Unlocking My Dream Amp. 

Thank you for bringing that amp back to my house and giving it to me as a gift. So generous of you my friend.

My grandpa passed down a princeton reverb and its sister the Princeton chorus. He played a late 60s early 70s gibson es335 in cherry red. He has sadly forgotten how to play guitar, and it has been the saddest thing I've seen. He loved chet atkins, johnny winter, albert king and stevie rays sessions were being jammed too. He loved just about all music and could jam to whatever you asked, he only needed to hear it once. Its kinda just devastating seeing someone who easily put in 20 thousand hours to have forgotten almost all of it.

Been loving these gear videos. Your insight is really nice to hear and is very helpful.

Sounds gorgeous! Yes, something about those Reverb amps: I scored my dream with a Super Reverb 40w. Unreal! Congrats!

I love your videos! You are so down to earth and I feel that I can geek out as much as you are doing this! Keep doing it!

Congrats on the 65 Princeton. I have one also and I love that Fender sound. It’s always extra satisfying to have a dream realized

I wanted a tube amp back in the 90s when I knew nothing about them, like which ones were desirable or not. I had a chance to trade a cheap solid state Marshall combo for a friend’s old tube amp and I went for it. It was a 1966 Fender Princeton Amp (not the reverb model). I later learned all about all the great tube amps out there, and over time I’ve owned or played lots of them, AC30s, Hiwatts, etc.. But the more of them I’ve played, the more I came to realize that my Princeton *is* my dream amp. In case you don’t know about it, the Princeton Amp is quite different from the Princeton Reverb. Without the extra gain stage tube needed to drive the reverb circuit, it is a high-headroom 12 watts. I can play my Telecaster with the Amp on 10 and it won’t be distorted. With my humbucker 335, I can just get it to bark if I hit the strings hard. A lot of people don’t like that clean headroom about them, because everyone just wants distorted tones, but Princeton distortion is not a great sound anyway. A Deluxe has more mids, and is a better choice if you want amp overdrive. But the non reverb Princeton is more like a baby Twin Reverb. Twin Reverb tones from an apartment volume friendly amp.

My band’s sound has been defined by two 68 custom Princetons and a Falcon for the last eight years. So awesome! Congratulations!

Congrats on the Fender Princeton 65! It’s a fantastic amp and versatile too! Your tone is awesome sauce! I love that strat! I have a reissue SweetWater edition I’ve had for few years before the pandemic now and it has been my go-to amp! But I still love a Fender SuperSonic 22.

Am 71 yr old. Jusy bought 65 Princeton Reverb from Sweetwater. Tweed. 12" speaker. That is one item checked off of my bucket list!

Congrats, Mike! I added a Princeton to my collection a few months ago. Why did I wait so long?! Also my favorite amp now. So sweet.

My dream amp was always the fender deluxe reverb, and I’m proud to say I finally acquired one last year in January after Christmas. The best purchase I’ve ever made, I settled for the wine red sweetwater version. 😊

Congratulations.. Thank You for the "realness" of this video. I can absolutely relate to the feelings and excitement.

Always liked Princetons and will definitely grab one some day. My dream is to own a Rickenbacker 330, you can thank Johnny Marr and Peter Buck for that.

LOVE my princeton reverb '65. I agree, nothing greater than a strat into a princeton.

Yeahhhh boiiiiiiiii. I am looking forward to seeing dream #1 becoming a reality and I am happy we all got to witness you accomplish dream #2. I had no idea you guys were filming that up there lol. Great video!

