The Fender Princeton is a great little small combo amp, outputting 12 to 15 watts through a 10-inch speaker as per standard issue.
It’s one of those amplifiers that’s become a legend in its own right, beloved by guitarists for its sweet tone, moderate power, and a nice built-in tremolo and reverb.
It’s been a studio staple and a gigging companion for countless players over the decades. Let’s take a stroll through its history:

The Early Days: Pre-Reverb Princeton

Before the “Reverb” part joined the name, there was just the Fender Princeton. This amplifier series started way back in 1947 as a small, student-friendly amp. It went through several iterations, often with a single 8-inch or 10-inch speaker and very basic controls (usually just Volume and Tone). These early Princetons are often categorized by their cabinet styles:

• Woody (1947-1948): Simple wooden cabinets.
• TV Front (1948-1953): Distinctive “TV screen” shaped control panel.
• Wide Panel (1953-1955): Broader control panel.
• Narrow Panel (1955-1960): More streamlined appearance.
• Brownface (1961-1963): A shift to brown Tolex covering and brown control panels. These often had more power and a slightly different circuit design than their tweed predecessors.

These early Princetons were known for their clear, clean tones at lower volumes, breaking into a pleasant, somewhat gritty overdrive when pushed. They were popular for practice, recording, and smaller gigs.

The Birth of the Reverb: Blackface Era (1964-1967)

The magic really happened in 1964 with the introduction of the Blackface Princeton Reverb. This is arguably the most iconic and sought-after version. Fender had perfected its onboard reverb and tremolo circuits, and they were included in this new Princeton model.

• Look and Feel: These amps had a sleek black Tolex covering, a black control panel with white lettering, and “skirted” black control knobs.
• Power: Typically around 12-15 watts, powered by two 6V6 power tubes.
• Speaker: Usually a 10-inch speaker, often a Jensen C10R or Oxford 10K5.
• Features:
  • Volume, Treble, Bass controls: Standard tone shaping.
  • Reverb control: Controls the amount of lush, spring reverb.
  • Speed and Intensity controls: For the mesmerizing bias-vary tremolo (often called “vibrato” by Fender).⁹
  • Two inputs: High and Low gain.
  • Tube Rectifier: Gave the amp a “sag” or compression, contributing to its smooth overdrive.

The Blackface Princeton Reverb became a studio favorite for its ability to deliver beautiful clean tones, chimey jangle, and a surprisingly rich overdrive when cranked. The tremolo is often described as warm and organic, and the reverb is legendary.

The Silverface Era (1968-1981)

Following Fender’s acquisition by CBS, the “Silverface” era began in 1968. The Princeton Reverb continued production, but with a cosmetic change:

• Look and Feel: The control panel became silver with blue lettering, and the Tolex remained black.
• Circuit Changes: While initially the circuits were very similar to the Blackface models, over time, CBS made some minor tweaks to the circuit, often in an attempt to increase headroom or cut costs. These changes are often subtle but can affect the tone slightly. Some later Silverface models also featured a master volume control.
• Speaker: Still typically a 10-inch speaker, but often different manufacturers like CTS or Utah.

Early Silverface Princeton Reverbs (especially those from 1968-1970) are highly regarded and can be very similar to their Blackface predecessors in terms of tone. Later Silverface models are still good amps but are generally considered less desirable than the Blackface versions due to the circuit tweaks.

Beyond the Vintage: Reissues and Modern Variants

After the Silverface era, the original tube Princeton Reverb was eventually discontinued. However, its enduring popularity led to numerous reissues and variations:

• ’65 Princeton Reverb Reissue: Fender introduced a faithful reissue of the Blackface Princeton Reverb, aiming to capture the sound and feel of the original. These have been hugely popular and offer a great way to get the classic Princeton Reverb tone without the vintage price tag or maintenance.
• Princeton Reverb II (Early 1980s): A short-lived series from the “Rivera Era” of Fender, these were much different amps, designed for more modern tones and featuring channel switching. They are not generally associated with the classic Princeton Reverb sound.
• Various Custom Shop and Limited Edition Models: Fender has released numerous special editions over the years, often with different speaker choices, cabinet colors, or minor circuit modifications.¹¹
• Digital and Modeling Versions: In the age of digital technology, you can find Princeton Reverb emulations in various Fender digital amplifiers and modeling software, attempting to replicate its legendary sound.

Why the Princeton Reverb Endures

The Fender Princeton Reverb’s lasting appeal comes down to several key factors:

• Perfect Power: Around 12-15 watts is ideal for home practice, recording, and smaller club gigs, allowing the amp to be pushed into its sweet spot without being overwhelmingly loud.
• Exceptional Tone: Known for its sparkling cleans, warm overdrive, and superb tremolo and reverb.
• Portability: It’s a relatively lightweight and compact amplifier, making it easy to transport.
• Versatility: It can handle a wide range of genres, from blues and jazz to country and rock.
• Pedal Friendly: The Princeton Reverb generally takes pedals very well, expanding its tonal palette even further.

Over the years one of most popular mods for this amp was changing the 10 inch speaker to a 12 inch speaker.
It increases volume, give it a a little more lower mids and bottom end and a little more “sag”.
So to get a more versatile sound, make it a little “rocky” and add some volume I put a 12 inch Celestion Classic Lead 80.
It’s also the same I’ve had for many years In my 1995 Fender Blues Deluxe.

Why not the popular choices such as Vintage 30, Green Back or Cream back?
I have all three in my collection and here’s my main reasons for choosing the Classic Lead

• More Volume. It’s an efficient speaker and give the amp more clarity and punch
• Less fuzz. A lot less fuzz. The amp may sound dark in speaker comparisons, but when standing in from of a loud amp not having too much fizzy top end is great for me.
• No midrange spike like the Vintage 30.
• Tight Bottom bass frequencies.
• Treble becomes controllable and adjustable.

There’s also a very cool video by Zilla Cabs on youtube that compares the CL80 to other celestions, though keep in mind that the volumes are leveled out.