Fender 1x12 Shootout: 65 Princeton Reverb Vs Blues Jr IV Vs 64 Deluxe Reverb Custom Hand Wired

[@Musecrafter]

I love the way you did the comparison by playing reasonably instead of shredding. I was able to get a much better feel for the dynamics of each amp.

[@gair1944]

Thanks! I’m glad it was helpful

[@chucklee347]

I'm shocked I've never heard such a huge outdoorsy type tone from a jr. That was awesome.

[@gair1944]

Thanks Chuck.

[@jamesjdonatelli2of2]

While my preference of the three is the hardwired Deluxe for overall tone and presence, that is the best sounding Blues Jr IV !!! It has a really amazing balanced sound, volume and presence. Thank you for a wonderful comparison. Well done!

[@dougthom5496]

Very tasteful playing, love it! Just bought a Blues Jr. with Celestion Greenback trying to get back to that sound I remember from my Twin Reverb in 68.

[@rickwilkins8353]

I had a 68 Twin also. Sold it for $200 Am I crazy! 🥵

[@louisvuittondonvg9040]

that blues junior sounds EXCEPTIONAL

[@recklesstoboggan]

I know this is a year old, but damn! That is THE BEST BLUES JR. tone I've heard. And really tastefully played. I'm setting my Blues Jr. the same as you described.

[@gair1944]

Hey thanks for the super kind words. You made my day.

[@recklesstoboggan]

@@gair1944 I'm now in the process of setting up my Princeton and Deluxe the same as yours. You have quite the ear.

[@billfrigo7602]

What are all of the settings for the Blues Je aside from volume and Treble at 4? Including Mid, Bass and Reverb? Do you know what version of the Tweed this is or are all Tweeds with the Jenson the same?

[@ryanc6366]

This was very generous of you to take your time to make this video for us. Also very good playing:) thank you

[@gair1944]

Tha I you very much. It was ambitious for sure. So hard to give each amp it’s fairest assessment but I thought others might find it interesting.

[@glencruciani]

If I knew nothing of the price of these amps I would have said that I prefer the blues junior over the princeton and deluxe. The blues junior really sounds amazing in this demo.

[@gair1944]

That was Probably the best the Blues Jr ever sounded. Certainly my favorite version of the Blues Jr.

[@kurtlarssom6394]

The Princeton is my favourite.Very clear and distinct.Sounds wonderful.

[@nellayema2455]

Great demo. I just bought a Blues Jr IV with the Celestion A-type 12-inch speaker. I like it, especially for the money. If I were a working professional looking at Fender amps, I'd spend the money on the hand-wired Reverb Deluxe. It has better components, is more serviceable, and can last forever. The Princeton and Blues Jr use cheaper components, and due to the construction of the PCBs that they use (single sided traces, etc.) aren't as serviceable and really aren't built to last. That said, I'm happy with my purchase of the Blues Jr.

[@gair1944]

Congratulations. That’s a very good sounding amp capable of so much more than just playing at home. Enjoy !

[@dangitdan9938]

It’s my ride or die amp. The BJr tweed with the Jensen is hard to beat for the $$. I don’t think most people spend enough time tweaking them when they first use them. They can be bright at first but learning how the volume/master and tone controls work together opens it up to quite a few different tones. Takes pedals and easy to mod. I’ve modded mine over the years, minor things like upgrading caps and filters, lowered the value on the reverb gain resistor and replaced the tubes putting a set of 5771s in V1 & V2 with a 12AT7 in the V3, and it sounds incredible. I’m probably in an extra $200 bucks and it’s worth every penny. Loud enough for a small venue, a jam and sounds great at lower volumes for the house. It’s all subjective but, given some time, that BJr will steal your heart. 🤘🏻🤓🤘🏻

[@gair1944]

Thanks for sharing your insight. Great points all around.

[@jfar3340]

they are indeed very bright and ice picky

[@dangitdan9938]

@@jfar3340 speaker swap helps and a couple little snip snip mods

[@JaredSchumaier]

@@dangitdan9938 which speaker do you prefer in the Junior?

[@dangitdan9938]

@@JaredSchumaier I use a ToneSpeak Austin 1250. They have a channel and some videos but I found them on another guys “speaker swap” video.

[@chrispage2782]

one of the better “shoot outs” I’ve seen; given the audio fidelity of youtube vids, the difference between the 3 is really clear….

[@gair1944]

Thanks Chris!

[@ricklanders]

This is the first Blues Jr I've ever heard that I even remotely liked. Must be that speaker, or the fact you didn't put all kinds of excessive gain on it like most people seem to do. Really good demo, thanks

[@gair1944]

Thanks for listening. I agree this Blues Jr with the Jensen 12" C12N was particularly decent. I also have my band mates Blues Jr IV with a Canabis Rex and it is very good too. I tend to play clean and use pedals for overdrive but I dont live for high gain. I also don't use a Blues Jr for its own gain. I run the master vol wide open and use the Blues jr as a clean/pedal platform. Sounds best to me this way.

