Hey guys, Thanks for watching! Let me know what you think of the Tone Master Princeton? Please remember to like and subscribe, and stop by Spotify to listen to some music. open.spotify.com/artist/3GoaK66hG2Al2gf6ync58b?si=L7XJVS7aTCWMPUMLTpFD3Q&dl_branch=1
Was surprised how well the Katana held up, though it wasn't as dynamic as the other two. And agreed--the Princeton tube amp sounded the fullest. I'd pick the Katana based on price, but the Princeton Tone Master for weight and practicality.
Cool video. The Katana again proves why it’s been so successful. I did a similar comparison in a store the other day and was surprised how well I could dial in a Katana to sound like the Tonemaster Princeton. Not the same but close and like you said for playing live no one will know or care. Thanks for the vid!!
Cool comparison! Man. For me, the Princeton Tonemaster took the cake, but I'm really biased in favor of that beautiful Fender chime, and that amp has it in spades. The '68 tends to break up a little faster than the '65, and I think that came through a bit in this video. As a disclaimer, I should say I traded in my Boss Katana 50 for the Princeton Tonemaster a couple of weeks ago, but in general, I've always favored the tone of the '65 Princeton to the '68 when playing them back to back in guitar shops. For me, having that nice Jensen speaker in the Princeton gives both Princeton amps the edge over the Katana. But the Katana is an awesome entry level amp - you kinda can't beat its value for that purpose.
I've wanted one of the Princeton amps since they came out with 65 re-issue and the 68 mod, or whatever that one is called. They're higher wattage than I'll ever need though. I'm just a living room guitar noodler. I like that the Tonemaster has the attenuator, but I got the new Vibro-Champ Reverb Amp and I think it's just a Princeton in a smaller package. It's got all the same knobs and a 10" speaker. I'm happy with it for sure.
I think the Tone Master line is exceptional. They sound closer to the real thing than any other digital or solid base amps simulators. They can take the place of the tube amps that are very heavy to hall out. Look at Pearl Jam. Yes, Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Blackface with Tone Master Twin Blonde.
Agree the tube Princeton had a bit more depth and smoothness. But they each sound great, the Katana was the shocker for me, made me question the benefit of spending all that extra cash on the tone master. Thanks for the demo.
The Katana was surprisingly tasty. I thought the tube version of the Princeton probably suffered the most from the phone recording though I agree that it makes for a good “in the room” comparison. But harder to pick up that weight you’re talking about through the phone. On balance, the Tone Master gets my vote for the combination of sound, features, convenience and, at least compared to the tube version, price. Great playing, too! Love that Nashville Tele.
Even your noodling sounds awesome 😎 I agree with you on the Princeton, but I do give the edge to the Tonemaster given all those features you mentioned. But I actually prefer that Blackstar Amped 1 sitting on that Marshall cab- just bought one from your link based on your review and gig vlog!
Quite impressed by the Katana's Fendery sound there, what settings/preset do you use to get that. I am right now thinking about the amp I want next, whether to upgrade my Katana, go to something like the Tonemaster (or Mustang GTX) or something like a Fender Blue Junior sort of amp. Nice to start seeing some more comparison videos that are a bit more diverse across what they compare!
About what I found between my tone master & my old tube amp. The Tone Master sounds compressed & a little much on the high end. I love my Tone Master. I run an old MXR non bypassed pedal (off position) to round off some of the high end. Great sounding amp, though. The tone masters make a hell of a versatile clone, if you aren’t a big pedalboard person(I’m not, admittedly). The Katana also sounded better than I expected. Thanks for throwing it in.
Useful and interesting content Rich. I thought all the amps sounded very good, with obvious differences. What I like about the Katana is the affordability and versatility of it. The Katana itself can cover more musical territory than the other two amps on their own. But if you want ideal Fender tones, then which ever of the two Fenders that suit you would be best for you. I've been very impressed with the tones that The Studio Rats have been getting with Katanas.
