Fender '64 Princeton Reverb 1x10" 12-watt Tube Combo Amp Reviews

The Fender '64 Custom Princeton Reverb is a fantastic amp for anyone looking for that classic Fender clean tone and also want a versatile platform for building their sound. It delivers that sweet, full Fender sound without being overly bright. The solid pine cabinet and upgraded Jensen speaker give it a rich, full-bodied character, perfect for a variety of genres. it's ideal for smaller gigs or recording, and takes pedals extremely well. While it isn't cheap, the quality and sound make it a great choice for serious players.

I received my Fender Princeton Reverb '64 Custom amp from Sweetwater this week. This is a great amp! It's a perfect small amp that sings like a good tube amp should. I own a 1966 Fender Vibrolux Reverb amp with all original parts except for the capacitors that needed replacement due to age. So, I know what a good tube amp sounds like. The Princeton Reverb '64 Custom amp isn't cheap, but the enjoyment you'll get from it will pay for itself in happiness for years. Don't wait for it to go up another $ or (worse) be discontinued. Get one now. You won't regret it.

I've had this for quite a while now, and I wouldn't part with it without a fight. I was using a hot rod deluxe previously, but it was just a bit too heavy, and loud enough to do building demolition. Greg Baum, my sales engineer, discussed a variety of amps and their tonal quality with terms like "very nice", "great sounding amp", etc.. When we got to the '64 Princeton, his term was " divine". I was skeptical; how much difference does an amp make in tone from various guitars, anyway? I knew that many pros from that era and current guitar masters rave about this amp, so I pulled the trigger. As usual, Greg was spot on. It is difficult to describe how this amp brings out glorious tones from my Tele, Strat, ES 335, and SG Special, at every volume and EQ setting, as well as with multiple pedals, and with varying pick attacks. It is as if all of my electric guitars had an instant infusion of special tone quality, almost like having a new batch of instruments. And this baby has all the volume I would ever need for the venues I play. The Fender spring reverb and tremolo are also pretty special. Because of the cost, I am sometimes reluctant to play out with this amp, especially since many audiences can't appreciate how wonderful this sounds, but I certainly get more pleasure out of plugging into this masterpiece. If you can face the budget, this is truly the amp of a lifetime.

Very happy with Sweetwater.

Solid price and good pre and post sale comms.

The first one I received sounded great but had cosmetic flaws (suspect shipment).

Sweetwater immediately replaced with a new unit, which sounds great and looks perfect out of the (double) box.

Now that's sorted I am getting into the pallet of sound and the character of this tube wonder.

I'm a Bass player, but it is nice having a great guitar amp in my studio to lay down tracks with, as well as watch visiting guitar players get all emotional when they play it.

Great amp!

Best amp sound I've ever played through. Worth every penny and I have a lot of good tube amps.the reverb is incredible. The full range sound from highs to lows makes me not want to use anything else. Hand wired and well constructed make a difference very pleased with this amp. Takes pedals well too.

I was able to purchase this incredible amp about a year ago. This is my first review. I've played guitar for over 35 years, and I've played all styles of music...I've also played cheap amps and cheap guitars and I've play expensive amps and guitars....but none of that really matters. UNLESS you want to roll with the big boys, or go into the studio etc. I typically don't take my Princeton to my gigs, people call me crazy but right now I'm gigging with a Blackstar HT20MKII and a $ Boss Katana 100watt MKII. Both get the job done, and I feel I can risk something bad happening on the road...anything can happen on the road. So, where do I use my Princeton? at home and at recording gigs. This amp is my therapy! sometimes I will come home and plug in my strat or tele and just dial in a bit of reverb and play. there is something organic about these hand wired amps. I cant figure it out, don't want to all I know is that its just got "It".
BUT a few weeks back I thought what the heck, ill bring it to a gig (safe atmosphere) I purchased a pedal (Timmy clone) overdrive, plugged it in and holy crap!!! i was Mike Campbell for a night. Listen, it may be only 12watts? but i will set it next to a 50watt tube amp and blow it away. The hardwired Princeton is LOUD!! I like to put volume around 3 or 4 ish, kick in my Golden Horse pedal....perfection!
Is the price high? yes....could I afford another one? No...if it broke down on me could I get it repaired? YES....if my Katana or even my Blackstar broke down could I get them repaired? Definitely NO on the Katana, its a coffee table and most likely NO on the Blackstar.
Save your money...buy the handwired Princeton...and watch the resale value grow!!! most of all enjoy it like I have learned to do.

