The 6G2 Princeton circuit Fender released in 1961 was a marked shift from the earlier Tweed Princeton. Because of its warm, musical breakup and bias-modulated tremolo that offers a smoother, pulsing effect, the Brown Princeton has become one of the legendary Fender amplifiers.
The hand-written date code on the tube chart of this Princeton reads "KK," which corresponds to November of '61. The source date code on the Power Transformer gives us the 45th week of '61, and the Output Transformer reads the 46th week of '61. The Oxford Alnico-magnet 10" speaker dates to the 23rd week of '61. All of these details confirm that this is an early production Princeton. On the inside, the circuitry shows a mixture of the Tweed-era Astron capacitors and the '60s blue molded capacitors that were used in Brown and Blackface amps.
This 1961 Fender Princeton is a superlative example of the classic Brown 6G2 amplifier. Apart from the three-prong power cable, all the remaining parts and components appear to be original. When you consider the rigors an old amp goes through over the years, this Princeton is a miraculous survivor. Cosmetically, it is incredibly clean with a few scarce bumps and bruises in the tolex and imperfections in the grill cloth (see photos). But all in all, it's impressive, and this '61 Princeton feels like a unique find.
When you plug in, this 1961 Princeton functions 100% as it should, and the tone is remarkable. With clean, articulate sound at lower volumes and rich, harmonic overdrive when you push it, this Princeton has tighter bass response and smoother output than earlier Tweed models. But unlike later Blackface Fenders, it lacks a mid-scoop in the EQ, which yields a warmer, fuller sound with more midrange emphasis. With single coils, this Princeton has touch-sensitive dynamics and trebles that sizzle and sparkle when you dig in. With humbuckers, you can push it into full-on Rock n' Roll territory, but it's not as raw and muddy as a cranked Tweed. The tremolo is sweet and softer, providing a rich layer of musicality. This amp makes every guitar sound better.