Well done as always Shane. I bought one a few weeks ago and I love it. Getting great tone out of a 24 pound solid state amp helps extend my playing career. I'm just a 70 year old bar player in the Philly area and I just can't drag the 40+ pound tube amps around anymore. Thank you and looking forward to your discussion with the Doctor!
My Blues Jr tubes are dying and today I went to a music store 1 1/2 hours away. Plugged my guitar in that tone master deluxe reverb, because I found that thing interesting for last 1 year and boom blowin away by that sound. It's hard to believe, this has no tubes in it. Plugged my pedal board in. No compromise whatsoever. And this thing is so light weight. Tried the line out at home at bedroom sound level at night :D Sounds fantastic. I am excited to bring this to rehearsal tomorrow. This thing is really awesome.
Right!? If Marshall and Vox aren't paying attention to the popularity of this series out of the gate, they're leaving $ on the table and it's their own damn fault!
These new Fender amps sound great. I own a Roland Blues Cube which I love and it looks like Fender did some research on what made the Roland Blues Cube sound legit.😃👍
Ive owned a vox vt40x and now play a vox av60. its always on "Clean 1" setting. ive been thinking for the longest time that i needed to trim the fat with something like this.
Great video, Shane. I've had one of these a few weeks now and am blown away by it. So nice bringing to and from practice. Wife is happy with low bedroom tones at night. Sounds great. Sold my 68 deluxe tube amp it was so good!
I really like mine. The Deluxe Reverb tube version is my go-to amp. The Tone Master sounds essentially the same to my ears. I like the ability to record w/o a microphone and the power attenuation.
It's December as I text. I'm looking at my Deluxe reverb Tonemaster right now wrapped under my Christmas Tree. Come on Christmas! Thanks for the review.
I absolutely love these reviews. First, you're reviewing gear I'm interested in and second, you play some great blues riffs! Third, your reviews are very in-depth... you cover everything that is needed for me to make a decision to check the gear out. Love this channel! Keep up the great work!
Here it is! I hope you dig the video. Time Codes: ► Sweetwater (USA) - imp.i114863.net/FenderTMDeluxe ► Sky Music - alnk.to/eOGaAc7 ► Thomann (Global) - bit.ly/34JX81e ► Amazon UK - amzn.to/2Kbgva9 ► Amazon Canada - amzn.to/3aihBeL (affiliate links) Time Codes: 0:00 - Backing Track Jam 1:15 - Amplifier Overview 3:40 - Vibrato Channel 8:12 - Vibrato and Reverb Effects Together 9:14 - Normal Channel 11:05 - Maxon OD808 Overdrive Test 12:18 - Power Attenuation and XLR direct output (SM57 IR) 16:55 - My final review of the Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Amplifier
Both tone masters are awesome. The twin has to be my favorite. It's going to be interesting to see how far fender takes this idea of modeling one specific amp.
They describe it as the Tonemaster “range” - sure two items does technically make a range, but I reckon they’re heading for a bunch of these things. I’d love a Princeton or Blues Jr version.
@@maxflinter6896 Yes. They have blackface modeling now and with the attenuator it doesn't make sense to add smaller amps instead of covering a new tone space. I see many people asking for princeton and champs, but it seems to me the next move would be some tweed offerings. A Deluxe and a Bassman are on the fender plan, I hope!
I love aussies!! back in the 70's I got to jam with a band called Salty Dog in perth then got invited back to their house for some tokin' & pickin' all night long!! I was in the Navy & didn't want to go home!! lol!!
I think the fact that they've merged a vintage tube sound and aesthetic appeal with the flexibility for both the stage and home play without compromising your options at any stage is brilliant. Its the best of everything that's been developed so far. You got your modeling but you get your authentic blackface amp experience. You get the look but you also get all the benefits of a lighter amp. You get quite and loud without having to have a second amp for home practice that won't sound like the one you're gigging with. Reading threads by the snob blues dads who only live at home they were so dismissive about it but to a gigging musician that still cares about appearances (natural since image is important to live music) its a pretty amazing achievement. Its proving that we can have either the Helix thing or the combo amp thing and still benefit from the advances in technology without one or another aesthetic or mentality being made to leave their ways behind. This is the future and I'm excited to finally own a Twin or Deluxe I can use at home and then know I could go gig with it even at a serious venue.
I really hope this is the directions amps are going. I'm not a fan of amps like the Boss Katana series where you get tons of options at the cost of tone quality and dynamic, expressive sound. I tried out the Katana 50 MKII and every built-in sound option sounded extremely similar, artificial, and flat. I was scratching my head as to why they're so popular and all I could think was the low price tag. Their sound is decent but far from great. The Tone Master, on the other hand, sounds excellent. I've, honestly, never heard a solid state amp sound so good. It's not perfect but it's like 97% of the way there. I'd like to see a version 2 come out in the future with further tone improvements and an effects loop.
Yo Shane, just bought a TM Deluxe from Sweetwater the same place I got my TM Twin from and I just love it, well both really. Played it yesterday using my ‘07 MIJ ‘70s Tele with SD Vintage Stacked Noiseless Pickups and it sounds Great. Also got a NUX Cerberus Pedal from Thomann and together, WOW what a sound!! And it’s all EASY on the Back......LOL! Thanks so much for the Reviews of them all you’re a real instigator when it comes to me picking up New Gear but I really respect your opinion and advice! Thanks Mate! Cheers from Ohio, USA!
