The Best 11 Fender Amplifiers of All Time (In My Experience)

Here is a list of my Top 11 Fender Amplifiers I have owned and played. This list goes back a long way, back to when I had a full head of hair! haha. In this video, I will explain why these are my favorites as well as show you how they sound with a short little clip as well.
Each of these amplifiers has been showcased in its own video on my channel and can be easily found by typing in the name of the amplifier along with my channel name "intheblues".
Links to the Amplifiers:
►Fender Super-Sonic 60/22
Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/0LAkN
Thomann - bit.ly/3bs9DSv
►Fender Deluxe Plus 112
(Discontinued)
►Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb
Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/EoJ5D
Thomann - bit.ly/3gOq39X
►Fender Bassbreaker 30R
Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/6roBm
Thomann - bit.ly/32QDaRW
►Fender Mustang Amps
Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/O246P
Thomann - bit.ly/2y6N6va
►Fender '65 Super-Reverb
Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/3DoVn
Thomann - bit.ly/2Z6lCQz
►Fender Tone Master Twin
Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/d1nb2
Thomann - bit.ly/2Ko1amp
►Fender Princeton
Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/yd9nG
Thomann - bit.ly/3gZhyrE
►Fender Hot Rod Deluxe / De-Ville
Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/7jne5
Thomann - bit.ly/2QTvE38
►Fender Blues Deluxe / Blues De-Ville
Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/mWjRO
Thomann - bit.ly/3gYkNiT
►Fender 64 Vibroverb Custom Shop Cesar Diaz SRV Modded
(Discontinued)
Please note: I do not take a cash payment from guitar companies nor have I been paid from Fender to produce this video. If you want to help support the channel please use the affiliate links through to Sweetwater or Thomann. Many thanks!
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►Patreon: / intheblues
►My Socials - linktr.ee/intheblues
►My Sweetwater Gear Page - imp.i114863.net/intheblues
►intheblues Merch - bit.ly/2KLR5CV
(Links to Sweetwater, Thomann, Amazon, B&H, Artist Guitars, and Walmart are affiliate links.
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#fender #guitars #intheblues ‎
This KZbin channel participates in Affiliate programs. These programs are designed in a way for the channel to earn an income by using the links provided in the description or pinned comment section. Please note: Not all links on this KZbin channel are affiliate links.

[@GospelBluesMan]

If your amp don't fit in your car then sell the car !!!

[@intheblues]

🤣I used to have a Jeep, then I downsized and the amps didn't get any smaller to match lol

[@rdrake316]

I don't roll in anything smaller than a Toyota Land Cruiser :)

[@GospelBluesMan]

@@rdrake316 I own Two Kia Sedona Vans so I can fit a whole sound system !! LOL !!

[@hugomejia593]

Jajaja great deal man

[@tomcooley3778]

Ain’t dat the truth .

[@intheblues]

I hope everyone is doing well! I don’t add amps and gear to lists I haven’t had any experience with or owned personally but I hope you dig this format of video with some clips from over the years. Rock on 😄 Affiliate Links to the Amplifiers: ►Fender Super-Sonic 60/22 Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/0LAkN Thomann - bit.ly/3bs9DSv ►Fender Deluxe Plus 112 (Discontinued) ►Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/EoJ5D Thomann - bit.ly/3gOq39X ►Fender Bassbreaker 30R Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/6roBm Thomann - bit.ly/32QDaRW ►Fender Mustang Amps Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/O246P Thomann - bit.ly/2y6N6va ►Fender '65 Super-Reverb Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/3DoVn Thomann - bit.ly/2Z6lCQz ►Fender Tone Master Twin Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/d1nb2 Thomann - bit.ly/2Ko1amp ►Fender Princeton Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/yd9nG Thomann - bit.ly/3gZhyrE ►Fender Hot Rod Deluxe / De-Ville Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/7jne5 Thomann - bit.ly/2QTvE38 ►Fender Blues Deluxe / Blues De-Ville Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/mWjRO Thomann - bit.ly/3gYkNiT ►Fender 64 Vibroverb Custom Shop Cesar Diaz SRV Modded (Discontinued)

[@DMSProduktions]

Lock down for EVER! \m/

[@TheTurkey79]

Hey Shane, i'm the bloke from your live chat a couple of weeks ago that was gunna get a Pro Jr but i ended up finding and getting a Music Man 112RD Fifty for the same price after checking out your demo vid from 2015 with the Tele, AWESOME STUFF :P \m/

[@intheblues]

@@TheTurkey79 Those amps are fantastic! Congrats :)

[@TheTurkey79]

@@intheblues Thanks Dude! :D

[@Brokeninc]

I just found out the Fuse community has been closed and I wanted to thank you for making the presets and such available. Your videos taught me most of what I know about my amp. So again thank you.

[@MosriteCharlie]

Back in the 60's I used a Deluxe Reverb with a 2-12 cabinet extension speaker cabinet w/ 2 Jensen 12's and it sounded fantastic.

[@jerincooke5710]

Good idea! People think the cabinet doesnt matter but it really makes a huge difference.

[@bluesful]

The Vibrolux Reverb for me. My old one has been my gigging amp for years. Just a perfect amount of wattage/headroom. Perhaps the greatest gigging amp of all time.

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Agree.. Had mine since 1968, second owner. Mine was odd, first owner demanded 1Oxford, 1 Jensen.. perfect warm bottom and sweet highs.

