The 1977 Princeton Reverb Repair Part 1

Part 1

A couple weeks back a local customer emailed me regarding a Lil King S he had acquired on the used market in the Asheville area. It was an easy fix, but it had a changed cab and a few other things done to it. NO matter, I got that thing fixed right up for his next session! I will cover that one in a future post. He mentioned that he had a 1977 Princeton Reverb that had been acting up and when I met him to pick up his S he brought the PR with, so I could have a look. I was hoping from the description, it would be an easy tube swap or solder joint touch up, “Sounds great for an hour then drops volume and or reverb fades”, you know, boilerplate, my old amp isn’t working right stuff.

I don’t normally do repairs, but if it is a vintage Fender, especially a Princeton Reverb (PR), I will do the work…mainly because I have all the parts on hand to build a new one, so a repair is usually pretty straight forward. Also, I love to hear the old ones as they are usually all a bit different. Some of this is obviously based on the work that has been done to them over the decades, and also, the production process back then was not the most consistent, supplies could change, multiple people building the amps, etc.

I was also thinking I could test this amp out against Lil King (LK) #700 that I had just finished up for Deke Dickerson. Once I got it in the shop, I turned it on to burn it in and see if I could replicate the issues. Sometimes these intermittent issues can be the hardest things to track down. I’d rather have an amp that won’t turn on or has a smoked resistor…Intermittent usually means you’ll hear something along the lines of “it’s working fine here on my bench” back from your amp guy…Then maybe a bench fee, and you take it home, with a emotional cocktail of hope and skepticism…To turn that damn thing on, and then almost immediately, it does the thing again!!!

Back to the tech, repeat and so on…it is NO fun for anyone involved. I know what both sides feel like…in my other posts I have referenced this, take it to a tech and not know what it will sound like when it comes back…Even when it is just some new tubes…it’s agonizing as a player…and as a consumer!

I, of course didn’t hear any of the volume drop or cutting in and out. Jacks seemed fine, tubes seemed fine…I had not even opened the amp up yet, just plugged in and listened. I always try to approach it as a player first…Play the thing and LISTEN. Well I a/b’d it briefly with #700, using a long speaker cable from my bench, I plugged the LK into the PR cab with the (seemingly) original 10” speaker as well as into the bench LK Cab that has a well broken in Alessandro GA-SC64 speaker. First thing I noticed…man the PR was really bright and edgy on the top end and upper-mids…through both speakers. The reverb was also way off…cranked to 6 it wasn’t as present as the LK on 3…There was definitely something off. The LK was way warmer and more responsive…I am confident in the job I do replicating these old Fender’s and that the 70s ones are generally considered “close” to “ok but a little bright” but this was a ways off…This was not a fair way to compare…and Deke was ready for his amp. I decided the a/b test at least in terms of playing would need to wait so I could inspect the 77 and ship Lil King #700 out west.

Opening up the chassis really filled me in on what was going on

There was obvious work done inside, some good, some not so good, the reverb issue was because someone omitted the bypass cap on the reverb driver tube (v2 12AT7)…this was why it didn’t have the lush wash out of a normal Fender reverb. Also, there were quite a few metal film resistors (very stable voltage wise) in key spots, and honestly, in completely random spots as well

The Plate resistors on the pre-amp tubes are the ones you may have heard or heard about, the term, popping, cracking, sizzling or a combination of any of those when they go bad…seeing these replaced is pretty common. I have my beliefs on this, and there are MANY more, most, by guys that probably know more than me about electronics and very likely, everything else…But I do know that in the pre-amp plates, that is where this carbon composition resistors shine for tone, you want the voltages to drift…that is what the old amps did…SO that was the first order.

I assume they didn’t have some of the common values for Fender amps…btw, if a tech tells you he doesn’t stock say a 100k 1/2 watt resistor, he probably doesn’t work on many Fender amps. You may need to seek a second opinion for the repair. To remedy not having the a few 100k’s, and a couple 56K’s he just wired two resistors together to attain the value needed. I replaced all of that with the 1/2 Carbon Composition type to get it as close as I could back to stock

Stay tuned for part 2 and maybe 3 if it is needed…Next we get to the power tubes, rectifier tube and check out the differences between the 64-67 and this 1977 Princeton Reverb

NEXT WEEK:

“The missing bypass cap may have been intentional. The work was not subpar, it may have been a “fix” for the washed out reverb that happens on Fender amps above 4, generally speaking. I had never thought of that one, so there again, someone knew what they were doing, electronically speaking…. “

What are the differences between the Lil King and Lil King S?