Out of the three, I feel like the '68 was a real nice smooth traditional Fender tone, and the Tone-Master sounded a little brighter(to my ear). I thought the Katana sounded a little muddier than the Princetons, but I'd still like to sit down with a Katana one of these days to see what it can really do - I hear nothing but rave reviews regarding them. I like my tubes, so the '68 Princeton takes the cake for the tone, but I think all three have merit. The fact the Tonemaster and Katana can be picked up with a finger is a real plus! Thanks for the comparison, Rich! 😀
I was thinking of swapping my Katana for The Princeton Tone Master but now thanks to your video i see that i don't need to. Obviously The Tone Master sounds better but the difference is minimal. Katana takes pedal very well too, in all honesty it takes pedals better than some tube amps.
neat demo - might be fun to add a Vox Pathfinder 15R to the comparison - nice little amp and ultra light. also a VERY light tube combo is the LANEY VC15 - I use and own one for over 15 years and it it awesome! gigs well, sounds better than the Vox AC15, and is a durable 2 channel amp for a 3rd (1/2 if you find NOS) the price of the tone master. very surprised, having just looked, at the steep price on the tone master.
Howdy Friends, for me ist the Tone Master the Champ !!! Great and super Sound ! I have "2" Super Reverbs parallel, their Sound is amazing !!! I give my two 59 Bassman for the Tone Master Super Reverbs away. Best wishes from Hamburg....Andreas
Great comparison, which do you prefer out of the tone master Deluxe and and TM Princeton? Will be getting one of them for home use only, on the fence on which one though.
Tonemaster sounds better than the valveamp in 95% of the recording, 5% Tube amp, but over all Tonemaster sounds much better. Kantana sounds awfully close to that princeton…I think after listening to this, I will get a boss cat Mark two and call it a day.
Is that a 1968 Princeton Reverb, or a '68 Custom (reissue)? As I understand, the Tone Master is voiced to a '65 Princeton Reverb, and the '68 RI is voiced for earlier breakup (which not ALL of us want), so tonal comparisons do not cover a tube ''65 RI, so....
I have the blonde tone master. It's the first non tube amp I really like. I didn't like the helix or the Amparo. Blonde tone master holds up. I never feel like I'm not playing a tube amp as I did with the helix. It's light and dependable and I think I'm going to check out the Princeton master.
It would seem that the only tangible reasons you would buy a TM Is weight and volume attenuation. My 65 PRRI has a 12” speaker and even for my old back is manageable. Practicing at home, I go through my Boss GT1000 which acts as an attenuator. I crank the Princeton and have the volume on the Boss on around 2 or 3 and I can get some decent dirt without the complaints.
Don’t think there is anything else on the market for the price that comes close to the Katana. All depends how much people want to spend. Couldn’t be happier with mine.
I Agree with you TOTALLY. They all have functions & Attributes marking Progress in Different weights & gig needs. The whole I do NOT like about my Katana 212 mark II and the Tonemaster is if ANYTHING Goes BAMPOP no way to fix them within reason unless under warranty. Maybe someday DigitalAmpRepair will happen for parts to fix them within money out & shipping VS. NEW Purchase. There is NO Tube Shortage as Predicted in 3-2022. Just comes with the NEW Territory I recon. Thanks Rich
Not sure you can really compare the two Fender's. I have the Custom 68 Princeton Reverb. It's a "darker" sounding amp altogether which was initially in some reviews not well received. I even had a amp repairman try to make it a bit brighter. (and yes I would roll off the bass on the amp to help). That all said, just like the Fender 64, 65, 58 which are all unique in their tonal qualities (which I also own the other two Princeton's as well), they are not meant to sound the same. Probably why we see on blogs guitarists asking about speakers, tubes, etc to change or improve the tone they are seeking. So that's my personal thought. Lastly, I've tried the Katana and find that it's a very nice amp and probably would buy one but I'm just a diehard Fender tone sounding guitarist. I have have a Voxac10/ac15 which I rarely use and sold a Marshall, again because I'm so dialed into a Fender tone. I'm looking at the Tonemaster now to see how the build in attenuator works and overall sound. As for price difference, well everything I learned is relevant to the purchaser/owner. Someone is willing to pay for a top of the line all bells and whistles vehicle when a step or two down and less in price serves the purpose. Much like the argument of MIM or USA, Squire, Epiphone line vs Gibson. Lately the craftsmanship and even the technology of the solid states have greatly improved. Tube amps I have owned forever and are great, but it can get annoying if a tube starts to go out during a gig.
