_ No mine’s been great. I’ve heard of some people having issues with there’s. Guess I just got lucky and got a good one. I plan to get the deluxe reverb version soon too. I want something that breaks up at lower volumes
Christopher Mafnas I got another one and seems fine. If you want it to break then just lower the output in the back, no? It takes pedals reaaally well! I’ve owned tube Twins before but this one sounds a little better even.
@@willhurt3446 thanks. Appreciate the feedback. I've been on the fence because i know how my rig sounds thru a tube twin but i haven't tried one of these. Highly unlikely they'll bring one out here soon so I'm researching before i pull the trigger
Bought mine over the weekend and all I can say is in 35 years of playing, owned everything from tube Orange, to Marshall, to Mesa, to Fender, and plenty of modelers, this is the best I’ve had. It takes pedals extremely well, it’s as light as a feather, and sounds, plays, and reacts like a Fender Twin. I can’t imagine needing any other amp for the gigs I’m likely to play.
I have been playing for 40 years as a working musician ,own 2- twin Reverb tube amps, and I can honestly say that my tone Master twin sounds as good and consistently as good as either of my tube twins. The difference between the tone Master is the same different you'll fine between any two twin tube amps that you compare. A game changer
The tone master amps are game changers in the modeling arena, Fender captured the authentic sound, feel and vibe of valve driven originals. Great review, it was worth the wait to see the demo and to get your opinion.
This amp rocks. Check out the time code index below. Let me know what you think! Time Codes: 0:00 - Backing track Jam 1:33 - About this video 2:51 - Amplifier Features 5:31 - Clean Tones (Vibrato Channel) with Reverb Get the Tone Master online: ► Sweetwater (USA) - imp.i114863.net/YeNJj ► Thomann (Global) - bit.ly/2RH9ZMd ► Amazon UK - amzn.to/2K6eiNb ► Amazon Canada - amzn.to/34EiJrQ (affiliate links) 7:29 - Vibrato & Reverb effects (clean) 8:08 - Bright Switch (Vibrato Channel) 8:58 - Normal Channel (Bright Switch) 10:15 - Overdrive Pedal Test (normal channel) 11:10 - Overdrive Pedal Test (Vibrato channel) 12:07 - XLR Output IR Test (with Microphone Comparison) 13:29 - Power Attenuation Switching 16:41 - My final review of the Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb
Yeah Shane it sounds great!. I had a hunch that these amps were going to be something good. If you can you should do one of the new Blackstar silver line modeling amp that are coming out and see how they stack up to the Tone Master.
Ok Shane I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that is the best tone I’ve heard you get from an amp. These Tonemaster amps are something special. I took a chance and bought the Deluxe Reverb model and was blown away how real it sounds. I’d be real interested to hear you do a comparison with that Nextone amp you have lurking in the background as they are quite a bit cheaper. Hopefully the Fender stands up well and my heart isn’t broken! Great work as ever my friend keep it up mate 👍
What is going on at fender, so many great products in the last two years. It feels like they understand what type of musicians go for their brand and they are aiming for them. This way they don’t even try to compete with Line 6, Kemper and others. They’ve found their own strength!
@@tomasotreasaigh111 he does mention that after he sent fender an email regarding a review,they sent one out and yes he gets to keep it,,,glad shane is upfront about this too
Thanks so much for showing us the clean tones!!! So many reviews and demos are made with totally distorted tone, so we have no idea how the amps/pickups/guitars actually sound!! I personally LOVE my Tone Master Deluxe Reverb! Weight, direct out and the attenuator make it so much more useable than the many years on TR's, DR's and other Fender tube amps. FINALLY!! Tone without worrying about tubes, heavy transformers, and giant speaker magnets!! So far, everyone who says they're not as good sounding as the tube versions haven't actually TRIED them!
These amps are an amazing innovation. I got to play them last week and was really impressed. I hope Marshall is able to do the same thing. I’d love a 20 pound, 1 watt Bluesbreaker!
I agree, would love to see Marshall do this. But Fender is miles beyond Marshall in modeling. Marshall would need to commit to making a game changer amp instead of dipping their toes in the water by using a 3rd party to develop for them. Never liked Softube’s modeling.
just bought one last week, played it in my apartment and then in front of 5k people the other night, and WOW, i love this thing!! so happy with it, well done Fender!
I am pretty keen on one of these. One of the big draws for me is that it will be reliable in the heat of a QLD summer. The reason that the power attenuation works so well is because it isn’t having to attenuate anything much, because it’s all digital. So you don’t get the tone changes that happen with an attenuator on a valve amp. The IR output really does sound great. You can pay a lot of money for some of those loadboxes with cab sims in them.
Fender really made a smart play with these amps. Simple, light, powerful, reliable, great sounding, very faithful to their vintage forefathers, and all done with digital modelling. Great concept. They can use the same circuitry for many models. Just load a different digital model into the modeller, put it in the appropriate chassis, call it good.
I have just bought a Tone Master Twin Reverb, mostly based on your great reviews, and I could not be happier. What a fantastic amp, love it! Thanks Shane 👍👏😁
Absolutely awesome tones! I think that Fender has done something right in terms of using digital technology to focus on recreating a classic amp! I hope Fender makes a ToneMaster version of all of their tube amps! I feel this the best way to use current technology to use all of that processing power to recreate one amp well instead of trying to do 100 badly. I will definitely make a point to try either the Twin or the Deluxe Reverb out at a guitar shop. I’m a tube dude but the ToneMaster series sounds like a game changer!😮😮😮 Awesome video and insight Shane! The playing is again on point and your experience with the “tubed” Twin is invaluable. Cheers!🎸🎸🎸🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾
That’s fair; but the digital information doesn’t go bad. Unless there’s some physical analog modeling going on here, there’s no reason why they can’t do 99 more of them and put it in the same box. I think this thing sounds great, but I don’t know if it’s going to be a big seller. The tube sniffers will still hate it just in principle. The digital guys who are looking for lower $ higher versatility can get more bang for their buck from a helix or keeper. I won’t try to argue that this isn’t higher quality than those, but they’re high enough quality for those who use them. This seems like it’s selling to people who really only want a fender twin reverb, aren’t stubbornly opposed to digital, and need a lighter box. I don’t know how big that market is. Then again, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the Fender brand will appeal to guys who don’t otherwise like digital.
I’ve used Deluxe Reverbs for years. This is as close as one can get, IMHO. Very easy to get good tones. Plus, I loop a lot and not having to mike the amp is advantageous to me.
I really want this amp. A great clean tone is the most important part of my tone. There is no way to duplicate a clean tone, but you can use pedals to get dirt. The clean sound on this amp is so much better on the Twin than the Tonemaster Deluxe.
Ok Shane I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that is the best tone I’ve heard you get from an amp. These Tonemaster amps are something special. I took a chance and bought the Deluxe Reverb model and was blown away how real it sounds. I’d be real interested to hear you do a comparison with that Nextone amp you have lurking in the background as they are quite a bit cheaper. Hopefully the Fender stands up well and my heart isn’t broken! Great work as ever my friend keep it up mate 👍
This is the best review of the tone master of all that are on youtube. I really loved that you included OD too. If you do follow up with a dedicated effects video, please include the IR vs mic when using overdrive and other effect pedals. Thanks for the great content!
