I was fooled by one of these in a guitar shop here in Austin, Tx.(Strait Music Company). I had left my Strat with them to get some work done on it. (1986 ...57’ reissue loaded with Texas Specials). When I picked it up I walked over to their amp section and saw the Twin logo and didn’t notice Tone Master at the bottom. Reached behind the amp to turn the power on, waited a couple mins then turned on the standby switch as I’ve so often done with Twins. Dialed it in like I usually do and proceeded to play some tasty riffs and licks to test out the changes on my axe. I didn’t really notice any difference in tone. Then I saw the price tag dangling off the side...was like why is this Twin only a grand?!? Thought it might be used so I looked around the back. Saw all that stuff going on back there. Thought to myself...what the hell is this?!?!!!! What kind of sacrilege or heresy is this?!?!!! So I played around with the “attenuator”. Lowered it, cranked the volume, as you would with a hot plate on an amp like this or a Super Reverb, and it did exactly what you’d get if you were indeed using a hot plate. Got the amount of breakup I liked at lower volume. My old 90’s era red knob Twin weighed a ton. I got rid of it years ago. Had a few Twins throughout the years and loved them but I could never quite get the sound I wanted without cranking it up, pissing off bar managers or using a hot plate. Took a different direction through the years in terms of Amps and put the Twins on the back burner. But after playing through this, being fooled by it, and taking into consideration all the other features it has to offer...I’m sold on it. Fender really nailed it with the tech and all the time in R&D they put into making this amp. Unlike other modeling amps that switch through three or more different “amp” models kinda okay, This one does one thing very very well. Without a side by side I was fooled. But I will admit in this video I could tell within the first A to B with one was the Tube Amp. But in a band setting in a live venue the difference wouldn’t be very discernible. This amp is worth having in your arsenal...or at least in my arsenal. Great vid Bro!!!
I spent the whole video hopping the one I preferred was the tone master. I preferred the twin by a county mile. Both sounded great, but the twin has way more depth and drives nicely. I’d be happy taking the tone master to gigs though!
There certainly is difference, however the solid state amp sounds pretty damn good. There is a factor that I haven't seen mentioned that are worth considering. Maintenance. That SS Twin amp is going to sound the same after ten years, while the std. Twin is going to have needed a re-tube at least once. For most players (especially small-venue giggers) the slight tonal distinction is marginal, while the convenience of the SS Twin is huge.
Just bought the Tone Master Twin Reverb blonde with Celestians. Great amp but It's not to compare with a twin reverb's tone. I can however play forever at low volume around the house with zero maintenance. I'm very happy. .
Full disclosure...my ears have 67 years of wear and tear on 'em! The amps definitely sounded a little different, but I kept going back & forth on which was digital and which was analog. At the end of the day I think it's a toss up in a live band environment. Given that, the weight alone tips the balance in the Tonemaster's favor...load in & load out are my least favorite parts of gigging :-) Love the content Mike!
Great video, thanks! Amp A sounded brighter for the first few samples but B also sounded good, nice and warm. With o/d, amp A stole it for me, much more clarity to my ears but in a band situation I don’t think I’d hear the difference too clearly.
Good test thanks for the video I'll take the 33 pound tone master any day there is not that much of a big difference. the tone master is cleaner to me plus I am 60 years old who wants to lift a 70 pound tube amp these days not me.
The Tone Master definitely isn't as concise and sparkly as the tube Twin, but I'm curious as to whether that could be eq'd out. I'm curious if perhaps a little tweaking with the treble and mids would get it closer. the TM sounds great, but it sounds like an amp that may have the same eq settings on the knob as the tube Twin, but hasn't been EQ'd to sound like the Twin does. It really does sound like two similar amps that are just eq'd differently more than anything. Great video and playing, thank you.
Hey! I'll never forget Adam Lee! On one of his older TH-cam channels he made one of the sweetest sounding Gretsch videos I've ever seen/heard. Great player 👌.
Not a massive difference but enough to detect which was which. The valve is certainly my preferred sound - the warmth and depth appeals more to my taste but if budget, weight, maintenance etc are a concern, the Solid State offers a viable alternative...
I would agree if these Tonemasters had been a $500, maybe $600, but not $900 for a modeled sound. The other features are really cool, but I’m going to pass until at least the next version.
I closed my eyes and chose amp A each time. I came here because I WANT to but the tonemaster - reliability, weight, hum...... but in the end, I chose the original. no pain, no gain.
For a pedal platform the solid state amps today are not our father’s solid state amps! I own a few great tube amps (Marshall Bluesbreaker, Fender Bassman and Vox AC30) but lately I’ve been using the DV Mark Raw Dawg Eric Gales head with a Frank Gambale cab. It is an outstanding pedal platform amp, has a ton of power and does that “bloom” thing we look for when pushed. And combined the two pieces weigh less than 30 pounds! What a wonderful time to be a guitar player! Great job as usual Mike
I couldn't tell the difference on TH-cam, or even at the guitar shop, so I bought one. It's after a few days, that's when you start to really hear the difference. It's especially true when you use overdrive. It sounds flat, very tight digital sound. For gigs, it's fine. people are drunk bands going to have a horrible sound anyway. Drummer too loud, feed back on mics, roaring loud crowd. In that setting it's fine I guess, but at home when it's just you and your music... That's where it hurt the most. I sent mine straight back
@@piccicacca i used an ibanez tube screamer, and I have a boss dsitortion pedal I really only use the tube screamer though. So, a bit of wah, some chorus and a tube screamer, I also just use the amps reverb. I tried one of these tone master things, at the shop it sounded fine it really did sound good. I took it home for a few days, and when it's just you and the amp, in a nice quiet room, that's where you notice it. It doesn't have that real electric guitar tone, if that makes any sense. It doesn't have that same piercing sound, or any real crunch, something was clearly missing. It's so hard to describe sound with words, but some words that spring to mind are, soul piercing, crunching, electric crackling (but in a good way) just think money for nothing main riff. guitar kind of talks, quacks and spits, u feel electricity piercing your gut and it sounds kind of crunchy (as I said, decribing sound is hard) But in a band, on stage in a noisey bar, who cares, it's only at home where you are really listening where it hurts.
