The dichotomy of the awesome tone and demonstrations vs the uniqueness of the host and his humorous presentation always leaves me with a grin. There are no other channels like this on UA-cam. Most of us can see something of ourselves and our own guitar journey in these videos. Another great one, Landon!
Owned it as soon as it came on the market. Every guitarist that’s ever played it falls in love with it. Great for recording and also clean and works great with pedals
I have this amp, snd I couldn’t be happier with it. At only 38 lbs, it was what I needed instead of hauling a Bassman 10 combo around. I also use my Vox 15, and a 65 Twin Reverb. This Princeton sounds great with my EBMMs, full, rich, articulate. Gnarly when called upon. I love the simplicity of the settings, and the natural breakup-to-clean ratio. I rarely use any pedal beyond clean boost. I recommend this amp, with the C-Rex speaker highly.
Hey Landon, your channel is one that actually makes me laugh out loud while giving me tons of info of gear I'm truly interested in. Thanks brother. You make UA-cam more than just information. You make it truly entertaining and that's what I appreciates about you!!!
I bought one Dec 2017 - 65 Blackface PRRI. Phenomenal amp. Also my favorite amp of all time. I am Blown-away by the chimey, glassy tone with my Suhr-strat. I can plug straight-in = and get Lost in the gorgeous tone's with the Reverb & Tremolo. I can get: SRV, Gilmour, Knopfler, Trower & Nile Rodgers tones. Worth every penny. Happy Holidays from NYC
Funny enough, what I actually like the most about both princeton and deluxe reverb amps is the way they sound cranked and with humbucker guitars. Very underrated OD tone when you crank them, almost reminiscent of the previous "tweed" amps, but with a more refined and tighter bottom end.
I love running two amps in wet/dry or stereo. Huge, pleasing tones that I enjoy, regardless of whether an audience can hear the stereo effect out in the hall.
Landon, when you plug in a extension speaker it increases the wattage of the amp from 12 to 15 watts. This works the same for all amps. Thanks for the review...
Just bought one from Sweetwater six weeks ago. LOVE this amp. I have the Deluxe Reverb Tonemaster and Twin Reverb Tonemaster... both excellent amps. But the Princeton is special. The tone is addictive. It is all I play through now.
I love the tones from that thing! Goes great with pedals. The Tele absolutely slams, the SG cranks, and the Jazzmasterblaster rumbles. I used to love using an old Princeton at a club I used to play in Hollywood in the 80s. I made the mistake of bringing my full Marshall stack only to realize there wasn't enough room on the stage. Being a rambunctious fifteen-year-old, I insisted on blasting my Marshall at a bunch of old hippies eating avocado and alfalfa sandwiches. Next time I played there I thought, "I'll just use the house amp." So I brought my pedalboard with the Tube Screamer and Boss Chorus and delay, plugged into the Princeton, and was blown away. It was loud, proud, had amazing tone, and go the point across. And it was already right there on the stage. It was owned by the club. From there on out I always used it when we gigged there. I also borrowed a Princeton that a friend owned because it also sounded amazing. It's defiantly going to be my next amp.
I had this amp and I sold to upgrade to the ‘64 handwired Princeton. Holy smokes! I thought I loved this amp, but the ‘64 is on a different planet. Love it! Can’t go wrong with a Princeton. Best amp Fender makes in my opinion.
I bought a special run "Fudge Brownie" a couple of years ago...these amps are great. They respond well to tube swaps. I've played around with vintage RCA, Tung Sols, Brimars & Amperex Millard's...they all sounded great with this circuit. But before you run out and spend a fortune on NOS tubes, check the bias on the stock Groove Tubes. Many times Fender ships these biased a bit "cold", bring it up to correct specs and I think you'll find the stock tubes are really good. If you find the reverb and trem isn't a lush as you think it should be...check the bias. Too cold or too hot it won't allow the reverb & trem to sound as good as they should. Also for those with the Jensen speakers....break the speaker in before considering replacing the speaker. I bought the "Fudge Brownie" b/c it came with the Alnico speaker, just prefer that type. At first the Jensen paled in comparison to my amps w/ Webers. Once broken it fully, these Jensens shine.
When they first came out, I remember looking into the Fudge Brownie Princetons, at the time they didn't cost any more than the 65 reissues. I ended up buying the common black 65 Princeton reissue. I put new JJ tubes in it and put an Eminence Copperhead speaker inside it to tame the treble bite of the high notes. If were to buy the Princeton again, I would have gone with their Fudge Brownie Princeton. I didn't expect Fudge Brownie Princetons to go out of production. At that time a lot of various FSR Princeton amps suddenly came out to in droves. British green, white and orange, turquoise and orange, Vinyl covered floral Princeton amps in pink and blue, Sparkle colored vinyl in red, green, blue, gold, a western stamped tolex edition, the Chilean Blue amp as seen in this video. I will always feel that Fenders Fudge Brownie amp was Fenders most iconic and original Princeton concept
I had this amp for about a year before I decided to try a new speaker in it. Threw in a GA-SC64 and IMO it sounds WAY better than the C-Rex. It was a really good amp before, but now it's just absolutely GLORIOUS
Princetons are amazing little amps. Great for small venues and at home jamming or practice. Very versatile 15 watts powerhouses. If I didn't have a 65 deluxe, I'd probably choose a Princeton.
Hi Landon, great job. Very informative. You have a very unique style in your presentation. This will be one of my favorite UA-cam channels. Keep up the good work.
First amp. Picked up at Sweetwater with a PRS 24-08. Love it. Would love a comparison video highlighting what you see as the main differences between your original and this one
A Princeton with a 12" speaker is a great idea. I have the one with the "fawn" (wheat coloured) tolex and the 12" Celestion Greenback speaker. I was really hoping you were going to do an A-B comparison between your two Princetons so we could here the difference each speaker makes.
Hey thanks Landon ! Can't wait to hear the comparison. Been wanting a Princeton reverb for awhile. I owned a vintage one years ago and I really miss it.
