Mesa Boogie Fillmore 50 Versus Fender Princeton Reverb '65 Reissue - Knotty Pine Ltd Edition.

Mesa Boogie Fillmore 50 Versus Fender Princeton Reverb '65 Reissue - Knotty Pine Ltd Edition. The Fender Princeton Reverb is a '65 Reissue circuit, Knotty Pine Cabinet with a 12" Jupiter 12LC speaker. The Fillmore 50 was set in 50W mode, but mostly volume matched in the room. with its larger cabinet and Black Shadow speaker, it is fuller in ways. Yet the Fender PRRI has a vibe that is really sweet too. Guitars; Fender Custom Shop Nocaster NAMM '17 Ltd Ed, with hand wound CS Texas Special neck PU and Handwound CS Nocaster Bridge PU. My 'Fender Custom '63 Tele has Voodoo TE60 PU's, Callaham Bridge with brass compensated saddles.

[@AndreaPirlo2023]

Man that fillmore sounds great

[@jamesnelson1443]

Both have “character”!!!! Wow I’m undecided!

[@wayfaerer320]

The Mesa Fillmore 50 is the best sounding Fender inspired amp ever made (in my opinion). Not only is it more versatile than a Deluxe Reverb or Princeton Reverb, but it also sounds better - so much more depth and body. I'll always love Fender amps, but this is no contest - the Mesa eats that thing for breakfast.

[@gair1944]

Your bold love for the Fillmore 50 is appreciated. It packs a lot of value especially at the price point as well

[@wayfaerer320]

@@gair1944 I love mine. To be fair though, a Princeton or Deluxe each have their own unique sound and I love that just as much. But if I was stranded on a desert island, I'd take the Fillmore any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[@reidponce]

I needed this. Thanks for posting!

[@gair1944]

I’m glad it was helpful!

[@TTarafdar]

This is such a useful comparison for me as I'm about to pull the trigger on a Mesa Boogie and am vacillating between a Fillmore 25 and a Mark V:25. I already own a FSR Princeton Reverb and love the cleans on that. I just wanted another amp for drive and distortion (I'm a bit done with getting all my gain from pedals). I have to say, I preferred the sparkly cleans of the Princeton but would love to hear the gain on the Fillmore.

[@gair1944]

I actually let go of the Fillmore as I use drive pedals for gain with a Princeton Reverb ..and now a Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb Custom handwired.

[@mikewolfe9458]

I just found your channel and subscribed. Thanks for the content! I’m curious if you have ever tried the California tweed. I’m looking at all three of these amps currently and haven’t had a chance to try one in person yet.

[@gair1944]

Hi Mike, I’m sorry I haven’t had the chance to play a California tweed. I did however check the specs and it was heavier than I am willing to carry.

[@mikewolfe9458]

@@gair1944 right on, thanks!

[@shckltnebay]

Great job I see you have a Magnatone also wow, lots of dough right there, what dist pedal were you using? Do you still have all three?

[@gair1944]

The magnatone twilighter was my amp that I sold to a friend. Not my preference. Too big , heavy and loud for my needs. The filmore 50 belonged to the same Friend. I liked it but didn’t love it. Bought a fender custom Handwired 64 deluxe reissue (2017 mode) and it is everything I wanted!! Touch sensitive, great classic Fender sounds

[@shckltnebay]

@@gair1944 Very cool, nice playing you got some great guitars too. You still have the princeton? Ive got two BF Princetons non reverb but thinking about a 79 PR for $1000

[@gair1944]

@@shckltnebay Hi Eric, Yes I still have the Princeton Reverb Knotty Pine w/12". It is an exceptional amp. Slightly different voice from the custom handwired '64 Deluxe Reverb. I mostly play the Deluxe because it has the handwired magic

[@shckltnebay]

@@gair1944 I think Im going to try and get this 79 PR might be the last chance under 1k

[@gdhi11]

Hit the gain channel on the Pricneton! -- oh wait. I had a princeton RI for like a year or so, and I just could not get it to take pedals at all. Several amps later, I'm probably buying a fillmore later this week.

[@gair1944]

I have a Jupiter 12” speaker in my knotty pine 65 PRRI and it takes pedals great.

[@JS-nf1sn]

To each their own, but my Princeton takes pedals really well, IMHO of course.

[@gair1944]

@@JS-nf1sn I agree. My Princeton takes pedals just fine. Never thought otherwise.

[@anthonyzlahtic6357]

Great amp shoot out for me as I already have '69 silver face Princeton and was thinking Vibrolux Reverb, but that Filmore 50 sounds really sweet and more versatile than the Vibrolux. I like the Filmore more than the Boogie California Tweed

[@gair1944]

I never tried a California Tweed Personally. I also prefer the size and overall power/volume of the Fillmore 50. The Fillmore doesn't really deliver a blackface or silverface Fender sound. If you want that, it might leave you wanting. But its a super cool amp.

