Fender '65 Princeton Reverb RI

Standard features for a single channel amp. Volume, treble, bass, reverb and vibrato speed and intensity.

I have used this amp with a original 73 tele, 52 reissue and a 62 custom tele. All Americian made. The 52 has a Lindy fralin Blues special pickup in the bridge and a 2% over stock in the neck postion. The amp without a clean boost sounds sterile. No soul what so ever. Trebles are shrill and the lows are muddy and dead sounding. The only good thing the amp has to me is a nice reverb and vibrato which all Fenders are known for. I even tried using NOS Tung Sol tubes with no luck. Maybe its because I'm use to playing through a Swart Atomic Space Tone amp 99% of the time and had forgotten how cheap production line amps are today. To me, this amp is like putting a picture of a Corvette over a Chevette. The looks are there, but beyond that, I would be just as happy with a crate amp. I've been playing 30+ years and I feel like Fender is playing on looks more so than sound. Nothing near the tone of the vintage amps. I've owned both. I give it a 3 considering the cost of this amp and what it is SUPPOSE to mimic. The only decent sound I got from it, was when I used a Burriss Boostier pedal to add some sparkle to the tone. Still, nothing amazing, but considerable better. Of course, its a $250+ pedal so the amp should sound this way on its on for $900 and it being a single channel, 10" speaker, 15 watt amp.

As long as I had it, I never had any problems with it. Of course, it rarely got played. I bought it used so it must be reliable. I'll give it a 9 in this area.

Only dealt with on one occasion for a faulty footswitch. They sent another out in about 1 1/2 weeks from the time I notified them. I'll go 9 here also.

I've been playing over 30 years. A little less than half of that time was professionally. If stolen, I would claim it on the insurance and seek something else. Probably, save up and get a current hand wired amp with newer components. The only good thing as I mentioned was the reverb and vibrato, but that still doesn't justify $899 for one of these. I have a Electro Harmonix Holy Grail that sounds just as good. I gave $70 on eBay for. As far as a tremolo, I have a Demeter trem which was $125 used...yep, eBay again.

Perfect combination of wattage and features. Would MUCH prefer a 12" speaker.

I'm using this amp for some practices with a Jazzmaster & an SG. I am the owner of a silverface Pro-Reverb and a silverface Vibrolux-Reverb as well. The Princeton RI sounds nothing like the older two. Trebly, brittle & grainy are the terms that come to mind. As far as guitar tones; I tend to dig Peter Green, Tom Waits albums, the first two Taj Mahal albums, the Black Keys , Cake, Dutchess & the Duke etc. I was looking for a MUCH warmer & responsive amp that bites only when you attack the strings harder. The reissue tends to make lots of farting, flabby speaker noise as opposed to genuine power section overdrive. In fact, I'm not sure this is any better, or as good as the common little Blues Jr. amps you used to be able to buy in the neighborhood of $350. I only wish I had an original to compare it to. I used to think that all the hype surrounding the vintage model fenders was a bunch of poop, now that I'm finally in a financial position in life to say I have owned both, I'm not at all sold on the reissue BS, or Fender for that matter.

I doubt it.

Meh.

I've been playing for a good part of my life (I'm 37) and I own and have tried lots of expensive crap and cheap little gems (old crate V-series amps) and could not genuinely suggest this particular amp to anyone- I agree with the last poster who stated that the price should be less than half. Are they seriously selling any in this economy?

5-40 watts, tremolo & spring reverb are all a truly good guitar amp needs (and all should have).

Sweet sounding amp. My '65 Bandmaster was better, but lacked reverb, and only lightened my wallet by five bills (I payed $1200 for this little guy).

I wouldn't count on the circuit board being repairable once things go awry, and they do eventually. It may be a very reliable amp/construction, but once you actually hit the road and spill beer on it and bang it around in the back of vans..... I have a friend who used a performer 1000 for pedal steel and it blew up halfway through a pretty important set. The stupid thing was in and out of certified repair shops for about a year until we had to bury her.