What I like about your channel is the focus on working, “next door” musicians’ gear. Not that cork sniffery stuff most RU-vidrs do. I think many people can relate to this. P.s. Princeton prices seemed overkill for me so I built one myself :) It ended up costing pretty much the same as genuine Fender, I could however build it piece by piece over longer period of time, making it easier on my budget. I agree this is a great amp and recommend it to everyone. Pure classic

Congratulations! For years, I wanted a Princeton Chorus - even not being a fan of its red knobs . Now I'm in love with the Fender Twin. Still working on getting one.🤣

This is the sound of a dream come true. Lovely sound. I also managed to snag my dream amp last year - a 92 Peavey 5150 (i’m really more of a high gain guy) and it still makes me smile every time I turn it on

For the Fender blackface series of amps, my absolute favorite is the iconic Super Reverb. Perfect for medium to large stages. For smaller rooms/stages, I love the Vibrolux Reverb. All are great pedal platforms

Congratulations 👏 I used to have a Princeton Chorus to mate up with my 57' reissue stratocaster. It was a beautiful sounding combo and could also get as nasty as you wanted. Have fun

Great amp. I have a collection of Princeton amps in various formats and love em all. If Mike Campbell can make his sound using a Princeton amp, it's all I need.

Interesting that your test run was thru the OX box. I usually prefer to hear the amp thru it’s own speaker and cab when I’m test driving a potential new scoop, but the PR sounded fantastic thru the OX here and I can only imagine what it sounded like in the actual room. Killer amps for sure, congrats on the dream amp score!

Can’t go wrong with this one or the many 12” speaker variants out there, great choice. Also don’t overlook a Tone King for great manageable Fender style tones at home/studio

I got the 65 Princeton tweed with 12” Celestion and it’s the best sounding amp ever. Overdrive pedals are at their peak through the Princeton.

Beautiful tones. My favorite amp is the deluxe reverb. I finally was able to get one. Just so happen that I had a Creamback to put in it. You can’t go wrong when it comes to those amps.

Great vid! Loved the joke you played on your buddy. I used to be a Marshall guy back in the 80s and 90s when hard rock and metal was +90% of my life, but I started migrating to Fender when I worked at a 2nd hand store and picked up a Champ 20 (which is a great little amp) for $20. The my former coworker sold me his month-old Fender G-DEK 15 for $50 and that's been a fantastic amp and is very underrated, IMO. I get a lot of smirks when I've shown up with either of them but after a few minutes the same smirking people are wanting to try them. The dream amp happenened when a Princeton 65 came into the store. My boss was going to let me have it for $200 but I bailed him out of someone trying to con him on selling a POS guitar as more than it was and he let me have it for what he paid for it $80. It's awesome in every way I like but, unfortunately, is not working currently. Those were great times for the 15 years at the store before it closed. The new dream is a Fender Bassman, head or combo I don't care.

dude congrats on living the dream!!! i think my dream amp is definitely the Friedman BE100, but it’s tied so close with the Fender Deluxe Reverb II. i cried when i got my hands on one from ‘83 by pure chance since it’s such a special amp that i haven’t been able to come by since. safe to say i have hear acquisition syndrome 😂

Input 2 sounds really good. I keep mine on five tremolo on 2 1/2 with intensity at six reverb at 2 1/2. It creates the perfect edge of break up that can of course be cleaned up by lowering the volume on the guitar. It takes Pedals extremely well, JHS, sweet tea, a compressor and a delay can take you so many places. The stock speaker after it breaks, and sounds great, if I were to ever change the speaker, it would be to a weber. Good luck. I run mine in stereo with a Peavey classic 30 or a deluxe reverb, depending on what I need but the Princeton is always on when my guitar is.

Man, thanks for your video. It reminded me the first time i tried a Princeton and realise it was my dreamt amp, to play with my Robert Cray signature strat. I now play on a peavy classic 30 that is quite the opposite in terms of harmonies and clarity of sound. I want to get a Princeton right after watching your nice video.i 'd love to here you play more.

I have a Fender American Deluxe with HSS pickups powered with a Princeton like yours. I don’t use any pedals, I just use the amp. It’s has the most amazing sound. I’m glad you got your dream.

Congrats Mike. Any Fender Tube Amp is AWSOME! I’ve been blessed to have owned a few of them over my playing career. I still have a 76 Vibrolux! ENJOY Mike!💥💥👍

Congrat's !!! You're way ahead of me. And I'm not sure if I'll catch up. But I'm still having fun. Cheers!

Hello from England. At 75 a couple of years back, I bought my dream amp. A mesa boogie king snake limited edition amp. I think the Fender amp that you bought is a brilliant amp, a Classic.

