Battle of the Tiny Tube Amps! Princeton Reverb vs Vibro Champ

[@guyincascade]

I bought a Vibro Champ in 1977, playing it today. Had to replace speaker few yrs ago, with a Wharehouse speaker. Also sent it off to have the solder joints looked at a replaced a couple caps. It Rocks, friends find it hard to believe the tones coming out of her. Strat, a cable, the Amp with some Tremolo….all ya need

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Epic! Warehouse speakers are great!!!

[@briancoyne6700]

Nice! Do you think I could EQ my Princeton with an EQ pedal to sound very close to a champ? I mean, do I really need both of these amps or could I achieve both tones with the Princeton? Thanks!

[@andtothewestamerica]

EQ can go a long way but your speaker is going to be the number one thing determining the sound of your amp. Search YT for "12 ten inch speakers tested in a 1967 fender princeton" for a quick survey of tones available.

[@josephwilber4129]

Wow those are some beautiful amps! Definitely love the tone on both! Great video! Thank You and keep up the great work!!

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Thanks so much for watching and the kind words! Cheers!!

[@martywilkinson6722]

Great video. I have a vintage ‘76 Vibro Champ as my house amp. Love it!

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

It's AMAZING for playing around the house!!!

[@sevensongsful]

Definitely enjoy the headroom of the princeton--owned one in the 80s, but I bought the vibro champ for bedroom playing. Nice video

[@juul196]

I own a 1976 Vibro Champ and 2 Champs from 1975 and 1976. They all sound amazing and they're simple but effective. The sounds you can get from them are simply amazing considering the size! I have the original Oxford alnico in the Vibro. The Champs both have the Jensen P8V that really do the amp justice. Good video, but they sound even better in person, trust me!

[@neilkorsgaard]

I love your playing! What was that very first funk riff? I just got a vibro champ reissue

[@stijnbos7614]

I have a '77 Vibro Champ that I inherited, sounds great. But always wondered what I could upgrade, a better or perhaps larger speaker? I think mine is fully original, I even have the panflets/brochure that came with it. Great playing btw!

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

I wouldn’t go too crazy with the mods. But there are some great speaker upgrades. Check out the Warehouse 8” !! They have a ceramic and an alnico version!

[@kcmccloskey]

Man, the champ sounded better to me on everything but the dirty rhythm (and presumably “fuzzy” chords)! My band (I’m on drums) has been trying to to practice a lot quieter lately, and one of our guitarists has been using his early 60s Gibson Skylark (Their “Champ” more or less) to great success (with the other guy on his own blues jr, or on my monoprice 15w - on the “1w” setting). Small amps aren’t just for practice and recording! - they can allow you to play with intensity and dynamics at a volume that doesn’t wear us out as we age into full bloozdadness.

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

“Bloozdadness” haha!! Love it! Totally agree. Good for the ears! Thanks for watching!!

[@thomaschia3173]

Can you share the knob settings for 6:18? Vibro champs are the best!

[@thorvelizelos]

The vibro unfortunately sounds a bit more plastic/thin compared to the Princeton.. But I am still trying to decide which one would be the better choice for my pretty quite home recording...

[@mikefromusa6902]

I have both amps. Both from back in the day. Tonez for dayzzz.

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Awesome!! Such fun amps! Happy jammin!

[@charlesm7646]

Champ reigns supreme

[@voiceofexperience]

Champ wins for clean tones only; Princeton is more of an "all-rounder". I ❤ both of them!

[@tommoyer4697]

Princeton for me all though last bit was awesome. Nice playing

[@mmike65m]

I have the VC, and I'm addicted

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

The struggle is real! If you need help recovering, I’d be happy to take that burden off your hands haha!

[@imnotaj_]

exactly the video i needed!!

[@jokerjoker3967]

Hi,for playing pink floyd and jimi hendrix srv this amp fender 68 vibrochamp 5w is good ?

[@michaelinglis567]

I literally just finished building a Champ style amp with an optional 6V6 or EL84 output section and SS rectification so i MIGHT be a little biased but....i really liked the Champ here. But thats not to say i think the Princeton didnt sound good cause it did. I have a 100 watt Marshall DSL100HR that i added a choke to for my PP with tons of clean headroom amp so the champ is its perfect counter part. And those two amps in stereo....my god those amps sing. You wouldnt think it but..., anyhow. The Champ sounding better here also could just be the smaller cab/speaker making it sound brighter and a little less tubby. If you ran them both through an external 10" or 12" i think the differences would still show but not be as dramatic but maybe not, who knows (well the guy whos done that knows i suppose). Liked and subbed cause you look like Isaac Brock, it would be a shame if he wasnt one of your influences considering the resemblance...... Ok i subbed for the content, but the whole Isaac Brock resemblance didnt hurt!