I love the route these solid state amps are going! the only thing they have yet to replicate is breakup at a high volume, when that happens, I’ll buy one haha
Listening on some mixing speakers at the moment.. The difference is pretty big to me. Amp A is deeper and thicker. Compression feels softer. Amp B is thinner and brigher. Compression feels sharper. My guess: B is digital. I'm right. I'm curious though.. When his final comment from this guy is that the Tube amp is very loud, that leads me to believe he had it turned up louder. I mean, maybe the volume knobs were on the same number, but he implies that the Tube amp sounded louder. So if you turned the Tube amp down to level match it with the Digital amp (or turned the digital up), would they actually be more similar? Both our ears and Mics are going to capture more of that deep low end if the true volume of the amp is actually louder. And yeah a hundred watt tube amp is going to be able to reach a much higher loudness than a hundred watt solid state because of soft vs. hard clipping/compression at the ceiling, but a hundred Watt Solid State is plenty loud enough for any size gig, and the Cab IR on the tonemaster makes it easier to connect to a PA/mixer than Miking a Tube Twin.
B just sounds like a dialed back Twin that hasn't hit that sweet spot yet. Still sounds great, just doesn't have that oomph. Depending on your gigging situation, I could easily see why someone would go with the tone master. For live shows it gets you close enough while saving your back and your wallet. Worth it for a local gigging musician, maybe not for a big tour or studio. It's kinda like a player's series Strat in that it has all the features you want for being playable with a solid tone profile, but none of the extra fine details you'd get in a custom shop build.
I get the feeling that we’re being up sold! I’ve heard other comparisons between the two and the differences are almost indistinguishable. Perhaps Fender is loosing market shares in their tube range and feel the need to thumb the scales a little. The volume on the TM could have been match easily and it could have been dialed in a bit better compared with what I’ve heard before!
Side by side it is pretty evident as the digital amp is way less detailed and punchy. But I bet if you had the TM Twin in a backline and didn't have a chance to A/B it you'd get through your gig just fine. This sounds way better than the kidney bean POD that we had 20 years ago and is another step in the evolution of digital amps.
I thought they were closer in the cleaner samples - I could barely tell the difference. When more grind was added, I thought the note definition, string to string definition, was a little sharper in the tube amp. I still want one, though (a tone master), because I'm getting old and my Mesa Lonestar Special weighs 60 pounds!!
The difference is day and night! ''Amp A,'' has better dynamic range and more low-end frequencies, while ''Amp B'' sounds more ''thin'' in dynamic range (slightly compressed, which is common due being it a digital chip/emulation)
Could tell straight away. A was brighter and warmer. B sounded a bit flatter, not as full. However the difference isn't massive and the practicalities of the tonemaster make it worth checking out .
The results surprised me because I thought A had a punchier/livlier tone ................ which I assumed would be the SS version. I was wrong. That Twin Reverb Reissue was awesome. The ToneMaster (B) was very good but a clear underdog to the real deal. IMO
WOW OK! I picked first A: But I actually wasn't sure on 2ed& 3ed riffs. Theres very slight differences between the Two. Now construction comes into play:Switch quality's from Jack's to quality materials? That's why I keep my original black face and usually just buy someone a few beers to Lug it around 2 gigs.
They both sounded great clean. Amp "A" sounded better with the dirt pedal, not much better though. Honestly, I just didn't like that dirt pedal, or maybe the way it was adjusted. It made both amps sound dark and muddy to my ears.
Little more low end in the tone master I think? Thing is, even though not a 100% match (maybe 99%), they both still sound amazing and I defo want a tone master - got my eye on the new blonde twin! Great job by Fender - great vid as always by Mike Bradley (awesome player)! 👏
Low volume gigs I use my Gries 5 Blackface so I can get my tube sound fix. Louder ones and the TMDR come along. It sound just as good in the louder mix. At home I still sounds great. The tube version is prone to issues and farts and breaks my back. After years of this the tone, even with its difference in tone is worth the money if only for the XLR out. Best direct recording amp around.
Differences are clear. I could tell immediately. The tone master is missing a noticeable amount of mids and the reverb was a dead giveaway. Great review thanks
Got it right but the difference was not huge. My old ears are not so great these days and I suspect a younger listener might separate them more easily.
I guess I have to call this the best comparison yet. I say that, because the difference was very clear and consistent. I hoped that I would prefer the ToneMaster, but preferred the tube amp in every section. Perhaps, the digital amp needs a bit less compression. That might make it harder to distinguish the two. Thanks for this demo!
I am in Tanzania East Africa where any of the two are unavailable. They sound good both, with the first being better, I guess not that much better to huge price difference. Nowhere to even test any. THANKS FOR THE DEMO
In this video I really enjoyed amp A The real tube fender twin but I do have the tone master twin reverb and I really enjoy playing it on 12W setting with Amp just above for it sounds so good and sweet I will more than likely post a video about it on my TH-cam page
Ok nice sounds (as always), great tones, super played blablabla. Typical high end Mike Bradley quality (not kiddin'), loved it. But i could not get my eyes from that guitar for the whole video. Man thats kind of a dream to me.
I'm just an old bedroom composer/player, so it makes no sense to worry about a tube sound. And the attenuation option for the Tone Master makes it a rock solid choice for fading away shit buckets like me. However, first off, I liked the Option A sound better. That siad, the one thing about modeling is that the tone algorithm is based on a specific amp sonic signature. In addition, the age of the speakers is obviously going to impact another level of things. So many variables! I'm about to empty my savings account for the Toney.
