During the comparisons, I was shocked by how well the tone master handled the fuzz, much more dynamic and wild than the tube amp. Definitely different and very nice sounds from both, but with all the convenience the tone master offers, it absolutely is the better value in my opinion.
Typically, as you turn up the Volume on a Deluxe for some overdrive you would reduce the Bass control to reduce "Flub". Input 2 reduces input gain by 6dB for more clean headroom at the first tube stage.
Most listeners in a LIVE band setting wouldn't be able to tell a difference one way or another unless its real bad and Ive seen players with great equipment sound terrible. Thats the players fault not the amp. That being said, your opinion on tone is YOUR opinion. If you like it great! The next guy might not like it but thats OK. Its not his/her tone its your tone. Make it yours. In my 40 years of playing Telecaster professionally I can tell you one thing..........Ive played every kind of tube amp and Fender tube amps (any of them) can be dialed in to get a great sound. It may not be perfect for your playing style etc but if you can't take a quality tube and get a really good sound you're doing something wrong. Some of these new modeling amps are also great. Play it hard, and find your tone. I have a '73 Fender Deluxe Reverb that I just love and I bought a Fender Mustang III, I set it up next to the Deluxe and did some A/B (several weeks worth) until I found a tone that is very similar and cool, in fact live you'd never know the difference. Its light, reliable, and cheap! Now the Mustang is one of my go to amps but you give it to the next guy and he might hate it. Your tone is in your hands and your ears. This is music folks, get used to it. For me to say one amp is better than another only means something to me not to everyone. Listen to your guitar NOT other people.
If more young folks would heed sound advice like this, they might spend more time actually learning by playing instead of obsessing about and trading out gear, and losing money in the process too. I have a '65 Princeton Reverb RI, VibroChamp XD, and Peavey VIP Vypyr and love them all equally for what each does or even doesn't do. I also like to play a Digitech Mosaic before an ehx MEL9 and into an ehx Superego+ into only iLoud monitors via just a Focusrite solo interface preamp , and that works just fine for practice or even recording too. Scott Grove said he only uses real amps as a showpiece or backup only onstage, if at all.
@Ed Berger 😆 bro, tone is 100 percent in your skill. Whenever someone says tone is in your gear I know who I'm talking to. A metal head under 35. The more drive you have the more compression you have and with more compression you get less dynamics. So to a metal head yeah its all in the gear. In fact to a metal player the only thing that makes a tone is what note you fret and what speaker you choose. If you play anything clean, almost your entire tone comes from your fingers and technique.
@Ed Berger you really think someone who owns a vintage fender amp gives two shits about a modern deluxe? We're comparing modern modeling to modern tube. What makes the vintage sound is the magnets losing their charge over time, speakers and pickups alike. Two other things on the vintage point #1 hardly anyone who owns one will tell you the truth about them because if all the vintage owners didnt buy the hype resale value would plummet which is the reason most people buy those. #2 when they were made it was current technology which means the parts used in assembly were more likely of higher quality. There are only 3 tube factories on the entire planet anymore. China, some eastern european country and russia. Ehx owns one and all the brands that come out of it. Not alot of competition. Not a ton of quality. Personally I feel vintage is mostly hype. At the end of the day its an electric current going into a speaker. Not rocket science. What comes out of the speaker is what your brain tells your fingers to put into it. End of story.
@@misterknightowlandco Great honesty conclusion. I have had 65 DRRI, 68 CDR, Princeton Reverb, Blackstar, Marshall, Orange all tube.SS, Mustang, Katana, Blackstar. I currently have the Helix Floor and 1x12 power cab plus with is great and can do anything with, in the end its all what you like and your skill.
I like this amp. It doesn't just feel like a Deluxe Reverb it IS a Deluxe Reverb (Tonemaster). In my mind if it says Deluxe Reverb, looks like one, functions like one and sounds like one then it is one. It may not be the original but it is just what it claims to be.
The mind is the strongest thing in the world' the way one thinks. Had a friend call me one night years ago' he said he was hearing voices' I asked him what the voices were saying' he got quite for a few seconds and then I heard a gun shot.
I have played the deluxe and the twin tone Masters and they sound great to my ears and great on the back too. Fender nailed the clean tone on these amps . Now adding effects you can tweak it to sound as good as the original deluxe. But keep in mind that you can have 10 Original tube deluxe amps and each one will sound different..for different reasons like tube brands , bias, speakers and caps. So really the tone master is a nice amp sounds good and maintenance free. The only negative is the price.. a bit over priced in my opinion.
..the Tonemaster has power scaling, the tube version does not. the tube version has 9 tubes..inc. tube rectifier. The conflict in Ukraine has meant no more tubes from Russia, and the alternatives are more costly and liable to get more so. In ten years most people will / or most likely will, be playing tone master type amps. A good part of the tone master is made in the USA
As a home guitarist who doesn't gig, the Tone Masters are a revelation. Now I can have some really great sounds for my Telecaster at suitable volumes (even jamming while bubs is asleep in our small house with the attenuator). I think the price point is fair and the fact that I don't have to maintain tubes is also a great thing. I cannot wait to pick one up! For now I'm challenging myself with getting some decent tones on my Champion 20 during this lockdown.
Thanks for the review! I've had my TM for a month now....I think it sounds great with drive pedals...with tone tweaking (as noted for pedals just lower the bass and bring up mids/highs) you can get stellar sounds....in some cases better than the tube equivalents. Plus, all modulation pedals sound better on this amp than the tube version, Hot Rod to me is arguably good with pedals but the clean tone is vastly inferior. I think tweaking one's pedals with this amp yields better all round tones than either a Deluxe Reissue or the HRD...YMMV.
That kinda my thoughts as well. This tm in this demo actually sounded better to me than the tube version. I've been contemplating buying one. The cleans are absolutely outstanding. Trent, are you still happy with your tonemaster? I think I might sell my Marshall head.......I also agree with you on the hot rods, terrible cleans
I think that I have owned about 45 tube amps, mostly Fender, starting in 1977. Loved them. But at this point I have a TMDR, mostly because it's 23 lbs. I have gigged with it and it was fantastic. Good amp.
I want to get one of these and install a full set of tube sockets and hook up power to just the filaments. Then it is a digital amp that actually has glowing tubes.
Great video! The “attenuator” on the back is more than a volume knob - it models a tube amp being attenuated with power amp distortion, which isn’t really the same thing as a master volume.
Replying to an old comment, but it is absolutely a master volume. It is not "attenuating" anything. There is no power soak. A master volume on any decent amp modeler still models power amp distortion, then just reduces the signal sent to the speaker as the final step... exactly the same as TM. Or do you really think Kemper, Helix, Fractal etc. do NOT model/profile power amp distortion? 🤦♂
I just purchased one and will be talking it out for the first time tonight. I have tube amps and love them but have spent so much money on replacing tubes, getting tube sockets replaced/repaired etc. that I’ve paid for them many times over. I’ve been looking for a non-tube options and have been disappointed until now. Hoping this will be a long-term solution for me. I’m a jazz guy and this tone suits me fine. Thanks for the fantastic, honest review that really highlights this amp’s pros and cons.
John Horne Same here... but it doesn’t work for me. Doesn’t take my OD pedal well at all. Raspy, thin and a sizzle that can not be turned away with treble. Curious how you find it after your gig
John Von D I’ll let you know. It’s a solo jazz gig so I don’t expect any surprises. I don’t use OD often but I agree that my favorite OD (The Animal from Rockett) doesn’t sound quite the same through this amp.
If Fender has seen any of your videos they knew that you'd be honest and give an unbiased review. Thank you for all of your product evaluations, they are very useful for those of us buying gear.
If I remove the bottom right logo on the grill & use it jamming with a loud band & with my pedalboard, I'd bet a thousand $$$ no one would be the wiser that it's not the tube version. People like to boast how smart they are watching the video & clearly seeing when it transitions back & forth and declare their side for the tube amp.
Steely Dan Yep. I used a TM Deluxe on a solo gig last night and at the end I invited a friend who is a great guitarist up on stage to check it out. I told him to pick up the amp and he gave a good chuckle when he realized. He told me unsolicited that he would never have guessed it was not a tube amp.
Most people at a show or gig haven’t a clue about what an amp is anyway.. let alone if it’s SS or tube driven... most people wouldn’t know a Champ from a Super Reverb.. other than ones smaller..
Yeah, as Les Paul said, "People listen with their eyes". Remove that possibility with a true blind-test and I'd guess most people couldn't tell you which was which and/or would say the Modeling version is better.
It's a video! Why trust, you my as well verify. Resale value on anything digital is horrible. But at least its lighter. I have a deluxe reverb from 1992, it does what it suppose to do.