[@dangitdan9938]

Either one have an actual Reverb or are they both digital?

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Princeton has a real reverb tank in it… Vibro champs doesn’t have any reverb at all

[@dangitdan9938]

@@AlexNaumanMusic brain fart. Lol Not sure what I was thinking but thanks. I'll be fine... Just fine.

[@jeffreyparker4353]

put the stock vibro champ speaker on the shelf and drop in a weber 8a125 or 8a125t.. it'll handle those low frequencies better and not change the voice of the amp :)

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Thanks! I have been wondering what a good replacement might be!! Cheers!

[@jonathanzabin4093]

Great video. For my ears, the Princeton wins. The VC sounds a little too "brittle" for my taste. The Princeton is a little more "rounded". Not saying the VC is bad; tone is so subjective.

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Agree with you. I am thinking of trying some different speakers in the VC to see what the difference might be!

[@jonathanzabin4093]

@@AlexNaumanMusic I was wondering if it was just 8" vs 10". I have a Princeton Chorus with 2 10's. I like the brightness of a 10" speaker

[@richardwalley2862]

Can you put the Princeton on 10 in a bedroom without going deaf?

[@scaryperson27]

I prefer the sound of the Princeton better. I wonder what the champ would sound like powering the Princeton cab? That would be a cool video!

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Good video idea!! On it! Stay tuned...

[@fabdofasol8990]

appart from size, Champ speaker is 4 Ohms , Princeton's 8 Ohms

[@frankbagot1588]

What is the song you are playing starting around 2:41? I love it.

[@Prossdog]

That’s Lenny by SRV

[@renevanzijp473]

Thanks for the comparison. What are the tone settings for your favourite vibro champ sound?

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Depends on the guitar, but with the Tele I usually have volume around 3-5, treble 5, bass 7 or 8. I normally don't use the vibrato too much haha

[@renevanzijp473]

@@AlexNaumanMusic Nice. I have a Tele too. My Vibro has a GT 12ax7r and a GT ecc83s as preamp tubes. Do you now the diff between them? And is the position important?

[@MacedonianGrace]

Did you speed up the playing? Sounds good....

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Kind of insulting, but simultaneously a great compliment. I'll take it! (the answer is no, btw). Cheers! :)

[@MacedonianGrace]

@@AlexNaumanMusic no no I'm just joking, your playing definitely sound fantastic appreciate you work . Wish you Great Triumphant Day

[@OFFICIALUND]

@@AlexNaumanMusic It's funny - I actually had the same question - it's not just sound of the playing . . . it actually looks sped up. I checked my playback speed settings twice to make sure it wasn't on my end. I also thought (before I saw this comment and your response): I don't want to insult the guy . . . but he could also take it as a compliment - - - lololol.

[@closer71]

I’ve had a few Vibro Champs. A ‘71, ‘75 and the 1978 that I have now. It’s a great amp. Takes pedals so well. And hey, if it was good enough for Bob Dylan to record with then it’s good enough for me. I love playing The Smith’s How Soon Is Now? with it on my Frankenstrat that has a Billy Corgan signature model DiMarzio bridge pickup. Ha! Ha! Ha!

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

I think it’s my favorite amp now!!

[@jimcastillo8950]

Good comparison, The two amps are different due to the Vibro champ being a cathod bias amp and the Princeton a fixed bias amp. They are totally different . Thank you

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Great point! Thanks for watching!

[@CastlesMadeOf...]

Was that playing sped up?

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

ha! No! Of course not!!!

[@gshep42]

Compare more vibro sounds on them! Cool video, I have a 65 Princeton RI and a 78 Vibro Champ which I just got the other day!

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Yes! My amp tech was giving me hell for not showing off the vibrato sounds on the last couple amp vids haha! I'm planning on an upcoming vid going over some of the differences between some of the famous vibro sounds!! Stay tuned. Cheers!

