I hate to admit this, but I've fallen asleep to his voice too many times while trying to learn more about amp repairs. That's not a bad thing, as it's the end of a long day and I'm exhausted. His voice soothes my head. 🤣
@@mikewithers299you’re not alone, I started watching his stuff to learn more about amp circuits and repairs etc. because he’s detailed and speaks very clearly, easy to take in the knowledge drops he gives out for free… but learned if I watch in the evening, eyelids get heavy… so now I also use his videos as a drug-free sleep-aid on the nights where my brain is firing on all cylinders hahaha! Ain’t no shame in that. Lyle could make a fortune selling sleep audiobooks
Laney L5 studio here, 5 glorious watts of raw all tube class A power (yes it’s LOUD) that can also run at 0.5 watts which is still plenty through a decently efficient speaker but good for living room jams. It sounds glorious clean and can go gritty (pushed power section) to full overdrive, has all the bells and whistles including 2 channels, fx loop, (cab modeled) line and headphones out, reamping and usb connectivity.
Used to have a Laney L5 Studio and I can also attest it was GREAT! Was using for Gilmour tones but straight into the gain channel for some hard blues and even rock tones was AMAZING.
Great idea working with Lyle...like watching 2 of my favorite channels at once! I have not worked on amps in 25 years but still enjoy the videos and discussions. Really relaxing for geeky retired engineers! Thanks!
I just bought a Swart STR tweed .....5w 12in.....its sounds fantastic !! And is the best looking amp i have ever seen. Beautifully built and the tolex is next level.
I play Blues here in Los Angeles. I'll be 75 in a month. I use two amps that cover everything for my gigs. All made in the USA Fender Blues Deluxe and Blues Junior. I never mod guitars or amps, I just buy another to capture the sound and volume I need Play on Peace Los Angeles
I work on many of those models in SoCal and they are workhorses that do a great job with blues and rock. Lots of people like to dismiss them on sight, but they sound great when healthy. It doesn’t take much to keep them going.
Cool! I just picked up a USA Blues Deluxe and am already loving it. Just not sure it's gonna be on any of our shows due to it's size & weight. I'll likely stick with my PR & BJ, bet that BD tone is really great!
@PsionicAudio should design well laid out Princeton PCBs and create a kit with the PCB, components and a good chassis. A good Princeton clone or otherwise is suprisingly hard to find.
I spent a lot of time agonizing over spending the dough on a Princeton Reverb (retired from my day job). I have had Blues Juniors since they first came out. They have seen a LOT of gigs, rehearsals & practice, and they have all held up well, aside from a power tube socket solder joint breaking. I DON'T abuse them, and only play at reasonable levels (the audience really DOES NOT appreciate their ears being tormented) I just got the Princeton, and was in heaven at our first show!!! Point is: it's not easy to find the right used Princeton Reverb here in the Pacific Northwest, so a solid kit or alternative would very likely be welcome!
I love Lyle. I don’t watch the full videos since I am not 100% into amp repairs but I do love his commentary. I like how he is very straightforward. That’s a value missed by society nowadays.
Straight-forward and also nuanced: e.g. the Boss Katana Mk II is simultaneously not a great amp (in absolute terms) and yet a terrific option (in some contexts).
So that's what the Psionic Audio guy looks like. I listen to his channel every day. I've learned a lot! Of the 5 amps I have that are suitable for home use... 1. 1969 Fender Champ which is magical. My second amp I ever owned. These used to be dirt cheap. Not any more! 2. 1966 Airline Valco, which was my first amp and IS THE 5 WATT AMP I gigged with exclusively for the first 10+ years since it was my ONLY amp back then. So YES a 5 watt amp CAN be a regular gigging amp, because I did it, though I understand why you would dissuade folks from doing it. 3. Fender SuperChamp X2 for when I need more effects, and also the line out comes in handy for gigs, it makes this a very versatile amp. It is about 10 years old and it has not failed yet. 4. Fender Rumble 25..I like it for Jazz, Classical and acoustic fingerpicking. Good for bass naturally. 5. AER Compact 60 for the same reasons as the Rumble 25 but with vocal capability. This is my most gigged amp as well, for the last 20 years. I'm not a shredder, mostly standards and classical so this does the trick and is very portable. This is an expensive piece of gear but I've done thousands of gigs with it. It paid for itself in the first month. The only minus is their is no breakup; you cannot overdrive it, so you need a pedal for that, which fits in the side pocket of the amp's case. Everything I've needed for 90% of my gigs in fact fit into the pockets of the case. So there it is, the two MAGIC ones at the top and the 3 practical ones at the bottom. All useable at low volumes. All will keep you on good terms with your neighbors.
Can't agree more about the Vox AC15C1 Recently bought a used one for $500, its a G12C version which just means an alternate/"upgraded" speaker (Warehouse Reaper HP) and like Lyle said is super versatile and sounds fantastic. Can do pretty much anything rock/classic rock/country - super happy with it and is a great value at the price point. And yes it is pretty heavy, probably only drawback
I love Lyle's videos and insights. More than a few of his videos have played a big role in my decisions of what to buy or not buy. I already know if an amp sounds good, but his videos really illuminate whether or not something is built well. I bought my Swart STR Tweed and Marshall SV20H only after watching his clips on them.
Thanks for today! It was a real treat! I think the home amp thing is a real topic of conversation with us 70s kids. Even if we budget $500 or $2600. ...
Love Lyle's channel and how he's so giving with his knowledge. Got an AC15 on his advice over a Hot Rod and have never looked back. Further took his advice and put a Blue in it and found my sound.
I sold a Princeton because it had a noise I could not get rid of and I think it was honestly too loud for home. To add, I tried 3 Princetons and sent them back just as you mentioned, and also had a shop look at it, but no one wanted to check tubes, so unless I wanted to buy tubes even the warranty would help.
Only play at home running a 64 Princeton Reverb H/W RI, it gets better all the time, rarely gets turned up past 6. Also have a little 57 champ H/W RI and it needs a good doctor, has good days and more not so good days. Both are aging well though, the tones seem much sweeter than when they were new and I was all excited.. now I am more satisfied.
