The Vibrolux Reverb for me. My old one has been my gigging amp for years. Just a perfect amount of wattage/headroom. Perhaps the greatest gigging amp of all time.
I agree. My buddy has a 68 and it’s the best amp I’ve ever heard. It’s so sweet at about 7-8 volume on the vibrato channel with a gain pedal and little delay.
I just found out the Fuse community has been closed and I wanted to thank you for making the presets and such available. Your videos taught me most of what I know about my amp. So again thank you.
Awesome Thanks Shane. I am only an average at home player. And have recently 'rescued' my early 1980's Fender Sidekick 15 Reverb from being unused/unboxed in the shed. I have been playing occasionally on my Acoustic over the years and recently got an electric Guitar. I Bought a small re-chargeable mobile Amp..... then remembered The Fender Amp in the shed LOL. Plugged it in and it turned on and lit up....... and it works perfectly. This amp has traveled around Australia since the 1980's and has been sitting in the shed for 30 years. My 1980's Fender Sidekick 15 Reverb is all I need. Thanks again Shane. And Thanks Fender. Cheers
My first amp was a vintage 68 Deluxe Reverb that a neighbor had in her closet and sold to me. I ended up selling it and regret it to this day. But I now have a Blues Deluxe and a 65 Princeton (Jensen P10R), and a vintage Champ, so I feel I have adequately recovered from my loss lol. I have to say, every time I play awesome high end amps, and then come back to my Blues Deluxe... I appreciate it all the more. It eats noise for breakfast, smooths every pedal that comes into it, and the spread of the sound with the Swamp Thang is just awesome.
Vibro-King (had to sell it for back reasons as well), 65 Deluxe, 80s Rivera designed Concert (kick myself for letting that one go), BillM modded Blues Jr. with Emminence Cannabis Rex, 59 Reissue Bassman.
I n wish I knew that years ago. People don’t know how great internet is. We had no idea best. We had magazines they hardly ever did. Review best gigging amp etc.
My first amp was a mid '60s Fender Princeton (got it in 1983). Sold it in the late 80s because I was a teen and needed cash, and well, it wasn't "metal." I sincerely regret selling it, to this day!
I had plenty of old fenders. But I needed that Eddie Van Halen tone. So the fenders at that time were no use to me. I would love to have some of my old amps now. Regrets are something all guitar players share.
I can relate, had i known that all those great pedals i had would one day be vintage and worth what people are getting i would've bought more and held on to them. Boss choruses, Ross distortion, DOD Delay and my first electric guitar was a Memphis copy of a Les Paul that was so good to look at and played and sounded fantastic. But as teen I couldn't appreciate...
Well metal sucks anyway.. Its all about Hendrix, Stevie Ray, Allman Bros tones, etc...How many hot chicks are dancing in front of the stage at a metal show, 1 maybe 3 at most?
Metal shows are pretty much a sausage fest. All Guitar Hero shows are guys playing air guitar. You need a band like Journey to bring the women. But playing metal is fun. It's the crunch baby.
I have a brownface 65 reissue Princeton. I swapped the knobs for the cupcake style and it looks close to the Chris Stapleton version without also having a 12” speaker. It runs beautifully with or without pedals. My 335 sings when plugged directly in. I can’t suggest it enough!
The Hot Rod Deluxe IV is indeed really great, and the best version so far, I think. They fixed some problems that the III was notorious for. I use it mostly clean with drive pedals, but the amp's drive has its own sound that I like too. I did the 12AT7 pre-amp tube mod and it makes a pretty good sound great. So yeah, overall I'm a fan. 🤟😎
I can't believe the Deluxe 112 Plus solid state amp made it on your list. I had one of those in the early 2000s and had it until about 2014. That late '90s early 2000s line of Fender solid state amps called the "Dyna-Touch" series were one of the best lines of analog solid state amps ever as far as having a tube like sound and FEEL when you played. The Dyna Touch combo amps came in 30w, 60w, 90w, 100w and a 120w 2x12 version (it also came in a 100w head/4x12 cab version). The overdrive channel on that amp had great rock sounds and good sounds at many gain levels. It had that contour knob for shaping the eq curve of the 3 band eq. But what was really great was the clean channel. It was an authentic Fender clean with tons of headroom that stayed clean well into loud volumes. It had it's own separate eq and volume. It had a huge bottom end and a big sound. Even after moving on to many tube amps by the mid 2000s I held on to that Deluxe for a backup or an extra amp to have around for jams for many years. I finally sold it in 2014 when I was reducing my collection for a move. I always wanted to have the 120 watt 2x12 version of that amp.
I went for the 10” Princeton to have great valve tone at home, and a radial headload prodigy which lets you get 50 or 25% going to the speaker. It’s perfect with the catalinbread foundation pedals, sometimes those driven by fuzz or whatever. Prodigy let’s you use phones too. I love my Princeton!
@@StealthParrot if you want drive tones then yes and even a smaller champ could be too loud. If you play clean it's great. If you are willing to get your drive from pedals it's great too. These days it's a great size for something you could use at home (pedals for drive) and take to a gig. Depending on situation might make sense to get something like that and either something w/ headphones and/or a modeler if you want drive tones at reasonable volumes.
I played a club years ago that supplied the drums and essentially all the sound equipment except the guitars and keyboards themselves. What I play through were two Fender Princeton amps that were patched together with a cable between #2 inputs of the second channel. Loved the sound.
I paid Fender to make me say that I’m a big fan of their amps. I’m currently playing my Blue Princeton Reverb 12” Alnico, and my old Red Knob Deluxe 85. Took me a while to get away from my Vox, but I think I’m converted to Fender amps :)
I'm a no amp player sadly. Due to lackofunds virus. Hahaha. I am happy with im getting out of my Boss Gt1 though. Better than nothing. But I will one day buy a nice amp! Heheh
Why say that. I have all the amps a guitar player should and every time I plug into one that I haven't played for a while I wonder why I haven't played it for a while. I've tried all the gear and now I dont care about most of it. Any guitar that you want to play and a tube amp and in a band mix you'll sound great..... that is if you've had your 10000 hours. It's more important than a 59 lp though a plexi.
I have a Fender Mustang 3. When I took it to my band rehearsal my bass player could not believe it. He is one of those tube purists. He kept looking at the back of the amp and said where are the tubes? It is so tube like and clean. He was amazed.
The '68 Reissue of the Twin is my dream amp. I already loved the sound of that particular amp, but Fender adding the Bassman channel just pushed it into dream territory for me. I'm a total pedal platform player most of the time, but a simple Klon KTR into the amp sounds phenomenal, too.
They’re great, but they’re noisy. So much hiss that they can’t really be recorded unless the band is super loud/ taking a ton of space. I’ve read it has something to do with crossing the reverb and vibrato to both channels
So, I'm an old school tube amps guy. I've played through a lot of these. I own a blues deluxe tweed amp and a blues junior III special edition which sings like a bird as well. But recently, I bought a Tone Master super reverb with 4x10... and my life is complete. Ya, it's big... but not heavy at all (36lbs) and man... it has punch from those 4 10's. If you have the room, you NEED to buy one. You will not be disappointed! Great video!
I have a Princeton 65 reissue - and man, I think it's hands down the best sounding amp I've ever played. Mine only has a 10 inch speaker, and I did put a Greenback in it, because the Jenson that came with it just flubbed out past 4 or 5. Man, I use a Mini Mass to attenuate it - and some might not think so, but it freaking rips. It has just an amazing cutting tone to it. I also tried a Creamback, but it had such a nasal honk to it, it drove me nuts. It could be that it wasn't properly broken in, but the Greenback was made for it. To me, the Princeton has everything in spades that I love about Fender amps - it's clean tone is sweet and smooth, and it goes all the way to dirty 70's garage rock. It takes pedals like a champ, and the tremolo is the best, most warm sounding tremolo ever. The reverb is a tad splashy for me, but keeping it at about 2 is a nice spot. I will never, ever get rid of this amp. Ever. I was so close to getting the Deluxe, and those are great too, but my Princeton feels like it was built just for me. And when I really want to blow some minds, I run it with my Pro Jr. III in stereo and it's like riding a wave of awesome tone. And plenty loud too.
I went for the 10” Princeton but wasn’t fond of the stock speaker (maybe needed to be broken in?) So I swapped it out for the Jensen Alnico in the ‘64 handwired version, sound’s phenomenal! I also pair it up with a separate cab with a 12” for some occasions so get the best of both👍 Just finished an album with my band and used those combinations for every guitar track I played, and I own many amps…
I agree with your assessment of the Fender Super Sonic 60. I've been playing mine at gigs since 2007 and love it. Another great recording amp I love is my 1983 Fender Super Champ. It's only 15 watts, but it's so versatile. I bought mine in the 1990's for $200. Prices of these amps are now pretty pricey, but if you buy one you'll love it.