Like I said about the 1st amp you reviewed, it seems like Fender's got a winner here. You brought out the sound it was built for, great playing. You knew where the amp would be strongest and went for it.
Overview Effect anyone who actually claims they’ll miss them once digital modelling sounds better is either a irrational diehard tube fan or has never tried lifting a big tube amp lol...
Caged63Man I think it’s only worth it to stick with tubes if they actually sound better. Which I still think they do sound/feel slightly better...but for me the other downsides are also huge. Heavy, fragile, and require maintenance. Compare that to something that sounds pretty close and you can carry in a backpack (HX stomp) or a setup like the Tonemaster and it doesn’t feel like you’re getting a bad deal, even if it’s expensive
@@Radarssbm true. But as long as I lift with the knees and can handle the weight of my Fender amp, I'll continue to use them when doing large audience gigs, and use my hybrid Marshall valves tate amp, for smaller club gigs.. Trying to be smart about my amp use. My Katana is studio and home use...
Thank you for demonstrating the low-power settings w/out post-production boost; it sounds great at all levels with and without the pedal. I hope Fender does this with all their amp models. Peace.
Absolutely love this amp!!!! It’s everything I need to as far as that classic Fender clean that I want!!! My dilemma is whether to pay the extra $100 US for the Twin (which is more bang for your buck) or stick with the Deluxe Reverb!! 🤨🤨 These Tone Master videos here are , in my opinion, are the best on TH-cam! These amps are flying off the shelves in stores so it’s hit or miss trying them in person, so it’s such a relief to have an honest opinion to guide this purchase! Thanks again for your opinion and insight! Cheers!!!🎸🎸🎸🎸👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
For $100 more you get more than enough power, a 2nd speaker, the bright switch on each channel, tilt back legs, and a "mid" tone control. All well worth that extra $100. If you gig get the Twin. Try to get 15% off like I did at Musicians Friend. At 33 lbs it will be great. A Blues Jr. weighs 31 lbs, a tube Deluxe Reverb 42 lbs, Hot Rod Deluxe 46 lbs. Like Shane recommends you really need at least 40 watts to play out with.
Just bought one of these over the weekend. Vibrato channel sounds great clean but is very fizzy with a drive pedal in front. Normal channel sounds better with drives. I watched a ton of videos before purchasing and didn't notice that level of fizz.
mmaaat123 I ended up returning the deluxe and getting the Twin instead which has worked much better for me. That’s great that Fender released firmware to get rid of the bright cap on the deluxe though. I’m sure that makes it a much more usable amp for players who use drive pedals in front of that channel.
Big difference in the sound of the xlr on this amp vs the Mustang 4. Although I like the amp, the Mustangs direct outs just don't sound good. I can see letting go of the Mustang for this or the Twin. The vast amjority of the time, I use the dry versions of the Deluxe and Twin amp models in the Mustang, running my pedals istead of the amp effects. That's one thing I can say about the Mustang, it does handle pedals well.
I’ve got a 68 Custom Vibrolux Reverb and wanted the twin speakers but not the hernia of lifting a twin Reverb. This series of amps are showing a lot of what is capable. At this point I’m seriously considering trading in my Vibrolux for the TM Twin.
Hi Shane! I would be interested in your feelings about the new Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Blonde and the Blonde Twin. They made the reverb more linear in response. Clipped the bright caps (virtually via software) and updated the speakers. Have you had a chance to play either blonde or even the originals with the firmware updates. Also, which fender (The black or blonde twins or deluxe reverb versions would be best for the blues?) Thanks for the great videos!
A very nice amp with many useable features! Clean low notes. Great idea by Shane to pair this amp with MIM fender strat and the OD808 pedal with the Tele! 👍
I always enjoy these videos of yours. They're comprehensive and thorough. I tried the Tonemaster deluxe in a local store a few times and it was good enough to these ears. I was getting all manner of authentic blues tones and the Peter Green sound coming through, too. I suppose the amp does start to part company with the valve combo its based upon , but only when the volume is getting past the clipping point. However, its still a superb sound. Its a little too expensive for me at this time, but Im gassing for one of these. ps. I preferred the deluxe over the Twin because I tend to use the distortion from the amp and back off with the guitar volume to clean up, just like we used to do it. The twin overdriving was less musical to me. Thanks for the video. Great stuff.
Shane, Happy New year a really good solid state amp that does tube sound really good is the Orange Crush pro 120 combo, how it compares to the Tone master twin or Boss Katana Artist would be a very good comparison!
Enjoyed the review/demonstration! So do you think this wouldn’t have usable volumes for most club gigs? Could you line out to the mixer and be in the PA while using the amp for monitoring?
Let’s face it Fender has knocked it out of the park with the Tone Masters. The only problem is now are they going to up production and distribution to supply the world wide demand? Because here in the uk all shops have them on order but no stock :-( Come on Fender it’s like you’ve only dispatched enough of these to get the reviewers going on TH-cam no offence Shane mate.
Great video Shane, new subscriber. I just purchased this amp and love it. I played it live once and it did the job nicely, being an outside small to medium venue. Tonight we have a show at a larger outside amphitheater style venue. I'm a little nervous, if this amp will be loud enough, or if I should take my my Bogner Shiva combo? (Mic'd with 57). Maybe take both...LOL!