I have been playing for 40 years . Just purchased this amp , as my Vox was in for repair . I've owned several Fender tube amps, but this is the best by far .
Awesome review,, job well done ! For Christmas my wife purchased me a new Gibson 60s standard In blueberry burst.. She did not know I sold my Tube Fender twin reverb.. I started looking at a new Fender twin and could not believe the price. Not only that the price of new tubes.. I was really looking at having to size down, Until I came across your review.. I'm totally sold on the new tone master twin.. God knows I won't miss that 70 plus pounds.. Again thank you for taking the time to make this video..GregM from EXPLORING DARKNESS Ghost Media.. Stay safe my UA-cam brother.
Just purchased a used model 2019 mfr. , as a horn player learning to use amp and strat , I am certain this will deliver the creative freedom across the spectrum of sound . Amen to modern Fender engineering.
Fender came out with an amp like this back in the late 90s called the Cyber Twin. There are some differences clearly like the Cyber having 2 12AX7s in the preamp section. It was pretty innovative for it's time and the motorized rotating knobs were pretty dope.
I own 3 Cyber Twins - 2 SE and one original version. Never one problem with them and they are pretty old ~ 20? I actually took the speakers out of my brand new SE to make it lighter and then went directly from the preamps line out to the board in stereo. That was well over 15 years ago and it’s still going strong… I had to stapled a black piece on cardboard where the speakers were so you couldn’t see through it and I use that area to carry sound gear etc. Sounds funny but works great and no one ever guessed…Wonderful sound and great effects. It took time to learn how to dial it in but we have lots of songs and styles. My other se I bought and left the speakers in for a stage monitor turned down low. I like the pre amp sound better than the power amp section… I’ve had several other amps, tubes and solid state and now thinking of a tone master just check it out. I’m sure I’ll aways use the Cyber Twins because I have so many different amps and sounds that are needed for our cover songs… You can find them cheap for around $500 all over… I like the SE version the best probably because it’s the one I’ve used the most? Cheers!
I was seriously thinking about the Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb.... not any more. With the small increase in price and weight, the Twin version seems like the go. Thanks Shane!
Very nice review, thank you for that! People keep writing that "you can get a tube amp for just a little bit more". If the sound quality of the Tonemaster is on par, why the hell would you pay more for additional weight, required maintenance and a lack of power attenuation and direct out...? It's mind-boggling...
Same reason people buy vinyl records instead of CD's these days. There really is just something about analog for a lot of people. If you don't care? Cool. If you do? Cool. Why in the hell is this still an argument people want to have?
An original, hand-wired Fender tube amp is going to hold its value and maybe even increase in value over the years. The solid-state ones will only be worth half or less of their original purchase price in just a few years.
@@maverickdallas1004 I'm not sure the key is tube vs solid state here (or anywhere else). It's more about lasting quality and the number of units made. Given that some famous solid states are pretty expensive used, while some tube amps are basically thrown at you, I'd say that quality equipment usually has a stable second hand price, while everything else decreases in value.
Shane, thanks for your reviews. You are one of the few UA-cam reviewers who post reliable, trustworthy reviews because you know what you are talking about. I bought a Fender Twin Reverb Tone Master, largely because of your review and I am happy with my decision. The best amp I had ever previously owned was a Fender Twin Reverb and I think that over all, the Tonemaster is at least as good and possibly better amp because I bought it for the cleans which I use in my 2 and 3 amp system. I have all my modulating pedals running through a Roland Jazz Chorus and my tone pedals through either a Fender Ramparte or HotRod Deluxe. The tone I get and the mixing of the clean and effects is supreme, probably better than any single high end amp, possibly even the Red Plate which may be the best amp made, including Dumble. I also modify all my guitars which are mostly low end and for a fraction of the cost of custom high-end instruments, what I have are instruments as good as the best ever made. A quick hint: If you are thinking about getting high output pickups, change the magnet with neodynium which you can buy from Amazon. I have done this on 2 guitars and a bass and the output of the signal is significantly stronger
Incredible! I watched these video's backwards... haha! just like me!!! I liked the first one so much I looked for this one. I was confused as to why you would need an attenuator on a modeling amp, but after watching this video, I realize the difference. I think I found my next amp! Thank you so much!!! LOVE THIS CHANNEL!!!
Great demo. I was going to chime in on the price, but $999 for this vs a tube based Twin Reverb for $1450? If I were going for a Twin, given the weight, no maintenance, IR direct out and attenuation, the Tone Master is a no-brainer. Bring on the Tone Master SS60 🤣
That lead tone with the Gibson V.... So, so, so smooth. Almost piano-like. I still think these are a little too expensive for what they are but the tone doesn't lie! Great demo, Shane.
That Strat tones are so AWESOME!!! (the demo is awesome too :) I like the simplicity of not having to connect a PC, the back panel features and above all ... the power attenuator!
Thanks Shane for the reply message to let me know this demo was on line. Couldnt wait to listen to it was worth the wait.. I own all tube amps and must admit this amp is well worth it.. The cost is kinda high, well we pay for technology and Fender did their homework very nicely.. Great demo!! Im looking at the deluxe myself... Thanks again
@Soy Orbison Congrats on your new amp! I love the blonde. Love love love. It has exactly the sound I was after, the one I had in my head, the one I've sought. Imagine that, going through all those other amps and really just wanting that sweet Fender clean. Did you do the firmware update on your DR? Based on my use of the blonde DR, I'd say it's definitely worth it for the mids and the reverb control. After that, they're the same amp except different speakers, I think.
Hey Shane, good review mate. I've been checking various demos and reviews of this & the Deluxe Reverb Tone Master..... A lot of players on You Tube are pleasantly surprised at how good the amps sound. But there's 2 things that no one is mentioning..... 1. In order to get the 85 Watts of valve like tone they are using a D-Class Amp that soaks up 200 Watts. I am NO technician but I'm guessing the attenuation comes after the power supply so that 200 watts is also being drawn with the excess grounded or dissipated somehow. *If that IS the case, watch your power bills when playing it at home*....200 Watts per hour is considerably more than 85 Watts per hour.... The Deluxe Reverb Tone Master, btw, draws 100 Watts to give that 22 Watt tone... (You may care to ask Fender to clarify that issue) 2. Both the Deluxe Reverb and Twin Reverb Tone Masters have a USB socket hidden underneath the chassis ostensibly for firmware upgrades. Some folks have said as far as authenticity, the Deluxe Reverb does it's original tone better than the Twin Reverb...and that is understandable because the Twin has 2 speakers to replicate and that must take some serious processing to achieve....But into the future, if demand warrants it, a firmware upgrade could be used to improve the tones we are hearing (I guess that would depend upon the architecture of the firmware, but Kemper did improve their Reverb & Modulation effects during a recent firmware so...?).... Great review Shane & nice playing. Really appreciate the effort you put into these videos....
You’re right about energy bills. I play my tone master super reverb at full all the time and after a few months we actually saw an increase in our energy usage without having changed other things in the house.
