Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

jps wrote:

soundmasterg wrote:If you just need something small for around the hous eplaying, a Princeton is a great choice.

Greg

I think my Princeton Reverb is loud enough to gig with, depending on the venue.

Yes, that and the drummer! I have played many a show with Princeton Reverbs in the past, though it is usually with great drummers who can tone the volume down, and is often blues gigs where some grit is fine, especially when using a Les Paul or something like that. If you were aiming for a cleaner sound to use with a 12 string, a Princeton Reverb doesn't quiet have the headroom for live stuff IMHO.

Greg

I use a '65 reissue Blackface Deluxe Reverb, does the job just fine for me. Also good amps that I like are the Vox AC-30 HW and Fender Super Reverb, and (if your budget allows) Fender Vibro King.

A winning combination.

There are several amps that go well with a 12 string, and I agree with the Deluxe Reverb, and an 80s JC120; I've got both. A sleeper is the mid 80s KMD tube amp/reverb, and the spongiest amp ever, which is great with single coils and P90s is the Epiphone Blues Custom. They both sound great!

...wisdom

I really appreciate all the replies and information to my original question...although I am not certain I am further along in my decision process than I was at the start But...the feedback here and what I've continued to read in other posts seem to steer me towards a 'cleaner' amp and one that possibly has those special attributes that bring out a Ric 12 string's character - such as chorus, tremelo, reverb, etc. And of course, I am seriously looking at the Jangleboxes....

Here's what I continue to look at:

Fender - Deluxe Reverbs, Princetons (both tube and chorus solidstates) - and I have an affinity for the '65 tweeds, the '57 Deluxe Custom (very cool but pricey)
Vox - Ac30 CC2's or earlier maybe an AC15
and an old standby that a keyboard player like me remembers as a great versatile amp - Roland JC120 (or maybe a JC-77).

Buy them all and start a nice amp collection.

jps wrote:Buy them all and start a nice amp collection.

Don't I wish!

harry wrote: and I have an affinity for the '65 tweeds, the '57 Deluxe Custom (very cool but pricey)

Does anyone here play a Rick through a tweed fender? I read a lot about black- and silverface fenders, but not much love for the tweeds...

For high-jangle-factor, clean sound for Rick twelves, I'd put my pair of Pathfinder Mini Stacks up against just about anything. Not a lot of frills, but bright, clean and damned loud if needed.

teb wrote:For high-jangle-factor, clean sound for Rick twelves, I'd put my pair of Pathfinder Mini Stacks up against just about anything. Not a lot of frills, but bright, clean and damned loud if needed.

Those are so cool!

fretbuzzard wrote:Does anyone here play a Rick through a tweed fender? I read a lot about black- and silverface fenders, but not much love for the tweeds...

I've often wondered that myself. Most people use Tweeds for their breakup overdrive, rarely for clean...

Update:
FIrst, I appreciate all the feedback I read in response to this post and in all the other areas of the forum...a lot of great experience out there...

I narrowed by immediate search down to the cleaner amps (for the particular clean 12 string tone I was going for). I sure wished I could have found a Vox Pathfinder mini-stack (thanks Todd for your input on that one) that was near by and in good shape to check out. Decided that a JC-120 was too much for my needs (and damn, I just can't get by how ugly those amps are ) - same with JC-77. I finally picked up a Fender Princeton Chorus - pre-"made in Mexico" - though not sure of exact year yet. In excellent shape, very cost effective ($150 on Craigslist) and a nice compiment to my '79 Champ (I am the original owner of that baby). Also got the JB2 going so I am zeroing in on "the sound"... So here's the new rig: 2003 MB 381/12V69, Janglebox2, Fender Princeton Chorus (and Fender Champ for the "ROS effect).

(P.S. - had the 381 fully checked out and set up with new TI flatwounds by Steve Soest.... what a difference with the intonation dialed in, the neck adjusted ideally and the action nice and low)


But I still would love to pick up a nice AC30 or AC15 down the road,,,,

Sounds like you're on your way. Enjoy the ride.
JimK

Don't overlook Traynor's YCV series amps. I really like my YCV20WR, which now has a Celestion Blue in place of the original Greenback.

JakeK wrote:

fretbuzzard wrote:Does anyone here play a Rick through a tweed fender? I read a lot about black- and silverface fenders, but not much love for the tweeds...

I've often wondered that myself. Most people use Tweeds for their breakup overdrive, rarely for clean...

I've got a real 1956 Fender 5E3 tweed Deluxe and I've used it with my Rics. When the amp is quiet then it has a nice clean, but it breaks up early. The tweed amps have more mids than the blackface and silverface Fenders and the Voxes, and they tend to overdrive sooner which makes them sick for leadwork but not as good for clean 12 string style stuff unless you're playing quieter.

Greg