Man I’ve been playing Mesa amps for years and i keep coming back to the Supersonic 60. I can pick the sound of that amp out of any fender amps..great video as always!
My main amp for the past several years is a Silverface Vibrosonic which is pretty much a Twin with a big 15" JBL speaker. I love the JBL 12s but they never sound quite right with some sorts of gain but this 15" sound excellent with up to about AC/DC levels of gain. Another amp that never gets old with me is the Tweed Deluxe. Mine was a quality clone. With the right speaker, it is killer, if it is within your volume requirements or if you can always mic it. It gets a bit bloaty with humbuckers at loud volumes. One of the best sounding local guys used to play a real Tweed Bandmaster, then got a boutique copy of one. He plays a Tele with a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive on most of the time then works the volume control on the guitar. Glorious sound though again, it can get weird with humbuckers above a certain volume. The 60W Super Sonic was also a great amp. I had one for several years before I discovered boutique pedals and while it's still a very versatile amp, I just preferred a basic Blackface type with a few different pedals and if for times when you need big and clean, the Super Sonic just can't touch that Vibrosonic with the 15" JBL.
Rivera era amps are often overlooked. I have an 1982 Champ II. Just think, a Champ that is 18 watts with a 10 inch speaker! Sounds great and is very versatile. Took me two years to find one and I'm never letting go of it.
I Have the Fender Deluxe 112 I bought new in 1997 I've got a lot of amps but all around this is the best amp I own.It's big and loud enough to play any gig and small enough for at home practise amp very well satisfied over the years and hopefully 20 more years to come.
'59 narrow panel Bassman w/pedalboard was my favorite. Got a Pro Jr. 1st year, and really liked it for home use👍😎 Now the TMDR is the schizz👍😎 Great vid👍😎🖖
I had a US made Tweed Pro Junior from the first year of production. I bought it brand new the year Fender switched them black tolex. I have no idea why it took the store that long to sell it, but it was a great amp, and the one piece of gear that I had owned the longest until someone stole it in 2014.
I play through an old 90s Hot Rod DeVille 212. I've never used the drive channel even once. I get all of my dirt from pedals. I love it. It's just a great, clean pedal platform, and it's an absolute workhorse. I've played way more expensive amps, but always end up coming back to my DeVille. With the right combination of pedals, it's just so easy to dial in a good tone.
I have a hand built Princeton Reverb from a local amp builder. It's a 22 watt version with a 12 inch speaker, but if I swap the rectifier tube it can be run at 15 watts. It has an Eminence Cannabis Rex in it and it really sounds quite amazing.
I’ve had a 112 plus since 1998 (it was my first gigging amp) and I reckon it still sounds absolutely superb. I’ve finally caved in to my curiosity on the Tone Master series and pressed ‘go’ on a Twin Reverb this morning.
I've been watching your channel for a little while now and enjoy it very much! I was so surprised when you mentioned the Mustang series! I play with a fellow who has the Mustang III v1 . So I went out (2 years ago) and bought a Mustang II V.2 as I don't play large venues anyway. About six months ago I bought a used speaker from a 65 Deluxe(Jensen) (12" drop in replacement) and I can't believe the sound this thing produces. I use the 57 Deluxe and the 65 Princeton settings exclusively (with tweaks from Fender Fuse software). I play with another guitarist, a harmonica player and a bass player and can stay right with them and then some. My guitar is a "Godin 5th Ave Kingpin II (P90s)" I find something interesting in every one of your videos!! Keep up the good work. RollyS , "ITTY BITTY JAM BAND"
Great video as always, love your playing and content. My first amp my uncle built out of a coffee can that I plugged into and had a little speaker that was wired up to it. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing nor how to properly use it. I had it for about 8 months then gave it back. He wanted it back when I was done using it not out of being ungrateful. I moved to N.C. and bought an amp from a store that had just started carrying these German amps that for the life of me I cannot remember the correct name for. I've never seen another since. They weren't Krueger it was something else with a K. Played on that in clubs and backyards from N.C. to Tn. It was alright and was solid state. Next bought a Champion 100 that I still have. Never really played on tube amps but finally bought a Monoprice changed out tubes and speaker and have really enjoyed it. I recently bought a Frampton LP copy and have been looking for a tube amp to marry up with it and my custom Strat. I write and play my own stuff and I would say it is Led Zeppish. I've been eyeballing the Marshall studio plexi but I've also played on a 68 Fender Twin that was fantastic. However, with the virus hampering work and the like it's killed any chance of buying anything like that in the near future. Oh, I also played on an a Vox AC15 that was very very nice. 1st time I ever played on one. Decisions decisions.
I just scored a Princeton Chorus with the dual 12” speakers, and I love it. Not so sure the neighbors do, but I love what it puts out. Just got it so I haven’t played around with it yet to comment on the range of capabilities it has. So far, I’m digging it.
@@FreedomAlchemy I think it’s a 90’s model. As far as i know it’s still available because it was too much for my neigbors I took it back and got myself a Fender Champion 100. That Princeton Chorus sounded freaking awesome though. The dude may still have it, he’s asking $240 for it. I can put you in touch if you want to see what kind of deal you can do with the man. it’s at a music store right now. I’d be happy to help.
From the mid-late 60's thru the early-mid 70's my blackface Bandmaster atop the Fender twin twelve cab with the Jensen Special Design speakers was absolutely the most perfect sounding amp I've ever had but it was the one I let get away because it just got buried under everyone else's Ampeg V-4's and SVT's and Marshalls. I traded it in on a Music Man HD-130 Reverb, stuck a pair of JBL K-120's in the Fender cab and found another different yet beautiful sounding combo which I still use to this day. Still have the 70's Silver face Champ and Vibro- Champ though.
My favorite Fender amp I had was my Fender Dual Showman Reverb with the 2X15 stack Cab in the 70's. HUGE Tone !! About 5 yrs ago I had a Super Sonic Twin !! Fantastic amp but heavy as a TRUCK. I do have a Mustang III & a Blues Junior IV Lacquer Tweed
I just bought a 2002 reissue Hot Rod Deluxe (60th anniversary) that an engineer had upgraded the tubes from the Fenders to the Sovteks and Svetlanas and did his magic on what he thought were issues with the amp and it's the best amp I've ever owned tonally...I only used my old 70s analog delay through the front of it but it loves my 335 and tele a lot...all in all really happy...I've owned Champs, Bassman's and one Twin in my life...this one is so far really great...I don't play really loud anymore as I'm retired but it sure sounds great to me.
I have a deluxe reverb tone master and I don’t have those problems. Takes pedals fine and breaks up pretty well and accurately if you dial it in right. The firmware updates have made it even better.
I have a '95 USA Blues DeVille 410 and it is STUNNING!!! It's big, but dang the tone is WARM and FULL. I can't ever imagine selling it. I'm a Tele guy too, so plugging my 2018 American Professional Tele into the '95 Blues DeVille is money. Thanks for your videos, I am subscribed and enjoy all your stuff. I'm a Tele guy too, so plugging my 2018 American Professional Tele into the '95 Blues DeVille is money.
I have a Custom Shop Princeton Reverb with a 12". It is really nice. A bit lacking in big rooms but does great at home or recording. My gigging amps are a Bugera V22 (completely retubed) and a Hot Rod Deville 212 v4. The Hot Rod is entirely usable on stage. Plenty of volume. I am still not a fan of the drive channel though. I push my pedals through the clean channel. The drive channel is OK if you have time to adjust the EQ between songs. Since I play it live, I just keep it on the clean channel. The Bugera is probably my favorite amp for the stage. It's a little shy on volume but does everything else great. But I spent several hundred dollars putting tubes in it. The key for most tube amps is to put a tube with balanced diode outputs in the OD tube position. For the Bugera, this was #3. It really brought the OD to life. The best part is that I have a great sounding amp that only cost me $500 (after new tubes) and I don't kringe when it gets beat up a little.
Loved the hotrod deluxe, it was my 1st real amp. Unfortunately it was stolen. Blessing in disguise, as I went for a 65 twin (reissue) and have never looked back! But the weight, oh the weight! After doing my back in a few times I discovered the Tone master twin and I couldn't be more pleased. Sounds fantastic, weighs nothing I can't believe it! The only thing we don't know is how reliable they are, opportunities to take this thing on the road being scarce at the moment, but I have gigged with it a few times and it feels just like my twin.