You said several times that it doesn't have a "mute switch". In the fender ad they state that when put on "Standby" it only outputs to the DI out. Muted - Mission accomplished. This also explains the reason for the "Standby" Switch that you said has no purpose. Hope this corrects a few things. Thanks!
I guess my take away is, if you’re playing anything like “hard rock” or “metal” that relies heavily on a overly distorted sound why would anyone consider a Deluxe Reverb in the first place? (Tube or otherwise)....I agree with you, this amp excels at super clean and edge of breakup-overdrive type stuff. I will say after owning the TMTR for a little bit and having the speaker broken in, It sounds great! As far as drives, I use a Strymon Sunset and it sounds great through this amp.
Well I mean... I thought the same a few months ago, then I realized that Baroness were playing through Deluxe Reverbs and Princetons, and still managed to get killer tones.
vuriby I’m not saying it’s impossible and that no one has done it. But typically Fender isn’t really known for their “High Gain” sound that’s often associated with “heavier” music.
Robert Williams again...not saying you can’t get high gain out of them...however, deluxe and twin reverts aren’t typically associated with high gain music.
That "mute" switch is exactly what it is labeled as; it is not a "standby". Throw the switch, the front side light goes yellow and your DI goes to where you're sending it without the internal speaker(s) producing any sound. All other controls work as expected in this mode. I have had the Tone Master Twin since early September and to date, when playing gigs, not one person has been able to identify it as not a tube amp unless they were told.
Pricing is a little different here in Maine U.S.A. Tonemaster is 899.00 Tube Deluxe Reverb is 1100.00 The 2/3 fraction would be 726.00 for the Tonemaster. I have the Tonemaster and it's been a great tool live and in the studio. Love it. Thanks for the great vid!
@@robertwellington2616 Plenty of people would use this in a real studio. Look at how many albums used a helix while tracking, or plugging straight into pro tools. If someone likes the sound they are going to use it.
I think this comparison can be supplemented by having near the end of the vid, tweaking the tone settings of 'both' amps and even using different pedals, such as a HX FX..etc. More real world observations that purchasers of both type amps would do to hear in their best case scenario way. Not just 'everything at 12 oclock and see what sounds best. Just as Ritchie Castellano (Digital pedal user and Lead Guitarist for BOC) does with his Helix and other Line 6 Digital pedals. At first some tones sound blah, and digital, but after he tweaks some EQ, it's amazing! Amazing to the point where it's not so digital, fizzy, bottom end woofy, as you mentioned.
Here in 2021, just got the Tone Master DR blonde. I'm in love. You make great points, but for home use I'm never gonna notice the difference. Plus, the blonde has the bright cap removed on the vibrato channel and the upgraded speaker. For me, this is absolutely perfect at its intended use! Play on!
I haven’t read all the comments to see if this has been covered but I suspect that the tube amp (one shown) is 120vac only since it has a large transformer (not switching supply). The Tonemaster has a supply voltage range (because of the switching power supply) that will accept anything from 100 vac to 240. So to use in Europe, all you would need is the an adapter, or the EU cord. The tube model would fail, if you tried to use it with just a plug adapter.
I had a chance to try the twin tm for a live gig in a small club and imo it worked great for clean sounds. I have a ‘71 non master twin and it nailed the clean sound for 98%. Using the XLR out to FOH worked fine. cab sim, rev & trem also good quality. As a pedal platform for overdrive, distortion etc. however I agree with Henning it colors the sound in a negative way, especially on higher volumes it lacked in dynamics and compression. I missed the push in the mid eq. spectrum. For cleans though Fender did a good job.
thanks, good to know cause i get my tones from ZOOM G2 and overdrive pedals, Ill stick to my Hughes & Kettner Vortex 80W transistor and Peavey Bandit Transtube 80W, wont have to pay 1000€s for a one-trick-pony modelling amp!!! Cheers, Kimmo : )
Kimmo Lingonheimo it is a good one trick pony though. btw, the cheap twin fender frontman 212R is good in cleans as well, for 1/3 of the price of the TM....
Of everything said here, I endorse the HR deluxe recommendation (I’ve owned the first three iterations and will probably get the fourth). As a guy that wants a good clean tone, but an AWESOME pedal platform (all gain from pedals), the hot rod deluxe has always been my go to (I even have a flight case so no real carrying 😊). Great review/demo, you’re my favorite 😘😘😘. -Aaron
The “Mute” allows the speaker to be turned off while the DI remains active. The information on the mic presets on the DI are available in the owners manual hat least it says that in the owners manual of my Tone Master Twin Reverb). Great video!
Totally agree with what you said regarding the Hot Rod Deluxe IV. That was exactly the amp I chose to get. But I still think the price point of these digital SS amps are too steep. And if they would lower it I might actually get one, but still keep my Hot Rod Deluxe IV which is amazing!
The output power selecter-attenutator works exactly like it should. You can get the tube like crunch tone at the lowest power as well as the clean. It's not the illusion of a power output control. On full power it'll get quite loud before you can get a crunch tone. I love this little amp. Kind of pricy for what it is. I have the bloned, which comes with a Celestion speaker. It seemed to sound better when I bought it.
It's always amazing how Henning says and shows things the very same way I would do or expect, hence once again his review is on top of any other else, hands down. Honesty and quality, I won't never be tired to say it about Henning. Thanks man, now... please pick up that Helix on the floor, it makes me feel it has to fall at any moment! :D
The Tonemaster amps sound great in their own right and are a lot more versatile than the tube versions. The biggest issue I have with them is the processing technology used - what are the options in 2/3 years time if you have issues? Tube amps (especially hand-wired) are certainly fixable for the most part if you have any issues - for many years after purchase.
On my Deluxe Tone Master, I tried using Vibrato input #2, then I put the power control at .5W, set the volume above 4 and below 6 to avoid the Bright Cap and Breakup, and then plugged in my pedals including overdrive, fuzz, distortion...and it worked pretty well. Pedals are a bit of a challenge on the amp, but if you find the right combo, they can sound great.
Ha ha yeah right I was playing mine last night and was thanking goodness I kept it after all these years It's my A1 main amp and sounds awesome The Vibroking is good too I usually use a 4/10 or an old Vox 2/12 It would be cool if they did start making them again I'm a tube guy all the way You can still find them for under a K usually
Kudos for clearly showing sponsorship at the beginning of the video! Coupled with your typical professional and informative video productions, this is a perfect example of what these types of reviews should be. Extremely well done...and full transparency!
I really can't tell much of a difference between these amps. There are very close to each other, which means that Fender did a hell of a job with this. Now I want one. Not sure if I want a Twin or a Deluxe. If the Twin gave the true heavenly clean tone the tube version does, it would be something I would want.
The manual says: 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). OUTPUT POWER: Selector switch offers full power (22 watts) and five other attenuated wattage settings that tailor room/venue overall loudness. Set amp front-panel channel volume to personal preference for tube-emulated response, then set OUTPUT POWER to preferred level. I do remember a vid which showed earlier saturation when set to low wattage ... so there seems to be more than just a "master volume"
So, with the new Blonde TM and the firmware released for the regular version (regarding reverb, breakup issues, bright cap, pedal output, etc.) it seems that most if not all of the apparent "issues" would be dealt with. Right or wrong?
Bought the DRTM yesterday at Musik Produktiv and was blown away from the first minute on. I own tube amps but I dont hear a difference and that makes this amp sp versatile. The weight, the attenuator and the line out are great features. In our rehearsal today nobody noticed it was a SS amp :D
You went very quickly from, “Why can’t I turn it off the sound completely with the attenuator/master?” to, “Why does it have a mute switch?” 😂 but honestly, great review!
Great video! I bought both the deluxe reverb tonemaster and the twin tonemaster and will never look back. Both amps sound amazing, and i used to be a tube snob. There are very minor differences in the tube version and the TM. And once u start playing live with a band, no one will even notice in the mix. Ive used both of these live and cant be more happier. No more changing tubes, no more filter caps to change, no more biasing and it weighs half....its a no brainer! Im going to eventually get the Princeton next. I wish Vox would do this with the AC30 and the AC15, they attempted it with the VR series but no where close to the tube versions. I love AC30s but they are back breakers like the Fender Twin.
I just bought the Twin Reverb TM amp last night. It is an upgrade from my Princeton 60w 12" speaker. All I can say is WOW - it is so loud and clean and no distortion. I can't wait to play with it more tonite! And I got it off Craig's L. for $650 in pristine condition!