For playing at home the Yamaha THR is hard to beat… it has a studio recorded quality to its sounds and the stock old THR5 is so sweet and has a beautiful wide reverb.
The best amp I‘ve ever played and still play at home is the 28W Bartel Starwood. Mark‘s a genious and his amps have by far the best Master volume out there. The built quality is otherworldly and should even convince Psionic.
Lyle gives me peace of mind. Yes there are amp gurus still out there. Yes he cares about the details. Yes he knows the science. Has the experience. Works for pros. Its also OCD. Another vintage fender amp restored properly. Sigh....the universe is a little bit better now. That there are people out there....still keeping it all alive.
I bought a used Vox ac15 with the greenback speaker at a pawn shop a few months ago for $400 out the door! Only 1 year old. It's a great sounding amp! Not long afterwards, I found a new Fender 68 custom deluxe reverb for $1300. A $300 discount and i just couldn't pass on it. I disagree with Lyle that the 68 custom stuff is "crap" like he says. It's noisy compared to the 65, but that's it? Beyond that, it sounds great! Imo. I have a 74 Fender pro reverb, all original in great condition and the 68 more than holds its own in sound quality. It absolutely outshines the Vox and i love the Vox. The 68 stuff is not crap, and I love Lyle and his channel, btw. I will have to get a Princeton next thougn. 65 this time. Spread the love
Lyle has been great to discover. As a mesa owner, he shattered my trust in my own amp in a way, but it was great to at least , be aware. I have no answer for what i'm going to do with my amp, but there are some very good amp builders out there. Headfirst or MI audio are probably highest on my list so far. Being an Ozzie, would like to support Australian made stuff
I gigged extensively (blues band in SoCal) for well over 25 years but basically retired from all that about 2011-2012. Nowadays I just amuse myself at home. Just yesterday I picked up one of the relatively recently released Suhr Hombre's. KILLER AMP!! About a year ago I grabbed one of the new '64 Custom Hand-Wired Fender Deluxe Reverbs. I also have a reissue Princeton where I replaced the stock speaker with a 12" speaker. Along with the other amps I've had for years I have MORE than enough great amps. I love all this stuff!! BTW, the only reason I have the $$'s to afford all this crap is that my regular day gig was program mgmt. in aerospace. I was lucky... and smart to not rely on my music to live on. 😁
@@sharkair2839 We were called Tupelo Blue. Bob Lesher of Fullerton was the vocalist/blues harpist. We did a lot of gigs in Fullerton and all over SoCal. TB was a 4-pc. outfit that, like many bands, went through personnel changes, mainly bassists. If you know the blues scene around OC then you might recognize the name Scott Lambert. Scotty was our regular bassist for the last several years before we went our separate ways. He passed several years ago. What a great guy and friend. ...
I have a Mesa TA-15 that really sounds killer for rock & blues & an old 70's Music Man 65 watt with 2 10 inch speakers that is great clean. Great job as usual guys!
As a “metal guy” IMO - get the high gain amp that does “the thing” for you, and learn to love other styles of playing so you can enjoy other styles of amps. There’s a lot of cool stuff out there. I promise it’s fun.
I got a 65 Princeton reissue for dirt cheap at GC because the input jacks weren’t even finger tight and it sounded horrible. 5 minutes with a socket wrench… a keeper. Next step is follow Lyle’s advice on caps etc.
Fun conversation, really enjoyed that. Great to see Michael Swart getting some love. He builds superb amps, and is definitely under appreciated. For the record, Mike is located in Wilmington, NC. My #1 amp since ‘03 is a Swart Atomic Space Tone; after hundreds of gigs with it, that is still my desert island amplifier. Ten years ago I also bought a Swart STR Trem, 5 watts of tonal bliss, and my pick for a premier home amp. Swart’s trem circuit is lush like velour sheets.
I have a Super Champ x2 with a GA10-64SC speaker that is great for home use, more than loud enough to play with a reasonable drummer, and has a line out if you need more volume. Those Super Champs are real sleepers.
I bought a Suhr Hombre and absolutely love it. I often perform as a single in small clubs with a looper and this amp is the perfect size. I love the tone, it’s lightweight and I never need to put it past 3. I use it with a small board that has reverb, delay and an overdrive and that’s all I need.
That’s my dream home rig. Right now I have a 50 MkI and a 50 MkII connected ABY and that’s cool too. Nothing against the grain from here! The attenuation alone makes them great home amps. Boss is great.
100%. I’ve had all the Katana larger amps in the MkII series: 50, 100, and Artist, as well as the Fender Mustang GTX100, Yamaha THR, positive grid spark, etc. The Artist is my clear #1 and sold all the others. The quality of the speaker and cabinet is well above the others and the build quality of the electronics is as well. Amazing amp that outshines many tube amps I’ve had it next to short of vintage and boutique and I picked it up used for $400. My tube amps are unplayed most of the time as the Artist mkII sounds terrific even at bedroom volume.
I only play clean and had a Blues Cube Hot and loved the sound I got out of it at home. (I don't play out). Solid state amps just keep getting better and better.
have boss katana artist and love it...but mainly playing vox pathfinder 15 solid state amp (killer little amp with 8 inch practice speaker.😁) thru jenson p12q fantastic clean or with drive on it...also adding little Kingsley Constable (pedal setting) in front of it...great set up.
Great video , I use a Boss Katana MKII 50 combo, a Mesa Boogie Mark V90, and A Mesa Boogie Dual Rec Solo head revision C+. For bedroom volume the Boss gets the late night playing. For daytime I prefer the Mark V or The Dual Rec with a Captor 8 attenuator.
I Love and subscribe to (both) of your channels. I use a Yamaha THR 30II for low-volume NYC apartment. I wish I lived closer to Lyle. He'd be "The Only Guy" to service/upgrade my 65 Fender Princeton Reverb Amp. Lyle is knowledgeable & meticulous.
I have a blackface DR and the Vox AC15. The Vox has this hard to describe organic tone I love Fender clean and I love my DR but there is just something awesome about single coil in the AC15 when the tubes are all warm and glowey.
