I worked in the biggest guitar store in Denmark for years and we could never keep the Tone King Imperial in stock when we got them in. They sold out instantly every time. Such a great amp!
All Magnatone amps are great, but the Panoramic Stereo model has the best sound I’ve ever heard, and it has built in reverb and vibrato that will rock your world.
Great episode! One thing you should do is one strum, single coils and humbuckers, back to back with each amp just to get a sense of the different nuances and tone of each amp but I guess they're all time stamped, either way I love these amp demos!
Exactly how much I got mine for in US$. Love the amp, prices have gone up so we snagged them at a great price! I call it the little box of rock, it does so much. \m/
Pedals at low or high volume? It’s got that bright cap engaged at low volume. But turn it up and it gets better. I have one coming in next week! Got to demo, but no pedals yet. Did you change the V1 tube out for a lower gain, clip bright switch or left stock. I see some say how amazing with pedals. And others say it’s way to bright for most pedals, and very picky. I’ll know soon enough, and hope it’s a keeper!
I have a Hamstead Artist 20 RT+. It was the first really expensive guitar, or music related, purchase I’ve ever made. I absolutely love it! It’s so clean and an amazing pedal platform amp. Expensive but worth every penny.
Son loaned me his for a week...I gotta get my own. The Blues Jr just won't do...(3 Weeks Later: Got a TK ImpMkII...nice, added Hamstead speaker (Cream Back), nicer still....still getting my own Artist 20 next week and selling the TK.).
I got an absolute sweetheart deal on a handmade 5F2A Princeton from an amp builder in North Carolina. The build spared no expense, was covered in beautiful brown tolex with leather corners/handle and even had a built in attenuator. I added up all the parts alone and it cost way more than what I paid (including shipping). Just goes to show you can find fantastic deals on these style amps if you keep an eye out and don’t mind not having a well known brand on it. The guy who built my amp has been building for decades and without a doubt put more over the top, OCD attention to detail than anyone working in a mass production factory.
I have to say that I thought the Toneking would be my favorite because I know someone who owns one. But actually the Hamstead impressed me the most. Maybe it was because of the way Pete played it.
What PEte said about the tele into the Princeton, them being more or less made for eachother.... I had the joy of trying my tele (Just a mex standard level thing) through a "proper" vintage Super Reverb before buying the guitar, and I got stuck for hours just playing long notes to hear the tone. Fender and fender is kind of unbeatable, isn't it?
I appreciate the Fender tube amp. For home use I spent the money and got the Fender deluxe reverb Tone Master so I can get the sound and it has an attenuator. Gain without the volume. All the classic spring and tremolo without waking the neighbors.
@@wildinthe70s Yep I run a simple pedal board threw it and they all sound beautiful threw it. I was worried modulation and delay type pedals would be off, but they sound great. Couldn't be happier. I've had the amp for over 5 years or so and keeping it. Hope that helps
I've had my Tone King Imperial MK2 for almost 3 years and will keep it forever!! Telecasters sound magic through this Amp!! 57/58Tweed + 64/65 blackface in one amp plus the attenuator. You cant beat it for the American Sound (Country, Rock, and Blues) !! Its 39/40lbs which is lighter than a Vox AC15 :)
After a long period saving money, I finally bought my super high end amp… the Two-Rock Studio Signature head. I have no regret and I will never ever resell it whatsoever. There’s nothing better that the feeling I get while playing it. Don’t know if it’s happiness or not but that’s pretty damn close. So yeah, money CAN buy you happiness.
Im not so into classic tones (maybe because im not even 30 yrs old) so I really liked the Hamstead here. I think its very versatile and has great crunch tones, so no need for a boost pedal or light overdrive. It might be overkill for my kind of music (punk, midest emo kinda stuff) but I guess I could create any drive sound I need with just the amp.
Back in the late 60's, I played through a Magnatone 260. (2-12's with vibrato) ....I think that I bought it used for around $200. I was shocked to see what they are going for now.
Have never understood how quite a few guys I know have several high end guitars but play through a katana or a hotrod deluxe. A proper hand wired amp is just on a different level and worth every cent. Nothing wrong with a Katana if that's what you can afford but to buy a custom shop guitar and not to spend the money on an amp is bonkers to me.
That’s been a question of mine for awhile now, you see it all on UA-cam I don’t get it… once I went handwired I never went back and I wouldn’t even think about it
As you can see from my photo , I bought a Tone King Imperial Mark II in June 2015 - in part from your review of it as well as Greg Koch . I purchased the 2014 Gibson Burbonburst 1958 CS and wanted this amp so badly - and it’s been fantastic . Bought a 58 Tele matching headstock in a similar turquoise color as well , just to complete this goodness . So glad to see another review of this amazing amp - it’s been such a treat to own and play - at home or at church for me - and I love it’s versatility. Also , comes with footswitches to turn on the reverb and tremolo .
Where do you people get the money to buy all these expensive gear lol....? But I have to agree, I play on the Tone King Imperial Mark II plug in from Neural DSP and its the best thing I heard yet. I don't know how it compares to the real deal but I'm having the time of my life.
got the handwired princeton. awesome amp. tried a vintage 67 pr a vintage snob friend insisted was way better for about the same cash but even after having 300$ spent by him just to get it ready to sell, it failed as soon as i plugged it in. luckily that happened with him in the room. his amp tech said another 4 or 500$ and she’d be good as new. i passed and he gave me my money back. bought the custom shop 64 handwired. i’m sure the PCB board one sound great too but I like the idea that somebody in a special part of the Fender custom shop handbuilt my amp and I appreciate that and don’t mind paying a little extra for it plus they’re easier to service if something were to go wrong.
Selling my 3 week old TK ImpMKii for a used Hamstead Artist 20 Combo....the TK is great and gorgeous....just not magical tone wise, or, other worldly for me, family and band pals that have heard the Hamstead my son bought last month.
I’m getting the Imperial II in a week time after watching Pete’s video (the one with Mick ages ago) countless of times. This video came at a perfect time and your conclusion brought smile to my face.
