Small 6V6 Combo w/Reverb

[TwoString]

Just for grins...

I've been bitten by the amp building bug. I'm a big fan of my little Blues Jr, but I'd like to have something to toy around with. I was thinking of buying another BJr combo and ripping the guts out to use as a project. Is there anything around that has 6V6s and reverb that would likely fit in the existing chassis? Maybe something based on the Princeton Reverb?

I'm not a fan of instigating my own mugging, but there's something about this idea that makes me really want to try it.

[tubeswell]

Is there anything around that has 6V6s and reverb that would likely fit in the existing chassis? Maybe something based on the Princeton Reverb?

You answered your own question. Either that or the Deluxe Reverb

[sliberty]

+1 for Princeton Reverb


....but....



....buying a Blues Junior and gutting it seems like an expensive way to build a different amp. I'd recommend looking for something cheaper to gut. Something that doesn't work perhaps. Or even buy an empty cabinet and have a chassis made for it. I've seen brand new Blues Jr. size cabinets on eBay for $150, and a chassis could be made for under $50. I doubt you can buy a BJ for $200, so this approach should save you some bucks.

[Colossal]

Twostring,

I have been playing a Princeton Reverb clone of sorts which came to me last week for a bit of service and man, it is a killer amp. It has a 6L6 power section for more clean headroom. Very, very good sounding amp. I paired it with a EV in an external 1x12 cab and didn't come out of the jam room for hours. Very touch sensitive, the reverb is phenomenal and I use the trem as well. I'll second Tubeswell's recommendation of either a Princeton or Deluxe Reverb. The Princeton cabinet is a little more compact if size is a concern.

If you decide to convert a BJr or some other amp, be sure the transformers are up to the job of supplying the necessary current for what you want to build.

Good luck.

....buying a Blues Junior and gutting it seems like an expensive way to build a different amp. I'd recommend looking for something cheaper to gut. Something that doesn't work perhaps. Or even buy an empty cabinet and have a chassis made for it. I've seen brand new Blues Jr. size cabinets on eBay for $150, and a chassis could be made for under $50. I doubt you can buy a BJ for $200, so this approach should save you some bucks.

p.s. Steve was typing his reply at the same time I was and mirrored my thoughts exactly. Personally, and I don't mean this in a rude way, but I am not a fan of repurposing amps. Usually amps that are on the chopping block are sub par and are being parted out for good reason (Made in China, particle board, cheap speakers, poor parts, anemic transformers, the list goes on). The single most important thing in an amp is quality transformers, then tubes, then the speaker(s), then components.

Life is too short for bad tone

[M Fowler]

I would do what the others have suggested a Princeton Reverb or Deluxe Reverb. Selecting a PT with increased mA rating and going with 4k OT you can run 6L6 instead of 6V6 if you like.

If you want to go with another combo get the empty cab and put in a blank mojo chassis (PT is cutout) and make faceplate or design faceplate for it.

Mather Cabs and other sell the Blues Jr cab or if your handy built your own cab.

Mark

[TwoString]

Thanks for the nudges in the direction I was already thinking would be the logical choice. I apologize for being a bit daft when it comes to navigating the site, but I like the idea of stuffing a Deluxe Reverb combo into a smaller cabinet, but I've never had the opportunity to play a Princeton. I'm not all that keen on the vibrato/tremolo though...is there a logical way to remove that from the amp without having to overhaul the entire circuit?

I'll definitely look into those replacement cabs and chassis. I like having a lot of amp in a small package...something that I can throw in the car with a tele and go. Thanks for all the help so far.

[M Fowler]

Well it was bound to happen, me suggesting my favorite the Octal Reverb Rocket (Rockster by rjguitars.net) instead of the Fenders.

rj has a kits to parts.

Mark

[Firestorm]

I'm not all that keen on the vibrato/tremolo though...is there a logical way to remove that from the amp without having to overhaul the entire circuit?

Don't turn them on.

Seriously, a Princeton Reverb has really nice tremolo -- maybe nice enough to convert you -- and nice verb, too. Removing the trem is straightforward, but removing the reverb involves removing only the tank and reverb transformer while leaving everything else in. Won't sound right otherwise.

[TwoString]

Remove reverb from a fender circuit? I might be a heathen, sir, but I'm not aiming to take over the throne! I was aiming to leave the control panel as clean as possible, and I usually don't use tremolo much anyway. I'll think about it.

I'll look into the Rockster too.

[sliberty]

For most of my playing life (40 years or so), I have hated trem. I didn't hate hearing it in cool songs like Born on the Bayou and Don't Let me Down, etc., but it just wasn't something I wanted in my bag of tricks.

The older I get, the more my needs change. I find myself in a band today that plays both of those songs So I have a pedal on my (recently shrunken) pedalboard that can do Trem along with several other modulation effects (chorus, rotary, univibe).

But, having said that, if I were building a Fender circuit anytime soon (which I might be), I would include the Trem. It doesn't really add that much cost to the build, and it can be turned off. So why not?

The only thing that would stop me would be chassis real estate. Hopefully it won't be an issue.

[Jana]

You can take the reverb out of the Princeton circuit without changing the tone/characteristics of it. Just remove all the reverb circuitry. Then tie the 470K resistor that normally came from the wiper of the reverb pot to ground. This is the same as if the Reverb is turned to 0. Be sure to keep the 3M3 and 10pf cap in place.

[sliberty]

By the way, here is a pretty good deal.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Rod-Blues-J ... 0700251194

Just add stain, handle and feet. I bought one of these for myself. Now, what to build....

[dcribbs1412]

Not sure what your budget/experience is...
An organized kit might start you in the right direction.
You might take a look at the Weber kits
6A14(Princeton) or 6A20(DR)...also David Allen(Allen Amps) has
very nice kits and parts for a PR or DR build
I played an original 65 Princeton then built the Allen SweetSpot...
I really like the Sweetspot.

Darin

[Firestorm]

You can take the reverb out of the Princeton circuit without changing the tone/characteristics of it. Just remove all the reverb circuitry. Then tie the 470K resistor that normally came from the wiper of the reverb pot to ground. This is the same as if the Reverb is turned to 0. Be sure to keep the 3M3 and 10pf cap in place.

Yeah, that's the interesting quirk of the Princeton circuit: the load end of the divider network is 470K, while all the other reverb amps have a 220K paralleled which makes the load 150K, so in the Princeton, the signal driving the mix amp is roughly three times larger than in the others (still very small). This is to partially compensate for lack of gain in the Princeton PI. It makes this resistor(s) one of the most tweakable points in any Fender circuit.

[Colossal]

Not sure what your budget/experience is...
An organized kit might start you in the right direction.
You might take a look at the Weber kits
6A14(Princeton) or 6A20(DR)...also David Allen(Allen Amps) has
very nice kits and parts for a PR or DR build
I played an original 65 Princeton then built the Allen SweetSpot...
I really like the Sweetspot.

Darin

Darin,

Can you comment on the sonic differences (if any) that you experienced with the Real 65 Princeton versus the SweetSpot??? I have seen the differences between the PR and the Sweetspot on the schematic (thank you Mr. Fowler!) and I am interested to see how these changes sound. One, the cathodyne PI in the SweetSpot is fixed bias (the Paul C mod) and the reverb driver is wired with parallel grids but a common cathode and anode. There are also a few other little component changes here and there as I recall.

Anyway, I have a huge interest for Princetons right now as I have a clone on the bench and it is fantastic sounding. The reverb and vibe are just amazing.

Thanks in advance.