How's the 'verb in your BFPR?

[JohnnyCrash]

I'm finally getting around to building my modified BF Princeton Reverb...

I'd like to know what you guys think of your Princeton's reverb.

Thanks!

[dean]

Hey Johnny -

I've had three different PRs over the years - a '65 BF, a '68 Drip=edge SF, and a '73 SF. The only difference in the sound of the amps was the type of speaker that came with it. They all eventually got Webers, and they sounded identical. And they sounded GREAT!

The reverb on the PR is the best of any of the Fender amps IMHO. It can be dialed in with very little echo to full-out ultra surf chime. At it's max, you are really into almost too much reverb, and at the lower settings, it really fills out the tone. There is nothing like the sound of Fender reverb, and the best reverbs are built into the circuit - they sound better than the Fender Reverb unit.

The next best (of the Fender amps I've owned) was a '68 Bandmaster Reverb followed by the reverb in a Super Six Reverb that I once owned. I think the PR is the best, though.

Keep us posted on your project - it sounds interesting!

Dean

[stxrus]

while not a B/F my '74 has about the wettest reverb ever. at least as far as i've heard.

good luck on the project

steve

[teleclarkster]

Dean sums it up well. I love the reverb on my SFPR! But I still want to get a Fender reverb unit.

[JohnnyCrash]

Cool.

I was considering putting in a large 3 spring and modding the amp for a Dwell control (in case things got too wet).

I'll stick with the PR drop-in replacement tank I've got and go with the normal controls.

Building a PR into a BF/SF Champ chassis meant scrimping for space... the Tremelo aint close to a DR, but I had to do it to keep it down to 4 preamp sized tube sockets. A tube driven Tremolo instead of a bias-based would be nice and all, but I'd be asking too much of an adjustable biased 6L6 PR built into a Champ chassis!!!

These tube sockets are gonna be a b!tch to wire up... still trying to figure out where to put the bias trimpot... damn.

[CancerLeoCam]

Johnny, didn't you build this thing last year? I could have sworn you had pics of it or maybe it was a Vibro Champ with reverb. ???

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by CancerLeoCam

Johnny, didn't you build this thing last year? I could have sworn you had pics of it or maybe it was a Vibro Champ with reverb. ???

No that was my 6V6 18watt in Champ chassis.

I did post pics of the PR chassis with the Allen transformers mounted on it... but then I got caught up building a few Partscasters. What really put the brakes on was my first semester of college - but now I'm off for the summer.

DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE OF THESE CHAMP CHASSIS?

I may have to buy a few more... its fun to see what you can challenge yourself into shoe-horning into them!!

[CancerLeoCam]

I sold a large bulk (a ton of them) to a manufacturer up north. I made a 100 of those and they sold out in a few months.

I'm still waiting for my beers for the ones you got...

gluck with your build.

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by CancerLeoCam

I sold a large bulk (a ton of them) to a manufacturer up north. I made a 100 of those and they sold out in a few months.

I'm still waiting for my beers for the ones you got...

gluck with your build.

What kinda beer do ya like?
:)

[CancerLeoCam]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

What kinda beer do ya like?
:)

Pacifico, Newcastle, Guinness Stout. Pick one of these and I'm there dude.

[SEK_Hakuna]

How does the reverb tank mount in a BFPR? My kit came with a nice black bag to stick the tank in. I also have 8 3/4" long pan head bolts w/nuts left over. I can't quite see how it all comes together.

Never mind....The tank slips into the bag and just lays in the bottom. On originals, there seems to be a small strap to secure it in place. I'll have wifey make me one.

Got the kit all done. I'm pretty happy with it. Seems like it breaks up really early though. I have Texas Specials in my Tele and the amp requires the guitar volume to be turned down to get clean sounds. I may have something wrong somewhere. The power tranny seems to get hot also. The cool part is the 6v6 tubes. They have a small spot of blue glow to them....very cool.

[Jeffscreamedcorn]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

Cool.

I was considering putting in a large 3 spring and modding the amp for a Dwell control (in case things got too wet).

I'll stick with the PR drop-in replacement tank I've got and go with the normal controls.