Wow two vids in a row plus a live stream in one day ,Love it ! Great demo as always mate ! :-) P.S. Dang it Shane ,now I want this amp ! You can't review any more amps for awhile now ,o.k. ? LOL ! ;-)
Listening to this with good headphones and it is very very convincing! Wow what a sound! I would not have guessed it was a moddeling amp. I love my tube amp but my back is starting to ache!
Awesome, Shane. What about a comparison with the Boss Katana MKII; since this one is 3 times more expensive than the Katana MKII 50, is the money worth?
Hi Shane, Thankyou so much for these videos of the Tone Master series.. I'm considering buying the twin or Deluxe reverb and cant quite make my mind up which way to go.. My concern with the deluxe is that it seems to break up from vol on 5 + and i really need the clean to stay clean when louder as i use dist pedals.. with that in mind.. which one do you feel would be the better choice? Keep up the fab work and great playing too!
Got a "real" one of these, and love it to bits. The only thing that bugs me about it is- you guessed it- the weight. It's an absolute pig to lug around, is the Fender Twin Reverb(!). Now, I've never been overly tempted (or convinced, for that matter) by these digital modelling thingys before, but this has REALLY got me intrigued. Sounding as good as it seemed here, the thought of having one of these without both the mastodonian weight of the original issue amp and the usual digi-amp drawbacks... Hmmm...
When you switch over to the neck pick up around 6:57 the camera shot cuts and the pick up selector is in the middle and bridge position? We’re the tone samples actually from the neck pick up ? Appreciate this may just have been video magic to fine tune a great demo.. 👍🇦🇺🙏🏻
intheblues All videos you post are rewardable. Love the tone and now have it on the short list, Boss Katana upgrade V,s this? What a great choice.. 👍🇦🇺
You're the only critical channel on UA-cam I truly believe in being independent and objective. If you say this is a good amp then it is a good amp. Looking forward to buying one. Thanks!
@@aixpert291 Agree 100%! Only thing is I have the feeling McKnight is more of a tech guy and I trust these guys here more with having the right ears for tasteful sounds. But maybe I underestimate Mc Knight in this regard. His channel is great though, that's for sure
Hey Shane first I want to thank you for well now years of such great info and videos,Just curious if after having this amp for a while now if its still one of your main amps and if you have found any more things that you love about it.I bought the mustang iv after your reviews I love the amp but it still is confusing after several years.Are you still using the mustangs? Thanks again and I wish you many more years of great playing.
Awesome review, as always, bro!! I'd grab this amp & a Tone Master Blues Deluxe for sure(when they- -make one!!)!! How much $ for this amp?! It would be nice to have a stereo in/out option, for chorus, delay, etc!! You could always get two of these amps and run them in stereo!! Btw, still loving your MIM Strat & Tele!! Greetings from Montreal, Canada!! Your Guitar Bro, Norman.
A little quoting of my own reaction on Andy's vid on tone masters: "This can only be solved by hearing and playing on the real thing. We are hearing a recorded tone through the net. Simulation tech has evolved so much that differences in tone can originate from slightly different playing and picking note to note. Or one can try the Gilmour technique: record it clean and run it through both amps. I bet searching for clear public preference will be total loss then. even now the opinions are split. Face it, we live in interesting times. A modeling amp might be 99% of the original not 100%, yet some actually are starting to like the new deal. BUT ... I def agree on the price still being too high. The policy there is simple: extracting as much as possible to get over the development costs. Since internally it is all much cheaper than a tube amp, which is in a way the purpose."
perhaps, but one might argue that Fender might make money back on these more quickly by cutting $100-$150 off of the price for these. Since Fender chose to price these amps so high, they compete against full ahead tube amps in price. Katanas have done so well because Boss chose to price them as affordable amps even though their sound belies that notion. Sure, these are a cut above, but they're not $600.00 better. Also, a good deluxe 5e3 clone costs close to these, is light, and sounds great.
Nooo! No benching the Blues Deluxe!! Lol. But this Twin does sound awesome in this video. Fender should pay you Shane! I played the Deluxe version of this and loved it, but bought the Blues Deluxe instead. Just sounded better to my ear. Would be awesome try the Twin soon.
My tuppence worth. Fender have nailed it! I watched Brett Kingman demo the Deluxe and that sounded great. With you The Twin sounds great. My only issue is that you have to want those sounds. A valve amp, like a Hot Rod Deluxe, can easily be modified to produce a slightly different tone. Indeed my HRD has the Landau mod. I've changed the valves in my Victory Sheriff 44 to slightly lower the gain. A lot of people wouldn't bother with that and might even wonder at the point of buying an amp only to change its characteristics. But for me that's the beauty of having a long-term relationship with a valve amp - as/when/if you get tired of that sound you can just change a component or two and you have a different amp to play with. If you buy a Tone Master and after six months you find yourself wishing it had a little more of one thing and less of another you're stuck with it.
I am considering getting a Tone MASTER twin. But, I don’t understand why it needs firmware upgrades. Either the amp sounds great or it doesn’t. The last thing I need is another computer that needs upgrades every time I turn around.
Fender nailed this.....I recently got the Deluxe Reverb , got to compare directly with the tube version in store . Mind blowing.....I have always been a tube enthusiast , hearing the Tonemaster in person erased any doubt I may have had . Combined with the addition of an attenuater and XLR out a practical tool for the local gigging player to grab and go and get great tone .
Don't have this twin reverb amp but do my Champion 100. Didn't like its sound until I added a 10 channel pedal amplifier. Bro things changed so much in an instant, sounds like an absolutely different amp! 🤔
A friend that gigs every weekend just bought one of these. He said it is the best gear investment he has made. The weight was a big factor in his decision but he said the tone sold him on it.
Great review Shane, looks like a killer amp. Did you try bridging normal input 2 to input 1 of the vibrato channel to get a combination of both sounds?
I bought one and it will be here today. I don’t need 100 modeled amps because I know which one I want to hear so I’m glad to hear Fender nailed it with the tonemaster. Great review… question for you though, which IR setting did you like best?
First thing people should know. The Tone Master doesn’t take pedals well. If you keep the amp under breakup, pedals are great. As soon as you start pushing the amp up over 6(on the VOLUME) the amp starts reacting odd to pedals. & it’s not consistent, pedal to pedal. The good news is that you can crank the attenuator up, on the bigger amps, & just play under breakup. Just thought this should be clarified because, no one seems to be talking about it. I’ve had my TM twin for about a month, now. I love it. It’s so much more versatile than a tube amp. It sounds like a twin & it can do that in any setting. I was doing some A/B comparisons with my 5e3 tweed last night, just to see how I felt about the Tone Master, after a month. The result was “Wow, this still sounds awesome”. Of course, they are completely different amps that do completely different things. But, I didn’t cringe when I started playing through the Twin, after the tweed. It still sounded great. This is the future of amps. I believe that continued improvements & the versatility of these amps will make them the everyday players’ amp.
It was the house amp at a 500 seat venue that I played at on Friday and it was set to the 5 watt setting. I was shocked at how loud it was. I just happened to look at the back of the amp and realized it was set at the 5 watt setting before I set it to the full 85!!! Luckily it didn't break up at all which is a sound that I totally hate it was just so clean and pristine.
