John is such a great player, very knowledgable and super humble. I don't think a lot of commenters know how prolific a session and live player John is. On top of that he is super humble and one hell of a nice guy. Making personal comments is simply a waste of everyone's time. If you don't like it you can choose one of the gazillion other TH-cam videos.
he is one of my very favorite youtubers because he is no b.s., no "hit like and subscribe" b.s., he just delivers for the common man and I love that attitude! and yes, he is an awesome player.
The pure Fender tone when you played "Wicked Game" was sublime and when you kicked in that overdrive pedal.. i had to re-play that section just to believe my ears! Those Two total opposite tones that sounded so dam good.. sold it for me! Im 61 years old and playing since i was 14, Had everything over the years inc Marshall stacks and i as tell the young kids these days, let your ears be the decider, If it sounds good to you, then it'll sound good to most people and that simple demo was spectacular in getting across exactly what our ears are listening to and how good this really is. Great playing too John
Had mine for little over a year. I love it! It’s VERY important to me that it weighs only 23 pounds! I don’t need an effects loop but I would like an extension speaker jack.
@ghost mall That's the beauty of these amps. The power attenuator on the back is the deal breaker on this amp. If you can't dial a good tone on this amp you need to put the guitar down and take up golf.
I’ve had my Tone Master deluxe now for about a week and I love it! I just used it in rehearsal- plugged in direct and also mic’d the cab and it sounded incredible. The sound guy was blown away. He thought I was using my tube DRRI. It’s so convenient and easy to use...I hope fender makes more of these!
I gig on vintage tube Fenders all the time, and I am mystified by the assertion they are a pain in the ass. Tweed and Blackface amps are so solid they will last forever with basic care.
If I hadn't purchased my beloved '65 DRRI, just prior to the release of these, I probably would have saved the $200+, and got more feature versatility, just sayin'.
@Ozlo Houser - Cool, thanks. It has a far better chance of still blasting in 50 yrs than I do. Although some folks live that long, usually the only rockin' they do is in a chair, dozing. hehehe
2 years later, they are still flying off the shelves. great amp and I love tubes, but this is basically maintenance free and sounds really really close to the real thing.
I tried the Twin out at a store.It was awesome.My only concern comes down to how long it'll hold up.. especially as Fender has put their warranty down to two years.
@@ralphy6526 It’s a PCB. Not hard to install new caps in the unlikely scenario of them blowing. Besides, a warranty is not a testament of how good an amp is.
because u are smart :). they gonna release a ToneMaster2 pretty soon and then ur Fender Inc SS POS will really be worthless..... btw, i just saw a 1990's Super 112 combo on c-list at 350$...... i would start there and skip the bullshit from china
Rik McRae I kinda don’t see the point in manufacturing the Princeton... it would be the same but with smaller cab and speaker and less controls (jut channel 2) and the problem is it would actually be the main competitor to this amp.
Wow,,, Very cool,,,, I know traditionalists will balk, but this is the wave of the future, and as us pros get older having a light weight amp will take stress off our lower backs and by the fact we can go direct into a PA makes it even more enticing. Good Job FENDER!!!!
Put a neodymium speaker in your tube Deluxe, drop weight considerably, but sacrifice good sound. This is the rub in these tonemasters to my ears. The neodymium speakers sucked in the Vox amps when they tried that about 10 years ago too in their modeling amp. Thin sounding speakers.
Beautiful rendition of I Can’t Stop Loving You. I am a tube amp guy and would like to know, do you hear enough difference in a Handwired Deluxe Reissue ($2300-$2500) verses your 1965 Deluxe to make you chose one over the other, or keep you from buying the Handwired new version ? I love all vintage guitars and amps, I think I need help. LOL 😂 Thanks John.
I'm not John, but I've spent some time w the handwired.. Sounds really good but has way less headroom than the normal production model 65 reissue bc of the 30w Jensen in the back vs the 90w in the newest pcb reissues. Both are fine amps.
John's review finally kinda sold me. Nice & light w/balls to the wall accurate reproduction. My trusty '65 twin has been in my bros crawl space in San Rafael for 6 years. Shipping it back east, alone would kill me. My back and ears really like the new tone-pro concept for half the price. Perhaps time to unload my 3 mustangs (& maybe even my pre CBS twin). Hope it's not another reoccurring curse of the early adopter ( i.e. 3 mustangs). Fenders logic seems sound, this time around. However, my dog could hear the difference
Yeah, maybe not hard at all, but if you want to milk your customers of course, do it later on. Peavey's Vypyr Pro has an effects loop plus loads of amps and effects and a chaining rigs option, etc. etc. for only $600. Just the amps quality of sound is supposed to be superb so there's something to ponder.
