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There's a lotta reasons for why I have these thoughts... I'm 73, I owned a Princeton, Super Reverb, a twin reverb, and a Bandmaster back in the day (besides other amp brands)... I've owned several Fender and Gibson guitars. My hay day I guess was the late 1960s to mid 1980s actively playing gigs and recording. To me listening to the comparisons, I like the Fender Blues Junior. It's mellow when wanted, crunchy when needed, a little fatter richer sound to my ears, and seems to be a little more responsive to your different touches and riff & chord styles. Great comparison Jack, and of course my opinion is from an old guy and very subjective. I haven't owned a Fender amp for many years (working the corporate life) but now I'm retired and looking around again at Fender amps. Geez, they're expensive now days, so I guess the lesson was I never should have sold any of the Fender amps I ever owned. (ha ha) Yet, I still have a 1966 Fender Mustang, a 2001 Stratocaster, and a 1966 Johnny Smith Gibson. Thanks for this presentation and taking the time to reveal these comparisons between the two amps. It was very helpful.
Taught myself how to use a multimeter & solder during lockdown. I safely discharged my amp, eplaced the crappy original caps in my BJ mk 2 with some F & T's, replaced a bunch of out of spec resistors, fitted a Cannabis Rex & managed to score a larger Mojotone tweed cab. This amp is now all the amp I'll ever need, I swear...very happy!
I recently switched from a Blues Jr. III tweed to a Princeton and your experience mirrors my own feelings. I went with the Sweetwater exclusive Princeton with the 12" Cannabis Rex. Very happy.
I have the 12" Princeton with the alnico Jensen. I wonder what the sonic differences between these two are. I'm very happy to have one with a larger speaker though.
@@scottcline87 I have the same amp. Wine colored tolex? Sounds amazing. I upgraded to that from my Blues Jr. I still have both. Also got a Mark V which is a totally different beast.
Yes!! Please do more “Amp verses Amp” videos, there's not enough of them and a huge lack of good ones that's for sure. I'd love to see some modeling amp thrown in the mix as well with proper adjustments made. It's so cool to see how different amps sound. I can't make up my mind when it comes to Amps, basically ever! lol
I owned both of these amps. I just moved 4000kms across Canada and decided to part with 6 of my 9 amps. It was an easy choice for me. The Princeton stayed (along with a AC15 hand wired, and a Fender Acoustisonic ) The Blues Jr went, the Twin went, the Mesa went and three others went, too. I’m very happy with what I kept. But now I’m shopping for a Magnatone. Peace
I own a Princeton reissue, a burgundy Blues Jr. two Hot Rods, a Blues Deluxe Reverb, a Deluxe Reverb, a few Champs and a couple of other Fender amps 40w and 50 w . My favorite is the Princeton. My Twin I use at home because its just too heavy to lug around. At 72 I need to lighten up a bit. I also use a 50w Boss Katana a great deal these days.
I have the Princeton tweed reissue and a BOSS Katana 100 MKII, and they're both great. Sold a Blues Junior IV to finance the Princeton and have never looked back.
Jack, your playing was beautiful in this video. So . .. . for some years I've had two Blues Jrs, both with Eminence speaker upgrades. They are both wonderful, and can't be beat for small venue gigging. Over the past decade, I also saved-up and traded to wind up with two hand-wired Princetons. Hard to describe how much I like them. I"m a life-long sucker for Fender reverb. To summarize, If I had to pick just one (but I could keep my other amps) I'd keep one of my Blues Juniors, probably the one with the Swamp Thing speaker. If I had to give up all my other amps, then I'd keep a Princeton -- which BTW is the first amp I played an electric guitar through; all the way back in 1975 AD when I was still really a drummer.
I have had both of these and a Bassbreaker 15. Don't agonize over which is best. They are different. Have fun and play as much as you can. I have a tweed Princeton Reverb now with a Cannibis Rex speaker....for now. The Blues Junior could roar through a 4x12. Pissed off neighbor etc. Fun memories 🎸✌
I own a BJ iv, and have until recently had a princeton on loan, so been playing them back to back A LOT. I don't think the princeton is worth twice as much. Beautiful clean tone, with wonderful presence, but a bit fizzy overdriven. Sounds thinner than the BJ. The BJ iv is FAT. I came to the conclusion that I preferred the BJ. However the point I really wanted to make, use them both together! Fantastic in stereo. Compliment each other very well IMO
Had a Blues Jr. with a speaker mod. It was OK but I didn’t want to do any more mods. Sold it. Bought a 1975 silverface PR for $550 in about 2010. Spent several hundred dollars replacing capacitors, some tubes, and installing a Weber speaker. The PR is my forever amp and I have had several vintage Fender amps ( DRs, Vibrolux, Vibroverb). Also have a very nice Goodsell el84 amp. I have a 67 VibroChamp that will also keep till the end I imagine. Something about a hand wired PR that floats my boat. Maybe if you are more into blues and rock the BJ will do it for you but if you want a versatile clean platform for a variety of styles then the PR, especially a vintage one would be the ticket. Classic 6v6 tubes are my preference over eh 84. Also, do not like the reversed control panel on top of the BJ! I put a Weber in my PR, cost about $90 10 years ago. Great speaker for the PR.
The difference between Input 1 and Input 2 is -6db. Rule of thumb is Input 1 is for single coils Input 2 is for humbuckers. This is how it is for the Hot Rod Series at least. Thanks for the video!
Thanks Jack! I've been playing Blues Juniors ever since they first came out. I've had pretty much all Fender Tube amps for well over 50 years, but found the BJ Cream Boards to do just about everything I've needed, from Blues bands to a 9 pc Western Swing Band. I also have a Deluxe Reverb for outdoor shows, etc,, but we mostly play small breweries & clubs, so use the BJ's way more often. I have been wanting a Princeton Reverb lately, but have to sell off some stuff first. I was amazed last week when I got a Tweed BJ in a trade. The Tweed has a C12N speaker that REALLY sounds better! I played a show last night with it, and was extremely happy that the tone held up under actual conditions, unlike some amp/speakers that sound great until you're playing with a band and in front of an audience. I still want a PR, but am pretty happy with this Tweed BJ for now, although it's a little heavy on the bass end. If you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear them. so you know what I need, I don't use pedals, and 99% clean tones, with a tiny bit of breakup while playing Blues, but pretty much clean for Jazz, Swing, Jump Blues, Country, etc Thanks!
@@scottburns2345 There are so many effects that have stereo outputs and almost mystical stereophonic possibilities. After the performance, you can easily grab both these amps and transport them to your car before the girl that you are talking to begins to overthink things, leading to a possible diminution of a magical moment.
Dude... Your amp videos are... literally second to none!!! You know your shit in a way that is undeniable. Huge respect. I have a (hopefully) quick question... and maybe a "video idea suggestion" for a future video. I bought a Blues Junior back... circa... 2003-04. I have never heard of Fender, or any amp company really, putting out "versions" of tube amps, such as the Blues Jr. III and IV. I have heard of "versions" such as... the '57 vs. the '64, but never mkIII etc. Anyway... I have always wondered what was the REAL reason for this. I don't think that the Blues Junior has ever been Fender's "fine wine" amp... so I cannot imagine they are changing the schematic to "dial in" some aspect of the tone. I would think it must be due to something more boring like... some component availability... or maybe... just so they can call it the "mkIII or mkIV". I cannot find any videos on RUclips that do a side-by-side of a Blues Jr. I, II, II, and/or IV. I'd be willing to loan you my Blues Jr. (1) if you could find a II, III, and a IV... if you'd ever like to talk about what the difference(s) are... if any. Just a thought.
I'd like to hear a 10" Celestion Gold in a PR compared to a 12" Celestion Gold, the 10" might sound better? I think a 10" speaker is best in that size cabinet, leaves it room to breathe, but 12" speakers sound great too, even better in a Deluxe Reverb larger cabinet - that really makes a difference. I'd like to hear a Princeton Reverb circuit in a Deluxe Reverb sized cabinet...maybe build one?
The Blues Jr is highly misunderstood, shipped with tubes that limit it's potential an inhibit versatility and for some reason have a plastic jack that breaks if you look at it the wrong way. Having said that, if you swap out the tubes a 12AY7 for the 12AX7 provides more overhead before breakup , replace the jack with something more sturdy and understand that the trick to getting the most out of the Blues Jr is to turn the Master up to 12 and use the volume knob... for volume you're goign to have one small monster amp. But so many people complain about the "boxy" sound of the Blues Jr. But if they were to do as I just said, it would be a "Holy Schnikes" moment. If you need distortion, a pedal is the best way to achieve it. The Blues Jr, with only 15 watts is a really, really loud amp when used correctly.