[@MrMd5555]

I think the blues jr gets mixed reviews because of just that, way too many people do funky things with the gain/master volume & the eq. I run mine just like Mr Roberts does either straight in or as a low to medium gain pedal platform but I never try to use it as a high gain heavy rocker amp & I've been more than happy with it. I've got other amps for when I want to get that high gain distortion type stuff

[@juanmanuelfdez.deaguirrecu3696]

@@gair1944 Tengo el Blues Jr IV tweed le puse el cannabis red y se lo quite al momento le mata todo el feeling, los agudos, el campanilleo, todo, es mejor domar el exceso de brillo, agudos y medios un poco hirientes con la ecualización reduciendo los agudos y medios al 1 o 2 y subiendo los graves al 6, el altavoz Jensen que trae es buenísimo, un clásico, pero hay que ecualizar correctamente el amplificador. Todo en mi opinión y con todo el respeto al esto de opiniones claro.

[@silverwings1843]

I appreciate that you mc'd the room rather than the amp. Mic'ing the amp only gives the overall tone of the PA. Funny...The Princeton was only a Student Amp up from the Champ.

[@gair1944]

I agree. I’d rather record as true to real world sound as I can get. The Princeton Reverb certainly exceeded It’s goal as a “student amp” did it?

[@tim2468]

Deluxe 1st, Blues 2nd, and Princeton in 3rd. I have the same Deluxe but with a Celestion G12 Neo. Also have an all original 69 Princeton that my mom bought me new in 69. Great comparison and playing for those in the market. Thanks again.

[@gair1944]

Thanks for your reply. As as this particular 65 a Princeton reissue is, ?( best reissue I’ve personally played), I’ll bet your vintage Princeton is even better. I also agree this Deluxe is superior. But I expected it to be.

[@ioodyssey3740]

IMO the Bjr sounds even better if you roll the mids down a ways more than you have it. I love that you backed the tone down on the guitar. I don't know why people dime the guitar knobs leaving you nowhere to go if you need to cut through the mix a little more, My Bjr has the C-Rex speaker and I'm delighted with the tone I get but I may have to modify the reverb as the sweet spot is hard to locate at a little over 1 on the dial. I do not care for the tone of the princeton especially when you turn it up and it goes all fizzy. Nice demo actually revealing the amp's tones. Thanks.

[@gair1944]

Thanks for your thoughtful post.

[@windsweptguitars]

As an owner or former owner of all three of these amps, I’d like to say that that is the best sounding blues I’ve ever heard. I always found the EL style tubes to shrill for my style. And every time I buy one I end up selling it. I own a copy of that Princeton but I ended up replacing the speaker and going with a Alessandro GA 64 but I have found the 12 inch Princeton cabinet too small for the 12” speaker. It feels and sounds boxy. I have a 1963 fender deluxe with the original Oxford speaker, this is the non-reverb deluxe, and it is the best sounding amplifier I’ve ever heard. I guess I’m just a 6l6/6v6 guy Fantastic comparison

[@azcharlie2009]

The Blues Jr definitely had more chime to the tone. The Princeton much more mid range. I'm very surprised at the Junior! Very nice tone.... But then, I think you could make any amp sound great! Love your playing.

[@Elaleyelunivese]

El84. V/s 6v6 . Blues is more like a good Vox ac. More noisy too, not bad. I stay with Princeton. Thanks. Great comparition

[@juanmanuelfdez.deaguirrecu3696]

Exacto, es cuestión de ecualizarlos bien.

[@mikegilland]

Very well done! Loved the demos - and the classy playing was great.

[@gair1944]

Hi Mike, Thanks for listening. I'm glad it was interesting.

[@HiHello-ku1fl]

I gotta admit I was very impressed with the tweed Blues Jr IV I played at GC. I almost bought it. I was surprised it sounded so good and kept looking to see what speaker was in it. Just a standard Jensen C12N....I like that speaker!

[@gair1944]

The model with the Jensen C12N is very good sounding! Definitely!

[@jasondorsey7110]

@@gair1944 People tend to discriminate the bjr just because it's not from the hallowed Leo Era, but if you swap out the speaker to meet your personal taste, the amp itself is quite capable...also, those jensens take a while to break in before the high end harshness rolls off

[@gair1944]

@@jasondorsey7110 I agree. This blues jr has a canabis Rex eminence. Very nice match for this amp

[@colliedogjoy]

@@gair1944 - The description says Jensen C12N - now you have me wondering! Great vid regardless - Thanks.

[@onnomon]

In this demo, the Deluxe Reverb has the body and presence. Being hand-wried terminal strip construction it can probably stand up to gigging travel. That said, I have a Blues Jr and it sounds quite good especially for live use. Its PC board construction makes it mechanically less robust, Thank you for the demo.

[@gair1944]

thanks for watching and commenting. The BLues Jr is fully capable and I've seen and heard countless players use them to great affect in bands. Personally, I prefer the Princeton and Mostly the Deluxe Reverb custom handwired. It is indeed more full bodied and has a presence smaller amps don't typically match.