[@skgate]

@@jenniferwhitewolf3784 rad

[@_brocklee]

I agree. My buddy has a 68 and it’s the best amp I’ve ever heard. It’s so sweet at about 7-8 volume on the vibrato channel with a gain pedal and little delay.

[@jimmycushard7024]

67 Vibrolux Black face ♥

[@Cesiumswimsuit]

Underrated amp in my opinion! I don’t always see it mentioned, but it’s a classic that I was bummed to see disappear from the reissue line up

[@rob9340]

G'day Shane, my amp choices have been heavily inspired by your content and reviews, so a big thankyou. I recently bought a Tone Master Twin Reverb, and it has quite simply made me spend far too much time playing, it just sounds so lovely, and in a neighborhood friendly volume. I run it in stereo with a Peavey Transchorus 210, I split the signal with a TC Elec MImiq doubler and holy crapolly I am in heaven! I recently changed how I control my Les Paul Volume and pickup selection from a recent video from Budda Guedes a great youtuber. In all my twenty plus years of playing guitar, I have never enjoyed the tones I am getting now from youtube information. Keep up the great work!

[@musicmatty67]

Fantastic review and much anticipated. I personally own 4 of the amps reviewed in this video. The one thing I will strongly emphasize here about these 4 amps is how well they performed in the mix of a live band setting. All 4 of these amps were more than loud enough without sounding stressed or frazzled and retained a very musical sweet tone in the mix. 1993 Fender Stage 112 SE, 2011 Fender Mustang IV, 2002 Fender Deville..with Jensen C12k speakers), Fender 2012 Blues Deluxe..with Jensen C12k speaker)

[@nickjimenez6138]

Great video as always, love your playing and content. My first amp my uncle built out of a coffee can that I plugged into and had a little speaker that was wired up to it. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing nor how to properly use it. I had it for about 8 months then gave it back. He wanted it back when I was done using it not out of being ungrateful. I moved to N.C. and bought an amp from a store that had just started carrying these German amps that for the life of me I cannot remember the correct name for. I've never seen another since. They weren't Krueger it was something else with a K. Played on that in clubs and backyards from N.C. to Tn. It was alright and was solid state. Next bought a Champion 100 that I still have. Never really played on tube amps but finally bought a Monoprice changed out tubes and speaker and have really enjoyed it. I recently bought a Frampton LP copy and have been looking for a tube amp to marry up with it and my custom Strat. I write and play my own stuff and I would say it is Led Zeppish. I've been eyeballing the Marshall studio plexi but I've also played on a 68 Fender Twin that was fantastic. However, with the virus hampering work and the like it's killed any chance of buying anything like that in the near future. Oh, I also played on an a Vox AC15 that was very very nice. 1st time I ever played on one. Decisions decisions.

[@hearpalhere]

Great video Shane! I really love that you included some surprises in the list. I love Fender amps and have been happy to own a bunch of different ones over the years. My very first was a little Squier practice amp, then I bought a Stage 160 (2x12" combo solid state with 160 watts). That thing was quite a step up and was super loud. I played with it for a few years but eventually sold it after acquiring my first tube amp - a Fender PA100. That was my main amp for a number of years and it had a beautiful clean sound with an awesome reverb, very similar to a Twin I think. I have also owned a Fender 75 with a 15" speaker and that thing was amazing! I kind of miss that one actually but a friend of mine has it now :-) My current amp is a KOX, made in Hungary. It's basically a slightly modified Fender Bassman with reverb and a 12" speaker. You can hear it on many of my videos on my channel. Beautiful cleans and a good pedal platform but you really need to crank it for any kind of overdrive. I've played through a few Deluxe Reverb and Super Reverb amps too and they were lovely. There's something really amazing about Fender amps and their cleans with a smidge of reverb.

[@forbiddenyoungones]

Love my Mustang V2 and glad to see you had it on your list. Before the support went, I set mine up for all the amps and with my favourite effects.

[@Chilinoploopy]

My top three Fender amps that I've owned so far #1 1967 Super Reverb #2 1965 Princeton Reissue #3 1959 Bassman Reissue

[@edryba4867]

Finally! Someone besides me Who puts the Super Reverb FIRST on their list!

[@user-RollyS]

I've been watching your channel for a little while now and enjoy it very much! I was so surprised when you mentioned the Mustang series! I play with a fellow who has the Mustang III v1 . So I went out (2 years ago) and bought a Mustang II V.2 as I don't play large venues anyway. About six months ago I bought a used speaker from a 65 Deluxe(Jensen) (12" drop in replacement) and I can't believe the sound this thing produces. I use the 57 Deluxe and the 65 Princeton settings exclusively (with tweaks from Fender Fuse software). I play with another guitarist, a harmonica player and a bass player and can stay right with them and then some. My guitar is a "Godin 5th Ave Kingpin II (P90s)" I find something interesting in every one of your videos!! Keep up the good work. RollyS , "ITTY BITTY JAM BAND"

[@Speedro07]

I played a club years ago that supplied the drums and essentially all the sound equipment except the guitars and keyboards themselves. What I play through were two Fender Princeton amps that were patched together with a cable between #2 inputs of the second channel. Loved the sound.

[@richnewman]

The '68 Reissue of the Twin is my dream amp. I already loved the sound of that particular amp, but Fender adding the Bassman channel just pushed it into dream territory for me. I'm a total pedal platform player most of the time, but a simple Klon KTR into the amp sounds phenomenal, too.

