Fender Tone Master Princeton Reverb review

Fender’s student amp returns in digital guise as part of the brand’s exciting and thought-provoking Tone Master series. But can it match the real thing?

Fender Tone Master Princeton Reverb
(Image: © Future / Phil Barker)

Guitar World Verdict

The Tone Master Princeton Reverb is an almost perfect digital replica of the mid-’60s black-panel Princeton Reverb but with no tubes and no reverb springs to break.

Pros

  • +

    Same good looks.

  • +

    Almost exactly the same sounds.

  • +

    Roughly a third less weight.

Cons

  • -

    Little pricey for an all-digital amp.

  • -

    An input clip indicator would be handy for pedal users. Tremolo effect could do with more range and intensity.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Leo Fender began building guitar amplifiers under his own name in 1946, half a decade before the Telecaster, with the original trio of the Princeton, Deluxe and Professional.

Often referred to as the ‘woody’ amps, because of their hardwood cabinets and fixed wooden handles, these were the first Fender-badged products made after Leo’s short-lived venture with Clayton Orr ‘Doc’ Kauffman (the ‘K’ in K&F Manufacturing). 

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