I definitely want to check one out. I am bemused by people who are outraged that they seemed to get the sound right with newer, lighter, technology that won't break your back and want to charge the same price. Is it actually about the sound or just an attachment to 80 year old tech? Maybe if they emulate the tube smell as well it'll be worth it.
Nice guitar arrangement of I can’t stop loving you By Ray Charles. Don’t get me wrong I love valve amps but the future is Amp Modelling. Amp, effects all in one. Light and easy...
Research, product development and prototyping, different production methods and tooling just for 2 amps, advertising etc. and yep, to sound the same and adding features, reduced weight, you pay for it. If it’s not what you need fine, just buy the one you do like. Easy.
@@antonioduarte1335 I do build my own point to point tube amps, and I will complain about the absurd price of a 1000 dollar transistor modeling amp, but thank you captain capitalism for your wonderful advice
Dig the quick taste test. Would like a thorough exploration of: Does it sound like a digital amp? How close does it capture the best aspects of tube: warmth with clarity, sweet attack and feel, responsive to dynamics of how you play?
I've watched the indepth behind the scenes Fender video about the design process and I've watched a lot of reviews. These Tone Masters are powerful core 4 computers dedicated and focused to do just one thing, which is to sound like just this one amp. We're so used to modeling amps with smaller processors providing half-assed versions of everything. I've yet to come across a review where they're not amazed at how favorably these compare to the originals with many shocked to find that they may prefer these.
I greatly appreciate your review of these amps. I have to admit I'm still a little skeptical about modeling amps, but your review makes me want to give this amp a closer look. Thanks.
You can tell John likes his motorcyles the way he likes his guitars: old and characterful. He's still wearing a selector guard on his left shoe and his jeans feature what seems to be motor oil stains. How I relate...
great sound great play great looks great tight jeans I use it on my Gretsch Hollowbody and with just a tape echo and a little bit of compression I get the perfect sound. When recording via DI, connect it to the recorder through the universal audio volt276 and you will be able to record with a very rich sound. It was a really good purch thanks🙏
While my 58 year old ears love tubes, my 58 year old back doesn't seem to be in love with them anymore. I may need to look at one of these. Thanks for the heads up!
I'm feeling you, brother. My boot is kicking my 58 yr old ass. If I had waited just a few months before purchasing my beloved '65 DRRI, (which was WAY beyond my means and more of an amp than my skill level deserves), I could have saved $200+, more back strain AND got more cool features. My 58 yr old ears would LOVE the attenuator.
Excellent review and amp, I will very likely be buying this model, I have a great sounding tube head now, but then there's the 412 cabinet, or the still very large 212 cabinet lol. And thanks a ton for the awesome lick, 7:25 , one of those super cool licks you can noodle around on during a sound check etc. Awesome.
How many people are listening on cheap speakers here..... or their phone or laptop.... give it a listen though great headphones or studio monitors... or even better, go try one. I didn't love the Twin version but the Deluxe is a home run in my opinion.
Couldn’t wait for this review and It was indeed excellent! This is an amazing release from Fender. Just proved to top every modeling amp on the market. What will they come up with next using the intense R & D that went into the tone master series?
I bought one and I must say I love it ! The sound man loves it and it’s just an amazing amp to gig with and record I couldn’t be happier although I have to admit , I did swap the speaker with a Celestion Creamback It just kicked it up a notch An Alnico Gold would be awesome as well.
Wes Chilton actually I was pleasantly surprised it didn’t. Plus if picking up an extra pound or two is not what you want , you can always return it to stock . In my opinion most of the weight came from the PT, OT
This is exactly what I was hoping someone would do. I think the neodymium speakers always suck tone. When you say it "kicked it up a notch", better bass and clarity by chance? I would think so with a better magnet, ANYTHING but these neo speakers would be better.
I really wish Fender put attenuator on all of their tube amps too for more options. So many other brands are doing this, it makes the amp so darn versatile for whatever your use is.
Nice ... Just to mention: the Cabinet Sim does work on the XLR output! Please refer to owners manual Page 2: - CABINET SIM: When using XLR BALANCED LINE OUTPUT (T), this switch offers three different tonal options-a flat, uncolored amp signal without speaker cabinet emulation (OFF); and two impulse response (IR) profiles emulating different speaker/microphone-placement combinations (1 and 2). So hearing sometimes is believing (;-) Best regards ...