The term "You get what you pay or" does not apply to the company associated with the Fender name. It's getting to the point where you can buy a hand-built, taylor-made copy that doesn't omit important design improvements in the name of "reissuing" a classic- a classic that isn't even remotely built the same way the original was. Liars!

This amp has all the features that one could want in an amp, minus one: it should be priced at around $500. Listen, if I'm going to spend $1200 on a PRRI made by computers & chinese & mexican children who work for a bag of rice, do you think that you'd at least have the decency to pass along some of the savings and only charge me three bags of rice? Ever think of all the precision, tech, and electronics components that go into that cellphone that's glued to your hand? Supply and demand you say? Well, Fender's definitely not creating any demand at these prices, they're just hyping everything to death and not following through. Lazy!

This review is to tell about my mod to the Princeton.....I have a '65 Deluxe Reverb RI and love it, but even at 22 watts, it was just too loud - the sound guys kept making me turn it down to about "2" and that was just barely alive.....so I got the Princeton, now can go up to "3" or "4", a sweet spot for the amp.

But the Deluxe just seemed to sound "bigger", and the 10" Jensen had a high-frequency peak (check the speaker specs) that made it sound like the bright channel on the Deluxe. I wanted something flatter in response....so I got another 12" Jensen C-12K just like the one in the Deluxe and shoehorned it into the Princeton (even kept the 10" hole, so I could go back if I wanted). Just had to chop a teensy chunk of wood off the box to be able to center the new speaker.

Now they sound almost exactly alike - nice, noticeably bigger, roomier sound from the Princeton, but at lower volume than the Deluxe.....

With the mod above, I get the sound I want. A Deluxe in a small box.

We'll see......

Not needed so far.

The Fender '65 Princeton Reverb RI is a no-nonsense clean-tone amp with volume, treble, bass, reverb, and tremelo (via 'speed' & 'intensity' knobs), hence a very easy amp to set up. The 15 Watt output into a Jensen C10R provides a big sound, however there's an external speaker socket on the rear panel. With a compact size and manageable weight, it's easy to load into the car.

The Princeton is a lovely sounding amp. I like clean tones, and the Princeton does it nicely. For country & surf rock, the Princeton is ideal. The reverb is 'Fender-deep' and the tremelo is a much-loved feature. It also takes pedals quite well, however I like to avoid spoiling the natural sound of this amp.

Just recently, I heard a nasty buzzing sound coming from the amp when playing the low E string on my Telecaster. As it turned out, it was just the footswitch sitting in the bottom of the amp cabinet that was vibrating! As soon as I removed it, the amp sounded clean again! This had got me thinking to understand that anyone who tests one of these amps in a music shop may possibly hear some abnormal sounds, particularly when it's common for the shop staff to place the owner's manual & circuit diagram sheet inside the cabinet. If the paperwork was touching the speaker cone, it would no doubt spoil the sound quality. Furthermore, the footswitch comes in a Jiffy bag that is actually STAPLED to the timber panels of the cabinet (this is a pain to remove, so why do it Fender, ya hear me?). With all non-amp items removed from the cabinet, the amp shouldn't give any strange buzzing.

Only time will tell if the PCB construction is a good thing or not. For the time being, I won't lose any sleep over the fact that it's not a point-to-point wired amp. At the price I paid, I am happy to accept the PCB design.

With a 5-year transferable warranty, I'm confident that I won't have any issues anyway.

My PRRI was made in 2007 and purchased early 2009, so it may have been sitting in the music for a while. I picked up the Princeton brand new for $667US ($1000 Australian) here in a local music shop in Perth, Western Australia. I thought it was a really good price, so I snapped it up! If the dollar weakens, it'll be even more of a bargain!

The Princeton and the Telecaster are really suited to each extremely well. A great sounding amp that's affordable and not too high powered. Simply good!!!

Has tube driven spring reverb and vibrato, single channel, no effects loop, vintage vibe. 10in Jenson speaker, 15 watts loud enough for practice with band or mic'd through PA. My first tube amp, I dig the touch sensitivity this amp has. It comes with foot pedal for rev/vib.
This has that vintage sound and you can do anything from 60's surf, rock, country and blues. It does not do metal well, but neither do I.

