During the comparisons, I was shocked by how well the tone master handled the fuzz, much more dynamic and wild than the tube amp. Definitely different and very nice sounds from both, but with all the convenience the tone master offers, it absolutely is the better value in my opinion.
If Fender has seen any of your videos they knew that you'd be honest and give an unbiased review. Thank you for all of your product evaluations, they are very useful for those of us buying gear.
I like this amp. It doesn't just feel like a Deluxe Reverb it IS a Deluxe Reverb (Tonemaster). In my mind if it says Deluxe Reverb, looks like one, functions like one and sounds like one then it is one. It may not be the original but it is just what it claims to be.
The mind is the strongest thing in the world' the way one thinks. Had a friend call me one night years ago' he said he was hearing voices' I asked him what the voices were saying' he got quite for a few seconds and then I heard a gun shot.
Most listeners in a LIVE band setting wouldn't be able to tell a difference one way or another unless its real bad and Ive seen players with great equipment sound terrible. Thats the players fault not the amp. That being said, your opinion on tone is YOUR opinion. If you like it great! The next guy might not like it but thats OK. Its not his/her tone its your tone. Make it yours. In my 40 years of playing Telecaster professionally I can tell you one thing..........Ive played every kind of tube amp and Fender tube amps (any of them) can be dialed in to get a great sound. It may not be perfect for your playing style etc but if you can't take a quality tube and get a really good sound you're doing something wrong. Some of these new modeling amps are also great. Play it hard, and find your tone. I have a '73 Fender Deluxe Reverb that I just love and I bought a Fender Mustang III, I set it up next to the Deluxe and did some A/B (several weeks worth) until I found a tone that is very similar and cool, in fact live you'd never know the difference. Its light, reliable, and cheap! Now the Mustang is one of my go to amps but you give it to the next guy and he might hate it. Your tone is in your hands and your ears. This is music folks, get used to it. For me to say one amp is better than another only means something to me not to everyone. Listen to your guitar NOT other people.
If more young folks would heed sound advice like this, they might spend more time actually learning by playing instead of obsessing about and trading out gear, and losing money in the process too. I have a '65 Princeton Reverb RI, VibroChamp XD, and Peavey VIP Vypyr and love them all equally for what each does or even doesn't do. I also like to play a Digitech Mosaic before an ehx MEL9 and into an ehx Superego+ into only iLoud monitors via just a Focusrite solo interface preamp , and that works just fine for practice or even recording too. Scott Grove said he only uses real amps as a showpiece or backup only onstage, if at all.
@Ed Berger 😆 bro, tone is 100 percent in your skill. Whenever someone says tone is in your gear I know who I'm talking to. A metal head under 35. The more drive you have the more compression you have and with more compression you get less dynamics. So to a metal head yeah its all in the gear. In fact to a metal player the only thing that makes a tone is what note you fret and what speaker you choose. If you play anything clean, almost your entire tone comes from your fingers and technique.
@Ed Berger you really think someone who owns a vintage fender amp gives two shits about a modern deluxe? We're comparing modern modeling to modern tube. What makes the vintage sound is the magnets losing their charge over time, speakers and pickups alike. Two other things on the vintage point #1 hardly anyone who owns one will tell you the truth about them because if all the vintage owners didnt buy the hype resale value would plummet which is the reason most people buy those. #2 when they were made it was current technology which means the parts used in assembly were more likely of higher quality. There are only 3 tube factories on the entire planet anymore. China, some eastern european country and russia. Ehx owns one and all the brands that come out of it. Not alot of competition. Not a ton of quality. Personally I feel vintage is mostly hype. At the end of the day its an electric current going into a speaker. Not rocket science. What comes out of the speaker is what your brain tells your fingers to put into it. End of story.
@@misterknightowlandco Great honesty conclusion. I have had 65 DRRI, 68 CDR, Princeton Reverb, Blackstar, Marshall, Orange all tube.SS, Mustang, Katana, Blackstar. I currently have the Helix Floor and 1x12 power cab plus with is great and can do anything with, in the end its all what you like and your skill.
It's always amazing how Henning says and shows things the very same way I would do or expect, hence once again his review is on top of any other else, hands down. Honesty and quality, I won't never be tired to say it about Henning. Thanks man, now... please pick up that Helix on the floor, it makes me feel it has to fall at any moment! :D
As a home guitarist who doesn't gig, the Tone Masters are a revelation. Now I can have some really great sounds for my Telecaster at suitable volumes (even jamming while bubs is asleep in our small house with the attenuator). I think the price point is fair and the fact that I don't have to maintain tubes is also a great thing. I cannot wait to pick one up! For now I'm challenging myself with getting some decent tones on my Champion 20 during this lockdown.
I have played the deluxe and the twin tone Masters and they sound great to my ears and great on the back too. Fender nailed the clean tone on these amps . Now adding effects you can tweak it to sound as good as the original deluxe. But keep in mind that you can have 10 Original tube deluxe amps and each one will sound different..for different reasons like tube brands , bias, speakers and caps. So really the tone master is a nice amp sounds good and maintenance free. The only negative is the price.. a bit over priced in my opinion.
..the Tonemaster has power scaling, the tube version does not. the tube version has 9 tubes..inc. tube rectifier. The conflict in Ukraine has meant no more tubes from Russia, and the alternatives are more costly and liable to get more so. In ten years most people will / or most likely will, be playing tone master type amps. A good part of the tone master is made in the USA
Typically, as you turn up the Volume on a Deluxe for some overdrive you would reduce the Bass control to reduce "Flub". Input 2 reduces input gain by 6dB for more clean headroom at the first tube stage.
If I remove the bottom right logo on the grill & use it jamming with a loud band & with my pedalboard, I'd bet a thousand $$$ no one would be the wiser that it's not the tube version. People like to boast how smart they are watching the video & clearly seeing when it transitions back & forth and declare their side for the tube amp.
Steely Dan Yep. I used a TM Deluxe on a solo gig last night and at the end I invited a friend who is a great guitarist up on stage to check it out. I told him to pick up the amp and he gave a good chuckle when he realized. He told me unsolicited that he would never have guessed it was not a tube amp.
Most people at a show or gig haven’t a clue about what an amp is anyway.. let alone if it’s SS or tube driven... most people wouldn’t know a Champ from a Super Reverb.. other than ones smaller..
Yeah, as Les Paul said, "People listen with their eyes". Remove that possibility with a true blind-test and I'd guess most people couldn't tell you which was which and/or would say the Modeling version is better.
It's a video! Why trust, you my as well verify. Resale value on anything digital is horrible. But at least its lighter. I have a deluxe reverb from 1992, it does what it suppose to do.
Kudos for clearly showing sponsorship at the beginning of the video! Coupled with your typical professional and informative video productions, this is a perfect example of what these types of reviews should be. Extremely well done...and full transparency!
Of everything said here, I endorse the HR deluxe recommendation (I’ve owned the first three iterations and will probably get the fourth). As a guy that wants a good clean tone, but an AWESOME pedal platform (all gain from pedals), the hot rod deluxe has always been my go to (I even have a flight case so no real carrying 😊). Great review/demo, you’re my favorite 😘😘😘. -Aaron
I think that I have owned about 45 tube amps, mostly Fender, starting in 1977. Loved them. But at this point I have a TMDR, mostly because it's 23 lbs. I have gigged with it and it was fantastic. Good amp.
Thanks for the review! I've had my TM for a month now....I think it sounds great with drive pedals...with tone tweaking (as noted for pedals just lower the bass and bring up mids/highs) you can get stellar sounds....in some cases better than the tube equivalents. Plus, all modulation pedals sound better on this amp than the tube version, Hot Rod to me is arguably good with pedals but the clean tone is vastly inferior. I think tweaking one's pedals with this amp yields better all round tones than either a Deluxe Reissue or the HRD...YMMV.
That kinda my thoughts as well. This tm in this demo actually sounded better to me than the tube version. I've been contemplating buying one. The cleans are absolutely outstanding. Trent, are you still happy with your tonemaster? I think I might sell my Marshall head.......I also agree with you on the hot rods, terrible cleans
You went very quickly from, “Why can’t I turn it off the sound completely with the attenuator/master?” to, “Why does it have a mute switch?” 😂 but honestly, great review!
