Traverse City, MI, United States
About this listing
Make sure to check out my shop page for more great gear! You can also click "Save Shop" to add it to your favorites, making it easy to revisit and see the newest listings.Here is an early-1968 Fender Princeton Reverb. Includes the original footswitch and a modern cover. This is one of the earliest Silver Panel examples with the vertical black lines on the face plate, which was only used in the first couple months of production. If you’re familiar with the Drip Edge era Fender amps (very late 1967 through 1969) then you know that they’re a huge value for your money when looking for a hand-wired vintage amp with great tone! During those couple years, these amps (and Fender combos in general) saw very little change in terms of circuit design, components and overall build quality compared to the earlier Black Panel examples. This is hands down one of the cleanest you'll ever come across! I've enjoyed collecting early Drip Edge Fenders (and '60s Fenders in general) for years, and spent a long time looking for not only the cleanest, but best-sounding Princeton Reverb I could find, and this is it. Other than a swapped speaker (Weber Ferromax 10F150-T), it's all there. Original transformers, reverb tank, foot switch, all the important components you want to see. No issues. It was serviced in 2023 by Detroit Amp Lab and is in great functional health. It's super quiet at idle, and both the reverb and vibrato sound fantastic. The speaker sounds phenomenal in this amp, and this particular model is designed to smooth out the high treble frequencies a bit, making the top end sweeter without losing any clarity or articulation. This amp has super tight, punchy low end and the perfect amount of clean headroom. As I said at the top of this section, it's truly the best one I've come across, not only cosmetically, but tonally as well. It sounds huge, and pairs nicely with any guitar. Here are the highlights:Early-1968 w/ the "Black Line" faceplate, only used for the first couple months of production. Earlier style "Snowman 8" knobs used in the Black Panel era. Exceptionally-clean condition, fully functional with no issues. Serviced by Detroit Amp Lab in 2023. Parts replaced during that service are included. 3-prong, grounded power cord. All original transformers, dating to mid-'67 and early-'68. Original footswitch included. All original other than speaker (Weber Ferromax 10F150-T) and some components that inevitably need to be updated during routine service/maintenance (some capacitors, resistors, tubes). Desirable "Blue Molded" capacitors in place.Mullard and JJ preamp tubes, EHX Apex matched power tubes, JJ rectifier tube. Condition: This amp is in phenomenal condition, as you can see from the photos. I'm very critical and transparent when grading anything I sell, and try to go above and beyond to be forthcoming about any flaws I can find, but there really isn't much to report here. No scratches, scuffs, nicks, dings, etc. that I'd consider to be notable. Even the chassis hardly shows any patina, and is free of rust and pitting like so many of these have. It's obvious that this one has been stored properly and taken great care of over the years! In closing: If you're looking for a crazy-clean '60s Princeton Reverb with no issues that sounds as good as it looks, look no further! I've had a pile of Drip Edge amps over the years, but this one stood the test of time and stuck around longer than most. I've thoroughly enjoyed it, but it's time for it to be the gem that someone else has been hunting for! Please message me with any questions or concerns before submitting offers and/or payment and I will be happy to help. This amp will be packaged extremely well using a heavy duty box and plenty of packing material to ensure its safety during transit. I'll remove, wrap and number each tube (in order of installation), and place them in a box inside the back of the amp. Everything will be packed tightly and securely. It will also be insured for the full value. Signature required upon delivery unless requested otherwise. Sold as-is, no returns. Thank you!Quick disclaimer: With vintage amps, it’s always a good idea to have them looked over by a qualified amp tech once in your possession. I can guarantee that it’s as-described and working properly right now while in my possession (I always record a short play test video before shipping), but most of these components (tubes, capacitors, resistors, etc.) are old, and can sometimes be unpredictable. After arrival, I recommend to have all mechanical connections checked and tightened if needed, as sometimes things can loosen slightly as the amp moves and vibrates in shipping. I recommend that any and all maintenance and servicing only be performed by a qualified amp tech, as tube amps can carry high levels of voltage and should be approached with caution. I will not assume any responsibility for the amp after it leaves me and is confirmed to have arrived safely (in the condition as-described in this listing) to the new owner. Thank you for reading!
Price$2,995
+ $95 Shipping