Got an AC10 last month, joined a new Blues Jr and a Roland Blues Cube HOT....all great lil amps. Then my son brings home to test out his Hamstead.....I MUST have it! Need to sell a few things...hard to find...otherwise, will also pursue a Tone King.
Speaking for myself - I’m not at all worthy of the gear I’ve collected, but boy they sure put a hell of a smile on my face no matter what combo I use-True historic R9, 2 Fender custom Shop Teles , Magnatone Twilighter, Swart AST master and the 64 DRRI with the 64 Princeton among many others mainly Bartel and Benson on my radar. The regret of my life was selling my pre-CBS 64 Super Reverb about 30 years back.
According to my watch my 5 Watt Swart hits 101 decibels right near the speaker. It's huge through a 2x12 with Golds. Unless you do a lot of clean or have no PA, 30 Watts can be too much. 20 years ago it seemed 30 was the sweet spot. Now it's around 20. I started in 1980 and needed 50 watts just to keep up. You kids don't have to ruin your backs lol! also, purple sparkle Teles need mirror pick guards!
I like the Magnatone a lot but the Tone King did the clean and dirty quite well and is in the same camp as the Princeton reverb to my ears. Upper mid in the overdrive. Tighter bottom than the Princeton but both had a lot of bottom. Tone King most versatile.
Love this. I may be alone here but, I’d love to see more videos like this, of the crazy stuff. Gives me something to strive for. If you can afford a $500 amp in 6 months you can pull off a $2000 in 2 years. It’s worth the wait…. Sometimes
One of the most beautiful guitar tones I've ever heard was a Eastman SB-59 LP (black beauty) with staple pole P90's plugged into a turquoise Imperial King Imperial MK2. I literally couldn't put it down. I've never heard such pure and heavenly warmth coming out of an amp with zero pedals in the chain. That amp is a true sleeper. I'd even say,...its in Dumble territory in its circuit design. At least to my ears,....it sounded like a Klon if it was an amp. Now the one I played was identical to the one they are showcasing here. But I was told that there is a half stack version that's even better sounding. Which,....I couldn't wrap my head around that statement. It's really that good. Price be damned. Hurry and take my money TK.
Have Eastman SB56 P90, and SB59 w/SD, turquoise MkII stack, could not be more pleased with either setup. Upgraded to mkii from a katana 100 about a month ago, still get chills from the tones!
@@rondoyle4433 That's funny your old amp was a Katana 100. That's what I currently use and have forevet longed for a TK Imperial.😆😆 I desperately want an Eastman SV-59 Double Cut in antique varnish as well. I love all the Eastman line up of LP's and 335 offerings. But that double is a thing of beauty. Well,....congratulations on your rig Ron. I know full well about those chills your talking about.lol Now I will say this Ron,....if your familiar with Greg Koch (my favorite player to date) and his Wildwood demo's,....you'll have seen that the Imperial is his amp of choice as well. Now I adore his tone. But he uses the red Xotic B&B pre-amp compressor pedal. I know I said nothing is needed with that guitar/amp combo,...but if your were,....to try a pedal through your current rig?? I would suggest it be that one. Again Ron,...congratulations brother. Enjoy those beauty's.👍🇺🇸💪😊
@@swardmusic You ain't kiddin. I personally think it's one of the most underrated amplifiers out there. I A/B'd it next to a 2020 Fender Custom Shop Princeton and the TK just annihilated it. I was floored. Incredible amps for certain.
Aries Experiment - Thanks for the tip on pedal to try. I’ll have to also check out Greg Koch. So far have just one pedal, Wampler Gearbox. MkII channel 2 with a little boost from “Tumnus” side of the pedal is perfect. I’m 51, first picked up a guitar two years ago, but man do I have the bug. Typically play a couple hrs a day. If it was not for demanding job and family, I’d probably be playing 6 hours a day!
I YOLO'd a 64 Hand Wired Princeton right before the 2022 price increase and I am glad I did. My amp goal now is a hand wired Marshall (or possibly Friedman) and I am good forever with amps.
I am mainly a drummer but I do play guitar on the side and I recently bought a tube amp, a Fender Champ clone and I just love it. It is funny though like Lee said, we spend more on guitars than amps and realistically an amp is where the sound is so we could get a great sound with a Squier and Magnatone but we need the vintage and custom shop guitars and I think it is because guitars are more personal, more tactile for us and there is nothing wrong with that my friends....but what is nagging me is- What's the story with the red 335, that's missing a black volume knob, hanging on the wall over Pete's shoulder?
I have to say the Princeton brought me right back to the tones of my old Super Reverb, my Champ and Bassman 50. All 60’s and seventies amps. Should have kept them! The other amps you guys played were sweet too.
Really !? I've got a super and it's freaking monstrous ! That Princeton reverb sounds like my little 5 watt tweed champ turned up all the way, actually the tweed sounds way way better and I only paid $60 for the fender tweed champ !
Hahaha lol. I was the complete opposite in my train of thought. I bought budget guitars and played through a Fender Princeton 68 reissue limited edition circuit board amp. It's a truly beautiful pedal platform.
Princeton or an AC30, that would be my recommended choice. Turn the bass on the Princeton to 3, treble up and volume to 8 or 9 and you will get overdrive. It's not crunch or metal but it's proper overdrive. You can then use your guitar volume to set the drive. It's fun to play with.
Thanks for yet another great video guys. My "bucket list" amp has to be the Tone King Imperial. A friend has one, and as good as it sounds on video, you have to experience it live to appreciate the nuances and tactile feel of the amp. Just amazing! My other amp favs include Dr. Z, and Victoria amps. 20-30 valve watts is the sweet spot. Warm up the tubes without shattering the windows.
Hope you got your TK. Great amp. I borrowed my son's Hamstead Artist 20 and then bought a new TK ImperialMKii....Hampstead sounded better to me...even after swapping in a Hampstead speaker (CreamBack)...into the TK, while noticeably improved tone for my taste, it lacked the 'magic' I hear/feel from the Hamstead. TK on the market already.