Building up quite the collection sounds great congrats

I have the 64 handwired one and it’s one of the best amps I have had (I did swap out the speaker though to an eminence GASC59 alnico). The deluxe reverb is my desert island amp but this is the perfect home amp. Takes pedals fantastic. I’m actually running a stereo rig right now with the Princeton and a pro jr and its huge sounding

Welcome to the club! Princeton 65's are the one amp to rule them all ;) Loving your channel mate!

Sweet amp...congrats. My favorite Fender is the Deluxe though I have much love for the Marshall JCM 800...I want both.

I just picked up a '57 Deluxe reissue, so I'm absolutely right there, too. Congratulations and enjoy that amazing amp, it's never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.

I have a 76 nr and love it! I use a Strymon Flint for reverb and you wouldnt believe how incredible they sound together! Imo, Princetons are basically impossible to beat!

I got a 65 RI Fender Princeton reverb a few years ago, I had wanted one for as long as I can remember....I think it is the perfect studio amp....or for a small venue...thanks Mike.

Cool seeing excitement about a Princeton . I just got one, it’s been a downward move from twin, to vibroverbs , to deluxe reverbs . Things are just not needed to get that loud anymore. I have had a few. It fender is making a 12” one now, so giving that a try. But still the vibroverbs on a hot plate . Using evm’s will always be my favorite. It’s just a mammoth sound ,

These are fantastic amps. Congrats!

Ive had a hot rod, which was an earth shaker, a bassbreaker 15, that I did love, Ive always been torn between DR or Princeton, the Twin is the best. Gigs would be DR, Princeton makes the most sense for home and studio. I own a Deluxe VM that is amazing and has Reverb/Chorus/Delay built in. The tonemaster is intriguing and its the perfect weight. At the end of the day its what you like and is subjective and varied as guitar players. Love the chanel, keep going!

Love it man! My dream amp was my 65 Deluxe reverb reissue in the Wine tolex with wheat grill. But now she just sits in my closet because she’s too loud for my current living situation. Been farting around with a spark mini to recreate it at practice in the bedroom levels and love that. But I want a Princeton so bad. Im a total tube guy but I also really really want the Tone Master Princeton to get my fix at home level volumes too. I bought a Klon Centaur when they were cheaper now that they’re ridiculous I’m gonna have to sell it and get the amps I want!

My first amplifier was not a Princeton-Reverb. It was a Fender though, a Princeton-Chorus. It was a solid state combo amp with clean & distirtion channels, a chorus circuit and a stereo effects loop. It was decent for a beginner musician in 1995. I pulverized both channel inputs, and I didn't consider utilizing the effects loop when I switched over to multi effects pedals with amp modeling like the Boss product line. Back in April 2003, the building where I took most of my college courses suffered a fire. They were thinking about throwing some paraphernalia away. The Daydream Believer that I had been at the time hoped they were going to get rid of their 4-input Fender Dual Showman bass stack that the guitarists and bass players in the Jazz Ensemble plugged into. No such luck. The minute I spoke up telling them that's what I would like, they made it clear it wasn't going anywhere. Such a drag; that was my favorite Fender amp. Yes, I've had those dreams that I dreaded waking up from.

I have and love my Princeton. You May want to check out Weber mini mass attenuators. They can allow you to keep most of your highs as you dial back the dB level. Great for the house.

They are nice! Love my reissue with a 12". Congrats brother, D

That's a beautiful sound, great playing!

I have owned a 65 Princeton reissue since 2011 I have used in for jazz funk and punk and metal , it is still my favourate amp of all time.yes it has the best clean tone not spikey like the deluxe but super warm deep and three dimensional it also really load and great for small gigs.I play a lot of jazz guitar nowadays and it is perfect for the job the reverb is amazing the deep bass and subtle ballanced mid range are just sublime. I agree it is the best amp and it is really great put through a big cab - in these modern times big amps seem impractical( and who needs ear damage and spinal injury).This amp sounds like a hundred watts at sensible volumes an amp- for life buddy!