I have the model with the Can Rex buuut I am contemplating getting a Celestion Alnico Blue to try in it. When you do the side by side comparison I can see if I have a preference 😃
@@garywalker479 I have tried a Jensen P12Q, and a Celestion Blue, in my Princeton they sounded great, although just a tad to bright for my liking. Especially when adding overdrive pedals, they sound a bit fuzzy to me, which I do mostly. So it’s a trade off. The Cannabis Rex takes overdrive pedals exceptionally well, and a little darker sounding, tightens up the overdrive, takes away that harsh high end. But everyone’s ear is different.
I was at a black sabbath concert back in 1975 in Long Beach California, before the decibel rules kicked in which only allows bands to play at 120decibles when playing indoor venues now, I believe, anyway our bodies were still vibrating for a half hour after the show,and my ears are still ringing, nice little amp Landon, and loud enough to gig with.
Great review. I bought this amp about a year ago and it’s one of my favorites. But, it’s not perfect for me. I don’t care for the C-Rex speaker. After some experimentation I ended up with an Eminence GA-SC64 (amazing speaker IMO) which I much prefer, especially with dirt pedals. The C-Rex lacks definition and clarity in the high end to my ears. Somehow it’s fizzy and dark at the same time. The GA-SC64 is very balanced and sounds great clean and dirty. I also don’t care for the reverb. Way too much dwell. Sounds like you’re playing in the Grand Canyon. I’m using a pedal for reverb. Lastly, I don’t care for the way the amp breaks up when cranked. Kinda muddy/farty. However, the clean tone is absolutely gorgeous, and with the GA-SC64 dirt pedals sound great. I’m one of two guitarists and our drummer hits hard. The Princeton has plenty of headroom, surprisingly. Despite my nitpicks, which really come down to personal taste, this is a fine amp. I’m loving it.
Thought about this one for a while before finally caving and buying one from Sweetwater. Really tried to love the Cannabis Rex but couldn’t get along with it. Popped in a Jensen P12Q and got exactly what I wanted. The Cannabis Rex isn’t a bad speaker but if you’re wanting the stereotypical Fender sound it might not be the best. Great review. Love the channel!
CRex is def darker. It has way more headroom and volume too. I think it takes some dirt a little better though. I think the CRex handles Big Muffs better than the Jensen speaker. Might have to do with how scooped the Jensen is.
I recently sold my 1969 Princeton,, I don't regret it even though it was a great amp,, I do love vintage fender , I am keeping my 1959 tremolux I'd to know if you've played one of the reissue tremolux??
'65 PRRI demo'd here versus the '68 Custom Princeton Reverb was a tough call for me. I think the ’65 sounds better with humbuckers (Gibson) and I like the warmth of the ’68 with single coils (Fender). For playing out, the ’65 will likely go louder with the 12” speaker and “cut thru the mix” better. For solo or small-scale living room play, I favor the ’68 (after ditching the stock Celestion Ten 30 speaker for a WGS Veteran 10). With the speaker upgrade and an NOS 12AX7 in V1, it has nice, warm, balanced cleans and a pleasing, natural grit that kicks in at lower volume as compared to the '65. The '68 CPR can be tweaked to sound *almost* like the '65 PRRI using the tone controls if desired. I think the '68 is a more versatile amp overall. I plan to try it with an NOS GE 5751 tube in V1 just because it's so easy and I'm curious if the cleans would sound even more like the '65 with a lower-gain preamp tube.
I have the same amp. I paired it with a Tone King Iron Man 2 Mini. The sweet spot is with the volume at 8 (or 5 for clean). The Iron Man let’s you play with the amp at the sweet spot at any volume. I have barely used my overdrive pedals ever since.
@@landonbailey It’s a reactive load attenuator that allows you to play the amp at much lower volumes while still being able to push the tubes. I use one with my Princeton as well for perfect home volumes.
I just bought one a month ago but I only played it for a day or two and I was away to work. I love it though. I dreamed of it for months before I got it. I got a bunch of Fender amps now. Blues Deville 4 x 10. Blues Jr. Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb. And of course the new Princeton. Oh and I finally bought the AC 15 too!!
Got this amp few years ago. When I bought it I wasn’t aware it had 12 inch speaker! lol. But at the time it sounded best for me when comparing to other Princetons in the store . However Not long after I bought it I decided to swap Rex speaker to Celestion Blue Alnico and in my opinion it was great choice.
I’m glad you were able to magically make that Gibson sg standard appear. I’m thinking about buying the standard version of this amp, and wanted to hear the SG on it. Love it, thanks man
ya I think they are USA assembled. If it was Mexico or China it would say that on the rear. They just can't say Made in USA because of strict California requirements
Cool amp 👌 Count me in for an A/B of the two Princeton’s. I’d like to know if there’s a difference in headroom. I’m sure the 12” Rex is louder overall because it’s a super efficient speaker but I wouldn’t be surprised if that amp breaks up sooner on the volume dial because it’s trying to push a 12 inch speaker that might be more demanding. I dunno, just a guess.
Ohhhh that's a lovely thing. I don't own a tube amp (yet) but the Princeton is on the list. This FSR really checks a lot of boxes for me, sounds great. Thanks for sharing!
I read this amp is in the repair shop often ??? It’s close to 1400.00 that would be devastating to have to repair $$$ please let me know your opinion ?
I had a dear friend build me a 65 Princeton reverb from old parts… Usual stuff is: original Jensen P12Q from 1955, original transformers etc… I can’t get a bad sound from this amp. Princetons FTW BEST PURCHASE EVER!!! Seriously though, anyone in the market for or thinking of a Princeton, just get one.
Sounds great! Perhaps you've said it before BUT, I would like to know your thoughts on the Princeton's in general vs a deluxe reverb. Have you tried both, and are there things in one you don't like as much?
@@voiceofexperience i had that vox it was great but the Princeton kills it for beautiful clens and real reverb,,,the vox reveb I believe was digital,,,still a great loud small amp!!
I just picked up a '68 Custom Princeton Reverb last week. It's a good amp but the reverb adds white noise/static when it's on. If I can figure out how to fix that, it'll be a spectacular amp.