You're gonna love it. Iv had mine for 3 months now and I'm still obsessing over it. One thing I have noticed is that the speaker needs to be broken in. Once you break it in it just starts sounding better and better. When I first got it I thought it sounded good but after a few months it sounded great! Have fun!
@@landonkirk2825 well Iv been playing it a bedroom volume most of the time so it took a while. If you play it louder i think it would break in faster? I think? Not 100% sure but that would make sense to me. I noticed a difference after I had it for 2 months. Playing it for an hour or 2 almost every day. I did crank it a few times and played for a good while each time. It seemed to just sound great after that. I don't know alot about amps but I would think if you jam it loud it would break it in faster.
eli pop so I’ve been using my tone master exclusively at church plugged in direct and it sounds great. At home I use my tube DR. I will say there are some differences but again the speaker in the tone master isn’t broken in yet. I’m still really happy about the tone master- I hope fender comes out with some updates to clip the bright cap etc...
@@landonkirk2825 yea that would be really cool to have the option. When I first bought the tonemaster I will admit that the sound didn't really blow me away. I thought it sounded pretty good but not great. Like I said, just put some miles on it and you will see how much better it sounds soon. Personally I love it! I'm really curious about the tonemaster twin also. Iv heard nothing but good things about them. I think fender really nailed modeling to such a degree that it could be revolutionary. I'm sure we will start seeing more modeling of classic amps like these in the future.
My TMDR is on the delivery truck. The verb sounds devine @4:30 with that amazing strat. Great, EASY demo... I'm hoping it sounds as good in person (AND through the XLR out to the band's mixer!)
as i watched this [great vid btw ] i had my 60s pro reverb plugged in and played along,it sounded as good as my real deal.especially cab 2 sim.i want one .this will be my next amp
Yeah its almost here. I got lots of tube amps but crap what a hassle. did pick up the Yamaha THR 10 amp....play it all the time at the house , its perfect. Yeah tubes are just about history
Great video, John! Your review solidified my decision to buy one of these babies. Now what I really need is a tab for your tasty rendition of I Can't Stop Loving You!
A/B it with the tube version, you will feel otherwise. It's not bad, but its not the same whoomp that the tube version hits you in the chest with. Don't know how else to say it. I am convinced its the neo-dymium speaker which was used for lightening the weight is the culprit in it sounding so different to my ears.
MrTooter007 I've a/b them blindly not knowing which kind of amps I was playing and I can say the attack feels a little too clean. It's just barely too crisp and sensitive and I think it's the SS design. That said though, they don't sound different, just feel it. Maybe closer to two versions of the same amp instead of a real one and a copy. Currently own a twin
@@johnbohlinger Thank you John. I feel stupid now, because I know the song. Fantastic sound sir, makes me smile when I listen to it new subscriber here. Frank
Of course the price will question alot of people, because it's not all tube and so on. Fender had and has to pay all the employees programming and testing the software/dsp/circuit in the tone master amps. That's something they didn't had to with the old amps. I hope the price drops though
EXactly . it should be at least half the price of the real thing. The reason Fender wont make the hand wired "point to point' amps they used to make (which in my opinion are the only true Fender amps) is because they cost too much to manufacture. Now they have a circuit board that is modeling the old "real" fender amps and it's construction is fully automated and they want the same price as a hand wired amp. OK lets give Fender the benefit of the doubt and say that it would cost DOUBLE the price to make the "real" Fender amp today.. Why not make them like you used to and charge double and let the customer decide if they want to spend that much on an amp instead of running all of those customers away by making a cheap imitation of their previous products . All your doing is driving your customer to another manufacture that will make what they want or worse case to a Boutique manufacturer. I just think Fender has consistently made the wrong choice in this matter.
@@gilh3947 Sure is! Don't own one yet, but my next semi-hollow will be an Eastman. The quality and workmanship of every Eastman I've ever picked up is very consistent. Unfortunately I can't say that about the Gibson's I've demoed. And of course Gibson can't EVEN begin to compete on price, which IS a shame.
Sorry if its already been said, but I would like to know why the attenuator is even a thing except marketing. Its Digital. I believe they could've simply controlled the profile along the volume sweep. Any thoughts?
If it breaks can I take it to my amp tech, or do I have to ship it to Fender? A bad tube can be replaced in less than 5 minutes, how fast can I put in a new circuit board? I'm all about modeling, but what happens when it breaks, and where do I take it to get it fixed?
John, I always look forward to your noodling on these videos and the content is awesome but please fire the guy that is producing these things with that jittery, middle of an earthquake style of video production. You're killing me. It really and truly suuuuuucks! As far as the Fenders new TONE MASTER AMPS go - I love the idea.