Shane,I enjoyed the video. A question for you. I have this amp and I love it!! I have to turn the treble on the amp up to 7 or 8 to give the guitar enough treble to sound right. You have tested a lot of equipment and might not remember if you had to turn the treble up. Maybe the amp is voiced in this fashion? Thank you!
Great review shane. I have the TM Deluxe too along with a limited edition "blue Deluxe Reverb" with Celestion Blue speaker. I've had many DRRIs and an original 65 as well. The main difference with every DRRI I have had is the speaker. The neo speaker sounds different (just a little lighter and thinner sounding) than the Jensen C12K but I bet if you connected the guts of the TM to a CK12 it would sound identical to a tube Deluxe reverb. Looking forward to you comparing the Twin to the Deluxe turning the Twin down to 22 watts and comparing it to the Deluxe at 22 watts. Thank you for all y9ur great reviews and the time you have spent on the Tone Master series. Also, profile the TM Deluxe into your Kemper and compare it with the profile of a tube Deluxe to see how they compare.
hey Jim, I'm thinking of buying either the ToneMaster Deluxe or the'65 Princeton Reverb 15W w/Alnico Blue Limited Edition. I'm a home studio player (don't gig) and liked my '68 Princeton though I found it a little to bass heavy overall. Any recommendations between the TM and tube '65 w/Alnico?
@@dennismarshall8791 I have a limited edition Princeton Reverb with 12 inch speaker Awesome. You can't go wrong with the DR Tonemaster and it is cheaper than the PR limited edition. A PR with the Celestion Blue will be somewhat heavy and the TM will be much lighter.
@@JimKerstetter - thanks, yesterday I demo'd the Ltd. Ed. '65 with the 15W Alnico Blue in the 'Chilewich' Blue fabric and thought it was everything I liked about my '68 with nothing I didn't: the dark/woofy nature of the '68 was gone due to the difference in tone stack, etc. I'm liking the Alnico Blue and also finding the 15W to be fine at bedroom level (playing at about 4-5 on the volume,but does get too loud for late night use after that). After less than 10 minutes, I decided to buy it and was able to get $225 off the SRP ($1,199) so only a few bucks more than the stock '68 and much better for my purposes. Thanks again!
Shane... You've been living with both versions of the Tone Master release. Any thoughts on the difference in the physical size of these amps? I picked up the Twin Reverb version from Sweetwater and am having to make the go-no go call if I want to keep it or switch to the Deluxe. My issue is that my practice space is my attic. Very narrow stairway access and hard to get that twin up the stairs (still tons better than lugging my Delta Blues up those stairs...). The good news being weight isn't the problem. It's the awkwardness of going up with that longish cabinet. Haven't brought it down, but suspect gravity will help in that regard. The 85 watts available on the Twin is lost on me. But the 40 is definitely usable. And the .5 and .2 watt settings are equally as lost on the Deluxe. Thus the decision for the Twin.
I think the Princeton Reverb would’ve been a better choice to debut this technology; it’s the go-to amp these days. I have no need for the normal channel on the deluxe and it’s just to large overall ; give me a Tonemaster Princeton and I’ll buy it in a heartbeat
Thanks for your great videos. they've been very helpful to me. Is there any comparison between the power attenuator on this amp and the combination of volume and master volume on the GTX100?
Looking to purchase one of these. I just have one question that will make or break. When I run the amp through the XLR will The speaker still work? If I run the amp through the XLR straight to desk can I still use the amp for an onstage monitor? Thanks
Shane, sound wise, did you find any appreciable difference in sound quality (apart from headroom) between the Twin and Deluxe TMs as I’ve seen others mention (indicating they preferred the Deluxe as superior copy)?
Great review, took the overdrive like a champ, I guess that’s a big concern with a few viewers who have built up pedal collections, how will they sound with a solid state digital amp, the Maxon 808 just worked, and worked very well at that.
Walked out of sky music with this very amp used in the video, David gave me a great pre Black Friday deal too good to pass up. Love the amp, it does need to be on 5 watts and above to breathe and punch, .5 and .2 settings not bad but not the way to go imo. All in all super happy with the tones and with taking pedals.
Really great review, and balanced (yet positive) and thorough assessment. I really want the amp, and I’d almost buy one without even trying it just based on your review, but... I already have a DRRI (a tube one), and I cant justify another expensive amp so similar to what I already have, or really any other amp, LOL. I like the Tone Master Twin, but I just don’t need an amp of its volume potential. Still, I would like to check these amps out for myself just to hear for myself. Thanks again!
IMHO Fender blows away the Katana. I had one of the Katanas. Really wanted to love it. Just didnt. Returned in two weeks. I'm loving what I hear out of these Fenders so far.
@@stephenlennartz3466 IMHO Katana 100 x 1 12" easily replaces my old Peavey Classic 50 & the Vox 35 watt providing lush clean and of course pedal options, it is always a matter of personal taste-I just use my Katana all the time these days.
Great demo Shane. As a blues guy which one would you take if you had a choice? I know you were gifted the twin but do you prefer one over the other? My taste and style is similar to yours. Thx
PSA: The vibrato channel of the TMDR is harsh with some drive pedals, but if you jumper the normal channel into the vibrato channel and turn the volume of the normal channel to 0, it takes away some of the presence. Maybe it bypasses the bright cap? Give it a shot if your DR doesn’t play nicely with your OD pedal.