[@_brocklee]

They’re great, but they’re noisy. So much hiss that they can’t really be recorded unless the band is super loud/ taking a ton of space. I’ve read it has something to do with crossing the reverb and vibrato to both channels

[@dorianford6227]

@@_brockleethat is fixable my man

[@medor6635]

Man I’ve been playing Mesa amps for years and i keep coming back to the Supersonic 60. I can pick the sound of that amp out of any fender amps..great video as always!

[@Strat642001]

Vibro-King (had to sell it for back reasons as well), 65 Deluxe, 80s Rivera designed Concert (kick myself for letting that one go), BillM modded Blues Jr. with Emminence Cannabis Rex, 59 Reissue Bassman.

[@AD1TYA]

Picked up a Princeton 65 bordeaux reserve with the 12" Jensen a few months ago. It sounds heavenly with the volume set between 5 and 6 - forces me to practice daily 🙂

[@jamesthompson3947]

I have played my strat with a deluxe 112 for 25 plus years and it has never needed service and performs great every time out !

[@Neridog]

The Hot Rod Deluxe IV is indeed really great, and the best version so far, I think. They fixed some problems that the III was notorious for. I use it mostly clean with drive pedals, but the amp's drive has its own sound that I like too. I did the 12AT7 pre-amp tube mod and it makes a pretty good sound great. So yeah, overall I'm a fan. 🤟😎

[@jasonstacey9460]

Those amps are actually pretty much all the same. They've never made any attempt to fix any issues with any of their p.c board amps

[@davidrizzardi975]

I have a hand built Princeton Reverb from a local amp builder. It's a 22 watt version with a 12 inch speaker, but if I swap the rectifier tube it can be run at 15 watts. It has an Eminence Cannabis Rex in it and it really sounds quite amazing.

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

1966 Vibrolux Reverb, 2x 10" ... Shipped with either Oxford or Jensen, or a few, got one of each, like mine.. Had it since 1968. Still working fine!

[@GRBAquatics]

Awesome Thanks Shane. I am only an average at home player. And have recently 'rescued' my early 1980's Fender Sidekick 15 Reverb from being unused/unboxed in the shed. I have been playing occasionally on my Acoustic over the years and recently got an electric Guitar. I Bought a small re-chargeable mobile Amp..... then remembered The Fender Amp in the shed LOL. Plugged it in and it turned on and lit up....... and it works perfectly. This amp has traveled around Australia since the 1980's and has been sitting in the shed for 30 years. My 1980's Fender Sidekick 15 Reverb is all I need. Thanks again Shane. And Thanks Fender. Cheers

[@charlesgoepel8405]

Great review!. Thanks for listing all of your recommended amps. I'm an authorized Fender tech. I have worked on all of these amps. I enjoyed your descriptions of the Blues amps, HR Deville, HR Deluxe, etc, etc.

[@dekologico]

Love your style, being always so humble and honest in your reviews. I own an original 65 bassman black face, which to me sounds simply great. Then an Hot Rod III and a Champ 12 Red Knob, both great. Thanks for your videos and Australian accent I love!

[@yestoES355]

It was my standard Princeton reverb for me until I got a EC twinolux. Really convinced me on how handwired definitely sounded different and smooth.

[@rydner]

I have a brownface 65 reissue Princeton. I swapped the knobs for the cupcake style and it looks close to the Chris Stapleton version without also having a 12” speaker. It runs beautifully with or without pedals. My 335 sings when plugged directly in. I can’t suggest it enough!

[@Kevlarel84]

I can't believe the Deluxe 112 Plus solid state amp made it on your list. I had one of those in the early 2000s and had it until about 2014. That late '90s early 2000s line of Fender solid state amps called the "Dyna-Touch" series were one of the best lines of analog solid state amps ever as far as having a tube like sound and FEEL when you played. The Dyna Touch combo amps came in 30w, 60w, 90w, 100w and a 120w 2x12 version (it also came in a 100w head/4x12 cab version). The overdrive channel on that amp had great rock sounds and good sounds at many gain levels. It had that contour knob for shaping the eq curve of the 3 band eq. But what was really great was the clean channel. It was an authentic Fender clean with tons of headroom that stayed clean well into loud volumes. It had it's own separate eq and volume. It had a huge bottom end and a big sound. Even after moving on to many tube amps by the mid 2000s I held on to that Deluxe for a backup or an extra amp to have around for jams for many years. I finally sold it in 2014 when I was reducing my collection for a move. I always wanted to have the 120 watt 2x12 version of that amp.

[@wfm210]

This was great Shane, I learn so much from you. I May have to look into the Princeton.

[@richardlynch5632]

'59 narrow panel Bassman w/pedalboard was my favorite. Got a Pro Jr. 1st year, and really liked it for home use👍😎 Now the TMDR is the schizz👍😎 Great vid👍😎🖖

[@charlesbolton8471]

I had a US made Tweed Pro Junior from the first year of production. I bought it brand new the year Fender switched them black tolex. I have no idea why it took the store that long to sell it, but it was a great amp, and the one piece of gear that I had owned the longest until someone stole it in 2014.

[@lawrencesmith2365]

My hotrod Deluxe III is what I am using now.. I enjoyed your review and analysis. Spot on!

