Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb (And Twin) Review

Teyeplayer

ICBM said:

HandwrittenHero said:

The bright cap can be taken out with the firmware update. It's pretty much as easy as hooking up pc/laptop via usb, holding a button on the back to put the amp into update mode and drag/drop the file.

Do you have direct control over the function? ie if you want the update but want to keep the bright cap (which I like)?

Yes, there were two firmware options, one with, one without. 

HandwrittenHero

ICBM said:

HandwrittenHero said:

The bright cap can be taken out with the firmware update. It's pretty much as easy as hooking up pc/laptop via usb, holding a button on the back to put the amp into update mode and drag/drop the file.

Do you have direct control over the function? ie if you want the update but want to keep the bright cap (which I like)?

Yep, there's a few different flavours of firmware now so you can have bright cap or not and sharp or gradual reverb taper

Sammy

@Wazmeister

Great review has taken me ages to go through all current 10 pages, with a mixture of good & poor comments, say no more on the poor!

Anyway thought I must add mine as am currently looking for another amp and didn't even know Fender had brought this new model out until coming across your post.

I use to always be a valve man and have had & tried loads of amps over the many years both boutique and stock type, can't be bothered to name them all, as use to change amps more than I did guitars and was always trying various ones out to get that ultimate sound, plus also had quite a few SS amps as well, before I went fully back to valves.

Like you the toll of lugging a valve heavy amp to gigs/rehearsals etc was beginning to take a toll on my poor back. So cut a long story short, I still had the best type of Deluxe combo IMO my Carr Rambler, but also wanted something lighter, to replace my other Combo, cant now remember what that was. Eventually after quite a long search, I found out about Henriksen amps as used by proffessional Jazz players who rated themas one of the best amps out there, so I tried them out and bought a  Henriksen Bud, and amazing small lightweight combo with just a 6.5" speaker, which I could also play an acoustic through, with the tweety switched on and sing through the other channel. I have played in several small venues in our four piece band an have never even had to have it on full to be heard. It has a really great clean sound so just a pedal for any lead work. So my other quite heavy valve amp went!

Still searching a year or so later, I found out about Quilter Amps which were lightweight and were also being used by some very good proffssional players. I must have read every review going and watched videos etc and had to have one. As no one stocked them in the UK at that time, I decided to take the plunge without hearing one for myself and managed to find a very nice dealer to ship it to me in the UK, as most would not ship to the UK, presumingly as there was no backup/dealer in the UK if something went wrong with it within a short space of time, as don't think the warranty covered the UK at the time. So my Quilter Mach 2 with the 8" speaker arrived and I was blown away with it, even being slightly lighter than my Henriksen! After several weeks of comparing it to my best loved valve combo my Carr Rambler, I found that the clean sounds were just as good, so the Rambler went to a very nice guy on Fretboard. I have used the Quiter live since, including twice playing to two hundred people in large hall for charity, which it handle with no problems at all, just on it's own with no additional Speaker cab!.

The only thing I have found with the Quilter the overdrive/distortion settings from the rotary switch are pretty poor sounding, but couple the overdrive one with my RC booster pedal for some reason its just totally transforms it into a really good sweet overdrive sound. The distortion setting stills sound naff though! That IMO has always been one of the downsides of SS amps to obtain a good overdrive similar to valve amp.

So, with the Covid 19 and all this lockdown etc, my amp fetish appeared and I had just been considering purchasing a s/h Princeton 65 Reissue, but again even those are not lightweight. Then I came across your Tone Master Post, nice lightweight combo, great looking, great "Fender" clean sound, sorry to the valve purisists, from the videos, as good as, if not better than the Valve Deluxe Reverb, and yes I have had one, with also the best overdrive sound I have ever heard from any SS amp!  So I wouldn't even have to use any pedals!  

Now as I haven't tried one for myself, which I have always done, unless purchasing a specific amp from USA which isn't available over here, at present am going on by the best videos I have viewed on Youtube, until I have a chance to either actually test one &/or bite the bullet and order one online or buy one s/h, I have few questions to ask please.

"Wazmeister", as you have the Blonde model, which I much prefer the look of, in all honesty, which in your opinion sounds better your one with the Creamback or the black model with the Jenson speaker, as both are completely different speakers and from my own personal experince, speakers can make a big difference to the overall sound? If anyone else has tried both please chip in with your views.

Next question I noticed a couple people on here have a Quilter amp, so would really appreciate how the Tonemaster Deluxe compares to a Quilter?

Look forward to some helpful answers re my questions on Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb please

Thanks

   

bermudianbrit

I am also interested in the comments about the different speakers. I own a Quilter as well, though mine is the Pro block 200, so I use it with a 1x12 I already have. 