I think people also misunderstand the use of the volume vs master. If you need the amp to be loud but still want headroom, you keep the volume low and max out the master. If you want breakup at low volumes, you heighten the volume and control the loudness with the master knob. If that's not enough for you, then you can upgrade tubes.
I own both amps. USA made Bjr, and 12” PRRI. Blues Jr has EL84 power tubes, solid state driven reverb which is very weak even after a new reverb tank & Frimel mods. CRex speaker swap and MM output transformer cut down on the shrillness. The Princeton has 6V6 power tubes, tube driven incredible reverb & bias shifting tremolo. The 12” Jensen P12Q is a great match for it. To my ears, there is just no comparing these two amps- The PRRI blows the Blues Jr away.
The 65 Princeton with a 10" speaker sounds thin to me. I played one recently and this video really reinforces my view of it, it does sound better with humbuckers. I tried the 68 Princeton and it sounded great! It was warmer with a little more bass. The problem (for me) is it breaks up quicker, being a jazz guitarist I didn't think it would have enough headroom. I recently ordered the 65 Princeton with a 12" speaker and am hoping it will be the best of both worlds. I had a Blues Junior IV and just sold it, it sounded harsh to my ear. There is something missing in that amp, although I have to say it sounds very good here. Thanks for the video.
Hello regard321, When I received the amp it had a stock Fender speaker in it. It was 'ice picky' for lack of a better description, and I could not get a warm sound out of it. I replaced the speaker with a Cannabis Rex 12" and it made all the difference in the world. I think you could just replace the speaker in the 65 Princeton 10" and it would solve the issue I had with it. Cheers!
I loved this comparison. One of the first tube amps I owned was a 1962 Brownface Princeton. Wish I still had it but it kept blowing speakers. Of course at 12 watts with a 10" speaker it lived most of its life at 10. Regarding your comment on Input 1 and Input 2 on older tube amps. Most of the early amps I owned had didn't have 1 and 2 on the inputs. They had Microphone/Guitar, Accordian/Guitar and 1/2. One channel was always louder than the other. Early on, the microphone went in channel one and the guitar went in channel 2 because you wanted the audience to hear the singer. In those days not all bands or bars had PA systems. You used what you had. There were also low and high impedance microphones so you used the slot that worked better. My Ampeg had the Accordian and Guitar plugs, again, the impedance was different between the two instruments. Towards the 70's I started seeing Input 1 and Input 2. We had one guitar amp in the band I was in so the lead guitar got the louder channel. When we could afford two amps we found that my Les Paul would balance out better in Input 2 while a Strat would work better in #1 since the volume in #1 was louder. Then we just started using #1 for everything because at 16, once each of us could afford our own amps, all the guitar players wanted to be heard. That's the background within my experience.
Believe it or not I have a lot of experience with old Ampegs! I remember an older blues player telling me “plug into the accordion input, that’s where the tone is” - one of the early times I experimented with alternate inputs. I owned a Jet for a long time and I currently own a 65 Reverberocket
@@JackFossett I had the Gemini 2 and a Reverb Rocket and a Jet but try as I might, I still love the sound of an old tube fender. Currently have 2 Blues Juniors and Blues Deluxe Reissue and don't see me getting rid of them. They sound great, especially the Reissue.
I have had a couple of Blues juniors over the years and I have always liked them very much. I recently bought a Princeton RI and after gigging it once I came to the conclusion that I really don't like the sound of the Princeton. After a lot of searching around I discovered that a lot of people complain about how bright and thin sounding the Princeton is, mainly due to the stock Jensen C10R speaker. I finally swapped out the Jensen for a Celestion Greenback and I am much happier with the warmer, thicker tone. Huge difference. If you have a Princeton with a stock Jensen C10R and you are finding it thin and brittle sounding I would highly recommend that you look for a better speaker, real deal changer.
Having both as well and owned many nice old Mesa boogies and boutique stuff, it’s kind of one of those things like this. If you want to record and play in your room by yourself, and really love sparkly cleans, get the Princeton or blackface style amp. If you have a bar gig and have a few overdrive pedals and want to be heard easily in a band and still have good warm tone, grab the blues junior. The best guitar tone I ever heard live was actually a 70 dollar klon clone pedal into a blues junior Sometimes the twin and Princeton sounds good when you are playing by yourself but gets lost when you play in a mix
2 classic amps. To my ears, the single coils pair best with the BJ because it fattens up the tone. Conversely the humbuckers pop better clarity with the Princeton…I think overall that the BJ makes the most sense for live settings and the Princeton is a better studio tool
I sold my Blues junior tweed last week as I wanted to change it up. I thought it sounded quite bright and would get a bit muddy when driven. I bought a Princeton 65 RI today. Worth every penny over the blues junior… the tone sounds more balanced to my ears and much more note clarity. The Blues Junior tweed is no slouch though.
Great video comparison… Thanks for sharing! For me, the big difference is simply this… BJ uses EL84 tubes… The Princeton has 6V6 tubes. Taste in sound is purely subjective for each person. If you’re primarily a clean sound player with such effects as a little overdrive… Tremolo or slap back, The choice is clear. 6l6 or 6V6 would be my amp of choice.
After many years playing a 65 Twin Reverb, I switched to the Blues Jr Tweed. It kind of does the job but I think it just doesn’t have the round warm sound that one would want. You can have fun though with it but it just misses the great fender tone that I used to love
I own both. I love both equally. Blues jr has bill m mod with an old Oxford 30watt speaker. Swapped the 10" speaker in the for an Oxford 12". Both oxfords came out of my 66 Pro reverb which got a pair of Jenson c12n's.
Good feedback on these two, thanks. I appreciated all the Speaker comments, and agree that Weber makes a great speaker for smooth breakup. I have one in my BJ.
Had and played the Princeton 65 reverb. Have the Blues Jr. I'm ok with it. Projects better when loud. I use a Celestion Anniversary 30 watt. And sometimes a Jensen Blackbird 40. Put a Jensen P10 in my Princeton. Changed it back to original Fender Speaker
The Blues Junior/tweed sounds thicker and the Princeton sounds thinner and glassy. To be honest, I think they're both great sounding amplifiers, especially when being played with humbuckers.
The Jr has that nice fat, thick syrupy tone and I love it. The Princeton sounds good but more thin and watery. Of course I wouldn't turn down either one of them, lol.
I've had both amps...Running both together was very cool...however, after 3 years, I could not make friends with the Blues Jr. III, so I started looking for affordable alternative that would compliment the Princeton...After some research, I decided to give the Fender Pro Jr. IV a try, (never considered the Pro Jr. because it doesn't have a reverb tank)....I A/B'd the BJ III and the Pro Jr. IV...the tone of the Pro Jr. IV blew me away and I no longer own the Blues Jr. III...the Pro Jr. IV is a loud 15 watts and 2 knobs, volume and tone...takes pedals well...a Keeley Omni Reverb, a Nobels ODR-1 and a Boss GE-3 works really well or just the reverb and working the volume and tone controls on the guitar sounds great...it compliments the Princeton and running both amps together sounds really cool...
The Pro Jr is such an under-rated amp. Just picked up a Pro Junior and am going to try it with my Champ. Might have to buy a Princeton too and try it with the Pro Junior eventually lol
As always Jack never disappoints, I’ve had a BJII loaded with a Vintage 30, loved it, but I always found that the clean tones were not enough “Fender-esque”, the mids are amazing, but when you really crank it up you can hear the bass frequencies starting to give up and get muddy
I own both of these amps. The Blues Junior (mine is a Limited Edition tweed, with the Jensen speaker) can provide more growl for hard-rocking blues. My '65 Princeton blackface is also a special edition amp, in knotty pine with a 12" creamback speaker, and while it has less grit than my BJ, it's reverb is more luscious and of course it has the vibrato effect. I like my Princeton best for my tone, but probably wouldn't if it only had the 10" speaker. But it's more than twice the cost of the Blues Jr, which is a great amplifier for $600-$700.
Clean: Slight preference for the Princeton. It sounds more complex and has that classic Fender sparkle in the treble range. Dirty: Strong preference for the Blues Junior. It's grittier, has more character, sounds more "rock and roll". I have owned both and they're both great amps.
Blues jr. did better than I expected as well. I have a Frontman 25 watt that the Princeton reminds me of and I love that tone as well. Hope that doesn’t sound too weird. I was liking the sound of the Blues jr. on this post a little better more than the Princeton though.