I really love these amps and think this technology is the future. That being said... Fender must be making a killing off these TM amps being made in China, they pay those workers next to nothing. I mean, how can this digital/ made in China amp be in the same ball park as a made in America, tube amp?
They are overpriced of you ask me. I grant them to cash in for some years with a huge margin after they invested in the technology but they sure should come down quite a bit if you ask me.
It’s priced as an alternative to the tube version - I suspect they don’t want to price it down so that this competes directly with their smaller tube amps. It sucks - and I agree these are overpriced - but I can see the marketing logic behind it.
@@zaphod888 Yes, but also for the right player it's worth it. It's not for those that love their tube amps. it's for those of us that get annoyed w/ all the things that suck about tube amps and are willing to pay for this.
I drove to a local shop and borrowed this one then drove it back the following day. I mentioned this right at the start. You may have missed that part. ;-)
These are $900USD the 65 Deluxe Tube Amp is $1100USD.....you could get a seoond hand tube deluxe with an attenuator for less than the digital version......no Bueno
You could get the same sound from an audience perspective that's easier on your back but looks the part either way plus attenuation that doesn't compromise the sound, unlike attenuating with anything but a stupid expensive attenuator that costs as much as the amp anyway. Plus its more reliable than a tube amp so for a gigging musician all this tube snobbery doesn't mean much.
@@BollocksUtwat Sounds amazing from the XLR out at any volume also. Gigging, recording and playing at home all with the same exact tone is a fantastic concept.
@@BollocksUtwat Exactly right. The tube folks complaining about this remind me of my dad wondering why anyone would pay more money for an automatic transmission since a manual gave the driver more control hah. For most people convenience is a trait they are willing to pay a premium for. Not saying that's right or wrong, but that's just the reality. To the right player Fender could charge just as much as a tube amp. I suspect they won't do it now because they have to get people curious enough to try it, but you better believe that day is coming and when it does you'll see the marketing shift from "almost as good as a tube amp" to "none of the hassle of a tube amp with same great sound"
Well done as always Shane. I bought one a few weeks ago and I love it. Getting great tone out of a 24 pound solid state amp helps extend my playing career. I'm just a 70 year old bar player in the Philly area and I just can't drag the 40+ pound tube amps around anymore. Thank you and looking forward to your discussion with the Doctor!
My Blues Jr tubes are dying and today I went to a music store 1 1/2 hours away. Plugged my guitar in that tone master deluxe reverb, because I found that thing interesting for last 1 year and boom blowin away by that sound. It's hard to believe, this has no tubes in it. Plugged my pedal board in. No compromise whatsoever. And this thing is so light weight. Tried the line out at home at bedroom sound level at night :D Sounds fantastic. I am excited to bring this to rehearsal tomorrow. This thing is really awesome.
Great move by Fender to make a single sound amp instead of many amp sims. Definitely the future. Great review Shane 🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍
Right!? If Marshall and Vox aren't paying attention to the popularity of this series out of the gate, they're leaving $ on the table and it's their own damn fault!
These new Fender amps sound great. I own a Roland Blues Cube which I love and it looks like Fender did some research on what made the Roland Blues Cube sound legit.😃👍
Ive owned a vox vt40x and now play a vox av60. its always on "Clean 1" setting. ive been thinking for the longest time that i needed to trim the fat with something like this.
Great video, Shane. I've had one of these a few weeks now and am blown away by it. So nice bringing to and from practice. Wife is happy with low bedroom tones at night. Sounds great. Sold my 68 deluxe tube amp it was so good!
I really like mine. The Deluxe Reverb tube version is my go-to amp. The Tone Master sounds essentially the same to my ears. I like the ability to record w/o a microphone and the power attenuation.
It's December as I text. I'm looking at my Deluxe reverb Tonemaster right now wrapped under my Christmas Tree. Come on Christmas! Thanks for the review.
I absolutely love these reviews. First, you're reviewing gear I'm interested in and second, you play some great blues riffs! Third, your reviews are very in-depth... you cover everything that is needed for me to make a decision to check the gear out. Love this channel! Keep up the great work!
Thank you, Chaz!
The future is here, less is more and simple is better. Fender has changed the digital amp paradigm.
great playing on all segments.
Simple can be better but less can never be more and to say it is is illogical
It's music, and logic doesn't really apply. It's more about irrational things like feelings
Here it is! I hope you dig the video.
Time Codes:
► Sweetwater (USA) - imp.i114863.net/FenderTMDeluxe
► Sky Music - alnk.to/eOGaAc7
► Thomann (Global) - bit.ly/34JX81e
► Amazon UK - amzn.to/2Kbgva9
► Amazon Canada - amzn.to/3aihBeL
(affiliate links)
Time Codes:
0:00 - Backing Track Jam
1:15 - Amplifier Overview
3:40 - Vibrato Channel
8:12 - Vibrato and Reverb Effects Together
9:14 - Normal Channel
11:05 - Maxon OD808 Overdrive Test
12:18 - Power Attenuation and XLR direct output (SM57 IR)
16:55 - My final review of the Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Amplifier
Note - Fender has a software update that removes the bright cap from the vibrato channel - removes that brightness you picked up on.