…and what’s this I hear about a Lil King X?

First let’s start with the Lil King…first built in 2004, at that time, there were NO Princeton Reverb Chassis available in the boutique amp supply chain, and I know this because the few big companies that were around back then did not have one yet…I am sure someone, some where probably had a few made or bent and welded one themselves, but for someone looking to produce a replica on the fledgling boutique amp market like myself, there was nothing out there. I had an old silver face PR and had a company blueprint the metal work and produce them for me. Several LONG months later it was done and by late 2004 I had the FIRST Lil King built and ready to send to David Wilson (RIP) of The Tonequest Report for review. Back then I had to build and sell these things so I could pay for the parts to build more. (I have a story about how I got the very first Lil King back…YES, I sold the first one to buy the parts for more!!) One of the great things about replicating after years of playing these old Fenders was that prototyping was not nearly as important as when you build something that is tweaked or completely NEW in design. That, as you know, is not something I do, I build replicas, “flaws” and all! I did not borrow ANY money to start Headstrong, it was literally amp to amp back then.

The Lil King is a faithful reproduction of the AA1164 Black Panel Princeton Reverb, and at that time, trust me there was NO ONE building these for the commercial market. I did not tweak anything in the circuit to change the bass response or clean it up etc. Just built this thing as close as I could to an old one. Side note, I did side by side tests of a few GOOD vintage examples that I had access to, as you know there can be a huge variance in these old amps…Some sound good or great while others are just off for a variety of reasons.

The Lil King Reverb is built around one of the GOOD vintage examples and after nearly 20 years and 700 ( I am building chassis no. 700 this week for Deke Dickerson) of the stock Lil King amps of which I have personally wired EVERY ONE, I am confident that its as close as it gets…Not saying it is better than anyone else’s take, just as close as it gets!

The idea for the Lil King-S (the S stands for “Souped up” or “Stage” ) came in 2009 after several years of building the Lil King and people asking me about beefing the amp up or tightening the bottom end. There are a few popular Princeton Reverb Mods out there as you know, but I wanted to take it further…This is one of the few times in the 20 years I have been building amps that I even considered doing this. To me one of the main reasons Princeton Reverb’s sound the way they do is the Phase Inverter (read the Blog, “why do the Princeton Reverb and Deluxe Reverb amps sound so different” for more on this) I wanted to keep that, otherwise I am building a single channel Deluxe Reverb basically. I wanted all that sag to happen like a Princeton, but much louder and cleaner on the way to that point. I boosted the PI voltages by using the untapped leg of the Filter cap can, bumped some voltages in other places, but mainly…I had a HUGE Princeton Sized Power transformer built AND a 35 watt Output transformer built with a special primary impedance so that it would handle a variety of power tubes. It was my thought that is I beefed up all of this, but kept the PI the same, the amp would land at about 25 watts with 6L6 tubes. SO the main difference in the stock Lil King (black panel Princeton reverb AA1164) and the Lil King S is the transformer set and higher voltages across the board…The effect of this has also been explained in previous Blog posts, so please check those out if you are so inclined!

Lil King S (left) and stock Lil King (right) power transformers built to my spec by Heyboer

The Lil King-X…Well that is what I call a “flex” model between the two amps. There is a significant amount of room between the Lil King and at the Lil King-S, so over the years I have talked to so many people about what they wanted out of the amp I was building for them, that the X took shape. Charlie Hunter was one of the first to have one built. He had several Lil King and Lil King S amps, but sometimes there was too big of a gap between them for certain rooms. The X can be many things…The one I just built for JD Simo, is Lil King S power transformer, Deluxe reverb output transformer, it will run 6V6 or 6L6s, for 18-22 watts. PI voltages were raised, but pre amp voltages were kept close to the stock AA1164 readings. I have done so many different versions of this to achieve what someone wants…stock LK power transformer with a Deluxe reverb output to juice it just a little, Lil King S power transformer with stock Princeton Output and 6V6s…a ton of voltage mods to clean or brighten…It is virtually endless.

