Is the '64 Hand-Wired Fender Princeton Any Good??

The '64 HW Fender Princeton is one of Fender's newest tube amps they offer, promising vintage Princeton tone and reliability with a warranty. And as vintage blackface examples continue to climb in price this amp, though expensive, can be quite a bit more affordable.
In this video I play my Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul with Doyle Coil PAF's (video about the pickups here: • My FAVORITE PAF Humbuc... ) and my Fender Custom Shop Telecaster (video about the guitar here: • Fender Custom Shop Tel... ).
Amp was just mic'd with an SM57 straight on, and I mixed in a tiny bit of the camera's microphone for a bit of space. No fancy colored mic pre's, just the RAW amp sound!
It's worth noting that actual volume does not come across in these sort of videos. I'd rate Vol. 2.2 - 2.7 as apartment tone but turn it up to 3 and you get a massive jump in volume. For reference I just gigged this amp and had it on about 2.8 to not be overwhelming for the band. YMMV. After 3-3.5 or so on the volume it doesn't get a ton louder but instead just keeps adding more gain.
Stay tuned for a final user review of the amp where I go over the good and the bad, and whether you should look into buying one or not.
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[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Appreciate the demo? You can sponsor a coffee for me here: www.buymeacoffee.com/YeatzeeGuitar 😊

[@gregm3295]

Can you tell me what pedals you were using while playing the white tele. Sounded amazing

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@gregm3295 no pedals with the white Tele

[@gregm3295]

Wow.. That's amazing. I have a 68prri hand wired to 65 specs. Working on the the different settings to dial in

[@gair1944]

This is single best demo of the 64 Fender Princeton Reverb Custom Hand-wired I have heard, hands down!! Wow. Such perfect tones. Your Fender CS Tele sounds amazing and your playing is so musical and fluid. You definitely demonstrated the soul of this great amplifier.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Very kind of you to say, thank you!

[@KelsterVonShredster]

Whoa...the moment i heard the first few notes I knew this was the best demo of this amp i'd seen! Great job man.....

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Want to hear it turned up to 10? Check out my other videos here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4eonHmkgM6np6c (humbuckers) & kzbin.info/www/bejne/aF7NaHulmqmFfJY (single coils). Also sorry about the couple instances of being a bit out of tune. Both guitars needed new strings badly!

[@plasticspoon839]

Amazing demo!

[@stephenk419]

Man this sounds amazing...great demo thanks!

[@TheDustyShed]

Greats sounds. Beautiful playing. Sweet demo.

[@ecantalk]

Great demo!

[@howardyoung4185]

great review YG -thank you

[@StahlsBlues]

Loved and subbed! Hell yeah that was amazing!

[@TeleTalks]

Sounds great! You were right that Park Fuzz is no joke!

[@JP-jy7sk]

So much yes! Nice work.

[@Montyjke]

Woooow !!!! Fall in love with that sound

[@bonedale]

Glorious sound!

[@diangara3298]

Yes, yes it's good. Great demo. Very nice playing

[@romankohler6320]

excellent sound...I love it!

[@leftystrat62]

Excellent video.

[@JackFossett]

Beautiful - love it

[@timmytVA]

That's a really good demo, nice playing. The Les Paul and Tele clean tones are to die for, whether dry or with reverb and/or trem. I just can't get behind cranked BF tones. I had a hardwired PR clone that I sold because of that. I liked your dirty tone with the KoT tho. That was cool.

[@gelatosamurai]

Beautiful indeedee .

[@howardyoung4185]

Fender should be paying you for this review-so much better than theirs

[@chizzulwinduh1941]

Aye, pretty much one of the best Fender or Fender type amps around for many years.You don't need a boutique or Boogie with this awesome amp

[@joeschlicht]

But you still need a boutique budget.

[@bottomkitchen250]

Even though I have a completely different amp, this video made me want to practice.

[@ensignofindustry1033]

Great demo! Very right down the middle. No nonsense or fluff, and no blues noodling over and over. Question though, have you had the pleasure of playing the ‘64 Deluxe RI or even the ‘68 Customs?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Thanks! I have played the 65 reissue, not the 64 or 68

[@pawelpiorko]

Sweet sounds, you should think about making kemper profiles of that amp for sale!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Definitely in the works, along with a couple other cool amps nobody has profiles of :)

[@pawelpiorko]

Cool 😀 I will buy it!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@pawelpiorko Not sure if you saw but it's out! kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWPTfmWqbLl6gc0

[@brunobertotti6126]

that tremolo tho.. nice!