I just purchased one and will be talking it out for the first time tonight. I have tube amps and love them but have spent so much money on replacing tubes, getting tube sockets replaced/repaired etc. that I’ve paid for them many times over. I’ve been looking for a non-tube options and have been disappointed until now. Hoping this will be a long-term solution for me. I’m a jazz guy and this tone suits me fine. Thanks for the fantastic, honest review that really highlights this amp’s pros and cons.
John Horne Same here... but it doesn’t work for me. Doesn’t take my OD pedal well at all. Raspy, thin and a sizzle that can not be turned away with treble. Curious how you find it after your gig
John Von D I’ll let you know. It’s a solo jazz gig so I don’t expect any surprises. I don’t use OD often but I agree that my favorite OD (The Animal from Rockett) doesn’t sound quite the same through this amp.
I guess my take away is, if you’re playing anything like “hard rock” or “metal” that relies heavily on a overly distorted sound why would anyone consider a Deluxe Reverb in the first place? (Tube or otherwise)....I agree with you, this amp excels at super clean and edge of breakup-overdrive type stuff. I will say after owning the TMTR for a little bit and having the speaker broken in, It sounds great! As far as drives, I use a Strymon Sunset and it sounds great through this amp.
Well I mean... I thought the same a few months ago, then I realized that Baroness were playing through Deluxe Reverbs and Princetons, and still managed to get killer tones.
vuriby I’m not saying it’s impossible and that no one has done it. But typically Fender isn’t really known for their “High Gain” sound that’s often associated with “heavier” music.
Robert Williams again...not saying you can’t get high gain out of them...however, deluxe and twin reverts aren’t typically associated with high gain music.
Great video! I bought both the deluxe reverb tonemaster and the twin tonemaster and will never look back. Both amps sound amazing, and i used to be a tube snob. There are very minor differences in the tube version and the TM. And once u start playing live with a band, no one will even notice in the mix. Ive used both of these live and cant be more happier. No more changing tubes, no more filter caps to change, no more biasing and it weighs half....its a no brainer! Im going to eventually get the Princeton next. I wish Vox would do this with the AC30 and the AC15, they attempted it with the VR series but no where close to the tube versions. I love AC30s but they are back breakers like the Fender Twin.
Here in 2021, just got the Tone Master DR blonde. I'm in love. You make great points, but for home use I'm never gonna notice the difference. Plus, the blonde has the bright cap removed on the vibrato channel and the upgraded speaker. For me, this is absolutely perfect at its intended use! Play on!
I want to get one of these and install a full set of tube sockets and hook up power to just the filaments. Then it is a digital amp that actually has glowing tubes.
Pricing is a little different here in Maine U.S.A. Tonemaster is 899.00 Tube Deluxe Reverb is 1100.00 The 2/3 fraction would be 726.00 for the Tonemaster. I have the Tonemaster and it's been a great tool live and in the studio. Love it. Thanks for the great vid!
@@robertwellington2616 Plenty of people would use this in a real studio. Look at how many albums used a helix while tracking, or plugging straight into pro tools. If someone likes the sound they are going to use it.
This was one of your better reviews. I suspected orange wav was tube, but actually liked the Tonemaster verb. Honest and thorough assessment - well done.
I think this comparison can be supplemented by having near the end of the vid, tweaking the tone settings of 'both' amps and even using different pedals, such as a HX FX..etc. More real world observations that purchasers of both type amps would do to hear in their best case scenario way. Not just 'everything at 12 oclock and see what sounds best. Just as Ritchie Castellano (Digital pedal user and Lead Guitarist for BOC) does with his Helix and other Line 6 Digital pedals. At first some tones sound blah, and digital, but after he tweaks some EQ, it's amazing! Amazing to the point where it's not so digital, fizzy, bottom end woofy, as you mentioned.
Ha ha yeah right I was playing mine last night and was thanking goodness I kept it after all these years It's my A1 main amp and sounds awesome The Vibroking is good too I usually use a 4/10 or an old Vox 2/12 It would be cool if they did start making them again I'm a tube guy all the way You can still find them for under a K usually
The “Mute” allows the speaker to be turned off while the DI remains active. The information on the mic presets on the DI are available in the owners manual hat least it says that in the owners manual of my Tone Master Twin Reverb). Great video!
I had a chance to try the twin tm for a live gig in a small club and imo it worked great for clean sounds. I have a ‘71 non master twin and it nailed the clean sound for 98%. Using the XLR out to FOH worked fine. cab sim, rev & trem also good quality. As a pedal platform for overdrive, distortion etc. however I agree with Henning it colors the sound in a negative way, especially on higher volumes it lacked in dynamics and compression. I missed the push in the mid eq. spectrum. For cleans though Fender did a good job.
thanks, good to know cause i get my tones from ZOOM G2 and overdrive pedals, Ill stick to my Hughes & Kettner Vortex 80W transistor and Peavey Bandit Transtube 80W, wont have to pay 1000€s for a one-trick-pony modelling amp!!! Cheers, Kimmo : )
Kimmo Lingonheimo it is a good one trick pony though. btw, the cheap twin fender frontman 212R is good in cleans as well, for 1/3 of the price of the TM....
Totally agree with what you said regarding the Hot Rod Deluxe IV. That was exactly the amp I chose to get. But I still think the price point of these digital SS amps are too steep. And if they would lower it I might actually get one, but still keep my Hot Rod Deluxe IV which is amazing!
That "mute" switch is exactly what it is labeled as; it is not a "standby". Throw the switch, the front side light goes yellow and your DI goes to where you're sending it without the internal speaker(s) producing any sound. All other controls work as expected in this mode. I have had the Tone Master Twin since early September and to date, when playing gigs, not one person has been able to identify it as not a tube amp unless they were told.
I just bought the Twin Reverb TM amp last night. It is an upgrade from my Princeton 60w 12" speaker. All I can say is WOW - it is so loud and clean and no distortion. I can't wait to play with it more tonite! And I got it off Craig's L. for $650 in pristine condition!
Thank you. Saved me some time. I've already returned 3 non tube amps searching for a good, lightweight non tube amp. Amp companies should spend money figuring out how to lighten their tube amps and stop making digital amps.
Great video! The “attenuator” on the back is more than a volume knob - it models a tube amp being attenuated with power amp distortion, which isn’t really the same thing as a master volume.
Replying to an old comment, but it is absolutely a master volume. It is not "attenuating" anything. There is no power soak. A master volume on any decent amp modeler still models power amp distortion, then just reduces the signal sent to the speaker as the final step... exactly the same as TM. Or do you really think Kemper, Helix, Fractal etc. do NOT model/profile power amp distortion? 🤦♂
Great review, Henning. I just bought the TM Princeton and waiting for it to arrive. I’m very tube oriented when it comes to amps but my back is not what it was and these are really close!
At this price point Fender really needed to nail all the sounds of the original Deluxe Reverb, clean AND over driven. So, to me, this Tone Master is kind of a fail for the money. No point going to all this trouble to only get it half right. Sure it will suit some players but it isn't as flexible as it should be. A profiling amp may be a better bet at this price point as they cover the lot not just one amp. Another great, honest review. Keep up the good work man.
