So I Bought A Princeton Reverb Amp For 50$

key_daddy · March 28th, 2008, 05:55 PM

So I was setting up for a show last night and this drunk guy told me he played music and had a old fender amp. I said to the guy well if you ever wanted to sell it give me a call. He says well I will just go pick it up, its in my barn just down the road. So he goes to get it and it is a Princeton Reverb Amp. So I offered him 50 dollars and he took the offer. So now I have this old amp and I don't know what to do with it. The speaker has been disconnected from the inside of the amp so I must get that fixed. Also he said a tube was shot in it. So what should I do to this thing to get it up and running? And what do you guys think it is going to cost to get it back up to par?

popthree · March 28th, 2008, 05:58 PM

a whole lot of karma

key_daddy · March 28th, 2008, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popthree

a whole lot of karma

Actually the guy new it was fender and tube and stuff but it was just sitting in his barn wasting away. He said he wanted to see it put to good use. Now would you have done the same thing if you where in my shoes?

greggorypeccary · March 28th, 2008, 06:09 PM

Dude, you hit the jackpot! Take it to a good tech and you should only be in for about $100 for tubes and basic maintainence. Add a good speaker and you still got a tremendous deal! I love my Princeton...

And if you don't want that "old amp" I'll take it off your hands!

Axis29 · March 28th, 2008, 06:42 PM

Send it to me, I'll give you $75

Seriously, take it to a good tech, get it checked out, a new tube or two, maybe a cap job and you should be golden.

popthree · March 28th, 2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by key_daddy

Actually the guy new it was fender and tube and stuff but it was just sitting in his barn wasting away. He said he wanted to see it put to good use. Now would you have done the same thing if you where in my shoes?

the way you told the story it sounded like some old drunk who didn't have a clue was looking for some cash to buy another bottle.
i think what i'd do is take it in and get it fixed, evaluate what you have in it compared to what a reasonable 'good deal' is on the open market. then i'd ponly up some more $$ to make it respectable. the amp is clearly worth alot more than 50 bucks, and unless the 'drunk' is a true friend rather than some random dude... well i dunno.. just doesn't seem right. ymmv

J.Rodney · March 28th, 2008, 06:53 PM

what a bargin !! the speaker alone is worth more than that. those are great amps. look on e-bay and see how expensive they are these days.blackface or silverface,they are all high.go ahead and find the best tech that you can to fix it up right for you,you will love it,that my friend is a keeper.it reminds me of an old saying I heard years ago,about a blind hog finding an acorn.

key_daddy · March 28th, 2008, 07:06 PM

thanks for all the input. I was thinking it was going to cost me more that what you guys are predicting. What sort of tone will this thing put out through my tele anyway. I have never heard one.

Southern ILL · March 28th, 2008, 07:07 PM

You did just fine....So much better than sitting in a old barn.Get it fixed and enjoy!!

hugo · March 28th, 2008, 07:17 PM

Dude, you had no choice but to buy it. I would have paid 10 times that much and you'd still have a hell of a deal!!
Congrats man!! Do as the boys tell ya. They're right. Take it to a good tech.
Good for you and let us know how it turns out??
Nice when some amazing deal comes your way. Just when you thought it was everyone else that got the amazing deals!

Ethical · March 28th, 2008, 08:16 PM

I'd go back and ask for his bassist's telephone number :~)

Ted

4 Strings · March 28th, 2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hugo

Dude, you had no choice but to buy it. I would have paid 10 times that much and you'd still have a hell of a deal!!
Congrats man!! Do as the boys tell ya. They're right. Take it to a good tech.
Good for you and let us know how it turns out??
Nice when some amazing deal comes your way. Just when you thought it was everyone else that got the amazing deals!

+1

If the guy knew what he was giving away there's nothing for you to regret! Just a word of caution: Beware of the local blues jam's friendly mr handy man with an itch to put his soldering iron into somebodys new old vintage Fender amp. Make sure to find a good tech and pay him a little more rather than giving it to any Joe on the street.

If the transformers are OK it shouldn't be a very big deal anyway, just a new speaker, new tubes and perhaps new caps and you should be set!