I'm glad you gave love to the VIBROVERB. A mostly unknown amp. The 65 Vibroverb with the original 15" JBL speaker is one of the best sounding amps ever. I owned one and sold it and have been regretting ever since.
The Bruce Zinky designed Fender Prosonic is a great amp, and my favorite Fender Amp that I have played or owned. Jeff Pevar has a lot of different amps, but when I have seen him play locally at smaller gigs, I have only seen him with a Prosonic.
I have a Fender Princeton Chorus 2x10" I got in 1998. Here's how I dial in the "Fender crunch": treble at 7.5 to 8, mid at 2.5, bass at 1.5, reverb 7 to 7.5, gain 10, limiter 4 to 4.1 (yes, that extra +0.1 makes a difference!), mid boost off, presence +2.1. I have a Fender SRV Strat from 2000, and this guitar-amp combination has a bite!!! These amp settings at full gain (i.e. limiter at 0) has a very hard rock and metal lead guitar sound. If you have high treble, low-to-no mids, and bass at 3-4 (it REALLY doesn't take much on the bass knob for it to get overly "muffly") and mid boost ON (despite that the mids knob is down/off) it has a really heavy metal rhythm sound. It's not the loudest amp, but it does get pretty loud, and yes mics up very well. The reverb box (located on the bottom of the amp, inside the open-back) has two springs inside it. Yes, the reverb is amazing! Attached in the back of the amp on the left wall is a velcro strip; it holds the channel/chorus footswitch in place so it doesn't get lost in transit, which is a really nice touch!! The MSRP sticker on the back says $570, but I remember getting it for $400. It's been such a perfect fit for me, that I've only bought TWO amps since then: a Pignose 6" and a Randall RG8040 (the reissue of the RG80). Now I'm going to watch the suggested video "The Fender Princeton: A Short History" :D
Home use: Blues Jr 4 + Line 6 PodGo for me. Great tones with either Fender Stratocaster, PRS S-2 custom, Gretsch hollow body, or Epiphone dot, great tone. Even Yamaha acoustic electric sounds perfect with this amp and effects board.
Having owned many amps since 1978, my favorite is my 1965 Fender Vibrolux with Jensen C10ns speakers. It was Fender's smallest 6L6 amp. The sound and the reverb are luscious.
I really want a Blackface Vibrolux. I love Fender Tweeds (and clones of them), but I played a 1966 Vibrolux last year when I bought an instrument. That Vibrolux was the best sounding amp I’ve ever played through in over 30 years and one of the best amps I’ve ever heard period.
Really enjoyed the video. I love fenders clean channels but not the other drive channels. The Champs are a bargain imho. We have a weird pub lockdown in Ireland and it's killed the live gigs. Pubs that don't serve a substantial meal are not allowed open! The pubs with food are supposed to give you only about 100 minutes before you must leave, crazy times, makes no sense.
The best clean tone I've got from a fender amp was from a blues deluxe, from which I took out two AX7 tubes and replaced them with two AT7.Never ending head room and blissful tone!
I started out with a Sunn pr112 yes I'm that old. I went from that to a Super Reverb it was a 70's model. Now I have a mustang lt25 it sounds great but it does mute the sound a bit. I just purchased a '96 Hot Rod DeVille and it plays great, I play mostly country so I utalize the clean chanel mostly. I love it!
I use a 59 bassman all original. The best sounds are if using the 5881- 1 thru 9 for clean or grind please give that a go, you'll enjoy it I do believe
I have had various Fender amps over the years. From 2001 up through 2014, my go to amp was a USA-made 2x12 Hot Rod DeVille (still own it, great amp). But I got a vintage '64 Deluxe Reverb in 2014, and it has taken the top spot in my amp arsenal. Nothing sounds as good as that amp, and my other amps just don't measure up to the tonal quality of my DR. Perfect gigging amp - plenty of power without being overpowering. Good size that doesn't give me back problems when I move it.
OK, I have a fender supersonic 22, and you’re partly to blame for that! I loved the video and found one “for a song” that was super clean. I’ve been swapping out some new old stock tubes and that has improved the sound considerably! Actually bought an old Utah red label fender speaker to get more of a vintage tone, (very Hi-FI, sweet sound, but lower volume) I’ve found the stock Special Design speaker to be really musical so I put it back. I really can’t get enough of the clean Viber lux style channel along with the Bassman circuit (Fat) switch. I’m not really a big fan of the Burn channel, just seems to lose a lot of clarity. Would love to get my hands on the SS 60, from what I can see, because of the fact that they are no longer made and were really quite a gem, they will be much sought after in the future. Cheers
I've still got my Supersonic 60, it's a beast. It's your fault I bought it....back in 2013 🤣. My favourite amp of all time is the '63 Brownface Deluxe. It has awesome cleans, a beautiful tremolo and the gnarliest overdrive when it's cranked. Edit...lol...I just remembered it's your demo's that got me to buy my Mustang V3, lol. I've still got that one for recording.
The amp which I Owned and regretted selling was the Bruce Zinky designed 30/40/60 watt Vibrosonic. It was a modern take on the vibrolux with two Celestion 10s. It came with a valve rectifier which could be switched out on the 60 watt setting. The drive channel would yield Santana like lead tones. I played a gig with Brian May (yes) and he was shocked at how powerful it was.
Been through it. Champ, super twin, cyber twin etc. I settle now on Fender Mustang III. It does what I want has 100watts and has the fender sound in a small package. TIP, rent one for a weekend before you buy it. It never sounds the same outside the shop.
I've got a vintage drip edge twin with a EV SRO 15 speaker (this is the same model speaker SRV used in his vibroverb.) If I pull out two of the power tubes it basically becomes a pseudo vibroverb (minus the tube rectifier as the twin is solid state). It's great. You're right. Too bad you're across the pond - I'd let you borrow it as I haven't turned it on in half a year! I bought it for $500. I think...
My favorite Fender amp was one that a friend owned. It was a blackface (mid 60's) Bassman head with a small 2 X 12 Fender cabinet. He ran a Gibson ES335 into the 'Normal' channel and it sounded amazing. It had that perfect 'bite' along with a very smooth breakup. I owned a 1984 Fender SideKick Reverb 65. It was a 65 watt solid state (very similar to the solid state deluxe on your list). It had a clean and overdrive channel. You could use the footswitch to change channels OR you could plug into the 2nd input which would run both channels at the same time. It held pedals well and sounded really good with a Tube Screamer in front of it.
I still love my hot rod deluxe, bought it in 1997, the made in Corona, tweed. I don't use the drive channel on it, but a Joyo vintage overdrive once in a while. Mainly I use the clean with a delay and reverb pedals. I had a Twin in the 80s, but it was too heavy and I never needed 100 watts; but it sure sounded good using an old Tele deluxe! Great video man.
I recently bought a mint used '65 Princeton RI. Came with the Cannabis Rex. Dumped that right away and put in a WGS12C, which was a huge improvement, but I just ordered a Jensen P12R. I am having the Fromel Supreme mod kit installed in about a week and looking forward to a killer amp when it's all done.
I've had the original hot rod deluxe for a while now, bought brand new and modded over time (I believe "hot rod" speaks to how it can be customized). There are some tricks to working with it, mainly using a volume pedal / EQ in the loop so you can crank the preamp and dial down the volume (every place I've played has told me to turn down the amp when they mike it). Can also set the drive channel on low gain, which makes it kinda dark and dull and then hit it with a bright boost or distortion to get a great sound. But yeah, pedals in the clean channel are where it's at.
Honestly I love the Hot Rod Delux 3 for the versatility. It has a clean, Crunch, and Lead! I have played 3 hours gigs with it and got some sweet tones. it’s my one of my favorite plug and play. you get so much for the money.
The whole time I was watching this video, I was thinking "SRV Vibroverb '64 reissue, SRV Vibroverb '64 reissue, SRV Vibroverb '64 reissue." And I'm glad I watched until the end of the video! Everything he said is true. This thing absolutely smokes. Since I play at home usually, I use it with the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander and it's phenomenal. Now I can leave it on 6, where the happy saturation zone is for that amp, and not peel the paint from the walls and modulate the volume to whatever I choose. It has lots of head room, takes pedals really well, has perfect Fender clean tones, and really cooks with the Cesar Diaz mods turned on. My buddy with a '65 Deluxe though he had the best Fender amp of all time but he's changed his tune after hearing mine, lol. Oh, and the reverb and Tremolo are also awesome. Can't recommend it more. 👍
I went from an Ampeg B15-XY to a Fender Mustang III. For the last ten years, the first generation Mustang has been amazing. For those of us without deep pockets, there are options.