Replicating old amps with modelling is fine, but why copy the old feature-set too. It will never be the "real thing" anyway so I would at least add a FX-loop so that it can be used as a modern pedal-platform.
youre right! band these Years Fender quality /build control has been very low, just bought a Fender Frontman 10G, see how long itll last, was gonna buy a second one but caught myself and bought two pedals instead, also made in China..., the more usa n china fuck eacother up the more the rest of the poor suffer
I think it's so it looks less like a toy. Gigging with it, it will look and sound like the (and maybe sometimes better than) the real deal. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference immediately. I agree it should extra features would be cool, but to access those properly you'd need an extra board as well so using it wouldn't suck.
Seeing as it's a clean amp the effects loop really isn't all that necessary since you aren't distorting your effects through a high gain preamp. If you're gonna pay extra for a loop I would invest in a switcher for the board, much more convenient, versatile and the ability for preset combinations and go for a barebones clean amp as a blank canvas to start with.
This was one of your better reviews. I suspected orange wav was tube, but actually liked the Tonemaster verb. Honest and thorough assessment - well done.
At this price point Fender really needed to nail all the sounds of the original Deluxe Reverb, clean AND over driven. So, to me, this Tone Master is kind of a fail for the money. No point going to all this trouble to only get it half right. Sure it will suit some players but it isn't as flexible as it should be. A profiling amp may be a better bet at this price point as they cover the lot not just one amp. Another great, honest review. Keep up the good work man.
Great Demo, after playing back a few time I found I like the Tonemaster overdriven and with pedals. The mids semmed scooped out leaving nice bass and open mids with a more pronounced high end, I suppose this would be more "American" sound as opposed to British with thicker mids.
I would really love to hear and see what you think about the Class AB Boss Nextone Artist Amp which is some kind of the same concept with a bit more versatility but without digital modeling. It is not a Katana, it is designed to sound like a classic tube combo without using tubes. Does it metal? No! Does it sound good? I think yes! I changed from the Katana Artist to the Nextone and I am happy with it. It even takes drives better than the Fender Tonemaster as far as I could hear in your great video.
I really like the Boss Nextone. If I had not bought this and if I didn't already own a Blackstar Artist 15 I would get one. Blackstar makes a quality product and since they started making amps that were not all super high gain amps, I have liked them more.
Thank you. Saved me some time. I've already returned 3 non tube amps searching for a good, lightweight non tube amp. Amp companies should spend money figuring out how to lighten their tube amps and stop making digital amps.
Re: Henning’s point about the flabby low end when the TM is pushed- you can get a wider variation on the tube amp by changing tubes or the speaker. Also, if there’s too much bass, there’s a knob on the front for that… Where I hear a bigger difference, is between the point-point versions and the Reissue. At that that price point, I do hear a meaningful advantage with the more expensive amp.
I'm a bass player (and a wannabe guitarist) and played with heaps of Deluxe Reverb owning guitarists and I can say that the tonemaster sounds worse than the best of them I've heard but also better than the worst of them... but on the whole definitely at "better" end of the scale. first time I encountered one with out even knowing about them was a jam night and thought it was a nice classic tone said to the player "nice reissue, love those tones" they then went "yeh it's solid state, pick it up" mind blown! - went out the next day and bought one... and my blackstar 5 watt and Laney 15 watt now gathering dust
I appreciate your review. Very professional! To those who are new to amplification I would say this: Second order harmonics, you got 'em or you don't! Tube amps got'em, SS/Digital amplifiers don't. It's more than just a distortion thing most of which can be emulated by diodes. That's really all there is to it. But Why? - If you don't trust your own ears then take the word of the scientists that have gone into the laboratories and conducted a great deal of experimental research with human beings and sound reproduction and these tests conclusively have proven the human ear prefers second order harmonics in music to music without it. Only tubes provide these second order harmonics. Go and research how power tubes are made and how they work and you just may come away with a new appreciation of these slightly older than 100 years tubes which are glass bottles with other components in a vacuum that amplify a signal. Hey I'm 69 years old, have always read a lot and so I took the time to read about tubes and came away with a greater appreciation of the sonic characteristics of what some think of as primitive devices. I was a violinist as a younger man and I have very good hearing and very good pitch and I can tell the differences. I also play many "World" Instruments" such as Sitar, Veena, Sarangi, Sarod, Pipa, Erhu, Oud, Bouzouki and Rabab to speak about a few of my favorites. I also play acoustic bass and viola. I love viola! Like a violin but the pitch is a little lower and that is to my liking. I have trained my ear to hear "Micro-tonal notes". Since I am retired I only play for my own enjoyment and pleasure. Why would I play 8 and 12 hours a day using a sound amplification system that I did not like as much as my tube amplifiers? I would not. I would sometimes use a non tube amp for practice thinking I would save the tubes. I got over that. My tubes last years and I have many tube amps so I rotate them, sometimes. Also I have learned enough to change my own tubes and now there are actually certain tubes that sound better than others in my different amps. So I can fine tune the tone and also the gain and breakup characteristics with different tubes. I only spent just under $60 for all the correct gear to do my own power tube biasing. Heck I can even alter the bias with a given set of tubes to change the tone and characteristics of each amp anytime I wish. I like my SS and Digital amps for certain music but I love the tone and break up of my Tube amps for all music. Like vs. Love, Love wins for me every time! -Peter
Diodes ? You mean processors. As was stated in the video, Fender's target ( this is a whole New, 2019, approach to Digital Amps) was a clean amp and in the real world of your local club, how much difference would you hear?
I ment diodes. I was not really addressing the new Fender Tonemaster amps I was speaking about all non tube amps in general that use transistors for power amplification. Even so "processors are not tubes and can never be an actual tube. They may capture much of the tone but not every aspect of a true tube power amp. I stated that I play for my own listening pleasure at my home in my studio (not a local club) and enjoy playing guitar and other instruments for the tones, the tones man. So I shall sick with tubes.
I use a MojoMojo overdrive and an XTS Atomic Overdrive with my Deluxe Reverb Tone Master. Both sound awesome. I crank the volume to about 7 and attenuate the overall volume for the venue. The MojoMojo is nice and chunky and the XTS wails!
I bought the tonemaster simply because i don't like having to change tubes and throw money at the amp year after year. This amp to me sounds amazing and i have no regrets.
Tell us about your tube amps that you say you don't like spending money on and changing tubes every year. Tell me exactly what tube amps you own. I suspect you are just repeating misinformation about tube amps that you have heard about and in reality you don't have any tube amps and you have never changes any tubes in your entire life.
@@PeterDad60 Peter is an appropriate name for you. You kinda come off like a dick. Your assumptions are incorrect. I played a hot rod for years and had problems during live shows that can be completely avoided with the TM. Having to change out tubes and spend money doing it is not misinformation guy.
Having a Line 6 Flextone since marketed with lush clean fender tones and effects built in I have Fender Blackface tone covered. I also made the mistake of buying a Tweed Blues Junior which I have had to replace tube sockets add variable bias and maintain , Then I hand wired a Vibroverb clone I built my self. Trying to get the sweet spot at higher levels at home is tough unless no one is around. I think my next amps will be a 50s tweed clone and a Marshall clone or a Orange Rockerverb. I really couldn’t tell any difference on TH-cam. The deluxe reissue already was printed circuit board, plastic shaft pots and all the other things not original. The solid state is lighter, has attenuation which makes it great for home or today’s stages, won’t need babying and if it takes pedals most will be happy.
The Tone master actually sounded better to me with pedals than the tube amp. The tube sounded like it was way too mid focused. I'm sure it sounds much different in person though. Thanks for the demo
totally agree. I have a 4x10 Hot Rod as well but I only use the TM now. Unbelievable with pedals. Great response from Treb/Bass/Mid too. Love the thing and gig with it all the time.
Baught it 3 weeks ago then sold it last week after trying the original valve version. Too scooped sound missing mids and presence. With that said it has a brilliant reverb and trem, kudos to Fender for that.
Really small difference at here, pretty impressive work from Fender. Price is still too high. You can find good Fender modeling at much cheaper price when you buy some program on your computer like Bias FX 2 or amp.
It's not just the modeling as I understand, it's the quad processing power, huge descrete power amp, speaker and pine cab. Quality costs money, and not having tubes in it doesn't change that.
That bias plugin is incredible. Totally agree, I've used that on so many productions... But not everybody wants to hurl around a laptop and interface with 6ms round trip latency on the plugin. This amp feels very real to the player in the live scenario and gives everybody an authentic feeling, while delivering on other aspects like the DI, weight and the power settings. Why shouldn't it be worth its price?
Coming from a professional musician, Band Director, with a music degree, you can definitely tell the difference between the two. When the comparison started, I heard the orange line first, and thought “wow that sounds good.” Once it switched to the blue, I immediately noticed it got thinner and less dynamic. It was also missing bass. It got harsher too. I believe that it’s mostly an EQ thing but you can definitely hear the attack is different too. The orange line- tube version sounds way more open as well. It sounds clearer and with more depth/complexity.