Can't speak to the Princeton, never played one. However I do own the Blues Jr. III and was pretty frustrated with it. The boxy sound is real, hated it and could not get rid of it. Until I thought to run the amp thru an extension cab, a 2x12 Kustom in my case. It was like night and day. The amp actually sounded beautiful. And then that let me finally get to know the amp and how to set it up for what works for me. I keep the fat swatch on (I play mostly Teles and Strats), then set up the amp eq around that for a clean sound. Then when I want crunch, I turn up the volume 1/4 turn from where it was. And then when I want lead I step on my favorite boss OD pedal. Works great for me.
Speakers in general make a big difference in the Blues Jr - the C12n is a fine speaker but not actually suited for this amp IMO. Needs something clearer and with a softer top end.
@@JackFossett Yes, I tried a number of speaker replacements, nothing really worked. Tried Canibis Rex, Red White and Blues, a few Celestions and nothing was getting it. Finally took the on board speaker completely out and just using extension cabs for it.
I got a Laney Cub12R to go with my Tweed Blues jnr iii. Very happy with those two. A Princeton is crazy expensive in Australia. More than those two amps combined.
I found out from a forum to set the Blues Jnr Master on Full and the pre amp on 2. Wow. Try it. Man it blew me away. Usually we have the pre amp on full and set the master on 2.
Cool fun video. My 2cents. For Princeton turn bass and treble down to have more mids and less volume so you can turn it up more. Add a mid control, and a Celestion Blue (dam they are loud) or Jensen P12Q and you have sparkle, volume and one super sweet package. If you are in Oz checkout Achillies so good.
@@JackFossett I have watched many reviews of the IV. Seems a lot of players like the Texas Heat and the Patriot. I have heard good things about the Rex. All a matter of choice to the ear.
I have played both, and without a master volume, the PR is only going to sound great at one volume. The BJ is absolutely fantastic for allowing you to dial in the headroom.
I'd go for the latest and greatest version of the Blues, Jr. and add a tremolo pedal and a Fuchs Plush Drive. I think Fender would be wise to incorporate the Bill M. mods to further improve the amp. And as far as the Princeton is concerned I would like to see Fender offer it in the limited edition Knotty Pine cabinet as a standard offering with a MIDDLE tone control and the best possible reverb.
Ok Jack, why was I late to watch this video for 5 days while I'm a subscriber (with the bell enabled)?🤣 For me personally it is the most useful video you have made because I already have the blues junior, while I am waiting for the right time to get the princeton as well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and greetings from Greece!
I haven't played them yet, but I was looking for a nice little tube amp and these two amp were the ones I was thinking of. I expected the Princeton to be better (probably because of the price difference), but I actually prefer the sound of the Blues Junior by a lot. Maybe that's because I am a Vox type of guy. Don't know.
I've had several of both over the years and still have 1 of each' the Princeton gets less play time outta the 9 tube amps I own' I'm a mostly 80's/90's country and 70's/80's southern rock lead player' dialed in right' the BJ can cover alot more territory vs the Princeton. People complain about the BJ being boxy/ the reverb so on and so on' I don't find any of that to be true' all the basic EQ section is there including a mid control' minor tweaks can go a long way once you have a basic set up. Princeton is basically a plug in and play amp. If you're hunting for a 1'st time tube amp' check out the vox ac10 which is based off the AC 30 top boost channel and doesn't cost that much compared to the previous 2. I'm currently using 2 of them in stereo and we'll satisfied with them. Plenty of headroom also.
The Princeton started to get fartty when you drove it hard but in the clean realm it was just prettier sounding. That fender sound it has. I played the Blues Jr. Tweed with the upgraded speaker for years in a classic rock band. Its just a great grab and go amp and works great with pedals. When I decided to upgrade I went to a Supersonic 22 ,the blond with the oxblood , and it looked killer too. For right now I don’t think I need anymore amps then the 4 fenders I own. If I ever get a Princeton, Im really interested in the one with a 12 in speaker. Fender made some Burgundy color with Wheat Fronts that I really liked.
I’ve heard a lot of people talking bad about the blues jr. I don’t understand, sounds really good from what I’ve heard. Especially if you mod it. Personally I a have a 60 watt amp with too much headroom. Looking for an amp to play through PA’s when gigging that breaks up early
Really enjoy your videos with Princetons and Blues Juniors. I have them both and constantly wonder to myself which I like best. Can't come to a conclusion.
nice video...great comments too! I bought my old nashville tele used, and tried it out with a tweed blues junior that was in the store...best that fiddle ever sounded.
I've given this a thumbs up purely for the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit analogy. Yes the Blues Jr holds up ok, and on a rainy day it'll keep you occupied. But the Princeton is the one I'd be happier plugging in again and again.
I have the Bordeaux '65 Princeton reissue with the 12" alnico Jensen. It sounds beautiful. Got it used for $500 of the new price. I plan to upgrade the electronics and caps down the line.
The correct answer to the opening question is: “Get a Quilter Aviator Cub.” It’s a rather impressive amp that does so many great Fender sounds. I put a celestion creamback in mine and it made a great amp even better. As a Fender fan, you should check out the Cub sometime.
Been playing blues jrs since they first came out….still using the same ones and haven’t hardly done any repairs except where I’ve broken off knobs . Using two together is wonderful ! They put out a great sound and the main difference between them and most amps is the mid output,you get a high mid boost with them which is great for leadwork….they really cut! Work excellent with effects,and many times I only need one…if you want really pretty use the Princeton if you play in a band use the blues jrs!my opinion!
I agree. Try pairing a BJr with a Pro Jr. in a wet/dry rig (Pro Jr dry) and holy boy it’s awesome! I’m not super comfortable bringing a $1500 amp to a bar band gig. The BJr/Pro Jr combo is better for that environment imo. Plus, having a smaller two amp rig has ya covered if an amp goes down for some reason…
Wow! Thanks for convincing me that I don't need a Princeton and that my Western Tolex/Cannabis Rex/Junior 3 was a great choice. I didn't care at all to the fizz/eq/drive of the princeton though I assume a speaker upgrade would help a bit. I love being able to tweak the balance of drive/volume and the 3 way eq of the Blues Jr, And yes I like it a bit scooped like your other video demonstrated.
Great video. Well, it chocked me, and let me a little sad, because I just bought a Blues Junior LTD (2021). I am brazilian, spending a year in the USA, and this is my opportunity to get a tube amp. I like the Ritchie Blacmore and SRVaughan sounds. So I got myself a Fender Stratocaster Pro II and this amp. I hope not to regret.
I owned a Blues Deville and currently own a tweed Blues Jr III (like yours). The Blues Deluxe and Blues Deville amps had a Drive button. (The Hot Rod Deluxe and Deville have a Drive and a More Drive.) In my opinion, the Fat switch on the BJr is nothing more than the Drive button, borrowed from its bigger siblings. Essentially just a “Tube Screamer-ish” gain button that accentuates the mids. Just my opinion, based on what I’ve experienced.
Let me ask a rookie question. I only just started playing guitar, although I have been playing drums and piano for over 30 years. When I was a kid, I used to own a Bassman 50 with a large (supposedly 18", but I am not sure anymore, might even have been a 15") speaker cabinet, all original Fender. Being a stupid kid, I tried to sell it, and nobody would buy it because there were MANY copies out there, and they were all afraid because of the large speaker box, convinced it was a fake. So I exchanged it for a cheapo Yamaha PSR because I needed a midi keyboard. Sad story, really. So now, as I am trying to equip my own personal studio, and learning guitar, I got a Roland Jazz Chorus 50 (all original, no reissue), and an Epiphone Valve Junior with the matching cabinet. I got a Strat, a Diamond (Ibanez factory form the 70's, wonderful guitar) Les Paul and a Harley Benton DeLuxe Tele. Also a plethora of pedals and rack effects and preamps. But I can not forget that Bassman. Back then I just used it for bass and sometimes also vocals, but I got so fond of that Fender tone. Also, a while ago, my ex guitarist got lucky and bought a reissue Blues DeLuxe tweed for some 400 or so bucks! In amazing condition, even. Maaaan, that amp! So, back to my question: since I do not plan to play a lot of rock, and overdrive is not a thing I am looking for, I am mostly going to play it clean and use pedals, exclusively in the studio, mostly for blues, pop and funk, what is the cheapest Fender amp that, in your opinion, would be right for me? I don't care whether solid state or tubes, but I don't need fancy electronics (that's to say I don't like any modelling of any kind, I prefer the right stuff, because in the studio environment I sometimes, well, most of the time, can actually hear the difference).
Princeton Reverb! Been planning to buy a Jr. for a couple of years, and then a PR came along at a very reasonable price, and I jumped on it. Never looking back... I also play a lot of clean, Country etc. Perfect amp for that.