I have the katana mkii ex… Just spent the morning trying to dial, in some usable tones the just using the ga-fc ex switcher… also two guitars, a LP and a Duo Sonic, so humbucker and single coils… Each having very different signal levels… I’m almost to the point of giving up on the katana as it may be too variable… I was hoping to be able to leave the pedalboard at home and have to sounds I need selectable with the katana foot switch, but I think it may be easier to just use something like the Princeton tonemaster with my pedalboard… I just bought a Celestion Neo Creamback which sounds very nice in the Katana and may lighten it up just a bit more though if I bought a the Princeton tonemaster, it would no doubt still win the lightness contest… Well there are no easy picks… I actually like the sound of the tonemaster of the 3 amps you played… guess I need to do a field trip and go check them out… Thanks for the video…
I only like the katana as a pedal platform on the clean channel. I dial it really clean and just use pedal infront. I sometimes might have a touch of the Katanas reverb on.
to me the real tube princeton was fuller , tubey er . The tone master was thinner . The Katana very good. Better than the princetone TM to my eras. The katana sounded more similar to the real tube amp and fendery to me than the TM . I tested a TM deluxe next to a katana mk 2 in a store and the Katana held up very good. To be honest , I liked the katana better. The TM has a very good spring simulation ( just like the real one) . But without the spring sim engaged. The katana sounds very punchy and real in the room. And the katana on the spring rev setting is pretty good as well
Great playing as usual Rich. They all sounded really good and much of that is your soulful playing. I might give a slight edge to the 68 Princeton. The Katana amps continue to impress me and are probably the best value amps on the planet. For the price of the Tonemaster you could buy 3 Katanas with money left over. For me I would go with the 68 but would take a Katana over a Tonemaster. Just not enough difference to justify the price difference.
How about a Fender solid state shootout (yes, all the Tone Masters are fundamentally SOLID STATE amplifiers) where one of these Tone Masters compares to say a Fender 112se or Fender Ultra Chorus?????
Warmth of the tube and endless possibilities on the Katana...the tone master seems limited. My MK3 Katana ( Single 12 x 100 ) is a pretty special bit of kit when ya tweak it but I sure can't pick it up with me pinky. LOL I seriously liked all 3 mate...horse's for course's I guess.
Thank you for your response. I’m currently torn between a 65 or 68 Deluxe Reverb and a 65 or 68 Princeton Reverb for home and jam use. Your videos on the Princeton amplifiers and the have been helpful.
Unfortunately your legs being between the '68 and the mic, dampened down the top end, making it difficult to get a good comparison . That said, although the tone master was great, I think I'd still give it to the '68. To me the katana had a noticably modeled sound, which I don't like.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but the actual Princeton doesn't sound as good as the tonemaster. Katana does great for what it is. With Katana Artist with its superior speaker, it really is hard to tell the difference
Funny that people are commenting that tube Princeton was best…I guess just because it is a tube amp. My honest opinion is that it sounded crappy and mushed. I assume that reason for it was that you were sitting in front of tube Princeton and you blocked most of the highs with your body.
I just don't see the value of any of these modeled amps.The first thing I did was check out Kijiji and for the same money as the Tonemaster I could buy the Princeton tube amp used. A guy can buy that keep for a few years and make more profit than that same money sitting in a savings account. It means he had the use of that amp for free. Modelers are virtually computers and keep a modeler for a few years and it's value totally tanks. You would be smarter to get the Valetone GP-200LT modeler with dozen of amp sounds and dozens of FX. for $280. In recent demo shows it sounds as good as other brands costing 3 times the money. Just plug it into the clean channel of any of a dozen cheap used amps. You would have many more sounds equal to if not even better the quality and with amp you can break even selling.
The Princeton 68 has, hands down, the best tone - a harmonic richness that the SS amps lacked. The Tone Master does sound more like the Princeton 65, but way too sterile. Surprised that the Katana sounded as good to my ears as the TM. For (what?) half the price or less, I'd be bummed if I just paid nearly a grand for a TM. Ultimately, for me, any amp choise comes down to the one with superior tone.