I use this with a Custom Shop Tele and a Dean PRS copy and it sounds wicked awesome clean to mild break up. Dirty gives more a fender overdrive sound than a marshall, but that is what it is. You can put the volume on 10 and adjust loudness/dirt with your guitar volume knob.

New, not broke, no buzzing. I wouldn't use a tube amp without a backup on a paying gig.

5 year warranty
Haven't used customer support.

a little pricey for a small tube amp.

versatile ,,well not that versatile but the sound makes up for the lack of features just plug and play and your in tone heaven ,this amp is not meant to have multi channell and a bunch of gagets its meant to give you the best clean tone everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

what can i say im was blow away the fist second i pluged into this amp,this amp sounds like no other i never knew a amp could sound that good its like tonal bliss with a chery on top,and mine as no ratle what so ever just pure godly tone piano and bell like tone just freaking insane most pure tone i have ever experience.wen i got this amp i pluged into all the fenders in the shop i was `at i was looking for a good clean tone so i tried the blues jr much to dry sounding,then the hot rod delux nothing special there, then a twin good but not great, then a 65 ri reverb amp good but nothing to brag about,then i pluged into this litle amp that was `sitting all alone in the corner and that was it it was the one i was taking home with me no matter how much it cost i was hooked now i understand what great clean tone is all about.

looks well built

best freaking little amp for clean ever put out on this plannet so far.

It has every feature I will ever need.

This has the potential to become my favorite amp. I also have the '65 deluxe.

It should last for a very long time. It is almost a certainty that this amp will require a few tweaks right out of the box. Mine had a dead tube, two rattling tubes and the dreaded cabinet rattle.

As ironic as it seems, the only amp to ever arrive ready to play was a Chinese Vox AC15CC1 (also a very good amp, in a very different way).

I have dealt with Fender on a warranty repair for a Guild guitar. They needed a little coaxing to cover the repair.

Despite that one episode they do make fantastic products at really good prices.

Musicians Friend is a great place to shop. They take better care of their customers than any mom and pop I've ever dealt with. They are a Ten.

I have been playing a long time and have owned lots of great amps.

As limited a feature set as you can find, but exactly what I was looking for to replace my Fender Hotrod Deluxe - prefer to get distortion off a pedal (an Ibanez Tube Screamer). I use this amp for blues, R&B, and Jazz, and with a versatile guitar (I have a Gibson Cs-336 and a Clapton Strat) having too many controls on the amp in a live setting can just get in the way.

As noted above, I have two pretty versatile guitars. The Princeton paired with the 336 is a great blues combo, especially if you're style is more BB King than SRV. The same combo works well for older blues (Little Walter) / jazz styles.

Haven't gigged using the Strat yet, assuming I can get the Derek & The Dominos era sounds. Possibly a little more line noise from the Strat than the Gibson, but nothing that should get in the way recording.

As to the debate about the rattle, I haven't heard it - knock on wood, maybe I got lucky and found a good one. Played it for an hour in the store before I bought it, never heard anything questionable. I gig with a 10 piece band (4 horns, 2 guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, and harp), and in small clubs (100 people or less), it cuts through the mix shockingly well without miking. Breaks up around 4.5 - 5, I've kept the volume on or below 4 and it stays clean. My trumpet player has a great set of ears; he thought he heard some speaker cone breakup on one song we did when I had pedal distortion and the reverb turned all the way up (I was trying to simulate a very odd recording setting live), other than that he thinks it sounds fine.

If in fact the rattle exists at volumes 5 and above, I don't disagree that Fender should address the problem, but at the same time, why would you want to push a 15 watt amp (without miking) at that level as opposed to getting something with a little more capacity - a Deluxe, a Vibrolux, etc.? It is what it is - it is very loud at 4, if I need more I'll mike it or bring my Twin reissue instead.

Only had it a month, too soon to tell. I've had very good luck with Fender amps over the years; use to blow fuses back in the '60s and '70s on a Vibrolux, that's been the extent of any problems.