The difference is most solid state amps are meant to be cheap and thusly are cheaply made... they used quality processors which aren't cheap.. and high end parts throughout.. including a special neodymium speaker from Jensen and a quality real pine cabinet. It still is 300 dollars less than the DRRI which isn't hand wired or anything.
... 03/06/2020: I mostly play clean with some reverb. At what volume number does the clean channel start to break up? If I am plugged into the clean channel, can I hit footswitch to activate reverb or tremolo? Also, is there a difference in volume and tone with the 1x12 vs 2x12 speakers?
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Hey John, what overdrive pedal did you use 8:00?
Surprisingly good sounding, flexible amp. Goor review, John.
@@shagradauyo im interested in this as well
is the attenuator really an attenuator-or master volume?
John is such a great player, very knowledgable and super humble. I don't think a lot of commenters know how prolific a session and live player John is. On top of that he is super humble and one hell of a nice guy. Making personal comments is simply a waste of everyone's time. If you don't like it you can choose one of the gazillion other TH-cam videos.
he is one of my very favorite youtubers because he is no b.s., no "hit like and subscribe" b.s., he just delivers for the common man and I love that attitude! and yes, he is an awesome player.
The pure Fender tone when you played "Wicked Game" was sublime and when you kicked in that overdrive pedal.. i had to re-play that section just to believe my ears! Those Two total opposite tones that sounded so dam good.. sold it for me! Im 61 years old and playing since i was 14, Had everything over the years inc Marshall stacks and i as tell the young kids these days, let your ears be the decider, If it sounds good to you, then it'll sound good to most people and that simple demo was spectacular in getting across exactly what our ears are listening to and how good this really is. Great playing too John
It's so nice to hear John play...
Dang, John, your playing is absolutely incredible.
Had mine for little over a year. I love it! It’s VERY important to me that it weighs only 23 pounds! I don’t need an effects loop but I would like an extension speaker jack.
I Just bought this amp. It sounds fantastic. Best purchase I ever made.
@ghost mall That's the beauty of these amps. The power attenuator on the back is the deal breaker on this amp. If you can't dial a good tone on this amp you need to put the guitar down and take up golf.
Is this amp loud enough to keep up with a band?
I’ve had my Tone Master deluxe now for about a week and I love it! I just used it in rehearsal- plugged in direct and also mic’d the cab and it sounded incredible. The sound guy was blown away. He thought I was using my tube DRRI. It’s so convenient and easy to use...I hope fender makes more of these!
I am amazed that was modeling. It sounded better than most to me. Excellent review as always John, well done!
Your playing over that progression at the beginning hits in the feels, man. Absolutely beautiful. Great review, too. Thanks for posting.
I've had this amp for about a year and I still love it to death every time I turn it on!
@Luke do you think it would be good amp for bedroom playing and recording in a apartment? Or its too loud?
some have suggested the attenuator is not an attenuator-just a master volume
Man oh man John that opening instrumental of I Can't Stop Loving you was heaven sent. Bravo.
Sounds absolutely perfect to me and the extra features are awesome.
Great rendition of “Can’t stop loving you” John!
And a very cool review, interesting new amp.
I gig on vintage tube Fenders all the time, and I am mystified by the assertion they are a pain in the ass. Tweed and Blackface amps are so solid they will last forever with basic care.
This is an interesting concept but I wonder how well they’ll sell. John always makes everything sound good!
It is not a cheap one...
Sales of the initial two runs have been great. Stores are having a hard time keeping them in stock as of now.
If I hadn't purchased my beloved '65 DRRI, just prior to the release of these, I probably would have saved the $200+, and got more feature versatility, just sayin'.
@Ozlo Houser - Cool, thanks. It has a far better chance of still blasting in 50 yrs than I do. Although some folks live that long, usually the only rockin' they do is in a chair, dozing. hehehe
2 years later, they are still flying off the shelves. great amp and I love tubes, but this is basically maintenance free and sounds really really close to the real thing.
I own a 67 deluxe reverb with a G12H 30 in it. Just played a One of these Tone Master Deluxes and was very impressed . Sounds like tubes to me !
I tried the Twin out at a store.It was awesome.My only concern comes down to how long it'll hold up.. especially as Fender has put their warranty down to two years.
Yep. Big price, thin warranty, red flag?
Solid state so it'll probably run forever.
@@SynZ777 Sorry don't think so, cheap capacitors. Warranty down to 2 years, fender doesn't think it will last.