Both tone masters are awesome. The twin has to be my favorite. It's going to be interesting to see how far fender takes this idea of modeling one specific amp.
They describe it as the Tonemaster “range” - sure two items does technically make a range, but I reckon they’re heading for a bunch of these things. I’d love a Princeton or Blues Jr version.
@@zaphod888 yes or a bassman
@@maxflinter6896 Yes. They have blackface modeling now and with the attenuator it doesn't make sense to add smaller amps instead of covering a new tone space. I see many people asking for princeton and champs, but it seems to me the next move would be some tweed offerings. A Deluxe and a Bassman are on the fender plan, I hope!
@@jason.hansen I hope so too and agree with you.
@@zaphod888 ehh the Blues Junior is already a budget tube amp. I don’t see them doing that in a solid state. I’d love to see the Princeton though!
Swapped my Blues Junior for one of these baby’s and I’m very very happy
Great demo Shane 🎸👏👏
I love aussies!! back in the 70's I got to jam with a band called Salty Dog in perth then got invited back to their house for some tokin' & pickin' all night long!! I was in the Navy & didn't want to go home!! lol!!
I think the fact that they've merged a vintage tube sound and aesthetic appeal with the flexibility for both the stage and home play without compromising your options at any stage is brilliant. Its the best of everything that's been developed so far. You got your modeling but you get your authentic blackface amp experience. You get the look but you also get all the benefits of a lighter amp. You get quite and loud without having to have a second amp for home practice that won't sound like the one you're gigging with.
Reading threads by the snob blues dads who only live at home they were so dismissive about it but to a gigging musician that still cares about appearances (natural since image is important to live music) its a pretty amazing achievement. Its proving that we can have either the Helix thing or the combo amp thing and still benefit from the advances in technology without one or another aesthetic or mentality being made to leave their ways behind.
This is the future and I'm excited to finally own a Twin or Deluxe I can use at home and then know I could go gig with it even at a serious venue.
I really hope this is the directions amps are going. I'm not a fan of amps like the Boss Katana series where you get tons of options at the cost of tone quality and dynamic, expressive sound.
I tried out the Katana 50 MKII and every built-in sound option sounded extremely similar, artificial, and flat. I was scratching my head as to why they're so popular and all I could think was the low price tag. Their sound is decent but far from great.
The Tone Master, on the other hand, sounds excellent. I've, honestly, never heard a solid state amp sound so good. It's not perfect but it's like 97% of the way there. I'd like to see a version 2 come out in the future with further tone improvements and an effects loop.
I really appreciate your videos by the way. Very informative and great sound quality. Great, playing, as well.
I was waiting for this review. Thank you so much!!!
It's so weird because you're one of the only lefty demo guys on TH-cam and I always get weirded out by the left handed guitar.
Yo Shane, just bought a TM Deluxe from Sweetwater the same place I got my TM Twin from and I just love it, well both really. Played it yesterday using my ‘07 MIJ ‘70s Tele with SD Vintage Stacked Noiseless Pickups and it sounds Great. Also got a NUX Cerberus Pedal from Thomann and together, WOW what a sound!! And it’s all EASY on the Back......LOL! Thanks so much for the Reviews of them all you’re a real instigator when it comes to me picking up New Gear but I really respect your opinion and advice! Thanks Mate! Cheers from Ohio, USA!
Like I said about the 1st amp you reviewed, it seems like Fender's got a winner here. You brought out the sound it was built for, great playing. You knew where the amp would be strongest and went for it.
Love to see you and Dr Ric discuss these amps.
I feel like finally when tubes/valves die off, we re not gonna miss them that much
Overview Effect anyone who actually claims they’ll miss them once digital modelling sounds better is either a irrational diehard tube fan or has never tried lifting a big tube amp lol...
I'm missing the price of ss amps, makes me want to stay with tube if I'm gonna pay that kind of money for these!
Caged63Man I think it’s only worth it to stick with tubes if they actually sound better. Which I still think they do sound/feel slightly better...but for me the other downsides are also huge.
Heavy, fragile, and require maintenance. Compare that to something that sounds pretty close and you can carry in a backpack (HX stomp) or a setup like the Tonemaster and it doesn’t feel like you’re getting a bad deal, even if it’s expensive
@@Radarssbm true. But as long as I lift with the knees and can handle the weight of my Fender amp, I'll continue to use them when doing large audience gigs, and use my hybrid Marshall valves tate amp, for smaller club gigs..
Trying to be smart about my amp use. My Katana is studio and home use...
@@Radarssbm Yep, and firmware updates in case ever needed.
ooo lush and fendery. I like to watch these videos with my ears and this amp sounds sweeet
Nice: Singing over the sound of the amp, so it is possible to gauge the volume in the room.
Thank you for demonstrating the low-power settings w/out post-production boost; it sounds great at all levels with and without the pedal. I hope Fender does this with all their amp models. Peace.
