THREE Amp Comparison! (Jackson Newcastle vs Benson Monarch vs Fender DRRI)
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- I thought it would be interesting to do a quick (somewhat) scientific comparison between my three amplifiers. I kept the guitar, speaker cab, and everything else constant to really zero in on the tonal differences between these amps. I'd love to hear your observations in the comments below!
Guitar:
2011 Fender 60th Anniversary Modern Thinline Telecaster
Speaker Cabinet (for all three amps):
Jackson 1x12 closed-back with Celestion Alnico Gold 50w
Amps:
Jackson Newcastle 30
Benson Monarch
Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue
I don't think I've ever heard a better sounding amp than the Jackson Newcastle.
What an interesting comparison...
Benson has lovely low end definition... I was expecting the DRRI to disappoint by comparison... but it really didn't!
Informative demo... thanks!
Analog Utopia I agree the DRRI really held its own!
I’m starting to understand why everyone loves the Bensons, best overall IMHO
Hey Aaron! I know it was a few months ago when you made this, but I just saw this.
I'm going to be in the market for a new amp and I was leaning towards the DRRI and this actually confirmed that for me. I think it held up super well compared to the Jackson and Benson. I loved the medium gain sound on it.
Brandon Hayslette great choice! Honestly by far the best amp for the money right now imo
People often complain about the DRRI when overdriven, but I think it sounds stellar here. I am partial to the the Benson, very much so, but the Fender sounded crackin'.
Daniel West I was also surprised by how good it sounded overdriven! The Celestion Gold probably helped a little compared to the stock speaker
Great sounds, really drawing me back to re string my telecaster, well Tokai version of a telecaster. Great content pal, love the vibe of your chanel
Great video. Fender takes the cake for me for low and medium, benson for the high gain.
Blake VanHouten I think I agree with this assessment.
+1 to this too
Great vid Aaron, but I’d love to hear the normal/vibrato channels of the Deluxe Reverb compared and the US/UK switch on the Monarch. Same goes for the Jackson if there are any different switches or inputs.
Thanks for the video! I like all 3 of them, hard to pick one. It would be great to make a longer video exploring each amp nuances, may this time with a open back, more fenderish cab-speaker.
Herro Glop yeah I don’t have a favorite personally! Different tools for different jobs
I Think it would have Been interresting to hear you use the normal channel on the Deluxe. Vibrato Channel was bright compared tothe others, i blame that on the bright switch 😅 so Maybe it could have been more close if played from the normal Channel.. just a thought 😊👍🏼
Would be interesting to hear the Benson & DRRI together. The sparkle and presence of the DRRI is what I miss with having my Benson.
The Deluxe surprised me a lot, the mids in the Celestion Gold compliment the amp greatly. I think the benson would sound a bit better with a Blue or G1230H. But all of them sounded great regardless. Love your videos more and more.
Jediel Rodriguez yeah I think you’re right... I talked with Chris Benson and he said his favorite / default speaker for the Monarch is the G12H30.
Aaron Sternke he has partner up with Weber to make his version on the G1230H. So if you ever get a Benson cab to match the Monarch, that speaker would be the best choice. Sorry for the late reply.
Jediel Rodriguez I do have a Benson 2x10 open-back cab with 10” celestion golds that sounds pretty great :-)
Aaron Sternke it’s true, totally forgot about the 2x10. I meant if you ever get Benson a 1x12. That 2x10 sounds amazing with that amp.
Love my Jackson Ampworks. I have a Britain 30
Your vid is great
Thanks!
Thank you! Yeah absolutely love my Newcastle 30
Low Gain : Fender > Jackson > Benson ; Medium Gain : Jackson > Benson > Fender ; High Gain : Benson > Jackson > Fender
Jackson spettacolo!
I think the Benson and Jackson Ampworks beat the Fender by a good margin. I also thought they sound pretty similar. I give a slight edge to the Jackson and I thought there was a little better note separation there. One thing to note, the Benson amps are kind of the flavor de jour these days on some of the boards; Jackson had that sort of bump a few years ago. I think that creates a bias. My suggestion in doing these videos would be to hide the brand names during the audio, perhaps calling them 1, 2, and 3, with a disclose at the end. That would take someone of the flavor de jour bias out of the equation.
I can not get my Monarch Reverb or my DRRI to break up like that...even wen cranked. What is the secret? Great comparison, thanks!
Honestly I’m not sure? Maybe your pickups are low output? Try another guitar?
DRRI really shines when the overdrive kicks in but sounds really thin when clean. The Benson has great note definition, especially in the lower range, and it's clean tone was, in my opinion, the best. That said, my DRRI doesn't sound that thin when it's clean so perhaps YMMV. Good video and recording setup!
Matt Church thanks and great comments! You know, it’s interesting - what one person hears as “thin” another hears as “clear” - or they hear the DRRI as “clear” and others as “muddy” by comparison - just goes to show it’s different for everyone!
A little touch of brightness on the benson and it would be even better to cut trough a mix
Onix Junes yeah with the tone at noon it is a hair darker than the other 2 amps
Was the Benson in British or American mode pls?
What you chose between the Jackson or the benson? I’m thinking about getting one since I play at my church with my group, I mostly play worship
The Jackson is really more my flavor... but they’re not a company anymore, so just be careful buying as support might not be great
@@AaronSternke what happened to the company
@@rigo.matias they pivoted to pedals
Just pinging you to let you know that Jackson Ampworks is BACK as of 2024, if you are still on the fence. :)
Deluxe for sure
Jackson can’t go wrong
Benson super crisp and smooth lush breakup
Fender DR, classic, original source tones (though for me a touch too bright)
Deluxe!
The Jackson sounded the best, and it was obvious.
Ciao Aaron per me il migliore e il Jackson anche perche ci suona il mio chitarrista preferito Robbie Mcintosh un saluto dall Italia
that benson… interesting.