[@the92project]

beautiful video and great playing but man! volume never went above 5? dang, i wanted to hear this thing working! thanks anyways!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I've got two other videos where I play the amp from 1 to 10 with a Tele and a Les Paul 🤘 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aF7NaHulmqmFfJY kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4eonHmkgM6np6c

[@ryannielsen6692]

Awesome video, thanks for posting!!! If you don’t mind me asking, what settings did you use on your Strymon?

[@michaelkyle1704]

B E A U T I F U L playing, thank you.

[@gregm3295]

At the 5:00 mark, im really digging the tone put out! Im trying to replicate it

[@mikeyankie9594]

Great video, thanks. I think... now, I want one. lol...

[@kaphillum]

Wonderful video! Thanks for your efforts, these sounds are glorious ☆_☆ Did you ever get to play the 64 against the 62 Chris Stapleton?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I have not, but I'd like to!

[@zhest07]

This amp is great! It has very tasty clean tone. It`s interesting: how does it sound with 12ay7 in v1 and 12au7 v2?

[@thecappy]

Just picked up a used one for $1500. Definitely worth it over a new '65RI.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Nice that's a great deal!

[@thecappy]

@@YeatzeeGuitar it'll be my one and only guitar amp. I'll pass it onto my kids one day.

[@joeschlicht]

Fantastic!

[@Name-el9ps]

It sounds way different than 65?

[@ewetoobie]

what kind of pups on the LP? At 3:00+, you seem to get a lot of gain & overdrive in the #1 input even with the volume at 4. Is the guitar at full volume perhaps?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Doyle coil PAF's. This amp seems to be louder than the 65 reissue at the same settings, and as a result breaks up earlier on the dial.

[@oliverjanssen]

If you hear it in real live handwired sounds better. But i also like the thought. If something is wrong you can easily fix it by your own And even improve the things on it. Downside the value drops with improving and changing it. But i still like the possibility.

[@adamlitchfield3371]

Hey man, great demo! If you were about to buy a 65 reissue would you recommend saving up the extra money to buy this, even if money was tight?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

If money was tight I'd just grab a used 65 :)

[@TimMilliken]

No. Build or buy a clone

[@averyamadeusjacobson2650]

Gold top p90's through the park fuzz, that's the sound

[@PByt1512]

Beautiful amp, I have bought one and sold it after a few months. At low volume under 3.5 it's great but push up the volume over 6 and it become a rattling machine like all the Princeton I have owned. My experience is telling me those amps have way too much bass in it... Little hint, good to use a EQ to control the amount of bass. Boss G7 is a great one at low cost. Now I own a 64 hand-wire Deluxe which to my ear and taste is way better, sound wise.

[@glencruciani]

I appreciate your insight, because I came here curious about the Princeton because I've actually been wanting the 64 handwired Deluxe instead. You've somewhat validated my concerns with the Princeton. The Princeton sounds great here, but I'm concerned about the lack of clean headroom for gigging.

[@maxwhitten8376]

What guitar do you use? Even if you turn the bass down? Respectfully Max

[@PByt1512]

@@maxwhitten8376 To my opinion, humbucker pickups will always have fatter sound compare to single coil, like I said in my previously message my secret weapen is to use a small EQ to compensate for having too much bass or any other set up. (But for some it might be the right amount, we all have different taste). The Princeton has a ton of bass, I prefer to use a Deluxe Reverb and even then, the bass knob is almost down to 0 but this is the way I like to sound. The best advice is to always take your time and give a good try with any amps before buying.

[@PByt1512]

@@glencruciani Fast answer.... the Princeton does have quite large headroom for such a small 12 watts amp.

[@glencruciani]

@maxwhitten8376 Like most of us, I have a collection of guitars that cover a variety of tones. Finding the right combination of guitar-pedal-amp to suit the players style can differ from player to player. I've consistently been using T style guitars for the past few years because, to me, I find them to be the most versatile for my needs. I own a Two Rock Studio signature that is currently my main gigging amp, but I'm still interested in the 64 handwired Deluxe Reverb.

[@VintageRadius]

Nice tones and recording quality. I have the 65 PRRI which I like a lot for home jamming. I’ve been on a speaker upgrade search and I think I’m leaning towards the Jensen P10r alnico speaker that comes in the 64. Rhett Shull did a video comparing the two amps and the 65 sounds very close to the 64 after the speaker swap. Is there anything that you would warn against with this speaker? Seems to break up very early which I don’t mind since I play at home. Thanks

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

It's got plenty of low end and girth, but doesn't get as flubby as others can. At home, at least on mine, I can't get it nearly loud enough to break up. 3 on the volume is gig volume, in fact my last time I played with a band with the amp I couldn't even turn it up to 3. Most of the video I'm far louder than home volume for most

[@VintageRadius]

@@YeatzeeGuitar that’s interesting. I play in a decent sized room at home with high ceilings but I typically play the 65 at around 4 on volume. And that’s along to music which is pretty loud through a Denon sound bar and sub. At 5 or 6 you can get some breakup for sure with tele. I think the stock ceramic speaker in the 65 is a tad less efficient per Jensens website. It also has less mid range so it probably sounds even quieter by comparison to the speaker in the 64.

