Almost Mint | '61 Fender Princeton Pt 1 | Inspection and Diagnosis
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- Опубліковано 4 кві 2024
- This amp is mega cool, but it can be that much cooler.
In this video I'm seeing what that will take.
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These are things I get asked about a lot :
Amp Tech Gear Used :
Hakko FX-951 soldering station
Weller SPG 80L soldering iron (chassis work)
Rigol DS1054Z digital oscilloscope
Thsinde 18B+ digital multimeters
Kester 60/40 solder
Techspray #4 No-Clean Desoldering Braid
Below are things that make this channel possible that people don’t usually think about. If any of these companies want to send me new and wonderful toys, I’m open to that. I can’t take free stuff when it comes to the amps I review, etc, but for the stuff below, bribe away!
Microphones/Audio Equipment :
Guitar Amps : Royer R-10 Hot Rod and/or Shure SM57 (noted in videos)
Voiceover Bench : sE Audio sE8 (small diaphragm condenser)
Voiceover Streaming : Shure SM57 with shockmount and windscreen
Voiceover Mic Arms : Elgato Wave Mic arms
Guitar Mic Stand : Gator Frameworks short weighted base stand with boom
Mic Cables and Guitar Cables : Mogami/Neutrik
Mic pre : MOTU M2
DAW : Logic Pro X on MacBook Pro 16 running Sonoma 14
Plugins : No effects other than level matching/normalization unless a recording
specifically has reverb etc added in post (rare, various Waves plugins)
Monitors : Yamaha HS7s
Monitor Stands : Gator Frameworks Desktop Clamp-On Stands
Monitor Isolation Mounts : IsoAcoustics Iso-Puck Minis
Headphones : Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (main)
Headphones : Sony MDR-7506 (alternate)
Video Equipment :
Camera : Sony ZVE-10 with SmallRig Cage (main)
Lens : Sigma f2.8 18-50mm (main)
Lens : Sony ZVE10 kit lens (rarely used)
B Camera : Apple iPhone 13 Pro (rarely used)
Tripod : SmallRig 71” with SmallRig Fluid Video Head
Streaming Mount : Elgato Master Mount S with SmallRig Ballhead
Bench Light : SmallRig RC 120D
Bench Light Diffusor : SmallRig Lantern Softbox
Bench C-Stands (light and overhead camera) : Neewer Pro SS Heavy Duty
Streaming Light : SmallRig RC 120B
Streaming Diffusor : SmallRig Parabolic Softbox
Streaming Light Mount : SmallRig 148CM Wall Mount Boom with Triangle Base
Various Other Lights : Neewer LED Panels with Neewer Softboxes
Video Software :
Davinci Resolve 18
Paul Leeming LUTs
Adobe Illustrator 28
Adobe Photoshop 25
Ecamm Live (streaming software)
Looks almost like it was buried in a time capsule. What a perfect example of music history.
That amp would be a studio gem 💎
Lyle, I have to say that your photography is really phenomenal. Thanks for being the papa bull who walks down the hill...
I am fortunate to own one of these. Some very bad things were done to it in the past. Much worse than writing in the chassis...lol.
Just one example...drill a hole through the serial # at the rear of the chassis to add a pot??😂
I actually think someone tryed to Boogie-fy it back in the day. I ripped the rats nest wiring out and rebuilt with a proper Fender style board and layout.....wonderfull amp now!
At 6:21 it looks like you can probably lift the lead of a yellow .02 600v cap right out of the crease in the solder "pillow" that it's resting on! Even worse, the ground side of the bias filter cap and voltage divider resistor looks to be poorly soldered at the eyelet, and this of course could cause almost instantaneous output tube failure. Learning to solder isn't that difficult; visually identifying bad soldering is, or should be, fairly easy. I'm old, and my eyes aren't great, but even on a smartphone screen I can identify cold solder joints.
I'd probably leave the writing in there as part of the Amp's story, but dang, that is a seriously clean amp. it must have led a good life.
must have lived in a box until now. no way that thing was out and about
What if it was Clapton’s amp…. Would you erase it? Hmmmmmm. Ya. Clapton… you shouldn’t write on your amp… doing you a favor !
I agree.
The tolex and speaker cloth look brand-new. . . How is that even possible with such an old amp?
I’ve got the reissue of that amp, the Chris Stapleton signature edition that carries a massive 12” speaker. It is very nice, meaty and clear sound, fantastic overdrive. Very powerful. I changed the speaker for a Jensen Blackbird 40 Alnico, sounds even better. The reissue is fixed bias, has a trim pot. The tremolo is to die for. I don’t know if it is well constructed, but I have had no problems with it in two years of use. I like it very much.