Nice to put a face to the name Lyle. Many of us are driven MOSTLY by budget. For me that means I run a Li'l Dawg Mutt (5F1 Champ) and a red knob Twin. One is too small and the other is too large. I compensate by running the Champ into a 12" V30, to get a little more headroom, and run the Twin with two tubes, and on half power.
50:57 “Get a Princeton and grab almost any overdrive pedal and you’ll be fine.” Love my Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue on 2.25 paired with a Spaceman Polaris overdrive for my condo! ❤
I like the Maz 18 Mk II a lot. If you get the reverb version get the combo - the tank hums in the head version. If this had been a list of 10 home amp options the Z might have made my list, though I think Top Hat would beat it out.
I have a five watt Fender Vibro Champ Reverb Amp, it was recommended by another RUclips channel to get another sound/experience from this is amp by turning BOTH the tone knobs down to 1. Then turn the amp up a bit (or a lot). This worked well, especially for a pedal platform situation such as when using a Helix or a Plexi pedal or a Metal pedal. It as if one is now working with a different amp, its like having two amps in one.
However, a ZeFrank nature scene living inside of an amp would be an amp tech's worst nightmare. Bees, spiders and slime molds, oh my! Or sad beetles suffering from unrequited love in a swampy morass....
I bought my first tube amp in February for home use. Spent a lot of time trying to find something in my price range. Was considering the ‘65 Deluxe Reverb for quite a while. Eventually decided I wanted something with a master volume. For just a bit more money than the Fender I went with a Mesa Fillmore 18\25,and am absolutely loving this amp. I can play it at night with my stepson sleeping downstairs and it never bothers him. The master volume is great at using the drive channel but keeping the volume reasonable.
I meant to mention the Tone X as an equivalent option to the HX stomp, particularly for high gain/metal players whose neighbors don’t appreciate Slayer at 1am. And various plugins like the Neural if you’re doing a lot of computer recording.
Great conversation guys! I enjoy both perspectives but I own 2 amps that Lyle probably hates. So far they have never failed so I guess Lyle will not have to fix them. My 64 Super Reverb is probably one that we all agree is pretty great.
I would love a old Princeton ..i settled for a princeton 650 ..sounds great to me and i will always just be learning at home .12inch celestion .love it I also have a legacy valve edition 5 plus ..its cool ..love it too
While I have a Boss Katana MkI, I wanted a tube amp, to see what it’s like. But I’m a middling player who just plays at home. After discovering Swart on RUclips, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I finally created a Reverb watchlist and saw a Jr for really good price. And I LOVE it. As much fun as the effects on the Katana are, I love the Swart sound, whether clean or with some gain but no pedals. The Swart does something the Boss doesn’t: It exposes the little things I need to do better. It makes me try to play better. I can’t be sloppy or careless. Maybe that’s my imagination or infatuation.
Have two telecasters and they are both old. I love them. One MIM early Deluxe Nashville , and a very early MIJ tele. Both with the old style ashtray bridge. I would buy a 40th anniversary a CV Jag or Jazz before a new Fender because you don't get enough upgrade to justify the price.
Glad that you had Lyle on Tuesday/18th . . . I watch Psionic Audio regularly . . . I"m glad that I ventured here today (Sunday) . . . tks for putting up the Suhr Hombre amp in your best amps @ home . . . sure wish I had the $ to purchase one as this one seems to fit my needs . . . I got a '65 Princeton RI and a '65 Deluxe-reverb . . . just replaced the caps in the Princeton and will do that to the Deluxe this coming fall/winter season . . . I gotta start watching " 5W world" more often 👍 😎 . . .
Pardon me if I've missed this in other discussions, but I would love to hear your (and Lyle's!) thoughts on the Carvin stuff! It would certainly be an interesting FWW video too, given the history and separation from Kiesel. Learning about classics like the X100 and Steve Vai's association would be so cool.
I plug my Kemper into the effects return of two Roland Blues Cube Artists. I put the usual pedals before and after the Kemper. Variable wattage. Presence control. It's perfect for me.
lyle needs to do voice overs. im sure hes been contacted by some agent! sooo i bought an open box fender custom hand wired “64 princeton” a few years ago after trying several p-style boutique builds. i played it every night-in exactly the way this show is discussing-for 2 years at low volume while watching youtube vids and movies until it finally crapped out. took it to a funky little storefront amp repair shop thats fender authorized and it lanquished there for a couple months as they were swamped. When I finally got it back, it turns out they basically did a lot of the stuff Lyle talks about here-tightening things etc-and there was one bad tube probably a preempt tube-once again as Lyle mentioned. if I had watched enough of his videos, particularly about Princeton‘s, I could’ve probably taken care of it myself, I know Lyle hates the fender custom shop amps but I love my little hand wired Princeton. It sounds amazing and I’ll take two years of playing it every night for a couple hours without a hitch as a sign that it’s not a piece of junk. Great episode gentlemen!
5000 bonus points for Lyle’s use of the phrase “sic transit gloria mundi”. Next, let’s see if we can get Jeff McErlain on camera saying “dulce et decorum est”…
I had a blues deluxe a number of years ago, put roughly the cost of a used one in repairs a couple years after i bought it new. Exactly what has been described in this conversation
I played the 65 Princeton and 68 and much preferred the 68 in shop. Outside of being a bit bass heavy it sounded much better to my ears. Tone being subjective.
Keith and Lyle, i loved watching this colab. Subbed to both channels and always learn things from you guys. Great to see Lyle let his "hair down" and talk about things other than amp circuit topography, but thats what he does best. I got to agree that my go-to home rig is a Korg AX3000g as i get tweek things and make presets that will be used later if there is a chance to play live. I guess theres that "being efficient" thing to get things set up the way that sounds best before gigging that i like.
I love watching Lyle’s repair videos, especially on amps I have owned. Wish I had more time today Orr to this . We need more GOOD amp techs in the C. Massachusetts area!
Used to run 2 amps A Super and a Deluxe Back when you could snap them up cheap Then I found the Crate Vintage Clubs and switched A channel switching 30 watt single 12 A 1x10 20 watt An A/B/Y box And certain boosts , distortion going to each I miss that rig
I just us my fender Blues Deluxe reissue with a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker with an MXR Dynacomp and a Boss Blues Driver. I play a Strat with DiMarzio Area 58 & 61 pickups, or my black Pink Floyd style Strat. This lot works from home to large gigs (amp gets miked for medium to large shows.) I play 80's covers and funk.