Don't know; never called. Had whatever service (tube replacements) needed through authorized reps with no problems.

Been playing for over 40 years, feel fortunate that I'm still gigging at the "professional amateur" level. I'm admittedly a Fender Blackface junky; owned a Vibrolux and Super Reverb in the old days. (Had Ampegs, Polytones, Peaveys as well, borrowed a Mesa Boogie for a few gigs, and have recorded through a Line 6, but in my dotage will probably stick with Fenders). Currently own a Twin Reissue and the Princeton; prefer the sound of this series to the Hotrod (which I had for 15+ years - a workhorse ). The Twin & the Princeton gives me the versatility to pick the right amp for the venue while keeping the overall sound relatively constant. As previously noted, I consider the lack of features of the classic Fender designs to be a plus - went the effects processor route in the '80s (a Roland GP-8), but found it too hard to control live. If I were going to own only ONE amp, it might be a Vibrolux or a Bassman reissue.

So far, I'm very impressed with the Princeton - great sound in a small package. Would definitely replace it if stolen.

Made in 2008. The back label says "A product of Fender Musical Instruments Corp., Corona, California" So.. it never really says "Made in USA" so I assume it was assembled in the US but the chassis/circuit boards/transformers were probably made in China. The tubes tubes are made in Russia, and the speaker was made in Italy. I guess the leaves us with the cabinet made in the US? Not exactly loaded with features, no one buys a tube reissue amp for features, we are simply trying to get a great sounding amp.

I'm using several strats, mostly American, an Eric Clapton strat, and a Deluxe with the Bill Lawrence SCN pickups with the S1 switch. I also play two semi-hollow bodies and a Les Paul. The natural breakup on mine happens around 5 or 6. This is pretty much the whole reason I bought the amp. I also swapped out the power tubes for the more powerful and bottom-heavy 6V6-S tubes. I have also swapped out the speaker and currently have a JBL D110F in it. I put the Oxford from my 68 Deluxe in it, broke up earlier, but sounded kinda bright. The Jensen C10R isn't really the same speaker that I used back in the Seventies, I had two of them and this current Italian version sounds much darker. I have dimed this a few times, sounds better the louder you crank it, which is pretty loud for a studio. I think it takes a little tweaking of tubes/speaker/pickups to dial in the tone I am looking for, but pedals help here too. It gets a good deal of bass even with single coils. I like to roll off the tone a little on the strats, dial in a little boost on the EC strat, and I am in blues heaven.

After reading the reviews here, I took mine apart dispite not getting the "rattle" others have gotten, and was disturbed by the fact that 3 of the 4 screws holing the particle boad baffle in were stripped, leaving the baffle hanging in there by just one screw. The four screws holding the speaker in were also loose. I have built dozens of cabinets over the years and I an surpised to see Fender still using particle board for the baffle. The whole idea of "it has to 100% just like the original" is stupid. if that were true, then just yse a 2-prong ground cord. I made a plywood baffle in about 15 minutes, used the same grill cloth it came with, and within an hour a had a solid cabinet. If stripped screws remain loose, the gap between the baffle and cabinet let some of the sound escape, and produces some God-awful out-of-phase sound, so hopefully I cought mine just before the big "Buzz" but I can see where this is an issue. It is rather ironinc that the only part made in the US is causing problems. I don't think the quality matches the high price tag. I will give 10 for the chassis here, 6 for the rest, averages out to 8.

I have owned Fender gear for 8 years, maybe 20 guitars and 15 amps, mostly tubes and am a big fan, but you are better off dealing with the place you got it from rather than Fender. I would expect nothing from them. Why is there main office in Arizona? I think a lot of their products' componets, especially their amps, are actually made in China or Mexico and just assembled here, calling them "American" It does have a five year warrenty and Fender products of mine in the past have been extremely reliable, just not very consistant in quality.