I personally prefer the stock versions of both, but there have been some cool variations. Rest assured, this is not nearly as complex or vast as it seems, these are finite incremental changes, some of which are so subtle, only guys like JD and Charlie Hunter can really tell the difference…subtle changes to mids, volume, headroom, and compression…these are guys that are TRUE MASTERS of what they do and have done it for so long, they can hear these little 1-5% changes….Not to discourage anyone from exploring this, but lets not over think this thing…Call me and I can walk you through some of this…it is not something that you should obsess over, I can get you where you need to be based on the information you provide.

Lil King-S (left) and Lil King (right) Output transformers built to my specs by Heyboer

Between the Lil King, the Lil King-X and the Lil King-S, I have built almost 1000 chassis, so I have heard most if not all of it at this point…There is a reason guys call me about this circuit…And I am not one to brag, but I do think I have earned the right to consider myself a bit of an authority on the Princeton Reverb and what makes them sound so good!

I hope you enjoyed this latest 5 AM rant! Time to get to work on Lil King No.700!!

Thanks for reading!!

As always, you can call or email me ANY time with questions and feel free to comment below!

Wayne

Why do the Princeton Reverb and Deluxe Reverb amps sound so different?

Did you ever think to yourself, “why do the Princeton Reverb and Deluxe Reverb seem to sound so different?” They are technically both “Blackface Fender” amps, they both have reverb in the circuit…but why is the Deluxe always a bit brighter, cleaner and louder?

The obvious differences between the Princeton and Deluxe reverb amps are wattage, transformers, cabinet size, 10” speaker vs 12” speaker, 1 channel vs 2 channels etc…This article is a bit more granular and nuanced than that.

I will try to keep this on guitar player level tech talk, that is, I will use terms that guitar players use rather than a bunch of terms that amp techs and electronic guys tend to use. I feel that is a strength that I developed early on in my 20 year building career. Not alienating guitar players with a bunch of technical talk…Sometimes guys with a more electronic based background, who lack knowledge of the tone terms (as well as dealing with an eccentric group of people) we like to use a players, can get a little defensive and throw a bunch of big words at you…I prefer to use the vernacular that the players use and bridge the gap between the two sides of the fence so to speak.

I started as a player who knew NOTHING about why tube amps sounded so good other than, every time I played one, I knew that was the tone! Communicating with amp techs (if you could find one) could be dicey and uncomfortable at best. Leaving us wrought with anxiety over how our amp was going to sound when they finished the “work”. Not wanting to offend anyone, was NOT my forte in those days…and I remember a few times the “old guy in the back” gave me that look! How could “I” be wrong I thought, that guy is Full of it I thought to myself!..Yeah man, it was all him!

Fortunately times have changed and there are of course many great options now, but in the 90’s, no internet, no forums etc, you were shooting in the dark with techs.

Now, back to the topic at hand

To me the Princeton reverb still has a foot in the Tweed and Brown era tone. I feel this is due in large part to the Phase inverter section of the amp. In the old days, Fender used what is referred to as a “split load Phase Inverter” meaning that the phase inversion is accomplished by using only half of the 12AX7. The 12AX7 is known as a dual triode…two sides, 3 pins on each side (plate, grid, cathode). Make sense? By only using half of the tube to do the job, like using 3 of the 6 cylinders in your car, it is inherently less efficient than the Long Tail pair type found in other blackface amps, such as the Deluxe reverb and all other BF amps above it. The Tweed Deluxe, had the split load as well. Basically this means the signal is less powerful heading to the power tubes so the sag and break up happens much earlier. Also, to my ear, it is a bit darker and lacks a little of the scooped mid sound of the rest of the Blackface Fender amps above it. The other difference in the Princeton Reverb from other Blackface amps is in the tremolo…The PR has the Bias Vary/Wiggle circuit. This uses the power tubes to modulate the bias to create what I think is one of the most swampy, bluesy tremolo sounds they ever did. This type of tremolo is also found in the Brown Vibroverb, Princeton and Deluxe. (NOTE: It is not to be confused with the only true “Vibrato” Fender did in the Brown Concert, Super, Pro and Bandmaster…That is a completely different beast and I will go over that in a future article. FYI, I will be building that Brown Super this year!) In closing, the Princeton Reverb, to me is still a Brown Princeton, but with the Blackface reverb circuit added. Fender kept the Princeton Reverb virtually the same until the early 70’s barring a few adjustments and general butchering.