Hard to tell from my phone speakers, but my local shop (and turbo-Fender-fanboys/dealers) have a similar setup for people to try, and I definitely like the solid state better. Of course, Mike would prefer the sound of a screaming rabid cat as long as it had a valve in its belly, but we knew that going in. ;)
I guessed it right... the tube its like ya can hear each note in a chord... dont get me wrong the solid state sounded really good... fender has come a long way with solid state amps
Wow they both sound great! I’m glad you did this video because I’ve been super into fender amps lately! The clean on the tone master sounded really good. Maybe a little hollow compared to the tubes but not bad by any means. With drive I think the tubes were much better. I been looking into getting that 22 watt 65 deluxe reverb. Is that pretty much the same amp as this twin reverb but smaller? I’ve got a 2006 or 07 fender hot rod deluxe and I’m not super happy with it sounds like it has a blanket over it. Maybe a new speaker and having the tubes biased would help? I’m skeptical If I should put more money into it if I’m still not going to like it that much.
You would be surprised the sound difference is by changing the speaker. The difference between the delux and the twin will be the headroom. Both fantastic amps though.
Dont understand you. The Hot Rod has one of the most high headroom clean sounds and is considered one if not the best pedal platform amp. They are used in testing when pedal makers design their pedals. Keep it if you use a lot of pedals
@@spada60 He said "the difference between the "delux" and the "twin" will be the headroom". He was not in anyway talking about the Hot Rod "Deluxe" but rather the Tonemaster "Deluxe" vs. the Tonemaster "Twin". Get it now? The Tonemaster Twin has more headroom than the Tonemaster "Deluxe". Get it now?
Real deal was overall better - more full sounding. For what I do, the percussive high-end crunch (think reggae, funk, finger style) of the Tone-master totally works for me. I do still detect some solid-state-esque behavior from the tone master, but still a very likeable amp as someone who has played one.
I have the tube version and the tone master version' you'll definitely hear, and the response is different playing live especially using all analog pedals' the tube version by a mile.
The tube amp has a brighter and more delineated sound. The Tonemaster sounds slightly muffled. I suppose you could just bump up the treble and that might even out the difference. Given all the other great features that come with the Tonemaster, as well as weighing and costing less than the tube version, it would be great if the solution could as simple as boosting the treble. In the end, though, I think you have to try them live yourself before making a decision on a purchase. Very entertaining video!
Finally there’s an affordable reliable decent sounding alternative to a preCBS amp. It’s about time. I’ll take it. Lighter and under warranty. Thank you.
I can hear the difference between the two without much problem. Seems like we're talking about the difference between roses and lilies here. Both are lovely and sweet. Wouldn't want to live a life without both in it. Especially playing live, I'm not sure an exact dialed in tone matters that much anyway. If your close, it's fine. In love with your videos, Mike. Always a great job.
Both amps sound great. But, hearing one or the other in a track may even be more indistinguishable in the end. And what’s not to like about 15 kg. Would be interesting to hear how a few Celestion’s would sound in this amp, or even the TM Deluxe Reverb.
IS That a original '65 Blackface? Or Re issue? I picked the 2ed at beginning u was playing more aggressively at first, then A sounded great, think its tubes? Or not..?
@@MikeBradleyofficial reissue, ok, it looked to good to be a original? I still have my twin BLK.fce, a original from 60s, my first real amp. It cost me $299.99 in 67. In my opinion, the Newer tone Master's are not as well put together: switches, seems a bit inferior,?, But its seems like its all about the weight,& replicating tube tone... Glad people like you are still keeping FENDER TWINS ALIVE and still Desirable. Thanks! Happy Holidays...
What amp would you recommend someone who started on a Marshall code 25 it’s digital as a beginner now I’m past the beginner stage I’m thinking bout getting a proper amp with valves what would you recommend guys? I mainly play nirvana/greenday
Hi Jake, you can’t go wrong with a Fender amp, I would always recommend trying one out. If you’re just playing at home the vox ac4 tv is also a great amp.
If ain't buzzin' like a fridge. It isn't a real Twin. :) Amp A is rather like your coked up step brother doing a belly flop in to the ball pit at Jungletastic. Amp B reminds me of a Methodist Church. Very clean. Very, very clean.
The real Twin sounded great but is overkill for too many situations.Too frickin'heavy to carry.But sounds so good. The Tonemaster needs more treble maybe?But Intested the weight and it IS a gamechanger.The looks are great. 👉🏻It costs waaaay too much.That is why I spent my money on another Boogie but 1x12 50w used. This is a noble effort Fender! It sounds great but money wise,you are out far in the fields for many.
Was the bright switch on for the tonemaster? Playing at low volume the switch allows the mids and high end come through. I love my my tonemaster TR. At home level I couldn't understand why it sounded all mushy. I did alot of reading and listening and research to figure out what the switch was for. Now I know and my TMTR sounds great. I've played alot of tube amps and I did side by sides and this amp rocks.
Definitely amp A...B wasn't bad...just not as good of a tone. I'll take the valve amp. I'm 61 with ceramic knees and can manage 64 lbs with no problem with the little I would be moving it...if I were a busy gigging musician I'm sure that weight would get old quick.
I suppose it's a matter of taste. I bought one and everyone in my band likes it. A friend told me he has always hated Twins because they are so bright! I told him not this one! So there you go.
I’d bet money a good majority of the people who commented amp A was way better only did so after the fact you told them that was the genuine tube amp, lol I’m not a tube snob so I’ll say the difference is minimum. That being said if you are a working musicians the tonemaster would be perfectly acceptable for live gigs.