[@gggomez9764]

@@VintageRadius I despised the p10r and took it out after trying a few speakers settled on a Celestion Gold. Bass flub which I am not a fan removed, even at 10, just amp overdrive. If I was starting again I would consider the Celestion Neo Cream still gives the Celestion sound plus reduced weight and less cost. Enjoy the journey.

[@bricknboxer]

I had a Weber 10f150t in a 71 PR for years. Nice bottom and mids but had to run the treble at 8 or 9 and wanted more clarity, got curious about alnico so I tried a P10R. Much quieter speaker, had the clear alnico highs I wanted but lacked warmth. Next tried a Celestion G10 gold. Best of both worlds, really like the Celestion in the silverface PR.

[@VintageRadius]

@@bricknboxer that’s interesting because to me the Princeton is a fairly dark and warm amp by Fender standards. I have the P10r in and I like the chime it is able to bring back in. That said, im on lower volumes (typically not more than 3-4 on volume) and impressions would likely all change if I were pushing the amp more.

[@aaronshortmusic]

Great video! I just got one and I love it but it gets quite hot. Is this normal? Thanks!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Yeah tube amps all get pretty hot. Love the smell of cooking tubes!

[@aaronshortmusic]

@@YeatzeeGuitar Yes mine smells pretty strong too. I’ve never had this is other tube amps. You would say it’s normal?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@aaronshortmusic yes

[@gair1944]

@@aaronshortmusic Sell me yours when ready. :-)

[@aaronshortmusic]

@@gair1944 Sure!

[@jeffnobles214]

is all the overdrive at 6:50 from the amp on 4, or was there a pedal?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Amp by itself.

[@BellTunnel]

Sounds amazing. What are the differences between inputs 1 and 2?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I *think* it's just a lower gain input so that it keeps the amp a bit cleaner. At least that's how it behaves.

[@BellTunnel]

@@YeatzeeGuitar thanks!

[@RaspberryBang]

@@YeatzeeGuitar yes. Second channel is great for humbuckers.

[@ewetoobie]

@@YeatzeeGuitar the #2 input cuts the input signal in half.

[@davidsigglekow1349]

The Strat seems to suit the amp better

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

*Tele! 😉

[@saywhat7349]

what's your take on the amp Yeatzee?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

It's great! I have a hard time thinking it's worth Fender's asking price unless you look at it like the cheapest way to get a handwired Princeton with the Fender badge. In that case it's actually a good value. Ignoring price the amp is fantastic, a real joy to play with and without pedals.

[@zombie92272]

Kooolisimo 👍

[@bapaynes]

now that the princess model is out is there a new patch in the works?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Definitely! My personal life is pretty crazy at the moment so it won't be for a bit unfortunately, but there will absolutely be a Helix patch coming. Maybe even a 3 way comparison between the amp kemper profiles I made and the Helix if I think they're all close.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Hey Brandon just wanted to let you know it's out now! www.yeatzeeguitar.com/product/yeatzee-guitar-princeton-line6-helix/

[@elizabethtrotter8403]

how come there are two inputs on the amp

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Ask Fender! Basically the second input is a lower output one meaning the amp is driven less hard using input 2. So if you've got a guitar with hot pickups or want more clean tones use input 2.

[@eyeceeyooh]

Because it has more preamp tubes, does that mean it stays clean at higher volumes?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

More preamp tubes than what? That won't make it stay cleaner regardless

[@eyeceeyooh]

@@YeatzeeGuitar oh yeah sorry I was thinking about getting either the 64 or 65 princeton reverb and I saw that the 65 has a 12ax7 and a 12at7 as opposed to the 64 having more preamp tubes. I apologize I’m new to this stuff so I was thinking more preamp tubes meant more headroom. Please correct me if I’m wrong

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@eyeceeyooh they have the same preamp tubes, the 64 and 65

[@esmeecirolozano7618]

Hi wanted to share this..I barely got a 1966 fender Princeton reverb absolutely stock..I ended up moving here in Tijuana for an immigration process for my wife and I met this old guy across the street..I got to talk to him and he was telling me he plays guitar in a near by church and he was explaining what type of gear he has..so then he mentioned he had a old fender amp and dusty that he didn't play for a long time and he wanted to get rid of it...so I'm like "can I see it?? Maybe ill buy it off of u"..so then he went brought the amp covered in a black plastic bag and he opened it...there it was the 1966 fender Princeton reverb!!! I then asked him "how much u want for it?" And he said "how much u want to offer me??" And I offered him $1,500 pesos which is like $65 dollars and he said "man thats alot but deal!!!" So I'm like OMG freakin stock and everything for $65 dollars!!!!!! 😅

[@jeremyversusjazz]

You do realize you’re bragging on a public forum about taking advantage of a fellow guitar player and a senior citizen? Way to go. You should go back and give the guy at least a couple G’s US. You’ ll sleep better plus karma’s a bitch.