The Deluxe Reverb is VERY different from a Brown Deluxe, thus different from a Princeton reverb as well. This is where I feel the real blackface tone people are referencing comes from. Cleaner, brighter, scooped mids etc. The tremolo circuit is also different, Fender moved to the Opto-coupler based tremolo that basically modulates the volume to create the tremolo effect, and to my ears is a little less organic sounding. Still a cool sound, and obviously, used by many legends over the years. They stuck with that circuit on all the other Blackface amps from that era as well. The other difference is the “Long Tail Pair” phase Inverter (both sides of a 12AT7 powered this) making it more efficient, brighter, slightly higher voltages across the amp. The first stage filter caps were also higher than a Princeton so it is a bit tighter. The voltages on the power tubes are significantly higher in Deluxe Reverb amps as well. Some are as high as 470V (JD Simo’s DR is that high at 120v!!!) You often see, “will handle the high plate voltages of a Deluxe Reverb” in some 6V6 power tube descriptions. This is what they mean!

For reference, The Royal Reverb, the Headstrong Deluxe Reverb replica comes in at about 425-435 VDC (Volts DC) @120 volts (AC from the wall). By contrast the Princeton Reverb came in at 400-415 VDC…The Lil King is usually 400-410 VDC range.

Pre-amp gain stage (V1 and V2) voltages are a bit higher in the Deluxe Reverb amps. 170-180 VDC on the plates of the 12AX7 tubes (vs. the Princeton reverb pre-amp plates at 150-160vdc). I think this is may be an under discussed topic…The higher the plate voltage on those pre-amp tubes, the cleaner and brighter the sound. The lower voltages, like in a Tweed amp, you get a darker tone…less spike in the notes. Finding a balance between the two is what I try and do when someone wants to tweak the amp a little to their liking. Rather than make these big changes to the circuit, sometimes a small resistor change will get you what you need without drastically changing the tonal character of the amp that you loved. Thus avoiding a case of diminishing returns.

So in closing, the main differences electronically between these two amps is why you may have noticed a big difference in these two amps. Some people may feel, the Princeton Reverb is just a lower watt Deluxe Reverb and that is just not the case. The Princeton will always be darker, softer on the bottom end, less spiky on the top end as well as much easier to carry around to the gig!

I could keep rambling on this topic for days, but I also have to actually build these things! As always, thanks for reading and thank you ALL for the 20 years of support! I still can’t believe this is what I get to do all day!!

Talk soon,

Wayne

Nashville Blog: The art of jamming and reading the room

On a recent trip to Nashville, I had the opportunity to see and hear some world class music from some world class performers. The first being the East Nashville Guitar Club’s monthly meet up and The Underdog. Here Guthrie Trapp and Headstrong Endorser, Jack Ruch paired up with a stellar rhythm section of Tim Marks and Dave Racine (you’re doing God’s work fellas).

If you are not familiar, this is an idea spawned from GT’s desire to unite and showcase some of, what he considers (I’d say that carries some weight) to be the most talented neighborhood of guitar players anywhere. The house band starts off with a couple of tunes and then rotate in 2 guys per tune (dependent on number of jammers, I assume) that not only get to jam with that rhythm section, but also play through the rigs of GT (amp was a Kendrick build, a higher powered Tweed Deluxe) and Jack (1X12 Verbrovibe aka Brown 6G16 Vibroverb replica)….Not to mention, basically rub shoulders with some of the highest level talent Nashville has to offer…It was one of the BEST jam formats I have ever witnessed.

A little backstory…Blues jams are a great way to get out and play, but the underside of this can be a loud mess, therefore I have not attended one in MANY years. I find them to be self serving, too loud, a bit sloppy, and just really frustrating. It has been years since I was a gigging musician, for many reasons, but one thing I do know is that listening, reading the room, playing WITH your stage/band mates, etc, seems to be something that is totally lost in these settings, at least in my experience. I assume we have all had these things happen to us…volume wars, longer than appropriate solos, stepping all over the others’ sonic footprint/space. This is because as we all know, when most get up to jam, it is usually about what they want too say in a solo, NOT in backing everyone up, or locking with the bass and drums. We all LOVE to solo and stand out, but in my 20 years building amps and working with some of the best in the world, I have noticed one thing about the difference in jammers and pros….EYES and EARS!

