Custom faceplates

[Jorgen83]

Hey all, I want to make a BF Princeton Reverb-ish amp (mostly that, but with a lot of mods), but make my own branded faceplate if possible and not too prohibitively expensive.

So I'm looking for two things: a shop that can make the faceplate, and a template I can use to create the file for it. Anyone have any experience with this? EU-based preferred by the way.

 

[Paul-T]

I was turned on to Signomatic via this board. They do a couple of options: digitally printed aluminium sheets (my reverb) or engraved plastic (the micro). I simply design the panel using a graphic design package and send them the PDF.

There are more authentic options (ie proper screenprinted), and plastic (the cheaper option) is limited in size. The metal option will print at, say, 450mm wide, so Princeton Reverb size. It is not as crisp as screenprinting as there's a UV laminate over the printed section but the price is pretty good, around €30, with a turnaround of maybe 10 days.

 

[Jorgen83]

Awesome! Is there a template with proper hole spacing I can use somewhere for a Princeton Reverb?

 

[bobbyk]

Following this thread with much interest. I have been trying to find someone who can make me two silk-screened Princeton Reverb faceplates but with brown-face graphics for some time now. The tough part is that I only need two, not 100 of them, and pricing is based on larger quantities.

 

[sds1]

Following this thread with much interest. I have been trying to find someone who can make me two silk-screened Princeton Reverb faceplates but with brown-face graphics for some time now. The tough part is that I only need two, not 100 of them, and pricing is based on larger quantities.

From my extensive (but not exhaustive) shopping for faceplates experience, your affordable one-off options are limited to laser engraved products. I've seen folks using print-to-adhesive solutions as well.

Anything that requires tooling (silkscreen, metalphoto, etc.) is going to be expensive in low quantities due to the setup costs.

 

[2L man]

For Europeans Tube Town custom faceplate up to 720mm length for 30 euros is best place I know. They say they do not make copyright faceplates but I don't know what it exactly means? I just bought ODS faceplate and there does not read Dumble but othervise it look ODS.

 

[Wyatt]

Awesome! Is there a template with proper hole spacing I can use somewhere for a Princeton Reverb?

You have to be careful. Hole spacing is not uniform across all the different "repro" chassis available. You need to make precise measurements and set your artwork to that. Many of the faceplate fabricators also offer artwork services based on measurement you send them.

 

[Wyatt]

They say they do not make copyright faceplates but I don't know what it exactly means?

It usually means they won't include trademarks like the "Fender", "Marshall", "Vibrolux Reverb" etc. in the artwork but they'll do similar looking ones with custom names.

 

[Jorgen83]

You have to be careful. Hole spacing is not uniform across all the different "repro" chassis available. You need to make precise measurements and set your artwork to that. Many of the faceplate fabricators also offer artwork services based on measurement you send them.

I'm actually thinking right now to add some holes for pots at the front for mods. Mid control. Master volume. Or dwell, although I think the consensus is that doesn't work on a Princeton Reverb reverb.

Oh and Modulus Amps also makes custom faceplates.

Here's a quick mockup I made (still with dwell however):

 

[Jorgen83]

Tube-Town also has a laser service for frontplates:

Tube-Town GmbH – TT LaserShop EN

Tubes and Tube-Amps for the DIY

www.tube-town.net

 

[schmee]

Hey all, I want to make a BF Princeton Reverb-ish amp (mostly that, but with a lot of mods), but make my own branded faceplate if possible and not too prohibitively expensive.

So I'm looking for two things: a shop that can make the faceplate, and a template I can use to create the file for it. Anyone have any experience with this? EU-based preferred by the way.

Awesome! Is there a template with proper hole spacing I can use somewhere for a Princeton Reverb?

Following this thread with much interest. I have been trying to find someone who can make me two silk-screened Princeton Reverb faceplates but with brown-face graphics for some time now. The tough part is that I only need two, not 100 of them, and pricing is based on larger quantities.

Still in need?
I've had some done, let's see.... Simplify Sandi is one, I think she has the standard PR hole layout.
simplifysandy@aol.com

Laser cutting and etching service - Specializes in customized products, including control panels, nameplates, and logo tags - Precision Design - welcome

Precision Design is an Indiana-based laser cutting and etching service. Precision Design specializes in customized products, including control panels, nameplates, and logo tags.

www.precisiondesignin.com

This one fit a Weber PR chassis:

I had a nice one made like this also. I'll see if I can dig it up.. may have been Sandi also... Standard Princeton Rev chassis with added mid hole:

 

[Jorgen83]

I just ordered my Unicorn design from Tube Town. It was 25 euro, so if it doesn't work, not much harm done.