@@lazvt8469 Do you still recommend the Hamstead? I’m trying to source a second hand Hamstead artist or Tone King Falcon Grande. Unfortunately I have to rely on UA-cam demo’s as their like hens teeth in Ireland
@@clivegilmore9598 MOST assuredly...I kept the ToneKing Imp and play both regularly...and still much prefer the Hamstead...so glad I bit the bullet and got it. My son raves about his too. There's an Artist 60RT on Reverb in the States for a song...my son wanted to go halvsies on it...I declined...one is enough.
That Les Paul looks and sounds nice, and Lee is making it talk! The fretboard is on fire on the guitar Danish Pete is playing - somebody get a fire extinguisher.
The Captain's opening comment is my current situation. Recently bought an insanely great guitar and now want an insanely great amp. Been considered a Tone King, but none in currently in stock at the local dealer to go check out in person.
Let me start out by saying you guys are the best. I love how you give honest reviews along with great music. I would like to ask that when you show us amps and such could you also mention what settings you have on the guitar? I am a beginner and I am seeking as much information on how to sound like you guys. Thank you for your time.
You really just need to play and mess wth it. You can take the distortion down by lowering your guitar volume. Or try roling thr tone off to get a creamy tone with drive. Lots of fun
I saw Mark Knopfler on his last live amp tour in 2015, and he had a Tone King Imperial combo on stage and a Reinhart head on a 4x12. Sounded amazing. Saw him on the following tour in 2019, and there were no amps on stage so I suspected a Kemper setup. Gotta say, live, it sounded pretty fantastic. Considering shipping weight charges on a tour his size, I can't say I blame him or any performer in today's music climate where live is now really your main income source, going the modeller/profiler route to save $$$. The fact they sound nearly as good as amps in a live situation, especially when you get into a large theater/hall or arena/stadium situation where the finer nuances of guitar tone are kind of lost on the audience, makes financial sense when running a very expensive tour setup!
I have a point to point wired Princeton (it does have a 12' speaker)... 2 channel is great for home, 1 channel is mostly all i need for any gig if there is a proper PA! Best amps ever.
First off , let me say I love you guys , your channel & fully respect you .....You guys do swing a great axe ...👍👍👍...... But , I personally have to say None of the above ...Maybe if you had taken a Fender of around 50 watts , yes , coz you can always throttle the volume back to a livable decibel for around the house but you would still have a lively gigable amp besides & only have to own one ... Like you said to do is start out with a great Axe then match a comparable amp to it , well you are absolutely right my friends... That's exactly what I did.... I bought a Black & Gold GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM ( NEW ) In the Mid 70's right out of " The Music Museum " Music Store ...One Owner , owned it ever since......As for Amp , i have a Vintage BLACKFACE FENDER SUPER REVERB , w/4 10 inch speakers & 40 watts that feels like & sounds like 100 ( as you are surely familiar with ) Coz there is NO Reverb Tank that sounds anywhere clean & sweet as the Super Reverb unit ..✋✋✋Swear to GOD... But one doesn't always feel up to carrying all that greatness around , I do also use something of a lighter variety that is almost as good & a whole lot lighter ...A Vintage Silverface TWIN REVERB that I've had for around 30 to 40 years too , & I'm in full belief that you should've used a bigger FENDER ( Around 50 watts or so at least ) & you would have had a real contender & probable winner of this shootout ... The one thing I learned about street fighting, ( BTW , something I believe you're just as aware as I am ) You DON'T Bring a KNIFE to a GUNFIGHT ...!!!!!! & that's just what you guys did , you stacked the deck & in my view you still lost , the small Princeton outshined all the others ..... To do a completely fair & equal shootout , Level the playing field.....!!!!!Once you're comparing APPLES to APPLES Give it an Honest Go...You guys are better than this...
@@OccamsEraserhead Ooooohhh , sounds like a little dose of reality & truth were a little too much for someone ( prolly a millenial ) to take , lol.....The TRUTH may offend some BUT , The TRUTH will ALWAYS be the TRUTH ... L.O.L............. 😱😱😱🙀🙀🙀😹😹😹🤣🤣🤣😜😜
I have a Imperial MK2 now for 3 weeks! Got all my pedals and overdrive. But need a good heavier distortion and one that works well with this amp! So far I’ve only seen the 1981 and Friedman demo online with Tone King. Both sounded very good! The 1981 although pricey RAT style…had very good articulation on high notes, and a good filter to dial in or out brightness very well with the gain pushed. Sounded great for an Indue rock lead distortion. What else pairs well for heavier distortion that won’t be too brittle? Needs eq or filter? Lots of good sales going on now! Looked at the new FOD, Friedman, Pack Rat. I’m good on overdrive but see too many overdrive examples and not enough distortion ones for this amp.
I thought my Blackstar was a nice amp, it is a nice amp. I bought a Tone King. Yep, the Blackstar is still a nice amp, but the Tone King is a brilliant one. Everything sounds better played through that. And yeah, unless your bedroom is the size of a tennis court 15 & 20 watt valve amps are way too loud. Okay if you want to play clean with a lot of headroom, but if you want the amp to break up 15-20 watts is too much. I got the Tone King Gremlin and that's perfect for home use IMHO.
Wow fantastic sounding things!!!! Although I don't think it would be the amp for me the Magnatone was super impressive. Total Clapton in 66 tones without the bleeding ears 🙂
Wow! The initial close up shot of "someone playing", I just presumed the headless guitar player to be Pete as the playing was so great. (and the Pink shirt). But wow Cap, that is some great groove. I have been watching this channel from its inception, and it is very inspiring to see your development! Hey maybe a video there? What have you done to advance your playing? My guess is just the grind, over all the years this channel Chappers has existed. Still the best guitar gear nerds channel. Keep up the great work!
Just got a handwired P-type from The Amp Shop in North Hollywood's house brand.....holy crap. I LOVE my Katana but hand-made is another animal. Worth the money.
