7 replies to this topic

[johnnykazz]

Hey girls and guys,

My local pawnshop is selling two Fender solid-state amps that I know nothing about or if the price is right on them, but I am always down for messing around with any new gear.
The first amp is a Fender Roc Pro 1000. From what I have read, these are early 2000's? (I think) amps. Anyway, it's 69watts @ 8 ohms. They get mixed reviews obviously negative reviews from anyone who is a tube amp lover. I already have my VHT tube amp, and I'm just interested in alternate tones and versatility. I don't know much else about this. It looks exactly like the one pictured below. They are asking $150 for this, and obviously can still be talked down as it is a pawn shop.



The second amp is a pretty old Princeton Chorus red-knob solid state. I have found out that it is "pre-DSP" which is digital signal processing or something. A lot of people are saying this is a pretty badass little solid-state that has insane clean headroom and a usable gain channel for any sort of indie or lo-fi music or just people who aren't too picky. The chorus is supposed to be pretty insane for a solid-state amp with built in chorus. Also, I currently do not have a chorus pedal as I loaned it to a friend who has yet to return it and may have pawned it. They are asking $200 for this, and again can obviously be talked down. It looks exactly like the one below...



Thoughts? Appropriate price if I take the dive on either one or both of these?

[HNB]

I did the redknob one.

[johnnykazz]

I did the redknob one.

Yeah man, how cool is that! Those ones seem to get better reviews. The luthier that works on my guitars swears by this red-knob Fender "Deluxe 85". Everytime I go in there to just chat with him, I could sit there for hours playing that amp. The clean sound is sweet it's unreal. He always tells me that his isn't for sale but that they aren't very expensive. Anyway, back to the Princeton. Yeah it's in rough shape, well, looks as described; like a 20+ year old amp. People are reviewing that it is a great amp for bedroom practice or for the chorus on it alone and it is very giggable. I figured if I could take him from $200 to like $150 that we could spark a deal. I still don't know much at all about the Roc Pro 1000, except that Yngwie Malmsteen uses one and swears by it (which tells me nothing, haha). But yeah, you're right, that Princeton Chorus is one sweet looking amp!

[redman1401]

Yeah man, how cool is that! Those ones seem to get better reviews. The luthier that works on my guitars swears by this red-knob Fender "Deluxe 85". Everytime I go in there to just chat with him, I could sit there for hours playing that amp. The clean sound is sweet it's unreal. He always tells me that his isn't for sale but that they aren't very expensive. Anyway, back to the Princeton. Yeah it's in rough shape, well, looks as described; like a 20+ year old amp. People are reviewing that it is a great amp for bedroom practice or for the chorus on it alone and it is very giggable. I figured if I could take him from $200 to like $150 that we could spark a deal. I still don't know much at all about the Roc Pro 1000, except that Yngwie Malmsteen uses one and swears by it (which tells me nothing, haha). But yeah, you're right, that Princeton Chorus is one sweet looking amp!

I actually have a black knob princeton chorus from '88. I'm not a huge fan of the gain channel on it, but with maybe an EQ pedal to help it might be alright, but the clean channel is where its at on this amp. it has a very good clean channel so if i use it i just use a pedal to dirt up the signal. One thing to watch out for that some people have complained about on other princetons is the "cab rattle" for some reason the cabinet rattles with alot of bass. for me it was just the speaker is a bit shot being 24 years old, but its very usable and very loud. I think i payed around 200-220 for mine so thats about the right ballpark figure for it. The one in the photo looks in better shape than the one i have is, with mine having a couple issues like broken jack sheilds and that has wheels which makes it easy to move around, not that its heavy but thats always a plus.

[helsinkirocks]

I also had a red-knob princeton chours, LOVED it. Its amazing amp. I paid 150 for mine used it for gigs until I got my Peavey XXX

EDIT::
I wasn't too hot on the gain channel, but at the time I was maining a DS-2. Cleans were godly.

[johnnykazz]

I also had a red-knob princeton chours, LOVED it. Its amazing amp. I paid 150 for mine used it for gigs until I got my Peavey XXX

EDIT::
I wasn't too hot on the gain channel, but at the time I was maining a DS-2. Cleans were godly.

Thanks for the feedback helsinki and redman. Yeah, the cleans on the Princeton Chorus seem to leave people in disbelief that it's a cheaper solid state amplifier!

[redman1401]

Thanks for the feedback helsinki and redman. Yeah, the cleans on the Princeton Chorus seem to leave people in disbelief that it's a cheaper solid state amplifier!

Definately, its like crystal clean. What i like is on the fender amp, my DS1 has a bit of fuzz to it, compared to when i use my peavey vypyr or kustom half stack, which gives the pedal a crunch. it allows me to have a few different tones for recording.

[redman1401]

Just a demo of my old princeton blackknob amp, sorry if its a bit loud, the camera boosts the sound and the amp is loud as it is, the volume was set to a little under 1 for that video.