[@bobbiduke286]

Wonderful playing. Great demo

[@gair1944]

Thanks Bob! I hope it was informative and helpful

[@10smdjbtk]

I like your crisp sound and play.

[@gair1944]

Thank you very much

[@prw9]

Surprisingly impressed with Blues Junior. Disappointed with the Princeton. Great comparison - very well done 😊

[@gair1944]

Thanks! This was not actually a blues Jr ver IV. it was a limited edition. That Jensen C12N works wonderfully in that amp. Ironically, I have never been disappointed by the Princeton Reverb at any show I've taken it to. I have however taken a Blues Jr to a couple shows and it didn't sound nearly good as a clean platform. Go figure.

[@user-gb8fl3lt2n]

proves its all in the settings which you find on each amp!

[@BreauxBobby]

I have a Blues Jr IV and put several different celestions in it. I have a G12 H30 in it now and it sounds great. It sounds good with the stock speaker, but as you have displayed in this video, a good speaker will really bring the Blues Jr to life. It’s really light in comparison to my other amps. But if I could buy another Fender, it would be a Deluxe Reverb, probably the ‘68 reissue for the price point. I am very concerned about the quality of my Blues Jr. The tones and playing here are nice. You didn’t even mic the amps and it sounds fantastic.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

Nothing like those "Pristine Fender Cleans" - I love my 65 Blackface Princeton Reverb reissue. This amp exceeded my lofty-expectations. It's "Going to the Grave" with me = Killer little amplifier. oNe LoVe from NYC

[@gair1944]

Thanks for listening and sharing a comment. I would love to try the Fender 64 Princeton Reverb custom Handwired, but I think I will always prefer the 64 Deluxe Reverb handwired because its fuller and larger sounding. But I do love and covet the great Fender 65 Blackface Princeton Reverb. The 65 PRRI is probably my favorite Fender Reissue.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

@@gair1944 Agree. I prefer the Higher-clean headroom, and get my Drive from various pedals. NIce tones & playing brother. Enjoyed it.

[@cuinoz3569]

Another great Gary video. I’m interested in the Princeton re-issue but got to say the Bjr sounds pretty awesome too. So many decisions . The hand wired exceeds my budget. Thanks for sharing. Love that tele too.

[@gair1944]

Thanks for watching and sharing. That particular Blues JR was VERY good. Probably my favorite of all Blues JR's I played. That said, I'm still gonna go with a '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue with a good 12" Speaker over the Blues Jr every time. I now have the stock Celestion Alnico Cream back in this Knotty Pine Limited Edition '65 Princeton Reverb. Loving it. But the Jupiter is VERY VERY good ...and a lot cheaper than the Celestion Alnico Cream would cost if you had to buy one.

[@AAchurch]

Sounded so awesome I forgot what amp I was listening 🎶 to.😃

[@gair1944]

You are very kind! Made me smile. Thank you

[@Stratisfied22]

A compressor and Klon with my Blues Jr works really well for an amazing clean tone. Also sounds fantastic with a Blues breaker or morning glory style pedal.

[@gair1944]

I just picked up a JHS Morning Glory this week. I’ll give that a try

[@tonray9395]

Best comparison I have seen to date. Thanks

[@gair1944]

Thanks! That’s high praise!

[@4jrbirdman]

Two of those amps sound really good, the 3rd amp would sound nice going through a window landing on the ground from about 3 stories up.

[@luizalbertokoehler4904]

I really liked the video but I would like to comment that a small adjustment to the equalization and drive gain changes the sound quite perceptibly. I have this same Blues Jr. NOS and I liked its tone in this video but it is possible to get a much fuller tone close to that presented by the Deluxe Reverb.

[@gair1944]

You make an excellent point that is highly valid. The way you adjust the drive and master volume as well as the eq stack makes a huge difference. How you choose to set the Blues Jr also depends on your guitar too.❤

[@rp89d28]

Don't be afraid to turn the treble up on the Princeton. I usually run mine on 7 give or take. Not with the C10r, that would be insane. I have the WGS G10c in mine.

[@hawgzzilla3383]

Blues jr. hanging with the big boys. Might be my next amp for the price

[@gair1944]

Honestly did not expect it to not only hang but to challenge my preconceptions. The current Blues Jr delivers a very professional and valid sound. Plays like it has more power and clean headroom than I expected

[@dangitdan9938]

Do it. Get the tweed!

[@DanEvans-yb6wk]

Your presentation was so helpful to me because you are focused on showing what the amps sound like, and not your guitar skills, which are basically incredible. Not showing off in other words. I have a Princeton Bordeaux with a Jensen 12, but being an acoustic guitar performer, I have only a chorus pedal for my Loud Boxes. I play my acoustic Gibson Super Jumbo as if it were a Strat, and want to move into Strat or Jag for performances. Tempted to trade the Princeton in for a Hot Rod of some sort, your video has shown me that I ought to keep the Princeton and just find the right distortion pedal. I'm indebted to you, kind sir.

