Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankHudson
I grew up as an electric player playing a "real" blackface Princeton.
I spent a lot of time with a Mustang III v2 set on just the Princeton patch. I did have some other settings I used from time to time, but 90% it was just the Princeton. I set it as the default patch, and there is was every time I turned it on.
That other 10% of the time with the other patches was "just gravy".
Modeling amps are neat to experiment with different sounds, and I don't mind having those options. I'm not bothered by their optional presence, and they add no complexity when I don't use them. None. If someone enclosed it in a "black box" and said "Here's a $300 amp that sounds like a Princeton with a speaker emulated direct out and the ability to get certain Princeton sounds at your choice of volume levels" I probably buy it again.
Someday I might stretch my budget and get one of the Princeton Reverb reissues. I'd miss the direct out a little and there'd be times when I have to accept a desired amp volume vs timbre compromise in my informal use.
There may well be other tube amps that offer the same pleasures, and maybe a bit more tube amp playing feel, but the Mustang III satisfied me as a "Princeton" and was dead easy and convenient to use.
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Great post to which I'd add: it sounds pretty good, very close to the real deal (you already covered low cost, as well), plus you can play quietly through headphones and you can Aux in your backing track of choice.
Oh, and having the Master volume lets you "drive" the amp while keeping things manageable on the decibel front. No tube amp maintenance or cost for tubes, too. Instant-on w/no warmup. I have a couple of low-end tube amps and they sound good (enough), but they're not as feature-laden.