Trude

I have a Tonemaster Twin and a Quilter TB200 which lives in their 1x10” BlockDock cab.

The Quilter has been my mini rig for the last couple of years of gigs, and has served as backup for larger gigs. The Twin hasn’t been out of my studio yet, but I think it’ll be a gigging beast when we get back to regular gigs.

As to comparisons, it’s tricky as the Twin is hardwired to the speakers so until I’m out of warranty I won’t be able to run them through the same cab for a true comparison. Generally though I find the Quilter is a bit bland on its own, but responds well to EQ and preamp pedals. Just a bit of extra top-end from my Boss MS3 global EQ sounds great to my ears. I imagine you could get a great Fender sound on a par with the Tonemaster with a bit of experimentation and the right speakers. With any of the newer Quilters with proper BMT tonestacks it should be even easier.

For me, I play in a Stones tribute and liked the idea of the Twin as an easy, classic looking setup that can carry any gig without needing to mess with separate cabs etc. I also like the idea of having a separate channel ready to go in case the other guitarist’s amp goes down during a gig.

stickyfiddle

Took my DR to a jam last weekend. Carried the amp plus 2 guitars and a PT Nano in a single trip from the car, and sounded fantastic to boot. 

I absolutely love this thing

thefez

Didn't even consider jumping normal into vibrato. So I want the settings basically the same on both but the volume slightly lower on the vibrato?

Loving the amp so far though it's mostly sitting on the 0.5w attenuation. Sounds great with a Soul Food into it.  

Sammy

Wazmeister or anyone else please, have anwers to my question comparing the Cream Deluxe against the Black as they have different speakers?

Also re my question, anyone compared any combo quilter to the deluxe, as the quilter combos, like the deluxe combo are factory fitted with speakers that complement the amps that they have designed.

Thanks

StruanRobertson

Sammy said:

Wazmeister or anyone else please, have anwers to my question comparing the Cream Deluxe against the Black as they have different speakers?

Also re my question, anyone compared any combo quilter to the deluxe, as the quilter combos, like the deluxe combo are factory fitted with speakers that complement the amps that they have designed.

Thanks

I'd be interested to hear about this too. 

I like the cream tolex, but am after the classic Twin sound (to play surf).

Must buy with ears, not eyes! 

Wazmeister

Sammy said:

@Wazmeister

Great review has taken me ages to go through all current 10 pages, with a mixture of good & poor comments, say no more on the poor!

Anyway thought I must add mine as am currently looking for another amp and didn't even know Fender had brought this new model out until coming across your post.

I use to always be a valve man and have had & tried loads of amps over the many years both boutique and stock type, can't be bothered to name them all, as use to change amps more than I did guitars and was always trying various ones out to get that ultimate sound, plus also had quite a few SS amps as well, before I went fully back to valves.

Like you the toll of lugging a valve heavy amp to gigs/rehearsals etc was beginning to take a toll on my poor back. So cut a long story short, I still had the best type of Deluxe combo IMO my Carr Rambler, but also wanted something lighter, to replace my other Combo, cant now remember what that was. Eventually after quite a long search, I found out about Henriksen amps as used by proffessional Jazz players who rated themas one of the best amps out there, so I tried them out and bought a  Henriksen Bud, and amazing small lightweight combo with just a 6.5" speaker, which I could also play an acoustic through, with the tweety switched on and sing through the other channel. I have played in several small venues in our four piece band an have never even had to have it on full to be heard. It has a really great clean sound so just a pedal for any lead work. So my other quite heavy valve amp went!

Still searching a year or so later, I found out about Quilter Amps which were lightweight and were also being used by some very good proffssional players. I must have read every review going and watched videos etc and had to have one. As no one stocked them in the UK at that time, I decided to take the plunge without hearing one for myself and managed to find a very nice dealer to ship it to me in the UK, as most would not ship to the UK, presumingly as there was no backup/dealer in the UK if something went wrong with it within a short space of time, as don't think the warranty covered the UK at the time. So my Quilter Mach 2 with the 8" speaker arrived and I was blown away with it, even being slightly lighter than my Henriksen! After several weeks of comparing it to my best loved valve combo my Carr Rambler, I found that the clean sounds were just as good, so the Rambler went to a very nice guy on Fretboard. I have used the Quiter live since, including twice playing to two hundred people in large hall for charity, which it handle with no problems at all, just on it's own with no additional Speaker cab!.

The only thing I have found with the Quilter the overdrive/distortion settings from the rotary switch are pretty poor sounding, but couple the overdrive one with my RC booster pedal for some reason its just totally transforms it into a really good sweet overdrive sound. The distortion setting stills sound naff though! That IMO has always been one of the downsides of SS amps to obtain a good overdrive similar to valve amp.