Yeaaah sure that's totally not cork sniffing bias at work... seriously, they sound slightly different but it would be impossible to reliably guess which is which in different blind tests.
Look regardless if your a tube snob or not..(as i am) The difference to me is negligible . For a grand You get a 29 lb amp that has attenuation.. This amp sounds really good..Hoping for a Tone Master Super Reverb someday soon
Wow the solid amp sounds really good tbh, it's true that it cannot replicate a true tube amp sound with much more headroom but for a starters like me? I'd be glad to upgrade my roland cube 60 to the tone mastah lol, Hell even a fender champion is good for me tbh, and maybe get the real tube amp when i have lots of gigs to play, the only drawbacks of the tube amp is that there are no aux or headphones jack to use in silent mode, especially in bedroom volume, only blackstar has it but the sounds is not quite the sounds that i'm looking for 🙁
06/30/2020: Why two jack channels? I see one channel is designated "Normal" for only clean tones and the other channel is labeled "Vibrato" (has reverb). So, why not just use the footswitch for reverb and you can run the Vibrato channel clean or with reverb. So, why is there a need for the "Normal" all clean channel? Also, I see it is supposed to copy the tube amp, which any tube amp cannot have headphones. But, come on, this is solid-state and they could have added a headphone jack for total silent playing. The attenuator switch in the back is basically a volume knob, and you can't play silent. So, why is there no headphone jack at a price of $1,000.00 for a slid-state amp? Can anyone out there in cyberland answer these two questions?
Add a band: I don't think I could tell the difference. It's easy when the amps are side by side and you don't have a drummer and bass player added to the mix.
Jim Barnes agree, I’d rather have a solid state at a gig. In a full band, the subtleties and can be loss. I don’t have to worry about tubes warming up or blowing a tube. Plus they weigh a ton.
I preferred the tubes in every demo. I was a little afraid you were going to tell me that was the tone master, but such was not the case. Still a tube/valve fan.
One thing about all of these Tone Master comparisons that I feel is often overlooked, the valve and digital versions have different speakers. Only the Super Reverb model has the same speaker type between both amps. Not to say that alone would change everything, but I do question if the neodymium magnets have the same definition as ceramic or alnico. It would be interesting to hear some demos of a Tone Master Twin with some nice jensen alnicos. But yeah, tube definitely sounds better, especially clean. Although depending on types of pedals used the TM version does cool stuff with distorted sounds.
The valve amp sounded like the treble was rolled down. It was easy to tell that A was the valve amp because he was enjoying into playing amp A but didn't seem to know what to do with amp B, the playing was generally worse and less passionate on the solid state amp, especially the last riff. if you rolled off some highs and mids it would be nearly impossible to tell.
Great video, well done. But it was obvious from the first match up A sounded more dynamic and lively than B. The tone master sounded like wanna be digital replica of the twin.
Yes but put a brownie cmatmods distortion threw the clean ch. And crank it. Then u will see the solid state is no good. Your not really testing the amp correctly
I was fooled by one of these in a guitar shop here in Austin, Tx.(Strait Music Company). I had left my Strat with them to get some work done on it. (1986 ...57’ reissue loaded with Texas Specials). When I picked it up I walked over to their amp section and saw the Twin logo and didn’t notice Tone Master at the bottom. Reached behind the amp to turn the power on, waited a couple mins then turned on the standby switch as I’ve so often done with Twins. Dialed it in like I usually do and proceeded to play some tasty riffs and licks to test out the changes on my axe. I didn’t really notice any difference in tone. Then I saw the price tag dangling off the side...was like why is this Twin only a grand?!? Thought it might be used so I looked around the back. Saw all that stuff going on back there. Thought to myself...what the hell is this?!?!!!! What kind of sacrilege or heresy is this?!?!!! So I played around with the “attenuator”. Lowered it, cranked the volume, as you would with a hot plate on an amp like this or a Super Reverb, and it did exactly what you’d get if you were indeed using a hot plate. Got the amount of breakup I liked at lower volume. My old 90’s era red knob Twin weighed a ton. I got rid of it years ago. Had a few Twins throughout the years and loved them but I could never quite get the sound I wanted without cranking it up, pissing off bar managers or using a hot plate. Took a different direction through the years in terms of Amps and put the Twins on the back burner. But after playing through this, being fooled by it, and taking into consideration all the other features it has to offer...I’m sold on it. Fender really nailed it with the tech and all the time in R&D they put into making this amp. Unlike other modeling amps that switch through three or more different “amp” models kinda okay, This one does one thing very very well. Without a side by side I was fooled. But I will admit in this video I could tell within the first A to B with one was the Tube Amp. But in a band setting in a live venue the difference wouldn’t be very discernible. This amp is worth having in your arsenal...or at least in my arsenal. Great vid Bro!!!
I spent the whole video hopping the one I preferred was the tone master. I preferred the twin by a county mile. Both sounded great, but the twin has way more depth and drives nicely. I’d be happy taking the tone master to gigs though!
There certainly is difference, however the solid state amp sounds pretty damn good. There is a factor that I haven't seen mentioned that are worth considering. Maintenance. That SS Twin amp is going to sound the same after ten years, while the std. Twin is going to have needed a re-tube at least once. For most players (especially small-venue giggers) the slight tonal distinction is marginal, while the convenience of the SS Twin is huge.
100%
Just bought the Tone Master Twin Reverb blonde with Celestians. Great amp but It's not to compare with a twin reverb's tone. I can however play forever at low volume around the house with zero maintenance. I'm very happy.
.
Full disclosure...my ears have 67 years of wear and tear on 'em!
The amps definitely sounded a little different, but I kept going back & forth on which was digital and which was analog. At the end of the day I think it's a toss up in a live band environment. Given that, the weight alone tips the balance in the Tonemaster's favor...load in & load out are my least favorite parts of gigging :-)
Love the content Mike!
