Do all early Princeton Tweeds have names?

[Jahn]

My '52 Fender Princeton TV tweed has "Kim" written inside on the pine. And now here's another TV tweed on ebay that has "Lillian."

Do they all have this? And who are these ladies?

[atomicmassunit]

A lot of them have signatures of the women who wired the amps. My last one was "Lupe", and I am pretty sure my friend's tweed princeton has Lily in it.

[bosstone]

My original 1954 Strat had a woman's name, written on a piece of masking tape in a pickup cavity. I understand it was the way things were done back then. Sorry, the Strat has been gone since 1985 and I don't remember the name.

[TwoTubMan]

I assume the employees got paid per piece completed rather than a flat salary?

[LZ_69]

Originally Posted by TwoTubMan

I assume the employees got paid per piece completed rather than a flat salary?

I bet it's more of a quality control thing.

[Simon]

That method is still used for many, many products. Holds the builder accountable.

[SatelliteAmps]

There were about 12 or so different women assembling the Tweed amps. They all had their names in each amp they built. Most have either faded, rusted over, or the tag fell out. Almost every tweed era amp had a signature at one time. Lily & Lupe are both very common. There is a complete list in one of the Fender amp books.

[Jahn]

Originally Posted by SatelliteAmps

There were about 12 or so different women assembling the Tweed amps. They all had their names in each amp they built. Most have either faded, rusted over, or the tag fell out. Almost every tweed era amp had a signature at one time. Lily & Lupe are both very common. There is a complete list in one of the Fender amp books.

That is just too interesting. I didn't finish reading my Soul of Tone 60 Years amp book yet, I wonder if it's in there. I tried googling it and didn't find it, but did find this blurb on the Telecaster ladies.



Seriously. This just lends to the Mojo in my mind. Anyhow, Kim did a great job with my Princeton - thumbs up on the quality control! Let me know if you have any other "Kim"s out there, I bet they sound great!

[SatelliteAmps]

I believe it is in the Soul Of Tone book.

[billyguitar]

I just looked at my 1950 Super and Champ 600. I couldn't see any pencil marks at all except some large numbers like 82. I also have a 1950 Pro but it's kind of jammed in a spot that makes it hard to get at without moving some other stuff. I looked at my '54 Deluxe and no names. I also have a '56 and and a '59 Deluxe, two '57 Bassmans, a '59 Super, a '56 or '57 Tremolux, a '59 Champ; I've never noticed any names in them either. I don't have a tweed Princeton. I have seen small strips of masking tape inside the chassis' but could never read any writing in them.

[Jahn]

Hmm, maybe some write them on that tape but it got faded and others just wrote them right on the pine. I'm so lazy, when I get home I'll go cover to cover on the Soul of Tone and see if Kim was indeed one of these ladies, or if this was a random flourish.

[billyguitar]

Maybe it was just on the Princetons?

[SatelliteAmps]

It's on the little strips of tape. Most of them have fallen off, or are too hard to read (faded).

[mc5nrg]

Lots of women involved in building older Marshalls with their names on the inside build/inspection sheets also. Mine is also signed by some guy named Jim.

[Jahn]

Originally Posted by mc5nrg

Lots of women involved in building older Marshalls with their names on the inside build/inspection sheets also. Mine is also signed by some guy named Jim.

Haha, I'd love it if next to "Kim" there was something written like "Nice job Kim. -Leo"