Impressive amp! Meticulous examination and assessment!
If the writing is in pencil lead, try a drafting eraser int the stamped areas, they are soft and non-abrasive. Just a thought.
Great info about writing in the amp. Lupe put her name on masking tape in my ‘57 Deluxe so it would be easier to remove! I haven’t.
The Amp of Theseus!
Indeed..."almost mint" except for most of the places where it really counts. At least the OT looks original!
I just had a 1957 Bassman through the shop with the very same Dealer plaque
I had to let go of one of these babies 10 years ago due to financial hardship. It was in almost mint condition and was all original. Unfortunately it just didn’t sound that good. It probably needed cathode bias caps replaced. Either way, because it was basically a museum piece, I chose to not change anything.
hey Lyle. happy friday. love the size of this amp
This format is excellent! I'm also an English major, and I have an electronics hobby. The visual/textual/aural combination works great for me.
I agree with your feelings about the previous work performed on this beauty. Since this is not my channel and I don't have to deal with backlash, I will say the work done here is atrocious! This work was done by someone who is way ahead of themself (tinker'er, hobbyist) and needs to go back to the basics. Working on something of this value should be earned. Also, it's hard to believe all the coupling caps needed to be replaced especially since they likely were the blue molded mylar caps that rarely fail. Now in Lyle's care it will end up better than factory new minus the blue molded caps. Great content as always thanks!
I have 2 of these. True, very sensitive to bias and pre-amp tube type. I found a diode across the 2 outer lugs of the trem intensity pot helps with stabilising the trem breakthrough. I can switch out the NFB on mine, turns it into a beast!
What a gem! I would try some Naptha for removing the zinc oxide? It's odorless when evaporated, does not leave any residue. WD-40 preserves well, but it smells bad, and I would hate that. Just thinking, maybe dry silicone lube would be something to consider?.. again, oh! WD-40 remnant will always be there and smell BAD!
Good to know you can read a schematic Lyle!
Cool little amp! Almost identical to my 11/61 Princeton, except for the screws on the front of the baffle. Mine doesn't have them. I bought mine January 1981 from an older couple that was downsizing. They'd bought the Princeton (and a mint '64 Strat) sometime in the mid-'60s for their kids to learn guitar on. The kids gave it up pretty quickly so both pieces were very clean. I've never gigged the Princeton so it looks as good as Lyle's, although I'm sure it could use a checkup. I don't think the chassis has ever been out of the cab.
A real gem! I love it when an owner takes pride in their gear and keeps it as pristine as humanly possible. It's a sign of repect and appreciation.
And then a tech guts it 😢
On one hand I agree, I treat the gear I love with respect. But the things I used get dinged up, and if I was gigging with that amp like I am with my AC30 that thing would have a few dings. What I'm trying to say is respecting gear is also about using it and a well worn piece is still respected and appreciated
Was it owned by a 7 year old, with pencil marks on the brown panel?
@@TheMorganOrgan I mean sure they could have done a slightly neater job but I'd hardly call it "gutted". As far as hack jobs go, this one is very, very mild.
I want one of these real bad. They're so good looking.
Wow, those old tech's notes really got under your skin.
Hi Lyle, Man you get some really nice amps. It must make work almost enjoyable.
"Work can be fun, and men can enjoy it; then it's not Labour". DH Lawrence, from A Sane Revolution (a poem I am familiar with only because it was printed as part of the liner notes to a Mott the Hoople record!)
I have a 61 Bandmaster. It's lovely
I just picked up a '63 Bandmaster piggy back. Blown away.
Beauty!
Good point Lyle, watch out for wd40 and any other contact cleaners around wax and paper Capacitors in amps or guitars as the spray cleaners can turn paper in oil/ wax etc capacitors into jello. Cover them airtight fore you clean.
Beautiful amp beautiful watch?
Hey Lyle, I love the written, bulleted list, appearing in the video.
I’m in the SF Bay Area, not far from Bakersfield. What kind of music do you think they played?
Peace.
I was half expecting to see "power transformer" with a little arrow pointing to it.
Psionic Beauty Parlor 👍
Peoples home built amp kits don’t even have chicken scratch all over the chassis. There should be no statute of limitations on something like that.
Lyle, can you please elaborate on your preference for resistors in the signal path? I was under the impression that modern metal film are very low noise and reliable too, so keen to learn what you prefer and why, and is that just for vintage Fender amps or in general? Thanks. 😊
can you use an eraser to get rid of the writing that is over the stamped stuff? Total time-warp amp, love love love brown faces.