When you hear pros jam, they almost always listen first and play second. By that I mean, listen to where everyone on stage is sitting in the mix and finding an area, sonically, where they sit and fit in. GT actually asks the jammers to be conscious of where the amps are set up, how to properly use the pedal boards available etc. In other words, let’s not crank the amps and engage all the pedals at one time, blowing each other off stage and basically taking from the tune, not giving to it. Well his words do carry some weight in the guitar world, so people really seemed to listen and the results were pretty impressive! After this many years of playing and building/testing amps, live shows (I am talking to you Black Crowes) I can only take so much volume before ear fatigued sets in, and since I came for some specific shows (keep reading), I didn’t stay very long…You have to conserve your ears at my age. I had an opportunity to hang with Jack a bit after their set and talk about the next amp I am building for his YouTube videos, I headed out to check in to our condo.

The ENGC meets on the last Sunday of the month (pending schedules) and I think EVERYONE should check these out if given the opportunity…There are some great unknown players in that town…I heard some great stuff and the fact that Jack and GT, as well as The Underdog are providing a place to let players be showcased and to network is so generous and selfless (in a selfish business no less). But to me, even more importantly, learn the valuable skill of listening and playing WITH, not against others on stage is VERY important for that next guy who wants to break through or get a gig touring in a working band.

So, the main reason I went to Nashville other than to connect with and talk to Jack a bit about his next amp, was to see and meet, someone I consider to be one of the best young talents (only my opinion, and I have many) in blues/roots/soul/R&B in a traditional sense, McKinley James.

If you are not familiar, he is worth a listen. He has a Sunday night residency at the Underdog when he is not out touring the world. At 21, he has a sense of tone and feel that few, at any age, do in my opinion. He plays old amps and guitars so he is set up for the proper tone for this type of music, but he seems to really nail the feel and his voice and songwriting are equally impressive…I know, I know, another young blues guy, blah, blah, blah…Trust me, this is not the case and his reach is beyond blues. In fact on Sunday it is a duo with his drummer, Jason Smay (who is also his Dad and a seasoned vet on the kit). This gig had elements of punk rock, garage rock as well as soul and blues. Traditional blues numbers mixed in with his own original tunes, they really have something unique going on. Again, his voice is something worthy of more than one mention. His guitar tone is another discussion! He plays a host of guitars, but his ’61 (players grade) ES330 with Tim Shaw Humbuckers (out of phase) through his 1968 Fender Super Reverb (plugged straight in) is just fat and buttery! He also had an early 90’s reissue Tweed Bassman with the Blue Frame Eminence built Alnico speakers (everyone’s favorite from what I hear) to cover some low end…He also uses a big 147 Leslie powered by the Super Reverb. He has been playing with his Dad since he was 11 or so, this is very evident…Drummers, you need to google Jason Smay…his shuffle is a big slushy pillow of goodness that any blues or roots player would kill for…You blues players know how hard it is to find that in a drummer…(here’s a tip, four on the floor guys! Its all quarter notes down there!) I have not seen Ali, my Fiancé, be that taken in by blues music before, she was blown away by Sunday night, as was I! After many Instagram messages and post likes, I finally had a chance to meet McKinley. He was clearly raised right by his parents…A true gentleman, well spoken, cordial, and just a light happy demeanor….AND a total gear head! I knew we would hit it off! Also on another note…seeing the look on Jason’s face, watching his son play and sing like that? Worth 10X what they charge at the door! You Dad’s can probably relate.

Man, what a night!