The manual says: CABINET SIM: When using XLR BALANCED LINE OUTPUT (T), this switch offers three different tonal options-a flat, uncolored amp signal without speaker cabinet emulation (OFF); and two impulse response (IR) profiles emulating different speaker/microphone- placement combinations (1 and 2). OUTPUT POWER: Selector switch offers full power (22 watts) and five other attenuated wattage settings that tailor room/venue overall loudness. Set amp front-panel channel volume to personal preference for tube-emulated response, then set OUTPUT POWER to preferred level. I do remember a vid which showed earlier saturation when set to low wattage ... so there seems to be more than just a "master volume"
I appreciate your review. Very professional! To those who are new to amplification I would say this: Second order harmonics, you got 'em or you don't! Tube amps got'em, SS/Digital amplifiers don't. It's more than just a distortion thing most of which can be emulated by diodes. That's really all there is to it. But Why? - If you don't trust your own ears then take the word of the scientists that have gone into the laboratories and conducted a great deal of experimental research with human beings and sound reproduction and these tests conclusively have proven the human ear prefers second order harmonics in music to music without it. Only tubes provide these second order harmonics. Go and research how power tubes are made and how they work and you just may come away with a new appreciation of these slightly older than 100 years tubes which are glass bottles with other components in a vacuum that amplify a signal. Hey I'm 69 years old, have always read a lot and so I took the time to read about tubes and came away with a greater appreciation of the sonic characteristics of what some think of as primitive devices. I was a violinist as a younger man and I have very good hearing and very good pitch and I can tell the differences. I also play many "World" Instruments" such as Sitar, Veena, Sarangi, Sarod, Pipa, Erhu, Oud, Bouzouki and Rabab to speak about a few of my favorites. I also play acoustic bass and viola. I love viola! Like a violin but the pitch is a little lower and that is to my liking. I have trained my ear to hear "Micro-tonal notes". Since I am retired I only play for my own enjoyment and pleasure. Why would I play 8 and 12 hours a day using a sound amplification system that I did not like as much as my tube amplifiers? I would not. I would sometimes use a non tube amp for practice thinking I would save the tubes. I got over that. My tubes last years and I have many tube amps so I rotate them, sometimes. Also I have learned enough to change my own tubes and now there are actually certain tubes that sound better than others in my different amps. So I can fine tune the tone and also the gain and breakup characteristics with different tubes. I only spent just under $60 for all the correct gear to do my own power tube biasing. Heck I can even alter the bias with a given set of tubes to change the tone and characteristics of each amp anytime I wish. I like my SS and Digital amps for certain music but I love the tone and break up of my Tube amps for all music. Like vs. Love, Love wins for me every time! -Peter
Diodes ? You mean processors. As was stated in the video, Fender's target ( this is a whole New, 2019, approach to Digital Amps) was a clean amp and in the real world of your local club, how much difference would you hear?
I ment diodes. I was not really addressing the new Fender Tonemaster amps I was speaking about all non tube amps in general that use transistors for power amplification. Even so "processors are not tubes and can never be an actual tube. They may capture much of the tone but not every aspect of a true tube power amp. I stated that I play for my own listening pleasure at my home in my studio (not a local club) and enjoy playing guitar and other instruments for the tones, the tones man. So I shall sick with tubes.
Just caught end of the video-Hennig your comments on the Tonemaster amp to be spot on-best review of this amp on the web and you did a great in depth and most importantly honest review. Kudos to you that you also got to keep both the Tonemaster and real deal 65 DRRI amps-I know that the time you invested to do this video had to be substantial.... but man, you got to keep both amps!!! Glucklich to be Hennig. Danke schon. (Sorry, no umlauts on my keyboard, Tut mir weh.)
So, with the new Blonde TM and the firmware released for the regular version (regarding reverb, breakup issues, bright cap, pedal output, etc.) it seems that most if not all of the apparent "issues" would be dealt with. Right or wrong?
You said several times that it doesn't have a "mute switch". In the fender ad they state that when put on "Standby" it only outputs to the DI out. Muted - Mission accomplished. This also explains the reason for the "Standby" Switch that you said has no purpose. Hope this corrects a few things. Thanks!
Bought the DRTM yesterday at Musik Produktiv and was blown away from the first minute on. I own tube amps but I dont hear a difference and that makes this amp sp versatile. The weight, the attenuator and the line out are great features. In our rehearsal today nobody noticed it was a SS amp :D
The output power selecter-attenutator works exactly like it should. You can get the tube like crunch tone at the lowest power as well as the clean. It's not the illusion of a power output control. On full power it'll get quite loud before you can get a crunch tone. I love this little amp. Kind of pricy for what it is. I have the bloned, which comes with a Celestion speaker. It seemed to sound better when I bought it.
I'm a bass player (and a wannabe guitarist) and played with heaps of Deluxe Reverb owning guitarists and I can say that the tonemaster sounds worse than the best of them I've heard but also better than the worst of them... but on the whole definitely at "better" end of the scale. first time I encountered one with out even knowing about them was a jam night and thought it was a nice classic tone said to the player "nice reissue, love those tones" they then went "yeh it's solid state, pick it up" mind blown! - went out the next day and bought one... and my blackstar 5 watt and Laney 15 watt now gathering dust
On my Deluxe Tone Master, I tried using Vibrato input #2, then I put the power control at .5W, set the volume above 4 and below 6 to avoid the Bright Cap and Breakup, and then plugged in my pedals including overdrive, fuzz, distortion...and it worked pretty well. Pedals are a bit of a challenge on the amp, but if you find the right combo, they can sound great.
I really can't tell much of a difference between these amps. There are very close to each other, which means that Fender did a hell of a job with this. Now I want one. Not sure if I want a Twin or a Deluxe. If the Twin gave the true heavenly clean tone the tube version does, it would be something I would want.
The Tonemaster amps sound great in their own right and are a lot more versatile than the tube versions. The biggest issue I have with them is the processing technology used - what are the options in 2/3 years time if you have issues? Tube amps (especially hand-wired) are certainly fixable for the most part if you have any issues - for many years after purchase.
Very well done. Best exploration of this stuff I've seen so far. Really interesting how the amps reacted to Fuzz...my main weapon of choice. Fuzzy Golden Tube Amps Rule!
I bought the tonemaster simply because i don't like having to change tubes and throw money at the amp year after year. This amp to me sounds amazing and i have no regrets.
Tell us about your tube amps that you say you don't like spending money on and changing tubes every year. Tell me exactly what tube amps you own. I suspect you are just repeating misinformation about tube amps that you have heard about and in reality you don't have any tube amps and you have never changes any tubes in your entire life.
@@PeterDad60 Peter is an appropriate name for you. You kinda come off like a dick. Your assumptions are incorrect. I played a hot rod for years and had problems during live shows that can be completely avoided with the TM. Having to change out tubes and spend money doing it is not misinformation guy.
Just bought the tone master and was delighted to find this direct comparison with the original amp, so nice to find someone who actually does like for like, keep seeing videos that say they are comparing but then they fiddle with settings, sound is very subjective and though I'm ready to get shot down, I spent the whole time wishing the "blue" amp was the tone master, just to my untrained ear it delivered the sounds I wanted to hear.
sounds great. if it sounds the same it's close enough for me. price is too high and you can say they'd be stupid to lower the price. Truth is sooner or later someone, not fender, will simply make a better fender. It happens in most markets and most products. it's happening in tv now.
Thank you! Really honest and informative video!❤ i saw a Canadian favourite artist over here in Sweden the other night and i was partly blown away with theire guitar sounds. Both played Rickenbackers in this amp and it was a fabulous show and superb sound overall ! However - i did notice they -at times...sounded a bit fizzly(?) (Bright in that unplesant not warm way) but in a whole it sounded GREAT. I own a -79 Deluxe and if the price was a lot under today i would consider a swap, hence the heavy unbarable weight. But in the end i won't, but they are really the most juicy alternative out there for me today. Keap up your honest reviews! Cheers /Jesper
The Tone master actually sounded better to me with pedals than the tube amp. The tube sounded like it was way too mid focused. I'm sure it sounds much different in person though. Thanks for the demo
totally agree. I have a 4x10 Hot Rod as well but I only use the TM now. Unbelievable with pedals. Great response from Treb/Bass/Mid too. Love the thing and gig with it all the time.
I would really love to hear and see what you think about the Class AB Boss Nextone Artist Amp which is some kind of the same concept with a bit more versatility but without digital modeling. It is not a Katana, it is designed to sound like a classic tube combo without using tubes. Does it metal? No! Does it sound good? I think yes! I changed from the Katana Artist to the Nextone and I am happy with it. It even takes drives better than the Fender Tonemaster as far as I could hear in your great video.
I really like the Boss Nextone. If I had not bought this and if I didn't already own a Blackstar Artist 15 I would get one. Blackstar makes a quality product and since they started making amps that were not all super high gain amps, I have liked them more.
I really enjoyed this comparison... This is the way it should be done, and I'm glad you mentioned the Hot Rod Deluxe in there because yes, that is the go-to the one everyone talks about. I don't think I'll buy either of these, but when it comes to recommendations to others... I'll send them to you every time! Thanks and have a great weekend! 😎🎸
Brilliant concept from Fender, thanks for this review :) But, I'm 100% sure that the speaker and the wood being completely different in these amps you compared, it makes a huge difference. Even one same speaker moved in different cabs would sound different (not drastically because is the same speaker, but noticeable) - there's a video where Kristian Kohle is doing this experiment. Anyway, the idea is awesome, and for the 2% difference between them, the digital one wins, since there are no parts to service. I wonder why other companies are not embracing this idea of cloning themselves their own amps.