Great video, thanks!
Amp A sounded brighter for the first few samples but B also sounded good, nice and warm. With o/d, amp A stole it for me, much more clarity to my ears but in a band situation I don’t think I’d hear the difference too clearly.
Good test thanks for the video I'll take the 33 pound tone master any day there is not that much of a big difference. the tone master is cleaner to me plus I am 60 years old who wants to lift a 70 pound tube amp these days not me.
The Tone Master definitely isn't as concise and sparkly as the tube Twin, but I'm curious as to whether that could be eq'd out. I'm curious if perhaps a little tweaking with the treble and mids would get it closer. the TM sounds great, but it sounds like an amp that may have the same eq settings on the knob as the tube Twin, but hasn't been EQ'd to sound like the Twin does. It really does sound like two similar amps that are just eq'd differently more than anything. Great video and playing, thank you.
Hey! I'll never forget Adam Lee! On one of his older TH-cam channels he made one of the sweetest sounding Gretsch videos I've ever seen/heard. Great player 👌.
Really close!! I could hear the solid state but it still kept the twin tone!! My new tone master should be here Monday
Not a massive difference but enough to detect which was which.
The valve is certainly my preferred sound - the warmth and depth appeals more to my taste but if budget, weight, maintenance etc are a concern, the Solid State offers a viable alternative...
I would agree if these Tonemasters had been a $500, maybe $600, but not $900 for a modeled sound. The other features are really cool, but I’m going to pass until at least the next version.
Dude, you are just so naturally good at speaking/presenting, and your playing never ceases to floor me.
Aww thank you buddy! :)
I closed my eyes and chose amp A each time. I came here because I WANT to but the tonemaster - reliability, weight, hum...... but in the end, I chose the original.
no pain, no gain.
The Twin is like being wrapped in a warm blanket. The Tonemaster is like looking at a photograph of a blanket
Hahaha very true!
For a pedal platform the solid state amps today are not our father’s solid state amps! I own a few great tube amps (Marshall Bluesbreaker, Fender Bassman and Vox AC30) but lately I’ve been using the DV Mark Raw Dawg Eric Gales head with a Frank Gambale cab. It is an outstanding pedal platform amp, has a ton of power and does that “bloom” thing we look for when pushed. And combined the two pieces weigh less than 30 pounds! What a wonderful time to be a guitar player! Great job as usual Mike
I couldn't tell the difference on TH-cam, or even at the guitar shop, so I bought one. It's after a few days, that's when you start to really hear the difference. It's especially true when you use overdrive. It sounds flat, very tight digital sound.
For gigs, it's fine. people are drunk bands going to have a horrible sound anyway. Drummer too loud, feed back on mics, roaring loud crowd. In that setting it's fine I guess, but at home when it's just you and your music... That's where it hurt the most. I sent mine straight back
Hi Ross, I am keen to know which overdrives and guitars you used to say that the amp was flat and digital sounding? :) Cheers for your help!
@@piccicacca i used an ibanez tube screamer, and I have a boss dsitortion pedal
I really only use the tube screamer though. So, a bit of wah, some chorus and a tube screamer, I also just use the amps reverb. I tried one of these tone master things, at the shop it sounded fine it really did sound good. I took it home for a few days, and when it's just you and the amp, in a nice quiet room, that's where you notice it.
It doesn't have that real electric guitar tone, if that makes any sense. It doesn't have that same piercing sound, or any real crunch, something was clearly missing. It's so hard to describe sound with words, but some words that spring to mind are, soul piercing, crunching, electric crackling (but in a good way) just think money for nothing main riff. guitar kind of talks, quacks and spits, u feel electricity piercing your gut and it sounds kind of crunchy (as I said, decribing sound is hard)
But in a band, on stage in a noisey bar, who cares, it's only at home where you are really listening where it hurts.
Gotta break the speakers in man...
I love the route these solid state amps are going! the only thing they have yet to replicate is breakup at a high volume, when that happens, I’ll buy one haha
As a gospel player, i like loudness with no break up without having to get a super expensive amp with 4 speakers to achieve that
Listening on some mixing speakers at the moment..
The difference is pretty big to me.
Amp A is deeper and thicker. Compression feels softer.
Amp B is thinner and brigher. Compression feels sharper.
My guess: B is digital.
I'm right.
I'm curious though.. When his final comment from this guy is that the Tube amp is very loud, that leads me to believe he had it turned up louder. I mean, maybe the volume knobs were on the same number, but he implies that the Tube amp sounded louder. So if you turned the Tube amp down to level match it with the Digital amp (or turned the digital up), would they actually be more similar?
Both our ears and Mics are going to capture more of that deep low end if the true volume of the amp is actually louder.
And yeah a hundred watt tube amp is going to be able to reach a much higher loudness than a hundred watt solid state because of soft vs. hard clipping/compression at the ceiling, but a hundred Watt Solid State is plenty loud enough for any size gig, and the Cab IR on the tonemaster makes it easier to connect to a PA/mixer than Miking a Tube Twin.
B just sounds like a dialed back Twin that hasn't hit that sweet spot yet. Still sounds great, just doesn't have that oomph. Depending on your gigging situation, I could easily see why someone would go with the tone master. For live shows it gets you close enough while saving your back and your wallet. Worth it for a local gigging musician, maybe not for a big tour or studio. It's kinda like a player's series Strat in that it has all the features you want for being playable with a solid tone profile, but none of the extra fine details you'd get in a custom shop build.
I get the feeling that we’re being up sold!
I’ve heard other comparisons between the two and the differences are almost indistinguishable. Perhaps Fender is loosing market shares in their tube range and feel the need to thumb the scales a little.
The volume on the TM could have been match easily and it could have been dialed in a bit better compared with what I’ve heard before!
100% agreed.