Decided on the Princeton with the 10 inch speaker as a replacement for my 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue. Wanted something smaller for home use that still had that classic Fender sound.
I just picked up a 1994 Fender Tweed Two 12 Deville I am going to install a FroMel kit on it and I'm going to change the Reverb tank with a MOD Reverb Tank. Cool video Shane I had a Hot Rod Deluxe I installed a vintage 30 and put some JJ tubes and it sounded way better.
I have a 65 DRRI and I really like it, but you're right- they don't sound great past 6 or so. 4-6 is fantastic, though. That said, my new favorite amp is the Fender '57 Custom Champ. It has lots of character, beautiful, harmonically-rich cleans and honky classic rock tones when cranked. It's the most touch-sensitive amp I've ever played. I've never used my volume controls on my guitar so much! Good content as always, Shane.
I had a deluxe 112 plus about 10yrs ago, gutted I sold it really cheap when I had gear everywhere and I was skint at the time. It was a great solid state amp, really loud, great fender clean tone that suits my style/sound, nice and small and light too. Still looking to get another again now.
My 1996 Fender Prosonic 2x10 combo has the best sounding clean channel I’ve ever heard on a Fender. I put Weber silver & blue speakers in it, along with NOS tubes & Mercury Mag transformers. I also love my Princeton 65 RRI in British Racing Green. I like the Jensen P12Q speaker over the Celestion Greenback that it came with.
Dual Showman Bassman 100 Bassman 50 Bassman tweed 410 The most amazing Fender amp I have heard a man had a fender Princeton modified with the Ev 12L speaker in it his guitar was plugged straight into the amp no pedals no nothing it was mind-blowing
Just got the Gtx100 and put it up against my Mustang III v2. Gotta say, the comparison is close but I'll still take the Mustang III V2 almost every time.
@@Magnetron33 I had to let my son use my twin. I wanted him to take the Quad but he said “Dad it’s to heavy”. Lol these kids that play today have it made. They use the new Lt weight stuff on gigs and our old stuff for recording(better sound I think). Merry Christmas pal
@@SirBelvedere333 That's great! Following in Dad's footsteps. Why break your back for music when it's not necessary? Congrats on a musical son and Merry Christmas and a better 2021 to you and yours!
Bought a Mustang 3 v2 years ago thanks to you. I hated the stock speaker though. It gave wicked ice pick ear stabbings with my Tele. Swapped the stock speaker for an Eminence Texas Heat and never looked back. Amazing amp.
Agreed about the mustang. I have a buddy who uses one on the regular and the stupid thing sounds great...The gdec 30 deserves an honorary mention as well. I’ve been teaching with those since at 2006-2007 and they’re mindblowing little practice amps. They work best if you build your own patches but the point remains. As far as my “number one”...it goes easily to the bassman. The bassman just *works* for me. It’s got that beautiful 410 character but it’s not that heavy. It takes pedals better than some “pedal platform” amps and it’ll do just about anything you ask of it, genre-wise. I’ve played mine on corporate/wedding dates, jazz dinner gigs...even brought it out with my old thrash band a few times. It’s just stupidly versatile...
I have owned and gigged two fender amps. I had a red knob twin which i played in bands for 20 years. It was a beast! Very loud and cut through the mix in a loud band. It was absolutely bullet proof. Old band mates still talk about that amp to this day. I sold it because I got sick of dragging all that weight around. I later owned a supersonic 60. Which sounded great and had a variety of cool tones. It was also a very loud amplifier and i didn't think it was too heavy but their build quality was crap.
Ive played the Hot Rod deluxe on big and small stages. I use the gain in the amp. Sounds great. I put a delay and EQ in my effects loop for solos. EQ for a boost and more mids. Occasionally I use a blues driver on the clean channel or the less drive channel. I just bought a deluxe reverb 65 reissue. I am using a blues driver for my over drives sounds.
Great review!. Thanks for listing all of your recommended amps. I'm an authorized Fender tech. I have worked on all of these amps. I enjoyed your descriptions of the Blues amps, HR Deville, HR Deluxe, etc, etc.
I bought the 65 Princeton Reverb with the 12” Jensen C12Q speaker. It’s the Western limited edition with cool tolex & wheat grill. Easily the best Fender amp I’ve ever played.
My uncle gave me his original 65 deluxe reverb. It's an amazing amp, Fantastic tone. I haven't played the reissue but I'm guessing it's just as amazing.
The Prosonic was a beast. Imagine the Supersonic but with the “alive” feeling of a Vox. Ridiculously noisy “pop” when switching channels and a little dark on clean but such a great tone.
Fantastic review and much anticipated. I personally own 4 of the amps reviewed in this video. The one thing I will strongly emphasize here about these 4 amps is how well they performed in the mix of a live band setting. All 4 of these amps were more than loud enough without sounding stressed or frazzled and retained a very musical sweet tone in the mix. 1993 Fender Stage 112 SE, 2011 Fender Mustang IV, 2002 Fender Deville..with Jensen C12k speakers), Fender 2012 Blues Deluxe..with Jensen C12k speaker)
Twin is like an outer body experience if your ever lucky enough to play one cranked. I was lucky to have one in my gigging days. Have a Princeton for the home set up these days 😇
I keep hoping that the next Fender Tone Master will be a Super Reverb. The Tone Master amp line seems like the perfect way to keep these heavy and loud amps usable in the current gigging and home environments. I hope the new models have stereo XLR outputs allowing both IRs to be fed out when playing live or recording.
Super Reverb made a master tone! I’m thinking of getting it but he’s right. The solid states kind of don’t get along with overdrive pedals or wanting to break that level, but if you play often at a bar and play indie rock/pop then I might be for you! Definitely not for hard rock tone or sweet clean leads
I had the 12” Princeton, but a local shop happened to get in a 64’ Vibroverb reissue and I took it after about 10 minutes of playing. The Princeton has since been sold as it just could not compare. Beautiful amp and I don’t think I’ll ever need or want another amp
If your amp don't fit in your car then sell the car !!!
🤣I used to have a Jeep, then I downsized and the amps didn't get any smaller to match lol
I don't roll in anything smaller than a Toyota Land Cruiser :)
@@rdrake316 I own Two Kia Sedona Vans so I can fit a whole sound system !! LOL !!
Jajaja great deal man
Ain’t dat the truth .
My top three Fender amps that I've owned so far
#1 1967 Super Reverb
#2 1965 Princeton Reissue
#3 1959 Bassman Reissue
Finally! Someone besides me Who puts the Super Reverb FIRST on their list!
The Vibrolux Reverb for me. My old one has been my gigging amp for years. Just a perfect amount of wattage/headroom. Perhaps the greatest gigging amp of all time.
Agree.. Had mine since 1968, second owner. Mine was odd, first owner demanded 1Oxford, 1 Jensen.. perfect warm bottom and sweet highs.
@@jenniferwhitewolf3784 rad
I agree. My buddy has a 68 and it’s the best amp I’ve ever heard. It’s so sweet at about 7-8 volume on the vibrato channel with a gain pedal and little delay.
67 Vibrolux Black face ♥
Underrated amp in my opinion! I don’t always see it mentioned, but it’s a classic that I was bummed to see disappear from the reissue line up
I just found out the Fuse community has been closed and I wanted to thank you for making the presets and such available. Your videos taught me most of what I know about my amp. So again thank you.
Awesome Thanks Shane. I am only an average at home player. And have recently 'rescued' my early 1980's Fender Sidekick 15 Reverb from being unused/unboxed in the shed. I have been playing occasionally on my Acoustic over the years and recently got an electric Guitar. I Bought a small re-chargeable mobile Amp..... then remembered The Fender Amp in the shed LOL. Plugged it in and it turned on and lit up....... and it works perfectly. This amp has traveled around Australia since the 1980's and has been sitting in the shed for 30 years. My 1980's Fender Sidekick 15 Reverb is all I need. Thanks again Shane. And Thanks Fender. Cheers
I have played my strat with a deluxe 112 for 25 plus years and it has never needed service and performs great every time out !
My first amp was a vintage 68 Deluxe Reverb that a neighbor had in her closet and sold to me. I ended up selling it and regret it to this day. But I now have a Blues Deluxe and a 65 Princeton (Jensen P10R), and a vintage Champ, so I feel I have adequately recovered from my loss lol. I have to say, every time I play awesome high end amps, and then come back to my Blues Deluxe... I appreciate it all the more. It eats noise for breakfast, smooths every pedal that comes into it, and the spread of the sound with the Swamp Thang is just awesome.