I bought my '64 Hand Wired PR a few months ago. It's my very first Fender Blackface-type amp. Just now getting around to write a review. But first, shout out to my Sales Engineer Randy who helped me tremendously with a couple of high-value purchases, including this amp. I quickly noticed how bright this amp sounds. My current amp at the time, a Mesa Lone Star Special, sounded darker. I never thought the LSS was a dark sounding amp (even though I've heard it described that way many times) until I plugged into the '64 PR. I know that they have differing tube complements & cab/speakers so it's understandable. I've not had an amp w/ a 10" Alnico speaker, heck not even any Alnico of any size. The 10" speaker may be a partial source of the brightness that I hear. Had to work to tame the brightness with both the amp's controls & my guitar's volume & tone knobs. The cleans were, well… Fender good. I get a sweet breakup around 10 o'clock and gets raunchier and more musical from there. It's a non-master volume amp so it's still loud at 12 watts. Some form of attenuation maybe required for quieter playing. Opened up though, the amp's natural tube distortion is sweet with tons of harmonics. It's very sensitive to your pick attack and you can vary the tone and sustain by changing your picking technique. I hybrid pick and notes picked with the flesh tip of my fingers gets a smooth & rounded jazz tone. It's also sensitive to your guitars volume & tone controls. Even at slightly less than full grind, if you back off your guitar's volume you get a less trebly distortion that doesn't lose note definition. In a band jam scenario & with a somewhat aggressive drummer, the amp still sat well in the mix. The reverb and tremolo are regular fare Fender which again means good. I typically set my reverb & tremolo at milder settings and let the room and the guitar's natural vibrato complement the sound. My ES-335 sounded good through it but the big surprise (for me) was my Strat through the amp. I thought the reverse would be true. But I'm still learning how to tweak tones out of this amp. With the Strat, the clean tone was sparkling sweet and the distorted tones were something else. At full grind, the single coils honked as you dig in. Again varying pick attack yielded cool sounds. I guess Fender amps were made for Fender guitars. I still have to find a boost/drive pedal. I've tried each of the ones I now have but none inspired me. Maybe a fuzz & a delay pedal too. The Mesa LSS (had that amp over 10 years) is now gone and the only other amp I have is an Analog Outfitters "Sarge" head, which has a bit more power and breaks up much later than the '64 PR. All-in-all a very good amp which I'll likely keep. Thanks Randy & Sweetwater!

I originally purchased the '65 Reissue Princeton Reverb from another retailer as my first tube amp. After playing around for a couple of weeks, I felt like the amp sounded aggressively scooped. I decided to give the '64 Custom a shot, and man am I glad I made the switch!

The '64 sounds noticeably more balanced than the '65 reissue, thanks to the upgraded components, Alnico speaker, and possibly the solid pine cabinet; I don't believe the hand-wired aspect of this amp contributes to the tone at all, but it's a nice touch and adds to the durability of the amp (compared to a mass-produced PCB version). This amp sounds sparkly clean like any Fender amp, but there's a warmth present that's hard to describe. Especially when compared to the '65 reissue, the '64 Custom doesn't have that harsh top end at all. I recorded some riffs and shared with a few friends, and without knowing which recording was which amp they all noted that the '64 Custom sounded noticeably warmer, balanced and "vintage" compared to the '65 Reissue.