Jack, can't wait to see your take on the Quilter Aviator Cub. I bought a Cub instead of going with a Blues Jr or Princeton. It fills the same role as a compact Fender-voiced combo amp. I'm till getting used to it but am liking it. Would love to see you do some comparison to all your classic Fenders. (My #1 is a 65 Super Reverb RI. #toneheaven)
Oh cool! Bet your not too keen on taking the Super out though… I love my twin reverb but it pretty much stays put at home. Which leads nicely into the first part of the question - I actually have extremely limited experience with Quilter gear, but it seems up my ally
@@JackFossett I bought the Aviator Cub as a compact alternative to lugging the Super around. It seems with Fender amps there is a direct relationship between pounds and tone :) It's worth the workout to take the Super out. But I'm not getting any younger, so...hence the Quilter. It's got it's own thing going on. And it really shines when two channels are merged with a Y-Cable: everything sounds bigger and fuller.
Stock Blues Jr. reverb seems unusable to me in either the III or IV iterations. A used Blues Jr. is usually far less expensive so I can easily live with the difference between the two. I'd be interested to see you put a Mercury transformer in a Jr. and stack it up against another Jr. and then a Princeton. Curious... what pick do you use?
Am I the only one that thinks that the Blues Jr's natural overdrive actually sounded better? Clean sounds the Princeton wins hands down though. And since I would rely more on pedals for overdrive, I'd go Princeton as well. That reverb as well... it's no Super, but you can definitely hear it's pedigree.
I like the junior i like the pro blues junior just a little more! Im kinda sweet on the stapleton princeton brown face too. What a time to be alive and be a guitar player. Now if the price of gas became normal again i couldnt have a complaint in the world
My two cents: I was very surprised because right out of the gate in the side by side clean tone comarison using the Strat, the Blues JR sounded fatter and fuller , with the Princeton sounding surprisingly thin by comparison. Where the Princeton really seemed to shine was when played clean with the Les Paul -- a nice full chime. I didn't think either one sounded too good with the pedals. I don't think I would ever buy a Blues JR though because I don't like that Fender used particle board construction on them.
Have owned both. I wouldn't recommend a Blues Jr. to an enemy. One spends too much time and money doing mods and speaker swaps to get it to sound good, it never really does. My Princeton Reverb reissue was a glory. My lead guitarist told me that if he had ever heard a Strat sound like mine he would have switched from Gibsons. It was the amp. Sold it a few years ago, regretted it ever since. Yesterday I got the new Tone Master version of it, which is less expensive and weighs 19 pounds (my old back loves that), and it sounds great. It sings, the lows are astounding. Can't stop playing it. Get that one or a good old tube version, there's a reason it is one of the most used studio amps in history, folks.
Excellent comparison. Another thumbs up for the PR. I was in a band a few years ago and the other guitarist's 50 watt Marshall struggled to keep up with the little Fender.
On the video I prefer the tone of the Blues Jr. I know it's probably much different in person, but I've played them both in person as well and came home with the Blues Jr. LTD 75th Anniversary Tweed.
Both amps sound very nice. I am partial to the blackface amps, so it's no secret what I'd buy first. But the Blues Jr is basically the closest thing to a mini Bassman though, and someday I might pick one up, especially if I get a deal on a used one Also note that the Blues Jr's are fairly cheaply made and not very reliable where the Princeton has a solid track record for what it's worth. I generally like the P10N speakers in my super reverb. The alnico adds character, but also limits the amount of gain you can add through pedals as it will get harsh fast. If I was going to try to replace speakers, I think I would shell out for Alnico Tone Tubbys.
I was in the market for a clean Fender tube amp, and I was considering a Blues Jr. I mentioned in a comment on another video that I was looking for a Fender tube amp for bedroom volumes and was considering a Blues Jr., and someone replied that if you get a Blues Jr., you’ll more than likely wish you got a Princeton Reverb RI instead. Considering most RUclips comments aren’t constructive, that was the best advice I ever received. I did research on Princetons and went with the Sweetwater exclusive tweed 65 Princeton Reverb RI w/ a cannabis Rex and it was the best decision ever. Tube amps are pricey, so I appreciate you validating my decision!
Yes, most people would say Princeton is better, but keep in mind the master volume is key in a lot of situations. That being said, I don't think Blues Juniors are particularly great home amps if you can't get a little volume. Mine goes from off to loud! w/ a few small turns. And it doesn't really come alive IMO w/o a little volume. I think Princetons are the first line of amps that someone could show up to a gig w/ and everyone thinks you may have chosen that amp because you like Princeton the best. Right or wrong, the blues junior is still seen IMO as a kind of beginner tube amp (though it shouldn't be IMO).
I would love to see a Blues jr iv vs the Princeton reverb. I am trying to decide which one to buy. I love the deep basey sound with little to no tremolo. Please do that comparison.
The 'fat' switch on the Blues Jr engages the cathode bypass cap on the second gain stage triode in the amp. This is not at all the function of the inputs 1 and 2 on the Princeton, which simply pads down input 2 to compensate for different volume guitars.
I have a hand wired 64 Princeton reissue. For my taste. The Princeton is sooooooooooo perfectly organic, pure and warm and sexy and all things delicious!!! I definitely would hold onto the $ for the hand wired Princeton. It’s almost impossible to capture tone in video tests like this, with all due respect. When I can feel the amp in a room when I play it, then that’s when the truth in your ears comes out.
Jack, I think you've made a case for owning both of these amps, budget permitting. - I know that's not the point here. I do own both models, including two Blues Juniors, one of which will soon be converted to a 5e3 Tweed Deluxe circuit, we'll see how that goes. Thinking of speaker swaps, I think that's huge! You mention your BJr IV with an Eminence speaker, but you didn't say which one. I have an Eminence Cannabis Rex in one of mine and the Jensen C12N in the other, and I think I prefer the Cannabis Rex. And then obviously pedals can cover a lot of limitations, whichever amp we choose.
Thanks for watching everyone! Remember to like and subscribe, and check out my personal gear recommendations on my webpage! www.jackfossett.com/gear-recommendations
There's a lotta reasons for why I have these thoughts... I'm 73, I owned a Princeton, Super Reverb, a twin reverb, and a Bandmaster back in the day (besides other amp brands)... I've owned several Fender and Gibson guitars. My hay day I guess was the late 1960s to mid 1980s actively playing gigs and recording. To me listening to the comparisons, I like the Fender Blues Junior. It's mellow when wanted, crunchy when needed, a little fatter richer sound to my ears, and seems to be a little more responsive to your different touches and riff & chord styles. Great comparison Jack, and of course my opinion is from an old guy and very subjective. I haven't owned a Fender amp for many years (working the corporate life) but now I'm retired and looking around again at Fender amps. Geez, they're expensive now days, so I guess the lesson was I never should have sold any of the Fender amps I ever owned. (ha ha) Yet, I still have a 1966 Fender Mustang, a 2001 Stratocaster, and a 1966 Johnny Smith Gibson. Thanks for this presentation and taking the time to reveal these comparisons between the two amps. It was very helpful.
I've got both of these amps and I can make each one of them sound equally bad.... :-)
Me too and what's more, with lots of practice I get to sound worse each day!
Taught myself how to use a multimeter & solder during lockdown. I safely discharged my amp, eplaced the crappy original caps in my BJ mk 2 with some F & T's, replaced a bunch of out of spec resistors, fitted a Cannabis Rex & managed to score a larger Mojotone tweed cab. This amp is now all the amp I'll ever need, I swear...very happy!
Funny
Lol
I understand being able to sound bad with BJ but it’s really hard with the Princeton.
I recently switched from a Blues Jr. III tweed to a Princeton and your experience mirrors my own feelings. I went with the Sweetwater exclusive Princeton with the 12" Cannabis Rex. Very happy.
That Eminence makes the rounds; that’s what’s in my Sweetwater Blues Jr IV.
I have the 12" Princeton with the alnico Jensen. I wonder what the sonic differences between these two are. I'm very happy to have one with a larger speaker though.
I own two Princeton I used for strieo sound an gig whiet one amp sometime
@@scottcline87 I have the same amp. Wine colored tolex? Sounds amazing. I upgraded to that from my Blues Jr. I still have both. Also got a Mark V which is a totally different beast.
Yes!! Please do more “Amp verses Amp” videos, there's not enough of them and a huge lack of good ones that's for sure. I'd love to see some modeling amp thrown in the mix as well with proper adjustments made. It's so cool to see how different amps sound.