I have been playing for about 30 years, so I was kid when Fender so I kinda grew up on silverface amps. Overall, the reissue series blackface amps sound much better to me than siilverface amps of the mid to late seventies. I also own a few vintage blackface amps, 1967 Super Reverb, and a 1965 Deluxe Reverb. There is no way they can make a reissue sound as good as the real thing from the blackface era. I'm guessing this amp is marketed toward baby boomers who are tyring to re-create the blackface sound of the sixties, and for that it does come close. They need to come down on the price.

This is a one channel amp that gives many wonderful tones simply by adjusting the volume.
The reverb is beautiful. I like it between 1 and 2.
The vibrato is classic.
The tone controls are useful.
Nice long detached power cord.
Useable amp cover
Light weight
Loud enough to play small gigs.
Quiet enough to play on 10 and not blow the rest of the band away.

The amp is quiet on 10 (till you plug in a noisy guitar)
Mine does not rattle as described by other reviewers.
Tone is subjective--and I am very happy with what this amp delivers. Bright but not too bright; plenty of bass, but not boomy. (Hard to believe the bass coming from a 10" till you remember many a bass amp uses 10's.
With a strat (with Vintage Noiseless pickups and turn all the way up) the amp stays clean up through 4 then begins to crack up. Plenty of bluesy distortion.

I haven't had this long yet. N/A

5 year transferable warranty

Played semi-pro for 35 years. Other amps I've owned: Silvertone, Ampeg SVT 4X10, Peavey Classic 30, Fender (Rivera) Princeton II, Leslie 145, Acoustic (the hard wood MesaBoogie look-alike model), Atomic Reactor w/PODxt (www.atomicamps.com).

I chose this amp for its tone combined with its low power. I prefer to play an amp on 5 to 10 to get the tone and then mic it to get a good mix.

Big bad cabinet rattle. The review below by smoker joe assumes that anyone who has had a problem doesn't know what they're talking about. If he got a good one I'm happy for him but he sounds just like the complaints department at Fender. Either smoker joe is a Fender stooge or as he says a "smoker". Stoner joe is kidding if he thinks a top of the range reproduction Fender amp should be purchased with an inherent problem and we should just be accepting and part with our money. No wonder the boutique amp market is booming.
Poor form Fender and poor form Smoker Joe, or are they the same person

Nice rattle

Fender are reliably making poorer quality products

Fender's standard line "we haven't heard of that problem". Alternately they get smoker joe to make dumb comments.

I've been playing several gigs a week for over 20 years. I never thought genuine american amps and instruments would be comparable to chinese made in quality but here we are. It's vintage or nothing from now on.

To start with this a real gem !! Great Reverb and Tremolo !! Simple and cool !!

This amp is truly killer with luscious Fendery tones that sparkle with a strat and works well with pedals !! I really don't know what all the squack is over a buzzing cab ?? I think it's the cheezy Jensen RI C10R speaker !! It may sound good but this amp has some serious power and for loudness it blows away my 1975 SF Princeton Reverb !! I think the speaker buzzes at higher volumes ?? I don't gig with 10" speakers anyway unless it's a Weber 10F125 and definitely won't mess with cheapo Jensen RI's !! I have a Celestion Blue with a custom made baffle and it kills !! Best Fender RI amp yet !!I am a full time working guitar player and know good stuff !!

Have not had it long but don't expect any problems with the amp ?? Have done 12 gigs with it and am totally impressed !!

Have not had any problems and am keeping my fingers crossed on that !! I do think Fender is a stand up Company and would expect them to make things right with the amp though ??

This is a tremendous amp overall and the tones r just killer !! I love this little amp and am considering selling my 75' SF model !! Tone to die for and the goober's below who say they rattle have no idea what is going on !! A good guitar player can fix small problems such as these standing on there heads !! Quit whining about little things boys and get to pickin' the best Fender RI amp so far !! Period !!

See below!

This little amp has the best clean sound ever and also an outstanding crunch sound. I sold my lovely Deluxe Reverb to buy this amp.

Mine had also the rattle problem.
I put some type of gasket material between the baffle and the wood supports that stiffen the baffle on 3 sides. And now there is no rattle!

I love the sound of this little amp!

As already listed, very straight forward traditional Fender style.
It should be the perfect amp for small rooms and recording. It's like a small version of my 65 Deluxe Reverb.

