Fun With Five Awesome Vintage Amps From 1958 - 1966 – That Pedal Show

Life too short for long YouTube videos? ‘Interesting bits and go-to sections’ timings below.

In this video we indulge ourselves in some cornerstones of guitar amplification history. It was made possible by one kind TPS viewer, who got in touch to tell us about his collection of vintage beauties… and made them available to borrow!
Johnny, we thank you on behalf of the whole TPS audience. And massive thanks for us too – this was a trip!

1958 Fender Bassman (5F6-A)
1962 Fender Princeton
1965 Marshall JTM45
1965 Fender Super Reverb
1966 Fender Princeton Reverb
1969 Fender Vibratone

Dan and I do our best to ask relevant questions and try different things, but to be honest, the whole thing was a bit of a blur. Questions you might have…

Q: Aaaarrgghhh! Why didn’t you try them against new examples?
A: We had too much to get through, but take it as read that these old amps don’t really sound like the modern reissues… plus the old ones can sound very different between examples.

Q: That amp doesn’t sound like mine – it must be broken?
A: Don’t think so… but old amps differ significantly. They’ve been around for decades, repaired and so on. They’re clearly not all the same.

Q: How were the amps mic’d?
A: Our usual combination of Royer/Sontronics ribbons and Neumann condensers on the amps, plus the mid-side pair of AKG C414 XLII in the room.

Q: Is the phasing of Super Reverb and Vibratone off?
A: Sounds like it, doesn’t it? Mick here. I checked it and checked it and checked it. The opposing phase choices were all worse. Something odd was happening – maybe somebody out there knows – but we just went with it anyway. Adding the Bassman in really helped.

Q: Why didn’t you try… //insert all the things we didn’t try here//
A: Sometimes you have to be happy with what you have, rather than sad at what you don’t.

Pedals in this episode…

• Boss TU-3S

• Analogman Sun Face BC183 Fuzz

• Fulltone Octafuzz

• Thorpy FX Warthog

• Keeley D&M Drive

• Analog Man / Maxon OD9/808 Mods Classic, With Bad Bob Booster

• Tru-Fi Colordriver

• Boss DC-2w Dimension C

• Analog Man ARDX 20 Dual Analog Delay & Amazeo

• Foxgear Echosex Baby

• Fulltone Mini Deja Vibe CS-MDV2 MKII

• Neo Instruments Mini Vent II

• TheGigRig G2

Interesting bits and go-to sections…
- Intro playing: 0:00
- What are we doing today? 1:59
- Today’s amps: 3:00
- A brief Fender amp history: 4:00
- 1962 Fender Princeton: 7:20 (8:15)
- Today’s pedalboard: 8:03
- Transformer ghosting and the 335: 10:25
- Princeton tremolo: 12:10
- …and Foxgear Echosex Baby: 13:35
- …and Maxon/Analog Man OD9: 13:50
- …and Analog Man BC183 Fuzz: 14:30
- 1966 Fender Princeton Reverb Amp: 16:58 (18:38)
- Strat, TS, Princeton Reverb: 23:20
- Both Princetons together: 26:23
- 1958 Fender Bassman & 1965 Super Reverb intro: 31:35
- Bassman sound: 32:58
- …Tele, 335 and Gretsch: 35:46
- …Collings 290 DC S: 37:15
- …Les Paul: 38:28
- 1965 Super Reverb sounds with Tele: 40:43 (41:34)
- …335: 43:20
- …Strat: 45:35
- Fender Vibratone: 48:40
- Bassman, Super Reverb and Vibratone: 50:42
- …and Sunface: 51:44
- What have we learned? 52:40
- 1965 Marshall JTM45: 56:00 (58:00)

Guitars in this episode:

• Gibson Memphis 1958 ES-335 (2017 model) No video yet

Please visit our preferred retailers!

[LetsTalkAboutMathRock]

Shout out to Dan & Mick making 1hr+ videos and not stuffing them full of ads.