Vibro-King (had to sell it for back reasons as well), 65 Deluxe, 80s Rivera designed Concert (kick myself for letting that one go), BillM modded Blues Jr. with Emminence Cannabis Rex, 59 Reissue Bassman.
1966 Vibrolux Reverb, 2x 10" ... Shipped with either Oxford or Jensen, or a few, got one of each, like mine.. Had it since 1968. Still working fine!
Back in the 60's I used a Deluxe Reverb with a 2-12 cabinet extension speaker cabinet w/ 2 Jensen 12's and it sounded fantastic.
Good idea! People think the cabinet doesnt matter but it really makes a huge difference.
My top Fender amps are BF Deluxe Reverb and Vibrolux, BF Princeton, late 50's Super, Mustang III.
For me, the deluxe reverb is the best amp Fender has ever made and arguably the best amp of all time.
I n wish I knew that years ago. People don’t know how great internet is. We had no idea best. We had magazines they hardly ever did. Review best gigging amp etc.
Anybody on mesa ?
Twin reverb?
Which is why they cost an arm and a leg.
@@sathira_anuk5179 - Great amp. But too loud and too heavy. Senior citizen here however.
My first amp was a mid '60s Fender Princeton (got it in 1983). Sold it in the late 80s because I was a teen and needed cash, and well, it wasn't "metal." I sincerely regret selling it, to this day!
I had plenty of old fenders. But I needed that Eddie Van Halen tone. So the fenders at that time were no use to me. I would love to have some of my old amps now. Regrets are something all guitar players share.
I can relate, had i known that all those great pedals i had would one day be vintage and worth what people are getting i would've bought more and held on to them. Boss choruses, Ross distortion, DOD Delay and my first electric guitar was a Memphis copy of a Les Paul that was so good to look at and played and sounded fantastic. But as teen I couldn't appreciate...
Well metal sucks anyway.. Its all about Hendrix, Stevie Ray, Allman Bros tones, etc...How many hot chicks are dancing in front of the stage at a metal show, 1 maybe 3 at most?
Metal shows are pretty much a sausage fest. All Guitar Hero shows are guys playing air guitar. You need a band like Journey to bring the women. But playing metal is fun. It's the crunch baby.
I have a brownface 65 reissue Princeton. I swapped the knobs for the cupcake style and it looks close to the Chris Stapleton version without also having a 12” speaker. It runs beautifully with or without pedals. My 335 sings when plugged directly in. I can’t suggest it enough!
The Hot Rod Deluxe IV is indeed really great, and the best version so far, I think. They fixed some problems that the III was notorious for. I use it mostly clean with drive pedals, but the amp's drive has its own sound that I like too. I did the 12AT7 pre-amp tube mod and it makes a pretty good sound great. So yeah, overall I'm a fan. 🤟😎
Those amps are actually pretty much all the same. They've never made any attempt to fix any issues with any of their p.c board amps
I can't believe the Deluxe 112 Plus solid state amp made it on your list. I had one of those in the early 2000s and had it until about 2014. That late '90s early 2000s line of Fender solid state amps called the "Dyna-Touch" series were one of the best lines of analog solid state amps ever as far as having a tube like sound and FEEL when you played. The Dyna Touch combo amps came in 30w, 60w, 90w, 100w and a 120w 2x12 version (it also came in a 100w head/4x12 cab version). The overdrive channel on that amp had great rock sounds and good sounds at many gain levels. It had that contour knob for shaping the eq curve of the 3 band eq. But what was really great was the clean channel. It was an authentic Fender clean with tons of headroom that stayed clean well into loud volumes. It had it's own separate eq and volume. It had a huge bottom end and a big sound. Even after moving on to many tube amps by the mid 2000s I held on to that Deluxe for a backup or an extra amp to have around for jams for many years. I finally sold it in 2014 when I was reducing my collection for a move. I always wanted to have the 120 watt 2x12 version of that amp.
I went for the 10” Princeton to have great valve tone at home, and a radial headload prodigy which lets you get 50 or 25% going to the speaker. It’s perfect with the catalinbread foundation pedals, sometimes those driven by fuzz or whatever. Prodigy let’s you use phones too. I love my Princeton!
Hey Jason, is the amp too loud for home use without the load box? I'm considering this amp, thx.
@@StealthParrot if you want drive tones then yes and even a smaller champ could be too loud. If you play clean it's great. If you are willing to get your drive from pedals it's great too. These days it's a great size for something you could use at home (pedals for drive) and take to a gig.
Depending on situation might make sense to get something like that and either something w/ headphones and/or a modeler if you want drive tones at reasonable volumes.
I played a club years ago that supplied the drums and essentially all the sound equipment except the guitars and keyboards themselves. What I play through were two Fender Princeton amps that were patched together with a cable between #2 inputs of the second channel. Loved the sound.
I paid Fender to make me say that I’m a big fan of their amps. I’m currently playing my Blue Princeton Reverb 12” Alnico, and my old Red Knob Deluxe 85.
Took me a while to get away from my Vox, but I think I’m converted to Fender amps :)
I'm a no amp player sadly. Due to lackofunds virus. Hahaha. I am happy with im getting out of my Boss Gt1 though. Better than nothing. But I will one day buy a nice amp! Heheh
Lando! Isn't that 12” too much for your home?
Why say that. I have all the amps a guitar player should and every time I plug into one that I haven't played for a while I wonder why I haven't played it for a while. I've tried all the gear and now I dont care about most of it. Any guitar that you want to play and a tube amp and in a band mix you'll sound great..... that is if you've had your 10000 hours. It's more important than a 59 lp though a plexi.
@@davidfellows6250 I agree, and I've definitely had my 10,000 hours and then some
@@rigorhead01 you and me both bro. 40+ years haha
I have a Fender Mustang 3. When I took it to my band rehearsal my bass player could not believe it. He is one of those tube purists. He kept looking at the back of the amp and said where are the tubes? It is so tube like and clean. He was amazed.
I got a mustang LT25. So this one should be good enough for blues and jazz? I play a strat. Thank you.
I totally agree about the Super Sonic. I have the 22 and its the best drive channel Fender has ever made. I love this amp.
The '68 Reissue of the Twin is my dream amp. I already loved the sound of that particular amp, but Fender adding the Bassman channel just pushed it into dream territory for me. I'm a total pedal platform player most of the time, but a simple Klon KTR into the amp sounds phenomenal, too.
They’re great, but they’re noisy. So much hiss that they can’t really be recorded unless the band is super loud/ taking a ton of space. I’ve read it has something to do with crossing the reverb and vibrato to both channels
@@_brockleethat is fixable my man
So, I'm an old school tube amps guy. I've played through a lot of these. I own a blues deluxe tweed amp and a blues junior III special edition which sings like a bird as well. But recently, I bought a Tone Master super reverb with 4x10... and my life is complete. Ya, it's big... but not heavy at all (36lbs) and man... it has punch from those 4 10's. If you have the room, you NEED to buy one. You will not be disappointed!
Great video!
I have a Princeton 65 reissue - and man, I think it's hands down the best sounding amp I've ever played. Mine only has a 10 inch speaker, and I did put a Greenback in it, because the Jenson that came with it just flubbed out past 4 or 5. Man, I use a Mini Mass to attenuate it - and some might not think so, but it freaking rips. It has just an amazing cutting tone to it. I also tried a Creamback, but it had such a nasal honk to it, it drove me nuts. It could be that it wasn't properly broken in, but the Greenback was made for it. To me, the Princeton has everything in spades that I love about Fender amps - it's clean tone is sweet and smooth, and it goes all the way to dirty 70's garage rock. It takes pedals like a champ, and the tremolo is the best, most warm sounding tremolo ever. The reverb is a tad splashy for me, but keeping it at about 2 is a nice spot. I will never, ever get rid of this amp. Ever. I was so close to getting the Deluxe, and those are great too, but my Princeton feels like it was built just for me. And when I really want to blow some minds, I run it with my Pro Jr. III in stereo and it's like riding a wave of awesome tone. And plenty loud too.
I went for the 10” Princeton but wasn’t fond of the stock speaker (maybe needed to be broken in?) So I swapped it out for the Jensen Alnico in the ‘64 handwired version, sound’s phenomenal! I also pair it up with a separate cab with a 12” for some occasions so get the best of both👍 Just finished an album with my band and used those combinations for every guitar track I played, and I own many amps…
I agree with your assessment of the Fender Super Sonic 60. I've been playing mine at gigs since 2007 and love it. Another great recording amp I love is my 1983 Fender Super Champ. It's only 15 watts, but it's so versatile. I bought mine in the 1990's for $200. Prices of these amps are now pretty pricey, but if you buy one you'll love it.