Congratulations!

kp8 · March 28th, 2008, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by key_daddy

Actually the guy new it was fender and tube and stuff but it was just sitting in his barn wasting away. He said he wanted to see it put to good use. Now would you have done the same thing if you where in my shoes?

On second thought: it doesn't matter a lick what i think.

garytelecastor · March 28th, 2008, 08:44 PM

Do you play the bar often? Cause if you do, I would suggest expecting a conversation once the guy sobers up.

Big Mike Simpson · March 28th, 2008, 10:01 PM

Wow... and I thought I got a good deal on my SFPR for $150... but mine worked... It had a peavey black widow in it that I sold for $70 and I bought a used Fender eminence for $20... so I guess I have $100 in mine...

What year is your $50 PR?

Sidney Vicious · March 28th, 2008, 10:30 PM

How will your Telecaster sound through it?

A Princeton Reverb is a great sounding amp IMHO - mine is a 71 - I put a Weber Sig in it - and had a good tech - Mike at KCA - although they don't do amps anymore - do a cap job for me.

That amp sounds so full and rich with my 60's Classic Telecaster. I guarantee you will love what you hear.

Dan R · March 28th, 2008, 10:36 PM

I got mine for $300.00 four years ago and that was a steal. You cannot possibly go wrong for $50.00. I'll bet you never sell it. I wouldn't part with mine.

Dan R

key_daddy · March 29th, 2008, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4 Strings

+1

If the guy knew what he was giving away there's nothing for you to regret! Just a word of caution: Beware of the local blues jam's friendly mr handy man with an itch to put his soldering iron into somebodys new old vintage Fender amp. Make sure to find a good tech and pay him a little more rather than giving it to any Joe on the street.

If the transformers are OK it shouldn't be a very big deal anyway, just a new speaker, new tubes and perhaps new caps and you should be set!

Congratulations!

I cant find a amp tech anywhere around

. I do live about a hour from Nashville so I should be able to find someone there that can work on it. The amp is really really dirty and needs to be cleaned up. I will get some pics up ASAP. Thanks for all the replies. Also this is a very good/mature forum and thank you all. thats something hard to come by these days.

key_daddy · March 29th, 2008, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Mike Simpson

Wow... and I thought I got a good deal on my SFPR for $150... but mine worked... It had a peavey black widow in it that I sold for $70 and I bought a used Fender eminence for $20... so I guess I have $100 in mine...

What year is your $50 PR?

I really am not sure on the year. It is a black face. If anyone could inform me as in where to look on the amp to date it that would be great.

key_daddy · March 29th, 2008, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hugo

Dude, you had no choice but to buy it. I would have paid 10 times that much and you'd still have a hell of a deal!!
Congrats man!! Do as the boys tell ya. They're right. Take it to a good tech.
Good for you and let us know how it turns out??
Nice when some amazing deal comes your way. Just when you thought it was everyone else that got the amazing deals!

thanks alot, I will be updating with some pics this weekend hopefully. you never know what kind of deal will come your way. I always think about all of those old instruments and amps that people get great deals on and I never seem to be that lucky. But this time it just fell in my lap.

jh45gun · March 29th, 2008, 04:56 AM

I missed out on a Princeton blackface for 50 bucks last year the no reverb model. I knew what the guy had and it was ailing and I offered to buy it from him and he said he would check into getting it fixed and if it cost more than he wanted (over a hundred was his limit) then he would sell it to me for 50. Some other guy said he would try to fix it for him so I knew as soon as it left his possession it was gone. The guy took it to a tech and had him fix it for 175 bucks and the origional guy did not want it so the guy who got it fixed kept it. I was ticked but not a darn thing I could do about it. I knew as soon as the other guy stepped in it was a lost deal. What really irked me was the guy is not even a guitar player he is a drummer who just sort of collects equipment so if he finds some one who plays but does not have equipment he can talk them into playing with him because he has the gear.