I use a MojoMojo overdrive and an XTS Atomic Overdrive with my Deluxe Reverb Tone Master. Both sound awesome. I crank the volume to about 7 and attenuate the overall volume for the venue. The MojoMojo is nice and chunky and the XTS wails!
I really enjoyed this comparison. Side by side to me is the way it should be done. The concept fender is doing here is awesome. Right now I own both a Hot Rod Deluxe and a blues Jr and to your point for me they are perfect pedal platforms. Really appreciate the level of detail you provide. The honest comparisons. Enjoy your channel very much Thank you!
I haven’t read all the comments to see if this has been covered but I suspect that the tube amp (one shown) is 120vac only since it has a large transformer (not switching supply). The Tonemaster has a supply voltage range (because of the switching power supply) that will accept anything from 100 vac to 240. So to use in Europe, all you would need is the an adapter, or the EU cord. The tube model would fail, if you tried to use it with just a plug adapter.
Really small difference at here, pretty impressive work from Fender. Price is still too high. You can find good Fender modeling at much cheaper price when you buy some program on your computer like Bias FX 2 or amp.
It's not just the modeling as I understand, it's the quad processing power, huge descrete power amp, speaker and pine cab. Quality costs money, and not having tubes in it doesn't change that.
That bias plugin is incredible. Totally agree, I've used that on so many productions... But not everybody wants to hurl around a laptop and interface with 6ms round trip latency on the plugin. This amp feels very real to the player in the live scenario and gives everybody an authentic feeling, while delivering on other aspects like the DI, weight and the power settings. Why shouldn't it be worth its price?
I've owned lots of amps vintage and boutique. The tonemaster twin I bought has been the best amp purchase I've made. It's one amp that can do everything from home to big stage The di out is amazing and makes playing shows a breeze
Replicating old amps with modelling is fine, but why copy the old feature-set too. It will never be the "real thing" anyway so I would at least add a FX-loop so that it can be used as a modern pedal-platform.
youre right! band these Years Fender quality /build control has been very low, just bought a Fender Frontman 10G, see how long itll last, was gonna buy a second one but caught myself and bought two pedals instead, also made in China..., the more usa n china fuck eacother up the more the rest of the poor suffer
I think it's so it looks less like a toy. Gigging with it, it will look and sound like the (and maybe sometimes better than) the real deal. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference immediately. I agree it should extra features would be cool, but to access those properly you'd need an extra board as well so using it wouldn't suck.
Seeing as it's a clean amp the effects loop really isn't all that necessary since you aren't distorting your effects through a high gain preamp. If you're gonna pay extra for a loop I would invest in a switcher for the board, much more convenient, versatile and the ability for preset combinations and go for a barebones clean amp as a blank canvas to start with.
Great Demo, after playing back a few time I found I like the Tonemaster overdriven and with pedals. The mids semmed scooped out leaving nice bass and open mids with a more pronounced high end, I suppose this would be more "American" sound as opposed to British with thicker mids.
@@BITESIZEJONES If you A/B....sure, original will be a little more 3D and punchy...if you don't...it just sounds like a decent Fender amp that you can use more settings on...let's be real here.
Great video, very comprehensive! I’d love to see other amp reviews that were this detailed with the different pedals, with or without comparison amps. Thanks!
I have tried several different speakers, including the Jensen out of a deluxe reverb tube amp and none sound as good as the factory tone master speaker. So i bought a second tone master and twin them together. incredible. Thanks for your in-depth review.
@@glennpace9783 Not sure the bassman these days has the same usage rate as the DR or the TR. I agree that it's different enough to these, that it should have its own Tone Master. But Fender are probably just looking at how these two are selling. Let's see if guitarists are....ready for the evolution :-).
Having a Line 6 Flextone since marketed with lush clean fender tones and effects built in I have Fender Blackface tone covered. I also made the mistake of buying a Tweed Blues Junior which I have had to replace tube sockets add variable bias and maintain , Then I hand wired a Vibroverb clone I built my self. Trying to get the sweet spot at higher levels at home is tough unless no one is around. I think my next amps will be a 50s tweed clone and a Marshall clone or a Orange Rockerverb. I really couldn’t tell any difference on UA-cam. The deluxe reissue already was printed circuit board, plastic shaft pots and all the other things not original. The solid state is lighter, has attenuation which makes it great for home or today’s stages, won’t need babying and if it takes pedals most will be happy.
I have the Tone Master deluxe and it takes drive pedals really well. Switch it to 22 watts, drop the volume to a clean range, 2 to 4 and use the Vibrato channel, your drive pedals will sound as intended and harmonic rich, spot on setting I’ve found. If your running the amp at below 5 watts, then they sound average. 22 watt and 12 watt settings with the volume at a clean range and its perfect pedal platform.
You rock a bit more than something that rocks a lot. Thank you for the plain-language demo and review. For the sake of all current and future live-performers please keep making reviews for ever... your reviews never make me feel like I’m been sold anything... I just have knowledge.
If you need to put it under lab conditions to hear a difference, the difference doesn't matter.
Good comment.
with hazmat suits?
The standby switch is used to mute the amp when you’re using the XLR out for FOH and want a silent stage.
During the comparisons, I was shocked by how well the tone master handled the fuzz, much more dynamic and wild than the tube amp. Definitely different and very nice sounds from both, but with all the convenience the tone master offers, it absolutely is the better value in my opinion.
If Fender has seen any of your videos they knew that you'd be honest and give an unbiased review. Thank you for all of your product evaluations, they are very useful for those of us buying gear.
I consistently preferred the blue amp, which led me to believe it was the tube version. Pretty amazed it was the digital one.
38:08 for those wondering which one was tube vs TM.
I like this amp. It doesn't just feel like a Deluxe Reverb it IS a Deluxe Reverb (Tonemaster). In my mind if it says Deluxe Reverb, looks like one, functions like one and sounds like one then it is one. It may not be the original but it is just what it claims to be.
In my mind thr tonemasters are just a reissue done in a different way.
The mind is the strongest thing in the world' the way one thinks. Had a friend call me one night years ago' he said he was hearing voices' I asked him what the voices were saying' he got quite for a few seconds and then I heard a gun shot.
😬 @@BryanClark-gk6ie
Most listeners in a LIVE band setting wouldn't be able to tell a difference one way or another unless its real bad and Ive seen players with great equipment sound terrible. Thats the players fault not the amp.
That being said, your opinion on tone is YOUR opinion. If you like it great! The next guy might not like it but thats OK. Its not his/her tone its your tone. Make it yours.
In my 40 years of playing Telecaster professionally I can tell you one thing..........Ive played every kind of tube amp and Fender tube amps (any of them) can be dialed in to get a great sound.
It may not be perfect for your playing style etc but if you can't take a quality tube and get a really good sound you're doing something wrong. Some of these new modeling amps are also great.
Play it hard, and find your tone.
I have a '73 Fender Deluxe Reverb that I just love and I bought a Fender Mustang III, I set it up next to the Deluxe and did some A/B (several weeks worth) until I found a tone that is very similar and cool, in fact live you'd never know the difference. Its light, reliable, and cheap!
Now the Mustang is one of my go to amps but you give it to the next guy and he might hate it. Your tone is in your hands and your ears. This is music folks, get used to it.
For me to say one amp is better than another only means something to me not to everyone. Listen to your guitar NOT other people.
If more young folks would heed sound advice like this, they might spend more time actually learning by playing instead of obsessing about and trading out gear, and losing money in the process too. I have a '65 Princeton Reverb RI, VibroChamp XD, and Peavey VIP Vypyr and love them all equally for what each does or even doesn't do. I also like to play a Digitech Mosaic before an ehx MEL9 and into an ehx Superego+ into only iLoud monitors via just a Focusrite solo interface preamp , and that works just fine for practice or even recording too. Scott Grove said he only uses real amps as a showpiece or backup only onstage, if at all.
@Ed Berger 😆 bro, tone is 100 percent in your skill. Whenever someone says tone is in your gear I know who I'm talking to. A metal head under 35. The more drive you have the more compression you have and with more compression you get less dynamics. So to a metal head yeah its all in the gear. In fact to a metal player the only thing that makes a tone is what note you fret and what speaker you choose. If you play anything clean, almost your entire tone comes from your fingers and technique.