@@ralphy6526 It’s a PCB. Not hard to install new caps in the unlikely scenario of them blowing. Besides, a warranty is not a testament of how good an amp is.
because u are smart :). they gonna release a ToneMaster2 pretty soon and then ur Fender Inc SS POS will really be worthless..... btw, i just saw a 1990's Super 112 combo on c-list at 350$...... i would start there and skip the bullshit from china
This is a brilliant idea - well done Fender, I'd definitely buy this!
I could be into a Princeton version. Would be a breeze the carry around the city when backline or decent PA aren't possibilities.
Heyman Heyguys with Deluxe and Twin this year, I expect Fender will drop a Princeton and a Super next year.
Rik McRae I think a great addition to this line would be a ‘59 Bassman that was designed as a modern bass amp.
@@rikmcrae Would love to see a Super! Was just thinking about that yesterday
Charles Bolton I would love a blonde piggybacked version of the bassman.
Rik McRae I kinda don’t see the point in manufacturing the Princeton... it would be the same but with smaller cab and speaker and less controls (jut channel 2) and the problem is it would actually be the main competitor to this amp.
Wow,,, Very cool,,,, I know traditionalists will balk, but this is the wave of the future, and as us pros get older having a light weight amp will take stress off our lower backs and by the fact we can go direct into a PA makes it even more enticing. Good Job FENDER!!!!
Put a neodymium speaker in your tube Deluxe, drop weight considerably, but sacrifice good sound. This is the rub in these tonemasters to my ears. The neodymium speakers sucked in the Vox amps when they tried that about 10 years ago too in their modeling amp. Thin sounding speakers.
Which overdrive pedal was used at 7:55? Please and thank you!
For the little price difference, I went with the Twin. From bedroom to concert hall, it's got it all covered.
John that was an awesome version of I can’t stop loving you. And a great demo of this awesome amp
Great review John! PG and Andertons are the only reviews worth watching.
GTTV andertons when that clown Rob Chapman isn't involved. I can't trust a thing that comes out of his mouth anymore
Ellis Scott I love rob be he also loves everything he demos haha. Can’t get a solid review
Wow. Excellent playing as usual, John.
These things are blowing me away..
Nice tele deluxe. I have near enough the same model, though lighter in colour, but the date for mine is around 1974. A very unique sounding guitar.
I’ve got to try one of these. I love the blackface style amps but they’re way too loud to be practical for me.
Best intro ever...absolutely beautiful man!
Beautiful rendition of I Can’t Stop Loving You. I am a tube amp guy and would like to know, do you hear enough difference in a Handwired Deluxe Reissue ($2300-$2500) verses your 1965 Deluxe to make you chose one over the other, or keep you from buying the Handwired new version ? I love all vintage guitars and amps, I think I need help. LOL 😂 Thanks John.
I'm not John, but I've spent some time w the handwired.. Sounds really good but has way less headroom than the normal production model 65 reissue bc of the 30w Jensen in the back vs the 90w in the newest pcb reissues. Both are fine amps.
Thank you for the song title! I very much enjoyed, and knew I had heard that somewhere...but could not place it!
Ryan Hill You are welcome. My Dad used to play the song a lot when I was a kid.
Gotta love the converses with the duck tape.... now that's classic!
John's review finally kinda sold me. Nice & light w/balls to the wall accurate reproduction. My trusty '65 twin has been in my bros crawl space in San Rafael for 6 years. Shipping it back east, alone would kill me. My back and ears really like the new tone-pro concept for half the price. Perhaps time to unload my 3 mustangs (& maybe even my pre CBS twin). Hope it's not another reoccurring curse of the early adopter ( i.e. 3 mustangs). Fenders logic seems sound, this time around. However, my dog could hear the difference
If it sounds good, great, but why not offer effects loop? Couldn’t be hard given the solid state design....
daikuone That will be for version 2 which they will release in a year for even more...
Yeah, maybe not hard at all, but if you want to milk your customers of course, do it later on. Peavey's Vypyr Pro has an effects loop plus loads of amps and effects and a chaining rigs option, etc. etc. for only $600. Just the amps quality of sound is supposed to be superb so there's something to ponder.
just get the real thing.
I thought just that. The D.I. Can be used as a post speaker fx source but you still need another amp or a PA
You don’t need an effects loop for a clean amp.
Great demo and great sounding amp! Can't wait to check one out!
I definitely want to check one out. I am bemused by people who are outraged that they seemed to get the sound right with newer, lighter, technology that won't break your back and want to charge the same price. Is it actually about the sound or just an attachment to 80 year old tech? Maybe if they emulate the tube smell as well it'll be worth it.
Seems a good amp, light with a lot of features. Good thorough review and great playing as usual. Thx.
Ah, the sound it was meant to make in the intro. Beautiful!
