Date a SF Princeton

[lockingnut]

Just got one and am confused. The serial number's been completely filed off, and the tube chart on the inside of the cab is gone too. All the POTs are new, but the PT, OT, and choke look original with a date code of 606-3-xx. In reading I found that could mean either 1963 or 1973. The Fender Field Guide says 1964 is when they were introduced. Elsewhere I found Silver Faces didn't appear till around 1968ish. Does anyone have a handle on this amp's timeline? It's beginning to look more likely that it's a 1973-1974 model, not late 60's like I was told. The speaker has been replaced, so that's no help. It does not have the trim around the grill clothe, I think that points to 1969 or later.

Whatever it is, it's a great little amp with a mysterious history.

[sumgai]

lockjaw,

No mystery at all, just lookie here: Fender Field Guide, Silver Face Princeton Amp


Just for drill, the whole Fender amp line up is at: Fender Field Guide


HTH


sumgai

[lockingnut]

Yeah I know about that site, went there first. Doesn't really matter, it's a screaming alittle amp. I was just curious. I thought someone out there would know for sure.

Thanks for the reply

[sumgai]

locker,

Well, the bit about the mystery was what I was aiming that site at - they document the history of Fender's entire line of amps pretty well.

As for dating your control pots, I think I can help you there - you're right on the money. In the 60's and even into the early 70's, there was no decade identifier in the number, you had to just guess as to the proper decade. Starting somewhere in the mid 70's, most manufactures changed over to the four digit system, which ended that kind of speculation. (OK, seven digits if you count the manufacturer's EIA number at the front end.

It's not likely that even a 69 or 69 SF amp would be using 5 year old pots - Fender ddn't buy such large quantities that they sat on the shelves for that long. Although you do sometimes find a 2 year old part in an amp, 5 years or more is highly unlikely.

And yes, the first year SF amps (1968) had aluminum trim around the front cloth panels. They dropped that the next year, for obvious reasons.


Beyond the website just mentioned, there is a very authoritative dead-tree font of knowledge called, what else, FENDER AMPS, The First Fifty Years. (Teagle and Sprung, 1995) The authors had access to official Fender archives, as well as more than a few ex-Fender employees, so it's pretty much the Bible of dating Fender amps.

HTH


sumgai