[@jasong546]

I went for the 10” Princeton to have great valve tone at home, and a radial headload prodigy which lets you get 50 or 25% going to the speaker. It’s perfect with the catalinbread foundation pedals, sometimes those driven by fuzz or whatever. Prodigy let’s you use phones too. I love my Princeton!

[@StealthParrot]

Hey Jason, is the amp too loud for home use without the load box? I'm considering this amp, thx.

[@RogerThat902]

@@StealthParrot if you want drive tones then yes and even a smaller champ could be too loud. If you play clean it's great. If you are willing to get your drive from pedals it's great too. These days it's a great size for something you could use at home (pedals for drive) and take to a gig. Depending on situation might make sense to get something like that and either something w/ headphones and/or a modeler if you want drive tones at reasonable volumes.

[@PDXguitarfreak]

My first amp was a mid '60s Fender Princeton (got it in 1983). Sold it in the late 80s because I was a teen and needed cash, and well, it wasn't "metal." I sincerely regret selling it, to this day!

[@guitarocd9984]

I had plenty of old fenders. But I needed that Eddie Van Halen tone. So the fenders at that time were no use to me. I would love to have some of my old amps now. Regrets are something all guitar players share.

[@nickjimenez6138]

I can relate, had i known that all those great pedals i had would one day be vintage and worth what people are getting i would've bought more and held on to them. Boss choruses, Ross distortion, DOD Delay and my first electric guitar was a Memphis copy of a Les Paul that was so good to look at and played and sounded fantastic. But as teen I couldn't appreciate...

[@michaelcraig9449]

Well metal sucks anyway.. Its all about Hendrix, Stevie Ray, Allman Bros tones, etc...How many hot chicks are dancing in front of the stage at a metal show, 1 maybe 3 at most?

[@guitarocd9984]

Metal shows are pretty much a sausage fest. All Guitar Hero shows are guys playing air guitar. You need a band like Journey to bring the women. But playing metal is fun. It's the crunch baby.

[@craiger2399]

My first amp was a vintage 68 Deluxe Reverb that a neighbor had in her closet and sold to me. I ended up selling it and regret it to this day. But I now have a Blues Deluxe and a 65 Princeton (Jensen P10R), and a vintage Champ, so I feel I have adequately recovered from my loss lol. I have to say, every time I play awesome high end amps, and then come back to my Blues Deluxe... I appreciate it all the more. It eats noise for breakfast, smooths every pedal that comes into it, and the spread of the sound with the Swamp Thang is just awesome.

[@James-zy5lh]

Love the video! My first good amp was a Fender Blues Deluxe. I never got on with it as I also found it to be a bit “pokey” in the mids with the stock speaker, and it couldn’t do drive at all. I swapped it out for a Marshall DSL40 that I absolutely love on both the clean and drive side, but I sometimes wish I held onto the Fender a little longer and tried a speaker swap. I was still a newish player and didn’t realize it was an easy and relatively inexpensive mod.

[@jonathanhandsmusic]

I still love my hot rod deluxe, bought it in 1997, the made in Corona, tweed. I don't use the drive channel on it, but a Joyo vintage overdrive once in a while. Mainly I use the clean with a delay and reverb pedals. I had a Twin in the 80s, but it was too heavy and I never needed 100 watts; but it sure sounded good using an old Tele deluxe! Great video man.

[@danielswaim5566]

I play through an old 90s Hot Rod DeVille 212. I've never used the drive channel even once. I get all of my dirt from pedals. I love it. It's just a great, clean pedal platform, and it's an absolute workhorse. I've played way more expensive amps, but always end up coming back to my DeVille. With the right combination of pedals, it's just so easy to dial in a good tone.

[@michaelbell1204]

I have a Hot Rod Deluxe v4, it is a sweet amp! The drive channel is lackluster on it own, but I hit it with a light gain overdrive pedal which improves the sound immensely.

[@mikebresnahan7110]

Great amp discussion! I’ve been playing on a 1993 Blues DeVille 212 for the last couple of years. It’s a ton to move around, but love the tone!

[@JHKNVY02]

What a great roll up / summary to revisit a long and storied history of testing. Very unusual to do a retrospective and AMAZING!

[@czguy3045]

My main amp for the past several years is a Silverface Vibrosonic which is pretty much a Twin with a big 15" JBL speaker. I love the JBL 12s but they never sound quite right with some sorts of gain but this 15" sound excellent with up to about AC/DC levels of gain. Another amp that never gets old with me is the Tweed Deluxe. Mine was a quality clone. With the right speaker, it is killer, if it is within your volume requirements or if you can always mic it. It gets a bit bloaty with humbuckers at loud volumes. One of the best sounding local guys used to play a real Tweed Bandmaster, then got a boutique copy of one. He plays a Tele with a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive on most of the time then works the volume control on the guitar. Glorious sound though again, it can get weird with humbuckers above a certain volume. The 60W Super Sonic was also a great amp. I had one for several years before I discovered boutique pedals and while it's still a very versatile amp, I just preferred a basic Blackface type with a few different pedals and if for times when you need big and clean, the Super Sonic just can't touch that Vibrosonic with the 15" JBL.

[@markcaserta1367]

I have a Fender Mustang 3. When I took it to my band rehearsal my bass player could not believe it. He is one of those tube purists. He kept looking at the back of the amp and said where are the tubes? It is so tube like and clean. He was amazed.