So, with the Covid 19 and all this lockdown etc, my amp fetish appeared and I had just been considering purchasing a s/h Princeton 65 Reissue, but again even those are not lightweight. Then I came across your Tone Master Post, nice lightweight combo, great looking, great "Fender" clean sound, sorry to the valve purisists, from the videos, as good as, if not better than the Valve Deluxe Reverb, and yes I have had one, with also the best overdrive sound I have ever heard from any SS amp!  So I wouldn't even have to use any pedals!  

Now as I haven't tried one for myself, which I have always done, unless purchasing a specific amp from USA which isn't available over here, at present am going on by the best videos I have viewed on Youtube, until I have a chance to either actually test one &/or bite the bullet and order one online or buy one s/h, I have few questions to ask please.

"Wazmeister", as you have the Blonde model, which I much prefer the look of, in all honesty, which in your opinion sounds better your one with the Creamback or the black model with the Jenson speaker, as both are completely different speakers and from my own personal experince, speakers can make a big difference to the overall sound? If anyone else has tried both please chip in with your views.

Next question I noticed a couple people on here have a Quilter amp, so would really appreciate how the Tonemaster Deluxe compares to a Quilter?

Look forward to some helpful answers re my questions on Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb please

Thanks

Sammy, you are quite right to remind me; that is such a great post, and deserves more respect !!

So, here are my thoughts...

1.) You have had some pedigree amps, and none more than the Carr Rambler. Ive had 3, and my last one I bought new from Doug at Coda. I loved my Rambler - best pedal platform ever, imho.

2.) I think the 'conversion to digital' journey can be a challenging one mentally, if that sounds right. We all think we know that valve amps sound better, and often they do, but digital has caught up in terms of 'sound', if not 'feel'. My first discovery was a Blues Artist (?) which sounded incredibly like the Rambler clean.

Ive since tried many, with the outstanding one being the Kemper - which modelled the Rambler almost perfectly. 

The change in mindset was quite challenging, but Im past that now.

3.) Nonetheless, I do like the look of real amps - the Fender livery is classic, and I love blonde amps. A lot of my amps are blonde where possible. A Kemper or modeller doesn't quite do it. 

Enter the TMDR. Looks brilliant.

4.) The weight was a key issue for me. A major issue.

5.) It was worth the risk if the TMDR, and I have a Matchless Nighthawk should I really need that power and ummph  !

6.) Ive never played a Quilter so cant comment; I did try the excellent SD PS170. Very impressive.

So, we the TMDR, I know have a good looking 'amp', very versatile, incredibly light, has a D.I. and sounds great. Cheap as chips (relatively) - whats not to love ??? 

Wazmeister

Sammy said:

Wazmeister or anyone else please, have anwers to my question comparing the Cream Deluxe against the Black as they have different speakers?

Also re my question, anyone compared any combo quilter to the deluxe, as the quilter combos, like the deluxe combo are factory fitted with speakers that complement the amps that they have designed.

Thanks

The Cream was always going to edge it for me, as I loved the looks !!!

The main reason (at the time remember there wasn't software for both) was that the verb was superior on the Blonde. The Black was off-off-a bit of verb- too much verb.

The Blonde update corrected this.

I also play with a Broadcaster which is trebly, so the bright mod suited me more.

Bear in mind initially, I tried the Twin vs Deluxe Reverb at rehearsal.... the DR had that softer earlier break up, and more forgiving sound for my needs.

All I can say is, the DR works brilliant at home, superb at rehearsal and even takes my acoustic really well.

stickyfiddle

Wis for Waz. 

My take is really simple. Don't compare it to "a real one". It will sound different and you will convince yourself that it's worse when it's actually just different. 

In isolation it's a fantastic sounding thing with major practical benefits that the valve one doesn't, and unlike almost all other modelling combos ever made, doesn't cut corners on the cab, speakers and overall aesthetic, which is hugely important.

Sammy

Wazmeister said:

Sammy said:

Wazmeister or anyone else please, have anwers to my question comparing the Cream Deluxe against the Black as they have different speakers?

Also re my question, anyone compared any combo quilter to the deluxe, as the quilter combos, like the deluxe combo are factory fitted with speakers that complement the amps that they have designed.

Thanks

The Cream was always going to edge it for me, as I loved the looks !!!

The main reason (at the time remember there wasn't software for both) was that the verb was superior on the Blonde. The Black was off-off-a bit of verb- too much verb.

The Blonde update corrected this.

I also play with a Broadcaster which is trebly, so the bright mod suited me more.

Bear in mind initially, I tried the Twin vs Deluxe Reverb at rehearsal.... the DR had that softer earlier break up, and more forgiving sound for my needs.

All I can say is, the DR works brilliant at home, superb at rehearsal and even takes my acoustic really well.

