'65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

I've used the Custom Vibrolux, and that was one hell of a loud clean. It was heavy, though, and I would be interested to hear it next to the Custom Deluxe. I dug the Bassman tone stack, and the ability to have reverb on both sides. If I had a regular Deluxe RI, I don't think I'd ever use the normal channel. So, in a sense, I'd be paying for half of an amp I'd never use.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

HoneyBearWombat said:
What about the Deluxe? What are its great points?
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It can do loud slightly hairy cleans with reverb and tremolo and if you pick your pedals to compliment the mid scoop you can get great bluesy overdrive tones
But they like to be loud
The low volume cleans are good but the good stuff is so kinda loud imo
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

FuseG4 said:
I personally think the Princeton does two things well: clean and crunch. But not everyone likes the Princeton crunch. It has some farty low end and is kinda nasty sounding, not especially smooth. And Celestion speakers help in my opinion. Not into the Woody, Reedy, American speakers when they break up with the PR.

It does 3 things really well if you count tremolo. The trem on a PR sounds "better" to me, somehow deeper.
4 things well if you count reverb lol
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Yeah, I said one thing for the Princeton because the overdrive is so loose -not most peoples preferred OD amp -Cleans is Cleanish is what it is legendary for. BUT I've never played a brand new Princeton -I've mostly plained 50s and 60s one/.

I wasn't counting Trem (What they call Vibrato by mistake) and Reverb because they all do it so well.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

HoneyBearWombat said:
What about the Deluxe? What are its great points?
Click to expand...

Here's some further color from my experience:

65 Blackface DR Reissue -Vintage vibe -Very Vintage Speaker tones -it has a "sound" in fact if you love that sound and don't need anything else -this one -plenty loud enough for gigs -If heavy vintage vibe and channel switching in tremelo and like reverb and gigging is in your future -this one.

68 Custom Silverface DR Reissue -Versatility and the best with Pedals of the 3 -plenty loud enough for gigs and can make a lot of different sounds -speaker is more neutral than the 2 other options -it is less distinct on it's own compared to the other 2 -if recording lots of different stuff, like using lots of different kinds and gain structures from pedals, and like channel switching for switching tonestacks/channels, and like switching in tremelo and/or reverb and gigging is in your future -this one.

Princeton (Vintage) cool Vintage Vibe -more mellow than DRs -and if the amp never leaves the house and you want creamy vintage clean -it's as loud as you will ever need and can overdrive at lower volumes for recording. I should mention -I've bought and played original and reissue DRS -but I've never played Princeton that isn't at least 20 years old, so someone else would need to speak to the new reissue ones.
 
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Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

The tonemaster deluxe reverb might be nice option
Having that power soak to get the breakup without dorking the tone much, that would be pretty nifty I should think
Saves the trouble of having to replace tubes
They are light weight if you like to ever move your amp around the house or go to jam with others

I had an Attenuator when I had a drri and it would have been sweet if it had just come with one built in!
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

HoneyBearWombat said:
It is the age-old question. But I am thinking of one or the other for home/studio use. I want excellent clean blues tone at low volume. I realise I won't be able to overdrive them without a pedal, but that's not an issue. Which one do you recommend for beautiful clear tones with a Strat? Does the Deluxe sound great clean at room level?
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For home use, a Princeton Reverb is all you need.

As for you saying, "I realise I won't be able to drive them without a pedal," you've got it backwards. It's more powerful amps that you will need pedals for, at home volumes. The Princeton Reverb is the king of reasonable-volumed natural dirt.

The Deluxe Reverb is one of the standard studio and gigging amps. But it does break up quite a lot louder than the PR. It's the great gigging amp, while the PR is the great home studio amp.

FWIW, a '68 PR has been one of my main amps for decades...and my father's for decades before I got it. I know them very well. They are pure heaven in terms of tone, but lack rock-band-level volume.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

NegativeEase said:
Here's some further color from my experience:

65 Blackface DR Reissue -Vintage vibe -Very Vintage Speaker tones -it has a "sound" in fact if you love that sound and don't need anything else -this one -plenty loud enough for gigs -If heavy vintage vibe and channel switching in tremelo and like reverb and gigging is in your future -this one.