EytschPi42 Glad, it worked. Thanks alot for the very informative and enjoyable review! Imho the best and most elaborate A/B comparison I‘ve seen so far.
Just bought the tone master and was delighted to find this direct comparison with the original amp, so nice to find someone who actually does like for like, keep seeing videos that say they are comparing but then they fiddle with settings, sound is very subjective and though I'm ready to get shot down, I spent the whole time wishing the "blue" amp was the tone master, just to my untrained ear it delivered the sounds I wanted to hear.
I have tried several different speakers, including the Jensen out of a deluxe reverb tube amp and none sound as good as the factory tone master speaker. So i bought a second tone master and twin them together. incredible. Thanks for your in-depth review.
My understanding of the attenuator is that it’s not just a volume. It downscales the max volume to achieve the tube sounding overdrive at lower volumes
@@glennpace9783 Not sure the bassman these days has the same usage rate as the DR or the TR. I agree that it's different enough to these, that it should have its own Tone Master. But Fender are probably just looking at how these two are selling. Let's see if guitarists are....ready for the evolution :-).
If you had a graphic of the response curves (clean, of course) for both cases (amp + speaker + microphone), you certainly would see that they are clearly different. This should justify all clean differences, including pedals. But you could try to make them more equal by trying to approximate the curves with the controls, namely the bass. If that is the big problem, roll it down one or two points. At last, besides this comparison, you could try another one where you try to make both amps sound well, and sound approximately equal (I know that was not the objective of this video).
I didn't 'hear enough difference that some EQ fiddling wouldn't handle. Accounting for price, reliability, and carry (not to mention several pitchers of beer and a plethora of pheromones in the crowd); where's the loss?
Brilliant concept from Fender, thanks for this review :) But, I'm 100% sure that the speaker and the wood being completely different in these amps you compared, it makes a huge difference. Even one same speaker moved in different cabs would sound different (not drastically because is the same speaker, but noticeable) - there's a video where Kristian Kohle is doing this experiment. Anyway, the idea is awesome, and for the 2% difference between them, the digital one wins, since there are no parts to service. I wonder why other companies are not embracing this idea of cloning themselves their own amps.
I got this amp the other day, and put it next to my twin reverb, the twin sounds a little deeper, but I think that may just be the 2 speakers, other than that you can't tell the difference between the two, great amp.
I started playing guitar using a Sylvania tube record player. My dad put a jack on the outside and could plug into it. It had a fantastic sound. My second amp was a Danelectro. I find it difficult to get the feeling with a solid state amp. This new Fender isn't quite there, but I do really love the old tube amps with there even harmonics. The best part of old tube amps might be the tube vibratos some of the modern ones don't sound like those. I'm not talking about tremolos.
This seems like a neat option, I still like the classic version but the utility and weight are awesome I think what I would want to see is a 65 deluxe channel and a Bassman/57deluxe (something tweedy) channel with global reverb/vibrato that would sell me on this. I guess a tonemaster version of the new silver face line would do
I've owned lots of amps vintage and boutique. The tonemaster twin I bought has been the best amp purchase I've made. It's one amp that can do everything from home to big stage The di out is amazing and makes playing shows a breeze
I have the Tone Master deluxe and it takes drive pedals really well. Switch it to 22 watts, drop the volume to a clean range, 2 to 4 and use the Vibrato channel, your drive pedals will sound as intended and harmonic rich, spot on setting I’ve found. If your running the amp at below 5 watts, then they sound average. 22 watt and 12 watt settings with the volume at a clean range and its perfect pedal platform.
Great review, Henning. I just bought the TM Princeton and waiting for it to arrive. I’m very tube oriented when it comes to amps but my back is not what it was and these are really close!
Thanks for this. I love my 212 Hot Rod Deville, but after loading it with Eminence Governors, it’s a lot to lug around and having to leave the volume at 1-1 1/2 at most venues is a bit sad. I’m looking at this or the twin tone master as a replacement and you’ve helped immensely. To me the tone difference is very similar to the tonal change I had changing from the shrill fender designed speakers to the eminence speakers; other than negating the tonal similarity’s between the stock speakers and the Xlr out, I’d be curious as to what a speaker change would do for the amp. Also, I loved the comment on the useless second channel on the hot rod amps. Thanks again.
Other companies are already doing this check out Roland Capsule series of Eric Johnson or the Robben Ford capsule. Concerning maintaining a Tube amp apart from replacing tubes from time to time there's hardly anything to do. Keep in mind that PCB board is usually quite cheap on the low budget amp from Fender or other companies. When one of the component is badly soldered or the input jacks are going off you got lots of troubles.
I have the Tone Master Deluxe Reverb version 2 with the Celestion cream back speaker and the Princeton. They both rock and kick ass in tone and value. They take pedals great and have many advantages on stage that their tube versions do not.
I disagree about the overdrive channel on the hot rod deluxe. I dont know about the old ones but I use a hotrod deluxe IV and the overdrive is pretty good. Very usable. I dont use any overdrive pedals with it. It has 2 gain stages and the cab is made from pine so it is fairly lite. I put a eq or mxr boost and delay in the effects loop for solos. It works out very good. Great review.
sounds great. if it sounds the same it's close enough for me. price is too high and you can say they'd be stupid to lower the price. Truth is sooner or later someone, not fender, will simply make a better fender. It happens in most markets and most products. it's happening in tv now.
really enjoyed this video, I own a RDTM and a TwinTM, i must say i had to but the right drive that had that mid boost, ended up with buying a MOSKY Golden Horse Guitar Overdrive and that makes this amp sing, pushes the right mids to crunch the TM to where i need it. I recently got a Wampler Tumnus Mini, that too gets close but the MGH, is a winner and at just around £22, you can't go wrong.
The standby switch is used to mute the amp when you’re using the XLR out for FOH and want a silent stage.
If you need to put it under lab conditions to hear a difference, the difference doesn't matter.
Good comment.
with hazmat suits?
During the comparisons, I was shocked by how well the tone master handled the fuzz, much more dynamic and wild than the tube amp. Definitely different and very nice sounds from both, but with all the convenience the tone master offers, it absolutely is the better value in my opinion.
I consistently preferred the blue amp, which led me to believe it was the tube version. Pretty amazed it was the digital one.
38:08 for those wondering which one was tube vs TM.
Typically, as you turn up the Volume on a Deluxe for some overdrive you would reduce the Bass control to reduce "Flub". Input 2 reduces input gain by 6dB for more clean headroom at the first tube stage.
Most listeners in a LIVE band setting wouldn't be able to tell a difference one way or another unless its real bad and Ive seen players with great equipment sound terrible. Thats the players fault not the amp.
That being said, your opinion on tone is YOUR opinion. If you like it great! The next guy might not like it but thats OK. Its not his/her tone its your tone. Make it yours.
In my 40 years of playing Telecaster professionally I can tell you one thing..........Ive played every kind of tube amp and Fender tube amps (any of them) can be dialed in to get a great sound.
It may not be perfect for your playing style etc but if you can't take a quality tube and get a really good sound you're doing something wrong. Some of these new modeling amps are also great.
Play it hard, and find your tone.
I have a '73 Fender Deluxe Reverb that I just love and I bought a Fender Mustang III, I set it up next to the Deluxe and did some A/B (several weeks worth) until I found a tone that is very similar and cool, in fact live you'd never know the difference. Its light, reliable, and cheap!
Now the Mustang is one of my go to amps but you give it to the next guy and he might hate it. Your tone is in your hands and your ears. This is music folks, get used to it.
For me to say one amp is better than another only means something to me not to everyone. Listen to your guitar NOT other people.
If more young folks would heed sound advice like this, they might spend more time actually learning by playing instead of obsessing about and trading out gear, and losing money in the process too. I have a '65 Princeton Reverb RI, VibroChamp XD, and Peavey VIP Vypyr and love them all equally for what each does or even doesn't do. I also like to play a Digitech Mosaic before an ehx MEL9 and into an ehx Superego+ into only iLoud monitors via just a Focusrite solo interface preamp , and that works just fine for practice or even recording too. Scott Grove said he only uses real amps as a showpiece or backup only onstage, if at all.
@Ed Berger 😆 bro, tone is 100 percent in your skill. Whenever someone says tone is in your gear I know who I'm talking to. A metal head under 35. The more drive you have the more compression you have and with more compression you get less dynamics. So to a metal head yeah its all in the gear. In fact to a metal player the only thing that makes a tone is what note you fret and what speaker you choose. If you play anything clean, almost your entire tone comes from your fingers and technique.