I had a Fender Champ when I was in junior High(end of the 60s). Unfortunately I butchered it to use the chassis for one channel of a home brew stereo. Prior to the destruction, I had a PA horn mounted to the top to increase the high end. What a dummy, I wish I still had it in original condition ! In the late 80s I was gigging and had a 100W Marshall head and a home-brew 2-12 cab with Altec speakers. I bought a Katana 50 a year ago, and it is perfect for bedroom noodling. My Marshall days are long gone.......
3+ yrs or whenever the Tonemaster Deluxe came out has been my steadfast favorite all-around amp. It's fired-up at this very moment. I have my beautiful tube amps that sound better, but the TM gets the call for the most part as it's just so danged useful and sounds really, really good. Over the years, I've learned how to make it work best with my pedals. My biggest and best discovery was when I learned that it doesn't like to be pushed hard on the front end. There's no benefit to doing it (just speaking to the TM) and it creates weird, unpleasant digital artifacts. Let the amp do the work. Also, if you have to be quiet, but not uber quiet, at least take it one notch off the lowest setting. You gain so much body and presence.
This was really fun! I’ve enjoyed Lyle’s channel for a while now. After this conversation with Keith, I like him even more. Part of it is our similar backgrounds - I started adult life in 1981 as a computer programmer so maybe our minds tend to follow similar paths. His sense of humor came out more here. I also got a better sense of the extensive context his videos come from, not that I doubted his expertise before. And the back story of the YouScrewed channel makes so much sense. He wants to share his experiences and knowledge. “Nipple distortion” 🤣 I’d read about it. I built a Blackface Super Reverb replica for a friend, and the deal was he bought me an oscilloscope. Wired up my Princeton Reverb and pushed it until … YEP nipple distortion! It does not sound pretty, but now that I know what it sounds like I can just dial back the volume a little.
Beautiful ambient musings! Love what you’re playing! Solid advice on finding your own voice. Daniel Lanois Acadie “White Mustang II” (Lanois, Eno). The album definitely one of my favorites!
I scored a really nice and super clean '69 Princeton Amp that I was not worried about at all with losing the reverb, since I have the tube reverb unit! One thing I noticed is that the non-reverb amps tend to always play cleaner louder than their reverb counterparts. Might be a really great way for someone to scoop up a classic low wattage amp on the cheap if you can find it!
Back in the late eighties I bought a 1964 Deluxe from the late, great Ken Fischer (builder of the coveted Trainwreck amps) who was selling it on consignment. It was fitted with a Rola Celestion G12M green back. However, Ken did an interesting mod on the first channel. Once the volume knob went a hair past 2½, the amp’s volume tripled. It was unbearable to be in the same room with it. I bought it, though I wasn’t sure how I was going to deal with the extreme volume. I tried a few different distortion pedals, with no luck. One day I happened to be in a local music store, and found a Scholz Power Soak for sale. I bought it-problem solved. I could play comfortably in our small condo, but had plenty of fire power for live gigs. Since I doubled on keyboards, I essentially had a small stereo PA with me. I installed a few rack mounted multi-effects units in my keyboard rack, and ran an SM57 from my keyboard mixer and miked the Deluxe. I used the Power Soak to keep it at a tolerable volume. All of my effects were added to the amp through the effects loop in the mixer. I controlled my effects with a MIDI controller. I still have that Deluxe. One of the finest amps I’ve ever owned.
Very enjoyable video guys! I’ve learned a great deal from both of your respective channels and this collaboration video was a fantastic idea. Would love to see further collaborations between you, perhaps a recurring weekly show of some kind. 👏🏻
A thing that needs to be said about Lyle and his RUclips success is that he has a very soothing voice.
For sure.
I hate to admit this, but I've fallen asleep to his voice too many times while trying to learn more about amp repairs. That's not a bad thing, as it's the end of a long day and I'm exhausted. His voice soothes my head. 🤣
@@mikewithers299you’re not alone, I started watching his stuff to learn more about amp circuits and repairs etc. because he’s detailed and speaks very clearly, easy to take in the knowledge drops he gives out for free… but learned if I watch in the evening, eyelids get heavy… so now I also use his videos as a drug-free sleep-aid on the nights where my brain is firing on all cylinders hahaha! Ain’t no shame in that. Lyle could make a fortune selling sleep audiobooks
I also often fall asleep to him and then wake up with an inexplicable urge to make sure all my input jacks are properly tightened.
Total “radio voice”. He should do some Simpsons or Family Guy voiceovers
Laney L5 studio here, 5 glorious watts of raw all tube class A power (yes it’s LOUD) that can also run at 0.5 watts which is still plenty through a decently efficient speaker but good for living room jams. It sounds glorious clean and can go gritty (pushed power section) to full overdrive, has all the bells and whistles including 2 channels, fx loop, (cab modeled) line and headphones out, reamping and usb connectivity.
Used to have a Laney L5 Studio and I can also attest it was GREAT! Was using for Gilmour tones but straight into the gain channel for some hard blues and even rock tones was AMAZING.
L5T 112 here, glorious sounds for LP and Strat, Tele , Es and others...
Favorite video I’ve watched in years. So good and very helpful
Great idea working with Lyle...like watching 2 of my favorite channels at once! I have not worked on amps in 25 years but still enjoy the videos and discussions. Really relaxing for geeky retired engineers! Thanks!
I just bought a Swart STR tweed .....5w 12in.....its sounds fantastic !! And is the best looking amp i have ever seen. Beautifully built and the tolex is next level.
I play Blues here in Los Angeles. I'll be 75 in a month. I use two amps that cover
everything for my gigs. All made in the USA Fender Blues Deluxe and Blues Junior.
I never mod guitars or amps, I just buy another to capture the sound and volume I need
Play on Peace Los Angeles
I work on many of those models in SoCal and they are workhorses that do a great job with blues and rock. Lots of people like to dismiss them on sight, but they sound great when healthy. It doesn’t take much to keep them going.