Of course, there's the price - this is a fat premium you're paying for a Fender amp; the '65 Reissue is less than half the price of this one! Ultimately, I decided to keep this amp because of the tonal difference I noticed, upgraded components, and durability. This is an amp I plan to keep until I check out.

Lastly, huge thanks to Tim Gray for helping me with the ordering process! Customer service is stellar at Sweetwater, and I'll definitely be ordering again soon.

What can I say, it's everything everyone says it is and more. It sounds fantastic! I really was trying to decide between this and the 64 custom deluxe. I decided to go with the Princeton basically because of the lower watts. I have a 68 and it's pretty loud. I also have a tweed champ that's absolutely amazing too. But this amp is perfect. And of course the service I get from Sweetwater is fantastic. I always deal with Jacob! He is a ton help with everything I purchase from Sweetwater. This is the seventh amp I have purchased from Jacob at Sweetwaters, I like them all. I would highly recommend this amp even with it's high cost . Sounds absolutely great

Bought a demo version of this with a good discount. When it arrived the only thing that made it a demo was the box had been opened. Included everything that comes with brand new. Looks and smells brand new, sounds spectacular. I owned a 67 Blackface that was awesome too, it was untouched but needed filter caps; still was nice, but this is hands down superior to it. I just don't know why you would spend $3-5K+ on vintage when these are available. The problem with the old ones is they will need maintenance, and if you aren't tech-savy you'll have to pay for that work, no matter what the listing says. Fender has crushed it on these reissues. What the hand wiring gives you is full size components mostly. There's no magic to a wire vs solder. But I believe that bigger is better and that's the main difference between small components on a PCB and large components soldered to turrets. But the other reissues are fine. I chase tone so I have to pay for that.

Thank you Paul Eckart and Sweetwater.

I had a hard time justifying this amount on a "practice amp". Truth is that it's plenty loud enough to keep up with an average drummer - but certainly not crystal-clean at those volumes = which I like. But these days most places are looking for lower volumes and/or something to mic (or direct). The tone is perfect as a pedal platform and even just on its own. There is a substantial volume jump around 2, but that's typical of Fender amps. This amp records great, sits nicely in a mix, and sounds way bigger. I'm very happy all around and probably one of the few times, feel like my search is over.

The 64 Fender Princeton Reverb combo amp is Fender's current premium product in the Princeton Reverb linage. It's beautifully hand-
The 64 Fender Princeton Reverb combo amp is Fender's current premium product in the Princeton Reverb linage. It's beautifully hand-wired in an effort to emulate the original, but using modern production techniques. It's definitely a true classic beauty with a nice subtle vintage look. The Jenson P10R Alnico speaker and its solid pine cabinet sound really great and for 12 watts the amp is amazingly loud. It has all the dreamy tube tremolo and spring reverb that Fenders amps are know for. There are several reissue versions of this amp and they all sound great, but each has a slightly different vibe. This 64 edition is definitely a gig and road worthy little amp that recreates a true classic amp, sounds great and should last a lifetime.

Wow, what a difference. I am re-learning guitar in retirement after a 40 year hiatus. Been playing through an old Crate C40. Thought either my guitar was not set up well or that I was just no good. Plugged in to the Princeton Reverb and it sounded so super sweet! Best music decision I've ever made. You will not be disappointed! As always, Nick (Sweetwater sales) was very attentive and helpful.

A high quality legend for a reason. Light weight, low wattage and plenty of headroom. Perfect for the studio and small gig venues. I recorded in the the studio last week with this amp... and I couldn't have been happier with tone, and I'm picky.

This amp does not come with a 12" Cannibus Rex speaker,never did. Nor is it 15 watts. That would be pcb special edition. This is the '64 hand wired version. 12 watts w/ 10" Jensen Alnico speaker.

If you can swing the price; buy one!