[@gair1944]

What a nice thing to read. Thank you for your kind words. I try to be authentic and humble as possible. I simply love music and good tone inspires me to play more musically. That is what drives me. Good luck in your quest and post your decision anytime. You’re welcome to em me at [e-mail] - Gary

[@garywoodward2841]

Great video, thanks for sharing! I'd rate the amps as.. 1/ Deluxe. 2/ BJ (sounded great, stood up well against much more expensive opposition) 3/ Princeton (got squashed by the other 2) 😮

[@gair1944]

I agree. On most days the Princeton reverb would actually beat the BJr. But in this video the blues jr sounded great! Go figure

[@t3601f]

Excellent playing too!

[@gair1944]

Thank you very much

[@krob777]

Finally, 2/3 through the video, you plug-in to the deluxe!

[@jeremyschuhmann9671]

Interesting comparison and nice playing. You’re lucky to have so many great low-power tube amps to compare. A few comments: 1. It would be nice if you had included closeups of the control panels so that we knew where you were setting the tone controls, reverb, volume controls for each amp. (Also, was fat switch on Blues Jr. engaged?) 2. Probably should have just left the guitar controls in one setting (wide open?) so as not to confuse the tone differences. 3. Same goes for the loop. Probably would have been more scientific to use the same loop on all three amps. I think that your results are probably still valid though. My picks…Deluxe Reverb sounds best, with the Blues Jr. A surprisingly close second place, and the Princeton in third place due to too much mids and a lack of low end (I suspect that it’s the speaker you have installed…). Thanks for posting (makes me feel better about not having a PR:-)!

[@guitarpick335]

Wow… what a perfect a/b/c compare. And you’re a monster player to boot. I too would lean on the HW Deluxe as my go to rig. Thanks for this video.

[@gair1944]

What a nice compliment. Thank you! I am glad it was helpful.

[@scottburton4236]

I love this comparison. I’m leaning toward a Blues Jr. I had a Blues Deluxe Reissue but it was heavy and hard to dial the volume in for certain size venues. This looks like a great option for sure

[@gair1944]

Thanks for watching and sharing your nice comments. The Blues Jr is way easier to carry for sure. ha. Not even close.

[@lagoonrd4173]

This dude breaking out some beast guitar axes

[@JohnDougall-lb6gi]

Nice job getting that tone out of a Blues Junior! Great video!

[@gair1944]

Thanks John. It's funny, I don't always get what I want from the Blues Jr. But this time it was simply excellent.

[@sasuun96]

That's the first video I watch from you and I just loved your playing, specially the harmonics, they are really cool, man. Just bought the Princeton Reverb and I'm in love with it, but with the tele it's the one i liked the least from this video hahaha. I loved the sound with the strat, though, really sweet I feel like they are all nice though.

[@gair1944]

Thanks Luis. That Strat is a killer guitar. Congratulations on your Princeton Reverb. Wonderful amp!

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

It's the Man with that black custom Telecaster again, this is gonna be better than any Film on Telly!! All great combos but that Princeton is "Super-Cool" sounding, not too zingy..perfecto!

[@birdsfabulous]

Had the blues jr 3. Great amp and ive recommended it to many people. Recently bought the bordeaux reserve princeton w/12" speaker. Another great amp. Anybody hating on blues jrs i think are trying to get jcm800 tones out of em or somethin!! One of those amps seems to sound good at almost any setting. All these sound great

[@gair1944]

Thanks for listening and for your comments. All of these rare Capable of professional gigging

[@rjo8500]

Strat sounded badass! If it’s stock I wouldn’t mess with it. Sounds amazing.

[@denmar355]

In my headphones the lead sounds better through the Princeton. That midrange makes it more apparent in a mix. Imho. But all are great sounding amps. You are correct about the speaker making a big difference.

[@jfar3340]

Very nice! After your demo, the best amp is the carr in the back.

[@gair1944]

The Carr Telstar is a wonderful amp. Not pictured in the room is a Carr Rambler. Wonderful amps!

[@bucstime1270]

20:00 20:38 Deluxe reverb if you want the tone of your pedal to come through...Blues jr if you want your pedal to sound surprisingly transparent i.e. natural. For a smooth jazz/country tone, the Blues Jr seems to be better which is stunning. 24:58 22:46 Deluxe has more aggressive bite but blues jr is so sweet... 24:39

[@polybius22]

Great video Gary, very interesting to see how well the Blues Jr held up; now to get mine sounding like that. I thought the Deluxe sounded great too and was surprised to be wanting more from that Princeton.

[@smooshpig]

cant sleep on blues jr clean sounds for practice. very fulfilling imo

[@jdpower6360]

This was an excellent review Gary.

[@gair1944]

I’m glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching

[@evanseymour4172]

Thanks! This was deliciously well done. We really got a sense of each amp. Entertaining, tasteful playing. 🔥

[@gair1944]

Thank you so much.

[@snailsfrogslegs119]

Excellent review/comparrison. My favorite is of course the 64... but the blues Jr sound pretty good too. ...but that 64 is obviously the best.