Cool! I just picked up a USA Blues Deluxe and am already loving it. Just not sure it's gonna be on any of our shows due to it's size & weight. I'll likely stick with my PR & BJ, bet that BD tone is really great!
Lyle would make money as an audio book narrator
And he is an English major, so you know he's going to nail the cadence, too!
@@BradsGuitarGarage , cadence, and pronunciation, yes.
You two are both gold standards for what you do. Thank you for the excellent content through the years.
@PsionicAudio should design well laid out Princeton PCBs and create a kit with the PCB, components and a good chassis. A good Princeton clone or otherwise is suprisingly hard to find.
THIS! I feel like he could make a fortune doing the upgrade kit with instructions thing.
I built the Mojotone Princeton kit and absolutely love it!!
I spent a lot of time agonizing over spending the dough on a Princeton Reverb (retired from my day job). I have had Blues Juniors since they first came out. They have seen a LOT of gigs, rehearsals & practice, and they have all held up well, aside from a power tube socket solder joint breaking. I DON'T abuse them, and only play at reasonable levels (the audience really DOES NOT appreciate their ears being tormented)
I just got the Princeton, and was in heaven at our first show!!!
Point is: it's not easy to find the right used Princeton Reverb here in the Pacific Northwest, so a solid kit or alternative would very likely be welcome!
I love Lyle. I don’t watch the full videos since I am not 100% into amp repairs but I do love his commentary. I like how he is very straightforward. That’s a value missed by society nowadays.
He ain't. Guy is a massive scammer. Just google it, at this point he's just pretty much robbing people.
Straight-forward and also nuanced: e.g. the Boss Katana Mk II is simultaneously not a great amp (in absolute terms) and yet a terrific option (in some contexts).
Lyle is one helluva technician and more importantly to me, a fantastic consumer advocate!
Lyle is just to the total BOMB! Love his experience and advice. He is the gold standard.
So that's what the Psionic Audio guy looks like. I listen to his channel every day. I've learned a lot!
Of the 5 amps I have that are suitable for home use...
1. 1969 Fender Champ which is magical. My second amp I ever owned. These used to be dirt cheap. Not any more!
2. 1966 Airline Valco, which was my first amp and IS THE 5 WATT AMP I gigged with exclusively for the first 10+ years since it was my ONLY amp back then. So YES a 5 watt amp CAN be a regular gigging amp, because I did it, though I understand why you would dissuade folks from doing it.
3. Fender SuperChamp X2 for when I need more effects, and also the line out comes in handy for gigs, it makes this a very versatile amp. It is about 10 years old and it has not failed yet.
4. Fender Rumble 25..I like it for Jazz, Classical and acoustic fingerpicking. Good for bass naturally.
5. AER Compact 60 for the same reasons as the Rumble 25 but with vocal capability. This is my most gigged amp as well, for the last 20 years. I'm not a shredder, mostly standards and classical so this does the trick and is very portable. This is an expensive piece of gear but I've done thousands of gigs with it. It paid for itself in the first month. The only minus is their is no breakup; you cannot overdrive it, so you need a pedal for that, which fits in the side pocket of the amp's case. Everything I've needed for 90% of my gigs in fact fit into the pockets of the case.
So there it is, the two MAGIC ones at the top and the 3 practical ones at the bottom. All useable at low volumes. All will keep you on good terms with your neighbors.
I love that two of my favourite RUclipsrs collaborate like this!
Can't agree more about the Vox AC15C1 Recently bought a used one for $500, its a G12C version which just means an alternate/"upgraded" speaker (Warehouse Reaper HP) and like Lyle said is super versatile and sounds fantastic. Can do pretty much anything rock/classic rock/country - super happy with it and is a great value at the price point. And yes it is pretty heavy, probably only drawback
I have a VOX AC15C2 and love it. And yes... it is very heavy!
That’s an uncommon version of the AC15. It seems like a great option.
Swart user since 2007. Best service! The Jr and Pro are amazing.
I love Lyle's videos and insights. More than a few of his videos have played a big role in my decisions of what to buy or not buy. I already know if an amp sounds good, but his videos really illuminate whether or not something is built well. I bought my Swart STR Tweed and Marshall SV20H only after watching his clips on them.
Thanks for today! It was a real treat! I think the home amp thing is a real topic of conversation with us 70s kids. Even if we budget $500 or $2600. ...
Love Lyle's channel and how he's so giving with his knowledge. Got an AC15 on his advice over a Hot Rod and have never looked back. Further took his advice and put a Blue in it and found my sound.
I sold a Princeton because it had a noise I could not get rid of and I think it was honestly too loud for home. To add, I tried 3 Princetons and sent them back just as you mentioned, and also had a shop look at it, but no one wanted to check tubes, so unless I wanted to buy tubes even the warranty would help.
Great show...always fun to see Lyle. I love both your channels and learn a lot from each!
Agree 100%
Only play at home running a 64 Princeton Reverb H/W RI, it gets better all the time, rarely gets turned up past 6. Also have a little 57 champ H/W RI and it needs a good doctor, has good days and more not so good days. Both are aging well though, the tones seem much sweeter than when they were new and I was all excited.. now I am more satisfied.
51:02 I got the Swart Space Tone Junior amp after watching this video and it did not disappoint! What a gem of an amp!
Thanks for the recommendation.
For playing at home the Yamaha THR is hard to beat… it has a studio recorded quality to its sounds and the stock old THR5 is so sweet and has a beautiful wide reverb.
The best amp I‘ve ever played and still play at home is the 28W Bartel Starwood. Mark‘s a genious and his amps have by far the best Master volume out there. The built quality is otherworldly and should even convince Psionic.
Lyle gives me peace of mind. Yes there are amp gurus still out there. Yes he cares about the details. Yes he knows the science. Has the experience. Works for pros. Its also OCD.
Another vintage fender amp restored properly. Sigh....the universe is a little bit better now.
That there are people out there....still keeping it all alive.