Hey guys, Thanks for watching! Let me know what you think of the Tone Master Princeton? Please remember to like and subscribe, and stop by Spotify to listen to some music. open.spotify.com/artist/3GoaK66hG2Al2gf6ync58b?si=L7XJVS7aTCWMPUMLTpFD3Q&dl_branch=1
LOVE THE TON MASTER. THAT IS THE ONE I AM GETTING . THANK YOU
Was surprised how well the Katana held up, though it wasn't as dynamic as the other two. And agreed--the Princeton tube amp sounded the fullest. I'd pick the Katana based on price, but the Princeton Tone Master for weight and practicality.
I am floored over and over again how good the katana sounds for the money/price point however you want to say it! … just wow!
The Tone Master sounds the best in this demo!
Tone Master is beautiful. Props to the Katana though, it shouldn't even be close! Nice.
Cool video. The Katana again proves why it’s been so successful. I did a similar comparison in a store the other day and was surprised how well I could dial in a Katana to sound like the Tonemaster Princeton. Not the same but close and like you said for playing live no one will know or care. Thanks for the vid!!
Cool comparison! Man. For me, the Princeton Tonemaster took the cake, but I'm really biased in favor of that beautiful Fender chime, and that amp has it in spades. The '68 tends to break up a little faster than the '65, and I think that came through a bit in this video.
As a disclaimer, I should say I traded in my Boss Katana 50 for the Princeton Tonemaster a couple of weeks ago, but in general, I've always favored the tone of the '65 Princeton to the '68 when playing them back to back in guitar shops. For me, having that nice Jensen speaker in the Princeton gives both Princeton amps the edge over the Katana. But the Katana is an awesome entry level amp - you kinda can't beat its value for that purpose.
I've wanted one of the Princeton amps since they came out with 65 re-issue and the 68 mod, or whatever that one is called. They're higher wattage than I'll ever need though. I'm just a living room guitar noodler. I like that the Tonemaster has the attenuator, but I got the new Vibro-Champ Reverb Amp and I think it's just a Princeton in a smaller package. It's got all the same knobs and a 10" speaker. I'm happy with it for sure.
I think the Tone Master line is exceptional. They sound closer to the real thing than any other digital or solid base amps simulators. They can take the place of the tube amps that are very heavy to hall out. Look at Pearl Jam. Yes, Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Blackface with Tone Master Twin Blonde.
Agree the tube Princeton had a bit more depth and smoothness. But they each sound great, the Katana was the shocker for me, made me question the benefit of spending all that extra cash on the tone master. Thanks for the demo.
The Katana was surprisingly tasty. I thought the tube version of the Princeton probably suffered the most from the phone recording though I agree that it makes for a good “in the room” comparison. But harder to pick up that weight you’re talking about through the phone. On balance, the Tone Master gets my vote for the combination of sound, features, convenience and, at least compared to the tube version, price. Great playing, too! Love that Nashville Tele.
The katana genuinely held its own. I'm shocked. The tone master strangely to my ears sounded a little better than the tube one
Hey, I've commented in the past, but just want to say your presentations are ALWAYS way cool!! Thanks again!!
Effects and features aside.. Nothing beats a good ole Tube amp for tone.
Even your noodling sounds awesome 😎 I agree with you on the Princeton, but I do give the edge to the Tonemaster given all those features you mentioned. But I actually prefer that Blackstar Amped 1 sitting on that Marshall cab- just bought one from your link based on your review and gig vlog!
I can hear the difference between the 3 amps, but honestly, I couldn't say which one I preferred. They all sounded good.
Nice telecaster!
Quite impressed by the Katana's Fendery sound there, what settings/preset do you use to get that.
I am right now thinking about the amp I want next, whether to upgrade my Katana, go to something like the Tonemaster (or Mustang GTX) or something like a Fender Blue Junior sort of amp. Nice to start seeing some more comparison videos that are a bit more diverse across what they compare!
Just the clean amp model on the Katana with a little high end rolled off and some verb.
About what I found between my tone master & my old tube amp. The Tone Master sounds compressed & a little much on the high end. I love my Tone Master. I run an old MXR non bypassed pedal (off position) to round off some of the high end. Great sounding amp, though. The tone masters make a hell of a versatile clone, if you aren’t a big pedalboard person(I’m not, admittedly). The Katana also sounded better than I expected. Thanks for throwing it in.