I can't make up my mind when it comes to Amps, basically ever! lol
I love my old ampegs
I owned both of these amps. I just moved 4000kms across Canada and decided to part with 6 of my 9 amps. It was an easy choice for me. The Princeton stayed (along with a AC15 hand wired, and a Fender Acoustisonic ) The Blues Jr went, the Twin went, the Mesa went and three others went, too. I’m very happy with what I kept. But now I’m shopping for a Magnatone.
Peace
Funny coincidence, I really want to try one of the new Magnatones also
I own a Princeton reissue, a burgundy Blues Jr. two Hot Rods, a Blues Deluxe Reverb, a Deluxe Reverb, a few Champs and a couple of other Fender amps 40w and 50 w . My favorite is the Princeton. My Twin I use at home because its just too heavy to lug around. At 72 I need to lighten up a bit. I also use a 50w Boss Katana a great deal these days.
I have the Princeton tweed reissue and a BOSS Katana 100 MKII, and they're both great. Sold a Blues Junior IV to finance the Princeton and have never looked back.
Jack, your playing was beautiful in this video. So . .. . for some years I've had two Blues Jrs, both with Eminence speaker upgrades. They are both wonderful, and can't be beat for small venue gigging. Over the past decade, I also saved-up and traded to wind up with two hand-wired Princetons. Hard to describe how much I like them. I"m a life-long sucker for Fender reverb.
To summarize, If I had to pick just one (but I could keep my other amps) I'd keep one of my Blues Juniors, probably the one with the Swamp Thing speaker. If I had to give up all my other amps, then I'd keep a Princeton -- which BTW is the first amp I played an electric guitar through; all the way back in 1975 AD when I was still really a drummer.
I have had both of these and a Bassbreaker 15. Don't agonize over which is best. They are different. Have fun and play as much as you can. I have a tweed Princeton Reverb now with a Cannibis Rex speaker....for now. The Blues Junior could roar through a 4x12. Pissed off neighbor etc. Fun memories 🎸✌
I own a BJ iv, and have until recently had a princeton on loan, so been playing them back to back A LOT. I don't think the princeton is worth twice as much. Beautiful clean tone, with wonderful presence, but a bit fizzy overdriven. Sounds thinner than the BJ. The BJ iv is FAT. I came to the conclusion that I preferred the BJ. However the point I really wanted to make, use them both together! Fantastic in stereo. Compliment each other very well IMO
Had a Blues Jr. with a speaker mod. It was OK but I didn’t want to do any more mods. Sold it. Bought a 1975 silverface PR for $550 in about 2010. Spent several hundred dollars replacing capacitors, some tubes, and installing a Weber speaker. The PR is my forever amp and I have had several vintage Fender amps ( DRs, Vibrolux, Vibroverb). Also have a very nice Goodsell el84 amp. I have a 67 VibroChamp that will also keep till the end I imagine. Something about a hand wired PR that floats my boat. Maybe if you are more into blues and rock the BJ will do it for you but if you want a versatile clean platform for a variety of styles then the PR, especially a vintage one would be the ticket. Classic 6v6 tubes are my preference over eh 84. Also, do not like the reversed control panel on top of the BJ! I put a Weber in my PR, cost about $90 10 years ago. Great speaker for the PR.
The difference between Input 1 and Input 2 is -6db. Rule of thumb is Input 1 is for single coils Input 2 is for humbuckers. This is how it is for the Hot Rod Series at least. Thanks for the video!
Thanks Jack!
I've been playing Blues Juniors ever since they first came out. I've had pretty much all Fender Tube amps for well over 50 years, but found the BJ Cream Boards to do just about everything I've needed, from Blues bands to a 9 pc Western Swing Band. I also have a Deluxe Reverb for outdoor shows, etc,, but we mostly play small breweries & clubs, so use the BJ's way more often.
I have been wanting a Princeton Reverb lately, but have to sell off some stuff first.
I was amazed last week when I got a Tweed BJ in a trade. The Tweed has a C12N speaker that REALLY sounds better! I played a show last night with it, and was extremely happy that the tone held up under actual conditions, unlike some amp/speakers that sound great until you're playing with a band and in front of an audience.
I still want a PR, but am pretty happy with this Tweed BJ for now, although it's a little heavy on the bass end.
If you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear them. so you know what I need, I don't use pedals, and 99% clean tones, with a tiny bit of breakup while playing Blues, but pretty much clean for Jazz, Swing, Jump Blues, Country, etc
Thanks!
These two amps are very complementary to each other in tone and make a perfect stereo setup.
That's what I was hoping to hear!
@@scottburns2345 There are so many effects that have stereo outputs and almost mystical stereophonic possibilities. After the performance, you can easily grab both these amps and transport them to your car before the girl that you are talking to begins to overthink things, leading to a possible diminution of a magical moment.
Dude... Your amp videos are... literally second to none!!! You know your shit in a way that is undeniable. Huge respect. I have a (hopefully) quick question... and maybe a "video idea suggestion" for a future video. I bought a Blues Junior back... circa... 2003-04. I have never heard of Fender, or any amp company really, putting out "versions" of tube amps, such as the Blues Jr. III and IV. I have heard of "versions" such as... the '57 vs. the '64, but never mkIII etc. Anyway... I have always wondered what was the REAL reason for this. I don't think that the Blues Junior has ever been Fender's "fine wine" amp... so I cannot imagine they are changing the schematic to "dial in" some aspect of the tone. I would think it must be due to something more boring like... some component availability... or maybe... just so they can call it the "mkIII or mkIV". I cannot find any videos on RUclips that do a side-by-side of a Blues Jr. I, II, II, and/or IV. I'd be willing to loan you my Blues Jr. (1) if you could find a II, III, and a IV... if you'd ever like to talk about what the difference(s) are... if any. Just a thought.
I have a limited edition pine cab with 12" celestion alnico Princeton.
Man I LOVE this amp! 🥰
I'd like to hear a 10" Celestion Gold in a PR compared to a 12" Celestion Gold, the 10" might sound better? I think a 10" speaker is best in that size cabinet, leaves it room to breathe, but 12" speakers sound great too, even better in a Deluxe Reverb larger cabinet - that really makes a difference. I'd like to hear a Princeton Reverb circuit in a Deluxe Reverb sized cabinet...maybe build one?
The Blues Jr is highly misunderstood, shipped with tubes that limit it's potential an inhibit versatility and for some reason have a plastic jack that breaks if you look at it the wrong way. Having said that, if you swap out the tubes a 12AY7 for the 12AX7 provides more overhead before breakup , replace the jack with something more sturdy and understand that the trick to getting the most out of the Blues Jr is to turn the Master up to 12 and use the volume knob... for volume you're goign to have one small monster amp. But so many people complain about the "boxy" sound of the Blues Jr. But if they were to do as I just said, it would be a "Holy Schnikes" moment. If you need distortion, a pedal is the best way to achieve it. The Blues Jr, with only 15 watts is a really, really loud amp when used correctly.
I think people also misunderstand the use of the volume vs master. If you need the amp to be loud but still want headroom, you keep the volume low and max out the master. If you want breakup at low volumes, you heighten the volume and control the loudness with the master knob. If that's not enough for you, then you can upgrade tubes.
I own both amps. USA made Bjr, and 12” PRRI. Blues Jr has EL84 power tubes, solid state driven reverb which is very weak even after a new reverb tank & Frimel mods. CRex speaker swap and MM output transformer cut down on the shrillness.
The Princeton has 6V6 power tubes, tube driven incredible reverb & bias shifting tremolo. The 12” Jensen P12Q is a great match for it. To my ears, there is just no comparing these two amps- The PRRI blows the Blues Jr away.
The 65 Princeton with a 10" speaker sounds thin to me. I played one recently and this video really reinforces my view of it, it does sound better with humbuckers. I tried the 68 Princeton and it sounded great! It was warmer with a little more bass. The problem (for me) is it breaks up quicker, being a jazz guitarist I didn't think it would have enough headroom. I recently ordered the 65 Princeton with a 12" speaker and am hoping it will be the best of both worlds. I had a Blues Junior IV and just sold it, it sounded harsh to my ear. There is something missing in that amp, although I have to say it sounds very good here. Thanks for the video.
Might be the recording, as that is not my experience as an owner. Simply the best sounding amp I've ever had and I've been at this for half a century.
How is the 12" treating you?
Hello regard321, When I received the amp it had a stock Fender speaker in it. It was 'ice picky' for lack of a better description, and I could not get a warm sound out of it. I replaced the speaker with a Cannabis Rex 12" and it made all the difference in the world. I think you could just replace the speaker in the 65 Princeton 10" and it would solve the issue I had with it. Cheers!