Man I’ve been playing Mesa amps for years and i keep coming back to the Supersonic 60. I can pick the sound of that amp out of any fender amps..great video as always!
My main amp for the past several years is a Silverface Vibrosonic which is pretty much a Twin with a big 15" JBL speaker. I love the JBL 12s but they never sound quite right with some sorts of gain but this 15" sound excellent with up to about AC/DC levels of gain.
Another amp that never gets old with me is the Tweed Deluxe. Mine was a quality clone. With the right speaker, it is killer, if it is within your volume requirements or if you can always mic it. It gets a bit bloaty with humbuckers at loud volumes.
One of the best sounding local guys used to play a real Tweed Bandmaster, then got a boutique copy of one. He plays a Tele with a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive on most of the time then works the volume control on the guitar. Glorious sound though again, it can get weird with humbuckers above a certain volume.
The 60W Super Sonic was also a great amp. I had one for several years before I discovered boutique pedals and while it's still a very versatile amp, I just preferred a basic Blackface type with a few different pedals and if for times when you need big and clean, the Super Sonic just can't touch that Vibrosonic with the 15" JBL.
Rivera era amps are often overlooked. I have an 1982 Champ II. Just think, a Champ that is 18 watts with a 10 inch speaker! Sounds great and is very versatile. Took me two years to find one and I'm never letting go of it.
I Have the Fender Deluxe 112 I bought new in 1997 I've got a lot of amps but all around this is the best amp I own.It's big and loud enough to play any gig and small enough for at home practise amp very well satisfied over the years and hopefully 20 more years to come.
'59 narrow panel Bassman w/pedalboard was my favorite.
Got a Pro Jr. 1st year, and really liked it for home use👍😎
Now the TMDR is the schizz👍😎
Great vid👍😎🖖
I had a US made Tweed Pro Junior from the first year of production. I bought it brand new the year Fender switched them black tolex. I have no idea why it took the store that long to sell it, but it was a great amp, and the one piece of gear that I had owned the longest until someone stole it in 2014.
I play through an old 90s Hot Rod DeVille 212. I've never used the drive channel even once. I get all of my dirt from pedals. I love it. It's just a great, clean pedal platform, and it's an absolute workhorse. I've played way more expensive amps, but always end up coming back to my DeVille. With the right combination of pedals, it's just so easy to dial in a good tone.
I have a hand built Princeton Reverb from a local amp builder. It's a 22 watt version with a 12 inch speaker, but if I swap the rectifier tube it can be run at 15 watts. It has an Eminence Cannabis Rex in it and it really sounds quite amazing.
I’ve had a 112 plus since 1998 (it was my first gigging amp) and I reckon it still sounds absolutely superb. I’ve finally caved in to my curiosity on the Tone Master series and pressed ‘go’ on a Twin Reverb this morning.
Great amp discussion! I’ve been playing on a 1993 Blues DeVille 212 for the last couple of years. It’s a ton to move around, but love the tone!
I've been watching your channel for a little while now and enjoy it very much! I was so surprised when you mentioned the Mustang series! I play with a fellow who has the Mustang III v1 . So I went out (2 years ago) and bought a Mustang II V.2 as I don't play large venues anyway. About six months ago I bought a used speaker from a 65 Deluxe(Jensen) (12" drop in replacement) and I can't believe the sound this thing produces. I use the 57 Deluxe and the 65 Princeton settings exclusively (with tweaks from Fender Fuse software). I play with another guitarist, a harmonica player and a bass player and can stay right with them and then some. My guitar is a "Godin 5th Ave Kingpin II (P90s)" I find something interesting in every one of your videos!! Keep up the good work. RollyS , "ITTY BITTY JAM BAND"
Great video as always, love your playing and content. My first amp my uncle built out of a coffee can that I plugged into and had a little speaker that was wired up to it. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing nor how to properly use it. I had it for about 8 months then gave it back. He wanted it back when I was done using it not out of being ungrateful. I moved to N.C. and bought an amp from a store that had just started carrying these German amps that for the life of me I cannot remember the correct name for. I've never seen another since. They weren't Krueger it was something else with a K. Played on that in clubs and backyards from N.C. to Tn. It was alright and was solid state. Next bought a Champion 100 that I still have. Never really played on tube amps but finally bought a Monoprice changed out tubes and speaker and have really enjoyed it. I recently bought a Frampton LP copy and have been looking for a tube amp to marry up with it and my custom Strat. I write and play my own stuff and I would say it is Led Zeppish. I've been eyeballing the Marshall studio plexi but I've also played on a 68 Fender Twin that was fantastic. However, with the virus hampering work and the like it's killed any chance of buying anything like that in the near future. Oh, I also played on an a Vox AC15 that was very very nice. 1st time I ever played on one. Decisions decisions.
I just scored a Princeton Chorus with the dual 12” speakers, and I love it. Not so sure the neighbors do, but I love what it puts out. Just got it so I haven’t played around with it yet to comment on the range of capabilities it has. So far, I’m digging it.
What year is it? I'm looking at one. Tks
@@FreedomAlchemy I think it’s a 90’s model. As far as i know it’s still available because it was too much for my neigbors I took it back and got myself a Fender Champion 100. That Princeton Chorus sounded freaking awesome though. The dude may still have it, he’s asking $240 for it. I can put you in touch if you want to see what kind of deal you can do with the man. it’s at a music store right now. I’d be happy to help.
Silverface 68 custom Deluxe is my no. 1 Fender amp. Amazing amp.
Love my Mustang V2 and glad to see you had it on your list.
Before the support went, I set mine up for all the amps and with my favourite effects.
What a great roll up / summary to revisit a long and storied history of testing. Very unusual to do a retrospective and AMAZING!
From the mid-late 60's thru the early-mid 70's my blackface Bandmaster atop the Fender twin twelve cab with the Jensen Special Design speakers was absolutely the most perfect sounding amp I've ever had but it was the one I let get away because it just got buried under everyone else's Ampeg V-4's and SVT's and Marshalls. I traded it in on a Music Man HD-130 Reverb, stuck a pair of JBL K-120's in the Fender cab and found another different yet beautiful sounding combo which I still use to this day. Still have the 70's Silver face Champ and Vibro- Champ though.
I've got the Princeton with a 12 inch speaker, the Bordeaux. I love it. The 12 inch gives it a full bass sound to my ears.
My favorite Fender amp I had was my Fender Dual Showman Reverb with the 2X15 stack Cab in the 70's. HUGE Tone !! About 5 yrs ago I had a Super Sonic Twin !! Fantastic amp but heavy as a TRUCK. I do have a Mustang III & a Blues Junior IV Lacquer Tweed
I just bought a 2002 reissue Hot Rod Deluxe (60th anniversary) that an engineer had upgraded the tubes from the Fenders to the Sovteks and Svetlanas and did his magic on what he thought were issues with the amp and it's the best amp I've ever owned tonally...I only used my old 70s analog delay through the front of it but it loves my 335 and tele a lot...all in all really happy...I've owned Champs, Bassman's and one Twin in my life...this one is so far really great...I don't play really loud anymore as I'm retired but it sure sounds great to me.
I have a deluxe reverb tone master and I don’t have those problems. Takes pedals fine and breaks up pretty well and accurately if you dial it in right. The firmware updates have made it even better.
I have a '95 USA Blues DeVille 410 and it is STUNNING!!! It's big, but dang the tone is WARM and FULL. I can't ever imagine selling it. I'm a Tele guy too, so plugging my 2018 American Professional Tele into the '95 Blues DeVille is money. Thanks for your videos, I am subscribed and enjoy all your stuff. I'm a Tele guy too, so plugging my 2018 American Professional Tele into the '95 Blues DeVille is money.
I have a Custom Shop Princeton Reverb with a 12". It is really nice. A bit lacking in big rooms but does great at home or recording.
My gigging amps are a Bugera V22 (completely retubed) and a Hot Rod Deville 212 v4. The Hot Rod is entirely usable on stage. Plenty of volume. I am still not a fan of the drive channel though. I push my pedals through the clean channel. The drive channel is OK if you have time to adjust the EQ between songs. Since I play it live, I just keep it on the clean channel.
The Bugera is probably my favorite amp for the stage. It's a little shy on volume but does everything else great. But I spent several hundred dollars putting tubes in it. The key for most tube amps is to put a tube with balanced diode outputs in the OD tube position. For the Bugera, this was #3. It really brought the OD to life. The best part is that I have a great sounding amp that only cost me $500 (after new tubes) and I don't kringe when it gets beat up a little.
