The 1948 Fender Princeton Tweed—often referred to as the 5A2 “TV Front”—is one of Fender’s earliest low-wattage combo amplifiers and a true cornerstone of the tweed era. Designed originally as a student amp, these little Princetons deliver around 4–5 watts of glorious Class A tone, driven by a single 6V6 power tube and 6SL7 / 6SC7 preamp valves.
With its instantly recognisable TV-shaped control panel, original tweed covering, and compact cabinet housing an 8-inch speaker, this amp produces exactly what you’d hope for from a late-’40s Fender—warm, smooth breakup, touch-responsive dynamics, and beautifully sparkly cleans at lower volumes. Push it a little harder and it rewards you with rich, musical valve breakup that is endlessly inspiring. It’s an incredibly cool amplifier and a genuinely special thing to own—I honestly can’t see how anyone could be disappointed with this amp.
Condition & Originality
This amp has had some changes over the years, but it remains largely original and extremely well preserved for its age.
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Transformer:
The original transformer has been replaced, however the modification has been done exceptionally neatly. The original transformer end bells appear to have been retained and fitted over a later transformer—likely installed in the 1970s or 1980s—to convert the amp from its original 110V to 240V operation. Importantly, the chassis has not been cut, drilled, or damaged to accommodate this change. -
Speaker:
The original 1940s speaker has been replaced, again likely with an ’80s-era unit, which is consistent with many period-correct service upgrades and makes the amp far more usable and reliable today. -
Cosmetics & Hardware:
The tweed covering, grille cloth, and control knobs are all original, which is increasingly rare on amps of this age and adds significantly to its appeal and collectability. -
Wiring:
The internal wiring appears largely original, with only very minor, sensible changes made to facilitate the transformer conversion.
Background
The amp was purchased many years ago from a shop in Sydney, and it appears that the amplifier was likely imported into Australia by that dealer—consistent with the transformer conversion and other minor period updates.