Whoa now I've always just assumed the Princeton is just better. But wow Strat with a Blues Jr. Sounds killer. It's got that subtle growl that I love
I’ve owned blues juniors for years and honestly, this video surprised me too.
I loved this comparison. One of the first tube amps I owned was a 1962 Brownface Princeton. Wish I still had it but it kept blowing speakers. Of course at 12 watts with a 10" speaker it lived most of its life at 10. Regarding your comment on Input 1 and Input 2 on older tube amps. Most of the early amps I owned had didn't have 1 and 2 on the inputs. They had Microphone/Guitar, Accordian/Guitar and 1/2. One channel was always louder than the other. Early on, the microphone went in channel one and the guitar went in channel 2 because you wanted the audience to hear the singer. In those days not all bands or bars had PA systems. You used what you had. There were also low and high impedance microphones so you used the slot that worked better. My Ampeg had the Accordian and Guitar plugs, again, the impedance was different between the two instruments. Towards the 70's I started seeing Input 1 and Input 2. We had one guitar amp in the band I was in so the lead guitar got the louder channel. When we could afford two amps we found that my Les Paul would balance out better in Input 2 while a Strat would work better in #1 since the volume in #1 was louder. Then we just started using #1 for everything because at 16, once each of us could afford our own amps, all the guitar players wanted to be heard. That's the background within my experience.
Believe it or not I have a lot of experience with old Ampegs! I remember an older blues player telling me “plug into the accordion input, that’s where the tone is” - one of the early times I experimented with alternate inputs. I owned a Jet for a long time and I currently own a 65 Reverberocket
@@JackFossett I had the Gemini 2 and a Reverb Rocket and a Jet but try as I might, I still love the sound of an old tube fender. Currently have 2 Blues Juniors and Blues Deluxe Reissue and don't see me getting rid of them. They sound great, especially the Reissue.
The Princeton’s clean tone is phenomenal. I don’t mind using pedals. The Princeton for me.
I have had a couple of Blues juniors over the years and I have always liked them very much. I recently bought a Princeton RI and after gigging it once I came to the conclusion that I really don't like the sound of the Princeton. After a lot of searching around I discovered that a lot of people complain about how bright and thin sounding the Princeton is, mainly due to the stock Jensen C10R speaker. I finally swapped out the Jensen for a Celestion Greenback and I am much happier with the warmer, thicker tone. Huge difference. If you have a Princeton with a stock Jensen C10R and you are finding it thin and brittle sounding I would highly recommend that you look for a better speaker, real deal changer.
i kinda like the princeton reverb but they both have their own unique sound
Nothing beats the clean Princeton sound; essential soul sound in our music history
Fender 50s tweed cleans for me.
Music Man 112 RD
Having both as well and owned many nice old Mesa boogies and boutique stuff, it’s kind of one of those things like this. If you want to record and play in your room by yourself, and really love sparkly cleans, get the Princeton or blackface style amp.
If you have a bar gig and have a few overdrive pedals and want to be heard easily in a band and still have good warm tone, grab the blues junior. The best guitar tone I ever heard live was actually a 70 dollar klon clone pedal into a blues junior
Sometimes the twin and Princeton sounds good when you are playing by yourself but gets lost when you play in a mix
2 classic amps. To my ears, the single coils pair best with the BJ because it fattens up the tone. Conversely the humbuckers pop better clarity with the Princeton…I think overall that the BJ makes the most sense for live settings and the Princeton is a better studio tool
Good observations.
Which is best for apartment level volume?
65 Blackface Fender Princeton Reverb is a little Beast. I love mine. Nice comparison. oNe LoVe from NYC
I sold my Blues junior tweed last week as I wanted to change it up. I thought it sounded quite bright and would get a bit muddy when driven.
I bought a Princeton 65 RI today. Worth every penny over the blues junior… the tone sounds more balanced to my ears and much more note clarity.
The Blues Junior tweed is no slouch though.
Great video comparison… Thanks for sharing! For me, the big difference is simply this… BJ uses EL84 tubes… The Princeton has 6V6 tubes. Taste in sound is purely subjective for each person. If you’re primarily a clean sound player with such effects as a little overdrive… Tremolo or slap back, The choice is clear. 6l6 or 6V6 would be my amp of choice.
Nice pickin' my friend. Both sound marvelous, but the Blues Jr just stands out and says it all. It does it for me.
After many years playing a 65 Twin Reverb, I switched to the Blues Jr Tweed. It kind of does the job but I think it just doesn’t have the round warm sound that one would want. You can have fun though with it but it just misses the great fender tone that I used to love
Ok the correct answer is I will take both.. Nice review Jack!
I own both. I love both equally.
Blues jr has bill m mod with an old Oxford 30watt speaker. Swapped the 10" speaker in the for an Oxford 12". Both oxfords came out of my 66 Pro reverb which got a pair of Jenson c12n's.
Good feedback on these two, thanks. I appreciated all the Speaker comments, and agree that Weber makes a great speaker for smooth breakup. I have one in my BJ.
Both sound good but Blues Junior is a cooler name than Princeton and the Blues Junior also looks so much cooler ; ) I have a Blues Junior...
thanks I wondered why folks have them. you nailed it.
Had and played the Princeton 65 reverb. Have the Blues Jr. I'm ok with it. Projects better when loud. I use a Celestion Anniversary 30 watt. And sometimes a Jensen Blackbird 40. Put a Jensen P10 in my Princeton. Changed it back to original Fender Speaker
The Blues Junior/tweed sounds thicker and the Princeton sounds thinner and glassy. To be honest, I think they're both great sounding amplifiers, especially when being played with humbuckers.
The Jr has that nice fat, thick syrupy tone and I love it. The Princeton sounds good but more thin and watery. Of course I wouldn't turn down either one of them, lol.
The jnr has a midrange almost like some Marshall amps
@@msaintpc Yeah but the Princeton takes pedals far better so you can dirty it up with pedals if you need to.
This channel is severely underrated
I've had both amps...Running both together was very cool...however, after 3 years, I could not make friends with the Blues Jr. III, so I started looking for affordable alternative that would compliment the Princeton...After some research, I decided to give the Fender Pro Jr. IV a try, (never considered the Pro Jr. because it doesn't have a reverb tank)....I
A/B'd the BJ III and the Pro Jr. IV...the tone of the Pro Jr. IV blew me away and I no longer own the Blues Jr. III...the Pro Jr. IV is a loud 15 watts and 2 knobs, volume and tone...takes pedals well...a Keeley Omni Reverb, a Nobels ODR-1 and a Boss GE-3 works really well or just the reverb and working the volume and tone controls on the guitar sounds great...it compliments the Princeton and running both amps together sounds really cool...
The Pro Jr is such an under-rated amp. Just picked up a Pro Junior and am going to try it with my Champ. Might have to buy a Princeton too and try it with the Pro Junior eventually lol
As always Jack never disappoints, I’ve had a BJII loaded with a Vintage 30, loved it, but I always found that the clean tones were not enough “Fender-esque”, the mids are amazing, but when you really crank it up you can hear the bass frequencies starting to give up and get muddy
Very apt description of the EQ! The whole bottom end turns into the Everglades when it gets loud.
I own both of these amps. The Blues Junior (mine is a Limited Edition tweed, with the Jensen speaker) can provide more growl for hard-rocking blues. My '65 Princeton blackface is also a special edition amp, in knotty pine with a 12" creamback speaker, and while it has less grit than my BJ, it's reverb is more luscious and of course it has the vibrato effect. I like my Princeton best for my tone, but probably wouldn't if it only had the 10" speaker. But it's more than twice the cost of the Blues Jr, which is a great amplifier for $600-$700.
Hey Jack. Great video. 👍 I prefer the break up on the Blues Jr. The Princton sounds brittle to me.
i love the tone and the dynamic of the Princetone!!!
Clean: Slight preference for the Princeton. It sounds more complex and has that classic Fender sparkle in the treble range.
Dirty: Strong preference for the Blues Junior. It's grittier, has more character, sounds more "rock and roll".
I have owned both and they're both great amps.
Pretty much sums it up!
Blues jr. did better than I expected as well. I have a Frontman 25 watt that the Princeton reminds me of and I love that tone as well. Hope that doesn’t sound too weird. I was liking the sound of the Blues jr. on this post a little better more than the Princeton though.