Yes, I have watched other videos which make them sound very close.
Side by side it is pretty evident as the digital amp is way less detailed and punchy. But I bet if you had the TM Twin in a backline and didn't have a chance to A/B it you'd get through your gig just fine.
This sounds way better than the kidney bean POD that we had 20 years ago and is another step in the evolution of digital amps.
I thought they were closer in the cleaner samples - I could barely tell the difference. When more grind was added, I thought the note definition, string to string definition, was a little sharper in the tube amp. I still want one, though (a tone master), because I'm getting old and my Mesa Lonestar Special weighs 60 pounds!!
hahaha.. I hear you there! when it comes to the weight of the amp, you start weighing up your options! haha
The difference is day and night! ''Amp A,'' has better dynamic range and more low-end frequencies,
while ''Amp B'' sounds more ''thin'' in dynamic range (slightly compressed, which is common due being it a digital chip/emulation)
Could tell straight away. A was brighter and warmer. B sounded a bit flatter, not as full. However the difference isn't massive and the practicalities of the tonemaster make it worth checking out .
The whole reason for getting a Twin is to not have that "flat" sound - the Twin is super dynamic/detailed, that's what makes it such a great amp.
Such a fun day man!! 😍 Amazing playing bro and so nice to look back at these videos 🤘🎸🔥 .....I bought that guitar yesterday.....my precious
hahaha.. dont even go there! Apparently Michael Kiwanuka has been eyeing it up! :(
The results surprised me because I thought A had a punchier/livlier tone ................ which I assumed would be the SS version. I was wrong. That Twin Reverb Reissue was awesome.
The ToneMaster (B) was very good but a clear underdog to the real deal. IMO
Yes, That Twin reverb is an amazing amp. That amp, That Strat, and that little overdrive pedal is me all day long!
Superb playing, and an awesome demo, Mike! Loved this video - also, tubes hands down for me!
Cheers my man! Look forward to the next one!
WOW OK! I picked first A: But I actually wasn't sure on 2ed& 3ed riffs. Theres very slight differences between the Two. Now construction comes into play:Switch quality's from Jack's to quality materials? That's why I keep my original black face and usually just buy someone a few beers to Lug it around 2 gigs.
4:00 Amp A
4:09 Amp B
4:18 Amp A
4:31 Amp B
4:42 Amp A
4:57 Amp B
5:13 Amp A
5:38 Amp B
6:05 Amp A
6:37 Amp B
7:03 Amp A
7:41 Amp B
They both sounded great clean. Amp "A" sounded better with the dirt pedal, not much better though. Honestly, I just didn't like that dirt pedal, or maybe the way it was adjusted. It made both amps sound dark and muddy to my ears.
That's interesting, We all loved that pedal. Different horses...
Mike Bradley I enjoyed it thoroughly! What pedal is that in question?? My ears are curious 😏
I like the original twin vs the solid state
Little more low end in the tone master I think? Thing is, even though not a 100% match (maybe 99%), they both still sound amazing and I defo want a tone master - got my eye on the new blonde twin! Great job by Fender - great vid as always by Mike Bradley (awesome player)! 👏
Low volume gigs I use my Gries 5 Blackface so I can get my tube sound fix. Louder ones and the TMDR come along. It sound just as good in the louder mix. At home I still sounds great. The tube version is prone to issues and farts and breaks my back. After years of this the tone, even with its difference in tone is worth the money if only for the XLR out. Best direct recording amp around.
I got it right, I think the biggest that I noticed was the reverb didn't sound as natural on amp B
How's the feel? Nothwithstanding the sound, how did it respond under the fingers and pick?
Heaven! That amp, strat and pedal is very me!
Differences are clear. I could tell immediately. The tone master is missing a noticeable amount of mids and the reverb was a dead giveaway. Great review thanks
Got it right but the difference was not huge. My old ears are not so great these days and I suspect a younger listener might separate them more easily.
Amp A seems to have more punch and dynamics. Amp B in comparison seemed a bit flat
The tube amp had more consistent dynamics due to the compression of the tubes. The digital was anemic and lacked the same consistency in dynamics.
I was wrong
Amp A all the way....I've heard that the reverb and tremolo are very weak on the Tonemaster...an essential Fender sound imo.
you can hear all sort of nonsense. I have the amp and they are nice. and fender wouldnt make a twin reverb with bad ones.
I guess I have to call this the best comparison yet. I say that, because the difference was very clear and consistent. I hoped that I would prefer the ToneMaster, but preferred the tube amp in every section. Perhaps, the digital amp needs a bit less compression. That might make it harder to distinguish the two. Thanks for this demo!
I am in Tanzania East Africa where any of the two are unavailable. They sound good both, with the first being better, I guess not that much better to huge price difference. Nowhere to even test any. THANKS FOR THE DEMO
Aww that's annoying!
@@MikeBradleyofficial I see videos and photos, no Fenders too!
The only issue is I can buy a Silver Face Twin for $550 US and the Tone Master costs $350 more?
In this video I really enjoyed amp A The real tube fender twin but I do have the tone master twin reverb and I really enjoy playing it on 12W setting with Amp just above for it sounds so good and sweet I will more than likely post a video about it on my TH-cam page
Ok nice sounds (as always), great tones, super played blablabla. Typical high end Mike Bradley quality (not kiddin'), loved it. But i could not get my eyes from that guitar for the whole video. Man thats kind of a dream to me.
Cheers buddy.. I know tell me about it. That Strat is definitely the one that got away. I wish I could of bought it. Hopefully we will meet again!
I'm just an old bedroom composer/player, so it makes no sense to worry about a tube sound. And the attenuation option for the Tone Master makes it a rock solid choice for fading away shit buckets like me. However, first off, I liked the Option A sound better. That siad, the one thing about modeling is that the tone algorithm is based on a specific amp sonic signature. In addition, the age of the speakers is obviously going to impact another level of things. So many variables! I'm about to empty my savings account for the Toney.
