was somewhere decent in Exmouth while I was trapped in Dawlish Warren...

EDIT: fuck, if it's for home, go quieter! Get one of these built into a combo, then buy one of these with the change. And let me have a go on it.

kypdurron · Post by **kypdurron** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:19 pm

Ok, then the 2 you mentioned should fit nicely

you get good prices in England at the moment ...

http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~nam ... D~9445.asp
http://www.thomann.de/de/fender_65_princeton_reverb.htm

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:30 pm

benecol wrote:EDIT: fuck, if it's for home, go quieter! Get one of these built into a combo, then buy one of these with the change. And let me have a go on it.

Haha

Yeah I had thought about Matamp actually, especially after what you had said about your experience.
I'm thinking that the Deluxe Reverb might be good - 22W is enough to gig should I want to...not reducing it to home use only. I want a nice clean tone that I can run pedals into, now that I have sorted my dirt on my board.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:32 pm

Also - looking at the Bristol link Tim reminds me that Mansons have just started stocking Cornell amps...will drop in in the week for a play.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:39 pm

They are really good - book some time in, go up to the factory with your gear, and play all their amps through their wall of speakers. Can't praise them highly enough.

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:57 am

friend says 57 re iss is awesome

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 9:14 am

kypdurron wrote:Those are nice amps, also try the Vibrolux and the Twin Reverb. Bu tthey usually don't have much or any overdrive ability. In case of the blackface reissues, the 70ties silverface models are decent alternatives, espacially the bigger amps like Twin Reverb, Super Reverb, Bandmaster etc sell often much cheaper than the reissues.

Yeah it's down to size- you can get a SF Twin for about Â£500, but SF Deluxe Reverbs are all Â£800-Â£1000. I know, I've been looking for a second one for aaages.

Post by **Mike** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 9:31 am

It's also because Twins are stupid. They do one sound - Crushingly loud cleans.

Deluxe Reverbs are amazing. They do lush Fender cleans, breakup and overdrive sounds, all without you being DEAD.

James · Post by **James** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:56 pm

I haven't played a Matamp, but if I were looking at spending around a grand on a 20w combo I'd be giving them a call to see what they could do.

kypdurron · Post by **kypdurron** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 1:35 pm

Thom wrote:Also - looking at the Bristol link Tim reminds me that Mansons have just started stocking Cornell amps...will drop in in the week for a play.

These are f'tastic too, many hold them in higher esteem than Fender's own reissues. Only disadvantage might be that you might get better prices if you resell a Fender rather than a Cornell.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:15 pm

This lunchtime I went to town and tried out a few amps - a Princeton Reverb and a couple of Cornell Tweeds.
I liked the Cornells, had that vintage tweed sound, but decided this was not what I was looking for - a little honky.
Then I plugged in the Fender...and it was utterly fantastic. A clean sound so lush, it was perfect. And cranked it sounded really great. It was really warm with the treble around 3 and then had a lot of spank when increased.
I took the MBM Crunch Box to see how it handled that and took it really well, think it's a great amp for pedals.

It has cofirmed that that Fender clean sound is what I want.
Now have to have a go on the deluxe reverb.
Still going to give matamp a call...but if this is delivering exactly the sound I want then I might not have much further to look.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:22 pm

I think a Princeton would suit you great, lovely pedal amp. Deluxes are fab too but the price you can get on a Princeton these days is amazing.

Â£799.00 for a Deluxe Reverb
Â£679.00 for a Princeton

You get 22Watts an a 12" speaker in the Deluxe and 15Watts and a 10" Speaker in the Princeton.

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:25 pm

i think the princeton a lovely amp. would it be loud enough to gig with?

[youtube][/youtube]

i like that sound