Not that I'll be able to buy a new tube amp until basically this time next year (when I finish paying of the acoustic birthday/Christmas/birthday present to myself I bought this year), but I can't make up my mind in my little internet window shopping research. I love Vox. I have a Valvetronix AD120VTX from the early 2000s that's awesome, and it pretty much stays on the AC30 Top Boost model circuit, but I also love that Fenders take any pedal you throw at them and still sound great, even if they lack some modern features (ahem-output wattage selection) and are still on the upper end of what I'd spend for an amp with X watts. The Marshall DSL40 is insane, but Marshall has never been my preferred tone, and I wish it came in a head-only version. Then again, it comes in a 20w head, and and the Laney Lionheart 20 combo has 20 watts that sound like a Fender amp that's been tweaked and modded to perfection. Obviously, I've given this some thought, but no one carries these amps or has them in stock when I can make it to a store. Just the same solid state do-it-alls that beginners want. Bad enough that I have to buy my guitars basically sight unseen, frets untested, but I know enough to swap pickups, polish frets, etc. But an amp? That's the major source of tone. Everything else depends on the amp: guitar, pickups, pedals, etc. Would it be better to get just an entry level tube amp, like a Fender Bassman, or AC15 and decide what I like? I mean, I want to be gig ready.
@@landonbailey Sorry. My wife is out of town for work, and the dogs are staying at her mother's since I work longer hours this time of year. That being said, the house will be in the immaculate condition she left it in because I'm barely here.
I run a Princeton model from my Helix into a Powercab Plus. I love switching between speaker models of the classic stock 10 inch, a 12 inch Cannabis Rex, a 12 inch Creamback, 12 inch Jensen and 12 inch Blue Bell. Totally understand why you would want multiple Princetons with different speakers. It is a great way to create useful and inspiring variations of what may be the best circuit ever wired.
Very nice, I think I seriously want to pick one of these up. Also love stereo amp setups I have been playing around with them in interesting ways you can play around with tremolo and reverb in different ways to almost make the effect travel left to right giving it a weird dimensional feel.
Great video. Really love your channel. Question - and sorry if this sounds ignorant. I love the way the amp sounds cranked but can't play that loud in the apartment. Without an effects loop, how can I run an attenuator to get that cranked sound at bedroom levels? Thank you in advance
@@joelew29 Hey Joel, didn't realize you had the JHS. Thats the only one that's designed to go in the effects loop. All standard attenuators are between the amp and the speaker.
Hi , Just a question, since I didn´t see your setup, do you run your Tube Screamer into the input of the Joyo Sweet Baby or the other way arround, I saw your pedalboard video but could figure it out because there was a Boss Overdrive as well. If you take your time to answer this question It will help me an others to understand and build basic pedal boards. Thank you, you have great content in your channel, and a great sense of humor as well!
Interesting fact, the sound you"re trying to emulate around 9:40 (Radiohead, the Bends if i'm correct) was made with a solid state Fender Eighty-Five and a Marshall Shredmaster pedal, both common and cheap tools, the sound lies in your will and fingers
What kind of mic do you have hanging in front of the Princeton? I’m trying to figure out how to best record mine. The only mic i have is a RE-20 with a standard mic stand. Unsure if I should use the RE-20 or not.
I can concur. This is the last amp you'll need. The tone is just superb! The 12" speaker gives it such a nice frequency response. The tone I was always looking for! I pair mine with a Vox AC10 in stereo and love the results.👌
Marshall put an effects loop on the reissue 1987x and I'm so glad they did! I need an effects loop fender!! Fender makes great amplifiers and a lot of them have effects loops and I just wish the princeton did 🤷♂️
That's a sweet amp. I think I'll be using part of my Christmas bonus and getting a Princeton for myself. Guitar Center has a couple different limited editions. A Tweed with 12" Celestion and a Borduex Reserve with a 12" Jensen. They both sound fantastic. Probably gonna get the Tweed.
I bought the tweed with the celestion and it’s so awesome. I bought a cannabis Rex to compare speaker differences but keep going back to loving the celestion more
@@sleekslush Right on! I'm in agreement with you. I had a blues jr at one point with the cannabis rex speaker and couldn't get along with it. I returned it within the GC return period.
So what I should have asked you before is… do yohh in notice a little or big difference between the 2? I’m thinking about getting a normal Princeton. Like the 10” one. Have you tried one of those? And again that blue one seems nice. How close are they?
I bought this, and as a new player I hear people tell me it’s not a ‘real’ Princeton and I’m not getting an authentic fender sound. Yet others seem to love it and say it sounds like fender amps of old. I’m very confused.
I can’t watch the demo rn because I’m waiting putting my kids to bed, but I’m excited about this video. I’ve owned this amp for a while and it’s so good. What are you going to do with your other Princeton?
I started with Fender but always wanted to go Marshall. After do big gigs with Marshall I use Fender at the house. There is real value to the Fender clean tone. I guess I think I love Marshall so much and then I hear something like this and go.. nope Princeton all the way. lol
I’ve got one too and it’s awesome…have you had any issues with it overheating? I run mine pretty conservatively and sometimes it just stops. Any advise? I’m a beginner
Landon I'm back here again in June 2022. I'm thinking to trade in some gear to get my first tube amp. I'm stuck on three tweeds: the Pro Junior, the Blues Junior IV, and the FSR Princeton with Cannabis Rex. I know they're very different amps and you'll probably say Princeton, but as it's the most expensive of the lot by $500, I just want to know if you've tried the Pro Jr and Blues Jr IV and what you thought of them (if you have)? Is it Princeton all the way or is there merit in the others? I'll be heading to my local L&M shortly to try them out, but I was curious on your thoughts as well...
@@landonbailey I'll be curious to see how it goes. The Pro Jr and Blues Jr IV are also tweeds, so it'll be a three-tweed shoot-out! Will I choose one? Or none? We'll find out!
Such a beautiful amp. Sounds really good too. I have one. That cheap-ass strap on top has to go though. Should be leather. I'm not sure about that speaker too. It can get flubby at high volumes. There are upgrade packages for them too, if you like to solder. I ordered a Mercury Magnetics output tranny with 8 and 16-ohm taps. I'll be running it through a Marshall 4x12 at times.