Always sounding spot on John!
A little older ,a little wiser! Peace!
Nice guitar arrangement of I can’t stop loving you By Ray Charles.
Don’t get me wrong I love valve amps but the future is Amp Modelling.
Amp, effects all in one. Light and easy...
Ray was covering Don Gibson’s original composition. Credit where it’s due.
Fender: It sounds like tubes so we’re going to charge you the same price....😒
Lol!
Free market...they can charge whatever we are willing to pay as consumers. If you don't like it or can't afford it , build your own amp.
Research, product development and prototyping, different production methods and tooling just for 2 amps, advertising etc. and yep, to sound the same and adding features, reduced weight, you pay for it. If it’s not what you need fine, just buy the one you do like. Easy.
Katana 100 MK2 is less than half the price
@@antonioduarte1335 I do build my own point to point tube amps, and I will complain about the absurd price of a 1000 dollar transistor modeling amp, but thank you captain capitalism for your wonderful advice
Excellent demonstration . I’ve got mine on order! Nice playing BTW.
Dig the quick taste test. Would like a thorough exploration of: Does it sound like a digital amp? How close does it capture the best aspects of tube: warmth with clarity, sweet attack and feel, responsive to dynamics of how you play?
I've watched the indepth behind the scenes Fender video about the design process and I've watched a lot of reviews. These Tone Masters are powerful core 4 computers dedicated and focused to do just one thing, which is to sound like just this one amp. We're so used to modeling amps with smaller processors providing half-assed versions of everything.
I've yet to come across a review where they're not amazed at how favorably these compare to the originals with many shocked to find that they may prefer these.
John, great video !! Thanks for sharing !!!
I greatly appreciate your review of these amps. I have to admit I'm still a little skeptical about modeling amps, but your review makes me want to give this amp a closer look. Thanks.
You can tell John likes his motorcyles the way he likes his guitars: old and characterful. He's still wearing a selector guard on his left shoe and his jeans feature what seems to be motor oil stains. How I relate...
Those first triple stop bends you did were sa-weeet!
Love that cranked tone. That's the sound I hear on many classic rock recordings
Pretty cool John, get that tele deluxe serviced too
hehe I don't feel so bad about my dirty pots now.
great sound
great play
great looks
great tight jeans
I use it on my Gretsch Hollowbody and with just a tape echo and a little bit of compression I get the perfect sound.
When recording via DI, connect it to the recorder through the universal audio volt276 and you will be able to record with a very rich sound.
It was a really good purch
thanks🙏
Not into modeling, but digs this model. 👍
@Luke Well hey, I'm into modeling now. Have an AXE III. And a lot of the Neural DSP stuff is insane. I'm a believer now!
Great review. Most informative than other reviews. Thanks
While my 58 year old ears love tubes, my 58 year old back doesn't seem to be in love with them anymore. I may need to look at one of these. Thanks for the heads up!
I'm feeling you, brother. My boot is kicking my 58 yr old ass. If I had waited just a few months before purchasing my beloved '65 DRRI, (which was WAY beyond my means and more of an amp than my skill level deserves), I could have saved $200+, more back strain AND got more cool features. My 58 yr old ears would LOVE the attenuator.
Im only 53 but my back isnt happy with the extra weight either1
Lovely review and playing! Cheers.
Excellent review and amp, I will very likely be
buying this model, I have a great sounding tube
head now, but then there's the 412 cabinet, or the
still very large 212 cabinet lol.
And thanks a ton for the awesome lick, 7:25 , one of those
super cool licks you can noodle around on during
a sound check etc. Awesome.
How many people are listening on cheap speakers here..... or their phone or laptop.... give it a listen though great headphones or studio monitors... or even better, go try one. I didn't love the Twin version but the Deluxe is a home run in my opinion.
Why did you prefer the Deluxe?
Couldn’t wait for this review and It was indeed excellent! This is an amazing release from Fender. Just proved to top every modeling amp on the market. What will they come up with next using the intense R & D that went into the tone master series?
Princeton
Effects loop?
I bought one and I must say I love it !
The sound man loves it and it’s just an amazing amp to gig with and record
I couldn’t be happier although I have to admit , I did swap the speaker with a Celestion Creamback
It just kicked it up a notch
An Alnico Gold would be awesome as well.
I bet that increased the weight a lot though, right?
Wes Chilton actually I was pleasantly surprised it didn’t. Plus if picking up an extra pound or two is not what you want , you can always return it to stock .
In my opinion most of the weight came from the PT, OT
Don’t you need a 100 watt speaker?