Great Vid Shane! I’ve been waiting to hear your Review of this Amp since they came out. I think they sound fantastic! As a previous Twin user myself years ago I Love the sound but as I got older the weight was just TOO MUCH!! I’m going to try out a TM Deluxe next week to I’ll hear the difference between them. Then I’ll make my move on one or the other but leaning towards the Twin. Thanks so much for your Demo of the Amp, Great Job!! Have a Great Day Mate and please keep up the Good Work! Oh...and Good Luck with your Surgery! Cheers from the US!!
looking at the blondey one with Celestion speakers, I just want to have it still functioning a decade on out so hopefully the lifespan is fine on these
Great playing and great demo! I have tried Fender's digital efforts over the years including the Princeton Chorus and Super Champ XD. In both those amps, the Fender cleans were excellent, but the PC's distortions were fizzy. The SCXD offered better distortions, but you could not really combine effects. So, this amp captures a number of convenience features in one amp. I like most of the tones, but I still hear a bit of harshness in the treble and the bass seems to be loose. I'll have to try one in person, though, to be sure. I think this amp shines in the mids and simulated crunch. I can see this amp catching on with gigging musicians, but I am somewhat concerned about the warranty duration (only 2 years?) and the price gives me pause. I may have to wait two years to see what people are saying about the ones they bought in 2019.
Going by prices for high quality digital modelling units (eg Strymon el Cap for tape delay $400) say Fenders Tone Master Twin is a single high quality DSP amp sim priced at $400 IR out: about $125 Attenuator feature: $100 That’s $625 for the above. Remaining items: cabinet, 2x12 speakers & other hardware $300 = $925 estimate. Fender Tone Master Twin = $1,200 Sure it could be a bit cheaper but the price doesn’t seem too far fetched when you consider the price of high quality plugins and DSP based effects. Just my 2 cents. Need to try this in person to really see if the price is right but I’m done with heavy gear so if this stops even two visits to a chiropractor or prevents injury it’s a sound investment. Even just the advantage of having a light twin could be worth it.
Hi Shane great video. Almost three years later how is the reliability of this amp. A common internet issue is that modeling amps may have problems with circuit boards the longer you own them and may not be as reparable as an amp. I would be interested to know if this has been an issue.
If I may ask, is it an issue that there’s no fx loop? I’d like to run some peddle’s like a delay…some say it’s better to run from fx loop, or will it be okay to put them last in the chain?
2 questions: 1. Tone Master Black Twin or new Blonde Twin with Creamback speakers? 2. Twin or Blackstar Studio 10 6L6 and EL34 - 2x Tube Amps for similar price? Bonus Q 3: or Mustang GTX100!?
I knew you would like this amp Shane. It really sounds like an extra great all tube Twin. Another thing about this that beats the all tube version is it is SUPER QUIET. It’s just a great amp.
@@erictoniaschwab1009 XLR IR output and power attenuation but no fx loop though? I'm sure the pros out weigh the cons, but if you're going to jump in this digital amp market some features should be standard equipment, also the price point is pretty close to the real deal
Well the original tube Twin and Deluxe Reverb don’t have built in power attenuation and it is after all a digital modeling amp-so I think anyone who bought one would not object to an FX loop on the back next to the attenuation switch-i just can’t imagine how having an FX loop would wreck anybody’s mindset about the Tonemaster amps not being absolute copies of the original tube amps. And while it sounds great and I am all in favor of wt reduction for such a large amp to make it more easily portable, given the price they are asking-I find it annoying that they don’t have an FX loop on them. My Roland Blues Cube Artist has one, as do the Katanas and I suspect the Nextone amps do also. Blackstar ID TVP modeling amps do also-all of these amps are built on principle of modeling the sound and feel of a real tube amp-just not one specific model of a known famous amp (in fact they model often more than one power tube type amp so one could argue that they are more versatile) I can’t help but wonder if Fender is being a bit snobby about these Tonemasters in trying to pass them off as an absolute interchangeable copy of their real, famous tube amps-seems a bit extreme to me in thinking that adding an FX loop would ruin that illusion-and given the prices they are asking-seems to me Fender is being stingy-and overpricing them, thinking Fender aficionados who buy them will pay their inflated prices just because its a Fender-FX loop or not.
Love it. Can you milk Fender for a Blonde with the Celestion Speakers and do a comparison? I would be eternally indebted to you. Wanna know before I spend the cash.
I bought one. Couldn’t be happier! Now my practice amp and my gigging amp are the same amp! Highly recommend it!
lockupyour fatdog Has your new Tone Master Twin ( digitally) popped at all? I had one and did, got returned.
_ No mine’s been great. I’ve heard of some people having issues with there’s. Guess I just got lucky and got a good one. I plan to get the deluxe reverb version soon too. I want something that breaks up at lower volumes
What's you're take with how it takes pedals? Im on the fence for one... thanks
Christopher Mafnas I got another one and seems fine. If you want it to break then just lower the output in the back, no?
It takes pedals reaaally well! I’ve owned tube Twins before but this one sounds a little better even.
@@willhurt3446 thanks. Appreciate the feedback. I've been on the fence because i know how my rig sounds thru a tube twin but i haven't tried one of these. Highly unlikely they'll bring one out here soon so I'm researching before i pull the trigger
Bought mine over the weekend and all I can say is in 35 years of playing, owned everything from tube Orange, to Marshall, to Mesa, to Fender, and plenty of modelers, this is the best I’ve had. It takes pedals extremely well, it’s as light as a feather, and sounds, plays, and reacts like a Fender Twin. I can’t imagine needing any other amp for the gigs I’m likely to play.
This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for digital modeling technology to achieve.
Tweed Bassman Tone Master. Make it happen.
I have been playing for 40 years as a working musician ,own 2- twin Reverb tube amps, and I can honestly say that my tone Master twin sounds as good and consistently as good as either of my tube twins. The difference between the tone Master is the same different you'll fine between any two twin tube amps that you compare. A game changer
The tone master amps are game changers in the modeling arena, Fender captured the authentic sound, feel and vibe of valve driven originals.
Great review, it was worth the wait to see the demo and to get your opinion.
mark dakel Hopefully next year brings us a Tone Master Vibroking and Blues Deluxe!
@@sgmarshall3: We can only hope!!
Fender, are you listening?!
The price point is quite ridiculous though.
@Soy Orbison you can get the real thing for 100 bucks less in the used market.
Thanks Shane, i appreciate how you review products from every angle, you continue to be a rare source of integrity.
Cheers mate.
This amp rocks. Check out the time code index below. Let me know what you think!
Time Codes:
0:00 - Backing track Jam
1:33 - About this video
2:51 - Amplifier Features
5:31 - Clean Tones (Vibrato Channel) with Reverb
Get the Tone Master online:
► Sweetwater (USA) - imp.i114863.net/YeNJj
► Thomann (Global) - bit.ly/2RH9ZMd
► Amazon UK - amzn.to/2K6eiNb
► Amazon Canada - amzn.to/34EiJrQ
(affiliate links)
7:29 - Vibrato & Reverb effects (clean)
8:08 - Bright Switch (Vibrato Channel)
8:58 - Normal Channel (Bright Switch)
10:15 - Overdrive Pedal Test (normal channel)
11:10 - Overdrive Pedal Test (Vibrato channel)
12:07 - XLR Output IR Test (with Microphone Comparison)
13:29 - Power Attenuation Switching
16:41 - My final review of the Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb
Yeah Shane it sounds great!. I had a hunch that these amps were going to be something good. If you can you should do one of the new Blackstar silver line modeling amp that are coming out and see how they stack up to the Tone Master.