J.Rodney · March 29th, 2008, 10:14 AM

keydaddy-we have a lot of forum members in Nashville,I feel like one of them will let you know who to take it to.I'm sure there are alot of good/reasonable techs in Nashville if you can just get there name & no.Sounds to me like you have a diamond in the rough !! What a great deal !!

lostpick · March 29th, 2008, 10:29 AM

and the give the drunk some more beer money ...

allen st. john · March 29th, 2008, 10:43 AM

Where do you guys hang out?
A blackface Princeton reverb is just about as good as it gets in a small tube amp.
If this amp were mint it'd be around $1500. Even if it's a basket case, it's worth $500 for parts.
But to repeat, don't blow it by fiddling with it yourself or letting just anyone work on it. Take it to a tech who knows vintage, let him inspect it and see what, if anything, is the matter with it. It could be just a couple of tubes and a new cord and plug which is a $100 repair or less.
If there's a problem with the transformer or something, it could run you more. At that point you need to decide whether to sink more money into it or sell it and make a tidy profit.
Either way, nice score.
I've got a BF princeton that I paid $250 for. Unfortunately, that was 1982, and everytime I play it, I think about the fact that I could have added that money to my guitar fund and bought a blackguard that'd be worth $60K now.

best
Allen

key_daddy · March 29th, 2008, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Rodney

keydaddy-we have a lot of forum members in Nashville,I feel like one of them will let you know who to take it to.I'm sure there are alot of good/reasonable techs in Nashville if you can just get there name & no.Sounds to me like you have a diamond in the rough !! What a great deal !!

I was not aware there was anyone from Nashville on the forum. If any of you guys have heard anything about this guy let me know. His prices don't seem to be that bad.

http://www.davidsonamp.com/amprepairinfo1.php

Jerry J · March 29th, 2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

March 28th, 2008, 05:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
key_daddy TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Cookeville,TN Posts: 28	So I Bought A Princeton Reverb Amp For 50$ So I was setting up for a show last night and this drunk guy told me he played music and had a old fender amp. I said to the guy well if you ever wanted to sell it give me a call. He says well I will just go pick it up, its in my barn just down the road. So he goes to get it and it is a Princeton Reverb Amp. So I offered him 50 dollars and he took the offer. So now I have this old amp and I don't know what to do with it. The speaker has been disconnected from the inside of the amp so I must get that fixed. Also he said a tube was shot in it. So what should I do to this thing to get it up and running? And what do you guys think it is going to cost to get it back up to par?

March 28th, 2008, 05:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
popthree Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Tulsa Age: 43 Posts: 2,837 47 Photos	a whole lot of karma __________________ don't taze me bro !

March 28th, 2008, 06:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
greggorypeccary Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 816 31 Photos	Dude, you hit the jackpot! Take it to a good tech and you should only be in for about $100 for tubes and basic maintainence. Add a good speaker and you still got a tremendous deal! I love my Princeton... And if you don't want that "old amp" I'll take it off your hands! __________________ I got the rockin' pneumonia, I need a shot of rhythm and blues! http://www.myspace.com/javablue

March 28th, 2008, 06:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
Axis29 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 40 Posts: 1,066 1 Photos	Send it to me, I'll give you $75 Seriously, take it to a good tech, get it checked out, a new tube or two, maybe a cap job and you should be golden. __________________ John F. TDPRI # 1764

March 28th, 2008, 08:16 PM	#11 (permalink)
Ethical Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Norfolk, UK Age: 52 Posts: 316 1 Photos	I'd go back and ask for his bassist's telephone number :~) Ted __________________ If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all

March 28th, 2008, 06:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
J.Rodney Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Louisiana Age: 49 Posts: 165	what a bargin !! the speaker alone is worth more than that. those are great amps. look on e-bay and see how expensive they are these days.blackface or silverface,they are all high.go ahead and find the best tech that you can to fix it up right for you,you will love it,that my friend is a keeper.it reminds me of an old saying I heard years ago,about a blind hog finding an acorn.

March 28th, 2008, 07:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
key_daddy TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Cookeville,TN Posts: 28	thanks for all the input. I was thinking it was going to cost me more that what you guys are predicting. What sort of tone will this thing put out through my tele anyway. I have never heard one.

March 28th, 2008, 07:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
Southern ILL Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Illinois Age: 38 Posts: 982	You did just fine....So much better than sitting in a old barn.Get it fixed and enjoy!!