Back to the room for a few hours of sleep…We had big plans to do some retail therapy for Ali, and myself…I like clothes and shoes, OK! We live in a small city so the choices are slim at best…and my lady has taste that stretches beyond Mountain wear we mainly see here in Asheville (time and place for everything)

I loved Sunday night and the duo, but I am a DIE HARD traditional blues guy and my friend Patrick Sweany has cultivated an unbelievable scene over the years on Blue Mondays at The 5 Spot! He has put in the work and really created something there! I usually have to go out West or to ATX for this type of thing….NOT anymore! An early 6-8pm set, The Tiger Beats is a rotating band of top notch players, this particular Monday was Jason Smay on the kit, McKinley on guitar and vocals, Dave Jacques on bass (KILLER) and PS on guitar and vocals and overall vibe curator! I Love PS and what he is doing…We are working on a build for him as well

I have attached a picture of his amp settings and a few videos to show you what this article is about…Although a small room, McKinley had is 68 Super Reverb on stage…I did not need earplugs this night…The tone reminded me of early-mid 60’s BB King…fat, LOTS of reverb, and just great feel and note selection! He could have easily blown the room out with that amp…but instead, proper volume, great rhythm playing, GIVING to the song, and what a result. Same with PS, never stepping on any toes, showcasing others while showcasing himself! These are real pros guys and there are tons of videos on YouTube out there!

We have all been to Blues shows, usually TOO loud, way too may slow blues numbers, and the solos…my god man, enough redemption solos…if you blew a few notes in the last 12 bars, live with it and move on….Trust me, the next 12 bars ain’t gonna save you! I speak with experience on both sides of this! We’ve all done it!

So in closing, at your next jam or hang with your friends…

Find the right amp for the room, listen to what the other guys are doing and find your spot…stay there until its your turn to blow….Be a giver on stage, think of music and these opportunities as a charitable cause if you have to, and add to the music and vibe…When you find a group of guys that do this (even in your basement), it is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have as a musician AND as a listener!

Sorry if I got off point on this, but I am prone to rants!

Thanks for reading!

Wayne

The Main Differences between the Brown and Black Fender Vibroverb Amps

In this blog post, I will discuss the main differences between the different Vibroverb amps that fender offered in the mid 60s as well as the options I offer as an alternative to the originals.

Side note: If you haven’t read my first blog about why you would buy a replica or clone of a Fender vs the original, please do as it will help you understand where my thought process stems from on these matters. Yes I want to sell amps, but I don’t want to sell you an amp you don’t need or won’t do what you need for the gig.

Let’s start first with the 6G16 brown Vibroverb that was built for one year in 1963.  This amp came in at about 35 watts. I call it a soft 35 Watts due to the fact that it is not overly bright, overly stiff or in any way harsh. First introduced in 1963 and made for just over a year by all reports, it was the first Fender amp to have onboard reverb, came with 2-10 inch oxford speakers at about 25 Watts apiece, the app came in at 35 watts with 5881/6L6WGB/6L6GC power tubes it had a GZ34 rectifier and all pre-amp tubes, including the phase inverter and reverb driver were 12AX7  

The component, layout in the pre-amp circuit, while laid out differently on the fiberboard is essentially the same pre-amp as a later blackface vibroverb. Like many Blonde and Brown era amps the treble control was Tapped at 70k which drastically changes the mid structure of the amp.


The reverb circuit was unique, which was considered a coupling circuit, and was never used in any other fender amp

And one final thing that really sets this amp apart from his blackface brother is the bias vary tremolo. This, of course is when the power tube bias is modulated to create the tremolo effect. This is the same tremolo essentially found in the Princeton Reverb and my personal favorite of all the Fender tremolo circuits.

Across-the-board, the brown Vibroverb had much lower plate voltages than later, blackface Vibroverbs, which I also think changes the tone of the amp to a little bit less high-end and clean headroom

The blackface Vibroverb (AA and AB763 changed, of course to blackface cosmetics in 1964 and also sported a larger cabinet with a single 8 ohm 15 inch speaker (Usually a JBL D-130) instead of the 2X10 layout in the 6G16

Power tube plate voltage was about 25 volts higher. They both basically share the same output transformer, but of course the brown vibroverb was 4 ohms and the black  AB763 was 8 ohms 

The tremolo in the later Vibroverb is like all other blackface tremolos where they simply ground out the signal right before the phase inverter to create the tremolo effect, also known as a opto-coupler circuit. 

There are very subtle differences between the AA and AB763 Vibroverb are in the inverter plates and the bypass resistor in the tremolo. These are very minor differences, so they are essentially the same amp.

The blackface Vibroverb is the amp that most people associate with the “SRV tone”, not saying that Stevie never played a brown Vibroverb, but generally speaking, he played blackface Super Reverb and blackface Vibroverb amps

I build and love both versions, and from all reports they are really close to the few good vintage examples left out there.