68 Custom Silverface DR Reissue -Versatility and the best with Pedals of the 3 -plenty loud enough for gigs and can make a lot of different sounds -speaker is more neutral than the 2 below -it is less distinct on it's own compared to the other 2 -if recording lots of different stuff, like using lots of different kinds and gain structures from pedals, and like channel switching for switching tonestacks/channels, and like switching in tremelo and/or reverb and gigging is in your future -this one.

Princeton (Vintage) cool Vintage Vibe -more mellow than DRs -and if the amp never leaves the house and you want creamy vintage clean -it's as loud as you will ever need and can overdrive at lower volumes for recording. I should mention -I've bought and played original and reissue DRS -but I've never played Princeton that isn't at least 20 years old, so someone else would need to speak to the new reissue ones.
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Based on this, the Deluxe is the way to go for me. There's a reason why it's the most recorded amp in history. Does it do clean blues well at lower volume (think 3-4 on the master volume)?
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

ItsaBass said:
For home use, a Princeton Reverb is all you need.

As for you saying, "I realise I won't be able to drive them without a pedal," you've got it backwards. It's more powerful amps that you will need pedals for, at home volumes. The Princeton Reverb is the king of reasonable-volumed natural dirt.

The Deluxe Reverb is one of the standard studio and gigging amps. But it does break up quite a lot louder than the PR. It's the great gigging amp, while the PR is the great home studio amp.

FWIW, a '68 PR has been one of my main amps for decades...and my father's for decades before I got it. I know them very well. They are pure heaven in terms of tone, but lack rock-band-level volume.
Click to expand...

You are making it tough! They both sound exceptional. I am leaning more toward the Deluxe now because of its history with blues.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

I haven't tried the new Tone Master DR, but a few people who I trust think it sounds great. I'd be interested to hear how it stacks up to the RI and Custom. If I was buying one today, I'd go with the Custom.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

I own the 65 DRRI and use it mainly for home use with a couple of telecasters as well as a strat. I generally play a fairly clean and bluesy tone and the amp excels! It takes pedals very well including dirt pedals.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

CK71 said:
I own the 65 DRRI and use it mainly for home use with a couple of telecasters as well as a strat. I generally play a fairly clean and bluesy tone and the amp excels! It takes pedals very well including dirt pedals.
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At what volume on the Deluxe do you keep it? What made you go for the DRRI and not another amp, like the PRRI?
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

HoneyBearWombat said:
You are making it tough! They both sound exceptional. I am leaning more toward the Deluxe now because of its history with blues.
Click to expand...

To be honest, you aren’t going to be disappointed with any of them.

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it, once you get your amp, explore everything it can do then try a bunch of different overdrives until you find the one that works with you, your guitar/pickups and the amp. For me it’s a FD2 with the Princeton Reverb, that combo with my Strats is perfect for me. Find your perfect combo.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

PFDarkside said:
To be honest, you aren’t going to be disappointed with any of them.

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it, once you get your amp, explore everything it can do then try a bunch of different overdrives until you find the one that works with you, your guitar/pickups and the amp. For me it’s a FD2 with the Princeton Reverb, that combo with my Strats is perfect for me. Find your perfect combo.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I am leaning toward the Deluxe now for my blues playing. I will see how it goes.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

I think the Deluxe is one of the most perfect amps ever designed.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

HoneyBearWombat said:
At what volume on the Deluxe do you keep it? What made you go for the DRRI and not another amp, like the PRRI?
Click to expand...

I use the vibrato channel on input 2 nearly exclusively. My amp volume is just under 3 which is just right for me. I also use an mxr 10 band eq and Wampler Euphoria. The EQ I increase the gain and decrease the volume, which helps give it some warmth and keep the volume bedroom level. The level on the Euphoria is around 10 o'clock. I don't disturb any neighbors or my family so it works great. I couldn't be happier!
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

jeremy said:
my old '66 dr is beat to crap but hasnt really given me much trouble at all considering. what issues did your pro reverb have? old blackface or ?
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It was a reissue blackface. There was an unbearable buzz with the reverb on.
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

ill take a martin over a uke ;)
 
Re: '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or Princeton Reverb Reissue?

Lewguitar said:
Long as that desert island has 110 volts you can plug into. Otherwise, you'd be better off with a ukulele.
Click to expand...

don't be a dumb*ss... the island has a cycle maid of bamboo with a generator with a palm tree flywheel that produces 3 phase A/C and tap off a leg for your Amp, on for your movie screen, and one to make ice for the cocktails

Generator.jpg
 
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