Had a Princeton 65ri and it was so good and sweet and loud enough until it was too loud. Now I'm a father of 2 and rarely played past 2 with pedals and 3 or 4 no pedals all clean. Sold it for a good price and got a Vibro Champ and am very happy to own sth like a Princeton Jr. for my needs it does the job wonderfuly. I do not gig, I just ocasionaly jam with a friend and record my own stuff. Thanks!

The most recent addition to my amp family was a point to point handwired 65 Princeton reissue with 12” Cannabis Rex speaker. LOVE it!

I also had the dream of owning a PRRI. The Princeton Reverb has got sthing special in it. True that. …. and than later I let the Vibroverb circuit built for me, handwired, using the finest components and NOS tubes, original box with JBL D130, and I sold the Princeton reverb because it just stayed unplayed in my living room over a year. 😢😊

I love my Princeton 112 plus solid state loud and clean and the reverb is just right

I have a '65 Princeton Reverb. It has an amazing clean tone and takes pedals very well. Also because it's only 12 watts, I can crank the volume up without ticking off my neighbors. My AV '54 Strat sounds absolutely amazing paired with this amp.

In Amplitube 5 I tried the Princeton, I was trying all these Fender amps because John Mayer was using fender reverb, I didn’t know it was the Princeton until I saw an interview with it in the background, I picked it in the software and it was an instantly recognition of the sound! And with that sound made the JM - New Light cover on my channel

I'm very happy for you dude, we should make dreams come true!

When I was trying out a Tone Master Twin, there was this new Princeton Tweed sitting right next to it. So... of course, I plugged in & gave it some juice. Wow! What a great sounding little amp! Unfortunately, I didn’t need another “too Loud for the living room amp”. But, if I’d had the budget, it would have come home with me anyway.

My first (and only cause it's awesome) strat changed the way I approach guitar forever. I know it's basic but I can't deny how much I love it.

Mike, I use a Hot Rod Deluz 4x10. The thing is a beast and just cannot be used without an attenuator (Rock Crusher by Rivera) to really get the tone I like. With that said, I dig it!!!

I have several small amps. The Princeton reverb is the one I don't use any pedals with. My favorite setting from left to right 10. 9. 6. Reverb 2 1/2. An Alessandro speaker really pairs well

Sounds great!! Love your channel!Thanks for your work! Maybe you would like to check out a ToneKing Gremlin? It is not a Fender amp but, so to speak, in the style of the Fender amps and sounds really great.

Definitely try out the current Fender 68 Princeton - I have had two 65 reissues, and the 62 Chris Stapleton, but found myself going back to the 68 over and over.

Yes, a Princeton is indeed great. Right now for me, it's the Fender Deluxe reissue. It sounds reto hi-fi, if that makes any sense. And lets not forget my underdog amp. It's my Fender 1987 red knob Fender Champ. Much despised, but mine is a killer amp with a Cannabis Rex speaker and a Mercury Magnetics power transformer. Those of us that know are keeping ours.

100% the Princeton reverb is my, dream amp. In my opinion a block of wood, without strings, sounds great through one

I use a Helix these days, but my favorite amp model is the Princeton Reverb head through a 4x10 cab.

I've got a tweaked '62 no reverb brown princeton being built for me as we speak. suuuuuuper stoked to get my hands on it!

I wouldn't mind having a Fender Blues Deluxe. To be honest though, the amp I would LOVE to get a hold of is that Supro Delta King 12 you have. That thing gets some of the nastiest, fuzziest tones when cranked and I LOVE it.

I have a '68 Silverface non-reverb my dad bought me when I was in junior high. I had it serviced an found out it has the blackface circuit. I recently put an Eminence Rajun Cajun speaker in it and it sounds great. I can run it on seven with my band (miked) and it's great. Mine doesn't really breakup. It has great headroom and the treble response was dialed back when I had it serviced. I like it better than my '67 Bassman!