I just found out about this amp: "JJ ONE" pure class A guitar tube amplifier. Hand made by the people who bring you JJ vacuum tubes. I can't find much information on this amp. I think that it sells for just over 8,000 Euros and has a twin speaker cabinet but can't find information about that either. Their web site jj-electronic doesn't tell much. This just Might be the Best guitar amp that money can buy ? FYI
These new amps attenuate the input. Different so called wattages are just resistance changes at the input. The cost of having multiple taps on the transformer would be somewhat cost prohibitive.
'If you have an expensive guitar then you need a premium guitar amp to go with it!" - that may be the silliest thing I've ever read on UA-cam. I modify ~ $300 Blackheart amps for a couple hundred dollars adding a 3-way voicing switch, premium tubes and upgraded resistors and capacitors in the signal path. They sound fantastic and I just built one for a band. You don't need to spend more than ~ $600 to get a good tube amp. My pro buddy just played an entire gig with a used Ibanez guitar he picked up for $139 and it was FINE. Buying expen$ive gear will absolutely NOT make you a better player. That said, I would love to get my hands on an Imperial some day :o)
I buy this Tone King Amp at Thomann one Year Ago and it is the best Amp I ever Played! With a CS Guitar the Sun never go down... all I need... great Amp...
Clean tones and home use: the custom ‘64 Princeton does it for me: sounds surprisingly close to the original ‘67 I stupidly resold 10 years ago, and is so easy and straightforward to use. Sounds awful when when cranked up above 4 (unless you change the speaker) but then way too loud anyway, so a Nobels ODR-1 is perfect for OD. Price is obviously ridiculous nowadays so I bought it second hand. The Tone King seems clearly the best alternative , but what I strongly dislike is the necessity, due to the absence of master volume, to tweak the attenuator controls behind the amp.
I have a real July 1965 Fender Princeton reverb. I've had it for 25 years. It was found in the trash by a friend of mine who gave it to me. I will be buried with it.
If I'm going to spend such an amount of money for one small(ish) amp, I would take the amp that can give me a good clean tone, a good overdrive sound and a good solo option. And it has to able to do it all without me needing to redial the settings all the time. The Hook is the only amp of the 5 that can do this, so that's what I'd pick. It's also the most boring one visually. I guess you can't have it all. 😁
Money can't buy happiness but it can buy a nice amplifier and that's kind of the same thing! Cheers Captain and Pete!!
It can buy you a boat…
@@Shoot_and_Scoot can’t put spring reverb on a boat >:)
@@OlFoolish But you could put a amplifier with a reverb in it 😉
@@OlFoolishfair enough
A great sounding amp is essential really for any electric guitar.
I worked in the biggest guitar store in Denmark for years and we could never keep the Tone King Imperial in stock when we got them in. They sold out instantly every time. Such a great amp!
4 sound eller hvad?
Yep, 6 år i butikken. Så trist den ikke er der mere :(
@@Simto Fedt med en dansker på linjen - Ja det er dæleme en skam.
You should hear Mike Bartels new creation after the Tone King. Bartel Amplifers, that is another level. Pricewise too ;)
Жаль что ты так и не научился играть на гитаре (
All Magnatone amps are great, but the Panoramic Stereo model has the best sound I’ve ever heard, and it has built in reverb and vibrato that will rock your world.
When Lee mentioned Mark Knopfler and Pete made the horn sound😂 a little quirk from That Pedal Show had me dying😂!
Great episode! One thing you should do is one strum, single coils and humbuckers, back to back with each amp just to get a sense of the different nuances and tone of each amp but I guess they're all time stamped, either way I love these amp demos!
Bought a Princeton reissue with a 12 inch speaker about a month ago. I love it. For my use I don't think I'll ever need anything else.
Yeah and it didn't cost you over $3,000😂😂
Got the Tone King Imperial II last year second hand for £1,800. Absolutely love it and it’s great for pedals.
Exactly how much I got mine for in US$. Love the amp, prices have gone up so we snagged them at a great price! I call it the little box of rock, it does so much. \m/
Pedals at low or high volume? It’s got that bright cap engaged at low volume. But turn it up and it gets better. I have one coming in next week! Got to demo, but no pedals yet. Did you change the V1 tube out for a lower gain, clip bright switch or left stock. I see some say how amazing with pedals. And others say it’s way to bright for most pedals, and very picky. I’ll know soon enough, and hope it’s a keeper!
..but would you be just as happy with solid state?
I have a Hamstead Artist 20 RT+. It was the first really expensive guitar, or music related, purchase I’ve ever made. I absolutely love it! It’s so clean and an amazing pedal platform amp. Expensive but worth every penny.
Son loaned me his for a week...I gotta get my own. The Blues Jr just won't do...(3 Weeks Later: Got a TK ImpMkII...nice, added Hamstead speaker (Cream Back), nicer still....still getting my own Artist 20 next week and selling the TK.).
so whats better the tk or the hamstead@@lazvt8469
Captain, you have come a LONG way in your playing in the last 4 years since those lesson videos (which were GREAT, by the way). Impressive! Congrats
The original Hampstead review has one of my top three intro jams of all time. I genuinely still listen to that to this day just to chill out.
Been using my Hamstead artist RT 60 for 2 years now, best amp I have owned.
The hamstead video with rebea was my favorite jam you’ve ever done. It was special
I got an absolute sweetheart deal on a handmade 5F2A Princeton from an amp builder in North Carolina. The build spared no expense, was covered in beautiful brown tolex with leather corners/handle and even had a built in attenuator. I added up all the parts alone and it cost way more than what I paid (including shipping).
Just goes to show you can find fantastic deals on these style amps if you keep an eye out and don’t mind not having a well known brand on it. The guy who built my amp has been building for decades and without a doubt put more over the top, OCD attention to detail than anyone working in a mass production factory.
I have to say that I thought the Toneking would be my favorite because I know someone who owns one. But actually the Hamstead impressed me the most. Maybe it was because of the way Pete played it.
What PEte said about the tele into the Princeton, them being more or less made for eachother.... I had the joy of trying my tele (Just a mex standard level thing) through a "proper" vintage Super Reverb before buying the guitar, and I got stuck for hours just playing long notes to hear the tone. Fender and fender is kind of unbeatable, isn't it?