Mine came with 15 watts and a cannabis Rex 12" Speaker. I'm not used to such a clean sound, even though I had a JC-120, but it's all Fender and very high quality. you'll definitely want to invest in some pedals to break up that clean sound when needed. Also I'm used to twins and surprised at how loud the 15 watts with a 12" speaker is. Maybe should have gotten a 10". This was a Sweetwater exclusive tweed.

I never owned an original '64 so I can't make an apples-to-apples comparison. I have owned a few '65 reissues that were very nice in terms of build and sound. Decided to splurge for this handwired model after selling my PCB '65's. My sales engineer Ed Nystrom hooked me up with a demo. I was apprehensive about getting a demo of this caliber but I gotta tell you, the amp sounds fantastic! Although I haven't pushed it yet, without anything plugged in, as others have said, the noise floor with the volume cranked all the way up is amazingly quiet. I thought about swapping the speaker for a P10Q to get more headroom but, quite honestly, the stock P10R is very clean at moderate volumes. The tone is awesome. If you have the budget for this I highly recommend this amp.

Awesome tone. Any combination of of dial settings sound great. Clean sounds are perfect. Trem and reverb put it over the top.

I had purchased a '64 Custom Deluxe Reverb from Sweetwater when the launched, and found it to be just a bit too much for what I needed so I sold it hoping that they would launch a handwired Princeton soon after. After the launch of their CS Ltd. Princeton I knew we were getting close so I held out. Winter NAMM 2020 my prayers were answered, and I picked up the phone as soon as I saw Sweetwater had these in stock. This amp is rock solid, delivers everything you'd expect, and checks all the boxes. Build construction, warm vintage inspired tube tone, authentic retro looks, and simplicity. It's not a complicated amp from a players point of view. You've got 2 inputs, volume, a small EQ, and the controls on your guitar. It's amazing what you can do without a single little box in the signal chain. There isn't much you can't coax our of this thing just plugging into it directly without pedals (obviously, if you're looking at this you're not attempting hair metal without a pedal). This amp is warm with a nice little bite on the higher end thanks to the 10" speaker. After playing my '57 Custom Tweed Deluxe with a 12" speaker for almost 2yrs exclusivly it's a great change of pace, and really inspiring. Is the amp priced appropriately? Who cares. Folks interested in this know what they're buying, and aren't interested in compromise. There is the more aggressively priced PCB version which is a fantastic amp, and even legitimate vintage examples that can be scooped up for less than this. What you're getting here is a premium product using modern manufacturing methods to clone a (if not better than) prized vintage amp. It will be around long after you, and oh by the way...it says "Fender". There are lots of great boutique amps out there that do this amp well, but it all starts with Leo. So if I overpaid, I'm fine with it because I'm highly satisfied, and without regret. Lastly big shout out to Sweetwater as well. They're always very quick to deliver, accommodating, and very pleasant to work with.

...I'm giving this five stars because my guitar spot got me one. It is AMAZING AND SOUNDS SOOOOOOO SPARKLY AND AMAZING!!! These hand wired amps blow away the PCBs.

I've owned my Fender '64 Princeton Reverb for a little over a week now and have played it for many hours alone as well as with a band. The amp has lived up to both my hopes and expectations in that I can keep up with a loud band and heavy drummer, it's 10 lbs lighter than my DRRI, and it sounds fantastic. I expect most people reading reviews are trying to decide between the 1965 Princeton (PCB) or the '64 Handwired version, or wondering if they should go with a Princeton, Deluxe, or clone of one of the two.

I had two objectives in mind when I bought this amp: 1. To get something lighter than my DRRI but with a similar sound, and 2. To buy an amp that I could get to break up without being obnoxiously loud. The Princeton meets both of those demands in spades. It sounds really, really good, with surprisingly great bass response, reverb and trem that seem more lush than the DRRI, and signs of break up at about the same volume that I usually turn my DRRI to when playing with a band (the DRRI is crystal clean at that volume). If you need enough clean headroom to keep up with a horn band or loud drummer, then you'll want the Deluxe.

