'64 Princeton Hand Wired. Did I Get A Dud?

[Telenator]

Sounds like the tone settings are too high. Turn the tone knobs down to 3 or 4 and see how it sounds.
I'm reaching here, but it also seems possible you may set your pickups high and close to the strings. That could be the cause as well.

 

[zook]

I've been impressed with the Eminence Copperhead and use it in my Zephyr model.

 

[SnorkelMonkey]

Thanks! If I could just get it to work with this amp...... I even adjusted the pick ups on the amp and still can't tame the ice pick. Ya have to have the blend like 60:40 to the neck to get any sort of comfortable tones!

That bridge pickup has a lot of ice pick going on. I have to really dial down the treble on my amps when I switch out guitars.

 

[Telenator]

I have a Princeton and the louder I play it, the more bassy it gets. I find that playing through this amp requires close monitoring on the tone controls. There a thing called the Fletcher-Munson Effect where, the louder music is, the greater the perception of bass is.
During my recording studio days, when a I had mix sounding really good, and the bass player would say, "I can't hear my bass," I would just turn up the Master Volume a little and guy would say "perfect!" It's a bit of a dirty trick but it helps to preserve a good mix at the same time.
My Princeton is very sensitive to tonal changes as the volume goes up or down. I'm using a Weber 12A125T speaker. Gives the amp more clean headroom. I don't like running small amps on the verge on an aneurism to get "the sound." It makes them useless at any other setting.

 

[Cal45m]

That harsh top and boomy low end are classic P10R break-in issues—at low volumes, it may never settle. A speaker swap (like a GA10-SC64 or 10A125) could totally change the game.

 

[Chicken Curry]

Just out of curiosity, Is the speaker glued on the baffle in the 64?

 

[Harmonic]

Get an EQ pedal?

 

[Highway 49]

Just out of curiosity, Is the speaker glued on the baffle in the 64?

I can tell you mine was well and truly glued (64 Custom PR) - and I wrecked the gasket on the 10PR getting it out, so if anyone has any advice on where in the UK to get a replacement/what to get, it would be gratefully received

 

[toanhunter]

do you have access to an external cab? I like Celestion Gold G10 speakers, that's my favourite 10" speaker.

 

[Ricky D.]

Pay big bucks for an amp that needs a different speaker? Spend a bunch of money trying to get it working right? No way!

 

[SnorkelMonkey]

Just out of curiosity, Is the speaker glued on the baffle in the 64?

No

 

[Chicken Curry]

I can tell you mine was well and truly glued (64 Custom PR)

No

Some are and some aren't?

 

[SnorkelMonkey]

Some are and some aren't?

Probably had the speaker installed at the factory before the baffle paint was fully cured? That would be my guess.

 

[Memphis Soul]

I want one of these amps but can’t justify the price difference between it and the 65 reissue. I love the hand wired aspect though.

 

[Peegoo]

@Texicaster

Yes you probably got a dud according to your own ears.

Every amplifier within the same model range will have its own personality. Amps are just like guitars: two identical models made one after the other on the factory line can sound markedly different from one another.

Send it back and try another that sounds good right out of the box.

And @SnorkelMonkey is correct: the speaker is often installed into the cabinet before the black interior paint has fully cured; this causes the speaker's cardboard gasket to stick to the baffle.

No maker glues a speaker in place.

 

[Texicaster]

@Texicaster

Yes you probably got a dud according to your own ears.

Every amplifier within the same model range will have its own personality. Amps are just like guitars: two identical models made one after the other on the factory line can sound markedly different from one another.

Send it back and try another that sounds good right out of the box.

And @SnorkelMonkey is correct: the speaker is often installed into the cabinet before the black interior paint has fully cured; this causes the speaker's cardboard gasket to stick to the baffle.

No maker glues a speaker in place.

I wonder,

I did drop on a GA SC64 and that is MUCH better! Got rid of the icepick.

It's still a funky amp though....I've owned probably 4 or 5 similar powered amps the past few years and never experienced such a finicky amp.

I don't know it that's good or bad though. Kinda cool to have a range of tones but nicer to have a limited window where I can adjust from the guitar.

I have another few days before return window closes.....

 

[Texicaster]

BUT.....

To answer my initial question; Did I get a dud? YES!

Sweetwater sent me another to A/B and night and day! The new one has all the bitchin' attributes I'd been jonesing for. Even with the Jensen there's zero ice pick and while the bass a little much it's focussed and pleasing.

The reverb is also much more useful, again focussed comes to mind.

My Tele/Broadcaster has the twang back and no ice pick!

Still putting it through it's paces but the extremes are undoubtedly tamed in a good way!

BTW One of the things that was making me nuts was I was playing a C#m7 in a tune that called for a C#7.... So that's solved too!

 

[gwjensen]

Interesting how they could be so different, but a great resolution in any case!

 

[Peegoo]

Bazinga!

 

[Texicaster]

Interesting how they could be so different, but a great resolution in any case!

I know!

Maybe the speaker but that doesn't explain the reverb being sweeter...perhaps an off spec tube... I wish I knew more about the amp circuitry and could have an intelligent discussion but I just know it sounds better all around!