@Ed Berger you really think someone who owns a vintage fender amp gives two shits about a modern deluxe? We're comparing modern modeling to modern tube. What makes the vintage sound is the magnets losing their charge over time, speakers and pickups alike. Two other things on the vintage point #1 hardly anyone who owns one will tell you the truth about them because if all the vintage owners didnt buy the hype resale value would plummet which is the reason most people buy those. #2 when they were made it was current technology which means the parts used in assembly were more likely of higher quality. There are only 3 tube factories on the entire planet anymore. China, some eastern european country and russia. Ehx owns one and all the brands that come out of it. Not alot of competition. Not a ton of quality. Personally I feel vintage is mostly hype. At the end of the day its an electric current going into a speaker. Not rocket science. What comes out of the speaker is what your brain tells your fingers to put into it. End of story.
@@misterknightowlandco Great honesty conclusion. I have had 65 DRRI, 68 CDR, Princeton Reverb, Blackstar, Marshall, Orange all tube.SS, Mustang, Katana, Blackstar. I currently have the Helix Floor and 1x12 power cab plus with is great and can do anything with, in the end its all what you like and your skill.
I like this amp. It doesn't just feel like a Deluxe Reverb it IS a Deluxe Reverb (Tonemaster). In my mind if it says Deluxe Reverb, looks like one, functions like one and sounds like one then it is one. It may not be the original but it is just what it claims to be.
In my mind thr tonemasters are just a reissue done in a different way.
The mind is the strongest thing in the world' the way one thinks. Had a friend call me one night years ago' he said he was hearing voices' I asked him what the voices were saying' he got quite for a few seconds and then I heard a gun shot.
😬 @@BryanClark-gk6ie
I have played the deluxe and the twin tone Masters and they sound great to my ears and great on the back too.
Fender nailed the clean tone on these amps . Now adding effects you can tweak it to sound as good as the original deluxe. But keep in mind that you can have 10 Original tube deluxe amps and each one will sound different..for different reasons like tube brands , bias, speakers and caps.
So really the tone master is a nice amp sounds good and maintenance free.
The only negative is the price.. a bit over priced in my opinion.
..the Tonemaster has power scaling, the tube version does not. the tube version has 9 tubes..inc. tube rectifier. The conflict in Ukraine has meant no more tubes from Russia, and the alternatives are more costly and liable to get more so. In ten years most people will / or most likely will, be playing tone master type amps. A good part of the tone master is made in the USA
As a home guitarist who doesn't gig, the Tone Masters are a revelation. Now I can have some really great sounds for my Telecaster at suitable volumes (even jamming while bubs is asleep in our small house with the attenuator). I think the price point is fair and the fact that I don't have to maintain tubes is also a great thing. I cannot wait to pick one up! For now I'm challenging myself with getting some decent tones on my Champion 20 during this lockdown.
from a champion 20 to a tonemaster, that's quite the upgraded I gotta say
@@wrraf Quite the royal upgrade if you ask me!
ho! how are you liking the Amp so far? 😊
@@justokotoeh love it so far my friend!!
The "mute" switch works in conjuction with the direct out. Run the amp on "mute" with the "direct out" XLR output and the amp is silent.
Thanks for the review! I've had my TM for a month now....I think it sounds great with drive pedals...with tone tweaking (as noted for pedals just lower the bass and bring up mids/highs) you can get stellar sounds....in some cases better than the tube equivalents. Plus, all modulation pedals sound better on this amp than the tube version, Hot Rod to me is arguably good with pedals but the clean tone is vastly inferior. I think tweaking one's pedals with this amp yields better all round tones than either a Deluxe Reissue or the HRD...YMMV.
That kinda my thoughts as well. This tm in this demo actually sounded better to me than the tube version. I've been contemplating buying one. The cleans are absolutely outstanding. Trent, are you still happy with your tonemaster? I think I might sell my Marshall head.......I also agree with you on the hot rods, terrible cleans
@@michaelarmstrong1730 absolutely agree
I think that I have owned about 45 tube amps, mostly Fender, starting in 1977. Loved them. But at this point I have a TMDR, mostly because it's 23 lbs. I have gigged with it and it was fantastic. Good amp.
I want to get one of these and install a full set of tube sockets and hook up power to just the filaments. Then it is a digital amp that actually has glowing tubes.
That is hilarous, I love it!
Great video! The “attenuator” on the back is more than a volume knob - it models a tube amp being attenuated with power amp distortion, which isn’t really the same thing as a master volume.
Agreed
Absolutely ‼️🎼🎸🎶😎
Yes - I leave my amp dialled to 9 on the volume knob and attenuated to 0.5 watts - turning the guitar gives an amazing distorted tone…
Isn't really? It is absolutly different !!
Replying to an old comment, but it is absolutely a master volume. It is not "attenuating" anything. There is no power soak. A master volume on any decent amp modeler still models power amp distortion, then just reduces the signal sent to the speaker as the final step... exactly the same as TM. Or do you really think Kemper, Helix, Fractal etc. do NOT model/profile power amp distortion? 🤦♂
The standby is for a quiet stage when running through the XLR.
Todays winner is Mark F !
I just purchased one and will be talking it out for the first time tonight. I have tube amps and love them but have spent so much money on replacing tubes, getting tube sockets replaced/repaired etc. that I’ve paid for them many times over. I’ve been looking for a non-tube options and have been disappointed until now. Hoping this will be a long-term solution for me. I’m a jazz guy and this tone suits me fine. Thanks for the fantastic, honest review that really highlights this amp’s pros and cons.
John Horne
Same here... but it doesn’t work for me. Doesn’t take my OD pedal well at all. Raspy, thin and a sizzle that can not be turned away with treble. Curious how you find it after your gig
John Von D I’ll let you know. It’s a solo jazz gig so I don’t expect any surprises. I don’t use OD often but I agree that my favorite OD (The Animal from Rockett) doesn’t sound quite the same through this amp.
Katana still rules over Tone Master! That`s a fact!
Marcelo Magalhaes Have you played them both? I bought the Katana and really, really dislike it for my needs. Will be selling mine if you need another.
@@J1JL that's what I was hearing. Well said bro ,👨🏽🎤
If Fender has seen any of your videos they knew that you'd be honest and give an unbiased review. Thank you for all of your product evaluations, they are very useful for those of us buying gear.
If I remove the bottom right logo on the grill & use it jamming with a loud band & with my pedalboard, I'd bet a thousand $$$ no one would be the wiser that it's not the tube version. People like to boast how smart they are watching the video & clearly seeing when it transitions back & forth and declare their side for the tube amp.
Steely Dan Yep. I used a TM Deluxe on a solo gig last night and at the end I invited a friend who is a great guitarist up on stage to check it out. I told him to pick up the amp and he gave a good chuckle when he realized. He told me unsolicited that he would never have guessed it was not a tube amp.
Most people at a show or gig haven’t a clue about what an amp is anyway.. let alone if it’s SS or tube driven... most people wouldn’t know a Champ from a Super Reverb.. other than ones smaller..
Yeah, as Les Paul said, "People listen with their eyes". Remove that possibility with a true blind-test and I'd guess most people couldn't tell you which was which and/or would say the Modeling version is better.
It's a video! Why trust, you my as well verify. Resale value on anything digital is horrible. But at least its lighter.
I have a deluxe reverb from 1992, it does what it suppose to do.
I played the two side by side. I liked the tone master better.
You said several times that it doesn't have a "mute switch". In the fender ad they state that when put on "Standby" it only outputs to the DI out. Muted - Mission accomplished. This also explains the reason for the "Standby" Switch that you said has no purpose. Hope this corrects a few things. Thanks!
I guess my take away is, if you’re playing anything like “hard rock” or “metal” that relies heavily on a overly distorted sound why would anyone consider a Deluxe Reverb in the first place? (Tube or otherwise)....I agree with you, this amp excels at super clean and edge of breakup-overdrive type stuff. I will say after owning the TMTR for a little bit and having the speaker broken in, It sounds great! As far as drives, I use a Strymon Sunset and it sounds great through this amp.
Well I mean... I thought the same a few months ago, then I realized that Baroness were playing through Deluxe Reverbs and Princetons, and still managed to get killer tones.
vuriby I’m not saying it’s impossible and that no one has done it. But typically Fender isn’t really known for their “High Gain” sound that’s often associated with “heavier” music.
@@JasonTMays Fenders are great for being cheapish and having good cleans with enough headroom for heavy high gain pedal platforms.
Robert Williams again...not saying you can’t get high gain out of them...however, deluxe and twin reverts aren’t typically associated with high gain music.
That "mute" switch is exactly what it is labeled as; it is not a "standby". Throw the switch, the front side light goes yellow and your DI goes to where you're sending it without the internal speaker(s) producing any sound. All other controls work as expected in this mode. I have had the Tone Master Twin since early September and to date, when playing gigs, not one person has been able to identify it as not a tube amp unless they were told.