I bought a used Vox ac15 with the greenback speaker at a pawn shop a few months ago for $400 out the door! Only 1 year old. It's a great sounding amp! Not long afterwards, I found a new Fender 68 custom deluxe reverb for $1300. A $300 discount and i just couldn't pass on it. I disagree with Lyle that the 68 custom stuff is "crap" like he says. It's noisy compared to the 65, but that's it? Beyond that, it sounds great! Imo. I have a 74 Fender pro reverb, all original in great condition and the 68 more than holds its own in sound quality. It absolutely outshines the Vox and i love the Vox. The 68 stuff is not crap, and I love Lyle and his channel, btw.
I will have to get a Princeton next thougn. 65 this time. Spread the love
Lyle has been great to discover. As a mesa owner, he shattered my trust in my own amp in a way, but it was great to at least , be aware. I have no answer for what i'm going to do with my amp, but there are some very good amp builders out there. Headfirst or MI audio are probably highest on my list so far. Being an Ozzie, would like to support Australian made stuff
I gigged extensively (blues band in SoCal) for well over 25 years but basically retired from all that about 2011-2012. Nowadays I just amuse myself at home. Just yesterday I picked up one of the relatively recently released Suhr Hombre's. KILLER AMP!! About a year ago I grabbed one of the new '64 Custom Hand-Wired Fender Deluxe Reverbs. I also have a reissue Princeton where I replaced the stock speaker with a 12" speaker. Along with the other amps I've had for years I have MORE than enough great amps. I love all this stuff!! BTW, the only reason I have the $$'s to afford all this crap is that my regular day gig was program mgmt. in aerospace. I was lucky... and smart to not rely on my music to live on. 😁
so what band did you play in here in orange county?
@@sharkair2839 We were called Tupelo Blue. Bob Lesher of Fullerton was the vocalist/blues harpist. We did a lot of gigs in Fullerton and all over SoCal. TB was a 4-pc. outfit that, like many bands, went through personnel changes, mainly bassists. If you know the blues scene around OC then you might recognize the name Scott Lambert. Scotty was our regular bassist for the last several years before we went our separate ways. He passed several years ago. What a great guy and friend. ...
I have a Mesa TA-15 that really sounds killer for rock & blues & an old 70's Music Man 65 watt with 2 10 inch speakers that is great clean. Great job as usual guys!
As a “metal guy” IMO - get the high gain amp that does “the thing” for you, and learn to love other styles of playing so you can enjoy other styles of amps. There’s a lot of cool stuff out there. I promise it’s fun.
I got a 65 Princeton reissue for dirt cheap at GC because the input jacks weren’t even finger tight and it sounded horrible.
5 minutes with a socket wrench… a keeper. Next step is follow Lyle’s advice on caps etc.
Fun conversation, really enjoyed that.
Great to see Michael Swart getting some love. He builds superb amps, and is definitely under appreciated. For the record, Mike is located in Wilmington, NC.
My #1 amp since ‘03 is a Swart Atomic Space Tone; after hundreds of gigs with it, that is still my desert island amplifier. Ten years ago I also bought a Swart STR Trem, 5 watts of tonal bliss, and my pick for a premier home amp. Swart’s trem circuit is lush like velour sheets.
Love my AST.
Love my Atomic Junior, best reverb ever.
I have a Super Champ x2 with a GA10-64SC speaker that is great for home use, more than loud enough to play with a reasonable drummer, and has a line out if you need more volume. Those Super Champs are real sleepers.
Lyle is great.
Watch his channel all the time!
Thank you both for doing this. This could’ve been a 10min video, but very happy it was an hour. Especially love the “tangents and side-notes.”
I bought a Suhr Hombre and absolutely love it. I often perform as a single in small clubs with a looper and this amp is the perfect size. I love the tone, it’s lightweight and I never need to put it past 3. I use it with a small board that has reverb, delay and an overdrive and that’s all I need.
I bought a Boss Katana Artist combo and its just fantastic. Probably goes against the grain for many here but I love it.
That’s my dream home rig. Right now I have a 50 MkI and a 50 MkII connected ABY and that’s cool too. Nothing against the grain from here! The attenuation alone makes them great home amps. Boss is great.
100%. I’ve had all the Katana larger amps in the MkII series: 50, 100, and Artist, as well as the Fender Mustang GTX100, Yamaha THR, positive grid spark, etc. The Artist is my clear #1 and sold all the others. The quality of the speaker and cabinet is well above the others and the build quality of the electronics is as well. Amazing amp that outshines many tube amps I’ve had it next to short of vintage and boutique and I picked it up used for $400. My tube amps are unplayed most of the time as the Artist mkII sounds terrific even at bedroom volume.
I only play clean and had a Blues Cube Hot and loved the sound I got out of it at home. (I don't play out).
Solid state amps just keep getting better and better.
have boss katana artist and love it...but mainly playing vox pathfinder 15 solid state amp (killer little amp with 8 inch practice speaker.😁) thru jenson p12q fantastic clean or with drive on it...also adding little Kingsley Constable (pedal setting) in front of it...great set up.
@@TheDrewjay I always like Vox amps.
Great video , I use a Boss Katana MKII 50 combo, a Mesa Boogie Mark V90, and A Mesa Boogie Dual Rec Solo head revision C+. For bedroom volume the Boss gets the late night playing. For daytime I prefer the Mark V or The Dual Rec with a Captor 8 attenuator.
I Love and subscribe to (both) of your channels. I use a Yamaha THR 30II for low-volume NYC apartment. I wish I lived closer to Lyle. He'd be "The Only Guy" to service/upgrade my 65 Fender Princeton Reverb Amp. Lyle is knowledgeable & meticulous.
I have a blackface DR and the Vox AC15. The Vox has this hard to describe organic tone I love Fender clean and I love my DR but there is just something awesome about single coil in the AC15 when the tubes are all warm and glowey.
Nice to put a face to the name Lyle. Many of us are driven MOSTLY by budget. For me that means I run a Li'l Dawg Mutt (5F1 Champ) and a red knob Twin. One is too small and the other is too large. I compensate by running the Champ into a 12" V30, to get a little more headroom, and run the Twin with two tubes, and on half power.
That intro, I need to loop that for maybe 3 years!!!
Yes, Jeff’s Les Paul tone is unparalleled.
50:57 “Get a Princeton and grab almost any overdrive pedal and you’ll be fine.”
