[Harp-L] '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue
Paul Routledge
What are the opinions of it for harp?
Thanks
Paul
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Rick Davis
one less gain stage and has a better harp voice. And, the
vintage non-reverb amp can often be found for less than the cost of the
reissue or the vintage BFPR.
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
Paul Routledge
John F. Potts
without reverb sounds better for harp. It may have a little more
"bark" in its tone, but i very much prefer the effect that the
reverb stage has on the overall sound of this amp, whether the reverb
is actually being used or not. Personally, i would not be tempted to
purchase a non-reverb Princeton.
JP
fjm
harmonica. I just never got compressed or barky in the middle. I
wanted to like it. It is rumoured Big Walter Horton used the same amp.
It was very cool with those white knobs and I'd gotten it very
reasonably but eventually I ended up selling it. I semi kinda regret
letting it go but only because they're worth so much money these days
and it was way cute. I've played through a Silverface Fender Princeton
Reverb. I liked that amplifier a lot better. In retrospect I bet the
non reverb could have been fixed. It had an AlNiCo speaker that was non
stock but old. Swapping the speaker could have made a world of
difference. I always hesitate in regards to altering a virtually stock
amplifier that is that collectable. Personally and very subjectively I
think the predecessor to this amplifier the Tweed Princeton is a much
better amplifier. I own 2 Whites same as a Tweed Princeton different
cabinet.
Mixing threads here, I really was impressed by Mark Wilson's playing on
his myspace page. http://www.myspace.com/checkmarkwilson Great plug
for the Bogen amplifier but in reality I think Mark's playing has more
than a little to do with why that first clip is so superb. Very
restrained playing but not in an oppressed sort of way. Nice use of
space and choices in avoiding the cliches people usually toss into a
blues tune like this. I should know because when I listen to anything
I play all I can hear are the sloppily played notes and the over used
phrases and licks that are so difficult to stay away from. I think the
thing that really separates intermediate and advanced intermediate
players from the next level are all those little details. Mark's
playing is a grand advertisement for the Jon Gindick Jam Camps. First
there's the level of musicianship but there is also the environment that
nurtured that talent. Great stuff Mark and thank you for sharing. fjm
John F. Potts
I really like the original, but I think it can be a bit
harsh/trebly for harp even with the treble all the way down and the
bass all the way up.
This is why i wish this amp had a midrange control. But i would not
characterize the tone of my amp as harsh. However, i use an EV RE 15
mic which is thick and fat in the midrange frequencies. I don't know
about how a bullet mic would sound. An MXR 10 band equalizer pedal is
very useful and effective for tweaking frequencies that the tone
controls on an amp just don't seem to adjust. Pump the 250 slider to
fatten the tone of a harmonica. The MXR is well built, relatively
inexpensive and solves all sorts of problems that can arise when
trying to play harp through a guitar amp.
Btw, although i am aware that some people claim the silver faced
Princeton Reverbs sound just as good as the black face models, i have
never personally found a silver face that came close. Maybe this is
just bad luck on my part, but, in my experience, it would not be
prudent to assume that any silver face will necessarily be comparable
to a black face. But if you like sound of the amp, that's what counts.
JP
Rick Davis
wonderful in the hands of a good harp player who knows the amp well. For my
money (and my ear) the non-reverb version of the amp has better harp tone.
And, yes, the fact that Big Walter played the amp probably influences my
judgment on this.
This does nothing to diminish the BFPR or the re-issue. I am unbiased on
this since I do not own either amp, so I am not here to defend my choices.
I've played and listened to several examples of each and I formed an
opinion. That's all.
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
On Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 12:29 PM, John F. Potts <hv...@bex.net> wrote:
> With all due respect, I strongly disagree that the old Princeton without
> reverb sounds better for harp. It may have a little more "bark" in its
> tone, but i very much prefer the effect that the reverb stage has on the
> overall sound of this amp, whether the reverb is actually being used or not.
> Personally, i would not be tempted to purchase a non-reverb Princeton.
> JP
>
--
Bill Hines
Especially since the last one "Me 'n George" is the same exercise I've
been working on in Dave Barrett's Exploring Third Position, an exercise
that David wrote in the style of George Harmonica Smith. Mark really
plays the hell out of that. So maybe more than just a Jon Gindick
influence Mark? I hear some other phrases in these songs from Barrett's
stuff so I believe so. Like me, maybe you've used many different
resources on your path, but whatever it is, it's worked for you. I
always recommend Jon's and David's material.
Anyway, your playing is excellent on these, Mark. Can you comment on how
you cut these, i.e. backing tracks and what you played through?
Thanks, Bill
mark wilson
On Dec 21, 2008, at 5:50 AM, Bill Hines wrote:
> I also really enjoyed the cuts on Mark's myspace
> Especially since the last one "Me 'n George" is the same exercise I've
> been working on in Dave Barrett's Exploring Third Position...
Hey Bill, you're the first guy to catch that, nice job! That's
definitely my training wheel exercise. I went to a private birthday
party a few years ago, and Rod Piazza was the entertainment. At one
point he took a break, and 3 or 4 harp players in the audience got
called up, one at a time, and started playing with the band. It was
an upbeat swing thing, which I like to listen too, but for some
reason, haven't been able to play very well. I thought to myself, If
I get called up on this tune, I'm screwed big time. Fortunately, it
didn't happen..
On the drive home I began thinking, you're a harp player, you live
in CA, and you can't play West Coast style blues! So off I went
looking through all my material, and started copping stuff,
especially from David. He had it all laid out in his 3rd position
book. Two of the chorus's are taken from there, and some of that
solo is stolen from one of his youtube videos. So now, I can play the
West Coast thing, I just need to take off the training wheels and
create my own sound, phrases, and musical ideas, which I'm working
on...
Regarding the Gindick/Barrett thing, I've used both guys materials
extensively, as well as Tom Balls, and Steve Baker's. All these guys
put out great stuff, and I've learned a ton from them all. Right now
I'm digging into Winslow's book, which I think is excellent.
I retired from the Jam Camp business earlier this year after 4 1/2
years, and 26 camps, but Jon and I hang out, and are still bud's. It
was sad to go, but it was time. Now I'll have time to do some other
things, including SPAH, which I'm going to this year after a 4 year
hiatus!!
> Can you comment on how you cut these....
All were recorded using my Zoom H-4. Typically, I mic the room
instead of the amp. I mix in garageband, and add some reverb. I
used a Bogen CHB10A on Bring It, a Kalamazoo Model 2 on Me n'
George, and a Sonny Jr Cruncher on Cold As Ice. The harp mic I used
on all of them is a Astatic T-3 with a CM element..
I'm flattered by all the attention these songs have been getting, and
am also a bit embarrassed by it all. I'd like to say, thank you to
everyone who sent encouraging comments, both on and off list. I
really appreciate it, you guys made my year!!!!!!
Mark