[@esmeecirolozano7618]

@@jeremyversusjazz oh he knew..he clearly told me..I didn't say the full story but just to make it clear..he showed me some of his guitars and a little amp he really liked cause it was small and easy to move around..and I had showed him my fender made in Mexico guitar before seeing his amp..and he told me "ooh I have a old fender amp that I don't use anymore and want to get rid of it.. fender instruments are really expensive, it's nice u have a fender guitar"...and plus when I offered him that much he even told me "that's alot of money..way to much what I'm asking for and I know it's expensive but I want u to use it cause ur a young guy and got alot ahead of u"..I didn't write all that down cause Its alot more that happened but we did the deal and I know I have my continence clean so yeah......fender princeton wooohh!!! 😅

[@esmeecirolozano7618]

Oooh and now imagine I would've asked him "how much u want for it?" He would've said like $800 pesos which is like $40 dollars..so yeah I still think it was good..and he just asked me not to long ago "how's the amp u like it?" And I told him "man brother it's amazing..it's one of the best amps I've ever played" and he told me "that's good brother I didn't need it..it was going to go to waste in my backyard, you're young still so have fun"..man just blessed though but what can I say we're both good 🙂

[@jeremyversusjazz]

@@esmeecirolozano7618 me thinks you doth protest too much.

[@esmeecirolozano7618]

@@jeremyversusjazz hehh don't hate ✌

[@derekclemons]

WOW.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Indeed

[@IvanIvanov-sk9zg]

It sounds just like my Fender FM 100 watt I bought for 200euro.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

😂 👍

[@rodolpheponthus2948]

Your ears must cost barely that price, obviously 😂

[@thebaddestgene8853]

What is the speaker here?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

What they come with stock, some kind of Jensen

[@thebaddestgene8853]

@@YeatzeeGuitar there're can be c10r or p10r

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@thebaddestgene8853 Google it 🤷‍♂️

[@Dmvillano]

Sounds good, but not $2550 good. There are quite a few amps I would buy ahead of this, for that price range.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Did Fender raise the price? Either way, ya a pretty penny. Of course still a lot less than a clean vintage version.

[@sooparticular]

name one that has the fender sound??

[@imgonnagetbanned]

I'm in the market for a nice clean platform -- what would you choose instead of this one?

[@sooparticular]

@@imgonnagetbanned delux

[@sooparticular]

@@imgonnagetbanned how much$$ we talkin about

[@STF_YVR]

Sent mine back ... way too much hum on the two Fender handwired amps I have owned ... My Pro Junior IV is way quieter and has the same wonderful Jensen P10R speaker for a third of the price

[@jameskavanagh4300]

Imo a humbucker type guitar does not suit this type of amp at all

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I think it sounds great with humbuckers, it just needs to be set right. In this I just kept things pretty "neutral" on the tone controls, this was the first time I had ever really played the amp so it was brand new to me. Check out my more recent videos like the Murphy Lab vid I just posted, I play through the princeton and the cleans are great :)

[@richardwalley2862]

Cranked at bedroom volumes?

[@Name-el9ps]

C’mon you’re fkn jokin! How can the tones be this good

[@tbdog99]

I own one, Sweetwater version with 12 IN speaker. Best clean tones you'll ever hear...With overdrive or distortion pedals. 100% useless,

[@alafenetre81]

When you realize what that amp actually is, it's ridiculously expensive.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Have you looked inside one of these? The labor time and skills to do a HW amp is pretty intense imo.

[@alafenetre81]

@@YeatzeeGuitar Labor time is not much (4 pieces of wood and a speaker), no design since everything was designed years ago and the electronic circuit is so basic... Really, Fender must make a huge margin on these.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

😂 I'm not talking about the box the amp is housed in. I'm talking about the actual amp components themselves. Look up the guts of this amp and get back to me.

[@alafenetre81]

@@YeatzeeGuitar Yes, the electronic circuit could not be more simple.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

You're not getting it. Go ahead and hand wire this Princeton circuit and get back to me on A) how it goes B) how much time it takes. Don't forget to make it as clean and well done as these are! 😉👍