No 5E3 Deluxe? No Bassman?
Loved the hotrod deluxe, it was my 1st real amp. Unfortunately it was stolen. Blessing in disguise, as I went for a 65 twin (reissue) and have never looked back! But the weight, oh the weight! After doing my back in a few times I discovered the Tone master twin and I couldn't be more pleased. Sounds fantastic, weighs nothing I can't believe it! The only thing we don't know is how reliable they are, opportunities to take this thing on the road being scarce at the moment, but I have gigged with it a few times and it feels just like my twin.
I'm glad you gave love to the VIBROVERB. A mostly unknown amp. The 65 Vibroverb with the original 15" JBL speaker is one of the best sounding amps ever. I owned one and sold it and have been regretting ever since.
The Bruce Zinky designed Fender Prosonic is a great amp, and my favorite Fender Amp that I have played or owned. Jeff Pevar has a lot of different amps, but when I have seen him play locally at smaller gigs, I have only seen him with a Prosonic.
Isn't the Super-sonic the successor to the Prosonic?
I didn’t know that I have vibro king he did awesome but heavy
I have a Fender Princeton Chorus 2x10" I got in 1998. Here's how I dial in the "Fender crunch": treble at 7.5 to 8, mid at 2.5, bass at 1.5, reverb 7 to 7.5, gain 10, limiter 4 to 4.1 (yes, that extra +0.1 makes a difference!), mid boost off, presence +2.1. I have a Fender SRV Strat from 2000, and this guitar-amp combination has a bite!!! These amp settings at full gain (i.e. limiter at 0) has a very hard rock and metal lead guitar sound. If you have high treble, low-to-no mids, and bass at 3-4 (it REALLY doesn't take much on the bass knob for it to get overly "muffly") and mid boost ON (despite that the mids knob is down/off) it has a really heavy metal rhythm sound. It's not the loudest amp, but it does get pretty loud, and yes mics up very well. The reverb box (located on the bottom of the amp, inside the open-back) has two springs inside it. Yes, the reverb is amazing! Attached in the back of the amp on the left wall is a velcro strip; it holds the channel/chorus footswitch in place so it doesn't get lost in transit, which is a really nice touch!! The MSRP sticker on the back says $570, but I remember getting it for $400. It's been such a perfect fit for me, that I've only bought TWO amps since then: a Pignose 6" and a Randall RG8040 (the reissue of the RG80). Now I'm going to watch the suggested video "The Fender Princeton: A Short History" :D
Home use: Blues Jr 4 + Line 6 PodGo for me. Great tones with either Fender Stratocaster, PRS S-2 custom, Gretsch hollow body, or Epiphone dot, great tone. Even Yamaha acoustic electric sounds perfect with this amp and effects board.
Having owned many amps since 1978, my favorite is my 1965 Fender Vibrolux with Jensen C10ns speakers. It was Fender's smallest 6L6 amp. The sound and the reverb are luscious.
I really want a Blackface Vibrolux. I love Fender Tweeds (and clones of them), but I played a 1966 Vibrolux last year when I bought an instrument. That Vibrolux was the best sounding amp I’ve ever played through in over 30 years and one of the best amps I’ve ever heard period.
@@charlesbolton8471 You can't go wrong with one. I know someone who just bought a 66 for $1800. The deals are out there, just keep looking.
oig40203
Thanks. That’s good to know. I’ll definitely keep looking.
Really enjoyed the video. I love fenders clean channels but not the other drive channels. The Champs are a bargain imho.
We have a weird pub lockdown in Ireland and it's killed the live gigs. Pubs that don't serve a substantial meal are not allowed open! The pubs with food are supposed to give you only about 100 minutes before you must leave, crazy times, makes no sense.
My all time favorite is a 5F6 tweed bassman. 40 watt 4x10 best fender clean chime to roaring marshall mids turned up.
I bought a Bassbreaker 30R, used it for one gig and then...bloody lockdown, and I haven’t been able to use it since. Sounded awesome though!
The best clean tone I've got from a fender amp was from a blues deluxe, from which I took out two AX7 tubes and replaced them with two AT7.Never ending head room and blissful tone!
I have a Blues Deluxe Reissue and have been wondering about doing that mod 🤔, thanks. 👍
I started out with a Sunn pr112 yes I'm that old. I went from that to a Super Reverb it was a 70's model. Now I have a mustang lt25 it sounds great but it does mute the sound a bit. I just purchased a '96 Hot Rod DeVille and it plays great, I play mostly country so I utalize the clean chanel mostly. I love it!
I use a 59 bassman all original. The best sounds are if using the 5881- 1 thru 9 for clean or grind please give that a go, you'll enjoy it I do believe
Love my Blues Deluxe- best amp I’ve ever played 👍🎸🇬🇧
How much better than Mustang 25? A lot?
@@kawai99100 sorry never played one
I have had various Fender amps over the years. From 2001 up through 2014, my go to amp was a USA-made 2x12 Hot Rod DeVille (still own it, great amp). But I got a vintage '64 Deluxe Reverb in 2014, and it has taken the top spot in my amp arsenal. Nothing sounds as good as that amp, and my other amps just don't measure up to the tonal quality of my DR. Perfect gigging amp - plenty of power without being overpowering. Good size that doesn't give me back problems when I move it.
My hotrod Deluxe III is what I am using now.. I enjoyed your review and analysis. Spot on!
OK, I have a fender supersonic 22, and you’re partly to blame for that! I loved the video and found one “for a song” that was super clean. I’ve been swapping out some new old stock tubes and that has improved the sound considerably! Actually bought an old Utah red label fender speaker to get more of a vintage tone, (very Hi-FI, sweet sound, but lower volume) I’ve found the stock Special Design speaker to be really musical so I put it back. I really can’t get enough of the clean Viber lux style channel along with the Bassman circuit (Fat) switch.
I’m not really a big fan of the Burn channel, just seems to lose a lot of clarity.
Would love to get my hands on the SS 60, from what I can see, because of the fact that they are no longer made and were really quite a gem, they will be much sought after in the future.
Cheers
I've still got my Supersonic 60, it's a beast. It's your fault I bought it....back in 2013 🤣. My favourite amp of all time is the '63 Brownface Deluxe. It has awesome cleans, a beautiful tremolo and the gnarliest overdrive when it's cranked.
Edit...lol...I just remembered it's your demo's that got me to buy my Mustang V3, lol. I've still got that one for recording.
I’ll never sell my blonde/oxblood supersonic. Because I can’t lift it 😂
@@jgenoese 🤣🤣
The amp which I Owned and regretted selling was the Bruce Zinky designed 30/40/60 watt Vibrosonic.
It was a modern take on the vibrolux with two Celestion 10s. It came with a valve rectifier which could be switched out on the 60 watt setting.
The drive channel would yield Santana like lead tones. I played a gig with Brian May (yes) and he was shocked at how powerful it was.
Very cool 👍
Been through it. Champ, super twin, cyber twin etc. I settle now on Fender Mustang III. It does what I want has 100watts and has the fender sound in a small package. TIP, rent one for a weekend before you buy it. It never sounds the same outside the shop.
I've got a vintage drip edge twin with a EV SRO 15 speaker (this is the same model speaker SRV used in his vibroverb.) If I pull out two of the power tubes it basically becomes a pseudo vibroverb (minus the tube rectifier as the twin is solid state).
It's great. You're right. Too bad you're across the pond - I'd let you borrow it as I haven't turned it on in half a year! I bought it for $500. I think...
My favorite Fender amp was one that a friend owned. It was a blackface (mid 60's) Bassman head with a small 2 X 12 Fender cabinet. He ran a Gibson ES335 into the 'Normal' channel and it sounded amazing. It had that perfect 'bite' along with a very smooth breakup. I owned a 1984 Fender SideKick Reverb 65. It was a 65 watt solid state (very similar to the solid state deluxe on your list). It had a clean and overdrive channel. You could use the footswitch to change channels OR you could plug into the 2nd input which would run both channels at the same time. It held pedals well and sounded really good with a Tube Screamer in front of it.
I still love my hot rod deluxe, bought it in 1997, the made in Corona, tweed. I don't use the drive channel on it, but a Joyo vintage overdrive once in a while. Mainly I use the clean with a delay and reverb pedals. I had a Twin in the 80s, but it was too heavy and I never needed 100 watts; but it sure sounded good using an old Tele deluxe! Great video man.