Damn, this one sounds like my 78 Deluxe Reverb silver face amp. Bought it used for 300 in 84. Price a bit steep for me but I’m cheap! Max volume was cracking up but still sounded good. Enjoy your wit and organized presentation of thought and material.. Thanks
get Fender Princeton Amps
🛒 Sweetwater sweetwater.sjv.io/NkbG92
🛒 Guitar Center guitar-center.pxf.io/RykDYa
🛒 Zzounds www.zzounds.com/a--3985807
🛒 Fender fender.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lzDtv
🛒 Amazon geni.us/FenderPrinceton
🛒 Andertons bit.ly/3vbiTVz
🛒 Thomann bit.ly/3kaw0yN
After having this amp on my wish list for 3 years I finally bought one a couple months ago. No regrets.
congrats!
Is there there a great difference between the blues jr or is it just a slight difference .
Did the same, love it!
Got mine two weeks ago on my birthday. Love it! 💛 Amazing cleans and versatility.
I had one in the red finish.. stupidly i traded it on for a dsl40 and regret it to this day..
The dichotomy of the awesome tone and demonstrations vs the uniqueness of the host and his humorous presentation always leaves me with a grin. There are no other channels like this on UA-cam. Most of us can see something of ourselves and our own guitar journey in these videos. Another great one, Landon!
hey thanks!
Owned it as soon as it came on the market. Every guitarist that’s ever played it falls in love with it. Great for recording and also clean and works great with pedals
nice! what year was it released?
I have this amp, snd I couldn’t be happier with it.
At only 38 lbs, it was what I needed instead of hauling a Bassman 10 combo around. I also use my Vox 15, and a 65 Twin Reverb.
This Princeton sounds great with my EBMMs, full, rich, articulate. Gnarly when called upon.
I love the simplicity of the settings, and the natural breakup-to-clean ratio. I rarely use any pedal beyond clean boost.
I recommend this amp, with the C-Rex speaker highly.
Hey Landon, your channel is one that actually makes me laugh out loud while giving me tons of info of gear I'm truly interested in. Thanks brother. You make UA-cam more than just information. You make it truly entertaining and that's what I appreciates about you!!!
👍🎸
I bought one Dec 2017 - 65 Blackface PRRI. Phenomenal amp. Also my favorite amp of all time. I am Blown-away by the chimey, glassy tone with my Suhr-strat. I can plug straight-in = and get Lost in the gorgeous tone's with the Reverb & Tremolo. I can get: SRV, Gilmour, Knopfler, Trower & Nile Rodgers tones. Worth every penny. Happy Holidays from NYC
nice! thanks for sharing. cheers!
Funny enough, what I actually like the most about both princeton and deluxe reverb amps is the way they sound cranked and with humbucker guitars. Very underrated OD tone when you crank them, almost reminiscent of the previous "tweed" amps, but with a more refined and tighter bottom end.
ua-cam.com/video/SEJ3zkykUR8/v-deo.html check this out 🎸😝
I love running two amps in wet/dry or stereo. Huge, pleasing tones that I enjoy, regardless of whether an audience can hear the stereo effect out in the hall.
nice!
Wet/dry rules. Makes everything better.
Landon, when you plug in a extension speaker it increases the wattage of the amp from 12 to 15 watts. This works the same for all amps. Thanks for the review...
Thanks for the info!
Just bought one from Sweetwater six weeks ago. LOVE this amp. I have the Deluxe Reverb Tonemaster and Twin Reverb Tonemaster... both excellent amps. But the Princeton is special. The tone is addictive. It is all I play through now.
Very cool!
I love the tones from that thing! Goes great with pedals. The Tele absolutely slams, the SG cranks, and the Jazzmasterblaster rumbles. I used to love using an old Princeton at a club I used to play in Hollywood in the 80s. I made the mistake of bringing my full Marshall stack only to realize there wasn't enough room on the stage. Being a rambunctious fifteen-year-old, I insisted on blasting my Marshall at a bunch of old hippies eating avocado and alfalfa sandwiches. Next time I played there I thought, "I'll just use the house amp." So I brought my pedalboard with the Tube Screamer and Boss Chorus and delay, plugged into the Princeton, and was blown away. It was loud, proud, had amazing tone, and go the point across. And it was already right there on the stage. It was owned by the club. From there on out I always used it when we gigged there. I also borrowed a Princeton that a friend owned because it also sounded amazing. It's defiantly going to be my next amp.
ya it's great!
This is loud enough to do band gigs with?
I had this amp and I sold to upgrade to the ‘64 handwired Princeton. Holy smokes! I thought I loved this amp, but the ‘64 is on a different planet. Love it! Can’t go wrong with a Princeton. Best amp Fender makes in my opinion.
ah nice! I'll have to check that out. what is the biggest difference you've noticed?
True hand wired is worth the extra I have a 61and won't go PCB again
@@landonbailey the difference is a million bucks more
I bought a special run "Fudge Brownie" a couple of years ago...these amps are great. They respond well to tube swaps. I've played around with vintage RCA, Tung Sols, Brimars & Amperex Millard's...they all sounded great with this circuit. But before you run out and spend a fortune on NOS tubes, check the bias on the stock Groove Tubes. Many times Fender ships these biased a bit "cold", bring it up to correct specs and I think you'll find the stock tubes are really good. If you find the reverb and trem isn't a lush as you think it should be...check the bias. Too cold or too hot it won't allow the reverb & trem to sound as good as they should. Also for those with the Jensen speakers....break the speaker in before considering replacing the speaker. I bought the "Fudge Brownie" b/c it came with the Alnico speaker, just prefer that type. At first the Jensen paled in comparison to my amps w/ Webers. Once broken it fully, these Jensens shine.
thanks for sharing!