[@gair1944]

Thanks for stopping by! I agree with your assessment completely

[@williamshepherd2543]

Beautiful playing, great comparison.

[@gair1944]

Thank you sir

[@TrimwayConsulting]

Great comparo, thanks! Overall sound and sweetness goes to Deluxe. But your playing brought out nice tones from other too as well 🎸😎

[@gair1944]

Thanks Chris. I agree the handwired Deluxe takes no prisoners.

[@steveaustin4565]

Great video demo. I have the BJ IV tweed with Red White and Blues speaker i boght from Sweetwater and a tweed Blues Deluxe that work well for me depending on the size of the venue. Just couldnt part with the $1400 they wanted for rhe 64 Deluxe Reverb and especially the $3400 they want for the hand wired job.

[@gair1944]

Nice pair of amps you have that serve different side shows. Well done!

[@tonyobbeek8910]

The "Blues Junior" EL84 chime everytime, no other tube comes close for that gorgeous tone with warm harmonics and overtones .......... beautiful ❤❤ tones1957 (New Zealand)

[@silverwings1843]

My compliments Sir. Really !!! Most on KZbin that attempt this type of review are FAR from Professional Status. Very Good Job !!!! Its hard to deal with Fender at times due to Fender changing Tone Stacks all the time. When Fender went to the general Marshall TS it lost it's Soul for a while. I will always prefer the DR. But the BDRI and BJ I have...their tone stacks were modded to the 60s TS. And they sound Classic Fender. I agree completely. The EL84s are Brit.. Period.

[@gair1944]

Thanks ! Your input and thoughts are right on the mark!

[@robertkelly3357]

I have to say, that blues junior is my favorite. I have the same one. That speaker is so well chosen. I have a limited edition deluxe reverb black face, too. It’s fantastic. But if I’m playing for me, it’s the blues junior. It’s just amazing.

[@JTMP12]

Thank you for the excellent comparison! I just ordered the Blues Jr IV Limited Edition British Green, there seem to be no reviews on that FSR but I’m sure it will be as good as the Tweed.

[@gair1944]

Fantastic! Which speaker does it have? Thanks for subscribing in case you haven’t done so yet. Almost to 3000 subscribers

[@JTMP12]

Yes I did subscribe! It has a Jensen C12Q speaker and Fender says it has modified preamp circuitry and smoother-sounding spring reverb. I’m not experienced enough to really know the difference though.

[@tommoyer4697]

Best comparison I love my jr more again...thank you

[@gair1944]

Thanks! Glad it was valuable

[@iamanovercomer3253]

1) love your playing 2) love the black telecaster .... I'm looking to get Fender 🇺🇲 professional 2 telecaster, Miami Blue 3) I was looking at the Princeton, but the blues jr is looking good, especially since about half the price 4) thanks for doing both the tele and strat 🎸...gives me something on both 🎸 5) I think I'm going for the blues jr

[@shivaskrivs2612]

As usual Gary, another thoughtful, informative and skillfully crafted video. The 64 truly is special. Despite its high price point it still represents an incredible value for those of us seeking the most musical and expressive amplifiers. I couldn’t be happier with mine. My other smaller and lower powered Fender is the equally glorious 57 custom deluxe (hand wired 12W). With these two amps I can do just about anything I want to do short of 70s classic rock which is where my Bogner Shiva EL34 80W fills in the gaps. Thanks again Gary! Keep up the great content.

[@gair1944]

My pleasure! Thank you for great post. You remind me I should have at least one great Tweed ...and I do not. I could use a great tweed probably more than the Blues Jr. But I have to say it surprised me with how musical it can be. But with my 64 Deluxe Reverb Hand wired and Carr Rambler, Carr Telstar and Princeton Reverb, I have a lot of bases covered for what I do. I don't do much in the way of classic rock and if I do, it's one or two songs so as much as I love and admire Bogner Shiva's or Friedmans etc, they don't fill a void for my particular style of play.

[@johnjacobsen1915]

GREAT! Presentation! Now I regret selling my Blues Jr. II

[@gair1944]

I think the newest version is decidedly an upgrade over the V2 that you let go. You not have been wrong to move on from that one.

[@johnjacobsen1915]

@@gair1944 Oh! thank you! I think the strength of your video was in its "get right to it" simplicity and lack of over explanation and your confidence in its simple production. It was very entertaining and interesting!

[@gair1944]

@@johnjacobsen1915 Thanks John!

[@bluesysamurainao4557]

Great play. I tried a princeton reissue at a shop. It wasn't stunning at all for my taste. I think each guitarist has a different flavor on amplifier character. I tried a 64 true vintage amplifier at another shop. Even though a rental Fender strato was in terrible condition, that amplifier tone was perfect. I wanna own it if could live in a big house someday.

[@gair1944]

I agree some of the fender reissue amps lately are rather weak and unimpressive to say the least. The one I have is from 2016 and was a limited edition. Maybe they were better back then? The 64 handwired versions are superb!!

