Home
Vintage Sound Amps
VINTAGE SOUND - JAZZ SERIES
Vintage Sound Jazz 20 1x12 Combo Amp - Black Tweed
Vintage Sound Amps
VINTAGE SOUND - JAZZ SERIES
Vintage Sound Jazz 20 1x12 Combo Amp - Black Tweed Vintage Sound Jazz 20 1x12 Combo Amp - Black Tweed
- DESCRIPTION
The Vintage Sound Jazz 20 is a custom 1x12 combo amplifier that caters specifically to the Jazz guitarist. It's essentially an all hand-wired, all USA made, super-modified Fender Princeton Reverb with the tremolo removed and custom voiced for Jazz. It's based on the "blackface" Fender Princeton Reverb (AA1164) used from 1964-1967, but with several major and significant upgrades (read more below).
With it's beefier output transformer, the Jazz 20 has a considerable amount of warm, clean headroom, and noticeably more than a typical blackface Princeton Reverb.
Tell Us About the Upgrades!
1) The most obvious difference is the 12" speaker upgrade. The Princeton Reverb came with a 10" stock speaker, and many people modded them to replace the 10" baffle with a 12" so they could get a standard sized speaker in there. (more on the speaker we chose below)
2) Custom tonestack voicing. Rick Hayes at Vintage Sound has worked for many years with jazz guitarists all over the country refining the voicing for his Jazz series amps.
3) The reverb circuit is vastly upgraded. The stock reverb on a Princeton was a small 9" pan spring reverb. The Jazz 20 uses a large 17" spring reverb pan that's the same size as the one used in the Twin Reverb! The reverb circuit also includes a very nifty reverb dwell control for varying the decay time giving you more control over the reverb effect.
4) A "MIDDLE" tone control has been added that Princeton Reverb amps didn't have. This addition does nothing to hurt the integrity of the circuit or tone. The original Fender circuit actually had a "fixed mid" that was set permanently at 6.8k. Vintage Sound removed this resistor from the circuit and replaced it with a much more versatile 10k pot. You now have the ability to adjust this frequency range without compromising the original tone. If you want it to sound precisely like a blackface Princeton Reverb, just turn the port to around one o'clock on the dial and you're there. You want to scoop the mids a touch, pull back. Warm the tone a bit, turn up.
5) The addition of a Standby Switch. The original Princeton Reverb didn't have one. This one does.
6) The output transformer has been upgraded and beefed up to give you 20 watts (instead of 12 in a stock Princeton Reverb) so it has a good bit more clean headroom on tap than a vintage PR. This also allows you to change out the power tubes to 6L6's for a different tone and response. Overall, we recommend staying with 6V6 tubes, but the 6L6 tubes will deliver slightly more bass, but will be a bit more stiff in response. Stiffness isn't a bad thing if that's what you are going after, but the majority of people will prefer the slightly softer response of the 6V6 tubes. Naturally, your mileage may vary.
7) External Bias Points have been added so as to more easily bias the amp when you swap out tubes.
8) Removal of the tremolo circuit. Since tremolo is rarely used in Jazz, this was omitted from the signal path.
9) Addition of an overall Presence control. What? Even more control of you tone? That's right!
So, as you can see, the Jazz 20 has many upgrades over the original Princeton Reverb circuit. As well, all Vintage Sound amps are point-to-point hand-wired using top quality filter caps and electrolytics, carbon comp resistors, Orange Drop tone caps, solid core push back wire, and custom transformers that are hand wound in the USA.
Jazz 20 Specifications:
Wattage: 20 watts (or about 16 with a 5Y3 rectifier)
Preamp Tubes: 3 x 12AX7, 1 X 12AT7
Power Tubes: 2 x 6V6
Rectifier: 1 x 5AR4
Front Controls: Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Reverb, Dwell, & Presence.
Effects: Large Pan, Tube Driven Spring Reverb
Speaker: WGS G12C/S - 1 x 12" (read more about this speaker below)
Inputs: 2 Inputs
Auxiliary Input: RCA Footswitch Jack
Extension Speaker Jack: External Speaker Jack
Circuit Construction: All Point-to-Point, Hand-wired
Cabinet Construction: Dove-tail jointed solid pine w/Baltic Birch Plywood baffle and back panels
Pilot Light: Blue Amp Jewel
Combo Dimensions: 17" High x 19 7/8" Wide x 9 1/2" Deep (33 lbs)
Head Dimensions: 9 1/2" High x 19 7/8" Wide x 8 5/8" Deep (26 lbs)
Cab Dimensions: 18.5" High x 24" Wide x 10 1/2" Deep (30 lbs)
Why are we using the 12" WGS G12C/S speaker?