Hard to tell from my phone speakers, but my local shop (and turbo-Fender-fanboys/dealers) have a similar setup for people to try, and I definitely like the solid state better. Of course, Mike would prefer the sound of a screaming rabid cat as long as it had a valve in its belly, but we knew that going in. ;)
I guessed it right... the tube its like ya can hear each note in a chord... dont get me wrong the solid state sounded really good... fender has come a long way with solid state amps
Wow they both sound great! I’m glad you did this video because I’ve been super into fender amps lately! The clean on the tone master sounded really good. Maybe a little hollow compared to the tubes but not bad by any means. With drive I think the tubes were much better. I been looking into getting that 22 watt 65 deluxe reverb. Is that pretty much the same amp as this twin reverb but smaller? I’ve got a 2006 or 07 fender hot rod deluxe and I’m not super happy with it sounds like it has a blanket over it. Maybe a new speaker and having the tubes biased would help? I’m skeptical If I should put more money into it if I’m still not going to like it that much.
You would be surprised the sound difference is by changing the speaker. The difference between the delux and the twin will be the headroom. Both fantastic amps though.
Dont understand you. The Hot Rod has one of the most high headroom clean sounds and is considered one if not the best pedal platform amp. They are used in testing when pedal makers design their pedals. Keep it if you use a lot of pedals
@@spada60 He said "the difference between the "delux" and the "twin" will be the headroom". He was not in anyway talking about the Hot Rod "Deluxe" but rather the Tonemaster "Deluxe" vs. the Tonemaster "Twin". Get it now? The Tonemaster Twin has more headroom than the Tonemaster "Deluxe". Get it now?
as always, smooth and tasteful playing.
Real deal was overall better - more full sounding. For what I do, the percussive high-end crunch (think reggae, funk, finger style) of the Tone-master totally works for me. I do still detect some solid-state-esque behavior from the tone master, but still a very likeable amp as someone who has played one.
theres no real or fake deal.. just different tech... I have a tonemaster version, and I think its the real deal
I have the tube version and the tone master version' you'll definitely hear, and the response is different playing live especially using all analog pedals' the tube version by a mile.
The tube amp has a brighter and more delineated sound. The Tonemaster sounds slightly muffled. I suppose you could just bump up the treble and that might even out the difference. Given all the other great features that come with the Tonemaster, as well as weighing and costing less than the tube version, it would be great if the solution could as simple as boosting the treble. In the end, though, I think you have to try them live yourself before making a decision on a purchase. Very entertaining video!
Finally there’s an affordable reliable decent sounding alternative to a preCBS amp. It’s about time. I’ll take it. Lighter and under warranty. Thank you.
So how loud is the fender master twin rever compared to a amp like a Randall 4 12 half stack
I can hear the difference between the two without much problem. Seems like we're talking about the difference between roses and lilies here. Both are lovely and sweet. Wouldn't want to live a life without both in it. Especially playing live, I'm not sure an exact dialed in tone matters that much anyway. If your close, it's fine.
In love with your videos, Mike. Always a great job.
Thank you Ronnie, really means a lot.
Both amps sound great. But, hearing one or the other in a track may even be more indistinguishable in the end. And what’s not to like about 15 kg. Would be interesting to hear how a few Celestion’s would sound in this amp, or even the TM Deluxe Reverb.
although the speakers are hard wired, is there enough power to drive a 212 or 412 with Jensen neodymium 12s?
IS That a original '65 Blackface? Or Re issue? I picked the 2ed at beginning u was playing more aggressively at first, then A sounded great, think its tubes? Or not..?
Reissue buddy
@@MikeBradleyofficial reissue, ok, it looked to good to be a original? I still have my twin BLK.fce, a original from 60s, my first real amp. It cost me $299.99 in 67. In my opinion, the Newer tone Master's are not as well put together: switches, seems a bit inferior,?, But its seems like its all about the weight,& replicating tube tone... Glad people like you are still keeping FENDER TWINS ALIVE and still Desirable. Thanks! Happy Holidays...
Got a tone master twin reverb. I keep hearing a digital “pop”...such a shame. I really liked it. It’s going back.
It was in the first 30 seconds I knew which one was which but the tone master sounds good
What amp would you recommend someone who started on a Marshall code 25 it’s digital as a beginner now I’m past the beginner stage I’m thinking bout getting a proper amp with valves what would you recommend guys? I mainly play nirvana/greenday
Hi Jake, you can’t go wrong with a Fender amp, I would always recommend trying one out. If you’re just playing at home the vox ac4 tv is also a great amp.
I guessed it right!!! 😊
If ain't buzzin' like a fridge. It isn't a real Twin. :) Amp A is rather like your coked up step brother doing a belly flop in to the ball pit at Jungletastic.
Amp B reminds me of a Methodist Church. Very clean. Very, very clean.
Haha.. that is a fantastic saying. I’m going to have to use that! 😀👌
@@MikeBradleyofficial Keep it real dude! You're one of the few who's doing it right! o7o7o
The real Twin sounded great but is overkill for too many situations.Too frickin'heavy to carry.But sounds so good.
The Tonemaster needs more treble maybe?But Intested the weight and it IS a gamechanger.The looks are great.
👉🏻It costs waaaay too much.That is why I spent my money on another Boogie but 1x12 50w used.
This is a noble effort Fender! It sounds great but money wise,you are out far in the fields for many.
Was the bright switch on for the tonemaster? Playing at low volume the switch allows the mids and high end come through. I love my my tonemaster TR. At home level I couldn't understand why it sounded all mushy. I did alot of reading and listening and research to figure out what the switch was for. Now I know and my TMTR sounds great. I've played alot of tube amps and I did side by sides and this amp rocks.