[@kawai99100]

I got a mustang LT25. So this one should be good enough for blues and jazz? I play a strat. Thank you.

[@jimmycake1]

My favorite Fender amp I had was my Fender Dual Showman Reverb with the 2X15 stack Cab in the 70's. HUGE Tone !! About 5 yrs ago I had a Super Sonic Twin !! Fantastic amp but heavy as a TRUCK. I do have a Mustang III & a Blues Junior IV Lacquer Tweed

[@RambleTone]

I went for the 10” Princeton but wasn’t fond of the stock speaker (maybe needed to be broken in?) So I swapped it out for the Jensen Alnico in the ‘64 handwired version, sound’s phenomenal! I also pair it up with a separate cab with a 12” for some occasions so get the best of both👍 Just finished an album with my band and used those combinations for every guitar track I played, and I own many amps…

[@robertprice5039]

The Bruce Zinky designed Fender Prosonic is a great amp, and my favorite Fender Amp that I have played or owned. Jeff Pevar has a lot of different amps, but when I have seen him play locally at smaller gigs, I have only seen him with a Prosonic.

[@tedunguent156]

Isn't the Super-sonic the successor to the Prosonic?

[@godbyone]

I didn’t know that I have vibro king he did awesome but heavy

[@SouthMeckStunna]

For me, the deluxe reverb is the best amp Fender has ever made and arguably the best amp of all time.

[@godbyone]

I n wish I knew that years ago. People don’t know how great internet is. We had no idea best. We had magazines they hardly ever did. Review best gigging amp etc.

[@godbyone]

Anybody on mesa ?

[@sathira_anuk5179]

Twin reverb?

[@bolt4694]

Which is why they cost an arm and a leg.

[@bolt4694]

@@sathira_anuk5179 - Great amp. But too loud and too heavy. Senior citizen here however.

[@akguitarworks7906]

I've got the Princeton with a 12 inch speaker, the Bordeaux. I love it. The 12 inch gives it a full bass sound to my ears.

[@JeffStarr]

I keep hoping that the next Fender Tone Master will be a Super Reverb. The Tone Master amp line seems like the perfect way to keep these heavy and loud amps usable in the current gigging and home environments. I hope the new models have stereo XLR outputs allowing both IRs to be fed out when playing live or recording.

[@SuperZeppelin99]

Super Reverb made a master tone! I’m thinking of getting it but he’s right. The solid states kind of don’t get along with overdrive pedals or wanting to break that level, but if you play often at a bar and play indie rock/pop then I might be for you! Definitely not for hard rock tone or sweet clean leads

[@iriexela]

The best clean tone I've got from a fender amp was from a blues deluxe, from which I took out two AX7 tubes and replaced them with two AT7.Never ending head room and blissful tone!

[@chrishowitt9654]

I have a Blues Deluxe Reissue and have been wondering about doing that mod 🤔, thanks. 👍

[@mrwharf2108]

I bought a Bassbreaker 30R, used it for one gig and then...bloody lockdown, and I haven’t been able to use it since. Sounded awesome though!

[@youngandrew66]

I love the silver face Pro reverb, the more battered the better! - had a few in the past but on the tone master deluxe now as lack of gigging means I need something I can get up the loft to record with. Cheers for a great review - you're such an easy going chap and the closest KZbin has to a regular pub gigging guitarist who isn't obsessed with snobby boutique rubbish or rare vintage exotica! Cheers

[@MrEogh]

Loved the hotrod deluxe, it was my 1st real amp. Unfortunately it was stolen. Blessing in disguise, as I went for a 65 twin (reissue) and have never looked back! But the weight, oh the weight! After doing my back in a few times I discovered the Tone master twin and I couldn't be more pleased. Sounds fantastic, weighs nothing I can't believe it! The only thing we don't know is how reliable they are, opportunities to take this thing on the road being scarce at the moment, but I have gigged with it a few times and it feels just like my twin.

[@rileyioacura]

The fender deluxe sounds incredible!!! One of the first videos I saw of yours was a fender amp demo or vox ac15

[@DeWittPotts]

My favorite Fender amp was one that a friend owned. It was a blackface (mid 60's) Bassman head with a small 2 X 12 Fender cabinet. He ran a Gibson ES335 into the 'Normal' channel and it sounded amazing. It had that perfect 'bite' along with a very smooth breakup. I owned a 1984 Fender SideKick Reverb 65. It was a 65 watt solid state (very similar to the solid state deluxe on your list). It had a clean and overdrive channel. You could use the footswitch to change channels OR you could plug into the 2nd input which would run both channels at the same time. It held pedals well and sounded really good with a Tube Screamer in front of it.

[@donstewart368]

I have a Princeton Reverb with a 12 speaker, A tone master Deluxe Reverb, and a Blues Jr. I'm covered for life. They are all keepers.

[@edwardmm737]

Which would you say in best for Hendrix / Purple haze sound? Thanks

[@RoloTomasie]

I have a 65 DRRI and I really like it, but you're right- they don't sound great past 6 or so. 4-6 is fantastic, though. That said, my new favorite amp is the Fender '57 Custom Champ. It has lots of character, beautiful, harmonically-rich cleans and honky classic rock tones when cranked. It's the most touch-sensitive amp I've ever played. I've never used my volume controls on my guitar so much! Good content as always, Shane.