 

[jellodog]

@schmee Oh that extra mid hole faceplate for the Princeton Reverb chassis is very cool.

Just to confirm that I'm understanding this correctly:

Even though this effectively allows for an extra mid hole; is it the case that really there's an extra hole on the end for the intensity pot, so that you can move all the other pots along one hole, to make space for the mid pot?

That is to say - is all the hole spacing exactly the same as it is on a standard Princeton Rev, except for an extra hole on the right hand side?

 

[schmee]

@schmee Oh that extra mid hole faceplate for the Princeton Reverb chassis is very cool.

Just to confirm that I'm understanding this correctly:

Even though this effectively allows for an extra mid hole; is it the case that really there's an extra hole on the end for the intensity pot, so that you can move all the other pots along one hole, to make space for the mid pot?

That is to say - is all the hole spacing exactly the same as it is on a standard Princeton Rev, except for an extra hole on the right hand side?

Yes, same spacing ...just one added on the end. Frankly though, I never seem to adjust the mid pot! This has been the case when I have added it to other amps also. I might as well just select the right resistor and not have the pot!

 

[jellodog]

Yes, same spacing ...just one added on the end. Frankly though, I never seem to adjust the mid pot! This has been the case when I have added it to other amps also. I might as well just select the right resistor and not have the pot!

Thanks for your confirmation and thoughts.

Yes, I've had that same thought about the mid pot, i.e. "just select the right resistor". On the other hand, until I've lived with the amp for a bit and decided where I want my mids, then I don't know what the right resistor value is!

Of course, there's a good chance that I'll discover ultimately that Leo's original choice was correct haha. I usually tend to add just a touch of extra mids on BF amps when I have a pot available though.

I suppose I could always do the other common mod and stick a small mid pot on the back plate instead.

 

[schmee]

Thanks for your confirmation and thoughts.

Yes, I've had that same thought about the mid pot, i.e. "just select the right resistor". On the other hand, until I've lived with the amp for a bit and decided where I want my mids, then I don't know what the right resistor value is!

Of course, there's a good chance that I'll discover ultimately that Leo's original choice was correct haha. I usually tend to add just a touch of extra mids on BF amps when I have a pot available though.

I suppose I could always do the other common mod and stick a small mid pot on the back plate instead.

yeah, Leo got it about right it seems. On the bigger amps, I never use that Bright switch. I've thought about having it control 2 resistors for mids instead, or I think there is a slide switch that is 3 way instead of 2 way, you could have 3 choices.

 

[Sam VanLaningham]

I just ordered my Unicorn design from Tube Town. It was 25 euro, so if it doesn't work, not much harm done.

Hey jorgen, did you get the tubetown faceplate and do you like it? Can we see a pic? Thank you! Just got some laser printed aluminum plates that look just okay….partly a prob with my design.

 

[joulupukki]

If you’re willing to learn a couple of pieces of free software and do your own design you can actually create a pretty great faceplace using a PCB circuit board prototype. I recently did this with my B-Verb amp (1-channel AB763) and the results were fantastic. They have a minimum order of 5 boards, but it only cost me $18 USD and two weeks in shipping from Hong Kong (jlcpcb.com). I haven’t yet built/ordered a plate for the back of my amp(s) but when I do, I’ll be doing the same thing.

These actually have two layers of super thin copper inside (like you’d have in any circuit board) which gives it some additional strength. The back and face of the plates is just a black solder mask and the white lettering is white screen printing. It works and looks great and is a lot less expensive than some of the other options out there.

 

[VintageSG]

If you’re willing to learn a couple of pieces of free software and do your own design you can actually create a pretty great faceplace using a PCB circuit board prototype.

Neat idea, and food for thought.
It'd make grounding the pots a lot easier too.

 

[joulupukki]

Neat idea, and food for thought.
It'd make grounding the pots a lot easier too.

Yeah, I guess you could actually expose the copper to do that by leaving the solder mask off the front of the solder mask where the pots are mounted. I didn’t bother to do that though. You’d have to figure out a good way to connect that ground back to the chassis/your main ground point. You could potentially leave the back black solder mask off at the input jack maybe … and then use a “via” (a hole that electrically connects the copper layers of a PCB) from the front to back on the input jack hole. It’d be interesting to try to see if it gave you any positive benefits.