[@timmotel5804]

Really love your playing and with the harmonics. No one hits those on demos. The Blues Jr is the best sound I have heard from one of them. I am reconsidering one of those as a possibility for me, even though it's made in Mexico. Surprisingly, the Princeton isn't as good sounding as I would have expected and the 64 Deluxe comes in second place to the Blues Jr. IMO. As the comment below states: "Thanks for playing reasonably". This way you have displayed these amps for what they are on their own.

[@gair1944]

Hi Tim, Thank you for the kind words. Interestingly, the Princeton Reverb almost always sounds better to me ...except in this demo. Maybe it was room placement. Also, this Blues JR was actually a Limited Ed with Jensen C12Q. Blues Jr's seem to use a variety of different speakers. This Jensen may be the missing ingredient that other BJ's lack. This speaker was a great match. I do find the BJ sounds best with Fender single coil guitars. I still prefer the Deluxe or Princeton. But lately, I am all about the Tone King Imperial MKII. (It is another level above all these) I no longer have the BJ or the Princeton since I prefer more rich full clean headroom. Hence the TK Imperial MKII.

[@timmotel5804]

@@gair1944 Thanks Gary for your comments. Must have been the Jensen on the Blues Jr. That was the best sounding one that I have heard. The Deluxe is excellent. Have you done a demo on the MKII yet. Happy Thanksgiving and Best Regards.

[@larrydering1598]

My take is 3 great amps with excellent tone. You could work with any of these. I have the Deluxe reverb and it's a fine amp along with some Twin Reverbs and a couple old Bassman heads. Since I also play pedal steel guitar I use the bigger amps more often. It's hard not to own too many classic amps. Great job Gary.

[@keithcarter9396]

i absolutely loved the Princeton, oh no here comes the gas.

[@robertvanhoolandt958]

Fantastic guitar player. .. enjoyed it ... great comparison

[@gair1944]

@@robertvanhoolandt958 thanks for the kind comment! I hope it was helpful

[@tagskinner778]

BJ sounds great. Love mine. Nice comparison.

[@gair1944]

Thanks for watching.

[@MrMd5555]

Subbed. I love these types of tone test videos. I have a blues jr IV & a deluxe reverb & used to have a princeton & miss it. May look into the Chris stapleton model princeton or the '64 hw. Great playing Love the content!

[@gair1944]

Thanks! Glad it was valuable

[@evankolpack]

I'm a Fender clean tone snob. I've always loved the sound of the Blues Jr. with a good speaker (like this NOS version, not so much the stock black tolex ones). I didn't expect it to beat out these two powerhouse amps, but I gotta say, it has that tube clarity, quack, sparkle, with just the right amount of thump that is perfect for me, personally. Pairs perfectly with Fender guitars or single coils in general. I'm surprised the Princeton came in last for me, I've heard players for whom it totally works with amazing warm tone, even through a strat. To me, the BJ just sounds more SRV, which is the gold standard for clean Fender tone IMHO. The Deluxe is very good also, has a bit more mid-range and low end naturally. If it had a 3-band EQ like it's big brother the Twin (or oddly, like it's little brother the Blues Jr.) you could notch out a little of that mid-range and probably get a similar boxy sound to the BJ....but I just think there's something special about the little cabinet 1x12 that makes the BJ sound great. Some people say it sounds boxy and hollow.....sure, okay, call it whatever you want. It sounds great to me! Thanks for the great video!

[@gair1944]

Thanks for sharing your detailed thoughts. This particular Blues Jr is one of the best I've played.

[@evankolpack]

​@@gair1944 Does it have a V30? Any mods?

[@gair1944]

@@evankolpack This has a Jensen C12N Speaker. No other mods. Pure stock.

[@majortwang]

Well done Gary🎯

[@gair1944]

@@majortwang thanks!☺️

[@scottverni8333]

Love the direct comparisons. This is how I spend time in my music room too. The Deluxe was my favorite tone. The Jr was really musical. The Princeton seems to be less open sounding. Just throwing this out there but maybe the Jupiter is holding the Princeton back a little. I have no experience with that model speaker. Food for thought. Btw, Nice strat too!

[@gair1944]

Thanks for sharing. I thought the same thing about the speaker in the Princeton. Tonight I connected the Princeton to the Jensen C12N in the blues jr cab. It did not improve the Princeton. Strangely the C12N sounds like it needs to be broken in when I did this. But the C12N sounds great in the Blues Jr. I did the reverse too. I.e. I connected the blues jr to the Jupiter speaker in the Princeton cab. The Jupiter sounds sweeter. All in all, I think each speaker in each of these amps are well chosen for that amp. But those speakers don’t sound as good with the other amps. Interesting.

[@jerryb2332]

Good video and very interesting. I have a 65 Princeton reissue and it's been my go to amp for some time now. I absolutely fell in love with it from the start. I'm really not sure what all the differences are between your and mine, but such a different tone. I do not have a Blues Jr. However I have a clone of one. I like it, but not in the same way. I had it before my Princeton and it left me looking for that one amp. This was a very different sounding comparison. I'll have to try my hand at one of those Blues Jrs. It's always wise to keep an open mind and try things out. Good video bud.