[@frankfrank7921]

Rivera era amps are often overlooked. I have an 1982 Champ II. Just think, a Champ that is 18 watts with a 10 inch speaker! Sounds great and is very versatile. Took me two years to find one and I'm never letting go of it.

[@dannymacnevin3939]

So, I'm an old school tube amps guy. I've played through a lot of these. I own a blues deluxe tweed amp and a blues junior III special edition which sings like a bird as well. But recently, I bought a Tone Master super reverb with 4x10... and my life is complete. Ya, it's big... but not heavy at all (36lbs) and man... it has punch from those 4 10's. If you have the room, you NEED to buy one. You will not be disappointed! Great video!

[@kenfernsler6507]

Ive played the Hot Rod deluxe on big and small stages. I use the gain in the amp. Sounds great. I put a delay and EQ in my effects loop for solos. EQ for a boost and more mids. Occasionally I use a blues driver on the clean channel or the less drive channel. I just bought a deluxe reverb 65 reissue. I am using a blues driver for my over drives sounds.

[@wenjacklow]

Thanks for making these videos, really helps during lockdown. Let's get through this together!

[@cass2771]

My only Fender amp is the 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb (I got it after your review, thanks Ric!). I’m really happy with it, esp the Custom (Bassman) channel. When I was shopping, I gave the Princeton a long hard look, and really , the lower power may have suited me better. But the warmth of the 12” speaker (and the deal from The Rock Garage - now closed - swayed me. Excellent vid , thanks, Shane.

[@williamstandish7641]

From the mid-late 60's thru the early-mid 70's my blackface Bandmaster atop the Fender twin twelve cab with the Jensen Special Design speakers was absolutely the most perfect sounding amp I've ever had but it was the one I let get away because it just got buried under everyone else's Ampeg V-4's and SVT's and Marshalls. I traded it in on a Music Man HD-130 Reverb, stuck a pair of JBL K-120's in the Fender cab and found another different yet beautiful sounding combo which I still use to this day. Still have the 70's Silver face Champ and Vibro- Champ though.

[@mattelder9147]

Love my ‘65 Limited Edition Princeton with 12” Celestion Creambacks. Nice plug and play amp with tube driven tremolo and reverb.

[@haus05]

You deserve way more likes Shane! great content man!

[@intheblues]

Thank you! :)

[@ruiseartalcorn]

Good video :) Re the Bassbreaker range - I have a Bassbreaker 45 and this thing is built like a tank! I honestly cannot fault the build quality. It's a few years old now and is extremely reliable. I know that some folk had issues with the 15w and 7w models but from my experience, the 45 is great! I pair it with my AC15 and the result is awesome! :)

[@rikkousa]

I own a 18/30 bassbreaker and its amazing--two separate amps/circuits. The 7W practice amp and 15W head are solid .

[@justindlc]

I've had the original hot rod deluxe for a while now, bought brand new and modded over time (I believe "hot rod" speaks to how it can be customized). There are some tricks to working with it, mainly using a volume pedal / EQ in the loop so you can crank the preamp and dial down the volume (every place I've played has told me to turn down the amp when they mike it). Can also set the drive channel on low gain, which makes it kinda dark and dull and then hit it with a bright boost or distortion to get a great sound. But yeah, pedals in the clean channel are where it's at.

[@pyrostooge78]

I have a Princeton 65 reissue - and man, I think it's hands down the best sounding amp I've ever played. Mine only has a 10 inch speaker, and I did put a Greenback in it, because the Jenson that came with it just flubbed out past 4 or 5. Man, I use a Mini Mass to attenuate it - and some might not think so, but it freaking rips. It has just an amazing cutting tone to it. I also tried a Creamback, but it had such a nasal honk to it, it drove me nuts. It could be that it wasn't properly broken in, but the Greenback was made for it. To me, the Princeton has everything in spades that I love about Fender amps - it's clean tone is sweet and smooth, and it goes all the way to dirty 70's garage rock. It takes pedals like a champ, and the tremolo is the best, most warm sounding tremolo ever. The reverb is a tad splashy for me, but keeping it at about 2 is a nice spot. I will never, ever get rid of this amp. Ever. I was so close to getting the Deluxe, and those are great too, but my Princeton feels like it was built just for me. And when I really want to blow some minds, I run it with my Pro Jr. III in stereo and it's like riding a wave of awesome tone. And plenty loud too.

[@samlemann]

Great round up - completely agree with your comments on the few amps I've played or owned.

[@fredb.2378]

Decided on the Princeton with the 10 inch speaker as a replacement for my 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue. Wanted something smaller for home use that still had that classic Fender sound.

[@Snarkyone1965]

I just scored a Princeton Chorus with the dual 12” speakers, and I love it. Not so sure the neighbors do, but I love what it puts out. Just got it so I haven’t played around with it yet to comment on the range of capabilities it has. So far, I’m digging it.

[@FreedomAlchemy]

What year is it? I'm looking at one. Tks

[@Snarkyone1965]

@@FreedomAlchemy I think it’s a 90’s model. As far as i know it’s still available because it was too much for my neigbors I took it back and got myself a Fender Champion 100. That Princeton Chorus sounded freaking awesome though. The dude may still have it, he’s asking $240 for it. I can put you in touch if you want to see what kind of deal you can do with the man. it’s at a music store right now. I’d be happy to help.