Ok Shane I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that is the best tone I’ve heard you get from an amp. These Tonemaster amps are something special. I took a chance and bought the Deluxe Reverb model and was blown away how real it sounds. I’d be real interested to hear you do a comparison with that Nextone amp you have lurking in the background as they are quite a bit cheaper. Hopefully the Fender stands up well and my heart isn’t broken! Great work as ever my friend keep it up mate 👍
What is going on at fender, so many great products in the last two years. It feels like they understand what type of musicians go for their brand and they are aiming for them. This way they don’t even try to compete with Line 6, Kemper and others. They’ve found their own strength!
@@tomasotreasaigh111 he does mention that after he sent fender an email regarding a review,they sent one out and yes he gets to keep it,,,glad shane is upfront about this too
@@tomasotreasaigh111 i think that's an important question
Thanks so much for showing us the clean tones!!! So many reviews and demos are made with totally distorted tone, so we have no idea how the amps/pickups/guitars actually sound!! I personally LOVE my Tone Master Deluxe Reverb! Weight, direct out and the attenuator make it so much more useable than the many years on TR's, DR's and other Fender tube amps. FINALLY!! Tone without worrying about tubes, heavy transformers, and giant speaker magnets!! So far, everyone who says they're not as good sounding as the tube versions haven't actually TRIED them!
These amps are an amazing innovation. I got to play them last week and was really impressed. I hope Marshall is able to do the same thing. I’d love a 20 pound, 1 watt Bluesbreaker!
You are a man of culture I see....😎 I also hope Marshall goes this route
I agree, would love to see Marshall do this. But Fender is miles beyond Marshall in modeling. Marshall would need to commit to making a game changer amp instead of dipping their toes in the water by using a 3rd party to develop for them. Never liked Softube’s modeling.
just bought one last week, played it in my apartment and then in front of 5k people the other night, and WOW, i love this thing!! so happy with it, well done Fender!
I am pretty keen on one of these.
One of the big draws for me is that it will be reliable in the heat of a QLD summer.
The reason that the power attenuation works so well is because it isn’t having to attenuate anything much, because it’s all digital. So you don’t get the tone changes that happen with an attenuator on a valve amp.
The IR output really does sound great. You can pay a lot of money for some of those loadboxes with cab sims in them.
Fender really made a smart play with these amps. Simple, light, powerful, reliable, great sounding, very faithful to their vintage forefathers, and all done with digital modelling. Great concept.
They can use the same circuitry for many models. Just load a different digital model into the modeller, put it in the appropriate chassis, call it good.
Sound fantastic, I'm sold. The weight reduction makes this an amp I can use and carry around without breaking my back.
I have just bought a Tone Master Twin Reverb, mostly based on your great reviews, and I could not be happier. What a fantastic amp, love it! Thanks Shane 👍👏😁
Absolutely awesome tones! I think that Fender has done something right in terms of using digital technology to focus on recreating a classic amp! I hope Fender makes a ToneMaster version of all of their tube amps! I feel this the best way to use current technology to use all of that processing power to recreate one amp well instead of trying to do 100 badly. I will definitely make a point to try either the Twin or the Deluxe Reverb out at a guitar shop. I’m a tube dude but the ToneMaster series sounds like a game changer!😮😮😮
Awesome video and insight Shane! The playing is again on point and your experience with the “tubed” Twin is invaluable. Cheers!🎸🎸🎸🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾
That’s fair; but the digital information doesn’t go bad. Unless there’s some physical analog modeling going on here, there’s no reason why they can’t do 99 more of them and put it in the same box. I think this thing sounds great, but I don’t know if it’s going to be a big seller. The tube sniffers will still hate it just in principle. The digital guys who are looking for lower $ higher versatility can get more bang for their buck from a helix or keeper. I won’t try to argue that this isn’t higher quality than those, but they’re high enough quality for those who use them.
This seems like it’s selling to people who really only want a fender twin reverb, aren’t stubbornly opposed to digital, and need a lighter box. I don’t know how big that market is. Then again, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the Fender brand will appeal to guys who don’t otherwise like digital.
I’ve used Deluxe Reverbs for years. This is as close as one can get, IMHO. Very easy to get good tones. Plus, I loop a lot and not having to mike the amp is advantageous to me.
I honestly wish companies like Peavey would follow the "tone master" direction for their tube amps too!
Jamal Kareem - I really want to see Blues Jr/Princeton versions of these. Love both of them, but found them too loud for home practice.
zaphod888 I would love to have a Princeton Tone Master!!!
I really want this amp. A great clean tone is the most important part of my tone. There is no way to duplicate a clean tone, but you can use pedals to get dirt. The clean sound on this amp is so much better on the Twin than the Tonemaster Deluxe.
Yeah, more pedal demos with the Tone Master Twin, please!
Ok Shane I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that is the best tone I’ve heard you get from an amp. These Tonemaster amps are something special. I took a chance and bought the Deluxe Reverb model and was blown away how real it sounds. I’d be real interested to hear you do a comparison with that Nextone amp you have lurking in the background as they are quite a bit cheaper. Hopefully the Fender stands up well and my heart isn’t broken! Great work as ever my friend keep it up mate 👍
This is the best review of the tone master of all that are on youtube. I really loved that you included OD too. If you do follow up with a dedicated effects video, please include the IR vs mic when using overdrive and other effect pedals. Thanks for the great content!
I have been playing for 40 years . Just purchased this amp , as my Vox was in for repair . I've owned several Fender tube amps, but this is the best by far .
Took the Maxon like a champ, wonderful tone, great review Shane.
Awesome review,, job well done ! For Christmas my wife purchased me a new Gibson 60s standard In blueberry burst.. She did not know I sold my Tube Fender twin reverb.. I started looking at a new Fender twin and could not believe the price. Not only that the price of new tubes.. I was really looking at having to size down, Until I came across your review.. I'm totally sold on the new tone master twin.. God knows I won't miss that 70 plus pounds.. Again thank you for taking the time to make this video..GregM from EXPLORING DARKNESS Ghost Media.. Stay safe my UA-cam brother.
Just purchased a used model 2019 mfr. , as a horn player learning to use amp and strat , I am certain this will deliver the creative freedom across the spectrum of sound . Amen to modern Fender engineering.
how is it compare to the Boss Nextone?
Fender came out with an amp like this back in the late 90s called the Cyber Twin. There are some differences clearly like the Cyber having 2 12AX7s in the preamp section. It was pretty innovative for it's time and the motorized rotating knobs were pretty dope.
¿ I remember in an interview where Buddy Guy said that the Cyber Twin came closest to his vintage Bassman; more so that the reissue.
What does 'pretty dope' mean? Anyone able to explain?