I put a Weber in my 61and it finally broke in and am floored Was worried at first
When they first came out, I remember looking into the Fudge Brownie Princetons, at the time they didn't cost any more than the 65 reissues. I ended up buying the common black 65 Princeton reissue. I put new JJ tubes in it and put an Eminence Copperhead speaker inside it to tame the treble bite of the high notes. If were to buy the Princeton again, I would have gone with their Fudge Brownie Princeton. I didn't expect Fudge Brownie Princetons to go out of production. At that time a lot of various FSR Princeton amps suddenly came out to in droves. British green, white and orange, turquoise and orange, Vinyl covered floral Princeton amps in pink and blue, Sparkle colored vinyl in red, green, blue, gold, a western stamped tolex edition, the Chilean Blue amp as seen in this video. I will always feel that Fenders Fudge Brownie amp was Fenders most iconic and original Princeton concept
I had this amp for about a year before I decided to try a new speaker in it. Threw in a GA-SC64 and IMO it sounds WAY better than the C-Rex. It was a really good amp before, but now it's just absolutely GLORIOUS
hey cool! thanks for sharing. speaker mods can be fun to try out
Cool im looking for a good allround 12 inch speaker for my Princeton reverb thinking about the same one
I used to always run both my ‘65 & ‘66 Princeton’s in stereo. The sound was amazing. If you know, you know.
Princetons are amazing little amps. Great for small venues and at home jamming or practice. Very versatile 15 watts powerhouses. If I didn't have a 65 deluxe, I'd probably choose a Princeton.
🎸👍
Hi Landon, great job. Very informative. You have a very unique style in your presentation. This will be one of my favorite UA-cam channels. Keep up the good work.
Glad you enjoyed it!
First amp. Picked up at Sweetwater with a PRS 24-08. Love it. Would love a comparison video highlighting what you see as the main differences between your original and this one
ua-cam.com/video/l9AfQy75k8A/v-deo.html
A Princeton with a 12" speaker is a great idea. I have the one with the "fawn" (wheat coloured) tolex and the 12" Celestion Greenback speaker. I was really hoping you were going to do an A-B comparison between your two Princetons so we could here the difference each speaker makes.
I will do a follow up in the future. An A/B and stereo setup video :)
Hey thanks Landon ! Can't wait to hear the comparison. Been wanting a Princeton reverb for awhile. I owned a vintage one years ago and I really miss it.
I have the model with the Can Rex buuut I am contemplating getting a Celestion Alnico Blue to try in it.
When you do the side by side comparison I can see if I have a preference 😃
@@garywalker479 I have tried a Jensen P12Q, and a Celestion Blue, in my Princeton they sounded great, although just a tad to bright for my liking. Especially when adding overdrive pedals, they sound a bit fuzzy to me, which I do mostly. So it’s a trade off. The Cannabis Rex takes overdrive pedals exceptionally well, and a little darker sounding, tightens up the overdrive, takes away that harsh high end. But everyone’s ear is different.
I have the C-Rex in my Blues Junior. It sounds great there too. The Princeton's tube tremolo is gorgeous.
Very nice!
I was at a black sabbath concert back in 1975 in Long Beach California, before the decibel rules kicked in which only allows bands to play at 120decibles when playing indoor venues now, I believe, anyway our bodies were still vibrating for a half hour after the show,and my ears are still ringing, nice little amp Landon, and loud enough to gig with.
that's loud! cheers
Ordered one on Reverb on Friday. Should have it on Wednesday. Anticipating!
Landon, I freaking love your videos. So helpful and you are so Canadian (which is a compliment) and honest. Thank you man!
I appreciate that!
I've been waiting for a demo video of my amp! Nice job!
Glad you liked it!
Great review. I bought this amp about a year ago and it’s one of my favorites. But, it’s not perfect for me. I don’t care for the C-Rex speaker. After some experimentation I ended up with an Eminence GA-SC64 (amazing speaker IMO) which I much prefer, especially with dirt pedals. The C-Rex lacks definition and clarity in the high end to my ears. Somehow it’s fizzy and dark at the same time. The GA-SC64 is very balanced and sounds great clean and dirty.
I also don’t care for the reverb. Way too much dwell. Sounds like you’re playing in the Grand Canyon. I’m using a pedal for reverb.
Lastly, I don’t care for the way the amp breaks up when cranked. Kinda muddy/farty. However, the clean tone is absolutely gorgeous, and with the GA-SC64 dirt pedals sound great.
I’m one of two guitarists and our drummer hits hard. The Princeton has plenty of headroom, surprisingly.
Despite my nitpicks, which really come down to personal taste, this is a fine amp. I’m loving it.
Looks great but no master volume. How to play at bedroom levels?
they didn't have bedrooms when it was designed
@@landonbailey :)
Thought about this one for a while before finally caving and buying one from Sweetwater. Really tried to love the Cannabis Rex but couldn’t get along with it. Popped in a Jensen P12Q and got exactly what I wanted. The Cannabis Rex isn’t a bad speaker but if you’re wanting the stereotypical Fender sound it might not be the best. Great review. Love the channel!
nice! how would you describe the difference between the speakers?
CRex is def darker. It has way more headroom and volume too. I think it takes some dirt a little better though. I think the CRex handles Big Muffs better than the Jensen speaker. Might have to do with how scooped the Jensen is.
I swapped to. Went with the Eminence GA-SC64. No regrets!
One of my fav Radiohead songs. Nice man. I love their whole catalog but I can't get enough of the raunchy guitar tones of the bends.
same! :)
I recently sold my 1969 Princeton,, I don't regret it even though it was a great amp,, I do love vintage fender , I am keeping my 1959 tremolux I'd to know if you've played one of the reissue tremolux??
I've never tried that one! cheers
'65 PRRI demo'd here versus the '68 Custom Princeton Reverb was a tough call for me. I think the ’65 sounds better with humbuckers (Gibson) and I like the warmth of the ’68 with single coils (Fender). For playing out, the ’65 will likely go louder with the 12” speaker and “cut thru the mix” better. For solo or small-scale living room play, I favor the ’68 (after ditching the stock Celestion Ten 30 speaker for a WGS Veteran 10). With the speaker upgrade and an NOS 12AX7 in V1, it has nice, warm, balanced cleans and a pleasing, natural grit that kicks in at lower volume as compared to the '65. The '68 CPR can be tweaked to sound *almost* like the '65 PRRI using the tone controls if desired. I think the '68 is a more versatile amp overall. I plan to try it with an NOS GE 5751 tube in V1 just because it's so easy and I'm curious if the cleans would sound even more like the '65 with a lower-gain preamp tube.