Great sound. Best sounding amp with a strat I've heard. Except for the cabinet rattle on the bottom F#. I couldn't live with it and took it back to the shop. The rattle maintains volume even as the note drops away. You might be able to use it in a noisy room and not notice it too much but you couldn't record with it. Fender and others have to stop field testing after retail. Get it right before you put it out there. Sack whoever made the decision to put this amp out there before it was right. See the other listings and check the Fender Forums. This amp has a major problem especially as it is sold as a classic reissue and quality build.

It lasted less than 2 hours at my home before I took it back.

Fender deny knowledge of the problem. Standard answer before a major recall. Just like the Vox AC15ccs that were recalled last year and the Taylor acoustics with the hot B string that were sent back the year before. This problem is gaining publicity and will likely result in a recall and change to the build. Just look at the other listings in this group this is a common fault. Fender will keep it low key and some poor bastards will get caught with the B grade product. I tried the suggestion of loosening the mounting screws but it didn't change anything. I removed the rear covers and even the valve covers. Nothing changed. I didn't hear it at the shop because of all the snares rattling around me. I believe Fender knew as they took it back and refunded me without offer of warranty or replacement.

The problem with the cabinet rattle is magnified by the fact that without it this amp is a beautiful amp. It would easily become the most used amp I own but for the rattle.

DON'T BUY IT !! YOU WONT HEAR THE RATTLE IN THE SHOP BECAUSE OF SNARE DRUMS ETC. IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THE RATTLE PLAY A BOTTOM F# WITH THE VOLUME ON 5. IT'S MORE EASILY HEARD FROM THE BACK OF THE AMP.

If you find one without the rattle you'll be very happy.

Single channel, only things that i wish this amp had are mid range tone control and standby switch. but then again, it wouldn't be a true '65 PR with those added features. I work around it by fiddling around with bass and treble and turning the amp on with volume all the way down and letting it warm up for about 2 mins. I am not sure if this is the best practice but it works for me. If you want features, like others mentioned here, this amp might not be the best amp for you. But I must say, reverb + tremolo combo on this is just awesome.

I simply can't complain about the sound. I was amazed with the warmth of the tone I can get out of this amp. I often use a combination of few pedals for light distortion and delay. I really appreciate its clean sound and transparency. Each guitar I plug in, I can hear each guitar's clear and distinctive tone through this amp.

Haven't really had any issues with it, hopefully it stays that way. It seems though few have complained about the mounting screw being too tightly screwed and making the rattling sound above a certain volume level. Test it out before you buy and have your music shop tech to fix it for you, better yet, adjust it yourself, if that's the case. Mine arrive at my house in one piece and has been rocking ever since.

I have nothing to write except, i was fortunate that all my fenders have been trouble free so far.

I have been looking for an amp that is portable and have a clean channel to carry the tone i get from my guitar. It definitely has the tone that Jazz and Blues musicians can appreciate. Also with a few pedals, you can get the classic rock tone without breaking a sweat. Currently I play '52 Tele Vintage reissue through a Keeley Compressor, a modded TS9 tube screamer and a Boss Giga Delay. I enjoy playing anything in between blues and classic rock. I must say I am quite satisfied with my setup, especially the amp, which suits the music I play.

I think it's been covered below. Single channel, non master 2 6V6, tube rectified, 10" Jensen, Reverb, Tremolo. I rate this a 10 because it's all about tone rather than knob twiddling and preamp overdrive.

OK, this is a tough one, because this is an otherwise gorgeous sounding amp, but poor design and/or build quality ruined it. Quintessential blackface tone, nice gradual breakup, impossible to make it sound bad except maybe in extreme settings. Reverb is a bit over the top, but can be made more gradual by swapping a tube, tremolo could stand to have more slower settings, but not a big deal. The Jensen is an excellent match, IMO. I played a couple of Strat's through it and a Parker Fly Deluxe. They all sound great, but single coils really shine.