Absolutely love this amp!!!! It’s everything I need to as far as that classic Fender clean that I want!!! My dilemma is whether to pay the extra $100 US for the Twin (which is more bang for your buck) or stick with the Deluxe Reverb!! 🤨🤨 These Tone Master videos here are , in my opinion, are the best on TH-cam! These amps are flying off the shelves in stores so it’s hit or miss trying them in person, so it’s such a relief to have an honest opinion to guide this purchase! Thanks again for your opinion and insight! Cheers!!!🎸🎸🎸🎸👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
For $100 more you get more than enough power, a 2nd speaker, the bright switch on each channel, tilt back legs, and a "mid" tone control. All well worth that extra $100. If you gig get the Twin. Try to get 15% off like I did at Musicians Friend. At 33 lbs it will be great. A Blues Jr. weighs 31 lbs, a tube Deluxe Reverb 42 lbs, Hot Rod Deluxe 46 lbs. Like Shane recommends you really need at least 40 watts to play out with.
Go for the Twin. You won't regret it.
Agree. Go with the Twin.
I'm going to wait for the Princeton.
Just bought one of these over the weekend. Vibrato channel sounds great clean but is very fizzy with a drive pedal in front. Normal channel sounds better with drives. I watched a ton of videos before purchasing and didn't notice that level of fizz.
mmaaat123 is their firmware update?
mmaaat123 I ended up returning the deluxe and getting the Twin instead which has worked much better for me. That’s great that Fender released firmware to get rid of the bright cap on the deluxe though. I’m sure that makes it a much more usable amp for players who use drive pedals in front of that channel.
Bridging channels will fix the bright cap issue
Damn it Shane , now I HAVE to buy this amp ! :-) Great job on this and as always mate !
Big difference in the sound of the xlr on this amp vs the Mustang 4. Although I like the amp, the Mustangs direct outs just don't sound good. I can see letting go of the Mustang for this or the Twin. The vast amjority of the time, I use the dry versions of the Deluxe and Twin amp models in the Mustang, running my pedals istead of the amp effects. That's one thing I can say about the Mustang, it does handle pedals well.
I’ve got a 68 Custom Vibrolux Reverb and wanted the twin speakers but not the hernia of lifting a twin Reverb. This series of amps are showing a lot of what is capable. At this point I’m seriously considering trading in my Vibrolux for the TM Twin.
Hi Shane! I would be interested in your feelings about the new Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Blonde and the Blonde Twin. They made the reverb more linear in response. Clipped the bright caps (virtually via software) and updated the speakers. Have you had a chance to play either blonde or even the originals with the firmware updates. Also, which fender (The black or blonde twins or deluxe reverb versions would be best for the blues?)
Thanks for the great videos!
I just ordered one… SO EXCITED!!!
Ordered it with gigging in mind. So tired of lugging around my heavy tube amp
And sick licks man!
A very nice amp with many useable features! Clean low notes. Great idea by Shane to pair this amp with MIM fender strat and the OD808 pedal with the Tele! 👍
I'd love to see Fender make a digital 'Tone Master' version of the Bluesbreaker 30 :)
Damn good Backing Track Jam in the front. You play the blues with true conviction.
Buying the amp, and stealing some licks!! Oh yeah--smashing the subscribe button as well. Thanks Shane!
Always a good watch, always an honest review, lots of good info. Enjoy your reviews, please do more open chords than single notes, great job.
Shane, which clean tone to you prefer. The Tonemaster Deluxe or the Tonemaster Twin?
Hey Shane, Great review! Is this loud enough to gig classic rock (Eagles, etc) small/medium clubs? It would be mic'd in the larger of the clubs....
I always enjoy these videos of yours. They're comprehensive and thorough. I tried the Tonemaster deluxe in a local store a few times and it was good enough to these ears. I was getting all manner of authentic blues tones and the Peter Green sound coming through, too. I suppose the amp does start to part company with the valve combo its based upon , but only when the volume is getting past the clipping point. However, its still a superb sound. Its a little too expensive for me at this time, but Im gassing for one of these. ps. I preferred the deluxe over the Twin because I tend to use the distortion from the amp and back off with the guitar volume to clean up, just like we used to do it. The twin overdriving was less musical to me. Thanks for the video. Great stuff.
Shane, Happy New year a really good solid state amp that does tube sound really good is the Orange Crush pro 120 combo, how it compares to the Tone master twin or Boss Katana Artist would be a very good comparison!
Enjoyed the review/demonstration!
So do you think this wouldn’t have usable volumes for most club gigs?
Could you line out to the mixer and be in the PA while using the amp for monitoring?
Let’s face it Fender has knocked it out of the park with the Tone Masters. The only problem is now are they going to up production and distribution to supply the world wide demand? Because here in the uk all shops have them on order but no stock :-(
Come on Fender it’s like you’ve only dispatched enough of these to get the reviewers going on TH-cam no offence Shane mate.
Thanks for the video, it would have been good to hear a delay pedal along with the OD pedal
Great video Shane, new subscriber. I just purchased this amp and love it. I played it live once and it did the job nicely, being an outside small to medium venue. Tonight we have a show at a larger outside amphitheater style venue. I'm a little nervous, if this amp will be loud enough, or if I should take my my Bogner Shiva combo? (Mic'd with 57). Maybe take both...LOL!
Was it sufficiently loud in the end?
Super playing! Great guitar (Strat), and an impressive amp. I’m interested.
Mahalo Shane for the great review! Since you've had the chance to demo both... which one would you prefer? This deluxe or the twin?
You sold me. Congrats to Fender.
