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  • Amplification

  • Fender Deluxe Reverb RI or Supersonic 22W or Princeton Reverb or what?

Any suggestions on which to choose from these three?

I can get them for around about the same price and while I have tried teh Deluxe Reverb RI which was great I haven't had the opportunity to compare to the others.

Anything else I need to look at for this price point? (around 15-30Wmax)
    Haven't played one, but the Supersonic is a higher gain beastie than the other two with a SS rectifier and more gain on tap on the second channel. Obviously more flexible. Should keep the bass tighter at higher volumes/gain than the other two and have an overall punchier sound at the expense of some of the sag, sweetness and roundness.

    The DRRI and PRRI are the time-proven classics, they won't do the higher gain thing as well (the low end gets a bit flubby when the speakers are driven), but sweet cleans to crunch. Deciding between them you need to consider volume and playing situation more than anything else. DRRi hangs with a louder drummer much better, while the PRRI does a relatively low volume version of the same sounds.
      I checked the guys previous posts to make sure it wasn't you ?
      I recently bought a new DRRI and would say approach it with caution if you are in Europe - the latest models for the European market are different to those sold in the US.

      Mine exhibited a fair bit of hum and hiss, making it useless for me as a studio amp, so I eventually sent it to an amp Tech to see if he could do anything with it. It turns out Fender removed a single component on the tremelo circuit to comply with the latest EC regs. Instead they added two pcbs (with a total of 106 components) to control the tremolo intensity digitally. However, in doing so, they made the amp noisy, so did some further mods to quieten the digital noise....but in doing that made the amp hiss and hum.

      I've just had all the digital stuff pulled out of my amp and the correct US type part put back in, along with a cap job and the primary on the mains transformer reset from 230V to 240V for correct UK operation.
        I have done some googling on these amps as well recently. The Princeton looks and sounds like a winner to me, but at that price it has to be perfect for me, which it isn't. Still too damn loud for my lifestyle (late night bedroom jams)
        So I had a long hard good look at the Mustang III as well, because it also has a headphone jack. Seems like the modeling engine is the same as the one on my g-dec3 though, so no use in paying for more of the same. Mind you, even the g-dec3 has some great blues tones on the demos, which I can't replicate for the life of me. So maybe the answer for me is more practice, and not another amp hey.
        But that Princeton.... man, that thing looks sweet....
          As you know i was dead set on a princeton till the price locally put me off they great but not worth the local 13 k discounted price i could get a deluxe reverb for about a grand more but i missed a 2nd hand princeton selling for R4500 last month now thats worth it . But the question is more what guitar you gonna use in it . Personally i like the sound of fender guitars into fender amps if i owned a les paul i'd rather use ac 30 . But fender tube amps all offer a similar trade mark fender tone so you never too far from that sound no matter which one you buy . And yes i still want a princeton ?
            Keira, I will be using a Strat, Tele and a 335 type (Tokai) through it. I still enjoy my little Ashtone Audio modded Champ600 but it is a little "small" sounding. Clean to mildly overdrive sounds 95% of the time.

            I can also get a Blues Jnr used for about R5k but was not as impressed as I thought I should be by it. ☹
              Yeah i too didn't like the blues junior when compared to deluxe reverb ri or princeton reverb ri but for 5 k it's not a bad option as thats a good price the other 2 are in a way higher price bracket so i expect better sound from em
                If you're using pedals for your drive sounds and you're only looking at Fender amps under 30W, then Deluxe Reverb all the way. Great sounding amps and a great clean base for pedals. Probably why Proguitarshop uses 'em for their demo videos.
                  racman wrote: Any suggestions on which to choose from these three?

                  I can get them for around about the same price and while I have tried teh Deluxe Reverb RI which was great I haven't had the opportunity to compare to the others.

                  Anything else I need to look at for this price point? (around 15-30Wmax)

                  Hi you are welcome to come try my 65 Princeton reverb reissue, just PM me and I will give you my details. Bring your favorite guitar and pedals with and its all yours to wail away on to your hearts content.

                  I chose it above the DRRI as it lent itself more to home playing than the DRRI. DRRI I found a bit brittle at lower volumes. I play the Princeton reverb usually with a stratocaster into the low input and with the volume at about 6 or 7 and its so sweet and juicy. My power valves are still stock (replacing with JJ 6V6S seems to be the standard practice with many in the USA).

                  I had the opportunity though to listen to a good blues player give a supersonic 22 and good run through at Marshall Music Woodmead and that amplifier really was impressive at the black face vibe. He was playing the Vintage channel at 3 on the volume (he did have the base dimed though) with a bit of reverb and it ticked all the boxes (and you have the option of the burn channel which you don't get with a DRRI or a Princeton). We were comparing it to a 65 reissue super reverb and at the volumes we were playing (that's the key here, the volume) the supersonic definitely was the preferred amplifier.

                  Regards


                  Mike
                    Oh My .... just been offered a DrZ Carmen Ghia 1x10 or 1x12 for about the same price.....

                    Now the decision gets a little harder ☹
                      The Ghia is an awesome amp with a vibe all of it's own. Usually pretty expensive locally, so well worth taking a look at it. To be honest, for me it would be a second amp though - the Fender amp tone is always going to be my go-to.
                        Oooh a ghia in SA...... if its a 12" speaker you will be set... a 10" is also nice just not as loud.....
                        Go listen to it, also take note, you will need a step down transformer I bet........

                          Come on over sometime and and try my TC 8w...I have few neighbours so you can wind it.... ?

                          looks like I'll be doing a build for a friend soon..... ? ?
                            This is a great Carmen Ghia demo (especially if you consider the audio is via the interviewer's camera mic).

                              Yeh I am basking in that tone.... its very different to other amps both fender and vox style..... its really strange. With strats such as my new strat the Ghia is amazing..
                              that said I should post pics of the new strat
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