Got my first 65 Princton reverb RI last year and my goal is to get a second one so I can run dual Princetons. It truly is a special amp. My only negative is that it does get a little hotter than others due to tube location. I also play an American Professional2 strat and it sounds sooooo good.

Cool to hear you mention City and Colour. He came to Halifax in 2006 and was offering free tickets to anyone who would let him borrow a Twin Reverb. I was so close to trying to rent one just so I could meet him lol

Okay Mike. So now that you have an AC15 and a Princeton you have to try playing in stereo with a good stereo reverb and delay! I personally use an AC15 and a 65 Deluxe Reverb and it is a can't miss combo. The mid scoop of black panel fender amps mixed with the mid push of a Vox is perfect in my opinion and I can't see myself picking just one amp anymore.

I bought a deluxe reverb last year as my second guitar amp, I had a boss katana 100 mk2 before it. I was really torn between a princeton and a deluxe reverb but ended up with a 65 reissue deluxe reverb and I am super happy with it!

I sold an AC10 to get a Princeton Reverb last year. Excellent life choice, looking back!

Great work Mike. Best you've ever played as a Strat player. Soul!

Hello Mike, I have the 65 Princeton and the Deluxe reverb. Love both amps, what surprised me was the Princeton up to volume 4 sounded exactley like my Deluxe reverb after that volume the Deluxe had more bass and louder. I guess because Deluxe 22 watts and Princeton at 15 watts. If I was gigging probably use the Deluxe Reverb, but again both amps have wonderful tones. Princeton 10 inch speaker Deluxe Reverb 12 inch speaker

My fender amp journey has been quite extensive - in order of purchase: Blues Junior III, Hot Rod Deluxe, '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue, '65 Princeton Reissue, Custom Vibrolux Reissue, Pro Junior IV. Having gone through all of the above and retained only the Pro Junior IV, I bought a Mesa Boogie Fillmore 50 combo 4 years ago and thought I was done. But the truth is, nothing sounds like a blackface fender other than... a blackface fender. So just a week or so ago I bought myself another '65 Princeton Reissue. It had been modified with upgraded caps, a beefier transformer, and a eramic magnet speaker, so it's not exactly stock. However, those mods made it sounnd REALLY close to a vintage '65 Princeton I once played through, so hey, go figure. In my mind, the Fillmore does everything I need beyond the blackface sound, and the princeton is the right size, the right volume, and has the right sound for a basic setup of a couple of pedals going into it. TL;DR get yourself a '65 Princeton Reissue and upgrade some key electronics and the speaker and you have a true winner on your hands.

The Princeton is my dream amp as well. If you really want an eye opening experience with it get ahold of this little pedal called an Xotic EP Booster. I played a Princeton once with that pedal in a shop and one of the OWNERS came running out and was like "What AMP are you playing through?! That is a FANTASTIC Tone!" I have the pedal and the guitar I was playing that day....but the Princeton still eludes me...... I hope at some point you will do a video with your Princeton and that Cherry Player Series Strat..... Since thats going to be one of the combinations I use if I can EVER get my hands on a Princeton. Oh, and yes, your next step is try a Deluxe Reverb. In my honest opinion its the Princetons bigger brother. Similar tone but a bit cleaner and a bit darker...but still...the Strat tones are to die for!

I put a Celestion gold in my 68 Princeton - heavenly! Great videos/channel. Thank you.

Own the Princeton handwired and found for myself that prefer it with 12”. And you should try it with ts808 (not 9) it such simple but it’s thing that just really work.

The camera shots in this are so good, keep doing it bro

for a long time my dream was to own a vintage fender strat with a maple neck and white body thats actually yellow because of age. three months ago i got myself one - actually its a squier from 89, but this guitar is a banger and every person i know (that has an actual fender) is in a big shock that my guitar feels superior... thats probably a matter of giving em a proper setup, but still! plays great and i feel the special connection with it

