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Post subject: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:44 pm
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This 1964 PR is mint. It doesn't even look to me like it's ever even had dust settle on it. I am a little bit suspiscious. Any opinions?

Lin'q

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:28 pm
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It's Super Clean for sure.

But that's not necessarily suspicious, especially if you look at how consistent it is. Every part of it, tolex, grillcloth, reverb wiring, internal chassis, speaker are all in 'like' shape.

These Pricetons were the Practice Amps of their day and not often gigged, moved or tussled about. Lots of them never left the bedroom. I suspect there are a lot more clean Princetons, Harvards and Champs than there are any of the bigger 'working' amps... they just didn't get banged around as much.

Then, if you go back to that time, perhaps it belonged to a son who went off to that nasty SE Asia thing and didn't return. It wouldn't be unheard of that grieving parents kept these mementos from their son until their death, which could well coincide with this time.

My '67 Deluxe and my '73 Princeton Reverb are only only a few years younger than this one, but are just about as clean:

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So, I don't find this '64 suspect.

The price is quite high, but I'm sure the owner is banking on it's condition to support the asking price.

To me, a couple hundred dollars premium to find an amp that clean, will easily pale with time.

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:52 pm
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December of '64......last of the pre-CBS models.

Leo might've actually touched it!

Looks gorgeous (and totally authentic and unmolested).

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 8:50 am
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1st Production Run and Dec 64...from the same run as my 64 Princeton! Wow that is sure clean!

T2

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:49 pm
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Thanks for the feedback and thanks for checking my tendency toward paranoia.

This is exactly what I want but I wasn't prepared to pay that much. The condition surely warrants a premium and I am tempted but I'm not a collector so I'll keep looking. Usually my attitude is that amps should be played and not just put on display but I might make an exception for this amp. It's so nice that it should be preserved.

I know where a '66 is for $1700 that looks almost as good as this one - at least from 15 feet away. The '66 is not all original but I'm not a collector I intend to use the amp. I'd prefer a pre-cbs model but that's not a strict requirement.

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:21 pm
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mhowell wrote:
Thanks for the feedback and thanks for checking my tendency toward paranoia.

This is exactly what I want but I wasn't prepared to pay that much. The condition surely warrants a premium and I am tempted but I'm not a collector so I'll keep looking. Usually my attitude is that amps should be played and not just put on display but I might make an exception for this amp. It's so nice that it should be preserved.

I know where a '66 is for $1700 that looks almost as good as this one - at least from 15 feet away. The '66 is not all original but I'm not a collector I intend to use the amp. I'd prefer a pre-cbs model but that's not a strict requirement.


So shoot the guy an offer you can live with, make him say no, at least that way you won't ever wonder...

Remind him that the amp needs a couple hundred dollar overhaul as all those oem electrolytics are well dried up by now and probably a few resistors out-of-spec due to age as well.

You never know... the Amp Gods may be smiling in your favor... :wink:

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:38 pm
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Lightnin MN wrote:
So shoot the guy an offer you can live with, make him say no, at least that way you won't ever wonder...


+1

I would (were I in the market for an original PR)!

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:13 pm
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Lightnin MN wrote:

So shoot the guy an offer you can live with, make him say no, at least that way you won't ever wonder...

Remind him that the amp needs a couple hundred dollar overhaul as all those oem electrolytics are well dried up by now and probably a few resistors out-of-spec due to age as well.

You never know... the Amp Gods may be smiling in your favor... :wink:

cheers!


The best I could offer would be in the 1800 range. I am sure the seller would see it as a low ball but that's honestly all I could afford.

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 7:02 pm
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Quote:
The best I could offer would be in the 1800 range. I am sure the seller would see it as a low ball but that's honestly all I could afford.


Offer it anyway. If he gets offended by the offer, so what, worse thing that can happen is he says yes!

T2

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:29 pm
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T2Stratman wrote:
Quote:
The best I could offer would be in the 1800 range. I am sure the seller would see it as a low ball but that's honestly all I could afford.


Offer it anyway. If he gets offended by the offer, so what, worse thing that can happen is he says yes!

T2

Made an offer this morning. Got no reply yet. Maybe the seller is thinking about it.

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:40 pm
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Keep the fingeroonies crossed......

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:13 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Keep the fingeroonies crossed......

8)

Arjay

Crossing fingers, toes, and my eyes.

Talked to a gentleman on the phone that I met through a co-worker that has a '64. He says it's clean, been re-capped, speaker re-conned, has original footswitch, a cover and the asking price is $1700. Going to look at it Sunday.

The recap was done is a very non original way. They left the old cap can in place and installed individual caps underneath. I'll definitely need to see how that was done. I suppose it's OK - might even make future maintenance easier.

He also said the speaker is not original but is a '62 jensen. That's certainly not a deal breaker. Looking forward to checking it out.

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:20 am
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mhowell wrote:
The recap was done is a very non original way. They left the old cap can in place and installed individual caps underneath. I'll definitely need to see how that was done. I suppose it's OK - might even make future maintenance easier.


Doubtful......it's already pretty crowded in there with the bottom of the PT, the tag board for the bias circuit, and the power-rail resistors. That's why Leo chose a cap can in the first place.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 1:04 am
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Also, you really do not want to spread the main PSU parts all over the chassis. Better to keep them in one location and carefully choose ground point(s) -- to minimize ground loops.


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Post subject: Re: This 1964 Princeton Reverb looks too new to me
Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:25 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
mhowell wrote:
The recap was done is a very non original way. They left the old cap can in place and installed individual caps underneath. I'll definitely need to see how that was done. I suppose it's OK - might even make future maintenance easier.


Doubtful......it's already pretty crowded in there with the bottom of the PT, the tag board for the bias circuit, and the power-rail resistors. That's why Leo chose a cap can in the first place.

Arjay

I thought it might be easier maintenance because it's can sometime be a pain to get the old cap can off. At least that's what I've heard - never actually did it myself. I'll yield to your experience and expertise in that regard every time.

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