That’s still my buddy’s #1 amp. I have a live video with him using it on “Burnin For You” on my channel if you feel like listening
Yeah ive heard they are a must buy. I wonder if they have started failing?
I own 3 Cyber Twins - 2 SE and one original version. Never one problem with them and they are pretty old ~ 20?
I actually took the speakers out of my brand new SE to make it lighter and then went directly from the preamps line out to the board in stereo. That was well over 15 years ago and it’s still going strong…
I had to stapled a black piece on cardboard where the speakers were so you couldn’t see through it and I use that area to carry sound gear etc. Sounds funny but works great and no one ever guessed…Wonderful sound and great effects. It took time to learn how to dial it in but we have lots of songs and styles.
My other se I bought and left the speakers in for a stage monitor turned down low. I like the pre amp sound better than the power amp section…
I’ve had several other amps, tubes and solid state and now thinking of a tone master just check it out. I’m sure I’ll aways use the Cyber Twins because I have so many different amps and sounds that are needed for our cover songs…
You can find them cheap for around $500 all over… I like the SE version the best probably because it’s the one I’ve used the most?
Cheers!
Good review. Once the honeymoon phase is over it will be interesting to see if Shanes love for this amp grows or fades away.
I was seriously thinking about the Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb.... not any more. With the small increase in price and weight, the Twin version seems like the go. Thanks Shane!
Very nice review, thank you for that! People keep writing that "you can get a tube amp for just a little bit more". If the sound quality of the Tonemaster is on par, why the hell would you pay more for additional weight, required maintenance and a lack of power attenuation and direct out...? It's mind-boggling...
Same reason people buy vinyl records instead of CD's these days. There really is just something about analog for a lot of people. If you don't care? Cool. If you do? Cool. Why in the hell is this still an argument people want to have?
An original, hand-wired Fender tube amp is going to hold its value and maybe even increase in value over the years. The solid-state ones will only be worth half or less of their original purchase price in just a few years.
@@maverickdallas1004 I'm not sure the key is tube vs solid state here (or anywhere else). It's more about lasting quality and the number of units made. Given that some famous solid states are pretty expensive used, while some tube amps are basically thrown at you, I'd say that quality equipment usually has a stable second hand price, while everything else decreases in value.
Shane, thanks for your reviews. You are one of the few UA-cam reviewers who post reliable, trustworthy reviews because you know what you are talking about. I bought a Fender Twin Reverb Tone Master, largely because of your review and I am happy with my decision. The best amp I had ever previously owned was a Fender Twin Reverb and I think that over all, the Tonemaster is at least as good and possibly better amp because I bought it for the cleans which I use in my 2 and 3 amp system. I have all my modulating pedals running through a Roland Jazz Chorus and my tone pedals through either a Fender Ramparte or HotRod Deluxe. The tone I get and the mixing of the clean and effects is supreme, probably better than any single high end amp, possibly even the Red Plate which may be the best amp made, including Dumble.
I also modify all my guitars which are mostly low end and for a fraction of the cost of custom high-end instruments, what I have are instruments as good as the best ever made. A quick hint: If you are thinking about getting high output pickups, change the magnet with neodynium which you can buy from Amazon. I have done this on 2 guitars and a bass and the output of the signal is significantly stronger
Your next rig rundown video is going to epic this year shane
Incredible! I watched these video's backwards... haha! just like me!!! I liked the first one so much I looked for this one. I was confused as to why you would need an attenuator on a modeling amp, but after watching this video, I realize the difference. I think I found my next amp! Thank you so much!!! LOVE THIS CHANNEL!!!
Great demo. I was going to chime in on the price, but $999 for this vs a tube based Twin Reverb for $1450? If I were going for a Twin, given the weight, no maintenance, IR direct out and attenuation, the Tone Master is a no-brainer. Bring on the Tone Master SS60 🤣
That lead tone with the Gibson V.... So, so, so smooth. Almost piano-like. I still think these are a little too expensive for what they are but the tone doesn't lie! Great demo, Shane.
That Strat tones are so AWESOME!!! (the demo is awesome too :)
I like the simplicity of not having to connect a PC, the back panel features and above all ... the power attenuator!
Thanks Shane for the reply message to let me know this demo was on line. Couldnt wait to listen to it was worth the wait.. I own all tube amps and must admit this amp is well worth it.. The cost is kinda high, well we pay for technology and Fender did their homework very nicely.. Great demo!! Im looking at the deluxe myself... Thanks again
I’m getting the blonde Deluxe Reverb soon. Can’t wait!
@Soy Orbison Congrats on your new amp! I love the blonde. Love love love. It has exactly the sound I was after, the one I had in my head, the one I've sought. Imagine that, going through all those other amps and really just wanting that sweet Fender clean. Did you do the firmware update on your DR? Based on my use of the blonde DR, I'd say it's definitely worth it for the mids and the reverb control. After that, they're the same amp except different speakers, I think.
Sounds great Shane.I looked up the weight its 33 lbs.Thats super light! Sounds very good.I think Fender just hit a home run with this amp.
Sounds great Shane. You should also do a full review of the hot rod deluxe iv. The drive channel with a tube screamer is awesome.
Would love to have heard what a humbucker equipped guitar sounded like...... Great review as always👍🏻
Hey Shane, good review mate. I've been checking various demos and reviews of this & the Deluxe Reverb Tone Master..... A lot of players on You Tube are pleasantly surprised at how good the amps sound. But there's 2 things that no one is mentioning.....
1. In order to get the 85 Watts of valve like tone they are using a D-Class Amp that soaks up 200 Watts. I am NO technician but I'm guessing the attenuation comes after the power supply so that 200 watts is also being drawn with the excess grounded or dissipated somehow. *If that IS the case, watch your power bills when playing it at home*....200 Watts per hour is considerably more than 85 Watts per hour.... The Deluxe Reverb Tone Master, btw, draws 100 Watts to give that 22 Watt tone... (You may care to ask Fender to clarify that issue)
2. Both the Deluxe Reverb and Twin Reverb Tone Masters have a USB socket hidden underneath the chassis ostensibly for firmware upgrades. Some folks have said as far as authenticity, the Deluxe Reverb does it's original tone better than the Twin Reverb...and that is understandable because the Twin has 2 speakers to replicate and that must take some serious processing to achieve....But into the future, if demand warrants it, a firmware upgrade could be used to improve the tones we are hearing (I guess that would depend upon the architecture of the firmware, but Kemper did improve their Reverb & Modulation effects during a recent firmware so...?)....
Great review Shane & nice playing. Really appreciate the effort you put into these videos....
Its true..the tone master deluxe reverb sounds more authentic than the tone master twin reverb.
You’re right about energy bills. I play my tone master super reverb at full all the time and after a few months we actually saw an increase in our energy usage without having changed other things in the house.
Wow two vids in a row plus a live stream in one day ,Love it ! Great demo as always mate ! :-) P.S. Dang it Shane ,now I want this amp ! You can't review any more amps for awhile now ,o.k. ? LOL ! ;-)
He's killiin it!
Listening to this with good headphones and it is very very convincing! Wow what a sound! I would not have guessed it was a moddeling amp. I love my tube amp but my back is starting to ache!