Many thanks for that, very informative as always, so it looks like I will have to go for the cream, especially as it already has the bright mod fix which tones down the brightness, as my main two guitars are also Teles and I never like that ear pierceing treble you can get with certain amps and Teles. I had a used one I purchased from Ireland of the original Tone King Imperials and had the same problem, I think Marc Bartel, really nice guy, told me at the time he could do a mod, but a bit of a long way to ship it back to the USA!. His other suggestion was to turn the amp round with the speakers facing me when playing at home as it would lessen the bright sound, it did sort of work, but didn't really want a combo that I had to face the other way, so it went.

Have never seen or tried a Kemper, if it sounds as good as the Rambler it must be good!

Also as previously mentioned speakers can make a big difference to the sound, so apart from carrying two items & the weight, I changed over to combos many years ago as the boutique builders and most of the quality more expensive combos built by the main stream, will have tried out various speakers and matched the one that goes best with their amp. In all honesty, over the previous years, I have  tried out various speakers in the different combos to try and get that ultimate better sound and I never ever exchanged one for the speaker that was originally in that combo. Some were very slightly better but not worth swapping for and I must admit, I even tried, on some recommendations I had viewed, on my Carr Rambler, but IMO they couldn't compete with the original Kingpin speaker already in it!

Great that you advise that it also takes acoustics, that's a bonus, probably down to the type speaker Fender have used.

Now to see if after the Lockdown I am able to try one out or if not, just take the gamble and purchase online!!! Plus I can always blame you to my partner, if it doesn't sound that good to me!

Sammy

@Wazmeister ;

Thinking again from viewing the Blond model on another YouTube video, he described the Blond combo, which he preferred out the two versions, of having more of a Rock sound with the Cream Back! Apart from this video which the guy talks about the differences, he only demos the Blond,  which is pretty pointless, as you can't compare yourself!  So without knowing what type of music you play, it make make a difference to which amp I try first, as looks like I'm going to buy online as 10% discount on Friday and can always return if not happy! 

i play more Country type music and like that cleaner sound with more smoother overdrive/breakup when I use it, so for me would the Jenson speaker be a better choice? As I have always prefered the American sounding speakers and have found Celestions tend to be a more British flavour, as per the guy in the video says, re the Blond model, great Rock Sound when turned up!  The latest Neo Celestion may be different sounding as never tried one, only one of the first ones that came out and that sound dreadful very raspy with no real bass, in fact I have never found a Celestion Guitar Speaker I have really liked, unlike Celestion PA speakers which to me have mostly sounded really good.

Welcome any other comments if you have tried both, hopefully before Friday!

Lebarque

@Sammy Just try/order both. You'll know within 10 seconds which one is for you. No point torturing yourself with endless Youtube videos.

Wazmeister

@Sammy I'd just order the colour you prefer - well, at least thats what I did !!

stickyfiddle

I went for the black mostly because I don't like how the blond looks, but also because for me a DR should have a Jensen in it for maximum-60's-Fenderness. With Celestions generally leaning more towards the Marshall/Vox thing. If you don't already have a clear preference I don't think you'll be able to tell through youtube. 

EDIT: That said, the only video I can find that actually compares them is the Andertons one. They do sound a little different (blond seems to have a bit more "chime" which is in line with my suggestion of a hint more Marshall/Vox flavour) but most importantly it seems to be a very good representation of how mine sounds on the blackface, so I would assume the blond is also a good representation.

Sammy

stickyfiddle said:

I went for the black mostly because I don't like how the blond looks, but also because for me a DR should have a Jensen in it for maximum-60's-Fenderness. With Celestions generally leaning more towards the Marshall/Vox thing. If you don't already have a clear preference I don't think you'll be able to tell through youtube. 

EDIT: That said, the only video I can find that actually compares them is the Andertons one. They do sound a little different (blond seems to have a bit more "chime" which is in line with my suggestion of a hint more Marshall/Vox flavour) but most importantly it seems to be a very good representation of how mine sounds on the blackface, so I would assume the blond is also a good representation.

Many thanks for the info and also the video, very informative. You have also convinced me to go for the Black as I agree as per my previous post, the Jenson's lean towards or more Fenderish sound and Celestions towards Marshalls & Vox, which I have never been keen on those British type sounding amps, which is also part to do with the Celestions installed.

Anyway I just wanted to confirm, as a few on here have implied, that you can now fix the bright cap at home via a new software update which you can download on the interenet on the black model to take away that bright sound which I'm not keen on, as neither shop who I called, one of which was Andertons, really knew much about it and couldn't confirm if that could be done!

Wazmeister

Yes mate, software down load is a piece of cake ! 

Sammy

Wazmeister said:

Yes mate, software down load is a piece of cake ! 

Thanks just ordered with a 10% pre Black Friday discount!