[@anthonyzlahtic6357]

@@gair1944 Gary, I will defer to you on that as my hunch is your ear is far more attuned. The Fillmore in your video sure sounded "Fenderish" to me and I agree it does sound like a very cool amp. The Boogie California Tweed sounds much more Brown face to me. I enjoyed hearing your playing on the video, nicely done sir.

[@jimmyjams1974]

Thanks for the video! I have a fillmore 25 and think it’s sort of like a Princeton with a 12 I am thinking. I was thinking the fillmore 50 is more deluxe reverb ish? I have fly gig and am thinking of getting a deluxe reverb back line would be closest. What are your thoughts?

[@jimmyjams1974]

@garyroberts I ended up selling the fillmore and keeping the princeton with a 12" and the deluxe reverb. Thanks for the videos!

[@drewg3087]

Fender has more cut and better OD sound IMO, but obviously the wattage difference matters and Filmore sounds very full. I’ve been thinking of a Filmore 25 or 50 one day. Owned lots of boogies and currently a Fender 68 CDR.

[@dalehicks6112]

I would like to hear humbuckers through the amps.

[@gair1944]

Hi Dale, I was borrowing the Fillmore 50 from a friend and no longer have access to it. I'll see what I can do with the Fender Knotty Pine Princeton Reverb with Humbuckers.

[@markJaggi]

From what I've heard the Fillmore 50 isn't that loud for a 50 watt. My thinking is that they are similar in volume...would you say that's correct? Thanks.

[@gair1944]

Yes I agree.

[@markJaggi]

@@gair1944 Do you think the 100 would be a more versatile amp or do you sacrifice tonal sweetness for the extra watts? I've never seen the 100 in person.

[@gair1944]

@@markJaggi I've never see or play the 100 so I really don't know. I would expect the voicing is similar if not the same, but you would have extra clean headroom. Is the 100 a lot heavier? I don't want to lift a stupid heavy amp. Weight is a deal breaker for me.

[@markJaggi]

@@gair1944 Looks like 45 vs 57 pounds. I might just try the 100 but honestly the 50 sounds so good that I'd rather not have to sacrifice tone for headroom and volume. The 50 just sounds soooo good. BTW excellent comparison!! It was really helpful. :)

[@eltorpedo8844]

@@markJaggi I know it's a month later... but I have a fillmore 50 and a 65 Deluxe reverb reissue and a 4x10 deville, and a champ... The mesa reaches gorgeous clean tones at 30% and breaks up like a really overdriven blackface or tweed at volumes you could talk loudly over. I don't know what you're doing but I found I either play rooms where I can get the Deluxe up to 6 with no PA or I could play a mic'd champ because everything was going through FOH anyway. The Fillmore 50 is a life changer for me with 20 yrs of blues devilles, champs, princetons, blues deluxe, etc. behind me. It is staggering.

[@travishernandez2193]

Have you tried a Morgan PR series amplifier? I’m on the fence of the Filmore 50 and Morgan PR12. Any thoughts?

[@gair1944]

Travis, I have not tried any Morgan amps. I hear great things about the Morgan PR12 however

[@ajlsrv5490]

I wanted to love the PR12, but it is way too dark sounding for my taste.

[@JS-nf1sn]

I'll take both. The Fender sounds rounder, filmore more present. Cool video.

[@tman6495]

15 watts vs 50 watts..... but The Master volumes are usually different. Fender gets a majority of it's 15w's maybe at 4. Boogie 50w's at about 7-8.... Masters V's are more gradual on the Boogies... IMOP

[@gair1944]

These are two very different amps for sure ...other than being grab n go 1x12 combo's.

[@jamesnelson1443]

Fillmore has much fuller even sound. Princeton has a scooped tone! I prefer the fuller tone of Fillmore! I agree the El Capistan is much better than either reverb!

[@gordonjohnstonmusic2382]

Filmore!

[@SamHooperGroup]

Fillmore wins! It has more body

[@eltorpedo8844]

I have a fillmore 50 and I owned a mesa 5:25.. and a deluxe reverb... and a blues deville, and a blues deluxe... mesa changes the cab shape and speaker to achieve that. I'm not someone who believes in wizardry and idiocy. A slightly deeper cab with better woods and a speaker make a huge difference.

[@Joshuaalan21]

Mesa sounds way better

[@gair1944]

Thanks for listening. It is a very capable amp

[@miguelmatias7677]

Filmore by a far