Useful and interesting content Rich. I thought all the amps sounded very good, with obvious differences. What I like about the Katana is the affordability and versatility of it. The Katana itself can cover more musical territory than the other two amps on their own. But if you want ideal Fender tones, then which ever of the two Fenders that suit you would be best for you. I've been very impressed with the tones that The Studio Rats have been getting with Katanas.
They all sound good. They did not sound the same but I wouldn't say any one amp was better or worse. Like the way you play.
Out of the three, I feel like the '68 was a real nice smooth traditional Fender tone, and the Tone-Master sounded a little brighter(to my ear). I thought the Katana sounded a little muddier than the Princetons, but I'd still like to sit down with a Katana one of these days to see what it can really do - I hear nothing but rave reviews regarding them.
I like my tubes, so the '68 Princeton takes the cake for the tone, but I think all three have merit. The fact the Tonemaster and Katana can be picked up with a finger is a real plus!
Thanks for the comparison, Rich! 😀
I got a Katana 100 a few months ago and love it! This past week I did a direct recording with a baritone and the tone was really good.
I was thinking of swapping my Katana for The Princeton Tone Master but now thanks to your video i see that i don't need to. Obviously The Tone Master sounds better but the difference is minimal. Katana takes pedal very well too, in all honesty it takes pedals better than some tube amps.
neat demo - might be fun to add a Vox Pathfinder 15R to the comparison - nice little amp and ultra light. also a VERY light tube combo is the LANEY VC15 - I use and own one for over 15 years and it it awesome! gigs well, sounds better than the Vox AC15, and is a durable 2 channel amp for a 3rd (1/2 if you find NOS) the price of the tone master.
very surprised, having just looked, at the steep price on the tone master.
Howdy Friends, for me ist the Tone Master the Champ !!! Great and super Sound ! I have "2" Super Reverbs parallel, their Sound is amazing !!! I give my two 59 Bassman for the Tone Master Super Reverbs away. Best wishes from Hamburg....Andreas
Tone master so close but the tube amp like you mentioned Rich still has that edge… katana did well still a great all round amp!🙂
Could you share the patch/settings on the Katana?
Great comparison, which do you prefer out of the tone master Deluxe and and TM Princeton? Will be getting one of them for home use only, on the fence on which one though.
Great review.
Thanks!
A dry sound would be nice also.
2:22 Princeton '68
3:04 Tonemaster
3:51 Katana I
4:51 Princeton '68
5:26 Tonemaster
Nice! Through my headphones the tone master sounded clearer. The tube sounded kinda washed out with all that reverb
Been waiting to see the TM Princeton. Might trade in my tube version. Built in attenuator is great feature beats hooking one up manually
I'll have demo on the just the TM coming out soon.
@@RichBischoff nice!
Rich did you ever do a full video on the TM?
I ordered a TM, haven't gotten it yet. from your video, i hear it's missing a lot of that big low end that the Tube has.
Boss Katana wins on bang for buck.
Tonemaster sounds better than the valveamp in 95% of the recording, 5% Tube amp, but over all Tonemaster sounds much better. Kantana sounds awfully close to that princeton…I think after listening to this, I will get a boss cat Mark two and call it a day.
Is that a 1968 Princeton Reverb, or a '68 Custom (reissue)? As I understand, the Tone Master is voiced to a '65 Princeton Reverb, and the '68 RI is voiced for earlier breakup (which not ALL of us want), so tonal comparisons do not cover a tube ''65 RI, so....
Live in a band mix... you would never know!
I have a Tonemaster Twin. Love it. I thought it was best of all the three.
Agree on the tube amp,Tonemaster close,Boss great for the money
I have the blonde tone master. It's the first non tube amp I really like. I didn't like the helix or the Amparo. Blonde tone master holds up. I never feel like I'm not playing a tube amp as I did with the helix. It's light and dependable and I think I'm going to check out the Princeton master.
I have the tonemaster blonde deluxe and with pedals it’s great
I compared the 65 tube PRRI to the solid state TM PR and the tube version is night and day better sounding than the TM. In person, it's obvious.
