Fender Blues Junior vs. Fender Princeton Reverb
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- Опубликовано: 28 май 2022
- #fenderbluesjunior #fenderprinceton #fender #guitar @fender
Check out these amps on Sweetwater! Blues Junior: sweetwater.sjv.io/OryW0K (Affiliate) Princeton Reverb: sweetwater.sjv.io/R52WMv
Welcome to this in depth amp shootout between the Fender Blues Jr and Fender 65 Reissue Princeton Reverb! This is a Blues Jr III with the Jensen C12n against an older 65 Princeton sporting a Jensen P10, at 15 watts (unlike the current 12 watt model). Also using a @JAMpedals-yt Lucydreamer and Delay Llama! What do you think?
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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.
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
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.
Love your work .. thanks for such thorough reviews ... 👍
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.
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.
This is an incredible comparison video. Thanks
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 pickin' my friend. Both sound marvelous, but the Blues Jr just stands out and says it all. It does it for me.
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!
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.
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.
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!
Great work….as usual. Thanks
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?
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 🎸✌
A very ear opening experience for me, thanx Jack
Well done, thank you!
Hey Jack. Great video. 👍 I prefer the break up on the Blues Jr. The Princton sounds brittle to me.
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.
really useful-thanks
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.
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
Enjoyed the comparison! Both sound Great! Please review the Red Strat!
This channel is severely underrated
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.
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.
really great review.
Glad you enjoyed it!
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.
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.
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
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
Awesome vid, ive been thinking of upgrading to Princeton ! So perfect. Btw which tubes are you using in the Blues jr ? JJs ?
Great video. Can you do the PRRI vs Quilter Aviator Cub? I think it would be a great comparison.
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!
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.
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 love the tone and the dynamic of the Princetone!!!
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 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
great video
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 🔈✨
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 can’t turn up the volume or the master past 3 on my BJr without my house shaking how are you able to do this? Mine is also insanely bright and the bass knob is pretty much insignificant. Is this because I’m using a Squier VM JM or did I buy a dud? I can get it to sound decent but I feel like I shouldn’t need to do this much tweaking, any ideas are appreciated
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.
I’ve had them all, and for me, I run the Tweed blues deluxe, FSR, and have never looked back.
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 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 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.
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?
I use my Princeton reverb with a g12h 30 extension cab. Sounds amazing!
i kinda like the princeton reverb but they both have their own unique sound
Ok the correct answer is I will take both.. Nice review Jack!
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.
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.
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.
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.
I have both, however I just want to start with a clean sound and take it from there. What is a clean amp sound?
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.
Great comparison and interesting comparison with the Hobbit vs LOTR - unfortunately the Princeton is rarely available on the used market and none in well over a year new in Music stores in New Zealand. When the Princeton is available, it is almost double in price for new and even more used ie. New 2700 NZD (1760 USD) vs 1400 NZD (910 USD). A couple of months ago, I went with the Blues Jr IV and very pleased and understand there were some key upgrades between the IV and other Blues Jr versions.
seldom on the used market in the states as well, because they are sought after quality amps especially the vintage years
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!
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 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.
You had me at LOTR vs the Hobbit 😂
One does not simply buy a Fender amp…
65 Blackface Fender Princeton Reverb is a little Beast. I love mine. Nice comparison. oNe LoVe from NYC
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’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
I just wanna hear user opinions between 68 Princeton vs 68 Custom... What are main differences for daily users?
Cool,got both
my bandmate and I play these amps as our low volume live amps (indoor gigs/ small clubs etc). the key for both amps was a speaker upgrade, both of ours are sporting a 12" cannibis rex. TBH I prefer the Blues jr for lead tones as it somehow sounds thicker to me.
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.
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?
Nice comparison. My buddy just got a 68 deluxe reverb reissue and it sounds fantastic. Do you think a Princeton could keep up in a live setting. I like the 65 but not thrilled in the speaker choice it comes with. I’m torn between a Princeton and deluxe. I have a fender concert with an Ev but is way to heavy to carry around so been thinking of going lighter.
It just depends on the band really. My Princeton will bury my group if I want it to. They get pretty loud and present. But if you're in a big rock group maybe not.
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.
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.
Owned several BJs. Wouldn't know a 3 from a 4 whatever. Great amp!
I just picked up a Classic Vibe Squire to try out modifying a guitar. Any recommendations as to what to mod?
If you specify model type, he'll be able to make suggestions. My Squire CV thinline telecaster has had the "Nashville" mod: strat pickup in middle of new pick guard, five-way switch, Texas Special pickups, and the one mod I've done: a Lindy Fralin Allparts neck I found used for about half price. Lindy scraped it into a soft V on the lower frets, then sanded and sprayed a thin coat of nitro. I may take the neck's soft-V all the way down to the body, but it feels great the way it is. Those Squire CV necks are thinner than I prefer, and have a thick coating of poly too, so this boat neck with a thin nitro finish feels great in comparison. To me changing the neck on CV Squire guitars is the most important mod, but you didn't ask me, and some people like thin necks with thick poly finishes (?).
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
Thank you
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.
Nothing beats the clean Princeton sound; essential soul sound in our music history
Fender 50s tweed cleans for me.
Music Man 112 RD
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.
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 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.
Very nice. I think for the long run, the blues junior doesn’t have the best construction with their PCB board. There’s always problems down the line I think the Princeton is better built and more reliable overall. There are also various Princetons with 12 inch speakers.
Hi Jack, great comparison video! I have a soft spot for the Blues Junior. It sounds better in my ears, but it’s very personal.
Would you please do a demo of the Pro Junior IV amp? And maybe compare it to the Blues Junior? That would be great.
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.
Blues Jr is not only more versatile... It's a much funner amp.
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.
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 have a deluxe ll and I just bought the Princeton 65 hopefully it will sound similar but not kill my back giging
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
I like the grit. It gives it attitude
Haha! Love your intro.
It's what you prefer but I've had a Blues jr and they record nice. I've never had a princeton but the Jr seems to have more tone but the princeton sounds thinner which can be good too.
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.
What are your thoughts on the Supro Delta King vs the Princeton?
Interesting because while the DK matches up well with the Blues Jr, I think it’s more like 3 steps removed from the Princeton - it’s definitely way more versatile, I thinking would be a somewhat similar comparison if the Blues Jr were a step up but also more different. I may be getting the Royale soon which would be a closer line up.
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.
I just picked up a blues Jr, for 15 watts this thing gets loud! How does the Princeton compare volume wise?
My Princeton is Very Loud on 3! Don't know if that's normal, or if the bias is off? Anyway, doesn't bother me, because at 2 I get just the right volume, and incredible tone. Took it to the shop for a checkup anyway. It's a 77, all original. Just got it for a steal. I have several incredible amps, but when I first plugged into this thing, it blew me away. I wasn't expecting that from a 12 watt amp.