If I had to chose, I would take the Brown 6G16 as it is a nice bridge between Tweed and Blackface! I started offering the “Verbrovibe” aka 6G16 in early 2007 when prices were in the $4000 range. Those prices are now, of course higher. (just saw one yesterday on reverb for $20K!!) The other issue is they only built 500 and there are large number of those in private collections from what I hear. Some are used sparingly and others not at all…i.e they are sitting in a vault or display case due to the rare nature. So you can avoid all of that and a second mortgage on your home and get a replica or “clone”. There are a few options out there, but I am confident in the abilities I have accrued in the last 20 years, that the Headstrong Verbrovibe is about as close as you can get to an old one.

I've had a chance to play one years ago, and also hear a few goods ones in person, and it was glorious.

A fun story that is kind of about that amp (kind of) is when I was in my early 20’s, rent was cheap and I was supporting myself solely on blues gigs (a tough feat then and especially now) I wanted one of the re-issues and figured I would try and find someone to tweak the amp for me. This was of course before I had any real understanding of these things…and that the re-issue, while not a bad sounding amp (they actually came close on some features) was a ways off from the original…mainly the solid state rectifier…In any case, my band leader had a friend with 2 old brown amps, he said “I think they are Vibroverbs", one is pristine and the other is beat down with an unoriginal speaker. Turns out the pristine one was once owned by a blues legend who shall remain nameless (for a future story), and he wanted to sell that one. I did not have the $300(???!!!) to spare all at once…times were and always have been tight, fortunately my rent was cheap and my roommate (and band mate) had a regular job if I ever had a bad month (hey, we guitar players have our priorities) so I was gonna get that amp!…But fortunately the band leader knew I needed a stage amp…I had a small set up then that was kind of cool (another story soon), but not what I needed for this new 4 pc Harmonica band…so he offered to buy it and let me pay him back over a few months worth of gigs. I couldn’t believe my luck! I was going to get a Vibroverb, for $300, on PAYMENTS???

Well it turned out not to be a Vibroverb, but a 1962 Fender Vibrolux (with a 12” grey/blue powder coated Jensen Vibranto speaker)…I will tell that story in another post soon, we will call those blogs:

“Headstrong Origin Stories”

I had that amp for years and it is what I based the Sultan off of…

Now, on to the AB763 version

The blackface Vibroverb version that I build is called the King Reverb and it comes as a 1X15 but also as a 2x10 (Vibrolux Reverb) a 2x12 (Pro Reverb) and of course the classic 4x10 Super reverb set up. I will dig deeper in the differences between all of the king reverb versions in another blog, but the 1X15 version, I get asked about all the time so let me explain that here in a bit more detail. The 35-45 watt AB763 circuit are essentially all the same amps when it comes to the circuit itself other than some minor capacitance and resistance changes to compensate for bass response etc. In other words, a 4X10 won’t need the same bass signal as a 1X12 or 2X10. Then of course the output transformers came in different sizes and secondaries to match with the speaker loads. The 1X15 was an 8 ohm output and the transformer itself is the same size and the Pro and Vibrolux Reverb, while the Super Reverb OT was significantly larger than those models.

Generally you would find the famous JBL D130 ceramic speaker in the amp, but some had Jensen, Utah or CTS speakers in them as well. I have had a few of all of those speakers before, and I generally use the Weber California Ceramic for the JBL sound in the King Reverb 1X15 and it is so close it is startling.

Personally, I prefer the sound of a good P15N or Weber’s equivalent.

I had a client, who I trust has the ear as he owned 2 originals, he said “if I didn’t know that your amp was a clone with a clone speaker, I don’t think I could tell the difference form my old ones.” He called me last year, probably 10 years after that comment to tell me he still has the amp, and it is really the only thing he uses to this day. This is not to say I build something anyone else can’t, but to say that if you want to get those tones, and get as close as anyone else is, but couple it with a level of customer service or experience that I stand behind, The Headstrong King Reverb is worthy of consideration.

If you are familiar with Headstrong and my attention to detail across the board, you know what I am referencing, if not, please feel free to call me ANYTIME to discuss some of the options I offer. Or if there is something I cannot help with, I will point you in the right direction. And remember, I Love Fender Amps! I made a living as a player using them, and I make a great living as a builder, copying them! Even if they have missed the mark over the years, I am a loyal guy who will always speak highly of the legacy!

