If you don’t want to read any further…
Damn! I shouldn’t have loved it, let alone like it, but I absolutely fell in love with this amp! I’m not ready to buy it as I’ve got to try out the Deluxe Reverb, but I probably will get one of them. Now that that’s out of the way, let me give you the back story.
TL;DR
With the pandemic lockdown over, my former old farts classic rock band asked me if I’d like to come back and play with them. At first, it was just to sub at an upcoming gig for their current lead guitarist who had to attend a company retreat. But over the course of a few rehearsals leading up to the gig, they kept on hinting, then finally just outright asked if I’d play with them again during the break at our gig. I had forgotten just how much fun I had playing with them so I readily agreed.
For the gig, I used my BOSS Katana Artist. I love that amp and through the first set, it worked awesome. But a few songs into the second set, its volume started fluctuating. I powered it down then powered up again, and it didn’t happen again during the gig. But my confidence in the amp was shaken. And an amp isn’t something that I normally bring a back up for a gig. So needless to say, that experience put me in the market for a new amp.
A couple of days ago, I took a bit of time to go down to my local Guitar Center. They didn’t have the Deluxe in stock, but they did have the Twin. So I took it out for a spin.
Like a regular Twin, it’s all about clean headroom. But the totally AWESOME thing about this amp is that it has power scaling, basically a built-in attenuator to reduce the output wattage of the amp so you can crank it. The Deluxe allows you go all they way down to 0.2 Watt and the Twin lets you go down to 1 Watt. That’s still pretty loud, but it does let you crank the amp and not make your ears bleed.
The dirty sound of the Twin is just okay. Truth be told, it doesn’t break up a lot, but that’s not what you get an amp like that for. But for cleans and tons of clean headroom, this is a GREAT platform. And though the sound is a little different from an original Twin (which frankly you should be able to get real close with EQ), the sound is unmistakably Fender, with that luscious three-dimensional quality about it. If the amp didn’t have that quality, I would’ve dismissed it out of hand.
But the sound is good. Real good. And for me, it was so good that I almost bought it on the spot, but I need to try out the Deluxe before I make a decision.
And I almost forgot… The amp only weighs 33 lbs! An original Twin starts at 64lbs and goes up. My buddy’s Twin weighs over 80 lbs! And the Deluxe only weighs 23 lbs! For an older guy like me, that’s totally appealing.
I didn’t get to try the feature out at the shop, but I dig the fact that it has an XLR out with optional cab simulation IRs. This is a total value-add as I can get my sound into the PA and not have to rely on the amp to get my sound out. I can keep it at a reasonable volume near me and let the PA get my sound out to the audience.
An XLR out. Power scaling. Great sound. I’m sold. I’ve always leaned towards the Twin because I just love the Twin’s sound. But I’m a little conflicted because the Deluxe’s dirty sound is damn good, at least from what I’ve heard on demos. It’s the kind of amp you set at the edge of breakup then use a combination of volume knob and pedals to tip it over the edge. It’s the way I’ve set up my amps for years. But lately, I’ve been wanting a lot more clean headroom.
Then there’s the weight of each respective amp. The Deluxe is a total lightweight at 23 lbs. And though the Twin only weighs 33 lbs, that’s still a 10-lb difference. I really need to A/B the two amps.
Circling back to sound, one might ask just how close to the sound of an original Twin does the Tone Master get? I’ve played several Twins over the years, but I didn’t have one to A/B, so I can’t really answer that question. But at least for me, the Twin has always been about the classic scooped, Fender sound. The Tone Master has that down in spades. And though it’s a digital amp, emulating an original black face, that emulation is damn good, both in sound and dynamics; so good to me at least that even if it wasn’t emulating an original Twin, it could easily stand on its own merits as a great amp.
Plus, with the two speakers, the spread of the sound is wonderful. Whereas a single 1 X 12 is pretty directional, the two speakers of the Twin provide a sonic spread that adds depth and breadth to the sound.
As compared to my Katana Artist or other digital amps, the Tone Master might seem to be a one-trick pony. But to me, therein lies its beauty. What Fender has done is to create a digital emulation that is absolutely superb, focusing solely on that as opposed to other amps that include effect emulation and/or emulation of several amps. It’s this focus on a single platform and doing it excellently that to me at least makes it stand out.
Admittedly, it’s not for everyone. For years, I’ve gravitated towards the Marshall Plexi sound. I’ve always had a Fender amp of some sort in my studio, but for playing live, I’ve mostly used Marshall style amps. That changed when I got my Katana that I got specifically for its clean headroom to be a pedal platform.