Now for the big issue, and I know many others have experienced this as well. I went through three of these amps, and returned all of them. There's a buzz/rattle in the cabinet when you have this amp at around 5 or above, and play low notes. Low F# seems to bring it out the most. I tried a number of things to remedy this issue, all to no avail. I appears to be a problem with the baffle. From reading a couple of Fender related forums, only a couple of people have found amps that DON'T have this issue. Fender appears to be in denial about it in spite of people returning it or getting their amp fixed under warranty (takes months if shipped back to Fender).

So sounds beautiful if you stay away from low notes and play the amp VERY quietly, but with the buzz/rattle (and again, I found it in all 3 I tried) the amp is not usable IMO.

See buzz/rattle issue above.

I'm giving this a 4 becasue Fender does have knowledgeable people and they do answer the phone. Hard to come by these days, so kudos to Fender for that. However, they pretend like they don't know about the buzz/rattle issue, which they obviously must know about.

I'm giving it a 3 because although it's a beautiful sounding amp in a compact package, it's not usable with the current quality problems. I've been playing through tube amps for 40+ years, so I do have a little experience in this area.

Amp is a 2008 Fender '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue.
Features include:
15 watts.
One channel with 2 inputs, volume, treble, and bass controls.
Also has reverb, and vibrato/tremolo.
6V6 output tubes, 5AR4 rectifier tube, 3 12AX7, and 1 12AT7 preamp tubes.
10 inch Jensen Speaker.

This amp does not have a ton of features, and that is why I love it!
Just a nice classic blackface clean tone, that breaks up nicely when cranked..the reverb is awesome, and the vibrato sounds great.
I have used this amp for recording, and it sounds killer.
It takes to pedals really well too.
I think the amp is quite versatile for most styles, other than metal.
I play a lot of different types of music from blues to classic rock,
and the Princeton works well for all.
I personally do not use the amp for live gigs, mainly because our drummer is pretty loud, but for some styles of music, and especially where there is the ability to mike the amp, with a good monitoring system, the amp would work fine.

I mainly use the Princeton with my Warmoth Strat, or my Gibson Les Paul Standard.
The amp loves the Strat, into the Toadworks Texas Flood overdrive,(essentially and 808 Tube Screamer), and straight into the amp.
I get a nice SRVish type of blues tone with the pedal on, and the classic blackface clean with the effect bypassed.
My Les Paul sounds great too, not as muddy with this amp, as with others.
With the amp dimed, the drive is really sweet...classic rock territory...does Zep, Humble Pie, AC/DC, etc...
The real beauty of the amp is that it puts the onus on the player, and not channel switching, to access the different tones available...it's all in your hands, and the guitars volume/tone controls,(ya..those knobs on the guitar kids!).
Funny how an amp with very little in the way of "features", actually benefits a more experienced player..someone that knows how to use dynamics, and that simple device, the volume control!

Reliability has been fine, although when I tried the amp out at the store, it had a big low end rattle...turned out that the mounting screws for the speaker were a bit tight, and once backed off a bit...no worries!

I have never had a problem in my dealing with Fender, or the authorized service centre's.

The amp has Fender's 5 year limited warranty.

The only trouble with tube amps, are tubes!
Change em' out when you need to, and don't drop the amp!

Been playing, recording, gigging for almost 30 years.
I would replace the amp if stolen, for sure.
I love the fact that I don't need an owners manual the size of a phone book to get a great sound from this amp..plug in and classic Fender tone is right there.
I own an original 65 Fender Princeton, non reverb, and I would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the reissue and my '65?
Fender really nailed it with this one...worth the wait.

2008 reissue, single channel(2 inputs), volume, bass, treble, reverb, tremolo(speed, intensity). It has everything you need for the"Fender" tone. The reverb and tremolo are terrific. The tone and drive are only possible through true tube circuits, including reverb/tremolo.

It is the beautiful Fender sound using single or humbucker pickups. The tone is so clean and bright as only a true Fender can produce. The bass adds a sweet depth to the tone. The amp takes any effect pedal with no problem; in fact they sound better than usual. Overdrive comes in at around 7 on the volume control and sounds great. I have to turn down the bass control when driven. It is as quiet as I would expect. It can be used for any style music except heavy distortion/metal.