@Ed Berger you really think someone who owns a vintage fender amp gives two shits about a modern deluxe? We're comparing modern modeling to modern tube. What makes the vintage sound is the magnets losing their charge over time, speakers and pickups alike. Two other things on the vintage point #1 hardly anyone who owns one will tell you the truth about them because if all the vintage owners didnt buy the hype resale value would plummet which is the reason most people buy those. #2 when they were made it was current technology which means the parts used in assembly were more likely of higher quality. There are only 3 tube factories on the entire planet anymore. China, some eastern european country and russia. Ehx owns one and all the brands that come out of it. Not alot of competition. Not a ton of quality. Personally I feel vintage is mostly hype. At the end of the day its an electric current going into a speaker. Not rocket science. What comes out of the speaker is what your brain tells your fingers to put into it. End of story.
@@misterknightowlandco Great honesty conclusion. I have had 65 DRRI, 68 CDR, Princeton Reverb, Blackstar, Marshall, Orange all tube.SS, Mustang, Katana, Blackstar. I currently have the Helix Floor and 1x12 power cab plus with is great and can do anything with, in the end its all what you like and your skill.
Excellent review, Henning. Thorough, good explanations, and soundwaves! More reviews should be like this one.
It's always amazing how Henning says and shows things the very same way I would do or expect, hence once again his review is on top of any other else, hands down. Honesty and quality, I won't never be tired to say it about Henning. Thanks man, now... please pick up that Helix on the floor, it makes me feel it has to fall at any moment! :D
As a home guitarist who doesn't gig, the Tone Masters are a revelation. Now I can have some really great sounds for my Telecaster at suitable volumes (even jamming while bubs is asleep in our small house with the attenuator). I think the price point is fair and the fact that I don't have to maintain tubes is also a great thing. I cannot wait to pick one up! For now I'm challenging myself with getting some decent tones on my Champion 20 during this lockdown.
from a champion 20 to a tonemaster, that's quite the upgraded I gotta say
@@wrraf Quite the royal upgrade if you ask me!
ho! how are you liking the Amp so far? 😊
@@justokotoeh love it so far my friend!!
I have played the deluxe and the twin tone Masters and they sound great to my ears and great on the back too.
Fender nailed the clean tone on these amps . Now adding effects you can tweak it to sound as good as the original deluxe. But keep in mind that you can have 10 Original tube deluxe amps and each one will sound different..for different reasons like tube brands , bias, speakers and caps.
So really the tone master is a nice amp sounds good and maintenance free.
The only negative is the price.. a bit over priced in my opinion.
..the Tonemaster has power scaling, the tube version does not. the tube version has 9 tubes..inc. tube rectifier. The conflict in Ukraine has meant no more tubes from Russia, and the alternatives are more costly and liable to get more so. In ten years most people will / or most likely will, be playing tone master type amps. A good part of the tone master is made in the USA
Typically, as you turn up the Volume on a Deluxe for some overdrive you would reduce the Bass control to reduce "Flub". Input 2 reduces input gain by 6dB for more clean headroom at the first tube stage.
If I remove the bottom right logo on the grill & use it jamming with a loud band & with my pedalboard, I'd bet a thousand $$$ no one would be the wiser that it's not the tube version. People like to boast how smart they are watching the video & clearly seeing when it transitions back & forth and declare their side for the tube amp.
Steely Dan Yep. I used a TM Deluxe on a solo gig last night and at the end I invited a friend who is a great guitarist up on stage to check it out. I told him to pick up the amp and he gave a good chuckle when he realized. He told me unsolicited that he would never have guessed it was not a tube amp.
Most people at a show or gig haven’t a clue about what an amp is anyway.. let alone if it’s SS or tube driven... most people wouldn’t know a Champ from a Super Reverb.. other than ones smaller..
Yeah, as Les Paul said, "People listen with their eyes". Remove that possibility with a true blind-test and I'd guess most people couldn't tell you which was which and/or would say the Modeling version is better.
It's a video! Why trust, you my as well verify. Resale value on anything digital is horrible. But at least its lighter.
I have a deluxe reverb from 1992, it does what it suppose to do.
I played the two side by side. I liked the tone master better.
Kudos for clearly showing sponsorship at the beginning of the video! Coupled with your typical professional and informative video productions, this is a perfect example of what these types of reviews should be. Extremely well done...and full transparency!
Of everything said here, I endorse the HR deluxe recommendation (I’ve owned the first three iterations and will probably get the fourth). As a guy that wants a good clean tone, but an AWESOME pedal platform (all gain from pedals), the hot rod deluxe has always been my go to (I even have a flight case so no real carrying 😊). Great review/demo, you’re my favorite 😘😘😘.
-Aaron
I think that I have owned about 45 tube amps, mostly Fender, starting in 1977. Loved them. But at this point I have a TMDR, mostly because it's 23 lbs. I have gigged with it and it was fantastic. Good amp.
Thanks for the review! I've had my TM for a month now....I think it sounds great with drive pedals...with tone tweaking (as noted for pedals just lower the bass and bring up mids/highs) you can get stellar sounds....in some cases better than the tube equivalents. Plus, all modulation pedals sound better on this amp than the tube version, Hot Rod to me is arguably good with pedals but the clean tone is vastly inferior. I think tweaking one's pedals with this amp yields better all round tones than either a Deluxe Reissue or the HRD...YMMV.
That kinda my thoughts as well. This tm in this demo actually sounded better to me than the tube version. I've been contemplating buying one. The cleans are absolutely outstanding. Trent, are you still happy with your tonemaster? I think I might sell my Marshall head.......I also agree with you on the hot rods, terrible cleans
@@michaelarmstrong1730 absolutely agree
The absolute best review of the Tone Master I’ve seen. Thank you.
You went very quickly from, “Why can’t I turn it off the sound completely with the attenuator/master?” to, “Why does it have a mute switch?” 😂 but honestly, great review!
I just purchased one and will be talking it out for the first time tonight. I have tube amps and love them but have spent so much money on replacing tubes, getting tube sockets replaced/repaired etc. that I’ve paid for them many times over. I’ve been looking for a non-tube options and have been disappointed until now. Hoping this will be a long-term solution for me. I’m a jazz guy and this tone suits me fine. Thanks for the fantastic, honest review that really highlights this amp’s pros and cons.
John Horne
Same here... but it doesn’t work for me. Doesn’t take my OD pedal well at all. Raspy, thin and a sizzle that can not be turned away with treble. Curious how you find it after your gig
John Von D I’ll let you know. It’s a solo jazz gig so I don’t expect any surprises. I don’t use OD often but I agree that my favorite OD (The Animal from Rockett) doesn’t sound quite the same through this amp.
Katana still rules over Tone Master! That`s a fact!
Marcelo Magalhaes Have you played them both? I bought the Katana and really, really dislike it for my needs. Will be selling mine if you need another.
@@J1JL that's what I was hearing. Well said bro ,👨🏽🎤
The "mute" switch works in conjuction with the direct out. Run the amp on "mute" with the "direct out" XLR output and the amp is silent.
Dude u did excellent and remarkable comparison of the two amplifiers I've ever seen this was exceptionally informative spot on !!!
I guess my take away is, if you’re playing anything like “hard rock” or “metal” that relies heavily on a overly distorted sound why would anyone consider a Deluxe Reverb in the first place? (Tube or otherwise)....I agree with you, this amp excels at super clean and edge of breakup-overdrive type stuff. I will say after owning the TMTR for a little bit and having the speaker broken in, It sounds great! As far as drives, I use a Strymon Sunset and it sounds great through this amp.
Well I mean... I thought the same a few months ago, then I realized that Baroness were playing through Deluxe Reverbs and Princetons, and still managed to get killer tones.
vuriby I’m not saying it’s impossible and that no one has done it. But typically Fender isn’t really known for their “High Gain” sound that’s often associated with “heavier” music.
@@JasonTMays Fenders are great for being cheapish and having good cleans with enough headroom for heavy high gain pedal platforms.
Robert Williams again...not saying you can’t get high gain out of them...however, deluxe and twin reverts aren’t typically associated with high gain music.