Shane,I enjoyed the video. A question for you. I have this amp and I love it!! I have to turn the treble on the amp up to 7 or 8 to give the guitar enough treble to sound right. You have tested a lot of equipment and might not remember if you had to turn the treble up. Maybe the amp is voiced in this fashion? Thank you!
Great review shane. I have the TM Deluxe too along with a limited edition "blue Deluxe Reverb" with Celestion Blue speaker. I've had many DRRIs and an original 65 as well. The main difference with every DRRI I have had is the speaker. The neo speaker sounds different (just a little lighter and thinner sounding) than the Jensen C12K but I bet if you connected the guts of the TM to a CK12 it would sound identical to a tube Deluxe reverb. Looking forward to you comparing the Twin to the Deluxe turning the Twin down to 22 watts and comparing it to the Deluxe at 22 watts. Thank you for all y9ur great reviews and the time you have spent on the Tone Master series. Also, profile the TM Deluxe into your Kemper and compare it with the profile of a tube Deluxe to see how they compare.
hey Jim, I'm thinking of buying either the ToneMaster Deluxe or the'65 Princeton Reverb 15W w/Alnico Blue Limited Edition. I'm a home studio player (don't gig) and liked my '68 Princeton though I found it a little to bass heavy overall. Any recommendations between the TM and tube '65 w/Alnico?
@@dennismarshall8791 I have a limited edition Princeton Reverb with 12 inch speaker Awesome. You can't go wrong with the DR Tonemaster and it is cheaper than the PR limited edition. A PR with the Celestion Blue will be somewhat heavy and the TM will be much lighter.
@@JimKerstetter - thanks, yesterday I demo'd the Ltd. Ed. '65 with the 15W Alnico Blue in the 'Chilewich' Blue fabric and thought it was everything I liked about my '68 with nothing I didn't: the dark/woofy nature of the '68 was gone due to the difference in tone stack, etc. I'm liking the Alnico Blue and also finding the 15W to be fine at bedroom level (playing at about 4-5 on the volume,but does get too loud for late night use after that). After less than 10 minutes, I decided to buy it and was able to get $225 off the SRP ($1,199) so only a few bucks more than the stock '68 and much better for my purposes. Thanks again!
This is excellent Shane! Now I need one of these!
In the groove there buddy!
Someone whose review I can trust.
Shane... You've been living with both versions of the Tone Master release. Any thoughts on the difference in the physical size of these amps? I picked up the Twin Reverb version from Sweetwater and am having to make the go-no go call if I want to keep it or switch to the Deluxe. My issue is that my practice space is my attic. Very narrow stairway access and hard to get that twin up the stairs (still tons better than lugging my Delta Blues up those stairs...). The good news being weight isn't the problem. It's the awkwardness of going up with that longish cabinet. Haven't brought it down, but suspect gravity will help in that regard. The 85 watts available on the Twin is lost on me. But the 40 is definitely usable. And the .5 and .2 watt settings are equally as lost on the Deluxe. Thus the decision for the Twin.
I think the Princeton Reverb would’ve been a better choice to debut this technology; it’s the go-to amp these days. I have no need for the normal channel on the deluxe and it’s just to large overall ; give me a Tonemaster Princeton and I’ll buy it in a heartbeat
Any long term opinions on this at this point? Thinking about getting one
I've said it a million times. If Vox could make AC15 and AC30 cabs ulta light and use a Nutube Preamp, it will blow the Tonemasters out of the water.
Thanks for your great videos. they've been very helpful to me. Is there any comparison between the power attenuator on this amp and the combination of volume and master volume on the GTX100?
Shane I think that the Normal side sounds just like a 1964 Deluxe Amp which to my thinking is one of the All-Time Fender Amps.
Looking to purchase one of these. I just have one question that will make or break. When I run the amp through the XLR will The speaker still work? If I run the amp through the XLR straight to desk can I still use the amp for an onstage monitor? Thanks
Shane, sound wise, did you find any appreciable difference in sound quality (apart from headroom) between the Twin and Deluxe TMs as I’ve seen others mention (indicating they preferred the Deluxe as superior copy)?
Awesome job as always & it does sound very lovely !! :)
??? Shane, did you ever try to gig the Tone Master Deluxe? I just wanted to know if it cut the mustard like the TM Twin did, thx!
I hope you wear ear plugs when your doing these videos Shane. Blues On... 💙
9:46 The Captain Lee Anderton riff. Nice one! 😬👍
I don't watch that guy. We probably listen to the same players though haha.
intheblues - Chappers and the Captain? No? Lol. That double stop thing is like his signature riff. He plays it at least once per video.
Great review, took the overdrive like a champ, I guess that’s a big concern with a few viewers who have built up pedal collections, how will they sound with a solid state digital amp, the Maxon 808 just worked, and worked very well at that.
Walked out of sky music with this very amp used in the video, David gave me a great pre Black Friday deal too good to pass up. Love the amp, it does need to be on 5 watts and above to breathe and punch, .5 and .2 settings not bad but not the way to go imo. All in all super happy with the tones and with taking pedals.
Shane, how is this compared to the Blues Deluxe?
It sounds beautiful.
Shane, what about Fuzz Pedals? Do they work fine?
Tube shattering performance from these modern amps . Soon you wont even be able to give away a heavy old tube beast.
