Fender tone master

[Paul Pearson]

Has anyone tried the new fender tone master twin or deluxe reverb for steel guitar amp if so what was the pros and cons I’m thinking about buying 1 I’m playing a Mullen discovery with a 705 And a 710 pickup thanks

[Larry Dering]

Paul, do a forum search and you will find tons of users that are happy with it. I have one as well and it's good but not my preferred tone. Forum member Nick Reed is using one and gets good tone. We are talking about the Twin model.

[Doug Taylor]

I have had a TM Twin for a couple of months now, I really like it. The reason I chose it over a tube Twin was because of the line out. I do 95% of my practice through headphones. I have it on the lowest watt setting and it is a perfect volume for playing with tracks.

I don’t know if it sounds like a tube amp or not as I don’t have one to compare but to my ears it is a really nice sound. I have not been able to take it out because of the virus, but I think it will be good when I can.

[Dave Hopping]

I'm waiting for a 15" option on the TM Twin!

[Thomas Stone]

I'm waiting for a 15" option on the TM Twin!

Of course, without two speakers it wouldn't be a "Twin."

What I'm waiting for is the head version, pair with the cabinet of your choice.

[Steve Spitz]

You’ve likely followed all the chatter, but I tried mine with a 15” JBL, etc...and it’s no better. If you can find a great deal on one, I don’t think the two 12” speakers will disappoint you.

Deals are out there. Six stringers go through amps like crazy, and they’re popping up used. I found a good deal, with a return policy on a used amp.

It does sound great as is, and I use 15s in all my amps.

Since steelplayers are such a small market, I would think a15 is unlikely, and new gear isn’t flying off the shelves right now. I think new gear purchases will be on hold a bit until players start working more. The market ain’t there for current models, so new and improved gear isn’t likely until things return to normal.

This is a great quarantine amp with the wattage attenuator, and direct out.

I think maybe in the future a tonemaster super, vibrolux, bass man ,tone king, or Princeton combo would generate more sales than a head only or 15” twin. I’d see that as a more likely product in time, when the success of the current tonemaster can be evaluated.

Maybe mimic the re-issue options with tone master versions ?

I think tomorrow’s player will value light weight, moderate volume, no tube maintainance,

[Jerry Overstreet]

Question concerning drive or grit from this amp. I realize that may have been covered in the big 10 pg. thread that Rick started, but I haven't gone through all of that.

This appears to be designed for classic Fender clean tone, so no provision for an onboard overdriven sound. Is that right?

[Doug Taylor]

Jerry the knobs are supposed to do what a tube Twin does, I have had mine 2 months and set up a clean sound for my steel, and have not touched it since. It does clean very well. I have not tried to get it dirty. When we actually get to meet in person I will bring it over and you can put it through it’s paces if you want.

[Willem Langeveld]

This appears to be designed for classic Fender clean tone, so no provision for an onboard overdriven sound. Is that right?

You can get an overdriven tone out of it by diming everything and dialing down the attenuator for volume control. But it’s not designed for overdrive from the amp. I hear it takes stomp boxes well though.

Willy.

[George Kimery]

Dave Hopping, I connected a 15" JBL D-130 and a 15" Eminence eps 15-C to my Twin Tone Master and couldn't tell a dimes worth of improvement over the stock Jensen speakers. I think Fender got it right with their stock Jensen speakers. Your ears may tell you different because my ears didn't care for the amp, so I sold it. Couldn't compete with my Evans SE 200 with an eps 15C speaker. (I had the JBL-D130 in it but swapped it out for the 15C to get rid of some weight. It sounds real close to the JBL.

[Jerry Overstreet]

I'm obviously not very well acquainted with Twins although I've played with many a guitar player who used them. Looks like my assumption they're mainly a clean machine is correct and the Tone Master Deluxe is a similar amp, so probably not best for my use.

I'm thinking more of a drive or gain channel to use with guitar like some of the smaller Fender amps such as the Deluxe 112 or Plus to go along with a nice clean channel for steel.

Doug, Thanks for your offer. I look forward to a time when circumstances allow for a meet. I'm hopeful it won't be too long now.

[Steve Spitz]

No drive or gain channel. Using the attenuator and overdriving the amp is easy enough, and while I’ve only tried it at moderate volume, it doesn’t sound like musical, pleasant , overdriven tube warmth when it breaks up. More like solid state overdrive, which I can’t use.

If I tried to push my tube twin to break up, the volume would be stupid loud.

I’m not looking for more than a bit of grit, so If I needed more , I’d use a pedal. It takes pedals very well.

I’m still quite happy with the tone master twin. It sounds better each time I lift it.

[Greg Cutshaw]

"It sounds better each time I lift it"

Fender should use that as an advertising slogan. Yogi Berra would be proud of that.

[Paul Pearson]

After a few weeks of deep though I pulled the trigger on a fender twin tonemaster it does sound great many years with solid state I always though something was missing I have a full string separation and the highs are not that icepericeing that cuts you in half I do believe this is a keeper and at 33 lbs my back loves it just waiting to gig with it

[Joseph Napolitano]

It does sound better each time you lift it. But it doesn't sound like a tube amp. Many people are happy with the sound. Not me. I returned it , and am sticking with my Silverfaces (Twin in Rick Johnson split cabs,Pro and deluxe reverb ) .

[Larry Dering]

For me the mid has to be maxed and the bass at 2-4 treble around 5-6. It doesn't match my silverface twins but the weight is a plus. The line out is excellent.