I'm watching this years later, but the Tone King is making Pete smile more than the others.
Noticed that, too. My MkII is on it's way
I appreciate the Fender tube amp. For home use I spent the money and got the Fender deluxe reverb Tone Master so I can get the sound and it has an attenuator. Gain without the volume. All the classic spring and tremolo without waking the neighbors.
I’ve been wanting a Tone King Imperial Mk II for a while now. What a brilliant amp.
I'm lucky to own one. They are beautiful
GET ONE!!!! 😀
Run a TK Imperial alongside a Matchless DC30..... ABY style (the setup I run)....that is where the magic happens
@@CBGypsy03 do you run a pedalboard into it? the lack of an fx loop is my only concern but i’m sure it’s negligible
@@wildinthe70s Yep I run a simple pedal board threw it and they all sound beautiful threw it. I was worried modulation and delay type pedals would be off, but they sound great. Couldn't be happier. I've had the amp for over 5 years or so and keeping it. Hope that helps
I've had my Tone King Imperial MK2 for almost 3 years and will keep it forever!! Telecasters sound magic through this Amp!! 57/58Tweed + 64/65 blackface in one amp plus the attenuator. You cant beat it for the American Sound (Country, Rock, and Blues) !! Its 39/40lbs which is lighter than a Vox AC15 :)
Same here! I love my Imperial MKII. Best guitar-related purchase I've ever made.
@@reverb508 agree agree agree. What a beauty amp !
I’ve been thinking of getting one, think it would sound good with an SG?
Just bought the tone king 20 watt head and matching cabinet. Love it!
My Magnatone Super 15 is gorgeous in looks and tone and I am always told to turn it down at gigs. 15 very loud and powerful watts
One of the most underrated companies...HOOK. More Videos of their amps !!!!
It would be a tossup between the fender and the tone king for me. Both of them have fantastic reverb, and buttery smooth tone.
After a long period saving money, I finally bought my super high end amp… the Two-Rock Studio Signature head.
I have no regret and I will never ever resell it whatsoever. There’s nothing better that the feeling I get while playing it.
Don’t know if it’s happiness or not but that’s pretty damn close. So yeah, money CAN buy you happiness.
I love the Princeton, with a few pedals it can cover a huge amount of ground.
Hampstead? @neonthunderbird
Thanks for doing this video! I think smaller amps don’t get enough love. I have a PRRI with a 10” Celestion Gold and it’s absolutely wonderful!!
Im not so into classic tones (maybe because im not even 30 yrs old) so I really liked the Hamstead here. I think its very versatile and has great crunch tones, so no need for a boost pedal or light overdrive. It might be overkill for my kind of music (punk, midest emo kinda stuff) but I guess I could create any drive sound I need with just the amp.
Not at all. Play what you want. I have played the Hamstead and in the room it is just amazing.
I can listen to these jams all day
Back in the late 60's, I played through a Magnatone 260. (2-12's with vibrato) ....I think that I bought it used for around $200. I was shocked to see what they are going for now.
i agree
What’s $200 worth now with inflation though
$200 in 1965 is worth $1,770.17 today. Inflation is real.
Have never understood how quite a few guys I know have several high end guitars but play through a katana or a hotrod deluxe. A proper hand wired amp is just on a different level and worth every cent. Nothing wrong with a Katana if that's what you can afford but to buy a custom shop guitar and not to spend the money on an amp is bonkers to me.
Yeah I don't get that. It would even make more sense to get a +1k dollar amp with a sub 600 dollar guitar since most of the sound comes from the amp
That’s been a question of mine for awhile now, you see it all on UA-cam I don’t get it… once I went handwired I never went back and I wouldn’t even think about it
As you can see from my photo , I bought a Tone King Imperial Mark II in June 2015 - in part from your review of it as well as Greg Koch . I purchased the 2014 Gibson Burbonburst 1958 CS and wanted this amp so badly - and it’s been fantastic .
Bought a 58 Tele matching headstock in a similar turquoise color as well , just to complete this goodness .
So glad to see another review of this amazing amp - it’s been such a treat to own and play - at home or at church for me - and I love it’s versatility.
Also , comes with footswitches to turn on the reverb and tremolo .
Where do you people get the money to buy all these expensive gear lol....? But I have to agree, I play on the Tone King Imperial Mark II plug in from Neural DSP and its the best thing I heard yet. I don't know how it compares to the real deal but I'm having the time of my life.
do you run a pedalboard with it? my only concern is the lack of fx loop
got the handwired princeton. awesome amp. tried a vintage 67 pr a vintage snob friend insisted was way better for about the same cash but even after having 300$ spent by him just to get it ready to sell, it failed as soon as i plugged it in. luckily that happened with him in the room. his amp tech said another 4 or 500$ and she’d be good as new. i passed and he gave me my money back. bought the custom shop 64 handwired. i’m sure the PCB board one sound great too but I like the idea that somebody in a special part of the Fender custom shop handbuilt my amp and I appreciate that and don’t mind paying a little extra for it plus they’re easier to service if something were to go wrong.
Got the imperial mk 2 head and cab from you guys last year. Absolutely love it. Wont be leaving, ever
Bad cat in the background: "am I a joke to you?"
The Tone King just blows away everything else. Such great amps.
Just bought Neural's Tone-King plug-in... amazing..!!!
I'm saving up to buy the real thing now.
Selling my 3 week old TK ImpMKii for a used Hamstead Artist 20 Combo....the TK is great and gorgeous....just not magical tone wise, or, other worldly for me, family and band pals that have heard the Hamstead my son bought last month.
All great amps, I'd agree with Lee, Princeton for the clean and Magnatone for the dirt but the Tone King does it all in one.
Tone king every thing they have made is magic
at 31:46 when Pete makes the honk noise from That Pedal Show LMAO
Bruv, that Tone King is stunning! It wasn't even on my radar before I saw this video, but now I have to go try one out.