Can't speak to the Princeton, never played one. However I do own the Blues Jr. III and was pretty frustrated with it. The boxy sound is real, hated it and could not get rid of it. Until I thought to run the amp thru an extension cab, a 2x12 Kustom in my case. It was like night and day. The amp actually sounded beautiful. And then that let me finally get to know the amp and how to set it up for what works for me. I keep the fat swatch on (I play mostly Teles and Strats), then set up the amp eq around that for a clean sound. Then when I want crunch, I turn up the volume 1/4 turn from where it was. And then when I want lead I step on my favorite boss OD pedal. Works great for me.
Speakers in general make a big difference in the Blues Jr - the C12n is a fine speaker but not actually suited for this amp IMO. Needs something clearer and with a softer top end.
@@JackFossett Yes, I tried a number of speaker replacements, nothing really worked. Tried Canibis Rex, Red White and Blues, a few Celestions and nothing was getting it. Finally took the on board speaker completely out and just using extension cabs for it.
I got a Laney Cub12R to go with my Tweed Blues jnr iii. Very happy with those two.
A Princeton is crazy expensive in Australia. More than those two amps combined.
Nice! I love Laney amps. Talk about a company that flies under the radar.
I found out from a forum to set the Blues Jnr Master on Full and the pre amp on 2. Wow. Try it. Man it blew me away. Usually we have the pre amp on full and set the master on 2.
I actually am not fond of that technique but I know a lot of players are
This sounds amazing on my Blues Jr.-especially for low-output pickups.
Cool fun video. My 2cents. For Princeton turn bass and treble down to have more mids and less volume so you can turn it up more. Add a mid control, and a Celestion Blue (dam they are loud) or Jensen P12Q and you have sparkle, volume and one super sweet package. If you are in Oz checkout Achillies so good.
Simply adding a P12Q is pure magic 🔈✨
Nice comparison Jack! I have a Blues Jr with the Swamp Thang speaker. I really like it and have had zero issues.
I haven’t tried the swamp thang - you like it? My Blues Jr IV has the C Rex
@@JackFossett I have watched many reviews of the IV. Seems a lot of players like the Texas Heat and the Patriot. I have heard good things about the Rex. All a matter of choice to the ear.
I have played both, and without a master volume, the PR is only going to sound great at one volume. The BJ is absolutely fantastic for allowing you to dial in the headroom.
Attenuator!
I'd go for the latest and greatest version of the Blues, Jr. and add a tremolo pedal and a Fuchs Plush Drive. I think Fender would be wise to incorporate the Bill M. mods to further improve the amp.
And as far as the Princeton is concerned I would like to see Fender offer it in the limited edition Knotty Pine cabinet as a standard offering with a MIDDLE tone control and the best possible reverb.
The LOTR vs Hobbit analogy was great!! I got your point immediately.
Ok Jack, why was I late to watch this video for 5 days while I'm a subscriber (with the bell enabled)?🤣
For me personally it is the most useful video you have made because I already have the blues junior, while I am waiting for the right time to get the princeton as well.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart and greetings from Greece!
I haven't played them yet, but I was looking for a nice little tube amp and these two amp were the ones I was thinking of. I expected the Princeton to be better (probably because of the price difference), but I actually prefer the sound of the Blues Junior by a lot.
Maybe that's because I am a Vox type of guy. Don't know.
The real difference comes when you play both of them
I've had several of both over the years and still have 1 of each' the Princeton gets less play time outta the 9 tube amps I own' I'm a mostly 80's/90's country and 70's/80's southern rock lead player' dialed in right' the BJ can cover alot more territory vs the Princeton. People complain about the BJ being boxy/ the reverb so on and so on' I don't find any of that to be true' all the basic EQ section is there including a mid control' minor tweaks can go a long way once you have a basic set up.
Princeton is basically a plug in and play amp.
If you're hunting for a 1'st time tube amp' check out the vox ac10 which is based off the AC 30 top boost channel and doesn't cost that much compared to the previous 2.
I'm currently using 2 of them in stereo and we'll satisfied with them.
Plenty of headroom also.
I’ve had them all, and for me, I run the Tweed blues deluxe, FSR, and have never looked back.
The Princeton started to get fartty when you drove it hard but in the clean realm it was just prettier sounding. That fender sound it has. I played the Blues Jr. Tweed with the upgraded speaker for years in a classic rock band. Its just a great grab and go amp and works great with pedals. When I decided to upgrade I went to a Supersonic 22 ,the blond with the oxblood , and it looked killer too. For right now I don’t think I need anymore amps then the 4 fenders I own. If I ever get a Princeton, Im really interested in the one with a 12 in speaker. Fender made some Burgundy color with Wheat Fronts that I really liked.
I’ve heard a lot of people talking bad about the blues jr. I don’t understand, sounds really good from what I’ve heard. Especially if you mod it. Personally I a have a 60 watt amp with too much headroom. Looking for an amp to play through PA’s when gigging that breaks up early
Really enjoy your videos with Princetons and Blues Juniors. I have them both and constantly wonder to myself which I like best. Can't come to a conclusion.
nice video...great comments too!
I bought my old nashville tele used, and tried it out with a tweed blues junior that was in the store...best that fiddle ever sounded.
I've given this a thumbs up purely for the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit analogy. Yes the Blues Jr holds up ok, and on a rainy day it'll keep you occupied. But the Princeton is the one I'd be happier plugging in again and again.
thanks for this, clear and concise with food for thought.
I have the Bordeaux '65 Princeton reissue with the 12" alnico Jensen. It sounds beautiful. Got it used for $500 of the new price. I plan to upgrade the electronics and caps down the line.
The correct answer to the opening question is: “Get a Quilter Aviator Cub.” It’s a rather impressive amp that does so many great Fender sounds. I put a celestion creamback in mine and it made a great amp even better. As a Fender fan, you should check out the Cub sometime.
Been playing blues jrs since they first came out….still using the same ones and haven’t hardly done any repairs except where I’ve broken off knobs .
Using two together is wonderful ! They put out a great sound and the main difference between them and most amps is the mid output,you get a high mid boost with them which is great for leadwork….they really cut! Work excellent with effects,and many times I only need one…if you want really pretty use the Princeton if you play in a band use the blues jrs!my opinion!
Thanks, I couldn't dedide but already own a BJR, both in stereo or on their own sounds inviting to me.
I agree. Try pairing a BJr with a Pro Jr. in a wet/dry rig (Pro Jr dry) and holy boy it’s awesome!
I’m not super comfortable bringing a $1500 amp to a bar band gig. The BJr/Pro Jr combo is better for that environment imo. Plus, having a smaller two amp rig has ya covered if an amp goes down for some reason…
Wow! Thanks for convincing me that I don't need a Princeton and that my Western Tolex/Cannabis Rex/Junior 3 was a great choice. I didn't care at all to the fizz/eq/drive of the princeton though I assume a speaker upgrade would help a bit. I love being able to tweak the balance of drive/volume and the 3 way eq of the Blues Jr, And yes I like it a bit scooped like your other video demonstrated.
Great video. Well, it chocked me, and let me a little sad, because I just bought a Blues Junior LTD (2021). I am brazilian, spending a year in the USA, and this is my opportunity to get a tube amp. I like the Ritchie Blacmore and SRVaughan sounds. So I got myself a Fender Stratocaster Pro II and this amp. I hope not to regret.
A very ear opening experience for me, thanx Jack
I owned a Blues Deville and currently own a tweed Blues Jr III (like yours). The Blues Deluxe and Blues Deville amps had a Drive button. (The Hot Rod Deluxe and Deville have a Drive and a More Drive.) In my opinion, the Fat switch on the BJr is nothing more than the Drive button, borrowed from its bigger siblings. Essentially just a “Tube Screamer-ish” gain button that accentuates the mids. Just my opinion, based on what I’ve experienced.
Let me ask a rookie question. I only just started playing guitar, although I have been playing drums and piano for over 30 years. When I was a kid, I used to own a Bassman 50 with a large (supposedly 18", but I am not sure anymore, might even have been a 15") speaker cabinet, all original Fender. Being a stupid kid, I tried to sell it, and nobody would buy it because there were MANY copies out there, and they were all afraid because of the large speaker box, convinced it was a fake. So I exchanged it for a cheapo Yamaha PSR because I needed a midi keyboard. Sad story, really.
So now, as I am trying to equip my own personal studio, and learning guitar, I got a Roland Jazz Chorus 50 (all original, no reissue), and an Epiphone Valve Junior with the matching cabinet. I got a Strat, a Diamond (Ibanez factory form the 70's, wonderful guitar) Les Paul and a Harley Benton DeLuxe Tele. Also a plethora of pedals and rack effects and preamps. But I can not forget that Bassman. Back then I just used it for bass and sometimes also vocals, but I got so fond of that Fender tone. Also, a while ago, my ex guitarist got lucky and bought a reissue Blues DeLuxe tweed for some 400 or so bucks! In amazing condition, even. Maaaan, that amp!