[tedayre]

Previous episodes: “The sound of small amps breaking up is not our thing” - this episode, all smiles and EPIC TONES! Well done lads, well done. I am seriously grateful for this episode.

[CraigPaddockmusic]

I’m at minute 24.... this is the best playing I have ever heard from both of you, Dan and Mick. ! And I’ve watched EVERY episode. something magic happening with the old amps. Kudos!!!

[DRocks]

What a treat TPS . What a lucky guy to have the real deal and he share them with us "THANKS JOHNNY "

[DavidDyte]

I love when Mick gets into that Chet Atkins stuff. So sweet.

[jamesgoddin]

This is why I love my silver face Champ so much. Beautiful sounds at non-ear bleeding volumes. Tube screamer in the front - happy days.

[tskjek]

Stellar!!!

Back in the 90’s I worked in a guitar store in Minneapolis, Minnesota where Z Vex was a regular customer. One day he wanted to show us a prototype pedal he was building called the Fuzz Factory. So after hours he came by and plugged it into an old Marshall Major we had at the time and proceeded to demonstrate what the end of the world might sound like. It was loud, it was fuzzy, and it was glorious.

What Mick was playing at the end reminded me of that day. Thank you!

[DannyJamesGuitar]

The most important thing I've learned from watching That Pedal Show is that two amps is almost always better than one.

[tulk]

Guys, just want to say thanks so much for letting us experience your joy vicariously, that is so plainly visible throughout the whole video, playing with all these great vintage amps. I'm only a basement noodler with a Vox Valtronix modeling amp and some partscasters, so vids like this mean a lot. lets do 2hr next time :P

[paultwiselton]

Late to the party I know but MAN ALIVE!! These amps! The playing! The tones!!
This is probably the most important TPS episode to date. My ears head and heart thank you and thank Johnny. 👌🏻

[MythosPedals]

Brownface Fenders are the best! Played a ton at my time at Carter Vintage Guitars, a brownface deluxe with a Les Paul is early ZZ Top all day long. Great episode guys!!

[stinkystubin]

WOW!! I have watched your videos for years and somehow missed this one. This is the best playing by both of you I have ever heard. Superb!! Those amps don’t sound bad either.

[kevin]

Man, there have been some great episodes over the years, but this has probably been my favorite TPS episode yet, and I'm pretty sure I've seen them all. That was incredible, thank you Mick and Dan (and Johnny)!

[ChaseandMelia]

This feels like one of those videos when someone eats an entire tray of delicious food. 🤤

Good for you guys!! Thanks for sharing this awesome video of you two interacting with amazing gear! 😎
Cheers 🍻

[HiVizSmiley]

I have watched Mick playing that Analog Man into the Princeton about ten times, and it keeps getting better. One of the best vids you've ever made gents

[SebCB]

Saturday morning in Melbourne Aus. Wife is at work. Sitting down with my 15 month old to watch that pedal show again. My little boy and I are always thoroughly entertained. Hook them young, hook them for life. Cool show boys, bring on the tangents.

[GitShiddy]

Might be worth a rummage through Johnny's collection again and instead of going for the most noteworthy icons, maybe worth a show to look at some forgotten vintage amp tones. I've been needlessly GASing over Gibson Skylarks and the like. But why look at just vintage Fender, Marshall, Vox when weird and wonderful stuff exists at nowhere near as much money to require selling you body & it's parts. A walk down the back alley of Ampegs, Silvertones, Supros, Gibson amps, etc might be worth a look into.

[pcorriveau]

God! If they would reissue that 1962 Fender Princeton, I would be the first one in line! Thanks for showing us these old vintage amps.

[rossgarciaperez]

By far an away the best sounds from TPS thus That's saying something.

[its_just_berk]

Ive watched every episode of TPS thus far and ive never heard your playing sound do great, gentlemen! And that's not to say your past vids are rubbish. It was just very palpable how this pieces of gear were inspiring both of you. And Mick, that Jimi quote with the Strat Super Reverb. My god, man. Cheers guys! Great episode!