Love my Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue on 2.25 paired with a Spaceman Polaris overdrive for my condo! ❤
Best channel around for guitar tech. Thank you for all the insights!
Love my Dr Z Maz 18 . Pretty flexable at all volumes. Great show. Love to see more of this combo ..
Just bought one. Absolutely killer
I like the Maz 18 Mk II a lot. If you get the reverb version get the combo - the tank hums in the head version.
If this had been a list of 10 home amp options the Z might have made my list, though I think Top Hat would beat it out.
Hey Lyle ! This episode was fantastic.! You two guys have taught me a lot and I thank you
I have a five watt Fender Vibro Champ Reverb Amp, it was recommended by another RUclips channel to get another sound/experience from this is amp by turning BOTH the tone knobs down to 1. Then turn the amp up a bit (or a lot). This worked well, especially for a pedal platform situation such as when using a Helix or a Plexi pedal or a Metal pedal. It as if one is now working with a different amp, its like having two amps in one.
Ze Frank is fantastic. So glad he started making videos again.
However, a ZeFrank nature scene living inside of an amp would be an amp tech's worst nightmare. Bees, spiders and slime molds, oh my! Or sad beetles suffering from unrequited love in a swampy morass....
Two of my favorite channel’s , so much knowledge ‼️🚨🔥👍
I bought my first tube amp in February for home use. Spent a lot of time trying to find something in my price range. Was considering the ‘65 Deluxe Reverb for quite a while. Eventually decided I wanted something with a master volume. For just a bit more money than the Fender I went with a Mesa Fillmore 18\25,and am absolutely loving this amp. I can play it at night with my stepson sleeping downstairs and it never bothers him. The master volume is great at using the drive channel but keeping the volume reasonable.
Thank you, Five watt.
I meant to mention the Tone X as an equivalent option to the HX stomp, particularly for high gain/metal players whose neighbors don’t appreciate Slayer at 1am. And various plugins like the Neural if you’re doing a lot of computer recording.
Great conversation guys! I enjoy both perspectives but I own 2 amps that Lyle probably hates. So far they have never failed so I guess Lyle will not have to fix them. My 64 Super Reverb is probably one that we all agree is pretty great.
I would love a old Princeton ..i settled for a princeton 650 ..sounds great to me and i will always just be learning at home .12inch celestion .love it
I also have a legacy valve edition 5 plus ..its cool ..love it too
Thank You. This is the kind of info that is Truly Useful. 👍
While I have a Boss Katana MkI, I wanted a tube amp, to see what it’s like. But I’m a middling player who just plays at home. After discovering Swart on RUclips, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I finally created a Reverb watchlist and saw a Jr for really good price. And I LOVE it. As much fun as the effects on the Katana are, I love the Swart sound, whether clean or with some gain but no pedals.
The Swart does something the Boss doesn’t: It exposes the little things I need to do better. It makes me try to play better. I can’t be sloppy or careless. Maybe that’s my imagination or infatuation.
Have two telecasters and they are both old. I love them. One MIM early Deluxe Nashville , and a very early MIJ tele. Both with the old style ashtray bridge. I would buy a 40th anniversary a CV Jag or Jazz before a new Fender because you don't get enough upgrade to justify the price.
Just found your channel and am super thankful. Great guest. This was really helpful to me. Liked and subbed.
Glad that you had Lyle on Tuesday/18th . . . I watch Psionic Audio regularly . . . I"m glad that I ventured here today (Sunday) . . . tks for putting up the Suhr Hombre amp in your best amps @ home . . . sure wish I had the $ to purchase one as this one seems to fit my needs . . . I got a '65 Princeton RI and a '65 Deluxe-reverb . . . just replaced the caps in the Princeton and will do that to the Deluxe this coming fall/winter season . . . I gotta start watching " 5W world" more often 👍 😎 . . .
Pardon me if I've missed this in other discussions, but I would love to hear your (and Lyle's!) thoughts on the Carvin stuff! It would certainly be an interesting FWW video too, given the history and separation from Kiesel. Learning about classics like the X100 and Steve Vai's association would be so cool.
I plug my Kemper into the effects return of two Roland Blues Cube Artists. I put the usual pedals before and after the Kemper. Variable wattage. Presence control. It's perfect for me.
lyle needs to do voice overs.
im sure hes been contacted by some agent!
sooo
i bought an open box fender custom hand wired “64 princeton” a few years ago after trying several p-style boutique builds.
i played it every night-in exactly the way this show is discussing-for 2 years at low volume while watching youtube vids and movies until it finally crapped out.
took it to a funky little storefront amp repair shop thats fender authorized and it lanquished there for a couple months as they were swamped. When I finally got it back, it turns out they basically did a lot of the stuff Lyle talks about here-tightening things etc-and there was one bad tube probably a preempt tube-once again as Lyle mentioned.
if I had watched enough of his videos, particularly about Princeton‘s, I could’ve probably taken care of it myself, I know Lyle hates the fender custom shop amps but I love my little hand wired Princeton. It sounds amazing and I’ll take two years of playing it every night for a couple hours without a hitch as a sign that it’s not a piece of junk.
Great episode gentlemen!
Great show I want to learn this trade so bad. Just amazing
5000 bonus points for Lyle’s use of the phrase “sic transit gloria mundi”. Next, let’s see if we can get Jeff McErlain on camera saying “dulce et decorum est”…
I had a blues deluxe a number of years ago, put roughly the cost of a used one in repairs a couple years after i bought it new. Exactly what has been described in this conversation
I really want a Laney Lionheart. I'd love to get a 20w 4x10. But it's tempting to get a 5 watt which has a half watt mode and a built-in DI.
I played the 65 Princeton and 68 and much preferred the 68 in shop. Outside of being a bit bass heavy it sounded much better to my ears. Tone being subjective.
Keith and Lyle, i loved watching this colab. Subbed to both channels and always learn things from you guys. Great to see Lyle let his "hair down" and talk about things other than amp circuit topography, but thats what he does best. I got to agree that my go-to home rig is a Korg AX3000g as i get tweek things and make presets that will be used later if there is a chance to play live. I guess theres that "being efficient" thing to get things set up the way that sounds best before gigging that i like.