I have the same amp. I paired it with a Tone King Iron Man 2 Mini. The sweet spot is with the volume at 8 (or 5 for clean). The Iron Man let’s you play with the amp at the sweet spot at any volume. I have barely used my overdrive pedals ever since.
Thanks for sharing! I've never heard of that amp
@@landonbailey It’s a reactive load attenuator that allows you to play the amp at much lower volumes while still being able to push the tubes. I use one with my Princeton as well for perfect home volumes.
I have it in my Gremlin head Good stuff but stupidly thought it was actually hand wired instead of hand assembled PCB Oh well
@@ericfarrell1625 I bought a Swart night light Jr and want to try with my 61 but am resisting Do not want to hurt the Princeton
Great amp, had mine for 2yrs now. Also purchased at Long & McQuade
Very nice! I don't think it's very 'Limited Editon' lol
Sounds great, Landon. I really enjoyed this demo.
I agree, I enjoy all of his vids. Do me a favor though, and don't tell Landon I enjoy his vids.
thanks!
I just bought one a month ago but I only played it for a day or two and I was away to work. I love it though. I dreamed of it for months before I got it. I got a bunch of Fender amps now. Blues Deville 4 x 10. Blues Jr. Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb. And of course the new Princeton.
Oh and I finally bought the AC 15 too!!
Very nice.
Is the Vox a must ?
Which one is your favorite?
nice collection!
I spent almost $1000 on a Fender Blues Jr not too long ago, and that’s my forever amp.
nice! I tried one for the first time in a store. pretty cool
It's awesome amp.
Got this amp few years ago. When I bought it I wasn’t aware it had 12 inch speaker! lol. But at the time it sounded best for me when comparing to other Princetons in the store .
However Not long after I bought it I decided to swap Rex speaker to Celestion Blue Alnico and in my opinion it was great choice.
Very nice! I also have another Princeton with a Celestion Blue Alnico speaker.
Is that a J Mascis Telecaster on the wall???? If so, what do you think of it????
it isn't, but inspired for sure: ua-cam.com/video/SrCuP4VJRtI/v-deo.html
I’m glad you were able to magically make that Gibson sg standard appear. I’m thinking about buying the standard version of this amp, and wanted to hear the SG on it. Love it, thanks man
That's beautiful...
I’ve had two - they both blew up - overheated board! I have an original brown face 1964 - never any trouble!
oh that's brutal!
Do you like it even there’s no gain knob?
yes because it handles pedals so well
Do you know where these are made Landon? Pretty expensive, but I think I may pick one up.
ya I think they are USA assembled. If it was Mexico or China it would say that on the rear. They just can't say Made in USA because of strict California requirements
I love this dark night blue Tele ! Amp Sounds great overdriven with the SG.
agreed!
Happy Christmas! Enjoy the new Princeton and have joyous New Year too. Brent
cheers Merry Xmas and Happy New Year!
The Black Princeton Reverb is the 12 2watt with a 10 inch speaker. it sounds just as good as this one cranked.
Cool amp 👌 Count me in for an A/B of the two Princeton’s. I’d like to know if there’s a difference in headroom. I’m sure the 12” Rex is louder overall because it’s a super efficient speaker but I wouldn’t be surprised if that amp breaks up sooner on the volume dial because it’s trying to push a 12 inch speaker that might be more demanding. I dunno, just a guess.
ya will be fun to do!
Ohhhh that's a lovely thing. I don't own a tube amp (yet) but the Princeton is on the list. This FSR really checks a lot of boxes for me, sounds great. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you like it!
I read this amp is in the repair shop often ??? It’s close to 1400.00 that would be devastating to have to repair $$$ please let me know your opinion ?
I’m not aware of that
This is in my wish list for sure. Such a great sounding amp
Good choice!
I had a dear friend build me a 65 Princeton reverb from old parts…
Usual stuff is: original Jensen P12Q from 1955, original transformers etc…
I can’t get a bad sound from this amp.
Princetons FTW
BEST PURCHASE EVER!!!
Seriously though, anyone in the market for or thinking of a Princeton, just get one.
I have always been a fan of the Princeton but eventually wound up going with an Allen Sweet Spot, which is a modified Princeton design. Great amp.
Very cool!
I'm thinking the Allen is hand wired instead of PCB like this ?? Another 750 gets the real thing I'm thinking as well
Your channel should be massive. Period.
hey thanks!
FIRSTISTS!
Fender Princeton Amps
🛒 Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/RyK6Mb
🛒 Guitar Center guitar-center.pxf.io/RykDYa
🛒 Amazon geni.us/FenderPrinceton
🛒 Thomann bit.ly/3kaw0yN
🛒 Reverb reverb.grsm.io/gpuv8wvdgd1p
🛒 Ebay ebay.us/F7bxvx
=============================
Timestamps:
=============================
0:00 - Intro & Unpack
0:23 - What this is
0:50 - Where can you get it?
2:20 - Detailed Specs
3:50 - Amp walkthrough
4:05 - Comparing the levels of INPUT 1 and INPUT 2
4:35 - Amplifier volume at MAX
6:30 - Reverb samples
7:45 - Vibrato samples
8:50 - Fender Telecaster with dirt pedals
9:55 - Gibson SG - clean tones
10:20 - Gibson SG with dirt pedals
11:50 - Fender Jazzmaster clean and with dirt pedal
13:45 - Summary
You were so FIRSTSTS.. You got here a Minute before the Video even came out ⏳😳🤯🎸🤪
magic!
Sounds great! Perhaps you've said it before BUT, I would like to know your thoughts on the Princeton's in general vs a deluxe reverb. Have you tried both, and are there things in one you don't like as much?
Could you say which of your princetons you prefer?id like to buy one,an am a fan of the celestion blue but like the tweed covering..........