The Tremonts no
This is exactly what I was hoping someone would do. I think the neodymium speakers always suck tone. When you say it "kicked it up a notch", better bass and clarity by chance? I would think so with a better magnet, ANYTHING but these neo speakers would be better.
I really wish Fender put attenuator on all of their tube amps too for more options. So many other brands are doing this, it makes the amp so darn versatile for whatever your use is.
Such a nice guy, great player. Reminds me of Mr Peanut Butter from Bojack Horseman.
Great version of I can’t stop loving you. Thanks for that. Cool demo as well.
Nice ...
Just to mention: the Cabinet Sim does work on the XLR output!
Please refer to owners manual Page 2:
- CABINET SIM: When using XLR BALANCED LINE OUTPUT (T), this switch offers three different tonal options-a flat, uncolored amp signal without speaker cabinet emulation (OFF); and two impulse response (IR) profiles emulating different speaker/microphone-placement combinations (1 and 2).
So hearing sometimes is believing (;-)
Best regards ...
Amp sounds great. Not really a bad price for all those options.
I just bought one! It should arrive by Friday, I’ll post my thoughts on it!
You're gonna love it. Iv had mine for 3 months now and I'm still obsessing over it. One thing I have noticed is that the speaker needs to be broken in. Once you break it in it just starts sounding better and better. When I first got it I thought it sounded good but after a few months it sounded great! Have fun!
eli pop sweet! How many hours did it take you to break in you think?
@@landonkirk2825 well Iv been playing it a bedroom volume most of the time so it took a while. If you play it louder i think it would break in faster? I think? Not 100% sure but that would make sense to me. I noticed a difference after I had it for 2 months. Playing it for an hour or 2 almost every day. I did crank it a few times and played for a good while each time. It seemed to just sound great after that. I don't know alot about amps but I would think if you jam it loud it would break it in faster.
eli pop so I’ve been using my tone master exclusively at church plugged in direct and it sounds great. At home I use my tube DR. I will say there are some differences but again the speaker in the tone master isn’t broken in yet. I’m still really happy about the tone master- I hope fender comes out with some updates to clip the bright cap etc...
@@landonkirk2825 yea that would be really cool to have the option. When I first bought the tonemaster I will admit that the sound didn't really blow me away. I thought it sounded pretty good but not great. Like I said, just put some miles on it and you will see how much better it sounds soon. Personally I love it! I'm really curious about the tonemaster twin also. Iv heard nothing but good things about them. I think fender really nailed modeling to such a degree that it could be revolutionary. I'm sure we will start seeing more modeling of classic amps like these in the future.
I wish they do a tweed bassman like this
Nathan Boone Me too!
Then try the Roland Blues Cube Artist. Killer amp !!
My TMDR is on the delivery truck. The verb sounds devine @4:30 with that amazing strat. Great, EASY demo... I'm hoping it sounds as good in person (AND through the XLR out to the band's mixer!)
as i watched this [great vid btw ] i had my 60s pro reverb plugged in and played along,it sounded as good as my real deal.especially cab 2 sim.i want one .this will be my next amp
Yeah its almost here. I got lots of tube amps but crap what a hassle. did pick up the Yamaha THR 10 amp....play it all the time at the house , its perfect. Yeah tubes are just about history
I love the "first look" like this. No more Samsung phone camera 😂 better audio. but as laid-back as usual.
Mr Bollinger ... you are a mighty fine Player ... Great demo man ...👍👍👍
Intro: Koos Alberts - eenmaal kom jij terug. 👍👍🏽👍🏾👍🏿
Thanks PG! Thanks John!
Does it make a great archtop jazz sound?
Great playing friend I play surf music and had the old school amp but reverb is real touchy does reverb still have a drip
Introduction playing superb
Great video, John! Your review solidified my decision to buy one of these babies. Now what I really need is a tab for your tasty rendition of I Can't Stop Loving You!
Can’t lie.. that sounds like a deluxe..
He had alot of reverb and it being cranked so you won't know the difference.
@@Stump51 No. They sound roughly the same for real this time.
th-cam.com/video/WeDr7u_hwGA/w-d-xo.html
@@Stump51 well, all i can say is that if you mix a lot of reverb, single coil and vibrato you can breath a piece of heaven
A/B it with the tube version, you will feel otherwise. It's not bad, but its not the same whoomp that the tube version hits you in the chest with. Don't know how else to say it. I am convinced its the neo-dymium speaker which was used for lightening the weight is the culprit in it sounding so different to my ears.
