68 Custom Princeton Reverb - 240v mod?

Alexlotl

I'm currently looking at picking up a Fender 68 CPR (the Silverface Princeton) as my first proper valve amp.

When I was previously researching Fender Blues Jr models, it was pretty well documented that they ran at 230v due to EU regulations, rather than at the 240v that is actually delivered by UK plug sockets. This apparently reduced valve life and (debatably) affected tone/noise floor. The solution was a solder-free swapping of two wires to restore proper 240v operation.

I can't find any documentation on the web about similar issues with the 68 CPR or 65 PRRI. Is this also an issue for those models, and if so, is there a similarly easy fix?

RiftAmps

Yes, these need swapping over too.

Locate P8 (White) and P17 (White/Black) on the board, and swap.

Obviously, disconnect the amp from the mains first.

Alexlotl

Fantastic, cheers! As with the Blues Jr, is this a solder-free mod?

ICBM

Alexlotl said:

As with the Blues Jr, is this a solder-free mod?

Yes. You may have to snip a cable tie to get enough slack in the wires to do it, but if you don’t have one to replace it with it won’t matter.

Often Fender leave them slack enough that if you’re careful to cut right up against the lock, you can re-use the same one.

soma1975

Would this be the same on the 68 Custom Deluxe reverb?

ICBM

soma1975 said:

Would this be the same on the 68 Custom Deluxe reverb?

Yes - in this case it’s P2 and P8. The 230V wire is the white/black stripe, and the 240V the plain black, on almost all the models as far as I know.

Edit - not all. The '57 Champ appears to be different.

soma1975

lovely thanks. 

the_jaffa

Adding to the 68 Custom knowledge, how about on my Vibrolux?

RiftAmps

ALL modern Fender amps sold in the UK benefit from the 240v conversion

Lewy

RiftAmps said:

ALL modern Fender amps sold in the UK benefit from the 240v conversion

Interesting - would that include something like the Custom 57 Champ do you suppose?

EDIT: actually don't worry - just looked inside mine and the black-with-white-stripe wire isn't connected to anything so presumable these already come wired for 240v

UnclePsychosis

Hmm. Assuming the 65 PRRI and the 68 PRRI have exactly the same instructions? 

ICBM

Lewy said:

Interesting - would that include something like the Custom 57 Champ do you suppose?

EDIT: actually don't worry - just looked inside mine and the black-with-white-stripe wire isn't connected to anything so presumable these already come wired for 240v

No - I checked the schematic and on that model, 240V is white/black and 230V is white - neutral is black.

Unless you bought it second hand, it will be 230V - under EU law, Fender *must* supply the amps set for that, which is the official voltage.

(I doubt that will change now, even though it would have been one of the possible slight benefits...)

Luckily, Australia and New Zealand still officially use 240V, so the tap is fitted to most (but not all - the Pro Junior is an exception) Fender amps.

Lewy

ICBM said:

Lewy said:

Interesting - would that include something like the Custom 57 Champ do you suppose?

EDIT: actually don't worry - just looked inside mine and the black-with-white-stripe wire isn't connected to anything so presumable these already come wired for 240v

No - I checked the schematic and on that model, 240V is white/black and 230V is white - neutral is black.

Unless you bought it second hand, it will be 230V - under EU law, Fender *must* supply the amps set for that, which is the official voltage.

(I doubt that will change now, even though it would have been one of the possible slight benefits...)

Luckily, Australia and New Zealand still officially use 240V, so the tap is fitted to most (but not all - the Pro Junior is an exception) Fender amps.

Interesting, thanks @ICBM ; The 240v wire doesn't have a connector on it, it's just taped over so it's not an entirely hassle free operation to swap them as it seems on the other amps. Still, if it might reduce the mains hum it might be worth the bother....

ICBM

On the schematic it says ‘cut and insulate’ for the unused wire in each version, so unfortunately it isn’t as simple as swapping connectors on this one.

noisepolluter

I should probably do my 65PRRI I suppose - presumably it’s the same connectors as the 68CPR?

Blackdream

I've just done my 68 CDRRI. It's pretty straightforward except that p2 is quite hard to spot and access - it's under the thick part of the loom just where fender have put a cable tie. I put another cable tie loosely round the loom and then cut the original to get to the terminal through the loom. The other thing that initially threw me was that the white / black wire was arranged in such a way that most of the black stripe was hidden by the other wires in the loom - again it took me a while to spot it. However there is plenty of wire available to swap them both over.  The amp's reassembled now and seems a little quieter than before

ICBM

noisepolluter said:

I should probably do my 65PRRI I suppose - presumably it’s the same connectors as the 68CPR?

Yes.

Blackdream said:

The amp's reassembled now and seems a little quieter than before

It should be both a little quieter noise-wise, and slightly lower in output power - not a lot, and it might be hard to tell.

Blackdream

ICBM said:

noisepolluter said:

I should probably do my 65PRRI I suppose - presumably it’s the same connectors as the 68CPR?

Yes.

Blackdream said:

The amp's reassembled now and seems a little quieter than before

It should be both a little quieter noise-wise, and slightly lower in output power - not a lot, and it might be hard to tell.

No worries, it was very loud to start with!

ICBM

Yes, these days it's rare to find anyone who doesn't find a little less output and slightly earlier breakup an advantage rather than a disadvantage. If the difference is enough to make the amp no longer loud enough, you probably have the wrong amp - or need to change it more drastically, like by fitting a more efficient speaker.

UnclePsychosis

Has anyone got a "howto" for getting inside a PRRI? 

Is it literally just as simple as undoing the four screws on the top and sliding the chassis out? Are there any nuts or bolts to watch out for? 

dannyboy82

UnclePsychosis said:

Has anyone got a "howto" for getting inside a PRRI? 

Is it literally just as simple as undoing the four screws on the top and sliding the chassis out? Are there any nuts or bolts to watch out for? 

Exactly as you describe. Obviously it will need to be removed from the rear of the amp! Watch for the face-plate catching on anything as well as it chips/marks quite easily.