That amp has a sound all its own, and I was actually thinking about getting another one. But what I think influenced my research into the Tone Master line was the old Fender Ultra Chorus I use at band practice. That amp just oozes Fender clean goodness. It’s a great clean platform that emulates my live sound.
If I had any negative marks about the Tone Master line it’s the same negative marks I give to other Fender products. That is the price. At $1049 for the Twin, it’s a bit of a steep barrier to entry. The Deluxe is $949.
With only a few features, you might think that the prices Fender’s charging exceed the value of the amps. But if the sounds differ from the originals much like the difference in sound due to different tubes or speakers, then perhaps the value lies in the emulation software and computing power of the amps. The Deluxe uses dual processors, while the Twin uses quad processors.
That said, you can occasionally get these on sale for slightly less. I may wait for a sale. Or maybe I won’t. I do know that I will end up with one of these amps.
Guitar Gear 
[…] bought the Deluxe Reverb instead. In my previous article where I had test-driven the Twin, I said that while I loved the amp, I had to test drive the Deluxe before I made a […]
If you like the Tone Master try the Boss Nextone Special.That is one amp that just about does it all.Even better than the Katana
I tried both as well and decided to buy the 4×10 Tonemaster Super Reverb.
I love this thing.
Whoa! That’s awesome, Shawn! For the small venues I play, I just need something to hear myself. That Line Out is superb!
I have the Twin Tone Master. I figured that I can attenuate it to match the Deluxe but you can’t boost the Deluxe to match the Twin. Plus, 2×12″ speakers push a lot more air. The choice was a no brainer for me. I use a Fender Blues Jr on most of my gigs but when I need a big sound I bring the Twin. It really does sound great and the difference between it and a tube version might not be much difference between tube amps that have different speakers; that’s what all the knobs are for, to dial in your sound.
I really did seriously consider the Twin, but glad I went with the Deluxe. While the Twin certainly does push more air than the Deluxe, it’s a moot point for me as I use the XLR out to plug into my PA. It sounds great and once the band is up to volume, the audience doesn’t care as long as it sounds good, which it does. So I just play my amp loud enough so I can hear myself.
I agree, I think the 65 Deluxe reverb is a go to amp
Especially for gigs, also recording! From the Rolling stones, to the beatles, to almost every Rock name you can mention relied on the Fender Deluxe Reverb in the studios to record, Jimi Hendrix used a deluxe reverb on several songs, EXPECIALLY “Wind Crys Mary”. I also own Fender Twin Reverb apps and super reverbs the deluxe is not a back breaker either.
The Fender Deluxe was used by all the top recording stars from Jeff Beck to Jimi Hendrix. The reissues they’re running now break up way too quickly, unlike the original 1965 models don’t break till they’re at 7 volume. I also own a 68 original twin but when I play bigger venues, I would run the deluxe and twin together. Jimi Hendrix recorded the Wind cries Mary on a deluxe Reverb the deluxe Reverb, is an amp that every guitar player should own.
Paying $1,000 for an amp that doesn’t have any of the serviceability of a tube amp seems like a poor investment. Just ask any of the early mustang users who fender absolutely dropped support on when they created a new product, I think many users would be far better off to get one of the deluxe or twin reissue models which is eminently serviceable should any problems go wrong. Especially given the fact that your boss katana crapped out, you would think that that would be a lesson learned not to use unserviceable circuit board-based amps.
Brad, you certainly have a point, but at my age, I’m willing to risk it considering the sheer difference in weight. It has been an absolute joy to play!
I am Not a Fan of Solid State amps. Only because I owned one probably 30-40 years ago. Lightweight means cheaper quality,& the switches used in Tone masters are not the same quality as a tube Twin.First, the jacks are not the same quality, the wiring harnesses are not the same, as an original bench made Fender Twin Reverb… I think it’s funny how everybody wants to try to get the tube sound they come close,
for me,,,they miss the target. I relied on two amplifiers for well over 50 years, and nothing will change except the date.
I think you’d be surprised by the build quality of the Tone Masters. And the new modern modeling amps are far more sophisticated than the solid state amps of old.
Dude !! Electronic Circuit Boards and components can be repaired now days in the modern age !!
Everyone should own a Fender Deluxe reverb,65 Reissue. You definitely won’t be disappointed! Perfect gig amp for clubs. Plus recording, Jimi Hendrix relied on the Fender deluxe reverb for his Song; “Wind cries Mary”, you can get any better Fender tone,by choosing a Deluxe reverb. It breaks up real early unlike the original amps from the mid-60s they didn’t break up till you got to about 7:00 so clip the bright cap& then that’s the closest thing to a Original 1965 Fender BLK Face Reverb. Plus the ’65 Deluxe reverb amp isn’t heavy like the twins.