[@michaellindsey3280]

Lol I recently tried to learn Lenny watching I realize how far I have to go. I hate watching these videos so demoralizing but no I keep working on it

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Keep grinding on it! Such a fun song to play!!

[@AudricDenis]

Thank you for combing your hair 🪮 🙏

[@frankieconcepcion7860]

How would you compare them volume wise?

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Great question! The Champ is WAAAY softer than the Princeton. Neither could hang at a louder gig with a drummer but I take the Princeton to quieter club/restaurant gigs all the time. The Vibro champ could never really hang with a band at all unless it was like a 2 guitar gig maybe that was suuuuuper quiet

[@Lynx33PL]

@@AlexNaumanMusic What about a solo guitar performance (like a solo jazz gig or with a looper pedal) or a duet with a singer? I'm a bedroom player with some minor aspirations of playing a solo gig or two in my lifetime (and a bit less minor aspiration of recording a lot of music for which tiny amps somehow seem amazing). I guess if Julian Lage can get supreme clean tones from a champ with a 6.5'' speaker (miked of course), then a random shmuck like myself can get some decent clean tones from an 8'' one, but I saw this comment and I guess asking someone who actually has experience gigging similar amps can't hurt! Amazing video BTW, pretty much exactly what I was looking for.

[@WhiteDove73-888]

@@Lynx33PL save up & get something you can use for 10 years + if you want to play at your house get one of these.

[@thesaj1110]

The champ sound killer

[@andrewgarvin2233]

fast forward hands. grate comparison

[@LeviBulger]

I've never understood why people buy Princeton amps. They're too loud for the bedroom, too quiet for gigs, and pretty lifeless in tone overall compared to most every other Fender valve amp. Now, older silverface Princetons, sure I guess. But the deluxe would be a much better option in basically every way. As for the Champ, they have way more of the classic Fender chime. The vintage ones are especially great for recording or bedroom use.

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

All depends on what you're using it for... I have a weekly jazz duo gig with a piano player and they have a nice grand piano at the club. The Princeton is perfect size, weight, and volume for that gig. but totally agree... for normal gigs and anything with a drummer it's just too quiet!

[@LeviBulger]

@@AlexNaumanMusic Actually, I can see the Princeton as being a great Jazz amp, especially with a humbucker equipped guitar because it does have that great low end.

[@fairweatherfriends.]

I hated deluxe. No decent tube saturation. Sounds like shit

[@Seanph25]

@@fairweatherfriends. well that’s not what it’s for lol

[@pgroove163]

I was gifted a 68 reissue a year or so ago and I have to tell you it sounds great.. it can get loud in that bedroom though.. but damn it sounds so good..

[@briancoyne6700]

Slow down....let the notes breathe ;)

[@Ben59910]

Finally! Someone had the guts to say it! 👏🏽

[@salgapez]

Cuánto cuesta un vibro champ de 1968 actualmente?

[@m4ssi86]

no way, the princeton sounds much better!

[@BluesHeavy]

Felt the Champ sounded thin Princeton sounds fuller

[@troyfabrication]

What are your thoughts of the reverb sound of the Princeton?

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

I love it! One thing I have noticed about vintage fender reverbs is that they vary quite a bit from amp to amp. I'm not sure what the variables are that make the differences tho. I've used several modern replacement reverb tanks too that sound totally different from each other in the same amp. Kind of crazy!

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

There are also several mods you can do that are supposed to give you more control over the reverb sound itself so you can dial in exactly what you want. I've never done them but they look super cool. At the end of the day though, it will always be a great spring reverb sound. So if you need something else like a plate or hall, you just have to buy a pedal or something.

[@troyfabrication]

Thanks for the reply!

[@philfrank9226]

Let the tape running faster, ha!?

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

Waaaaait a second.... are you accusing me of speeding up the video so it seems like I’m playing faster?? Hahaha. Not sure wether to be insulted or complimented. 😆😂😂

[@philfrank9226]

@@AlexNaumanMusic Something is wrong.

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

@@philfrank9226 I have not, nor would I EVER.... EVER speed up my playing. a ridiculous and insulting accusation, to be honest

[@philfrank9226]

@@AlexNaumanMusic I`m sorry, but it really looks not natural.

[@joanbull9066]

Better to play notes clean and clear rather than muddy fast.

[@AlexNaumanMusic]

I will make sure to consult you before the next amp demo I make.