I have had no real problems with Fender. Tubes must be maintained and can be fickle.

I have never dealt with Fender directly.

I have been playing off and on for over 30 years and love Fender gear. I have a Strat, Tele, Carvin, and a couple of hollow body guitars. I also have a Frenzel Deluxe Plus amp(great modified amp) and modified Epiphone Valve Junior. There is no better clean tone than a true Fender tube amp. I love the reverb and tremolo also. Give this reissue a try, there is nothing like it.

65 reissue princeton reverb, perfect for blues, country, R&B. 1 channel, rverb and vibe. Does exactly what it was meant to do...

I use a variety of guitars, humbuckers, Single coils, stock pups and aftermarket. I'm floored by the beautiful sound of this amp, clean fender and just the perfect breakup when dimed. If your looking for hi gain or massive distortion look elsewere. like I said before it is what it is and it does it perfect!

Never had an issue with Fender

Same as above, never had the need to talk to them, I'm sure they are great lads

I have been playing for more years than I care to count (that doesnt make me a great player) but I do know tone and this little boy has the voice of an angel.... I have other great amps 1974 Marshall hand wired, 2061 also hand wired, Laney lion heart, DrZ route 66. They all sound fantastic and they do theire thing perfectly, we are living in the best of times enjoy!!!!

New release. See fender specs. Love the Fender tube sound. Made in USA Not as many features as my Super Champ XD, but sounds better and is louder.

Sounds great, especially with my new Fender VG Strat and all the sounds it can put out. Also sounds great with my LP Studio and Gibson ES-335. I love the Fender vibratro / reverb mix. Side by side compared to my 77 Princeton Rev Silverface (12" speaker"), this new reissue sounds better! Has great breakup starting at about 7 on the volume dial.

Haven't owned it long enough for an opinion.

Probably ok since my other Fender products were good

I was waiting for this amp to be released for quite awhile, and I am not disappointed. Best sounding amp there is for the weight, actual 28 lbs. Easy on my 60 yr old bad back. Also comes with footswitch and cover.
Probably not too good for heavy metal, but fantastic for blues / rock.

2008 Fender Princeton Reverb RI just released. 15W, 10" Jensen CR10Q speaker, 6V6 Groove tubes, onboard Accutronics reverb/tremolo, 32 lbs., Blackface trim, comes with external reverb/trem pedal switch and cover. 2 inputs (#2 for brighter pups or 2nd player). No Master volume. Made in America.

Best Fender Blackface circuit in lightweight amp I've ever heard. I didn't want to spend $2000+ for a vintage one, so I settled for Fender NOS Lacquered Tweed Blues Jr. to get weight/price break, but never really liked brittle sounding EL84 tubes. I was using Boss/Fender FDR-1 pedal for trem and FBM-1 (Bassman) pedal to soften the brighter tubes. Now this new Prince is tone heaven! Sweet sounding tubes for classic Chicago blues. Just dime the volume and use your guitar controls. Clean headroom to 7 on the volume dial. Reverb and trem awesome, blend with circuit, better than any pedal.

Fender always reliable.

Never needed any.

I've had every famous Fender amp in the last 50 years. I have been seeking a lightweight amp with a classic Fender Blackface circuit forever. Headstrong, Swart and Tone King Imperial are close, with reverb/trem, almost $2000 each. I bought/sold Clark Beaufort, Mesa Boogie Express, and I have Fuchs Blackjack 21, great 6V6 circuits, no reverb/trem. Nothing can compare to the real thing, and the new FPRRI is the real thing, cheaper than the vintage model or the boutique clones. I switched Groove Tubes for Tung Sol power tubes, and Mullard pre-amp tubes. Slightly warmer, more head room, but sound was incomparable as is. I never heard a better sound for blues, soft rock, or country. It needs nothing. Mic it for larger venues. If you like lots of gain, use pedals and external speaker setup. It's 8 ohms, so you will need 2 16 ohm speakers, or a Weber ohm converter.