[@gair1944]

Thanks jerry! Even as good as this new Blues jr Version IV is with the Eminence Canabis Rex speaker I would still take. 65 Princeton Reverb Reissue. But this particular Blues Jr is still highly worthy. The 65 Princeton reverb I have in this video is the knotty pine with a 12” Jupiter 12LC speaker. This speaker makes a huge difference

[@jerryb2332]

@@gair1944 Do you think the tone difference in the Princeton could also be down to the size of the speaker? Obviously a different type of speaker will make a difference, but what about size? I keyed in on you saying the Princeton was surprisingly loud. I think you noted that twice. Mine is loaded with the C-10R. I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a P12-Q or the 12in Rex. I was thinking it would boost the volume just a hair when jamming with a drummer. Honestly I guess it’s not really needed. I’m just curious on what the tone difference would be simply with the larger speaker.

[@gair1944]

@@jerryb2332 I don't think the size makes a huge difference. I've had a 65 Princeton Reverb Reissue before with a Celestion G-10 Gold and it was great. The amp can only produce so much clean volume so the speaker choice for me is a matter of whether you want more pure clean headroom before it breaks up or if you want earlier speaker breakup (with a less efficient/lower wattage speaker). I tried the 64 Princeton Handwired with the P12-Q and it was very good. A little more compression when pushed hard. the Canabis Rex is a good choice but I highly recommend the Jupiter 12LC 50W speaker.

[@jerryb2332]

@@gair1944 Awesome man! Things I’ll mull over. Glad I found your channel bud. Hopefully we can all boost up your subscriber count. I know I’m a new subscriber. Have an awesome day man and thanks for your time.

[@tjnugent62]

This is a valuable comparison.

[@gair1944]

Thanks for watching TJ. I’m glad it useful

[@minnesotajack1]

That Junior held its own better than I thought it would. If we’re considering value instead of just tone, the JR has it by a mile.

[@gengisokhan]

Great work Gary. Many thanks

[@chrisv924]

Good video!! Deluxe for the win! Very surprised how good the Blues JR sounded, specifically compared with the Princeton. The Princeton really had nothing going for it compared to the other 2 and I usually like Princeton’s!

[@gair1944]

Thanks for watching. The Princeton usually acquits itself more admirably especially on its own. I’ve plugged into the blues jr many times and not cared For it. But that doesn’t happen with the Princeton. It always sounds Good. Maybe the location in the room altered the tonal delivery

[@gf12]

I have both the the Blues Jr. and the 65 Princeton Reverb both with stock speakers. When using an A/B switch I find my Princeton has a deeper and clearer tone than the Jr. I do use the fat button on the Jr., as without it, it's way too bright for my tastes. My Princeton with a Fender Hotrod (12" stock celestial Seventy 80 speaker) bass cabinet has given me the best tone of all my amps with any cabinets attached. My collection consists a Henrikson 312 jazz amp.,Polytone 12 " Mini-Brute 2, Polytone Mini-Brute 4 (15" speaker), Roland Jazz 40(2 10" speakers), Quilter Micro Pro(8" speaker) with Cab(12" speaker), Quilter Mach 2 combo (12" speaker) and the Blues Jr. plus the 65 Princeton Reverb(Tweed). I have A/B'd all of these amps against the 65 Princeton over and over and the 65 Princeton always comes out on top. I realize tone is subjective but, if you heard what I hear in my comparisons, you might agree with me. My musicals tastes are the old standards, Rockabilly, some country, and pop from 1950- 1980. I don't really care for the Blues as I'm a pretty happy guy. Well, that's my two cents from someone who is all about tone. p.s. The choice of pick thickness is crucial for variation in tone. This demo shows the Blues Jr. to have a sweeter tone than the 65 Princeton. The vintage Princeton comes out on top. Hey, you like what you like. Gary Flagg Buffalo, N.Y. .

[@mindfield9832]

Speaker and cab design plays a part as well.

[@gair1944]

I completely agree the speaker and cab is a huge factor for how an amp sounds and performs.

[@kitrandall3374]

Loved them all, unfortunately had to listen thru phone on the night so probably wasn't getting the nuances but do own that model of bls jnr and love it, however did really dig that midrange poke from the princton

[@wakinglife7065]

Thank you Sir! Beautiful playing and my favourite guitar going through my favorite guitar amps. I’m so tempted to get blues junior. May I ask your favorite?

[@gair1944]

My pleasure. I'm glad it was helpful. I am partial to the Princeton Reverb for home, but the 64 Handwired Deluxe Reverb is certainly wonderful. Bigger and fuller. Maybe overkill for a small music room at home, but it is a lovely amp. This particular model Blues JR with that Jensen C12N Speaker has always outperformed its price class. Can't go wrong.