Great video! I bought both the deluxe reverb tonemaster and the twin tonemaster and will never look back. Both amps sound amazing, and i used to be a tube snob. There are very minor differences in the tube version and the TM. And once u start playing live with a band, no one will even notice in the mix. Ive used both of these live and cant be more happier. No more changing tubes, no more filter caps to change, no more biasing and it weighs half....its a no brainer! Im going to eventually get the Princeton next. I wish Vox would do this with the AC30 and the AC15, they attempted it with the VR series but no where close to the tube versions. I love AC30s but they are back breakers like the Fender Twin.
I got my Fender DLX Reverb Tone Master a week ago and love it! Even with Pedals.
so it will take a few pedals if you run it through??
Trucker Kev The Paid Tourist pedals sound best in the normal input. My overdrive pedals sound fizzy in the vibrato channel because of the bright cap
@@landonkirk2825 Apparently they have rectified this in the new blonde version. As a pedal user, I'm more tempted now.
Steven Honeywill the blonde version looks amazing! Especially because of the creamback!
Here in 2021, just got the Tone Master DR blonde. I'm in love. You make great points, but for home use I'm never gonna notice the difference. Plus, the blonde has the bright cap removed on the vibrato channel and the upgraded speaker. For me, this is absolutely perfect at its intended use! Play on!
They did a great job with these amps however I bought a 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb and glad I did
Thank you for the very detailed and honest review. If Fender gets mad at you, send me the tube amp and you'll feel relieved. 😁
The best review and demo I have seen of the Tone Master!
I want to get one of these and install a full set of tube sockets and hook up power to just the filaments. Then it is a digital amp that actually has glowing tubes.
That is hilarous, I love it!
Pricing is a little different here in Maine U.S.A. Tonemaster is 899.00 Tube Deluxe Reverb is 1100.00 The 2/3 fraction would be 726.00 for the Tonemaster. I have the Tonemaster and it's been a great tool live and in the studio. Love it. Thanks for the great vid!
Promot Ed what studio? Your home studio? Nobody’s using that in a real studio.
@@robertwellington2616 Plenty of people would use this in a real studio. Look at how many albums used a helix while tracking, or plugging straight into pro tools. If someone likes the sound they are going to use it.
This was one of your better reviews. I suspected orange wav was tube, but actually liked the Tonemaster verb. Honest and thorough assessment - well done.
I think this comparison can be supplemented by having near the end of the vid, tweaking the tone settings of 'both' amps and even using different pedals, such as a HX FX..etc. More real world observations that purchasers of both type amps would do to hear in their best case scenario way. Not just 'everything at 12 oclock and see what sounds best.
Just as Ritchie Castellano (Digital pedal user and Lead Guitarist for BOC) does with his Helix and other Line 6 Digital pedals. At first some tones sound blah, and digital, but after he tweaks some EQ, it's amazing! Amazing to the point where it's not so digital, fizzy, bottom end woofy, as you mentioned.
always a critic
Love the honesty in your reviews; keep up the great work 🎸
I wish Fender still made the Tone Master head from the 90s. That thing was a beast!
Ha ha yeah right I was playing mine last night and was thanking goodness I kept it after all these years It's my A1 main amp and sounds awesome The Vibroking is good too I usually use a 4/10 or an old Vox 2/12 It would be cool if they did start making them again I'm a tube guy all the way You can still find them for under a K usually
@@paulcowart3174 I've seen used Tone Masters on eBay, problem is I live in New Zealand, so shipping costs will be a tad painful 😢
The “Mute” allows the speaker to be turned off while the DI remains active.
The information on the mic presets on the DI are available in the owners manual hat least it says that in the owners manual of my Tone Master Twin Reverb).
Great video!
I had a chance to try the twin tm for a live gig in a small club and imo it worked great for clean sounds. I have a ‘71 non master twin and it nailed the clean sound for 98%. Using the XLR out to FOH worked fine. cab sim, rev & trem also good quality. As a pedal platform for overdrive, distortion etc. however I agree with Henning it colors the sound in a negative way, especially on higher volumes it lacked in dynamics and compression. I missed the push in the mid eq. spectrum. For cleans though Fender did a good job.
thanks, good to know cause i get my tones from ZOOM G2 and overdrive pedals, Ill stick to my Hughes & Kettner Vortex 80W transistor and Peavey Bandit Transtube 80W, wont have to pay 1000€s for a one-trick-pony modelling amp!!! Cheers, Kimmo : )
Kimmo Lingonheimo it is a good one trick pony though. btw, the cheap twin fender frontman 212R is good in cleans as well, for 1/3 of the price of the TM....
Totally agree with what you said regarding the Hot Rod Deluxe IV. That was exactly the amp I chose to get. But I still think the price point of these digital SS amps are too steep. And if they would lower it I might actually get one, but still keep my Hot Rod Deluxe IV which is amazing!
That "mute" switch is exactly what it is labeled as; it is not a "standby". Throw the switch, the front side light goes yellow and your DI goes to where you're sending it without the internal speaker(s) producing any sound. All other controls work as expected in this mode. I have had the Tone Master Twin since early September and to date, when playing gigs, not one person has been able to identify it as not a tube amp unless they were told.
I just bought the Twin Reverb TM amp last night. It is an upgrade from my Princeton 60w 12" speaker. All I can say is WOW - it is so loud and clean and no distortion. I can't wait to play with it more tonite! And I got it off Craig's L. for $650 in pristine condition!
The standby is for a quiet stage when running through the XLR.
Todays winner is Mark F !
The clean tone always gets me going. Yes, love many amps, but I could live w/ Fender alone.
Can you imagine watching the same add for "really awesome blues guitar solos" at the beginning of each UA-cam vid....
Ohh yesss. you can.
Thank you. Saved me some time. I've already returned 3 non tube amps searching for a good, lightweight non tube amp. Amp companies should spend money figuring out how to lighten their tube amps and stop making digital amps.
Great video! The “attenuator” on the back is more than a volume knob - it models a tube amp being attenuated with power amp distortion, which isn’t really the same thing as a master volume.
Agreed
Absolutely ‼️🎼🎸🎶😎
Yes - I leave my amp dialled to 9 on the volume knob and attenuated to 0.5 watts - turning the guitar gives an amazing distorted tone…
Isn't really? It is absolutly different !!
Replying to an old comment, but it is absolutely a master volume. It is not "attenuating" anything. There is no power soak. A master volume on any decent amp modeler still models power amp distortion, then just reduces the signal sent to the speaker as the final step... exactly the same as TM. Or do you really think Kemper, Helix, Fractal etc. do NOT model/profile power amp distortion? 🤦♂
Great review, Henning. I just bought the TM Princeton and waiting for it to arrive. I’m very tube oriented when it comes to amps but my back is not what it was and these are really close!
At this price point Fender really needed to nail all the sounds of the original Deluxe Reverb, clean AND over driven. So, to me, this Tone Master is kind of a fail for the money. No point going to all this trouble to only get it half right. Sure it will suit some players but it isn't as flexible as it should be. A profiling amp may be a better bet at this price point as they cover the lot not just one amp. Another great, honest review. Keep up the good work man.
The manual says:
CABINET SIM: When using XLR BALANCED LINE OUTPUT (T), this
switch offers three different tonal options-a flat, uncolored amp
signal without speaker cabinet emulation (OFF); and two impulse
response (IR) profiles emulating different speaker/microphone-
placement combinations (1 and 2).
OUTPUT POWER: Selector switch offers full power (22 watts) and
five other attenuated wattage settings that tailor room/venue
overall loudness. Set amp front-panel channel volume to personal
preference for tube-emulated response, then set OUTPUT POWER
to preferred level.
I do remember a vid which showed earlier saturation when set to low wattage ... so there seems to be more than just a "master volume"
.....or that is Fender using artist license with the verbal (PR) to say "Master Volume".
I appreciate your review. Very professional!
To those who are new to amplification I would say this: Second order harmonics, you got 'em or you don't! Tube amps got'em, SS/Digital amplifiers don't. It's more than just a distortion thing most of which can be emulated by diodes.
That's really all there is to it. But Why? - If you don't trust your own ears then take the word of the scientists that have gone into the laboratories and conducted a great deal of experimental research with human beings and sound reproduction and these tests conclusively have proven the human ear prefers second order harmonics in music to music without it. Only tubes provide these second order harmonics. Go and research how power tubes are made and how they work and you just may come away with a new appreciation of these slightly older than 100 years tubes which are glass bottles with other components in a vacuum that amplify a signal.