[@JP-mp5st]

Fenders are my favorite amps. In 50 years of playing and owning all kinds of different amps the only ones I still have are a near mint 65 Super Reverb garage sale special I got for $350 a couple years ago , a 59 Bassman Reissue, a blonde/oxblood SuperSonic 22 and original tweed Pro Junior. All awesome amps. The Super Sonic 22 is so fricking sweet.

[@charlesbolton8471]

I had an original first year Tweed Pro Junior. I bought it brand new, and it was the one piece of gear that I had kept over the years. Unfortunately, it got stolen in 2014.

[@DeltaDonnaLynn]

I totally agree with you about the Vibroverb. It is a stunning creature, well out of my price range as well if I was ever to find one. I have a 65 Deluxe Reverb as my main amp and don't plan on ever getting rid of it. Someday it will have a tweed sibling or two though. 😉

[@bipbipletucha]

Silverface 68 custom Deluxe is my no. 1 Fender amp. Amazing amp.

[@oig40203]

Having owned many amps since 1978, my favorite is my 1965 Fender Vibrolux with Jensen C10ns speakers. It was Fender's smallest 6L6 amp. The sound and the reverb are luscious.

[@charlesbolton8471]

I really want a Blackface Vibrolux. I love Fender Tweeds (and clones of them), but I played a 1966 Vibrolux last year when I bought an instrument. That Vibrolux was the best sounding amp I’ve ever played through in over 30 years and one of the best amps I’ve ever heard period.

[@oig40203]

@@charlesbolton8471 You can't go wrong with one. I know someone who just bought a 66 for $1800. The deals are out there, just keep looking.

[@charlesbolton8471]

oig40203 Thanks. That’s good to know. I’ll definitely keep looking.

[@markcunningham6086]

Hey Shane.... all of my amps are Fenders. Love um all. Like the heard of guitars, you need variety. I dont own a Princeton but on my Mustang V v2, I find most of my favorite setups are on the Princeton amp model. I have played also on most of your list. Great review. Keep it up dude.

[@landonbailey]

I paid Fender to make me say that I’m a big fan of their amps. I’m currently playing my Blue Princeton Reverb 12” Alnico, and my old Red Knob Deluxe 85. Took me a while to get away from my Vox, but I think I’m converted to Fender amps :)

[@robertclarkguitar]

I'm a no amp player sadly. Due to lackofunds virus. Hahaha. I am happy with im getting out of my Boss Gt1 though. Better than nothing. But I will one day buy a nice amp! Heheh

[@peterschattmann8298]

Lando! Isn't that 12” too much for your home?

[@davidfellows6250]

Why say that. I have all the amps a guitar player should and every time I plug into one that I haven't played for a while I wonder why I haven't played it for a while. I've tried all the gear and now I dont care about most of it. Any guitar that you want to play and a tube amp and in a band mix you'll sound great..... that is if you've had your 10000 hours. It's more important than a 59 lp though a plexi.

[@rigorhead01]

@@davidfellows6250 I agree, and I've definitely had my 10,000 hours and then some

[@davidfellows6250]

@@rigorhead01 you and me both bro. 40+ years haha

[@f.fields2703]

Home use: Blues Jr 4 + Line 6 PodGo for me. Great tones with either Fender Stratocaster, PRS S-2 custom, Gretsch hollow body, or Epiphone dot, great tone. Even Yamaha acoustic electric sounds perfect with this amp and effects board.

[@stevehughes1510]

Got the Princeton and put a very old Celestion 74 1772 12" alnico in it. Fave all round one is a FSR Deluxe with a Blue and my old '65 SR. Thanks for a great vid.

[@jgenoese]

I have a supersonic 60. Just glad someone else has heard of it lol. I love it. My guitar tech hates working on it though.

[@LookingForEntertainment112]

I've still got my Supersonic 60, it's a beast. It's your fault I bought it....back in 2013 🤣. My favourite amp of all time is the '63 Brownface Deluxe. It has awesome cleans, a beautiful tremolo and the gnarliest overdrive when it's cranked. Edit...lol...I just remembered it's your demo's that got me to buy my Mustang V3, lol. I've still got that one for recording.

[@jgenoese]

I’ll never sell my blonde/oxblood supersonic. Because I can’t lift it 😂

[@LookingForEntertainment112]

@@jgenoese 🤣🤣

[@Jeff-qt3ib]

I have a deluxe reverb tone master and I don’t have those problems. Takes pedals fine and breaks up pretty well and accurately if you dial it in right. The firmware updates have made it even better.

[@braddietzmusic2429]

Wish you could try the Fender Jazz King. 1x15 solid state 140 watts. Lovely cleans with none of the peaky and overly sensitive volume issues of the 112 +. Massive clean headroom. I think of it as much like a Twin without the weight or size. Full compliment of controls and features on the XLR out in addition to line out volume control makes this amp a killer and very practical gigging amp.

[@WillieD7]

The Prosonic was a beast. Imagine the Supersonic but with the “alive” feeling of a Vox. Ridiculously noisy “pop” when switching channels and a little dark on clean but such a great tone.

[@iamnoone4046]

I agree with you! I love my prosonic amp and it is a beast!! Don t forget one of its best features, the gain! Killer!