Bought it a couple days ago. So far love it. Real test will be in the room with my band. Thanx for the review, it helped make my mind up!
tonesf78 I got one too. Do you ever hear digital “popping”? Or odd noises?
Awesome, Shane. What about a comparison with the Boss Katana MKII; since this one is 3 times more expensive than the Katana MKII 50, is the money worth?
Hi Shane, Thankyou so much for these videos of the Tone Master series.. I'm considering buying the twin or Deluxe reverb and cant quite make my mind up which way to go.. My concern with the deluxe is that it seems to break up from vol on 5 + and i really need the clean to stay clean when louder as i use dist pedals.. with that in mind.. which one do you feel would be the better choice? Keep up the fab work and great playing too!
Got a "real" one of these, and love it to bits. The only thing that bugs me about it is- you guessed it- the weight. It's an absolute pig to lug around, is the Fender Twin Reverb(!). Now, I've never been overly tempted (or convinced, for that matter) by these digital modelling thingys before, but this has REALLY got me intrigued. Sounding as good as it seemed here, the thought of having one of these without both the mastodonian weight of the original issue amp and the usual digi-amp drawbacks... Hmmm...
When you switch over to the neck pick up around 6:57 the camera shot cuts and the pick up selector is in the middle and bridge position? We’re the tone samples actually from the neck pick up ? Appreciate this may just have been video magic to fine tune a great demo.. 👍🇦🇺🙏🏻
I may have shortened the clip down to keep the video length somewhat viewable. :-)
intheblues All videos you post are rewardable. Love the tone and now have it on the short list, Boss Katana upgrade V,s this? What a great choice.. 👍🇦🇺
Great review, I want one. "I won't need my phone" - love it, you're my kind of reviewer!!
Great demo. Sounds balanced and sweet.
I think your reaction says it all. Great review!
Thanks for the video. Bought one this weekend. Love it!!
Do u think the Boss speaker in the Artist is better than the Jensen Neodimymium in the Tone Master?
The review I was waiting for. Well done. Thanks !
havent been here in a few years... your playing has improved. good job.
Playing at opening was super - sweet. Made my day, man!
Hey man great video. I’m watching this in March of 2022 and I realized how much I loved that Mexican Strat. Do you miss that at all?
You're the only critical channel on UA-cam I truly believe in being independent and objective. If you say this is a good amp then it is a good amp. Looking forward to buying one. Thanks!
Spirou Blake I like to think Phil McKnight is pretty unbiased.
@@aixpert291 Agree 100%! Only thing is I have the feeling McKnight is more of a tech guy and I trust these guys here more with having the right ears for tasteful sounds. But maybe I underestimate Mc Knight in this regard. His channel is great though, that's for sure
WOW, this amp sounds awesome !! And you did a great job on this video shane !!
Hey Shane first I want to thank you for well now years of such great info and videos,Just curious if after having this amp for a while now if its still one of your main amps and if you have found any more things that you love about it.I bought the mustang iv after your reviews I love the amp but it still is confusing after several years.Are you still using the mustangs? Thanks again and I wish you many more years of great playing.
Awesome review, as always, bro!!
I'd grab this amp & a Tone Master
Blues Deluxe for sure(when they-
-make one!!)!! How much $ for
this amp?! It would be nice to
have a stereo in/out option,
for chorus, delay, etc!! You could
always get two of these amps and
run them in stereo!! Btw, still
loving your MIM Strat & Tele!!
Greetings from Montreal, Canada!!
Your Guitar Bro, Norman.
A little quoting of my own reaction on Andy's vid on tone masters: "This can only be solved by hearing and playing on the real thing. We are hearing a recorded tone through the net. Simulation tech has evolved so much that differences in tone can originate from slightly different playing and picking note to note. Or one can try the Gilmour technique: record it clean and run it through both amps. I bet searching for clear public preference will be total loss then. even now the opinions are split. Face it, we live in interesting times. A modeling amp might be 99% of the original not 100%, yet some actually are starting to like the new deal.
BUT ... I def agree on the price still being too high. The policy there is simple: extracting as much as possible to get over the development costs. Since internally it is all much cheaper than a tube amp, which is in a way the purpose."
perhaps, but one might argue that Fender might make money back on these more quickly by cutting $100-$150 off of the price for these. Since Fender chose to price these amps so high, they compete against full ahead tube amps in price. Katanas have done so well because Boss chose to price them as affordable amps even though their sound belies that notion. Sure, these are a cut above, but they're not $600.00 better. Also, a good deluxe 5e3 clone costs close to these, is light, and sounds great.
Nooo! No benching the Blues Deluxe!! Lol. But this Twin does sound awesome in this video. Fender should pay you Shane! I played the Deluxe version of this and loved it, but bought the Blues Deluxe instead. Just sounded better to my ear. Would be awesome try the Twin soon.
Thanks Shane.. really have been thinking about pulling the trigger on this one.
My tuppence worth. Fender have nailed it! I watched Brett Kingman demo the Deluxe and that sounded great. With you The Twin sounds great. My only issue is that you have to want those sounds. A valve amp, like a Hot Rod Deluxe, can easily be modified to produce a slightly different tone. Indeed my HRD has the Landau mod. I've changed the valves in my Victory Sheriff 44 to slightly lower the gain. A lot of people wouldn't bother with that and might even wonder at the point of buying an amp only to change its characteristics. But for me that's the beauty of having a long-term relationship with a valve amp - as/when/if you get tired of that sound you can just change a component or two and you have a different amp to play with. If you buy a Tone Master and after six months you find yourself wishing it had a little more of one thing and less of another you're stuck with it.
I am really not a purist and wish for an effects loop since we live in a modern era.Thx for posting this.Real nice amp.
I am considering getting a Tone MASTER twin. But, I don’t understand why it needs firmware upgrades. Either the amp sounds great or it doesn’t. The last thing I need is another computer that needs upgrades every time I turn around.
Fender nailed this.....I recently got the Deluxe Reverb , got to compare directly with the tube version in store . Mind blowing.....I have always been a tube enthusiast , hearing the Tonemaster in person erased any doubt I may have had . Combined with the addition of an attenuater and XLR out a practical tool for the local gigging player to grab and go and get great tone .
How would you compare this to the Fender Champion 100?
Don't have this twin reverb amp but do my Champion 100. Didn't like its sound until I added a 10 channel pedal amplifier. Bro things changed so much in an instant, sounds like an absolutely different amp! 🤔
A friend that gigs every weekend just bought one of these. He said it is the best gear investment he has made. The weight was a big factor in his decision but he said the tone sold him on it.
Great demo ! Twin and Strat .....perfect !!!
Great review Shane, looks like a killer amp. Did you try bridging normal input 2 to input 1 of the vibrato channel to get a combination of both sounds?
Another great review Shane, thanks again. When are we going to see it up the mountain on stage?
I bought one and it will be here today. I don’t need 100 modeled amps because I know which one I want to hear so I’m glad to hear Fender nailed it with the tonemaster.
Great review… question for you though, which IR setting did you like best?