I don't have a preference between the two. I'll have a video using both in the new year 👍
You can never have too many teles Landon. Princetons sound amazing great video. 👍
You got that right!
In your opinion, is this amp loud enough to play with a band? Mostly rock with a rhythm guitar, bass and drums.
A 3 piece, I would say yes. However I haven't tried myself, and also how loud of a hitter is the drummer :)
would I need an equilizer for this amp??
Depends on your needs. I like it without
Great demo! Which one is a better amp for low volume home use, Princeton or AC-10c1?
I would say neither for low volume, they are both pretty loud amps
@@landonbailey ok thanks. But as you have these two, which is more suitable for getting great tones at low home volumes?
@@80daytripper The AC10C is hands-down the best vfm amp.
It's just a great amp anyway, esp for clean tones, regardless of price.
@@voiceofexperience i had that vox it was great but the Princeton kills it for beautiful clens and real reverb,,,the vox reveb I believe was digital,,,still a great loud small amp!!
I have a handwired Alessandro with his speaker. Pure sonic paradise.
cool! I don't know what that means though 🤪
@@landonbailey Yeah, he’s a sound tech guru. Handwired and tech’d Eric Johnson amps. He developed a speaker with eminence I believe
I just picked up a '68 Custom Princeton Reverb last week. It's a good amp but the reverb adds white noise/static when it's on. If I can figure out how to fix that, it'll be a spectacular amp.
ya that doesn't sound normal
this dudes editing is actually hilarious
editing makes or breaks the thing
Not that I'll be able to buy a new tube amp until basically this time next year (when I finish paying of the acoustic birthday/Christmas/birthday present to myself I bought this year), but I can't make up my mind in my little internet window shopping research. I love Vox. I have a Valvetronix AD120VTX from the early 2000s that's awesome, and it pretty much stays on the AC30 Top Boost model circuit, but I also love that Fenders take any pedal you throw at them and still sound great, even if they lack some modern features (ahem-output wattage selection) and are still on the upper end of what I'd spend for an amp with X watts. The Marshall DSL40 is insane, but Marshall has never been my preferred tone, and I wish it came in a head-only version. Then again, it comes in a 20w head, and and the Laney Lionheart 20 combo has 20 watts that sound like a Fender amp that's been tweaked and modded to perfection. Obviously, I've given this some thought, but no one carries these amps or has them in stock when I can make it to a store. Just the same solid state do-it-alls that beginners want. Bad enough that I have to buy my guitars basically sight unseen, frets untested, but I know enough to swap pickups, polish frets, etc. But an amp? That's the major source of tone. Everything else depends on the amp: guitar, pickups, pedals, etc. Would it be better to get just an entry level tube amp, like a Fender Bassman, or AC15 and decide what I like? I mean, I want to be gig ready.
I just read a book! :)
@@landonbailey Sorry. My wife is out of town for work, and the dogs are staying at her mother's since I work longer hours this time of year. That being said, the house will be in the immaculate condition she left it in because I'm barely here.
REALLY like this 🥰 what a great amp!! Awesome to have them in stereo & slightly different. Thanks for the vid, hope you’re well
cheers! hope you're well too 👍🎸
Dude, could you link to those little amp stands you have? Or something close?
@@BostonWhoFan515 they are IKEA bathroom stands. They aren’t in production anymore
@@landonbailey ah. Damn. No worries. Is that Princeton too loud for home practice?
I run a Princeton model from my Helix into a Powercab Plus. I love switching between speaker models of the classic stock 10 inch, a 12 inch Cannabis Rex, a 12 inch Creamback, 12 inch Jensen and 12 inch Blue Bell. Totally understand why you would want multiple Princetons with different speakers. It is a great way to create useful and inspiring variations of what may be the best circuit ever wired.
hey cool!
Great addition to the family, now that you have the new twin.
You got that right!
Awesome tone, how do you get stereo? Are used uting the speaker out? If not what is the speaker out outlet for?
I mic'd the front speaker with a single microphone. it's a mono recording in the left and right channels
The 15w and 8 ohm minimum has to do with the minimum power handling and impedance of the speaker requirement.
Very nice, I think I seriously want to pick one of these up. Also love stereo amp setups I have been playing around with them in interesting ways you can play around with tremolo and reverb in different ways to almost make the effect travel left to right giving it a weird dimensional feel.
it's 34 lbs, so you won't pick it up for long. but seriously, it's fun
Great video. Really love your channel. Question - and sorry if this sounds ignorant. I love the way the amp sounds cranked but can't play that loud in the apartment. Without an effects loop, how can I run an attenuator to get that cranked sound at bedroom levels? Thank you in advance
hey thanks! I don't have any experience with attenuators, so I can't offer any ideas
Just aheads up, An attenuator doesn't go in the effects loop. It goes between the amp and the speaker.
@@richardjames6623 I have the jhs little black box and it says to put into effects loop?
@@joelew29 Hey Joel, didn't realize you had the JHS. Thats the only one that's designed to go in the effects loop. All standard attenuators are between the amp and the speaker.
@@richardjames6623 do you think I would be able to use the JHS with this amp?
Hi , Just a question, since I didn´t see your setup, do you run your Tube Screamer into the input of the Joyo Sweet Baby or the other way arround, I saw your pedalboard video but could figure it out because there was a Boss Overdrive as well. If you take your time to answer this question It will help me an others to understand and build basic pedal boards. Thank you, you have great content in your channel, and a great sense of humor as well!
yes TS Mini into the Joyo
Great demo. Will it gig? Can it cut over a moderate loud drummer in classic rock band? Dirty is fine.
I would say in general yes it's loud enough. Most gigs are mic'd anyways right?
Absolutely brilliant
🎸👍
@@landonbailey been a long time fan Landon . I know you are a big gun now . But you need to come on one of our shows next year
Interesting fact, the sound you"re trying to emulate around 9:40 (Radiohead, the Bends if i'm correct) was made with a solid state Fender Eighty-Five and a Marshall Shredmaster pedal, both common and cheap tools, the sound lies in your will and fingers
I have a Fender Deluxe 85 🎸👍
@@landonbailey I have no doubt about that . The pride of owning a nice piece of gear sometimes makes you loose the sense of common utilities
What kind of mic do you have hanging in front of the Princeton? I’m trying to figure out how to best record mine. The only mic i have is a RE-20 with a standard mic stand. Unsure if I should use the RE-20 or not.