My 2 cents - Space concerns aside, as a player (never built an amp) I'd go with the 3 spring with the Dwell control. IMHO, it'll do everything the vintage style verb will, and give you other options.

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by Jeffscreamedcorn

My 2 cents - Space concerns aside, as a player (never built an amp) I'd go with the 3 spring with the Dwell control. IMHO, it'll do everything the vintage style verb will, and give you other options.

I'm keeping it in mind still... but I've got no money and the tank already sitting here collecting dust. Just ordered th Reverb trannie...

Dario's chassis are thick and tough as hell, but I've already drilled big ass tube socket holes in em, so I'm ready for the challenge of a Dwell pot hole if need be.

The DR I believe runs a similar reverb circuit, so I'm not doubting its lushness... but you know how we get when we start GASing. We swing for the fences!

[Tremo]

The verb in my 69 sounds just fine. Uses the same tank and verb circuits as the rest of the Fender line, so why would it sound different?

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by Tremo

The verb in my 69 sounds just fine. Uses the same tank and verb circuits as the rest of the Fender line, so why would it sound different?

I guess I was just looking for some justification to go as wet, deep, and lush as my standalone tube reverb unit build... I just don't think I'd need that much 'verb, but if I did, I got my standalone to put up front anyway... you know how I get carried away though :)

[Rizo]

I've got a '70. The reverb is un-frickin-believable. I'm not joking when I say it's in Dick Dale territory.

The only problem I have with it, is that the pot for the reverb is really "steep" so it's hard to just get a little reverb. I usually run it about 2, but sometimes want a little less and that's hard to do. It's like all or none if that makes sense. Easy fix though.

Did you copy the PR trem circuit? I was never floored with the trem, like I am on a Deluxe Reverb.

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by Rizo

...The only problem I have with it, is that the pot for the reverb is really "steep" so it's hard to just get a little reverb. I usually run it about 2, but sometimes want a little less and that's hard to do. It's like all or none if that makes sense. Easy fix though.

That's a good tidbit of info. There must be some way I can tweak it to be less steep.

Originally Posted by Rizo

Did you copy the PR trem circuit? I was never floored with the trem, like I am on a Deluxe Reverb.

Yes... and no.

It IS the PR Trem circuit, which is based on the PR's bias. Only difference is, I am putting in a bias trimpot.

With the bigger transformers I got in it already, and with the bias trimpot, I will be running 6L6's in this PR.

So aside from the bias pot, it'll have the same lackluster Trem circuit :(

Like I said, I'm building this in a GomezAmps SF Champ chassis repro... I had to sacrifice something in the name of space... the extra tube for a Deluxe style Trem had to go.

[scoots]

JohnnyCrash, you still out there? got a question on speakers. through the hrdeville 212, i run a boss me-50, a multi-effects stomp box. this has a compressor on it and a noise gate, so it's kinda cool for clean sounds. i also like to take this out and run right off the amp. question--- i'm mostly into the clean sound, but i also use distortion as well. the me-50 has a seperate bass and treble on the distortion/overdrive "section". to turn up the bass on it to get a decent sound, once you turn the volume up, it sounds like you're going vibrate the speakers out of the cabinet. you can let it rip clean and sounds good. do you know of speakers that i could put in here to get the best of both worlds, or is this an either/or?

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by scoots

JohnnyCrash, you still out there? got a question on speakers. through the hrdeville 212, i run a boss me-50, a multi-effects stomp box. this has a compressor on it and a noise gate, so it's kinda cool for clean sounds. i also like to take this out and run right off the amp. question--- i'm mostly into the clean sound, but i also use distortion as well. the me-50 has a seperate bass and treble on the distortion/overdrive "section". to turn up the bass on it to get a decent sound, once you turn the volume up, it sounds like you're going vibrate the speakers out of the cabinet. you can let it rip clean and sounds good. do you know of speakers that i could put in here to get the best of both worlds, or is this an either/or?

I'm posting a reply to this one in your original thread...

[JohnnyCrash]

Finished soldering the board... have the Reverb tranny in the mail to me now...

Tube sockets, PT, OT, and control pots next.

Still trying to figure out where to put the bias board, and then the bias test port and hole for the bias trimpot...