Fender Princeton 6G2 Brownface 3-prong conversion: IEC or Grommet?

[jjasilli]

Hi guys!  I've got a Fender Princeton 6G2 Brownface that needs a 3-prong power chord conversion.  Would an IEC conversion hurt it's vintage vibe & value?  What do you recommend?

[vintasonic]

This is something I have thought about and asked dealers about. Installing an IEC cord is what I recommend, I do it on all the vintage amps I work on - and I work on a lot of them.  It makes the amp safer, helps prevent user form possibly getting shocked.  Make sure you wire it to current standards, fuse first, switch second, remove death cap.  You can keep the original parts with the amp for collector value

[J Fletcher]

 Don't think you want to be cutting an IEC chassis mount sized hole in an old brown princeton !

[tdvt]

I have a few vintage amps & for me, the nearly bottom line, rule not to be broken is no new holes.

Nearly everything else can be moved/removed/modded & can always be put back. But after modifying the chassis or faceplates, there is no turning back. 


An IEC socket, I wouldn't even consider. But it's your call & YMMV, as they say.

[mresistor]

+1  No New Holes in any true restoration ..   

[dwinstonwood]

If you go with the grommet, make the cord's green earth ground wire's slack about twice as long as the L and N wires slack. Then, if the cord ever does get yanked out there's less chance of the ground wire connection breaking loose first.

[Ronquest]

I see these types of posts all the time.  Keep it original or suffer the gallows! 

I can understand this dogma, but if it's mine I'm not loosing sleep over it's potential value to the future and if I am, then I'm selling it, because I just don't need that much stress in my life. 

I'm not cutting up rare amps for fun, but I will not be held to someone else's metathesiophobia.

Now a customers amp is completely different.

[Willabe]

I've got a Fender Princeton 6G2 Brownface that needs a 3-prong power chord conversion.  Would an IEC conversion hurt it's vintage vibe & value?

Yes it will hurt the value and the vibe.

What do you recommend?

Go with the grommet.

It's a combo, grommet's work fine on those. If it was just a head, IEC's work best on those.

[tdvt]

For what it's worth, I have been using these Heyco bulkhead clamps instead of the more common kind that pinch the cable.

https://www.tubedepot.com/products/heyco-pg7-m3444-watertight-strain-relief


You can install them backwards, so they don't stick out as far, if there are clearance issues.

[mresistor]

Metathesiophobia  -  that's pretty out there considering what we are talking about.  Recognizing value inherent in historical or highly prized objects is not radical or a phobia. Geez....


It's common sense.   


Doing what you want with your stuff is fine by me, but saying rational people exercising common sense is a phobia is crazy.

[Ronquest]

Metathesiophobia  -  that's pretty out there considering what we are talking about.  Recognizing value inherent in historical or highly prized objects is not radical or a phobia. Geez....


It's common sense.   


Doing what you want with your stuff is fine by me, but saying rational people exercising common sense is a phobia is crazy.

Perhaps my humor is futile.

[sluckey]

Perhaps my humor is futile.

No. Resistance is futile... 7 of 9   

[vintasonic]

Just to clarify - I may have misunderstood installing an IEC to mean a grounded AC cord.  Of course no new holes in vintage gear, no holes in any gear if you can avoid it.  In the year 2525 amps made in 2025 will be vintage 

[jjasilli]

And the winner is . . .  . . . Grommet (by which I mean strain relief).  No new holes will be cut; no old holes will be enlarged.  I just ordered a 12', cut-end power cord from Doug, complete with a return email explicitly declaring the placement of said order to be a success!  (You probably know the routine).


Thanks for all your input, guys!!!


In closing, I hope the 12' length of the new power cord does not trigger any unpronounceable forms of paranoia.  If so, send me a PM to protect your identity (until I reveal it anyway), and I'll consider cutting the cord down to a proper vintage length. 

[tdvt]

Looked it up & an extra long power cord is on the list of approved alterations. 

[mresistor]

7 of 9 

[sluckey]

Such a lovely suit!