Sennheiser e906
I can concur. This is the last amp you'll need. The tone is just superb! The 12" speaker gives it such a nice frequency response.
The tone I was always looking for! I pair mine with a Vox AC10 in stereo and love the results.👌
Right on!
Me too.
@@dalerieger5927 as in you have the same stereo rig?
Yes. Great stereo rig. The combination of the two amps perfectly compliment one another.
@@dalerieger5927 completely agree. It makes me happy knowing somebody else enjoyed the same stereo set up as me! 😊
Marshall put an effects loop on the reissue 1987x and I'm so glad they did! I need an effects loop fender!! Fender makes great amplifiers and a lot of them have effects loops and I just wish the princeton did 🤷♂️
sounds loopy
@@landonbailey 🤣
That's a sweet amp. I think I'll be using part of my Christmas bonus and getting a Princeton for myself.
Guitar Center has a couple different limited editions. A Tweed with 12" Celestion and a Borduex Reserve with a 12" Jensen. They both sound fantastic. Probably gonna get the Tweed.
probably can't go wrong with either, enjoy it!
@@landonbailey I bought the GC Tweed Princeton last week at a great price. I'm in love.
I bought the tweed with the celestion and it’s so awesome. I bought a cannabis Rex to compare speaker differences but keep going back to loving the celestion more
@@sleekslush Right on! I'm in agreement with you. I had a blues jr at one point with the cannabis rex speaker and couldn't get along with it. I returned it within the GC return period.
So what I should have asked you before is… do yohh in notice a little or big difference between the 2? I’m thinking about getting a normal Princeton. Like the 10” one. Have you tried one of those? And again that blue one seems nice. How close are they?
I haven't tried a 10" Princeton side by side so I can't say
I miss mine! But I’m at a tweed deluxe copy and couldn’t be happier though I miss having a built in reverb and trem :(
🎸👍
Question how come you don't make it in a 212
I don't make any amps! :)
you could play a donner with a broken pickup thru that thing and it would sound fantastic. really nice stuff, homie.
this amp sounds good powered off, and just looking at it
That reverb sounds brilliant
it's great for sure!
I bought this, and as a new player I hear people tell me it’s not a ‘real’ Princeton and I’m not getting an authentic fender sound. Yet others seem to love it and say it sounds like fender amps of old. I’m very confused.
do you like it? then dont worry about what other people say 😆🎸👍
Never bought a Fender special run, will these ever come back in stock at Sweetwater or are they all done?
I see them here at local shops. Best to contact Sweetwater, they would know the status for sure
I love this amp Lovely sound completely different to my Vox AC15 Although for me the vox just wins
ya great amps. I like Vox a lot too
You got it, that’s my perfect amp. Thanks for the demo.
Glad you like it!
O M G .. Must have .. Thanks for sharing Landon !
Thanks for watching!
Cool amp. Love the tweed looks. The SG sounds superb to me. Lovely
cheers!
You didn't play anything close but somehow, the dirty Tele from 9:05 made me search for "Taillights Fade" (again).
Bones by Radiohead
@@landonbailey Ah ... Thanks.
Traditionally tweed amps had slightly different circuits. There was a difference in tone in tweed brown and black amps
good to know thanks!
I can’t watch the demo rn because I’m waiting putting my kids to bed, but I’m excited about this video. I’ve owned this amp for a while and it’s so good. What are you going to do with your other Princeton?
I'm going to keep it and play it
I started with Fender but always wanted to go Marshall. After do big gigs with Marshall I use Fender at the house. There is real value to the Fender clean tone. I guess I think I love Marshall so much and then I hear something like this and go.. nope Princeton all the way. lol
I read that too quickly at first and thought you had an out house 😛🎸👍
@@landonbailey It was supposed to be at instead of out... I fixed it... sorry.
I’ve got one too and it’s awesome…have you had any issues with it overheating? I run mine pretty conservatively and sometimes it just stops. Any advise? I’m a beginner
no I haven't run into that. That doesn't sound good though
Thanks…gonna take it to a pro
Landon I'm back here again in June 2022. I'm thinking to trade in some gear to get my first tube amp. I'm stuck on three tweeds: the Pro Junior, the Blues Junior IV, and the FSR Princeton with Cannabis Rex. I know they're very different amps and you'll probably say Princeton, but as it's the most expensive of the lot by $500, I just want to know if you've tried the Pro Jr and Blues Jr IV and what you thought of them (if you have)? Is it Princeton all the way or is there merit in the others? I'll be heading to my local L&M shortly to try them out, but I was curious on your thoughts as well...
I haven't tried the two smaller amps, but they have a Tweed version of the Blues Junior that looks cool
@@landonbailey I'll be curious to see how it goes. The Pro Jr and Blues Jr IV are also tweeds, so it'll be a three-tweed shoot-out! Will I choose one? Or none? We'll find out!
Such a beautiful amp. Sounds really good too. I have one. That cheap-ass strap on top has to go though. Should be leather. I'm not sure about that speaker too. It can get flubby at high volumes. There are upgrade packages for them too, if you like to solder. I ordered a Mercury Magnetics output tranny with 8 and 16-ohm taps. I'll be running it through a Marshall 4x12 at times.
Damn, this one sounds like my 78 Deluxe Reverb silver face amp. Bought it used for 300 in 84. Price a bit steep for me but I’m cheap! Max volume was cracking up but still sounded good. Enjoy your wit and organized presentation of thought and material.. Thanks
cheers!
Wanted more than rhythm pickup clean and lead pickup maxed out on the SG!
I use this amp in most of my recent videos, so you can hear a ton more. :)
I have a vox AC 15 ans Blues deluxe. Would the princeton be a little redundant?.aybe i dont care
not really, it's more for cleans, and can handle pedals really well.