Hey I'm 69 years old, have always read a lot and so I took the time to read about tubes and came away with a greater appreciation of the sonic characteristics of what some think of as primitive devices.
I was a violinist as a younger man and I have very good hearing and very good pitch and I can tell the differences. I also play many "World" Instruments" such as Sitar, Veena, Sarangi, Sarod, Pipa, Erhu, Oud, Bouzouki and Rabab to speak about a few of my favorites. I also play acoustic bass and viola. I love viola! Like a violin but the pitch is a little lower and that is to my liking. I have trained my ear to hear "Micro-tonal notes". Since I am retired I only play for my own enjoyment and pleasure. Why would I play 8 and 12 hours a day using a sound amplification system that I did not like as much as my tube amplifiers? I would not. I would sometimes use a non tube amp for practice thinking I would save the tubes. I got over that. My tubes last years and I have many tube amps so I rotate them, sometimes.
Also I have learned enough to change my own tubes and now there are actually certain tubes that sound better than others in my different amps. So I can fine tune the tone and also the gain and breakup characteristics with different tubes. I only spent just under $60 for all the correct gear to do my own power tube biasing. Heck I can even alter the bias with a given set of tubes to change the tone and characteristics of each amp anytime I wish. I like my SS and Digital amps for certain music but I love the tone and break up of my Tube amps for all music. Like vs. Love, Love wins for me every time!
-Peter
Diodes ? You mean processors. As was stated in the video, Fender's target ( this is a whole New, 2019, approach to Digital Amps) was a clean amp and in the real world of your local club, how much difference would you hear?
I ment diodes. I was not really addressing the new Fender Tonemaster amps I was speaking about all non tube amps in general that use transistors for power amplification. Even so "processors are not tubes and can never be an actual tube. They may capture much of the tone but not every aspect of a true tube power amp.
I stated that I play for my own listening pleasure at my home in my studio (not a local club) and enjoy playing guitar and other instruments for the tones, the tones man. So I shall sick with tubes.
Just caught end of the video-Hennig your comments on the Tonemaster amp to be spot on-best review of this amp on the web and you did a great in depth and most importantly honest review. Kudos to you that you also got to keep both the Tonemaster and real deal 65 DRRI amps-I know that the time you invested to do this video had to be substantial.... but man, you got to keep both amps!!! Glucklich to be Hennig. Danke schon. (Sorry, no umlauts on my keyboard, Tut mir weh.)
Gregory, do you own a Tone Master?
How to make umlats on pcs & Macs: www.nthuleen.com/teach/misc/typingumlauts.html
So, with the new Blonde TM and the firmware released for the regular version (regarding reverb, breakup issues, bright cap, pedal output, etc.) it seems that most if not all of the apparent "issues" would be dealt with. Right or wrong?
What breakup issues?
Absolutely BRILLIANT analysis!! Great job you nailed it! Blessings to you, sir!
You said several times that it doesn't have a "mute switch". In the fender ad they state that when put on "Standby" it only outputs to the DI out. Muted - Mission accomplished. This also explains the reason for the "Standby" Switch that you said has no purpose. Hope this corrects a few things. Thanks!
Bought the DRTM yesterday at Musik Produktiv and was blown away from the first minute on. I own tube amps but I dont hear a difference and that makes this amp sp versatile. The weight, the attenuator and the line out are great features. In our rehearsal today nobody noticed it was a SS amp :D
I just bought the Twin version love it i gig a lot in a top forty country and classic rock band. Easy load and out great tone!
Weight?
The output power selecter-attenutator works exactly like it should. You can get the tube like crunch tone at the lowest power as well as the clean. It's not the illusion of a power output control. On full power it'll get quite loud before you can get a crunch tone. I love this little amp. Kind of pricy for what it is. I have the bloned, which comes with a Celestion speaker. It seemed to sound better when I bought it.
They sound as different as any two Deluxe Reverbs might
I'm a bass player (and a wannabe guitarist) and played with heaps of Deluxe Reverb owning guitarists and I can say that the tonemaster sounds worse than the best of them I've heard but also better than the worst of them... but on the whole definitely at "better" end of the scale. first time I encountered one with out even knowing about them was a jam night and thought it was a nice classic tone said to the player "nice reissue, love those tones" they then went "yeh it's solid state, pick it up" mind blown! - went out the next day and bought one... and my blackstar 5 watt and Laney 15 watt now gathering dust
@Luke If that is addressed to me then you are wrong, but thanks for joining in anyway'
@Luke I'm surprised you say that. Maybe you've been lucky.
Yeah, there is little consistency in tube amps..sometimes you can get lucky and get a gem though
sounded pretty much the same to me
On my Deluxe Tone Master, I tried using Vibrato input #2, then I put the power control at .5W, set the volume above 4 and below 6 to avoid the Bright Cap and Breakup, and then plugged in my pedals including overdrive, fuzz, distortion...and it worked pretty well. Pedals are a bit of a challenge on the amp, but if you find the right combo, they can sound great.
I really can't tell much of a difference between these amps. There are very close to each other, which means that Fender did a hell of a job with this. Now I want one. Not sure if I want a Twin or a Deluxe. If the Twin gave the true heavenly clean tone the tube version does, it would be something I would want.
Not when you run a fuzz... the tone master handled the fuzz pedal like ass.
@@MP422ownz i use a muffalator infront of mine and it sounds great.
Excellent player's review--- common sense reasons for the differences, clearly expressed. I liked the text summary overlay. I'm now a fan!
Hats off to Fender, I think it’s a great idea to use all that modelling power for one purpose rather than lots. And great review Henning! 🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻👍
The Tonemaster amps sound great in their own right and are a lot more versatile than the tube versions. The biggest issue I have with them is the processing technology used - what are the options in 2/3 years time if you have issues?
Tube amps (especially hand-wired) are certainly fixable for the most part if you have any issues - for many years after purchase.
I think one big advantage of the Tonemaster is that you can play it in your bedroom without pissing off your neighbors.
Fantastic. Thanks. I had just sold my tube version and was thinking Cube for Jazz. But this is ideal!
Yes I think you are correct, thanks for being honest.
Very well done. Best exploration of this stuff I've seen so far. Really interesting how the amps reacted to Fuzz...my main weapon of choice. Fuzzy Golden Tube Amps Rule!
I bought the tonemaster simply because i don't like having to change tubes and throw money at the amp year after year. This amp to me sounds amazing and i have no regrets.
Tell us about your tube amps that you say you don't like spending money on and changing tubes every year. Tell me exactly what tube amps you own.
I suspect you are just repeating misinformation about tube amps that you have heard about and in reality you don't have any tube amps and you have never changes any tubes in your entire life.
@@PeterDad60 Peter is an appropriate name for you. You kinda come off like a dick. Your assumptions are incorrect. I played a hot rod for years and had problems during live shows that can be completely avoided with the TM. Having to change out tubes and spend money doing it is not misinformation guy.
Just bought the tone master and was delighted to find this direct comparison with the original amp, so nice to find someone who actually does like for like, keep seeing videos that say they are comparing but then they fiddle with settings, sound is very subjective and though I'm ready to get shot down, I spent the whole time wishing the "blue" amp was the tone master, just to my untrained ear it delivered the sounds I wanted to hear.
sounds great. if it sounds the same it's close enough for me. price is too high and you can say they'd be stupid to lower the price. Truth is sooner or later someone, not fender, will simply make a better fender. It happens in most markets and most products. it's happening in tv now.
Thank you! Really honest and informative video!❤ i saw a Canadian favourite artist over here in Sweden the other night and i was partly blown away with theire guitar sounds. Both played Rickenbackers in this amp and it was a fabulous show and superb sound overall ! However - i did notice they -at times...sounded a bit fizzly(?) (Bright in that unplesant not warm way) but in a whole it sounded GREAT. I own a -79 Deluxe and if the price was a lot under today i would consider a swap, hence the heavy unbarable weight. But in the end i won't, but they are really the most juicy alternative out there for me today. Keap up your honest reviews! Cheers /Jesper
The Tone master actually sounded better to me with pedals than the tube amp. The tube sounded like it was way too mid focused. I'm sure it sounds much different in person though.
Thanks for the demo
totally agree. I have a 4x10 Hot Rod as well but I only use the TM now. Unbelievable with pedals. Great response from Treb/Bass/Mid too. Love the thing and gig with it all the time.