I just fell in love with the twin 2 x12 cream back blond amp and yes I did A and B the 2 the (deluxe) but for me it was the twin all the way the band I play with is a bit Loud and we do play a lot of outdoor gigs I’ve had mine now for 2 years with absolutely no issues thank goodness for that, I’m in total control it’s loud enough for not needing front of house pa system were we run into at times the attenuator is a blessing everything this amp has is over the top beautiful cleans at any volume unless you want to the break up and it does this well now I still have my old faithful 69′ Fender Vibrasonic Reverb with the orange 15″ JBL this is the ultimate in amps but now that im 72 years young I can no longer lift my old friend at 90 or 98 pounds from gig to gig I’m loving it oh and it cost me 1,580.00 that’s our Canadian price including the taxes of course l love music the people the ultimate feeling that get when I’m playing for people oh and they tell me they really like my sound from this amp the other and deluxe Reverb was a bit too small for me well just my 2 cents enjoy this beautiful musical journey.
That is so awesome! Glad you love your Twin! The technology that went into both amps is amazing, and yes, the attenuator makes it so nice!
I just turned 71 and you took the words right out of my mouth ! Fender really achieved God Like status with this SS amp as it works for me! Jam on Brother.
Fender has been my kind of amp since I started playing in Mx on the 60’s ,,, culturally or habit can’t afford to play w/o one ! ,,,
I’ve gone back and forth between Fender and Marshall, now I’m back to Fender. I’ve always had some kind of Fender in my stable because there is NOTHING like Fender cleans. I have a ’58 Champ (original), Hot Rod Deluxe, and the ToneMaster Deluxe Reverb, and I practice with a Fender UltraChorus (great amp).
Hey string meisters, I fell in line like you guys did. I liked that amp so much that i bought 2 of them !! With my ABY switching i now have a ridiculous arsenal of pedal boards and efx. But mostly i use it for, one clean amp and the other for pedals. You have to hear it to believe it! The blend you can get out of them is out of this world.
ya wanna sell that ultra chorus…?
Sorry Steve, it’s not mine to sell. 🙂 It belongs to the drummer in my band and I use it for rehearsal.
Let me throw this in the mix, regarding tubes vs transistors…. I have owned several high quality examples of both and the tube snobs among my friends were always impressed and surprised by the tones coming from any of those rigs. At the end of the day quality is good and cheap is bad. I had a Lab Series L5 that was stolen at a major studio. That amp was great once you spent a ton of time to dial it in. Any quality amp will sound good – maybe not great – to your ears, if you spend the required time to bond with it.
Hit the nail right on the head, Randy! Quality is good, and cheap is bad. Doesn’t matter what it’s made of.
I have and adore Deluxe Reverb. It breaks up nicely at setting of 4. Even at 22 watts, it’s too loud for a 9- piece horn band. In my defense, the singer is right in front of me. So I began using a Weber attenuator to solve the problem.
Why not use the onboard attenuator? When I gig, I set the attenuator at 1 watt. It’s enough for me to hear myself, then I use the line out to the PA for sound reinforcement.
Thanks for the review. The Twin is the only one I think I’d buy out of the TM lineup. But I think I’m on a different track now, because I have the UA Dream ’65 and just got a steal on a mint pair of Jensens that a guy pulled from his new TM Twin. So once I put those in a 2-12 cab, all I’ll need is a neutral power amp to drive the cab from my D65. I should be able to slot one into the cab. It should be an interesting experiment, and with some luck it should sound slightly more amp-y than an FRFR.
That’s actually pretty cool! I’ve considered going the amp-in-a-pedal route myself. But I’m loving my DR! Plus it’s so light at 23 pounds that I don’t mind lugging it.
I bought the twin and along with other items and a customer discount manage the twin under $1000. So, this is a great amp base for cleans, but also enhances the SP FX modules you want to add and stay cool in the process.
Lots of headroom in that amp!
… seriously if all it offers is massive cleans, then just buy a Peavey Transtube.
You’ve got a point, but the Twin has always been a clean platform. Besides, there’s something special about Fender cleans.
I bought the Twin also….it was a definite no-brainer. I’ve had a couple real Deluxe amps in the past that I tried to bond with, but never could get what I needed out of them. So, I took a chance on buying the Twin Tone Master and have never looked back. Once I got the speakers broken in, this amp really came alive and if now my main go-to amp. I have LOTS of amps here, but this one gets 99% of the action now.