MrTooter007 I've a/b them blindly not knowing which kind of amps I was playing and I can say the attack feels a little too clean. It's just barely too crisp and sensitive and I think it's the SS design. That said though, they don't sound different, just feel it. Maybe closer to two versions of the same amp instead of a real one and a copy. Currently own a twin
Wow that opening section so cool! Watched this a few times today really fancying one of these or a twin :)
Ok John, where's the twin review with your pedal steel? I gotta hear your input on the twin!
Anybody know the song played at 4:30? Sounds great
Yes, he's teasing/quoting a bit of "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaac there...(th-cam.com/video/dlJew-Dw87I/w-d-xo.html)
What were you playing at the start of this video. Liked it so much I went back to hear it again.
Thanks
Thank you. That;s my take on I Can't Stop Loving You, w a knod to Ray Charles.
@@johnbohlinger
Thank you John. I feel stupid now, because I know the song. Fantastic sound sir, makes me smile when I listen to it new subscriber here.
Frank
Hello excellent sound what is your overdrive pedal sounds great?
Nice touch with Wicked Game 👌👍
Of course the price will question alot of people, because it's not all tube and so on. Fender had and has to pay all the employees programming and testing the software/dsp/circuit in the tone master amps. That's something they didn't had to with the old amps. I hope the price drops though
watched a few demos before coming here. This demo has sold me tho. I w be buying one tomorrow. Thanx John
Made in China, solid state and costs a grand. What a deal Fender!
Eastman guitars...built in China, beat Gibson guitars , built in the US. Both in quality and in price. Sad but true.
EXactly . it should be at least half the price of the real thing. The reason Fender wont make the hand wired "point to point' amps they used to make (which in my opinion are the only true Fender amps) is because they cost too much to manufacture. Now they have a circuit board that is modeling the old "real" fender amps and it's construction is fully automated and they want the same price as a hand wired amp. OK lets give Fender the benefit of the doubt and say that it would cost DOUBLE the price to make the "real" Fender amp today.. Why not make them like you used to and charge double and let the customer decide if they want to spend that much on an amp instead of running all of those customers away by making a cheap imitation of their previous products . All your doing is driving your customer to another manufacture that will make what they want or worse case to a Boutique manufacturer. I just think Fender has consistently made the wrong choice in this matter.
a grand? why so much?
@@gilh3947 Sure is! Don't own one yet, but my next semi-hollow will be an Eastman. The quality and workmanship of every Eastman I've ever picked up is very consistent. Unfortunately I can't say that about the Gibson's I've demoed. And of course Gibson can't EVEN begin to compete on price, which IS a shame.
The price has to come way down on these, that’s for sure! And I would probably get one and still keep my valve amp!
Sorry if its already been said, but I would like to know why the attenuator is even a thing except marketing. Its Digital. I believe they could've simply controlled the profile along the volume sweep. Any thoughts?
What were you using for an overdrive, at 7:55 in the video? :)
Old MXR Green
@@johnbohlinger Thanks for the reply. Do you mean the MXR Classic Overdrive? :)
If it breaks can I take it to my amp tech, or do I have to ship it to Fender? A bad tube can be replaced in less than 5 minutes, how fast can I put in a new circuit board? I'm all about modeling, but what happens when it breaks, and where do I take it to get it fixed?
I must learn that intro rendition of I cant stop loving you. Well done.
Nice playing Bro. Very tasteful.
Amp sounds great! I want to learn that three bend lick that starts at :38
John, I always look forward to your noodling on these videos and the content is awesome but please fire the guy that is producing these things with that jittery, middle of an earthquake style of video production. You're killing me. It really and truly suuuuuucks! As far as the Fenders new TONE MASTER AMPS go - I love the idea.
A little pricey for a solid-state amp, it does sound good!!
The difference is most solid state amps are meant to be cheap and thusly are cheaply made... they used quality processors which aren't cheap.. and high end parts throughout.. including a special neodymium speaker from Jensen and a quality real pine cabinet. It still is 300 dollars less than the DRRI which isn't hand wired or anything.
Thanks !!!.....this vid made my day John!!!!...... health has been wonky and needd an uplift!.......thanx brother!...... feeln Better already!.....
Recomended for gigs?
He’s got the tube amp backed up against the couch.
Still wearing the taped shoes! LOL> Keep up the good work John
... 03/06/2020: I mostly play clean with some reverb. At what volume number does the clean channel start to break up? If I am plugged into the clean channel, can I hit footswitch to activate reverb or tremolo? Also, is there a difference in volume and tone with the 1x12 vs 2x12 speakers?
Depends on your guitar and pickups. With my strat it stays clean until 4.5 on the volume dial.
And by the way I love your guitar playing,,,, Oh My....