So, back to my question: since I do not plan to play a lot of rock, and overdrive is not a thing I am looking for, I am mostly going to play it clean and use pedals, exclusively in the studio, mostly for blues, pop and funk, what is the cheapest Fender amp that, in your opinion, would be right for me? I don't care whether solid state or tubes, but I don't need fancy electronics (that's to say I don't like any modelling of any kind, I prefer the right stuff, because in the studio environment I sometimes, well, most of the time, can actually hear the difference).
Princeton Reverb! Been planning to buy a Jr. for a couple of years, and then a PR came along at a very reasonable price, and I jumped on it. Never looking back... I also play a lot of clean, Country etc. Perfect amp for that.
For my ears Princeton!
Jack, can't wait to see your take on the Quilter Aviator Cub.
I bought a Cub instead of going with a Blues Jr or Princeton. It fills the same role as a compact Fender-voiced combo amp.
I'm till getting used to it but am liking it.
Would love to see you do some comparison to all your classic Fenders.
(My #1 is a 65 Super Reverb RI. #toneheaven)
Oh cool! Bet your not too keen on taking the Super out though… I love my twin reverb but it pretty much stays put at home. Which leads nicely into the first part of the question - I actually have extremely limited experience with Quilter gear, but it seems up my ally
@@JackFossett I bought the Aviator Cub as a compact alternative to lugging the Super around.
It seems with Fender amps there is a direct relationship between pounds and tone :)
It's worth the workout to take the Super out.
But I'm not getting any younger, so...hence the Quilter.
It's got it's own thing going on. And it really shines when two channels are merged with a Y-Cable: everything sounds bigger and fuller.
Stock Blues Jr. reverb seems unusable to me in either the III or IV iterations. A used Blues Jr. is usually far less expensive so I can easily live with the difference between the two. I'd be interested to see you put a Mercury transformer in a Jr. and stack it up against another Jr. and then a Princeton. Curious... what pick do you use?
Am I the only one that thinks that the Blues Jr's natural overdrive actually sounded better? Clean sounds the Princeton wins hands down though. And since I would rely more on pedals for overdrive, I'd go Princeton as well. That reverb as well... it's no Super, but you can definitely hear it's pedigree.
I agree. I’m not the biggest fan of the Princetons natural breakup when it’s turned up.
I also have both and agree with your reactions. Thanks for not using a Looper on this video! Getting tired of all looper samples.
Only the finest here at Jack Fossett & Friends 🥂 also I hate Loopers
I like the junior i like the pro blues junior just a little more! Im kinda sweet on the stapleton princeton brown face too.
What a time to be alive and be a guitar player. Now if the price of gas became normal again i couldnt have a complaint in the world
My two cents: I was very surprised because right out of the gate in the side by side clean tone comarison using the Strat, the Blues JR sounded fatter and fuller , with the Princeton sounding surprisingly thin by comparison. Where the Princeton really seemed to shine was when played clean with the Les Paul -- a nice full chime. I didn't think either one sounded too good with the pedals. I don't think I would ever buy a Blues JR though because I don't like that Fender used particle board construction on them.
Have owned both. I wouldn't recommend a Blues Jr. to an enemy. One spends too much time and money doing mods and speaker swaps to get it to sound good, it never really does. My Princeton Reverb reissue was a glory. My lead guitarist told me that if he had ever heard a Strat sound like mine he would have switched from Gibsons. It was the amp. Sold it a few years ago, regretted it ever since. Yesterday I got the new Tone Master version of it, which is less expensive and weighs 19 pounds (my old back loves that), and it sounds great. It sings, the lows are astounding. Can't stop playing it. Get that one or a good old tube version, there's a reason it is one of the most used studio amps in history, folks.
Excellent comparison. Another thumbs up for the PR. I was in a band a few years ago and the other guitarist's 50 watt Marshall struggled to keep up with the little Fender.
They sit beautifully in a mix. Marshalls can easily disappear in the wrong context.
On the video I prefer the tone of the Blues Jr. I know it's probably much different in person, but I've played them both in person as well and came home with the Blues Jr. LTD 75th Anniversary Tweed.
Love your work .. thanks for such thorough reviews ... 👍
I use my Princeton reverb with a g12h 30 extension cab. Sounds amazing!
Both amps sound very nice. I am partial to the blackface amps, so it's no secret what I'd buy first. But the Blues Jr is basically the closest thing to a mini Bassman though, and someday I might pick one up, especially if I get a deal on a used one
Also note that the Blues Jr's are fairly cheaply made and not very reliable where the Princeton has a solid track record for what it's worth.
I generally like the P10N speakers in my super reverb. The alnico adds character, but also limits the amount of gain you can add through pedals as it will get harsh fast. If I was going to try to replace speakers, I think I would shell out for Alnico Tone Tubbys.
I just love the mid scoop sound of the Princeton....it sucks me in every time
Owned several BJs. Wouldn't know a 3 from a 4 whatever. Great amp!
You had me at LOTR vs the Hobbit 😂
One does not simply buy a Fender amp…
I only watched 4 mins and preferred the Blues Jr. I’ll watch more now
Nice demo sir! The Princeton 100% for surf, Blues Jr. for anything where one needs to get gainier.
Jack - What’s your opinion on the Vibrolux? I like the Vibrolux for Blues/Blues Rock. I personally like the Blues Junior in this comparison.
I was in the market for a clean Fender tube amp, and I was considering a Blues Jr.
I mentioned in a comment on another video that I was looking for a Fender tube amp for bedroom volumes and was considering a Blues Jr., and someone replied that if you get a Blues Jr., you’ll more than likely wish you got a Princeton Reverb RI instead.
Considering most RUclips comments aren’t constructive, that was the best advice I ever received. I did research on Princetons and went with the Sweetwater exclusive tweed 65 Princeton Reverb RI w/ a cannabis Rex and it was the best decision ever.
Tube amps are pricey, so I appreciate you validating my decision!
Yes, most people would say Princeton is better, but keep in mind the master volume is key in a lot of situations. That being said, I don't think Blues Juniors are particularly great home amps if you can't get a little volume. Mine goes from off to loud! w/ a few small turns. And it doesn't really come alive IMO w/o a little volume. I think Princetons are the first line of amps that someone could show up to a gig w/ and everyone thinks you may have chosen that amp because you like Princeton the best. Right or wrong, the blues junior is still seen IMO as a kind of beginner tube amp (though it shouldn't be IMO).
The powder blue tele on the left over your shoulder.
50's Ventura telecaster?
Mmmh.. Should I ask you to compare a Hot Rod Deluxe mk1 VS Deluxe Reverb 65? Great video again
So - yes, that would be a great comparison idea, although I don’t have those amps so I’d have to try to get my hands on them.
Hearing bluesers talk how loud a tiny cute combo amp is has something rather cute to a metal fan. :D
I would love to see a Blues jr iv vs the Princeton reverb. I am trying to decide which one to buy. I love the deep basey sound with little to no tremolo. Please do that comparison.
The 'fat' switch on the Blues Jr engages the cathode bypass cap on the second gain stage triode in the amp. This is not at all the function of the inputs 1 and 2 on the Princeton, which simply pads down input 2 to compensate for different volume guitars.
I have a hand wired 64 Princeton reissue. For my taste. The Princeton is sooooooooooo perfectly organic, pure and warm and sexy and all things delicious!!! I definitely would hold onto the $ for the hand wired Princeton.
It’s almost impossible to capture tone in video tests like this, with all due respect. When I can feel the amp in a room when I play it, then that’s when the truth in your ears comes out.
Sir. Even if I didn’t know you’d recently had a kid and were lacking sleep…. I can tell from the ramblings at the start haha!
Great video as always!
Let’s be honest though, that’s how I am all the time. I just happen to have a good excuse right now.
@@JackFossett As you get older, it gets worse. Now, why did I come into this room again?
Jack, I think you've made a case for owning both of these amps, budget permitting. - I know that's not the point here. I do own both models, including two Blues Juniors, one of which will soon be converted to a 5e3 Tweed Deluxe circuit, we'll see how that goes.
Thinking of speaker swaps, I think that's huge! You mention your BJr IV with an Eminence speaker, but you didn't say which one. I have an Eminence Cannabis Rex in one of mine and the Jensen C12N in the other, and I think I prefer the Cannabis Rex.
And then obviously pedals can cover a lot of limitations, whichever amp we choose.
Enjoyed the comparison! Both sound Great! Please review the Red Strat!