First thing people should know. The Tone Master doesn’t take pedals well. If you keep the amp under breakup, pedals are great. As soon as you start pushing the amp up over 6(on the VOLUME) the amp starts reacting odd to pedals. & it’s not consistent, pedal to pedal. The good news is that you can crank the attenuator up, on the bigger amps, & just play under breakup. Just thought this should be clarified because, no one seems to be talking about it. I’ve had my TM twin for about a month, now. I love it. It’s so much more versatile than a tube amp. It sounds like a twin & it can do that in any setting. I was doing some A/B comparisons with my 5e3 tweed last night, just to see how I felt about the Tone Master, after a month. The result was “Wow, this still sounds awesome”. Of course, they are completely different amps that do completely different things. But, I didn’t cringe when I started playing through the Twin, after the tweed. It still sounded great. This is the future of amps. I believe that continued improvements & the versatility of these amps will make them the everyday players’ amp.
This is absolutely correct and all my pedals sounded squishy and lower in volume and just overall snotty with mush at breakup
It was the house amp at a 500 seat venue that I played at on Friday and it was set to the 5 watt setting. I was shocked at how loud it was. I just happened to look at the back of the amp and realized it was set at the 5 watt setting before I set it to the full 85!!! Luckily it didn't break up at all which is a sound that I totally hate it was just so clean and pristine.
Perfect review, man. Loving this amp.
Great Vid Shane! I’ve been waiting to hear your Review of this Amp since they came out. I think they sound fantastic! As a previous Twin user myself years ago I Love the sound but as I got older the weight was just TOO MUCH!! I’m going to try out a TM Deluxe next week to I’ll hear the difference between them. Then I’ll make my move on one or the other but leaning towards the Twin. Thanks so much for your Demo of the Amp, Great Job!! Have a Great Day Mate and please keep up the Good Work! Oh...and Good Luck with your Surgery! Cheers from the US!!
looking at the blondey one with Celestion speakers, I just want to have it still functioning a decade on out so hopefully the lifespan is fine on these
i got one coming by ups. cant wait for the brown truck to come round the corner... thanks for the video
I bought the TMDR and love it. Thanks for reviewing the twin.
Glad you dig it! I love this amp. I am thinking of getting the new Blond Deluxe Reverb coming up. :)
Great demonstration! Sounds fantastic
Noticed a usb connection on the back. What is purpose?
Great video man - love your work.
Great playing and great demo! I have tried Fender's digital efforts over the years including the Princeton Chorus and Super Champ XD. In both those amps, the Fender cleans were excellent, but the PC's distortions were fizzy. The SCXD offered better distortions, but you could not really combine effects. So, this amp captures a number of convenience features in one amp. I like most of the tones, but I still hear a bit of harshness in the treble and the bass seems to be loose. I'll have to try one in person, though, to be sure. I think this amp shines in the mids and simulated crunch. I can see this amp catching on with gigging musicians, but I am somewhat concerned about the warranty duration (only 2 years?) and the price gives me pause. I may have to wait two years to see what people are saying about the ones they bought in 2019.
Going by prices for high quality digital modelling units (eg Strymon el Cap for tape delay $400) say Fenders Tone Master Twin is a single high quality DSP amp sim priced at $400
IR out: about $125
Attenuator feature: $100
That’s $625 for the above.
Remaining items: cabinet, 2x12 speakers & other hardware $300 = $925 estimate.
Fender Tone Master Twin = $1,200
Sure it could be a bit cheaper but the price doesn’t seem too far fetched when you consider the price of high quality plugins and DSP based effects. Just my 2 cents.
Need to try this in person to really see if the price is right but I’m done with heavy gear so if this stops even two visits to a chiropractor or prevents injury it’s a sound investment. Even just the advantage of having a light twin could be worth it.
$999 at Sweetwater
@@sharonraizor2839 Even lower if you shop around...
recently picked one up clean tone is perfect
Hi Shane great video. Almost three years later how is the reliability of this amp. A common internet issue is that modeling amps may have problems with circuit boards the longer you own them and may not be as reparable as an amp. I would be interested to know if this has been an issue.
Beautiful Amp and simple to use. Great review, well done.
If I may ask, is it an issue that there’s no fx loop? I’d like to run some peddle’s like a delay…some say it’s better to run from fx loop, or will it be okay to put them last in the chain?
Great review, Shane. I have a question: Did you notice any latency - does it feel immediate like a valve amp or a bit detached when playing?
2 questions:
1. Tone Master Black Twin or new Blonde Twin with Creamback speakers?
2. Twin or Blackstar Studio 10 6L6 and EL34 - 2x Tube Amps for similar price?
Bonus Q 3: or Mustang GTX100!?
Blonde Twin with Creamback speakers
Gotta go now and check it out ! Thanks man.. Good job
Did you prefer this to the Super reverb tone master?
The wind!. Vibration in your body as you play is what it's all about!!!
I knew you would like this amp Shane. It really sounds like an extra great all tube Twin. Another thing about this that beats the all tube version is it is SUPER QUIET. It’s just a great amp.
Cool features on the back panel... No fx loop though?
Jon Bauer I’m assuming that they are keeping at vintage correct and not including an affect loop like on the originals.
@@erictoniaschwab1009 I was going to type the same thing but then I realized they do have a attenuator and a couple other things.
@@erictoniaschwab1009 XLR IR output and power attenuation but no fx loop though? I'm sure the pros out weigh the cons, but if you're going to jump in this digital amp market some features should be standard equipment, also the price point is pretty close to the real deal
Well the original tube Twin and Deluxe Reverb don’t have built in power attenuation and it is after all a digital modeling amp-so I think anyone who bought one would not object to an FX loop on the back next to the attenuation switch-i just can’t imagine how having an FX loop would wreck anybody’s mindset about the Tonemaster amps not being absolute copies of the original tube amps.
And while it sounds great and I am all in favor of wt reduction for such a large amp to make it more easily portable, given the price they are asking-I find it annoying that they don’t have an FX loop on them. My Roland Blues Cube Artist has one, as do the Katanas and I suspect the Nextone amps do also. Blackstar ID TVP modeling amps do also-all of these amps are built on principle of modeling the sound and feel of a real tube amp-just not one specific model of a known famous amp (in fact they model often more than one power tube type amp so one could argue that they are more versatile) I can’t help but wonder if Fender is being a bit snobby about these Tonemasters in trying to pass them off as an absolute interchangeable copy of their real, famous tube amps-seems a bit extreme to me in thinking that adding an FX loop would ruin that illusion-and given the prices they are asking-seems to me Fender is being stingy-and overpricing them, thinking Fender aficionados who buy them will pay their inflated prices just because its a Fender-FX loop or not.
Besides a lack of FX loop, I would love to see a cab connector for my 8 Ohm 2x12 V30s...
Love it. Can you milk Fender for a Blonde with the Celestion Speakers and do a comparison? I would be eternally indebted to you. Wanna know before I spend the cash.
Amazing review brother 👊. That amp is killer! 👍🤘
The direct out mic emulations sound great but, how do they sound when pushing a pedal into the front of the amp?
I love it, but Fender has enough of my money already. Lol
Great review answered a few questions I wanted to know this against the single speaker tonemaster
LMFAO ! Mine too. Solid state has come a long way in the last 20 years. Like phones or PC's.
Not enough of mine, though.