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Had this a couple of weeks now actually. I've long wanted a natural 335 or similar and like BG can't usually tolerate nonstandard ears. But I do have a soft spot for the quirkier Guild/DeArmond shape with the sort of art deco pickguard, tailpiece, and headstock.




It'll get a Duesenberg Tremola when I can find one. Sounds great, though I'm still fiddling with the pickup heights and such. Has the kind of TV Jones-ish jangle/clang I like. Could maybe do with a little attention to the frets (there's a little wear—it's a 20y/o guitar) and I'd be much happier with independent volumes. Might hit one of our brethren up to take care of those at some stage.

Also in the same spendy week I got this from Conway. Y'all will no doubt recognise it.



Amp by Mike Clayton and cabinet/tweed by BG. Sounds lovely, though I'm still learning how to get the sound I want from it after about two years ampless. Having fun though.

Yes very much to both!

Especially the amp!

both look wicked Hamish!

Those things (and back to the future) started my affinity for the 335 look.
I’ve seen ONE other one, ever - a red one, back when Tom kroons was still a thing. It was about 2003. $1695 with a case.
Fuck it was gorgeous.

You’ve done well and I’m jealous.

Simply lovely, both of them. Congrats

The tail piece is very similar to my Hagstrom Viking.

Mike Clayton wrote:Especially the amp!

I don't seem to have much luck keeping hold of your amps, Mike! That's 2 Princetons gone in fairly quick succession... But to be honest, young Hamish is more deserving of it than me.

I'm still keen for the 5e3 build!

Hi Conway, I just hope you aren't making a profit!! The 5E3 amp chassis is complete with bass reduction, gain reduction switch and VRM as discussed. I'm just waiting on BG for the tweed combo cab! I'll be in touch.

Not far off, think the final hardware has arrived at the office

Mike Clayton wrote:Hi Conway, I just hope you aren't making a profit!! The 5E3 amp chassis is complete with bass reduction, gain reduction switch and VRM as discussed. I'm just waiting on BG for the tweed combo cab! I'll be in touch.

Cheers Mike. Profit? LOL, not likely. Discounted each by around $100.

Cool set up. Congrats
I agree, a trem would be epic on that
As foot getting the sound you want.... What is it ? The Princeton can be tricky if you want dirt. It tends to have a bit to more of a fizzy break up. That said, they can sound wonderful just on the edge of that. Try an attenuator. Also I went thru a few speakers before I found one that was right.

does the trem have to be drilled into the body Hamish?

StrummersOfThunder wrote:Cool set up. Congrats
I agree, a trem would be epic on that
As foot getting the sound you want.... What is it ? The Princeton can be tricky if you want dirt. It tends to have a bit to more of a fizzy break up. That said, they can sound wonderful just on the edge of that. Try an attenuator. Also I went thru a few speakers before I found one that was right.

Mostly getting a 'balanced' sound. This amp gets dirty fairly swiftly—I understand some of the tweaks Mike made to some components were intended to achieve earlier breakup. I'd actually prefer it stayed pretty much totally clean—and at the volumes I can realistically play at home it does. It's primarily user ineptitude though, I think. I haven't played electric really at all for a couple of years, so I'm kind of relearning how.

AiRdAd wrote:does the trem have to be drilled into the body Hamish?

It does. Doesn't bother me. I always intended to put a trem on it.

There is only one mod done which would cause slightly earlier breakup - the negative feedback was reduced (not removed). This one resistor (5600) can be changed back to stock (2700). You could clip another 5700 across the existing 5700 to get very close to stock and then see how she sounds. FWIW, the PI in the Princeton is different to all the other Blackface amps and can produce unpleasant "blocking distortion" when pushed really hard! So I have installed a grid stopper on the PI to reduce this possibility. I have a list of the mods if you'd like it.