Good question! We chose the WGS G12C/S for several reasons. This speaker works great with lower wattage amps in allowing a bit more clean headroom. The G12C/S is essentially their take on the Jensen C12n, but with several refinements, such as a smoother top end, more touch sensitivity, and an overall warmer tone while remaining articulate. Even modified, the Princeton Reverb circuit can be a bit trebly. The G12C/S addresses this very well with it's more rounded top end. Furthermore, Warehouse Guitar Speakers are made here in the USA and not in China like most of today's Celestions. Added bonus!
With it's beefier output transformer, the Jazz 20 has a considerable amount of warm, clean headroom, and noticeably more than a typical blackface Princeton Reverb.
Tell Us About the Upgrades!
1) The most obvious difference is the 12" speaker upgrade. The Princeton Reverb came with a 10" stock speaker, and many people modded them to replace the 10" baffle with a 12" so they could get a standard sized speaker in there. (more on the speaker we chose below)
2) Custom tonestack voicing. Rick Hayes at Vintage Sound has worked for many years with jazz guitarists all over the country refining the voicing for his Jazz series amps.
3) The reverb circuit is vastly upgraded. The stock reverb on a Princeton was a small 9" pan spring reverb. The Jazz 20 uses a large 17" spring reverb pan that's the same size as the one used in the Twin Reverb! The reverb circuit also includes a very nifty reverb dwell control for varying the decay time giving you more control over the reverb effect.
4) A "MIDDLE" tone control has been added that Princeton Reverb amps didn't have. This addition does nothing to hurt the integrity of the circuit or tone. The original Fender circuit actually had a "fixed mid" that was set permanently at 6.8k. Vintage Sound removed this resistor from the circuit and replaced it with a much more versatile 10k pot. You now have the ability to adjust this frequency range without compromising the original tone. If you want it to sound precisely like a blackface Princeton Reverb, just turn the port to around one o'clock on the dial and you're there. You want to scoop the mids a touch, pull back. Warm the tone a bit, turn up.
5) The addition of a Standby Switch. The original Princeton Reverb didn't have one. This one does.
6) The output transformer has been upgraded and beefed up to give you 20 watts (instead of 12 in a stock Princeton Reverb) so it has a good bit more clean headroom on tap than a vintage PR. This also allows you to change out the power tubes to 6L6's for a different tone and response. Overall, we recommend staying with 6V6 tubes, but the 6L6 tubes will deliver slightly more bass, but will be a bit more stiff in response. Stiffness isn't a bad thing if that's what you are going after, but the majority of people will prefer the slightly softer response of the 6V6 tubes. Naturally, your mileage may vary.
7) External Bias Points have been added so as to more easily bias the amp when you swap out tubes.
8) Removal of the tremolo circuit. Since tremolo is rarely used in Jazz, this was omitted from the signal path.
9) Addition of an overall Presence control. What? Even more control of you tone? That's right!
So, as you can see, the Jazz 20 has many upgrades over the original Princeton Reverb circuit. As well, all Vintage Sound amps are point-to-point hand-wired using top quality filter caps and electrolytics, carbon comp resistors, Orange Drop tone caps, solid core push back wire, and custom transformers that are hand wound in the USA.
Jazz 20 Specifications:
Wattage: 20 watts (or about 16 with a 5Y3 rectifier)
Preamp Tubes: 3 x 12AX7, 1 X 12AT7
Power Tubes: 2 x 6V6
Rectifier: 1 x 5AR4
Front Controls: Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Reverb, Dwell, & Presence.
Effects: Large Pan, Tube Driven Spring Reverb
Speaker: WGS G12C/S - 1 x 12" (read more about this speaker below)
Inputs: 2 Inputs
Auxiliary Input: RCA Footswitch Jack
Extension Speaker Jack: External Speaker Jack
Circuit Construction: All Point-to-Point, Hand-wired
Cabinet Construction: Dove-tail jointed solid pine w/Baltic Birch Plywood baffle and back panels
Pilot Light: Blue Amp Jewel
Combo Dimensions: 17" High x 19 7/8" Wide x 9 1/2" Deep (33 lbs)
Head Dimensions: 9 1/2" High x 19 7/8" Wide x 8 5/8" Deep (26 lbs)
Cab Dimensions: 18.5" High x 24" Wide x 10 1/2" Deep (30 lbs)
Why are we using the 12" WGS G12C/S speaker?
Good question! We chose the WGS G12C/S for several reasons. This speaker works great with lower wattage amps in allowing a bit more clean headroom. The G12C/S is essentially their take on the Jensen C12n, but with several refinements, such as a smoother top end, more touch sensitivity, and an overall warmer tone while remaining articulate. Even modified, the Princeton Reverb circuit can be a bit trebly. The G12C/S addresses this very well with it's more rounded top end. Furthermore, Warehouse Guitar Speakers are made here in the USA and not in China like most of today's Celestions. Added bonus!