I recently bought a mint used '65 Princeton RI. Came with the Cannabis Rex. Dumped that right away and put in a WGS12C, which was a huge improvement, but I just ordered a Jensen P12R. I am having the Fromel Supreme mod kit installed in about a week and looking forward to a killer amp when it's all done.
Have a 60 and a 100 Super Sonic. I love these combo. The best amp for me.
I've had the original hot rod deluxe for a while now, bought brand new and modded over time (I believe "hot rod" speaks to how it can be customized). There are some tricks to working with it, mainly using a volume pedal / EQ in the loop so you can crank the preamp and dial down the volume (every place I've played has told me to turn down the amp when they mike it). Can also set the drive channel on low gain, which makes it kinda dark and dull and then hit it with a bright boost or distortion to get a great sound. But yeah, pedals in the clean channel are where it's at.
Honestly I love the Hot Rod Delux 3 for the versatility. It has a clean, Crunch, and Lead! I have played 3 hours gigs with it and got some sweet tones. it’s my one of my favorite plug and play. you get so much for the money.
The whole time I was watching this video, I was thinking "SRV Vibroverb '64 reissue, SRV Vibroverb '64 reissue, SRV Vibroverb '64 reissue." And I'm glad I watched until the end of the video! Everything he said is true. This thing absolutely smokes. Since I play at home usually, I use it with the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander and it's phenomenal. Now I can leave it on 6, where the happy saturation zone is for that amp, and not peel the paint from the walls and modulate the volume to whatever I choose. It has lots of head room, takes pedals really well, has perfect Fender clean tones, and really cooks with the Cesar Diaz mods turned on. My buddy with a '65 Deluxe though he had the best Fender amp of all time but he's changed his tune after hearing mine, lol. Oh, and the reverb and Tremolo are also awesome. Can't recommend it more. 👍
I went from an Ampeg B15-XY to a Fender Mustang III. For the last ten years, the first generation Mustang has been amazing. For those of us without deep pockets, there are options.
Decided on the Princeton with the 10 inch speaker as a replacement for my 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue. Wanted something smaller for home use that still had that classic Fender sound.
I just picked up a 1994 Fender Tweed Two 12 Deville I am going to install a FroMel kit on it and I'm going to change the Reverb tank with a MOD Reverb Tank. Cool video Shane I had a Hot Rod Deluxe I installed a vintage 30 and put some JJ tubes and it sounded way better.
I have a 65 DRRI and I really like it, but you're right- they don't sound great past 6 or so. 4-6 is fantastic, though. That said, my new favorite amp is the Fender '57 Custom Champ. It has lots of character, beautiful, harmonically-rich cleans and honky classic rock tones when cranked. It's the most touch-sensitive amp I've ever played. I've never used my volume controls on my guitar so much!
Good content as always, Shane.
I had a deluxe 112 plus about 10yrs ago, gutted I sold it really cheap when I had gear everywhere and I was skint at the time. It was a great solid state amp, really loud, great fender clean tone that suits my style/sound, nice and small and light too. Still looking to get another again now.
My 1996 Fender Prosonic 2x10 combo has the best sounding clean channel I’ve ever heard on a Fender. I put Weber silver & blue speakers in it, along with NOS tubes & Mercury Mag transformers. I also love my Princeton 65 RRI in British Racing Green. I like the Jensen P12Q speaker over the Celestion Greenback that it came with.
Dual Showman Bassman 100 Bassman 50
Bassman tweed 410
The most amazing Fender amp I have heard a man had a fender Princeton modified with the Ev 12L speaker in it his guitar was plugged straight into the amp no pedals no nothing it was mind-blowing
Just got the Gtx100 and put it up against my Mustang III v2. Gotta say, the comparison is close but I'll still take the Mustang III V2 almost every time.
My now retired amp repairman said my 65 Twin Reverb is the best sounding amp he has heard in 45 years of amp repair. Clarity and power!
@Madam Murdrum I know! I am 67 and have had it for about 45 years. I can't pick it up anymore.
I have the Quad @ 100lbs is passed gigging weight but still can’t beat the sound.
@@SirBelvedere333 My Twin is a two man carry. It's a back breaker
@@Magnetron33 I had to let my son use my twin. I wanted him to take the Quad but he said “Dad it’s to heavy”. Lol these kids that play today have it made. They use the new Lt weight stuff on gigs and our old stuff for recording(better sound I think). Merry Christmas pal
@@SirBelvedere333 That's great! Following in Dad's footsteps. Why break your back for music when it's not necessary? Congrats on a musical son and Merry Christmas and a better 2021 to you and yours!
Bought a Mustang 3 v2 years ago thanks to you. I hated the stock speaker though. It gave wicked ice pick ear stabbings with my Tele. Swapped the stock speaker for an Eminence Texas Heat and never looked back. Amazing amp.
Agreed about the mustang. I have a buddy who uses one on the regular and the stupid thing sounds great...The gdec 30 deserves an honorary mention as well. I’ve been teaching with those since at 2006-2007 and they’re mindblowing little practice amps. They work best if you build your own patches but the point remains.
As far as my “number one”...it goes easily to the bassman. The bassman just *works* for me. It’s got that beautiful 410 character but it’s not that heavy. It takes pedals better than some “pedal platform” amps and it’ll do just about anything you ask of it, genre-wise. I’ve played mine on corporate/wedding dates, jazz dinner gigs...even brought it out with my old thrash band a few times. It’s just stupidly versatile...
I have owned and gigged two fender amps. I had a red knob twin which i played in bands for 20 years. It was a beast! Very loud and cut through the mix in a loud band. It was absolutely bullet proof. Old band mates still talk about that amp to this day. I sold it because I got sick of dragging all that weight around. I later owned a supersonic 60. Which sounded great and had a variety of cool tones. It was also a very loud amplifier and i didn't think it was too heavy but their build quality was crap.
Any mess users ?
It was my standard Princeton reverb for me until I got a EC twinolux. Really convinced me on how handwired definitely sounded different and smooth.
Ive played the Hot Rod deluxe on big and small stages. I use the gain in the amp. Sounds great. I put a delay and EQ in my effects loop for solos. EQ for a boost and more mids. Occasionally I use a blues driver on the clean channel or the less drive channel. I just bought a deluxe reverb 65 reissue. I am using a blues driver for my over drives sounds.
Great review!. Thanks for listing all of your recommended amps. I'm an authorized Fender tech. I have worked on all of these amps. I enjoyed your descriptions of the Blues amps, HR Deville, HR Deluxe, etc, etc.
I bought the 65 Princeton Reverb with the 12” Jensen C12Q speaker. It’s the Western limited edition with cool tolex & wheat grill. Easily the best Fender amp I’ve ever played.
The '57 Reissue Deluxe is an absolutely amazing amp, tone monster.
My uncle gave me his original 65 deluxe reverb. It's an amazing amp, Fantastic tone. I haven't played the reissue but I'm guessing it's just as amazing.
The Prosonic was a beast. Imagine the Supersonic but with the “alive” feeling of a Vox.
Ridiculously noisy “pop” when switching channels and a little dark on clean but such a great tone.
I agree with you! I love my prosonic amp and it is a beast!! Don t forget one of its best features, the gain! Killer!
Fantastic review and much anticipated. I personally own 4 of the amps reviewed in this video. The one thing I will strongly emphasize here about these 4 amps is how well they performed in the mix of a live band setting. All 4 of these amps were more than loud enough without sounding stressed or frazzled and retained a very musical sweet tone in the mix. 1993 Fender Stage 112 SE, 2011 Fender Mustang IV, 2002 Fender Deville..with Jensen C12k speakers), Fender 2012 Blues Deluxe..with Jensen C12k speaker)
Twin is like an outer body experience if your ever lucky enough to play one cranked. I was lucky to have one in my gigging days. Have a Princeton for the home set up these days 😇
1962 Fender Brown Deluxe is the GOAT. Love it so much!
I keep hoping that the next Fender Tone Master will be a Super Reverb. The Tone Master amp line seems like the perfect way to keep these heavy and loud amps usable in the current gigging and home environments. I hope the new models have stereo XLR outputs allowing both IRs to be fed out when playing live or recording.
Super Reverb made a master tone! I’m thinking of getting it but he’s right. The solid states kind of don’t get along with overdrive pedals or wanting to break that level, but if you play often at a bar and play indie rock/pop then I might be for you! Definitely not for hard rock tone or sweet clean leads
I had the 12” Princeton, but a local shop happened to get in a 64’ Vibroverb reissue and I took it after about 10 minutes of playing. The Princeton has since been sold as it just could not compare. Beautiful amp and I don’t think I’ll ever need or want another amp