I love watching Lyle’s repair videos, especially on amps I have owned. Wish I had more time today Orr to this . We need more GOOD amp techs in the C. Massachusetts area!
So crazy! I just discovered Lyle’s channel for myself last week, and here he is on FWW! 🤟
Cannot believe the Yamaha thr10 isn’t on this list!!
THR30II = Phenomenal. I will Never be without.
Agreed , even the baby model THR5 is wonderful… so easy to use and sounds delightful
I just play around the house and love my Benson Vinny Reverb with the Aunt Gertie finish. For me, it’s perfect
I really like this guy. I appreciate him caveating his statements based on genre
Thank you both so much, enjoyed this interview tremendously
There's an old Princeton at Guitar Center Cerritos right now.
I really enjoy the confluence of two of my favorite tube hosts!
Used to run 2 amps
A Super and a Deluxe
Back when you could snap them up cheap
Then I found the Crate Vintage Clubs and switched
A channel switching 30 watt single 12
A 1x10 20 watt
An A/B/Y box
And certain boosts , distortion going to each
I miss that rig
I just us my fender Blues Deluxe reissue with a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker with an MXR Dynacomp and a Boss Blues Driver. I play a Strat with DiMarzio Area 58 & 61 pickups, or my black Pink Floyd style Strat.
This lot works from home to large gigs (amp gets miked for medium to large shows.) I play 80's covers and funk.
I love Carr Amps and have a super bee combo that is awesome for home use.
Great duo with you two together! His problem solving savvy is legendary.. and an English major to boot! 😊
A very interesting exchange... ( of information ) between you guys , continued best wishes for both your channels !!
Agree with Lyle on the Princeton, or a 15 watt amp in general. It can be fine for low volume practice and can be loud enough to jam with a drummer.
What a fantastic collaboration, Thank You both.
I had a Fender Champ when I was in junior High(end of the 60s).
Unfortunately I butchered it to use the chassis for one channel of a home brew stereo.
Prior to the destruction, I had a PA horn mounted to the top to increase the high end.
What a dummy, I wish I still had it in original condition !
In the late 80s I was gigging and had a 100W Marshall head and a home-brew 2-12 cab with Altec speakers.
I bought a Katana 50 a year ago, and it is perfect for bedroom noodling.
My Marshall days are long gone.......
3+ yrs or whenever the Tonemaster Deluxe came out has been my steadfast favorite all-around amp. It's fired-up at this very moment. I have my beautiful tube amps that sound better, but the TM gets the call for the most part as it's just so danged useful and sounds really, really good. Over the years, I've learned how to make it work best with my pedals.
My biggest and best discovery was when I learned that it doesn't like to be pushed hard on the front end. There's no benefit to doing it (just speaking to the TM) and it creates weird, unpleasant digital artifacts. Let the amp do the work. Also, if you have to be quiet, but not uber quiet, at least take it one notch off the lowest setting. You gain so much body and presence.
This was really fun! I’ve enjoyed Lyle’s channel for a while now. After this conversation with Keith, I like him even more. Part of it is our similar backgrounds - I started adult life in 1981 as a computer programmer so maybe our minds tend to follow similar paths. His sense of humor came out more here. I also got a better sense of the extensive context his videos come from, not that I doubted his expertise before. And the back story of the YouScrewed channel makes so much sense. He wants to share his experiences and knowledge.
“Nipple distortion” 🤣 I’d read about it. I built a Blackface Super Reverb replica for a friend, and the deal was he bought me an oscilloscope. Wired up my Princeton Reverb and pushed it until … YEP nipple distortion! It does not sound pretty, but now that I know what it sounds like I can just dial back the volume a little.
I really enjoyed the video, thanks!!!
My favourite is still the Friedman JJ JR with 2x12 cab. I hardly touch my pedalboards now... plus, the neighbours love it!!!!
If we had done favorite ten amps for home use the Friedman 20W series would be on my list.
Beautiful ambient musings! Love what you’re playing! Solid advice on finding your own voice. Daniel Lanois Acadie “White Mustang II” (Lanois, Eno). The album definitely one of my favorites!
I have a Barber direct drive pedal and it is one of my favorites
I scored a really nice and super clean '69 Princeton Amp that I was not worried about at all with losing the reverb, since I have the tube reverb unit! One thing I noticed is that the non-reverb amps tend to always play cleaner louder than their reverb counterparts. Might be a really great way for someone to scoop up a classic low wattage amp on the cheap if you can find it!
I really like my 68 Princeton.
Back in the late eighties I bought a 1964 Deluxe from the late, great Ken Fischer (builder of the coveted Trainwreck amps) who was selling it on consignment. It was fitted with a Rola Celestion G12M green back. However, Ken did an interesting mod on the first channel. Once the volume knob went a hair past 2½, the amp’s volume tripled. It was unbearable to be in the same room with it. I bought it, though I wasn’t sure how I was going to deal with the extreme volume. I tried a few different distortion pedals, with no luck. One day I happened to be in a local music store, and found a Scholz Power Soak for sale. I bought it-problem solved. I could play comfortably in our small condo, but had plenty of fire power for live gigs. Since I doubled on keyboards, I essentially had a small stereo PA with me. I installed a few rack mounted multi-effects units in my keyboard rack, and ran an SM57 from my keyboard mixer and miked the Deluxe. I used the Power Soak to keep it at a tolerable volume. All of my effects were added to the amp through the effects loop in the mixer. I controlled my effects with a MIDI controller.
I still have that Deluxe. One of the finest amps I’ve ever owned.
Lyle and Keith need to make a follow-up video on their other shared interests. I could listen to these guys talk about anything and everything.
Wow, it’s Lyle! I’ve watched many of his videos, first time I’ve seen him! Awesome stream guys!
I wasn't familiar with Lyle prior to watching this. Very entertaining and of course incredibly knowledgeable.
Very enjoyable video guys! I’ve learned a great deal from both of your respective channels and this collaboration video was a fantastic idea. Would love to see further collaborations between you, perhaps a recurring weekly show of some kind. 👏🏻
Lyle is THE guy - thx!