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Post subject: Princeton Recording Amp tube issue?
Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 6:25 am
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I have a relatively new Princeton Recording Amp that all of a sudden sounds like it has blown after playing it for a while. The amp loses clarity and volume, and sounds as if the speaker has blown or shorted out. I shut it off, let it cool down, and when I fire it back up it sounds fine again. Checked the fuse, no problem. Is this a tube issue? A speaker issue?


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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:19 am
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Sounds like a tube issue, but it could also be something like a high wattage resistor overheating and losing tolerance. Have you checked the downloads/schematic section of this website for a schematic?


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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:50 am
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This is NOT a tube issue.
This amp has an inherent design flaw.
When using the T.I.P.A. for more than 15 minutes the amp will overheat and cause it to sound terrible, cut in and out, at times it might even sound like a helicopter.
I have returned mine three times for repair since owning it.
The Warranty Repair Tech phoned "Ed" - a tech at Fender, and "Ed" told him "This amp is for light duty only and can't be used for prolonged periods of time." - which is quite contrary to the ads that Fender put out on this amp that tells you to crank it up for full tube output and then turn it down to play the desired tone at lower volumes or even using a headphone.
One year and a half ago when I first talked with Fender about this, they acted like they have never heard of this problem...now they basically own up to it and product has been discontinued.
If you use this amp without the T.I.P.A. volume reduction, it should work fine as normal, which defeats the extra $200 price you paid for the TIPA in the first place, and at 15 screaming watts, night time, bedroom or soft recording is impossible.
There is nothing wrong with your amp...it is broken by design and I am waiting until 2012 before I can start filing a "Lemon" clause in my warranty...to which I suspect, they will take issue.
I feel like Fender ripped me off as well as Musician's Friend.


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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:11 am
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Well then I guess its time to break out the thermal temperature gun and your heatsinks and get to work! Which component gets hot when it distorts?


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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:07 pm
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greglawrence wrote:
This is NOT a tube issue.
This amp has an inherent design flaw.
When using the T.I.P.A. for more than 15 minutes the amp will overheat and cause it to sound terrible, cut in and out, at times it might even sound like a helicopter.
I have returned mine three times for repair since owning it.
The Warranty Repair Tech phoned "Ed" - a tech at Fender, and "Ed" told him "This amp is for light duty only and can't be used for prolonged periods of time." - which is quite contrary to the ads that Fender put out on this amp that tells you to crank it up for full tube output and then turn it down to play the desired tone at lower volumes or even using a headphone.
One year and a half ago when I first talked with Fender about this, they acted like they have never heard of this problem...now they basically own up to it and product has been discontinued.
If you use this amp without the T.I.P.A. volume reduction, it should work fine as normal, which defeats the extra $200 price you paid for the TIPA in the first place, and at 15 screaming watts, night time, bedroom or soft recording is impossible.
There is nothing wrong with your amp...it is broken by design and I am waiting until 2012 before I can start filing a "Lemon" clause in my warranty...to which I suspect, they will take issue.
I feel like Fender ripped me off as well as Musician's Friend.


+1 I know several people that have returned them in the past with the same issue.

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