[@AudreyDurden]

Always used Vox but i can't deny that Fender amps have phenomenal spring reverb. And recently I've been thinking of getting a Fender amp like a princeton reverb or delux reverb.

[@rosewood1]

Great review. I love my Tone Master Twin Reverb. Still learning how to drive it with my LP.

[@kimjohnson9737]

I just bought a second-hand Fender blues Deville 4x10 and played it at an outdoor gig and a club gig. It is awesome man! It has all the tones right there without pedals, as you say very playable. Interestingly I had to replace the leather handle, as I guess the last owner had a few struggles with the weight, although I dealt with that with a trolley and a $16 dollar removalists dolly from my hardware store for moving it on stage.

[@ryanfulldark2775]

I found a beautiful, clean 1973 Super Reverb at my local music store and luckily I snapped it up! I also didn’t need another amp but this baby sings!

[@thomasmetz3]

My 1996 Fender Prosonic 2x10 combo has the best sounding clean channel I’ve ever heard on a Fender. I put Weber silver & blue speakers in it, along with NOS tubes & Mercury Mag transformers. I also love my Princeton 65 RRI in British Racing Green. I like the Jensen P12Q speaker over the Celestion Greenback that it came with.

[@scottpickett9779]

I have De Ville 212. love it. ( outdoor gigs) I keep clean just about breakup and run pedals. I'm in cover bands and I switch between a number of guitars during sets. It seems to do everything I need. Indoor I use a Peavy classic 30.

[@raygranvold5646]

Agree with your last choice. I couldn’t afford one of those new vintage vibrolux’s either. I got a 1969 bandmaster reverb instead, black faced it and put it in a 15”’ combo cab with a 15” eminence red coat speaker - pure fender reverb heaven.

[@codesent2125]

I just really acquired a Fender Princeton Chorus, (solid state, 210). That is the Cleanest amp ive ever heard and love the chorus in it! That and my Peavey Bandit(silver stripe) are keepers!

[@MrLorne7]

Bought a Mustang 3 v2 years ago thanks to you. I hated the stock speaker though. It gave wicked ice pick ear stabbings with my Tele. Swapped the stock speaker for an Eminence Texas Heat and never looked back. Amazing amp.

[@cowtowncustoms2110]

Your list is GREAT! I have a Hot Rod deVille, Blues jr and a little Frontman 15 bench amp and all are great! My next buy is the 65 Deluxe Reverb, for country music that is the one to have! I have the Kustom 72 Coupe, great amp, lots of power! and on low power amps with a lot of kick I have a Marshall Class 5, I had not heard of it until I got it on a trade and this is a keeper! pure Marshall tone, very simple and light but loud! Try one if you ever see it and only in the $300-$350 price range for a Marshall tube amp combo!

[@stratplayr6997]

I have had various Fender amps over the years. From 2001 up through 2014, my go to amp was a USA-made 2x12 Hot Rod DeVille (still own it, great amp). But I got a vintage '64 Deluxe Reverb in 2014, and it has taken the top spot in my amp arsenal. Nothing sounds as good as that amp, and my other amps just don't measure up to the tonal quality of my DR. Perfect gigging amp - plenty of power without being overpowering. Good size that doesn't give me back problems when I move it.

[@Splattle101]

No 5E3 Deluxe? No Bassman?

[@Theweeze100]

OK, I have a fender supersonic 22, and you’re partly to blame for that! I loved the video and found one “for a song” that was super clean. I’ve been swapping out some new old stock tubes and that has improved the sound considerably! Actually bought an old Utah red label fender speaker to get more of a vintage tone, (very Hi-FI, sweet sound, but lower volume) I’ve found the stock Special Design speaker to be really musical so I put it back. I really can’t get enough of the clean Viber lux style channel along with the Bassman circuit (Fat) switch. I’m not really a big fan of the Burn channel, just seems to lose a lot of clarity. Would love to get my hands on the SS 60, from what I can see, because of the fact that they are no longer made and were really quite a gem, they will be much sought after in the future. Cheers

[@oodatp999]

I've got a vintage drip edge twin with a EV SRO 15 speaker (this is the same model speaker SRV used in his vibroverb.) If I pull out two of the power tubes it basically becomes a pseudo vibroverb (minus the tube rectifier as the twin is solid state). It's great. You're right. Too bad you're across the pond - I'd let you borrow it as I haven't turned it on in half a year! I bought it for $500. I think...

[@10INCHCRUSHER]

I had an 80's stage lead 212. That amp was awesome.

[@cortmiller]

Just got my 64 vibroverb custom back from the shop getting some minor repair work done. It is really good. I got mine used with a EV in it that was Stevie ray inspired but I didn’t dig as much. I put a warehouse speakers 15 alnico in it and it’s really nice for that amp.

[@johnfrewin7717]

Love my Blues Deluxe- best amp I’ve ever played 👍🎸🇬🇧

[@kawai99100]

How much better than Mustang 25? A lot?

[@johnfrewin7717]

@@kawai99100 sorry never played one

[@daijones101]

The amp which I Owned and regretted selling was the Bruce Zinky designed 30/40/60 watt Vibrosonic. It was a modern take on the vibrolux with two Celestion 10s. It came with a valve rectifier which could be switched out on the 60 watt setting. The drive channel would yield Santana like lead tones. I played a gig with Brian May (yes) and he was shocked at how powerful it was.

[@csnide6702]

Very cool 👍