@@diggeroldmate8122 And if you're getting too much low end from the TM using pedals, just turn the bass knob down, pretty simple.
Love my TM Twin Reverb. I’ve always played Fender amps and this one sounds as good as any Twin I’ve ever owned. Good bye tubes!
I would really love to hear and see what you think about the Class AB Boss Nextone Artist Amp which is some kind of the same concept with a bit more versatility but without digital modeling. It is not a Katana, it is designed to sound like a classic tube combo without using tubes. Does it metal? No! Does it sound good? I think yes! I changed from the Katana Artist to the Nextone and I am happy with it. It even takes drives better than the Fender Tonemaster as far as I could hear in your great video.
I really like the Boss Nextone. If I had not bought this and if I didn't already own a Blackstar Artist 15 I would get one. Blackstar makes a quality product and since they started making amps that were not all super high gain amps, I have liked them more.
I love tube/valve amps. All up to you as to what you choose for an amp. Don't disrespect one or the other.
So I watched the whole video,I liked the tube amp the whole time.
I really enjoyed this comparison... This is the way it should be done, and I'm glad you mentioned the Hot Rod Deluxe in there because yes, that is the go-to the one everyone talks about. I don't think I'll buy either of these, but when it comes to recommendations to others... I'll send them to you every time! Thanks and have a great weekend! 😎🎸
Thank God they replaced the foot switch from the original one.
Brilliant concept from Fender, thanks for this review :)
But, I'm 100% sure that the speaker and the wood being completely different in these amps you compared, it makes a huge difference. Even one same speaker moved in different cabs would sound different (not drastically because is the same speaker, but noticeable) - there's a video where Kristian Kohle is doing this experiment.
Anyway, the idea is awesome, and for the 2% difference between them, the digital one wins, since there are no parts to service.
I wonder why other companies are not embracing this idea of cloning themselves their own amps.
I’m really interested in this for atmospheric and ambient music
it should work great for that!
I use a MojoMojo overdrive and an XTS Atomic Overdrive with my Deluxe Reverb Tone Master. Both sound awesome. I crank the volume to about 7 and attenuate the overall volume for the venue. The MojoMojo is nice and chunky and the XTS wails!
The tube deluxe had more lows when driven than the TM in the side by side, to my ears anyway.
I really enjoyed this comparison. Side by side to me is the way it should be done. The concept fender is doing here is awesome. Right now I own both a Hot Rod Deluxe and a blues Jr and to your point for me they are perfect pedal platforms. Really appreciate the level of detail you provide. The honest comparisons. Enjoy your channel very much Thank you!
They definitely sound immensely different, not better or worse per se, but different nonetheless.
I haven’t read all the comments to see if this has been covered but I suspect that the tube amp (one shown) is 120vac only since it has a large transformer (not switching supply). The Tonemaster has a supply voltage range (because of the switching power supply) that will accept anything from 100 vac to 240. So to use in Europe, all you would need is the an adapter, or the EU cord. The tube model would fail, if you tried to use it with just a plug adapter.
Really small difference at here, pretty impressive work from Fender. Price is still too high. You can find good Fender modeling at much cheaper price when you buy some program on your computer like Bias FX 2 or amp.
It's not just the modeling as I understand, it's the quad processing power, huge descrete power amp, speaker and pine cab. Quality costs money, and not having tubes in it doesn't change that.
it's not a modeling amp that's why it's priced as such Fender has a whole bunch of modeling amps for a low budget.
That bias plugin is incredible. Totally agree, I've used that on so many productions... But not everybody wants to hurl around a laptop and interface with 6ms round trip latency on the plugin. This amp feels very real to the player in the live scenario and gives everybody an authentic feeling, while delivering on other aspects like the DI, weight and the power settings.
Why shouldn't it be worth its price?
But then it doesn't sound even half as good as the Tonemaster.
I've owned lots of amps vintage and boutique. The tonemaster twin I bought has been the best amp purchase I've made. It's one amp that can do everything from home to big stage
The di out is amazing and makes playing shows a breeze
Replicating old amps with modelling is fine, but why copy the old feature-set too. It will never be the "real thing" anyway so I would at least add a FX-loop so that it can be used as a modern pedal-platform.
youre right! band these Years Fender quality /build control has been very low, just bought a Fender Frontman 10G, see how long itll last, was gonna buy a second one but caught myself and bought two pedals instead, also made in China..., the more usa n china fuck eacother up the more the rest of the poor suffer
I think it's so it looks less like a toy. Gigging with it, it will look and sound like the (and maybe sometimes better than) the real deal. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference immediately. I agree it should extra features would be cool, but to access those properly you'd need an extra board as well so using it wouldn't suck.
Seeing as it's a clean amp the effects loop really isn't all that necessary since you aren't distorting your effects through a high gain preamp. If you're gonna pay extra for a loop I would invest in a switcher for the board, much more convenient, versatile and the ability for preset combinations and go for a barebones clean amp as a blank canvas to start with.
@@kimmolingonheimo I couldn't disagree more... Fender has done some really amazing things and released some great products in the last few years
Great Demo, after playing back a few time I found I like the Tonemaster overdriven and with pedals. The mids semmed scooped out leaving nice bass and open mids with a more pronounced high end, I suppose this would be more "American" sound as opposed to British with thicker mids.
If this Isn't an honest review then I don't know what is!!!
It's only honest when you plug through it yourself. It lacks the warmth that tubes bring
@@BITESIZEJONES If you A/B....sure, original will be a little more 3D and punchy...if you don't...it just sounds like a decent Fender amp that you can use more settings on...let's be real here.
Great video, very comprehensive! I’d love to see other amp reviews that were this detailed with the different pedals, with or without comparison amps. Thanks!
Sounded good in my headphones. Lighter & less expensive wins.
Especially if you only listen to live music through headphones. Some people might wonder about this.
I have tried several different speakers, including the Jensen out of a deluxe reverb tube amp and none sound as good as the factory tone master speaker. So i bought a second tone master and twin them together. incredible.
Thanks for your in-depth review.
My back would appreciate the weight savings, and my ears are good with the sound....I am hoping that fender can do this with the '59 Bassmaster!
probably no market for that though...
@@jakobstumpf391 probably everyone who's had to gig with a Bassman.
@@glennpace9783 Not sure the bassman these days has the same usage rate as the DR or the TR. I agree that it's different enough to these, that it should have its own Tone Master. But Fender are probably just looking at how these two are selling. Let's see if guitarists are....ready for the evolution :-).
@@jakobstumpf391 relax....it's meant as a light-hearted comment.
@@glennpace9783 well we definitely need light hearts to lift an amp that heavy :-D
I recently bought a used blonde twin reverb tonemaster and I also have a Vox as15. The two amps together are nothing short of glorious.
Does the Tonemaster come with the hiss?
Having a Line 6 Flextone since marketed with lush clean fender tones and effects built in I have Fender Blackface tone covered. I also made the mistake of buying a Tweed Blues Junior which I have had to replace tube sockets add variable bias and maintain , Then I hand wired a Vibroverb clone I built my self. Trying to get the sweet spot at higher levels at home is tough unless no one is around. I think my next amps will be a 50s tweed clone and a Marshall clone or a Orange Rockerverb. I really couldn’t tell any difference on UA-cam. The deluxe reissue already was printed circuit board, plastic shaft pots and all the other things not original. The solid state is lighter, has attenuation which makes it great for home or today’s stages, won’t need babying and if it takes pedals most will be happy.
I have the Tone Master deluxe and it takes drive pedals really well. Switch it to 22 watts, drop the volume to a clean range, 2 to 4 and use the Vibrato channel, your drive pedals will sound as intended and harmonic rich, spot on setting I’ve found. If your running the amp at below 5 watts, then they sound average. 22 watt and 12 watt settings with the volume at a clean range and its perfect pedal platform.
Frank Baldan Hey, is this at practice volume or would that be good for gigging?
Thomas Mills Music just for home practice at that mentioned volume.
Thomas Mills Music its also ok for small gigging I think
You rock a bit more than something that rocks a lot.
Thank you for the plain-language demo and review.
For the sake of all current and future live-performers please keep making reviews for ever... your reviews never make me feel like I’m been sold anything... I just have knowledge.
I would like to see your review of the Boss Katana MkII
A very detailed and honest review, thank you! It seems we are ‘getting there’ but not quite ‘there yet’. I would like to try one!