It would seem that the only tangible reasons you would buy a TM Is weight and volume attenuation. My 65 PRRI has a 12” speaker and even for my old back is manageable.
Practicing at home, I go through my Boss GT1000 which acts as an attenuator. I crank the Princeton and have the volume on the Boss on around 2 or 3 and I can get some decent dirt without the complaints.
It just proves that it has more to do with the driver than the car. A good musician could use any of these and no listener would know.
I thought the tone master sounded the best and want to get one soon. I’m curious if they feedback like a real amp and have that response.
The 68 sounds darker but it could be the position to the camera's microphone... what did you felt?
It's a darker amp in general because it has a 1x10 Celestion
I thought the tome master sounded thinner and brighter of the three.
In all the You Tube comparisons that seems to be the case.
Don’t think there is anything else on the market for the price that comes close to the Katana. All depends how much people want to spend. Couldn’t be happier with mine.
I Agree with you TOTALLY. They all have functions & Attributes marking Progress in Different weights & gig needs. The whole I do NOT like about my Katana 212 mark II and the Tonemaster is if ANYTHING Goes BAMPOP no way to fix them within reason unless under warranty. Maybe someday DigitalAmpRepair will happen for parts to fix them within money out & shipping VS. NEW Purchase. There is NO Tube Shortage as Predicted in 3-2022. Just comes with the NEW Territory I recon. Thanks Rich
Not sure you can really compare the two Fender's. I have the Custom 68 Princeton Reverb. It's a "darker" sounding amp altogether which was initially in some reviews not well received. I even had a amp repairman try to make it a bit brighter. (and yes I would roll off the bass on the amp to help). That all said, just like the Fender 64, 65, 58 which are all unique in their tonal qualities (which I also own the other two Princeton's as well), they are not meant to sound the same. Probably why we see on blogs guitarists asking about speakers, tubes, etc to change or improve the tone they are seeking. So that's my personal thought. Lastly, I've tried the Katana and find that it's a very nice amp and probably would buy one but I'm just a diehard Fender tone sounding guitarist. I have have a Voxac10/ac15 which I rarely use and sold a Marshall, again because I'm so dialed into a Fender tone. I'm looking at the Tonemaster now to see how the build in attenuator works and overall sound. As for price difference, well everything I learned is relevant to the purchaser/owner. Someone is willing to pay for a top of the line all bells and whistles vehicle when a step or two down and less in price serves the purpose. Much like the argument of MIM or USA, Squire, Epiphone line vs Gibson. Lately the craftsmanship and even the technology of the solid states have greatly improved. Tube amps I have owned forever and are great, but it can get annoying if a tube starts to go out during a gig.
I'm going to wait for the Tone Masters to inevitability hit the used market.
I have the katana mkii ex… Just spent the morning trying to dial, in some usable tones the just using the ga-fc ex switcher… also two guitars, a LP and a Duo Sonic, so humbucker and single coils… Each having very different signal levels… I’m almost to the point of giving up on the katana as it may be too variable… I was hoping to be able to leave the pedalboard at home and have to sounds I need selectable with the katana foot switch, but I think it may be easier to just use something like the Princeton tonemaster with my pedalboard… I just bought a Celestion Neo Creamback which sounds very nice in the Katana and may lighten it up just a bit more though if I bought a the Princeton tonemaster, it would no doubt still win the lightness contest… Well there are no easy picks… I actually like the sound of the tonemaster of the 3 amps you played… guess I need to do a field trip and go check them out…
Thanks for the video…
I only like the katana as a pedal platform on the clean channel. I dial it really clean and just use pedal infront. I sometimes might have a touch of the Katanas reverb on.
felt like the top end was missing from the tube amp , on the recording at least ...
The Tone Master & the Princeton 68 were not too far apart, imo. Having the ability to attenuate the volume is good for home.
Was this recorded with a shotgun mic?