[@wakinglife7065]

@@gair1944wow thank you so much for your response. Grateful for you sharing your opinion. You put all the amp sims to shame

[@jamesnelson1443]

Hi Gary, that Tele is so sweet!!

[@what1864]

in this vid i actually preferred the blues jr over the other 2 , color me surprised , but maybe i shouldn't be because i love el84 amp in general

[@gair1944]

I am surprised how capable and musical it is too. If you love it, you love it. That's all good. If I wasn't comparing, I could plug into the Blues Jr IV and get a great sound and be very happy. Thanks for listening.

[@mattgilbert7347]

I'm an EL84 guy as well. Grew up on Vox amps and bands who favoured Vox & "Voxy" tones. Having said that, I'd love a Deluxe or maybe a Bassman - type amp in my arsenal. A Deluxe + AC15 or Blues Jnr is a cool dual amp rig. I make do with my Champ clone (6V6 output valve & valve rectified) to add that extra something to my AC15 and/or Tweed jnr.

[@kleof.3529]

Princeton in loop definitely (C. Stapletone tone)!

[@gair1944]

@@kleof.3529 Whoah high praise thanks!

[@devanshsoni8622]

oh man, this video answers everything, you are an amazing Guitarist, Jeez🥶

[@singlefin254]

That telecaster is the real winner

[@gair1944]

This fender custom shop tele is incredible. Sounds legit and always inspires

[@mattgilbert7347]

I have the Tweed jnr iii, same as yours with the Jensen. I'm really fond of it, and it complements other 1×12 combos really nicely (mine are Laney Cub12R, Laney VC30, Vox AC15C1). The Blues jnr benefits from the Fromel mod(s) but I haven't gotten around to it yet. With the master wide open, preamp just shy of breaking up, and fat switch on - how you are running it here is in my opinion the best way to run that amp. Reverb off and treble at 2-3 works for me. I get reverb from a pedal. Fascinating compare & contrast. I was surprised to hear that the Princeton was not so radically different than the Junior in some respects. The Jnr is brighter, Princeton "fatter" and darker.

[@mattgilbert7347]

*almost the same as yours, I see you have the IV. I thought about upgrading but I'm used to my iii. I can always mod the amp, as I'm aware that Fender set the bias way too hot from the factory, and the input jack is not the best.

[@juanmanuelfdez.deaguirrecu3696]

Estoy de acuerdo, master a tope, el switch de medios activado, el volumen lo justo, hasta el punto de rotura, los agudos y medios al 1 o 2, los graves al 6 y se obtiene un sonido precioso, dulce y equilibrado, el altavoz Jensen es buenísimo pero hay que ecualizar muy bien el ampli.

[@dananthony6258]

I have a blues jr but i use like the bugera 22c i bought for $350 that has a switch that cuts the watts in have and self biasing tube tech where you can stick any tube mis paired . Cold be a 6l6 and el84 and it just figures it out. The clean channel is awesome. Glassy and warm. The only thing is its a printed circuit board so if a component needs to be replaced tour screwed properly but thats what make it so affordable apposed to a hand wired amp.

[@brunomillalaf8553]

Great playing 👍. I have the blues Junior and it’s so damn loud

[@jbutzin]

Which pickups are in that tele exactly? It sounds great through all of the amps. Thank you.

[@gair1944]

The PU's are no longer available. They are Peter Florence Voodoo TE60's. Peter Florence passed away several years ago and now you can only find them used for stupid money.

[@jbutzin]

Thank you.

[@gregmacklin9758]

I compared the Jr with the Prinston and I preferred the Prinston.

[@gair1944]

I would always pick the Princeton too.

[@gregmacklin9758]

I bought the Prinston tweed with the cannabis rex speaker, and I really like it. I dig your version of little wing BTW

[@FrankLockwood]

I think I actually preferred the sound of the blues junior with that guitar, which surprised me.

[@gair1944]

I agree it was particularly good in this case. But I’ve taken the Blues JR to other gigs and didn’t care for it all. (Personally)

[@badmotorcycle1415]

It would be nice if you had a close up of the settings of each individual amp.

[@gair1944]

Great point. Too late for that on this video.

[@jamesha175]

oh Fender vs Fender. way to go. edit = $799.00 for that blues jr amp. really? edit2 = wow fantastic playing on your loops. kudos man

[@BreauxBobby]

Also, the Blues Jr cabinet is made of pressed bits of wood, or particle board if you want to call it what it is. A pine cabinet has a more focused sound, which is probably the reason the Deluxe Reverb and Princeton have a healthy midrange. To my ears, the blues Jr doesn’t sound as “solid”. As I said, I have one and I love it for the price I paid. It’s a great amp at that price point. The particle board cabinet is very open in the back, and probably the least likely to affect the True Tone from the speaker because of the lack of resonance in the cabinet.

[@gair1944]

Great point about the Pine cabinets versus the particle board. Open backs do help the speaker with more dimension in my opinion. although it depends on the size of the open back and overall cabinet air space as well.

[@luizalbertokoehler4904]

three different and great tones!

[@gair1944]

Thanks for listening.