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*Please make sure to read the entire description and look at all the included photos. Feel free to reach out before submitting an offer if you have any questions and/or concerns. Thank you!*

Here is an early-1969 “Drip Edge” Fender Princeton Reverb. If you’re familiar with the Drip Edge era Fender amps (very late 1967 through 1969) then you know that they’re a huge value for your money when looking for a hand-wired vintage amp with great tone. During those couple years, these amps (and Fender combos in general) saw very little change in terms of circuit design, components and overall build quality compared to the earlier Black Panel examples, even though they’re much more affordable (since they don’t have the collectors premium that early production amps have). Given that, I think those from ’68 and ’69 are the ones to have. The modern ’64 hand-wired reissues are $3,150 brand new, so why not get the real deal?!

This particular amp retains all of its original transformers. The speaker has been swapped to an EV Force 10, which is very beefy, and gives the amp a much fuller, punchier sound compared to the original (probably an Oxford). It’s pretty common to see swapped speakers since they weren’t very efficient to begin with, and I think in this case it’s definitely a welcome addition and suits the amp very nicely.

This amp is also currently equipped with a solid state rectifier, which just plugs right into the tube rectifier socket. This mod gives the amp an overall tighter feel (especially in the low end) with quicker response, and a bit more headroom compared to it’s original tube-rectified state. This goes hand-in-hand with the speaker swap to make the amp noticeably more stout and powerful. Some folks like the looseness and “sag” of a tube-rectified amp, but particularly for a lower wattage amp like this, this mod helps it to handle being played at a higher volume with a Les Paul, for example, while it otherwise would’ve quickly broken up and felt more flubby in the low end.

Here are the highlights:

• 3-prong grounded power cable.
• All original transformers.
• Changed EV Force 10 speaker.
• Modded to solid state rectification using a plug that fits directly into the tube rectifier socket. This is totally reversible if you want to go back to tube rectification as it was originally.
• Sovtek 6V6 power tubes, vintage RCA and Sylvania preamp tubes.
• All of the original components date to 1968 and early 1969. A few of the tubes, capacitors and resistors have been updated during a previous service.

Condition: This amp is in Good condition overall, showing some play wear and general use indicative of its age. The amp sounds excellent, and both the reverb and tremolo function as they should. I picked it up last year, and the previous owner wasn’t able to tell me the last time it was serviced, so I’d recommend having a qualified tech go through it to make sure everything is healthy, even though it has only been used in a home setting in recent years. There are no glaring issues from what I can tell, but the amp does run hotter with the solid state rectifier mod, so a general service wouldn’t hurt, especially if you’re going to use it on a gig or recording session. This is reflected in the price. I live in a small city, and haven't had great experiences with the couple local techs I've gone to in the past, otherwise I'd take it in myself.

Cosmetically, the amp shows some scuffs here and there, and one moderate dent on the top edge of the cabinet (left side looking at the front of the amp). It’s missing the two metal chassis straps that the 4 screws fasten down on both sides of the top of the amp for extra support, and one of those 4 screws has been replaced, although it functions just the same as the others. The chassis is held firmly in place just fine without those two straps, but you could pick up a replacement pair for about $10. Part of the shaft of one of the screws for the top back panel of the amp (bottom left) is stuck inside the block that it fastens to, so that screw isn’t doing much, but the panel stays in place just fine. All in all, nothing too out of the ordinary.

Please message me with any questions or concerns before submitting offers and/or payment and I will be happy to help. This amp will be packaged extremely well using a heavy duty box and plenty of packing material to ensure its safety during transit. It will also be insured for the full value. Signature required upon delivery unless requested otherwise. Sold as-is, no returns. Thank you!

Quick disclaimer: With vintage amps, it’s always a good idea to have it looked over by a qualified amp tech once in your possession. I can guarantee that it’s as-described and working properly right now while in my possession (I always record a short play test video before shipping), but most of these components (tubes, capacitors, resistors, etc.) are old, and can sometimes be unpredictable. After arrival, I recommend to have all mechanical connections checked and tightened if needed, as sometimes things can loosen slightly as the amp moves and vibrates in shipping. I recommend that any and all maintenance and servicing only be performed by a qualified amp tech, as tube amps can carry high levels of voltage and should be approached with caution. I will not assume any responsibility for the amp after it leaves me and is confirmed to have arrived safely (in the condition as-described in this listing) to the new owner. Thank you for reading!