Definitely amp A...B wasn't bad...just not as good of a tone. I'll take the valve amp. I'm 61 with ceramic knees and can manage 64 lbs with no problem with the little I would be moving it...if I were a busy gigging musician I'm sure that weight would get old quick.
I suppose it's a matter of taste. I bought one and everyone in my band likes it. A friend told me he has always hated Twins because they are so bright! I told him not this one! So there you go.
Maybe a couple of preamp tubes would make a diff?
Preferred amp A (valve) from the start, seemed a bit warmer tone
Attention to Fender Champion 100...his clean channel is a réplica of Twin 65 for 150 bucks more or less
I’d bet money a good majority of the people who commented amp A was way better only did so after the fact you told them that was the genuine tube amp, lol
I’m not a tube snob so I’ll say the difference is minimum. That being said if you are a working musicians the tonemaster would be perfectly acceptable for live gigs.
Quite easy to tell the difference and the valve amp sounds miles better
Yeaaah sure that's totally not cork sniffing bias at work... seriously, they sound slightly different but it would be impossible to reliably guess which is which in different blind tests.
Look regardless if your a tube snob or not..(as i am) The difference to me is negligible . For a grand You get a 29 lb amp that has attenuation.. This amp sounds really good..Hoping for a Tone Master Super Reverb someday soon
Looks like your wish came true?
the life in the valves seem to inspire his playing a notch or two more than the black box magic
It was pretty obvious. Also obvious that the tube amp you used is not a real twin but rather a re-issue.
A thing of beauty to hear again even though I was right there.
You sweet heart!
Wow the solid amp sounds really good tbh, it's true that it cannot replicate a true tube amp sound with much more headroom but for a starters like me? I'd be glad to upgrade my roland cube 60 to the tone mastah lol, Hell even a fender champion is good for me tbh, and maybe get the real tube amp when i have lots of gigs to play, the only drawbacks of the tube amp is that there are no aux or headphones jack to use in silent mode, especially in bedroom volume, only blackstar has it but the sounds is not quite the sounds that i'm looking for 🙁
100% Ryan. That would be a perfect upgrade. It's a great amp.
@@MikeBradleyofficial wow really? Thx mike 😁👍
06/30/2020: Why two jack channels? I see one channel is designated "Normal" for only clean tones and the other channel is labeled "Vibrato" (has reverb). So, why not just use the footswitch for reverb and you can run the Vibrato channel clean or with reverb. So, why is there a need for the "Normal" all clean channel? Also, I see it is supposed to copy the tube amp, which any tube amp cannot have headphones. But, come on, this is solid-state and they could have added a headphone jack for total silent playing. The attenuator switch in the back is basically a volume knob, and you can't play silent. So, why is there no headphone jack at a price of $1,000.00 for a slid-state amp? Can anyone out there in cyberland answer these two questions?
Add a band: I don't think I could tell the difference. It's easy when the amps are side by side and you don't have a drummer and bass player added to the mix.
Jim Barnes agree, I’d rather have a solid state at a gig. In a full band, the subtleties and can be loss. I don’t have to worry about tubes warming up or blowing a tube. Plus they weigh a ton.
I have to agree. Subtleties fade when in a full live mix and it would be nice to not worry about a tube going out mid show or in transit
“A” brings out much nicer overtones and sounds more in tune to me.
To me the tone master is hotter, sounds a bit dirtier and the reverb sounds longer/louder
it was pretty obvious, if i was in room it would have been extremely obvious, but hey its only 38 lbs and 400 bucks cheaper;-)
That’s a nice strat Mr B, you should buy it!!😜😜😜
I KNOW!!! :)
wow!!! the new amp, sounds amazing!!!
A. Hands down.
I preferred the tubes in every demo. I was a little afraid you were going to tell me that was the tone master, but such was not the case. Still a tube/valve fan.
The tone master lacks that "punch in your face" tone, which is what makes fender amps great.
I always got it right witch one is real tube even throudh iPhones speaker, it simply cant be replicated
One thing about all of these Tone Master comparisons that I feel is often overlooked, the valve and digital versions have different speakers. Only the Super Reverb model has the same speaker type between both amps. Not to say that alone would change everything, but I do question if the neodymium magnets have the same definition as ceramic or alnico.
It would be interesting to hear some demos of a Tone Master Twin with some nice jensen alnicos.
But yeah, tube definitely sounds better, especially clean. Although depending on types of pedals used the TM version does cool stuff with distorted sounds.
The speakers and software are a pair though. They designed it with the speakers in mind. It’s the closest fender could get it
The valve amp sounded like the treble was rolled down. It was easy to tell that A was the valve amp because he was enjoying into playing amp A but didn't seem to know what to do with amp B, the playing was generally worse and less passionate on the solid state amp, especially the last riff. if you rolled off some highs and mids it would be nearly impossible to tell.
Clearly A is the tubes. The reverb gives it away
Great video, well done. But it was obvious from the first match up A sounded more dynamic and lively than B. The tone master sounded like wanna be digital replica of the twin.
Yea, if I were to choose I am going with the tube. I will deal with the weight. Fender has failed again at making a solid state amp.
wouldn’t say failed at all personally, it’s much cheaper and has a very similar sound. for the price it’s pretty good
Not a fail. It's a great sounding amp, differe t but great sounding all the same
The Tone Master was doing OK for the clean stuff but with any distortion is sounded like it had a blanket over it. What a shame.
A was a bit brighter, but just a bit.
I liked B more
Definitely prefer the valve amp. The solid sounds great too, but at times it seems like he still needs to grow up a little.
Yes but put a brownie cmatmods distortion threw the clean ch. And crank it. Then u will see the solid state is no good. Your not really testing the amp correctly
A much better
“A” valve amp obviously.