Really great review, and balanced (yet positive) and thorough assessment. I really want the amp, and I’d almost buy one without even trying it just based on your review, but... I already have a DRRI (a tube one), and I cant justify another expensive amp so similar to what I already have, or really any other amp, LOL. I like the Tone Master Twin, but I just don’t need an amp of its volume potential. Still, I would like to check these amps out for myself just to hear for myself. Thanks again!
At what volume is your guitar on during the pedal test?
Shane, have you've ever used those pickup's in a Strat yet? Thanks. (The pickup's that are in your Tele)
Does it has enough headroom to play clean in a band?
Hi Shane, if you use the line out to a pa system, is it loud enough for a gig?
Maybe I should’ve bought one of these instead of the Milkman Pint. Ah decisions decisions 😉
Deluxe or the twin tone master ?
sounds good but 950 for solid state ??
little much
Ok Shane, katana Artist or Fender Tone Master. What’s your favorite?
IMHO Fender blows away the Katana. I had one of the Katanas. Really wanted to love it. Just didnt. Returned in two weeks. I'm loving what I hear out of these Fenders so far.
@@stephenlennartz3466 IMHO Katana 100 x 1 12" easily replaces my old Peavey Classic 50 & the Vox 35 watt providing lush clean and of course pedal options, it is always a matter of personal taste-I just use my Katana all the time these days.
Which of the two would you buy? The Deluxe or the twin if you could only have one and why?
16:55 or guitarpedaldemos.com/fender-tone-master-deluxe-review/
Is it loud enough really? I had a 60w fender deluxe 85 solid state amp that wasn't quite, but my Katana 100 on the 50watt setting is
Love it. My only concern is the price considering it’s a non tube amp.
What was the guitar volume set to when you were in 1W and lower wattages?
Hi could you use a mirror image in your future videos so you will be right-handed and normal please.
What’s the name of those pickups ? The one you have on the Telecaster ? Thanks for the review it was very helpful
Hot Rails.
Great demo Shane. As a blues guy which one would you take if you had a choice? I know you were gifted the twin but do you prefer one over the other? My taste and style is similar to yours. Thx
16:55 or guitarpedaldemos.com/fender-tone-master-deluxe-review/
Lovely stuff.
PSA: The vibrato channel of the TMDR is harsh with some drive pedals, but if you jumper the normal channel into the vibrato channel and turn the volume of the normal channel to 0, it takes away some of the presence. Maybe it bypasses the bright cap?
Give it a shot if your DR doesn’t play nicely with your OD pedal.
Can't wait for these to come down in price a bit, such great sounding amps!
Sweetwater lists it as 100 watts, COMPARABLE to 22 watts of tubes.
I don't know about the amp but you sound great!
Sounds really nice ..................... maybe a Twin vs Deluxe Reverb cage fight? :-)
Oh does that sound sweet not bad playing mate :)
I really love these amps and think this technology is the future. That being said... Fender must be making a killing off these TM amps being made in China, they pay those workers next to nothing. I mean, how can this digital/ made in China amp be in the same ball park as a made in America, tube amp?
They are overpriced of you ask me. I grant them to cash in for some years with a huge margin after they invested in the technology but they sure should come down quite a bit if you ask me.
It’s priced as an alternative to the tube version - I suspect they don’t want to price it down so that this competes directly with their smaller tube amps. It sucks - and I agree these are overpriced - but I can see the marketing logic behind it.
@@zaphod888 Yes, but also for the right player it's worth it. It's not for those that love their tube amps. it's for those of us that get annoyed w/ all the things that suck about tube amps and are willing to pay for this.
That's exactly what I was thinking when I paid what this amp costs, for my wife's new made in China Iphone.
How many amps did fender give you? Didn't they give you a twin also?
I drove to a local shop and borrowed this one then drove it back the following day. I mentioned this right at the start. You may have missed that part. ;-)
Wow he got the volume up to 3. I can't even get min to reach 1 before my trouser leg wobbles.
Sweet!
both sounded great but I think you need to do more in the room sound instead of boosting post production otherwise great vid
I showed the attenuation level through my shirt mic as well.
These are $900USD the 65 Deluxe Tube Amp is $1100USD.....you could get a seoond hand tube deluxe with an attenuator for less than the digital version......no Bueno
You could get the same sound from an audience perspective that's easier on your back but looks the part either way plus attenuation that doesn't compromise the sound, unlike attenuating with anything but a stupid expensive attenuator that costs as much as the amp anyway.
Plus its more reliable than a tube amp so for a gigging musician all this tube snobbery doesn't mean much.
@@BollocksUtwat Sounds amazing from the XLR out at any volume also. Gigging, recording and playing at home all with the same exact tone is a fantastic concept.
It well worth the price. You get what you pay for !
@@BollocksUtwat Exactly right. The tube folks complaining about this remind me of my dad wondering why anyone would pay more money for an automatic transmission since a manual gave the driver more control hah. For most people convenience is a trait they are willing to pay a premium for. Not saying that's right or wrong, but that's just the reality. To the right player Fender could charge just as much as a tube amp. I suspect they won't do it now because they have to get people curious enough to try it, but you better believe that day is coming and when it does you'll see the marketing shift from "almost as good as a tube amp" to "none of the hassle of a tube amp with same great sound"
Still played thru a tube screamer in the end.
how about vs the katana 100 shane :)