March 28th, 2008, 07:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
hugo Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sarnia,Ontario Age: 49 Posts: 812	Dude, you had no choice but to buy it. I would have paid 10 times that much and you'd still have a hell of a deal!! Congrats man!! Do as the boys tell ya. They're right. Take it to a good tech. Good for you and let us know how it turns out?? Nice when some amazing deal comes your way. Just when you thought it was everyone else that got the amazing deals!

March 28th, 2008, 08:44 PM	#14 (permalink)
garytelecastor Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,640 18 Photos	Do you play the bar often? Cause if you do, I would suggest expecting a conversation once the guy sobers up. __________________ éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é Would you mind holding this bag while we go through the custom shop????? Redd Volkaert is a Jedi Knight at one with the Force!!!

March 28th, 2008, 10:01 PM	#15 (permalink)
Big Mike Simpson Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gilbert, AZ (PHX) Age: 52 Posts: 1,500 62 Photos	Wow... and I thought I got a good deal on my SFPR for $150... but mine worked... It had a peavey black widow in it that I sold for $70 and I bought a used Fender eminence for $20... so I guess I have $100 in mine... What year is your $50 PR? __________________ http://www.myspace.com/bigmikesimpson

March 28th, 2008, 10:30 PM	#16 (permalink)
Sidney Vicious Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Posts: 1,157 9 Photos	How will your Telecaster sound through it? A Princeton Reverb is a great sounding amp IMHO - mine is a 71 - I put a Weber Sig in it - and had a good tech - Mike at KCA - although they don't do amps anymore - do a cap job for me. That amp sounds so full and rich with my 60's Classic Telecaster. I guarantee you will love what you hear.

March 28th, 2008, 10:36 PM	#17 (permalink)
Dan R Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Charleston, SC Age: 50 Posts: 892	I got mine for $300.00 four years ago and that was a steal. You cannot possibly go wrong for $50.00. I'll bet you never sell it. I wouldn't part with mine. Dan R

March 29th, 2008, 04:56 AM	#21 (permalink)
jh45gun Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,021	I missed out on a Princeton blackface for 50 bucks last year the no reverb model. I knew what the guy had and it was ailing and I offered to buy it from him and he said he would check into getting it fixed and if it cost more than he wanted (over a hundred was his limit) then he would sell it to me for 50. Some other guy said he would try to fix it for him so I knew as soon as it left his possession it was gone. The guy took it to a tech and had him fix it for 175 bucks and the origional guy did not want it so the guy who got it fixed kept it. I was ticked but not a darn thing I could do about it. I knew as soon as the other guy stepped in it was a lost deal. What really irked me was the guy is not even a guitar player he is a drummer who just sort of collects equipment so if he finds some one who plays but does not have equipment he can talk them into playing with him because he has the gear.

March 29th, 2008, 10:14 AM	#22 (permalink)
J.Rodney Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Louisiana Age: 49 Posts: 165	keydaddy-we have a lot of forum members in Nashville,I feel like one of them will let you know who to take it to.I'm sure there are alot of good/reasonable techs in Nashville if you can just get there name & no.Sounds to me like you have a diamond in the rough !! What a great deal !!

March 29th, 2008, 10:29 AM	#23 (permalink)
lostpick Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Staten Island, NYC Posts: 1,009	You could sell it... and the give the drunk some more beer money ...

March 29th, 2008, 10:43 AM	#24 (permalink)
allen st. john Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 722	Where do you guys hang out? A blackface Princeton reverb is just about as good as it gets in a small tube amp. If this amp were mint it'd be around $1500. Even if it's a basket case, it's worth $500 for parts. But to repeat, don't blow it by fiddling with it yourself or letting just anyone work on it. Take it to a tech who knows vintage, let him inspect it and see what, if anything, is the matter with it. It could be just a couple of tubes and a new cord and plug which is a $100 repair or less. If there's a problem with the transformer or something, it could run you more. At that point you need to decide whether to sink more money into it or sell it and make a tidy profit. Either way, nice score. I've got a BF princeton that I paid $250 for. Unfortunately, that was 1982, and everytime I play it, I think about the fact that I could have added that money to my guitar fund and bought a blackguard that'd be worth $60K now. best Allen