I’m getting the Imperial II in a week time after watching Pete’s video (the one with Mick ages ago) countless of times. This video came at a perfect time and your conclusion brought smile to my face.
Nice! I am waiting for the toneking falcon grande to be delivered this week, can't wait for it
My dream amps are the Imperial II and that Magnatone....no pedals just those two amps!
I bought a Vox AC-10 a few months ago for a bedroom amp & I love it. I thought about a Blues Jr, but I liked the build & sound of the Vox better. ☮️
Got an AC10 last month, joined a new Blues Jr and a Roland Blues Cube HOT....all great lil amps. Then my son brings home to test out his Hamstead.....I MUST have it! Need to sell a few things...hard to find...otherwise, will also pursue a Tone King.
Speaking for myself - I’m not at all worthy of the gear I’ve collected, but boy they sure put a hell of a smile on my face no matter what combo I use-True historic R9, 2 Fender custom Shop Teles , Magnatone Twilighter, Swart AST master and the 64 DRRI with the 64 Princeton among many others mainly Bartel and Benson on my radar. The regret of my life was selling my pre-CBS 64 Super Reverb about 30 years back.
According to my watch my 5 Watt Swart hits 101 decibels right near the speaker. It's huge through a 2x12 with Golds. Unless you do a lot of clean or have no PA, 30 Watts can be too much. 20 years ago it seemed 30 was the sweet spot. Now it's around 20. I started in 1980 and needed 50 watts just to keep up. You kids don't have to ruin your backs lol! also, purple sparkle Teles need mirror pick guards!
I like the Magnatone a lot but the Tone King did the clean and dirty quite well and is in the same camp as the Princeton reverb to my ears. Upper mid in the overdrive. Tighter bottom than the Princeton but both had a lot of bottom. Tone King most versatile.
Love this. I may be alone here but, I’d love to see more videos like this, of the crazy stuff. Gives me something to strive for. If you can afford a $500 amp in 6 months you can pull off a $2000 in 2 years. It’s worth the wait…. Sometimes
Mesa Triple Crown is my favorite, I have the combo and head and cab version.
Both excellent players.THOUGHTFUL PHRASING,NOT MINDLESS SPEED.THEY KNOW THE TIME FOR IT,NOT DEPENDING ON MUSCLE MEMORY
One of the most beautiful guitar tones I've ever heard was a Eastman SB-59 LP (black beauty) with staple pole P90's plugged into a turquoise Imperial King Imperial MK2. I literally couldn't put it down. I've never heard such pure and heavenly warmth coming out of an amp with zero pedals in the chain. That amp is a true sleeper. I'd even say,...its in Dumble territory in its circuit design. At least to my ears,....it sounded like a Klon if it was an amp.
Now the one I played was identical to the one they are showcasing here. But I was told that there is a half stack version that's even better sounding. Which,....I couldn't wrap my head around that statement. It's really that good. Price be damned. Hurry and take my money TK.
Have Eastman SB56 P90, and SB59 w/SD, turquoise MkII stack, could not be more pleased with either setup. Upgraded to mkii from a katana 100 about a month ago, still get chills from the tones!
@@rondoyle4433 That's funny your old amp was a Katana 100. That's what I currently use and have forevet longed for a TK Imperial.😆😆 I desperately want an Eastman SV-59 Double Cut in antique varnish as well. I love all the Eastman line up of LP's and 335 offerings. But that double is a thing of beauty. Well,....congratulations on your rig Ron. I know full well about those chills your talking about.lol
Now I will say this Ron,....if your familiar with Greg Koch (my favorite player to date) and his Wildwood demo's,....you'll have seen that the Imperial is his amp of choice as well. Now I adore his tone. But he uses the red Xotic B&B pre-amp compressor pedal. I know I said nothing is needed with that
guitar/amp combo,...but if your were,....to try a pedal through your current rig?? I would suggest it be that one. Again Ron,...congratulations brother. Enjoy those beauty's.👍🇺🇸💪😊
Yep, mid control on 2nd channel is like 'more Dumble deluxe'. Magic.
@@swardmusic You ain't kiddin. I personally think it's one of the most underrated amplifiers out there. I A/B'd it next to a 2020 Fender Custom Shop Princeton and the TK just annihilated it. I was floored. Incredible amps for certain.
Aries Experiment - Thanks for the tip on pedal to try. I’ll have to also check out Greg Koch. So far have just one pedal, Wampler Gearbox. MkII channel 2 with a little boost from “Tumnus” side of the pedal is perfect. I’m 51, first picked up a guitar two years ago, but man do I have the bug. Typically play a couple hrs a day. If it was not for demanding job and family, I’d probably be playing 6 hours a day!
I YOLO'd a 64 Hand Wired Princeton right before the 2022 price increase and I am glad I did. My amp goal now is a hand wired Marshall (or possibly Friedman) and I am good forever with amps.
Honestly another suggestion could be doing the best amps per genre. So the amps that give you the best tones for whatever genre you are pursuing.
I think Dan and Mick need to have a go on the Magnatone. Any chance you'll let TPS borrow one?
I am mainly a drummer but I do play guitar on the side and I recently bought a tube amp, a Fender Champ clone and I just love it. It is funny though like Lee said, we spend more on guitars than amps and realistically an amp is where the sound is so we could get a great sound with a Squier and Magnatone but we need the vintage and custom shop guitars and I think it is because guitars are more personal, more tactile for us and there is nothing wrong with that my friends....but what is nagging me is- What's the story with the red 335, that's missing a black volume knob, hanging on the wall over Pete's shoulder?
I can hear that Hampstead amp quality , through my little phone speaker .
I have to say the Princeton brought me right back to the tones of my old Super Reverb, my Champ and Bassman 50. All 60’s and seventies amps. Should have kept them! The other amps you guys played were sweet too.
Really !?
I've got a super and it's freaking monstrous !
That Princeton reverb sounds like my little 5 watt tweed champ turned up all the way, actually the tweed sounds way way better and I only paid $60 for the fender tweed champ !
I want to love the Tone King but the Fender amp was the real deal here!!