Thanks for reading and my goal is to put one of these more technical blogs up with some old stories about how I got here, or how I managed to deal with some of the people you’ve seen or heard play Headstrong Amps.

And as always, thanks for your support and interest for these last 20 years!

Wayne

Why would I get a Lil King over a vintage Princeton Reverb

That is a great question!

Let’s first start with why do you want this size amp? Are you a collector or vintage enthusiast? A gigging musician who needs tone AND reliability?

First let’s make sure the Lil King or Princeton Reverb is the amp you need:

What is the primary use or need for the amp? Rehearsals and gigs? Recording and home based playing? Coffee shops or bars? All of these things need to be considered before making a large purchase like this…that is how I approach every call or email that comes in and we will cover more about my approach to making sure you’re looking for what I build in a future post. Now on to the topic at hand as we will assume this sized amp is what you’re looking for.

To the collector I say, buy the old one! While the Headstrong holds its value very well relative to other boutique amps (mainly due to VERY low production numbers and high demand), it will not appreciate in the same way as a good vintage piece of gear. So to the collector I can offer a wealth of knowledge about this particular model (as I have personally built almost 1000 LK/LK-S chassis), and will be able to possibly answer some tone, tech type issues as well as a hearty congratulations on your recent acquisition! There is nothing quite like getting that old amp and having it live up to expectations! I remember it well, this is why I wanted to build amps…knowing that it will be increasingly harder to find those pristine examples, much less affording them. The days of me getting a 1961 Brown Vibrolux (player grade) for $300 ($50 bucks at a time from gig money btw, 6 gigs later I officially owned my first vintage Fender) are LONG GONE. …Or the old Sears amp in case I found for $5 at a Goodwill in Ashland OR. Or a friend who found a ’62 Bassman Head for $6 at a yard sale in Hawaii, you get the point…

BUT, if you are in a position to afford an amp like that now…Please, call me anytime to talk about it, brag, ask questions, I share your passion and would love to hear all about it!

Opposing view points and why I build:

To the player and even the vintage enthusiast, on a budget, I can offer guidance on deciding between a players grade PR or a new or used LK. I offer the same level of customer service to you regardless of where you bought it, new or USED. Over the years I extended the warranty on the entire line for LIFE! This means that while some parts in the amp will fail over time and not be “covered” by the warranty, when you send in the amp, I will replace the majority of these parts at my cost. Also, labor charges on out of warranty work, is half of my normal hourly rate for repair work. This can be an invaluable asset to the weekly gigging musician or the home hobbyist. Generally speaking the main issue with Headstrong Amps is and will always be tube life and reliability. Over the last 20 years I have tried virtually every tube brand out there of any quality and as long as I can get them, I will always use what has worked best in these amps for so long. Occasionally a speaker will blow, and even less common is a transformer. I can count on two hands the number of power transformers I have seen blown…Not bad for well over 1000 amps out the door. To give you an example of what it would cost to replace a PT, which is basically the most catastrophic thing that can happen to the amp…Out of warranty repair on this is less than $200 on most amps! That is tough to beat on any repair, much less something that major. My point is, DO NOT panic, I have you covered…Give me a ring or email and we will get you straight on this. Remember though, about 1% or less have ever had this issue…

So BUY WITH CONFIDENCE!

To me, I prefer to have an amp that if it has any issues, I can call the guy that built it whether or not I bought it new or used…And if it was ever stolen, it is completely replaceable. Piece of mind is often overlooked in the artists tool bag. If you are able to focus only on creative variables, and not, “what is my gear going to do to me tonight?”, it more easily allows you to reach further into your creative process, letting go of mental blocks and restrictions. I know…psycho babble, but we are a finicky bunch! Guitar players are some of the most unique personalities I’ve ever had the pleasure of dealing with…Musicians in general, but we guitar players are definitely a different breed.

These are just a few thought I have on this, as every player is unique in some way, please feel free to give me a ring any time to discuss this question in more detail! I hope to connect with you this year, and in the years to come, to help you along on your tone quest!

Please like and subscribe to this if you are so inclined, I plan on having more of these gear ramblings this year!

All the best to you all,

and thanks so much for 20 years of support!

Wayne