I’ve always looked at the Princeton as my obtainable dream amp. I’ve had silverface champs and blues juniors and voxac15s and all that but I’ve never been 100% satisfied with my tone. It’s never “that sound” I hear. Well when you plugged into that Princeton that’s instantly “the sound” that’s the sound that everyone is always trying to get with pedals and pickup combinations and different this and different that. I’ve watched your other videos and you always have a really good tone but man with that amp you can hear it. Idk if as guitar players all of our favorite riffs and favorite guitar players used these amps on the recording so it’s set by default as most guitars players ideal dream tone we all think we need these fancy hand wired boutique amps and pedals when apparently it’s all in the damn amp lol. I always dance around the idea of getting one and always say I eventually will and I’ll try this or that and blah blah I just recently traded for a fender excelsior the pawn shop series with the 15” speaker and trem. Super cool amp, the previous owner put a set of vintage RCA tubes in it along with a 1959 Jensen P15R Alnico speaker out of an old stereo console. It sounds amazing it sounds really really good but it doesn’t have “that” sound. I’m going to have to eventually stop messing around and do it like you did lol.

I had a Fender 1964 super reverb four ten inch Jensen speakers, and man that thing was a beast.

Fender Super Reverb, big, super heavy, impractically loud but hands down the sweetest most touch sensitive tones come out of those four 10 inch Jensen speakers

I'm not sure I'll ever decide on a favorite Fender amp. I'm presently enjoying/trialing '68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb and Pro Reverb amps... I have a Hot Rod Deville that I genuinely don't need, but love. And a Super Champ X2 that I should really part with, but every time I play it I find a reason for keeping it. It's a sickness, but it's fun!

I played a PRS Silver Sky SE through a Princeton Reissue in a music shop recently, great amp. For me though if I could choose any Fender amp it'd be a vintage Vibroverb

I actually am looking to upgrade from my champion 20 to another amp, so thanks for reviewing this much amps, including this one.

Great tones!

i travelled with a twin reverb and hot rod deluxe. I was never a fender guy before that. I have to say, they were road worthy, and were perfect with a stereo 4 cable setup with pedals. I've also played alot of the blues junior. I never really played a princeton much, only to demo, but it does sound similar to things I've seen these other fender amps do when recording. The power soak is being used to amplify can be a clever trick, especially if youre trying to get it to disk, but to me, the quality always was better to mic these amps. Thats something you could easily AB with another fender amp.. i guess you have to buy another amp!

I started with Twin Reverb and realized on 4 my windows were rattling. Then I went with Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and realized it was still too much. Then I got the Princeton. I LOVE that amp. However, I still wanted smaller for when I play blues...wanted that natural break up at the lowest volume possible. So, I bought a Fender Champ. I think it's 10watts - 57 custom. It breaks up beautifully. Plug in with my 52 tele in Open G and that Keef sound is amazing. However, I think I use my Princeton the most.

Good choice mate! I’ve had my ‘68 since about ‘80 or so.

In my 1st band my friend had one ,think the red light globe thing was loose and fell out.He was the most awsome singer ever ,great musician too used to let me play his .I had a peavey bandit and whenever I got to play his just sounded so good.I had a fake strat to play through it. It was a tcm and had a his but even made it sound good.Now have an American standard from the 80s and 2 fender deluxes ,but I wish had a Princeton too for the tones

Definitely sounds awesome.

Love the fender princeton, fender blues jr. (western tolex has a canibus rex speaker) and Id have to say my favorite would be vox ac15 with the alnico blue speaker. All great, all different

My favorite Fender amp is the Mesa Boogie Fillmore 100. Cuz it’s granddad was a Fender Princeton Reverb. That’s a little guitar amp, history for ya. 😃

Try the Super Reverb I picked mine up for £1200 second hand, definitely not one to miss they scream above 8. Go for all valve also not that new thing they brought out. Great vid I might invest in a Princeton 👍

My late cousin used to use a Princeton Reverb with a Fender Telecaster. Still echoing in my ears.

I play a 91 USA Strat thru a 77 Princeton Reverb using a LR Baggs DI w/ effects loop for my pedal board. It is all I’ll ever need.

Bro. Didn’t know u came over to your friends house. Andrew masters lol😂. Loved it. Was listening to the audio and heard Andrew I’m like wait. I know that voice lol