The Katana has a Class A/B amp which is much heavier than the Class D in the Tone Master. That’s why it is heavier.
to me the real tube princeton was fuller , tubey er . The tone master was thinner . The Katana very good. Better than the princetone TM to my eras. The katana sounded more similar to the real tube amp and fendery to me than the TM . I tested a TM deluxe next to a katana mk 2 in a store and the Katana held up very good. To be honest , I liked the katana better. The TM has a very good spring simulation ( just like the real one) . But without the spring sim engaged. The katana sounds very punchy and real in the room. And the katana on the spring rev setting is pretty good as well
Great playing as usual Rich. They all sounded really good and much of that is your soulful playing. I might give a slight edge to the 68 Princeton. The Katana amps continue to impress me and are probably the best value amps on the planet. For the price of the Tonemaster you could buy 3 Katanas with money left over. For me I would go with the 68 but would take a Katana over a Tonemaster. Just not enough difference to justify the price difference.
Thanks, and truth.
How about a Fender solid state shootout (yes, all the Tone Masters are fundamentally SOLID STATE amplifiers) where one of these Tone Masters compares to say a Fender 112se or Fender Ultra Chorus?????
Wish I had access to all those amps.
Warmth of the tube and endless possibilities on the Katana...the tone master seems limited. My MK3 Katana ( Single 12 x 100 ) is a pretty special bit of kit when ya tweak it but I sure can't pick it up with me pinky. LOL I seriously liked all 3 mate...horse's for course's I guess.
yep they all sounded good to me.. No favourite
The 68 did steal the show. Does the 68 take pedals well?
Yes
Thank you for your response. I’m currently torn between a 65 or 68 Deluxe Reverb and a 65 or 68 Princeton Reverb for home and jam use. Your videos on the Princeton amplifiers and the have been helpful.
Unfortunately your legs being between the '68 and the mic, dampened down the top end, making it difficult to get a good comparison . That said, although the tone master was great, I think I'd still give it to the '68. To me the katana had a noticably modeled sound, which I don't like.
Been gigging with a 50 watt katana that I paid $100 for. Insane how cheap these things are
I thought the tone master had a bit more clarity
65 princeton would be a good comparison
The tone master sounded clearer and full tone
I have a Katana. Nothing in this video makes me think I really need to change it for a Fender.
Right. You really don't. Great amp and pedal platform.
2:22
3:10
4:08
I can't believe I'm saying this, but the actual Princeton doesn't sound as good as the tonemaster. Katana does great for what it is. With Katana Artist with its superior speaker, it really is hard to tell the difference
I find all the Fender 68's to be too dark and just kind of dull sounding.
Funny that people are commenting that tube Princeton was best…I guess just because it is a tube amp. My honest opinion is that it sounded crappy and mushed. I assume that reason for it was that you were sitting in front of tube Princeton and you blocked most of the highs with your body.
I noticed that as well. I was infront of it. But it's also a darker amp anyway.
Maybe the '68 sounds so much more bassy in the recording because your legs are covering it . . . ?
Could be...
I just don't see the value of any of these modeled amps.The first thing I did was check out Kijiji and for the same money as the Tonemaster I could buy the Princeton tube amp used. A guy can buy that keep for a few years and make more profit than that same money sitting in a savings account. It means he had the use of that amp for free. Modelers are virtually computers and keep a modeler for a few years and it's value totally tanks. You would be smarter to get the Valetone GP-200LT modeler with dozen of amp sounds and dozens of FX. for $280. In recent demo shows it sounds as good as other brands costing 3 times the money. Just plug it into the clean channel of any of a dozen cheap used amps. You would have many more sounds equal to if not even better the quality and with amp you can break even selling.
i have a katana but the tube amp sounds better
tubes!!
I’m surprised by the amount of reverb you are using …… tone gets lost in the sea of reverb …… I love the videos ……
I honestly didn't mean to use that much and it didn't sound like that much when I played, but when I listed back I was like...
@@RichBischoff UA-cam audio compression can cause this...
The Princeton 68 has, hands down, the best tone - a harmonic richness that the SS amps lacked. The Tone Master does sound more like the Princeton 65, but way too sterile. Surprised that the Katana sounded as good to my ears as the TM. For (what?) half the price or less, I'd be bummed if I just paid nearly a grand for a TM. Ultimately, for me, any amp choise comes down to the one with superior tone.
You should be more careful with your pinky…….I strained mine and couldn’t play message in a bottle for weeks.
Katana sounded better than the tone master
Fender no1