1965 PRRI vs. '64 Handwired: I did not have the opportunity to A/B both amps in person but watched a bunch of comparo videos. I won't really use that for this review except to say that the '64 clearly sounded better to my ears with a stronger mid-range to better cut through a mix. That is more likely due to the speaker & cab rather than the handwired vs pcb. But the difference in sound is smaller than the difference in price. I'm still doubting the wisdom of my decision to go with the more expensive amp but have to admit that I do love it and don't plan on sending it back.

Got my '64 Custom this week, and I have to say: I'm impressed!

The build quality is top notch. The power noise floor is low, pretty much dead quiet. It plays well, reacts in such a nice way with my pick attack, and - it sounds sweet!

I'm going for 4,5/5 stars, because of some tube rattle when the amp gets pushed. But, it's more of a 9/10 rating, meaning this amp is nearly flawless. Possibly my favourite of all time, and I've owned a few.

I grew up with one of these. It was my first amp, and yes, I did know how lucky I was!

I've always loved my '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue, and I acquired a second one to run a nice little stereo setup for larger venues. When the '64 Handwired version was released, I immediately order one because of online video reviews that compared it favorably to the '65 RI. Once I received the '64, I quickly confirmed that I preferred it in an A/B comparison with the '65. After some time, I started to wonder how big of a difference could be attributed to the speaker, so I swapped them. Honestly, the only difference in tone is from the speakers. Put a P10R in the '65 Reissue and you have the exact same sound as the '64 for a lot less money. That being said, either amp sounds great, and they are just slightly different variations on the same flavor.

I want to give a shout out and say thanks to my Sales Engineer Mike Winebrenner for his efforts in helping me get sorted on the selection and purchase cost of this thing as they are not inexpensive.
I have had it in the house now about a week and it is in a familiarization & break-in period so time will tell the whole story, but I have to admit that as it sits next to a 57 Custom Champ, which I struggled with but have grown to love, that I am impressed. For me, the 64 has way more tone capability that I am currently capable of pulling out of it, it is friendly and not harsh sounding at all, has plenty of volume, but can be turned up and still sound great and not shake the walls and too my surprise it stays very pleasant tonally when I turn it back down. The reverb and eq controls all seem to be accurate on each dial setting number and allow for a nice dial it in experience. Not so clear on the correct way to use the foot switch yet, but that may come over the next few months of breaking this little guy in. All in all, I like it allot even though buying it will be making me save for a while before I will be making any new purchases.

The tone is phenomenal! However, my chassis rattles and I can't fix it. I pulled the chassis found a screw floating around and a stripped socket on the chassis. 1 of the 4 bolts that hold it in place. They fixed the chassis by using a nut instead on the stripped bolt. Took the time to compare my 64' with my 65'. Both new. PCB vs "handwired". They are eerily similar. I can get the exact same tone out of my 65 if I just go to 7. Only have to go to 4 on this 64. 4=7. Probably because of the caps they put in the new one. They are nice. The big caps though are identical between both units, only the 2nd size down are changed. The Alnico speaker is different than the ceramic of the 65. The difference in tone between the two is only because of the speaker and a few caps. Maybe the cabinet wood is different. I don't think that the difference between 64 and 65 woods makes any noticeable difference other than smell. This 64 is the best smelling amp ever. Smells so good. I've ran each amp through each speaker...They are completely interchangeable. I would never be able to tell the difference 64 vs 65 if they had the same speaker and the 65 was cranked a little more. Never! Same settings though, 65 is quieter. I don't think this type of handwiring does anything. The reverb tank is on PCB. The foot switch says made in Mexico. Nothing wrong with anything about this amp it is very nice. Well except the chassis rattle is very annoying. I just took the chassis out the cabinet and put it across the room and use a long speaker cable. The rattle is gone. So you could for sure just upgrade the caps and change the speaker of a 65 and you would have the exact tone of this 64. However, it would not smell as nice. I'm giving a star back because it does smell good. 4/5.