Pricing is a little different here in Maine U.S.A. Tonemaster is 899.00 Tube Deluxe Reverb is 1100.00 The 2/3 fraction would be 726.00 for the Tonemaster. I have the Tonemaster and it's been a great tool live and in the studio. Love it. Thanks for the great vid!
Promot Ed what studio? Your home studio? Nobody’s using that in a real studio.
@@robertwellington2616 Plenty of people would use this in a real studio. Look at how many albums used a helix while tracking, or plugging straight into pro tools. If someone likes the sound they are going to use it.
I think this comparison can be supplemented by having near the end of the vid, tweaking the tone settings of 'both' amps and even using different pedals, such as a HX FX..etc. More real world observations that purchasers of both type amps would do to hear in their best case scenario way. Not just 'everything at 12 oclock and see what sounds best.
Just as Ritchie Castellano (Digital pedal user and Lead Guitarist for BOC) does with his Helix and other Line 6 Digital pedals. At first some tones sound blah, and digital, but after he tweaks some EQ, it's amazing! Amazing to the point where it's not so digital, fizzy, bottom end woofy, as you mentioned.
always a critic
Here in 2021, just got the Tone Master DR blonde. I'm in love. You make great points, but for home use I'm never gonna notice the difference. Plus, the blonde has the bright cap removed on the vibrato channel and the upgraded speaker. For me, this is absolutely perfect at its intended use! Play on!
I got my Fender DLX Reverb Tone Master a week ago and love it! Even with Pedals.
so it will take a few pedals if you run it through??
Trucker Kev The Paid Tourist pedals sound best in the normal input. My overdrive pedals sound fizzy in the vibrato channel because of the bright cap
@@landonkirk2825 Apparently they have rectified this in the new blonde version. As a pedal user, I'm more tempted now.
Steven Honeywill the blonde version looks amazing! Especially because of the creamback!
I haven’t read all the comments to see if this has been covered but I suspect that the tube amp (one shown) is 120vac only since it has a large transformer (not switching supply). The Tonemaster has a supply voltage range (because of the switching power supply) that will accept anything from 100 vac to 240. So to use in Europe, all you would need is the an adapter, or the EU cord. The tube model would fail, if you tried to use it with just a plug adapter.
I had a chance to try the twin tm for a live gig in a small club and imo it worked great for clean sounds. I have a ‘71 non master twin and it nailed the clean sound for 98%. Using the XLR out to FOH worked fine. cab sim, rev & trem also good quality. As a pedal platform for overdrive, distortion etc. however I agree with Henning it colors the sound in a negative way, especially on higher volumes it lacked in dynamics and compression. I missed the push in the mid eq. spectrum. For cleans though Fender did a good job.
thanks, good to know cause i get my tones from ZOOM G2 and overdrive pedals, Ill stick to my Hughes & Kettner Vortex 80W transistor and Peavey Bandit Transtube 80W, wont have to pay 1000€s for a one-trick-pony modelling amp!!! Cheers, Kimmo : )
Kimmo Lingonheimo it is a good one trick pony though. btw, the cheap twin fender frontman 212R is good in cleans as well, for 1/3 of the price of the TM....
Excellent review, Henning. Thorough, good explanations, and soundwaves! More reviews should be like this one.
Of everything said here, I endorse the HR deluxe recommendation (I’ve owned the first three iterations and will probably get the fourth). As a guy that wants a good clean tone, but an AWESOME pedal platform (all gain from pedals), the hot rod deluxe has always been my go to (I even have a flight case so no real carrying 😊). Great review/demo, you’re my favorite 😘😘😘.
-Aaron
The “Mute” allows the speaker to be turned off while the DI remains active.
The information on the mic presets on the DI are available in the owners manual hat least it says that in the owners manual of my Tone Master Twin Reverb).
Great video!
Totally agree with what you said regarding the Hot Rod Deluxe IV. That was exactly the amp I chose to get. But I still think the price point of these digital SS amps are too steep. And if they would lower it I might actually get one, but still keep my Hot Rod Deluxe IV which is amazing!
The output power selecter-attenutator works exactly like it should. You can get the tube like crunch tone at the lowest power as well as the clean. It's not the illusion of a power output control. On full power it'll get quite loud before you can get a crunch tone. I love this little amp. Kind of pricy for what it is. I have the bloned, which comes with a Celestion speaker. It seemed to sound better when I bought it.
It's always amazing how Henning says and shows things the very same way I would do or expect, hence once again his review is on top of any other else, hands down. Honesty and quality, I won't never be tired to say it about Henning. Thanks man, now... please pick up that Helix on the floor, it makes me feel it has to fall at any moment! :D
The Tonemaster amps sound great in their own right and are a lot more versatile than the tube versions. The biggest issue I have with them is the processing technology used - what are the options in 2/3 years time if you have issues?
Tube amps (especially hand-wired) are certainly fixable for the most part if you have any issues - for many years after purchase.
They did a great job with these amps however I bought a 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb and glad I did
On my Deluxe Tone Master, I tried using Vibrato input #2, then I put the power control at .5W, set the volume above 4 and below 6 to avoid the Bright Cap and Breakup, and then plugged in my pedals including overdrive, fuzz, distortion...and it worked pretty well. Pedals are a bit of a challenge on the amp, but if you find the right combo, they can sound great.
I wish Fender still made the Tone Master head from the 90s. That thing was a beast!
Ha ha yeah right I was playing mine last night and was thanking goodness I kept it after all these years It's my A1 main amp and sounds awesome The Vibroking is good too I usually use a 4/10 or an old Vox 2/12 It would be cool if they did start making them again I'm a tube guy all the way You can still find them for under a K usually
@@paulcowart3174 I've seen used Tone Masters on eBay, problem is I live in New Zealand, so shipping costs will be a tad painful 😢
Kudos for clearly showing sponsorship at the beginning of the video! Coupled with your typical professional and informative video productions, this is a perfect example of what these types of reviews should be. Extremely well done...and full transparency!
I really can't tell much of a difference between these amps. There are very close to each other, which means that Fender did a hell of a job with this. Now I want one. Not sure if I want a Twin or a Deluxe. If the Twin gave the true heavenly clean tone the tube version does, it would be something I would want.
Not when you run a fuzz... the tone master handled the fuzz pedal like ass.
@@MP422ownz i use a muffalator infront of mine and it sounds great.
The manual says:
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).
OUTPUT POWER: Selector switch offers full power (22 watts) and
five other attenuated wattage settings that tailor room/venue
overall loudness. Set amp front-panel channel volume to personal
preference for tube-emulated response, then set OUTPUT POWER
to preferred level.
I do remember a vid which showed earlier saturation when set to low wattage ... so there seems to be more than just a "master volume"
.....or that is Fender using artist license with the verbal (PR) to say "Master Volume".
So, with the new Blonde TM and the firmware released for the regular version (regarding reverb, breakup issues, bright cap, pedal output, etc.) it seems that most if not all of the apparent "issues" would be dealt with. Right or wrong?
What breakup issues?
Bought the DRTM yesterday at Musik Produktiv and was blown away from the first minute on. I own tube amps but I dont hear a difference and that makes this amp sp versatile. The weight, the attenuator and the line out are great features. In our rehearsal today nobody noticed it was a SS amp :D
You went very quickly from, “Why can’t I turn it off the sound completely with the attenuator/master?” to, “Why does it have a mute switch?” 😂 but honestly, great review!
Great video! I bought both the deluxe reverb tonemaster and the twin tonemaster and will never look back. Both amps sound amazing, and i used to be a tube snob. There are very minor differences in the tube version and the TM. And once u start playing live with a band, no one will even notice in the mix. Ive used both of these live and cant be more happier. No more changing tubes, no more filter caps to change, no more biasing and it weighs half....its a no brainer! Im going to eventually get the Princeton next. I wish Vox would do this with the AC30 and the AC15, they attempted it with the VR series but no where close to the tube versions. I love AC30s but they are back breakers like the Fender Twin.
Thank you for the very detailed and honest review. If Fender gets mad at you, send me the tube amp and you'll feel relieved. 😁
I just bought the Twin Reverb TM amp last night. It is an upgrade from my Princeton 60w 12" speaker. All I can say is WOW - it is so loud and clean and no distortion. I can't wait to play with it more tonite! And I got it off Craig's L. for $650 in pristine condition!
Replicating old amps with modelling is fine, but why copy the old feature-set too. It will never be the "real thing" anyway so I would at least add a FX-loop so that it can be used as a modern pedal-platform.
youre right! band these Years Fender quality /build control has been very low, just bought a Fender Frontman 10G, see how long itll last, was gonna buy a second one but caught myself and bought two pedals instead, also made in China..., the more usa n china fuck eacother up the more the rest of the poor suffer
I think it's so it looks less like a toy. Gigging with it, it will look and sound like the (and maybe sometimes better than) the real deal. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference immediately. I agree it should extra features would be cool, but to access those properly you'd need an extra board as well so using it wouldn't suck.