Good Tuesday morning to me when I start work listening to my favorite UA-cam duo gettin' their jam on!
That magnatone sounds incredible.
Yup all Mexican Fenders here
Hahaha lol.
I was the complete opposite in my train of thought.
I bought budget guitars and played through a Fender Princeton 68 reissue limited edition circuit board amp.
It's a truly beautiful pedal platform.
I know it’s not the same league but I’ve got the Princeton 68 custom and I couldn’t be happier
Wow, the gainy tone on the Magnatone is really great - the closest you'll get to Billy Gibbons without going to his house.
Princeton or an AC30, that would be my recommended choice.
Turn the bass on the Princeton to 3, treble up and volume to 8 or 9 and you will get overdrive. It's not crunch or metal but it's proper overdrive. You can then use your guitar volume to set the drive. It's fun to play with.
Thanks for yet another great video guys. My "bucket list" amp has to be the Tone King Imperial. A friend has one, and as good as it sounds on video, you have to experience it live to appreciate the nuances and tactile feel of the amp. Just amazing! My other amp favs include Dr. Z, and Victoria amps. 20-30 valve watts is the sweet spot. Warm up the tubes without shattering the windows.
Definitely can’t go wrong with a Victoria. I have the Ivy League and it is amazing.
I had the Victoria Golden Melody and I miss it so much. The attention to detail was endless. I’m on my 3rd Dr. Z. and love em all.
Hope you got your TK. Great amp. I borrowed my son's Hamstead Artist 20 and then bought a new TK ImperialMKii....Hampstead sounded better to me...even after swapping in a Hampstead speaker (CreamBack)...into the TK, while noticeably improved tone for my taste, it lacked the 'magic' I hear/feel from the Hamstead. TK on the market already.
@@lazvt8469 Do you still recommend the Hamstead? I’m trying to source a second hand Hamstead artist or Tone King Falcon Grande. Unfortunately I have to rely on UA-cam demo’s as their like hens teeth in Ireland
@@clivegilmore9598 MOST assuredly...I kept the ToneKing Imp and play both regularly...and still much prefer the Hamstead...so glad I bit the bullet and got it. My son raves about his too. There's an Artist 60RT on Reverb in the States for a song...my son wanted to go halvsies on it...I declined...one is enough.
I have a vox ac30 from the handwired series they did .
For my taste , the absolute best thing ever
That Les Paul looks and sounds nice, and Lee is making it talk! The fretboard is on fire on the guitar Danish Pete is playing - somebody get a fire extinguisher.
Great video boys. Guys my Hamstead 20 RT + is in glorious purple tolex and sounds amazing. in stereo with my Blackstar Artian15 its amazing.
The Captain's opening comment is my current situation. Recently bought an insanely great guitar and now want an insanely great amp. Been considered a Tone King, but none in currently in stock at the local dealer to go check out in person.
Let me start out by saying you guys are the best. I love how you give honest reviews along with great music. I would like to ask that when you show us amps and such could you also mention what settings you have on the guitar? I am a beginner and I am seeking as much information on how to sound like you guys. Thank you for your time.
You really just need to play and mess wth it. You can take the distortion down by lowering your guitar volume. Or try roling thr tone off to get a creamy tone with drive. Lots of fun
I saw Mark Knopfler on his last live amp tour in 2015, and he had a Tone King Imperial combo on stage and a Reinhart head on a 4x12. Sounded amazing. Saw him on the following tour in 2019, and there were no amps on stage so I suspected a Kemper setup. Gotta say, live, it sounded pretty fantastic. Considering shipping weight charges on a tour his size, I can't say I blame him or any performer in today's music climate where live is now really your main income source, going the modeller/profiler route to save $$$. The fact they sound nearly as good as amps in a live situation, especially when you get into a large theater/hall or arena/stadium situation where the finer nuances of guitar tone are kind of lost on the audience, makes financial sense when running a very expensive tour setup!
I have a point to point wired Princeton (it does have a 12' speaker)... 2 channel is great for home, 1 channel is mostly all i need for any gig if there is a proper PA! Best amps ever.
Also for reference, a standard noise limiter for a wedding venue is 90-95db
The captain and danish Pete is my favourite pair ever!! Love you guys!
I like them all, each one have great and distinctive sound and characteristics. My favourite the Magnatone
Tone is all preference but that tone king 👑 I feel is the best amp up there !
And please if you do those videos have a strat, tele, 335 and les Paul going through every amp. Now THAT would be the ultimate amp/guitar tone video
That Magnatone is a beast.
First off , let me say I love you guys , your channel & fully respect you .....You guys do swing a great axe ...👍👍👍...... But ,
I personally have to say None of the above ...Maybe if you had taken a Fender of around 50 watts , yes , coz you can always throttle the volume back to a livable decibel for around the house but you would still have a lively gigable amp besides & only have to own one ... Like you said to do is start out with a great Axe then match a comparable amp to it , well you are absolutely right my friends...
That's exactly what I did.... I bought a Black & Gold GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM ( NEW ) In the Mid 70's right out of " The Music Museum " Music Store ...One Owner , owned it ever since......As for Amp , i have a Vintage BLACKFACE FENDER SUPER REVERB , w/4 10 inch speakers & 40 watts that feels like & sounds like 100 ( as you are surely familiar with ) Coz there is NO Reverb Tank that sounds anywhere clean & sweet as the Super Reverb unit ..✋✋✋Swear to GOD... But one doesn't always feel up to carrying all that greatness around , I do also use something of a lighter variety that is almost as good & a whole lot lighter ...A Vintage Silverface TWIN REVERB that I've had for around 30 to 40 years too , & I'm in full belief that you should've used a bigger FENDER ( Around 50 watts or so at least ) & you would have had a real contender & probable winner of this shootout ... The one thing I learned about street fighting, ( BTW , something I believe you're just as aware as I am ) You DON'T Bring a KNIFE to a GUNFIGHT ...!!!!!! & that's just what you guys did , you stacked the deck & in my view you still lost , the small Princeton outshined all the others ..... To do a completely fair & equal shootout , Level the playing field.....!!!!!Once you're comparing APPLES to APPLES Give it an Honest Go...You guys are better than this...