I predict the lugs of the ground switch and the chassis in that vicinity will be cleaned up the next time we see it, even if the switch isn't repurposed. Do I know you too well, Lyle?
The baffle is original - mine is the same, with the crude square cutout
Yes, it isn’t going anywhere. I mentioned that in this morning’s Concert video.
i had one of those.
You should make amps. Do you know how many people would buy them? I would buy at least two.
How quiet should a well-functioning Fender tube amp be in db please ?
😎👍👍
I wonder where the zinc oxide comes from. If the chassis is galvanised I could understand that oxidising, but how would other places get coated in zinc oxide?
Do Carbon Film resistors sound better than metal film? As good as carbon comp?
Were alnico speakers stock on a 6G2?
Also, could you explain why you don't like the metal oxides in positions outside the power supply? Is it TOAAAN, or is it simply aesthetics?
Lyle, what are your thoughts on adding a brass plate behind the pots as was done on later versions? Only if needed ?
It was only used to make the assembly line go faster. It’s not electronically needed. Pretty though.
I own.a 62 which i pair with a PR 68 for what i consider perfect tone- 2 princetons living in harmony. I would like to know something from the brownie fans out there- Those of you in the know are familiar with that metal round speaker jack... I have had to use an alternative for years because the wire is busted on that original aforementioned jack- The reason i haven't repaired the original jack i fear.. It just doesn't look like it comes apart to accept new wires... My question is "do those Brownie plugs (the metal ones) come apart OR if one attempts such a procedure- will it break>>??
Can you tell me why a tweed Vibrolux sounds so different than a brown Princeton? In my limited understanding, they have very similar schematics, no?
Do you mean the 5F11 schematic as “Tweed Vibrolux”? It has only 1 preamp gain stage vs. 2 in the 6G2 circuit which I think (?) is this amp. Power supply filter caps are twice as big as well.
I was surprized there was no brass plate on the controls/pre-amp. Did that start sometime after 1961?
Depends on the model. It was only used to speed up production on the line. But many ‘50s Fenders have it.
Joe would pay top dollar for that one
WD 40 was only good for displacing water in an old breaker points ignition on a gasoline internal combustion engine's distributor cap. The list of things I F'ed up with WD40 as a kid is very long and varied. It washes grease out of bearings, screws up electrical/ electronics, plus messes up plastics, phenolics and paints too. WD 40 will gum up the drag on you priceless vintage Penn Presidential fishing reel, and congeal in the action of your $38,000 custom made 1963 custom engraved Colt 5 inch Python. They sure marketed it as a do all lubricant, solvent whatever.
It's also really good at getting drying oil finishes off of stuff.
Water Displacement, 40th formula
In 1970, my brother had one of those Schwinn Stingray bikes, 'The Cotton Picker' which came with a prominent front drum brake; it squeeked when applied; this genius knew that WD40 got rid of squeeks; guess what 10 yo me did....
I'll have you know that my snot starts out white and only turns to yuck if I neglect it...
Some of those solder joints are putrid, especially on the bias resistor.
I have an old Gibson wherein the original owner had etched his name and...presumably a romantic partner's into the bridge. Little touches like that can make something unique.
Perhaps the writing was done in a pre-internet age where maybe getting schematics was more difficult, and so the writing was done to help the next guy along make quicker sense of what they were looking at if unfamiliar with the amp (regardless of how simple it may be/qualified the technician may be). A friend of mine had an old Traynor that apparently had the schematic attached inside, did Fender ever do that?
Sadness for all the original coupling caps that probably didn’t need to be replaced. The inside of this amp is now just like any garage amp hobbyist’s Princeton instead of a tone-gem.
I don't get the writing. Anyone who needs simple notes written on the chassis shouldn't be working om it.
But it's a beautiful amp.
Be careful touching white powder!!!!!!!
PS- just saw the board.. this is why you don't want a 60 or 61... those damn astrons always fail.. get a 62 ...
GEEZ, they replaced all the caps and most of the resistors. Might as well be a new amp, all the vintage mojo gone :(
Correct…. But it is 63 years old…
Hand writing goober 😅😅😅😅
It’s sad when a tech who knew almost nothing gets in there and does a horrible service to an amp. Metal oxide preamp bias resistors? Was he high, or did he just not know what metal oxides were? All Jupiter caps? Because he just assumed all the old coupling caps were bad? Doesn’t know his hot from his neutral? Had to write all over the inside of the chassis because he didn’t know what things did what? 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
Stupid behavior by whomever used the pencil(s).
Snot color. Good name for a punk band….
What causes all of the zinc oxide?
Galvinization exposed to air.
Beauty!