Seeing as it's a clean amp the effects loop really isn't all that necessary since you aren't distorting your effects through a high gain preamp. If you're gonna pay extra for a loop I would invest in a switcher for the board, much more convenient, versatile and the ability for preset combinations and go for a barebones clean amp as a blank canvas to start with.
@@kimmolingonheimo I couldn't disagree more... Fender has done some really amazing things and released some great products in the last few years
This was one of your better reviews. I suspected orange wav was tube, but actually liked the Tonemaster verb. Honest and thorough assessment - well done.
At this price point Fender really needed to nail all the sounds of the original Deluxe Reverb, clean AND over driven. So, to me, this Tone Master is kind of a fail for the money. No point going to all this trouble to only get it half right. Sure it will suit some players but it isn't as flexible as it should be. A profiling amp may be a better bet at this price point as they cover the lot not just one amp. Another great, honest review. Keep up the good work man.
Great Demo, after playing back a few time I found I like the Tonemaster overdriven and with pedals. The mids semmed scooped out leaving nice bass and open mids with a more pronounced high end, I suppose this would be more "American" sound as opposed to British with thicker mids.
I would really love to hear and see what you think about the Class AB Boss Nextone Artist Amp which is some kind of the same concept with a bit more versatility but without digital modeling. It is not a Katana, it is designed to sound like a classic tube combo without using tubes. Does it metal? No! Does it sound good? I think yes! I changed from the Katana Artist to the Nextone and I am happy with it. It even takes drives better than the Fender Tonemaster as far as I could hear in your great video.
I really like the Boss Nextone. If I had not bought this and if I didn't already own a Blackstar Artist 15 I would get one. Blackstar makes a quality product and since they started making amps that were not all super high gain amps, I have liked them more.
Thank you. Saved me some time. I've already returned 3 non tube amps searching for a good, lightweight non tube amp. Amp companies should spend money figuring out how to lighten their tube amps and stop making digital amps.
The absolute best review of the Tone Master I’ve seen. Thank you.
Re: Henning’s point about the flabby low end when the TM is pushed- you can get a wider variation on the tube amp by changing tubes or the speaker. Also, if there’s too much bass, there’s a knob on the front for that… Where I hear a bigger difference, is between the point-point versions and the Reissue. At that that price point, I do hear a meaningful advantage with the more expensive amp.
They sound as different as any two Deluxe Reverbs might
I'm a bass player (and a wannabe guitarist) and played with heaps of Deluxe Reverb owning guitarists and I can say that the tonemaster sounds worse than the best of them I've heard but also better than the worst of them... but on the whole definitely at "better" end of the scale. first time I encountered one with out even knowing about them was a jam night and thought it was a nice classic tone said to the player "nice reissue, love those tones" they then went "yeh it's solid state, pick it up" mind blown! - went out the next day and bought one... and my blackstar 5 watt and Laney 15 watt now gathering dust
@Luke If that is addressed to me then you are wrong, but thanks for joining in anyway'
@Luke I'm surprised you say that. Maybe you've been lucky.
Yeah, there is little consistency in tube amps..sometimes you can get lucky and get a gem though
sounded pretty much the same to me
I appreciate your review. Very professional!
To those who are new to amplification I would say this: Second order harmonics, you got 'em or you don't! Tube amps got'em, SS/Digital amplifiers don't. It's more than just a distortion thing most of which can be emulated by diodes.
That's really all there is to it. But Why? - If you don't trust your own ears then take the word of the scientists that have gone into the laboratories and conducted a great deal of experimental research with human beings and sound reproduction and these tests conclusively have proven the human ear prefers second order harmonics in music to music without it. Only tubes provide these second order harmonics. Go and research how power tubes are made and how they work and you just may come away with a new appreciation of these slightly older than 100 years tubes which are glass bottles with other components in a vacuum that amplify a signal.
Hey I'm 69 years old, have always read a lot and so I took the time to read about tubes and came away with a greater appreciation of the sonic characteristics of what some think of as primitive devices.
I was a violinist as a younger man and I have very good hearing and very good pitch and I can tell the differences. I also play many "World" Instruments" such as Sitar, Veena, Sarangi, Sarod, Pipa, Erhu, Oud, Bouzouki and Rabab to speak about a few of my favorites. I also play acoustic bass and viola. I love viola! Like a violin but the pitch is a little lower and that is to my liking. I have trained my ear to hear "Micro-tonal notes". Since I am retired I only play for my own enjoyment and pleasure. Why would I play 8 and 12 hours a day using a sound amplification system that I did not like as much as my tube amplifiers? I would not. I would sometimes use a non tube amp for practice thinking I would save the tubes. I got over that. My tubes last years and I have many tube amps so I rotate them, sometimes.
Also I have learned enough to change my own tubes and now there are actually certain tubes that sound better than others in my different amps. So I can fine tune the tone and also the gain and breakup characteristics with different tubes. I only spent just under $60 for all the correct gear to do my own power tube biasing. Heck I can even alter the bias with a given set of tubes to change the tone and characteristics of each amp anytime I wish. I like my SS and Digital amps for certain music but I love the tone and break up of my Tube amps for all music. Like vs. Love, Love wins for me every time!
-Peter
Diodes ? You mean processors. As was stated in the video, Fender's target ( this is a whole New, 2019, approach to Digital Amps) was a clean amp and in the real world of your local club, how much difference would you hear?
I ment diodes. I was not really addressing the new Fender Tonemaster amps I was speaking about all non tube amps in general that use transistors for power amplification. Even so "processors are not tubes and can never be an actual tube. They may capture much of the tone but not every aspect of a true tube power amp.
I stated that I play for my own listening pleasure at my home in my studio (not a local club) and enjoy playing guitar and other instruments for the tones, the tones man. So I shall sick with tubes.
The tube deluxe had more lows when driven than the TM in the side by side, to my ears anyway.
I use a MojoMojo overdrive and an XTS Atomic Overdrive with my Deluxe Reverb Tone Master. Both sound awesome. I crank the volume to about 7 and attenuate the overall volume for the venue. The MojoMojo is nice and chunky and the XTS wails!
The best review and demo I have seen of the Tone Master!
The clean tone always gets me going. Yes, love many amps, but I could live w/ Fender alone.
I bought the tonemaster simply because i don't like having to change tubes and throw money at the amp year after year. This amp to me sounds amazing and i have no regrets.
Tell us about your tube amps that you say you don't like spending money on and changing tubes every year. Tell me exactly what tube amps you own.
I suspect you are just repeating misinformation about tube amps that you have heard about and in reality you don't have any tube amps and you have never changes any tubes in your entire life.
@@PeterDad60 Peter is an appropriate name for you. You kinda come off like a dick. Your assumptions are incorrect. I played a hot rod for years and had problems during live shows that can be completely avoided with the TM. Having to change out tubes and spend money doing it is not misinformation guy.
Having a Line 6 Flextone since marketed with lush clean fender tones and effects built in I have Fender Blackface tone covered. I also made the mistake of buying a Tweed Blues Junior which I have had to replace tube sockets add variable bias and maintain , Then I hand wired a Vibroverb clone I built my self. Trying to get the sweet spot at higher levels at home is tough unless no one is around. I think my next amps will be a 50s tweed clone and a Marshall clone or a Orange Rockerverb. I really couldn’t tell any difference on TH-cam. The deluxe reissue already was printed circuit board, plastic shaft pots and all the other things not original. The solid state is lighter, has attenuation which makes it great for home or today’s stages, won’t need babying and if it takes pedals most will be happy.
The Tone master actually sounded better to me with pedals than the tube amp. The tube sounded like it was way too mid focused. I'm sure it sounds much different in person though.
Thanks for the demo
totally agree. I have a 4x10 Hot Rod as well but I only use the TM now. Unbelievable with pedals. Great response from Treb/Bass/Mid too. Love the thing and gig with it all the time.
@@diggeroldmate8122 And if you're getting too much low end from the TM using pedals, just turn the bass knob down, pretty simple.
Baught it 3 weeks ago then sold it last week after trying the original valve version. Too scooped sound missing mids and presence.
With that said it has a brilliant reverb and trem, kudos to Fender for that.
I just bought the Twin version love it i gig a lot in a top forty country and classic rock band. Easy load and out great tone!
Weight?
Dude u did excellent and remarkable comparison of the two amplifiers I've ever seen this was exceptionally informative spot on !!!
Really small difference at here, pretty impressive work from Fender. Price is still too high. You can find good Fender modeling at much cheaper price when you buy some program on your computer like Bias FX 2 or amp.