Funny. :)
Keep on the meds mate
@@OccamsEraserhead Ooooohhh , sounds like a little dose of reality & truth were a little too much for someone ( prolly a millenial ) to take , lol.....The TRUTH may offend some BUT , The TRUTH will ALWAYS be the TRUTH ... L.O.L.............
😱😱😱🙀🙀🙀😹😹😹🤣🤣🤣😜😜
@@arthurwalls9091 I was wrong. Don't keep on the meds. They're clearly not working. Get new meds.
Also I'm 54.
My ToneKing impMkII is my first or second favorite amp, tied with my Ceriatone JM-50.
Then comes my Mesa Boogie California Tweed.
Pete's tone in the first jam sounding alot like something ariel posen would use! Absoulety love it
I’ve played a lot of amps ,but until I played a fender Princeton chorus 1980. It’s best amp ever
A win for the Tone King.
I picked up a used ‘64 Princeton $1500.00. Lifetime amp.
I have a Imperial MK2 now for 3 weeks! Got all my pedals and overdrive. But need a good heavier distortion and one that works well with this amp! So far I’ve only seen the 1981 and Friedman demo online with Tone King. Both sounded very good! The 1981 although pricey RAT style…had very good articulation on high notes, and a good filter to dial in or out brightness very well with the gain pushed. Sounded great for an Indue rock lead distortion.
What else pairs well for heavier distortion that won’t be too brittle? Needs eq or filter? Lots of good sales going on now! Looked at the new FOD, Friedman, Pack Rat. I’m good on overdrive but see too many overdrive examples and not enough distortion ones for this amp.
One Princeton is nice, but what if you used two of them?
Fuck yes.
I thought my Blackstar was a nice amp, it is a nice amp. I bought a Tone King. Yep, the Blackstar is still a nice amp, but the Tone King is a brilliant one. Everything sounds better played through that.
And yeah, unless your bedroom is the size of a tennis court 15 & 20 watt valve amps are way too loud. Okay if you want to play clean with a lot of headroom, but if you want the amp to break up 15-20 watts is too much. I got the Tone King Gremlin and that's perfect for home use IMHO.
That Imperial is just Fantastic! Great everything!
Milkman would fit great in this amp lineup
I bought a TK Imperial from Andertons. Unfortunately that’s pretty much all Mark Knopfler & I have in common ha ha!
Fabulous amp though…
Wow fantastic sounding things!!!! Although I don't think it would be the amp for me the Magnatone was super impressive. Total Clapton in 66 tones without the bleeding ears 🙂
Wow! The initial close up shot of "someone playing", I just presumed the headless guitar player to be Pete as the playing was so great. (and the Pink shirt).
But wow Cap, that is some great groove. I have been watching this channel from its inception, and it is very inspiring to see your development!
Hey maybe a video there? What have you done to advance your playing? My guess is just the grind, over all the years this channel Chappers has existed.
Still the best guitar gear nerds channel. Keep up the great work!
Just got a handwired P-type from The Amp Shop in North Hollywood's house brand.....holy crap. I LOVE my Katana but hand-made is another animal. Worth the money.
Carr Amps are amazing with both vintage tones & modern features!
The Imperial is my all time favourite amp!!!
I just found out about this amp: "JJ ONE" pure class A guitar tube amplifier. Hand made by the people who bring you JJ vacuum tubes. I can't find much information on this amp. I think that it sells for just over 8,000 Euros and has a twin speaker cabinet but can't find information about that either. Their web site jj-electronic doesn't tell much. This just Might be the Best guitar amp that money can buy ? FYI
All these sounds great. I think today's day and age, ALL amps should have built in power soak, the world need more quite but juicy tube amp tones
These new amps attenuate the input. Different so called wattages are just resistance changes at the input. The cost of having multiple taps on the transformer would be somewhat cost prohibitive.
'If you have an expensive guitar then you need a premium guitar amp to go with it!" - that may be the silliest thing I've ever read on UA-cam. I modify ~ $300 Blackheart amps for a couple hundred dollars adding a 3-way voicing switch, premium tubes and upgraded resistors and capacitors in the signal path. They sound fantastic and I just built one for a band. You don't need to spend more than ~ $600 to get a good tube amp. My pro buddy just played an entire gig with a used Ibanez guitar he picked up for $139 and it was FINE. Buying expen$ive gear will absolutely NOT make you a better player. That said, I would love to get my hands on an Imperial some day :o)
The Tone King blew me away...so much character. Amazing.
I buy this Tone King Amp at Thomann one Year Ago and it is the best Amp I ever Played! With a CS Guitar the Sun never go down... all I need... great Amp...
Clean tones and home use: the custom ‘64 Princeton does it for me: sounds surprisingly close to the original ‘67 I stupidly resold 10 years ago, and is so easy and straightforward to use.
Sounds awful when when cranked up above 4 (unless you change the speaker) but then way too loud anyway, so a Nobels ODR-1 is perfect for OD.
Price is obviously ridiculous nowadays so I bought it second hand.
The Tone King seems clearly the best alternative , but what I strongly dislike is the necessity, due to the absence of master volume, to tweak the attenuator controls behind the amp.
I have a real July 1965 Fender Princeton reverb. I've had it for 25 years. It was found in the trash by a friend of mine who gave it to me. I will be buried with it.
Another great hand made amp company is 30 minute from my house. Hand wired Dr.Z Amplifiers. Brad Paisley loves them.
If I'm going to spend such an amount of money for one small(ish) amp, I would take the amp that can give me a good clean tone, a good overdrive sound and a good solo option. And it has to able to do it all without me needing to redial the settings all the time. The Hook is the only amp of the 5 that can do this, so that's what I'd pick. It's also the most boring one visually. I guess you can't have it all. 😁
Or just get a good plugin? Not the best crunch out there, but good plugins these days does high gain and clean super well
The tone king does all that