It's not just the modeling as I understand, it's the quad processing power, huge descrete power amp, speaker and pine cab. Quality costs money, and not having tubes in it doesn't change that.
it's not a modeling amp that's why it's priced as such Fender has a whole bunch of modeling amps for a low budget.
That bias plugin is incredible. Totally agree, I've used that on so many productions... But not everybody wants to hurl around a laptop and interface with 6ms round trip latency on the plugin. This amp feels very real to the player in the live scenario and gives everybody an authentic feeling, while delivering on other aspects like the DI, weight and the power settings.
Why shouldn't it be worth its price?
But then it doesn't sound even half as good as the Tonemaster.
Coming from a professional musician, Band Director, with a music degree, you can definitely tell the difference between the two. When the comparison started, I heard the orange line first, and thought “wow that sounds good.” Once it switched to the blue, I immediately noticed it got thinner and less dynamic. It was also missing bass. It got harsher too.
I believe that it’s mostly an EQ thing but you can definitely hear the attack is different too. The orange line- tube version sounds way more open as well. It sounds clearer and with more depth/complexity.
Didn‘t you try to use the mute switch when going thru the line out?
oh damn... I am an idiot!!!!!
EytschPi42 Glad, it worked. Thanks alot for the very informative and enjoyable review! Imho the best and most elaborate A/B comparison I‘ve seen so far.
@@thetom42100 Absolutely agree
Haha reupload required😂
EytschPi42 😂
Just bought the tone master and was delighted to find this direct comparison with the original amp, so nice to find someone who actually does like for like, keep seeing videos that say they are comparing but then they fiddle with settings, sound is very subjective and though I'm ready to get shot down, I spent the whole time wishing the "blue" amp was the tone master, just to my untrained ear it delivered the sounds I wanted to hear.
I think one big advantage of the Tonemaster is that you can play it in your bedroom without pissing off your neighbors.
I have tried several different speakers, including the Jensen out of a deluxe reverb tube amp and none sound as good as the factory tone master speaker. So i bought a second tone master and twin them together. incredible.
Thanks for your in-depth review.
Love the honesty in your reviews; keep up the great work 🎸
My understanding of the attenuator is that it’s not just a volume. It downscales the max volume to achieve the tube sounding overdrive at lower volumes
My back would appreciate the weight savings, and my ears are good with the sound....I am hoping that fender can do this with the '59 Bassmaster!
probably no market for that though...
@@jakobstumpf391 probably everyone who's had to gig with a Bassman.
@@glennpace9783 Not sure the bassman these days has the same usage rate as the DR or the TR. I agree that it's different enough to these, that it should have its own Tone Master. But Fender are probably just looking at how these two are selling. Let's see if guitarists are....ready for the evolution :-).
@@jakobstumpf391 relax....it's meant as a light-hearted comment.
@@glennpace9783 well we definitely need light hearts to lift an amp that heavy :-D
If you had a graphic of the response curves (clean, of course) for both cases (amp + speaker + microphone), you certainly would see that they are clearly different.
This should justify all clean differences, including pedals.
But you could try to make them more equal by trying to approximate the curves with the controls, namely the bass. If that is the big problem, roll it down one or two points.
At last, besides this comparison, you could try another one where you try to make both amps sound well, and sound approximately equal (I know that was not the objective of this video).
I didn't 'hear enough difference that some EQ fiddling wouldn't handle. Accounting for price, reliability, and carry (not to mention several pitchers of beer and a plethora of pheromones in the crowd); where's the loss?
Had to like it-- it ended with kitties (katzen).
Brilliant concept from Fender, thanks for this review :)
But, I'm 100% sure that the speaker and the wood being completely different in these amps you compared, it makes a huge difference. Even one same speaker moved in different cabs would sound different (not drastically because is the same speaker, but noticeable) - there's a video where Kristian Kohle is doing this experiment.
Anyway, the idea is awesome, and for the 2% difference between them, the digital one wins, since there are no parts to service.
I wonder why other companies are not embracing this idea of cloning themselves their own amps.
I got this amp the other day, and put it next to my twin reverb, the twin sounds a little deeper, but I think
that may just be the 2 speakers, other than that you can't tell the difference between the two, great amp.
Yeah, the speaker. Just like w pickups you can hear what kind of magnet s being used.
I started playing guitar using a Sylvania tube record player. My dad put a jack on the outside and could plug into it. It had a fantastic sound. My second amp was a Danelectro. I find it difficult to get the feeling with a solid state amp. This new Fender isn't quite there, but I do really love the old tube amps with there even harmonics. The best part of old tube amps might be the tube vibratos some of the modern ones don't sound like those. I'm not talking about tremolos.
This seems like a neat option,
I still like the classic version but the utility and weight are awesome
I think what I would want to see is a 65 deluxe channel and a Bassman/57deluxe (something tweedy) channel with global reverb/vibrato that would sell me on this. I guess a tonemaster version of the new silver face line would do
I recently bought a used blonde twin reverb tonemaster and I also have a Vox as15. The two amps together are nothing short of glorious.
Re silence and Mute - is that not the point of the mute: to silence the amp while leaving the DI active.
I've owned lots of amps vintage and boutique. The tonemaster twin I bought has been the best amp purchase I've made. It's one amp that can do everything from home to big stage
The di out is amazing and makes playing shows a breeze
I have the Tone Master deluxe and it takes drive pedals really well. Switch it to 22 watts, drop the volume to a clean range, 2 to 4 and use the Vibrato channel, your drive pedals will sound as intended and harmonic rich, spot on setting I’ve found. If your running the amp at below 5 watts, then they sound average. 22 watt and 12 watt settings with the volume at a clean range and its perfect pedal platform.
Frank Baldan Hey, is this at practice volume or would that be good for gigging?
Thomas Mills Music just for home practice at that mentioned volume.
Thomas Mills Music its also ok for small gigging I think
Great review, Henning. I just bought the TM Princeton and waiting for it to arrive. I’m very tube oriented when it comes to amps but my back is not what it was and these are really close!
Hats off to Fender, I think it’s a great idea to use all that modelling power for one purpose rather than lots. And great review Henning! 🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻👍
Thanks for this. I love my 212 Hot Rod Deville, but after loading it with Eminence Governors, it’s a lot to lug around and having to leave the volume at 1-1 1/2 at most venues is a bit sad. I’m looking at this or the twin tone master as a replacement and you’ve helped immensely. To me the tone difference is very similar to the tonal change I had changing from the shrill fender designed speakers to the eminence speakers; other than negating the tonal similarity’s between the stock speakers and the Xlr out, I’d be curious as to what a speaker change would do for the amp. Also, I loved the comment on the useless second channel on the hot rod amps. Thanks again.
Can you imagine watching the same add for "really awesome blues guitar solos" at the beginning of each TH-cam vid....
Ohh yesss. you can.
Fantastic. Thanks. I had just sold my tube version and was thinking Cube for Jazz. But this is ideal!
Does the Tonemaster come with the hiss?
I love tube/valve amps. All up to you as to what you choose for an amp. Don't disrespect one or the other.
I’m really interested in this for atmospheric and ambient music
it should work great for that!
Other companies are already doing this check out Roland Capsule series of Eric Johnson or the Robben Ford capsule. Concerning maintaining a Tube amp apart from replacing tubes from time to time there's hardly anything to do. Keep in mind that PCB board is usually quite cheap on the low budget amp from Fender or other companies. When one of the component is badly soldered or the input jacks are going off you got lots of troubles.
I would like to see your review of the Boss Katana MkII
I have the Tone Master Deluxe Reverb version 2 with the Celestion cream back speaker and the Princeton. They both rock and kick ass in tone and value. They take pedals great and have many advantages on stage that their tube versions do not.
Thank God they replaced the foot switch from the original one.
I disagree about the overdrive channel on the hot rod deluxe. I dont know about the old ones but I use a hotrod deluxe IV and the overdrive is pretty good. Very usable. I dont use any overdrive pedals with it. It has 2 gain stages and the cab is made from pine so it is fairly lite. I put a eq or mxr boost and delay in the effects loop for solos. It works out very good. Great review.
sounds great. if it sounds the same it's close enough for me. price is too high and you can say they'd be stupid to lower the price. Truth is sooner or later someone, not fender, will simply make a better fender. It happens in most markets and most products. it's happening in tv now.
really enjoyed this video, I own a RDTM and a TwinTM, i must say i had to but the right drive that had that mid boost, ended up with buying a MOSKY Golden Horse Guitar Overdrive and that makes this amp sing, pushes the right mids to crunch the TM to where i need it. I recently got a Wampler Tumnus Mini, that too gets close but the MGH, is a winner and at just around £22, you can't go wrong.