It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:30 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 36 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
Post subject: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2019 6:46 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 2:05 pm
Posts: 22
And it still delights. Have owned quite a number of mid-60's Fender amps. This feels just like one of them. What I like is that while it is a modeler I'm spending more time playing. I plug in, turn on the amp, adjust the knobs and start playing. A curiosity that actually makes it more fun for me is that there is a delay after you turn it on, like tubes warming up. The pill flashes colors for a few seconds before it fires up.

But it sounds, feels, looks like the real deal. The weight is of course the magical benefit. But the tone with a Nocaster, a 335, a Wilshire, a Strat is all spot on. No anomalies that I can here whatsoever. Fender did a great job with this one.


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2019 10:04 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 5:59 pm
Posts: 3439
Location: ohio
glad you are enjoying it. keep us posted as time goes on.

I know there was a bit of back-and-forth on this, but we're in a changing world. if you can have a lighter amp with the sound of a twin, with the plus of not having to replace tubes, it could make a difference to a lot of people.

I have a 65 twin. it rarely leaves the house because of the weight ,and i'm not getting younger. fortunately I have other amps.

I sincerely hope that these amps do well. maybe next a vibrolux, or super reverb, or....


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2019 1:32 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 2:52 pm
Posts: 382
HooDooDude wrote:
And it still delights. Have owned quite a number of mid-60's Fender amps. This feels just like one of them. What I like is that while it is a modeler I'm spending more time playing. I plug in, turn on the amp, adjust the knobs and start playing. A curiosity that actually makes it more fun for me is that there is a delay after you turn it on, like tubes warming up. The pill flashes colors for a few seconds before it fires up.

But it sounds, feels, looks like the real deal. The weight is of course the magical benefit. But the tone with a Nocaster, a 335, a Wilshire, a Strat is all spot on. No anomalies that I can here whatsoever. Fender did a great job with this one.

I’ve got a real hankering for a Tone master amp myself. Classics Fender tone combined with state-of-the-art technology is just my cup of tea.

_________________
If guitars were cocaine I’d be John Belushi.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2019 11:12 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 2:05 pm
Posts: 22
I'm still amazed every time I turn the thing on and play through it. And I've had some really great amps over the last couple of decades - '60 Concert, one of only six Matchless DC/30 4x10 combos produced, '64 Super Reverb, '73 Vibrolux Reverb, Victoria Ivy League to mention a few. It's the total experience of using the Tone Master Twin that is so pleasurable. The looks certainly set the stage. But tonally and the way it operates completely sell the deal. I'm going to be able to make very good use of the XLR line out when I do shows on big stages. I have found putting a mic on my Victoria Ivy League allows me to be heard in the mains and through the monitors but I really like being able to actually hear my amp. This solves the problem nicely and the switchable IR's give me more control as well as the level control for the XLR.

Thus far I've tried as hard as I can to find a flaw in the tone, anything that gives it away as digital. I just can't find anything. Getting the speakers broken in will be fun. They sound great as is but I anticipate some change when they get more hours. But right now they sound perfect so who knows? After I shut it off I still have to pick it up every time. My brain just can't get used to the idea that this is a easy one handed haul.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 9:41 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri May 31, 2019 9:21 am
Posts: 3
I have had the Twin for 2 weeks now, and played 3 gig's with it. the sound is amazing. I love Twins and have had almost every model that has been made through the years but the Super 6. This is so close that it feels just like a tube Twin. At 69 years old I hope this is built to last as it will most likely be the last amp I buy.

Jim


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 12:46 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 5:59 pm
Posts: 3439
Location: ohio
have you played with the output control on the back? just wondering if you get breakup, or if it stays clean with the output knob set low.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 2:11 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:30 am
Posts: 174
These do seem kinda cool! It would be fun if they came in different finishes: brown tolex, blond/burgundy, silverface - all the classics!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 2:34 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 2:05 pm
Posts: 22
phreddybee wrote:
have you played with the output control on the back? just wondering if you get breakup, or if it stays clean with the output knob set low.

The XLR output control just controls the level of the line out signal which sounds like whatever the controls of the amp are set too. The only difference is if you're using either the SM57 IR, Royer IR, or the neutral line out.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 2:56 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26415
Location: Tombstone Territory
According to Fender's description......

"Rear-panel output power selector for full power and five attenuated settings"

This control is visible in Fender's photos of the amp (it's located adjacent to the XLR control).

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:25 pm
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:40 pm
Posts: 2594
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Hey folks - just created a new sub-forum devoted to the Tone Master® stuff: https://forums.fender.com/viewforum.php?f=55

Going to move this thread there!

_________________
Director at Fender. Guitarist & guitar collector. All views/opinions expressed here are my own and not Fender’s.

Follow me on Instagram:
@brad_on_guitar

And on Facebook:
facebook.com/bradonguitar


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2019 6:26 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2014 6:22 am
Posts: 220
These amps look really nice. One thing I don't understand is why, being solid-state amps, Fender didn't put a headphone out on them. The power attenuator is great, but sometimes you want it silent.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 12:17 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 2:05 pm
Posts: 22
Still digging the Tone Master Twin. I keep expecting to finally hear something that makes me say, "AHA! That's it! Now I can tell it is a digital approximation!" But that never happens. I've got lots and lots of hours over 5 decades of playing BF Fenders. This amp lets me plug and and play a BF Twin. I'm not aware of any difference.

It think the whole cosmetic and control thing helps the overall feel. Yeah, there's that attenuator, XLR out and IR control but when I'm standing there playing my Nocaster Relic into it all I hear is great vintage Fender tone. And I'm soon playing music and not concerning myself with the tech sitting behind me. I've owned a number of modelers and liked them all to one degree or another. But I was always aware that the amp needed one more tweak or two before I got the sound I wanted. Here I simply plug in, set the volume and tone and I'm off. My focus is entirely on playing, not being pulled toward adjusting one more slight esoteric element to see if maybe, just maybe, I can improve on what I've got.

And I really love being ready to go for a rehearsal, a small gig, a large gig, outdoors, whatever. I've always loved Twins when I've plugged into them but the weight and high output level made them impractical. I have played festivals with RI Twins in the backline and on big stages I loved them. Of course, volume wasn't an issue and somebody else had to lug them around. Now I've got the best of both worlds. I've also read and seen some things about what is inside the box. Fender didn't scrimp on tech here. These things are seriously engineered from the processor to the power amp, top notch stuff.

Maybe the bloom will come off the rose at some point but I'll be too busy playing music to notice.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 6:44 pm
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:40 pm
Posts: 2594
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
HooDooDude wrote:
Still digging the Tone Master Twin.


Did I mention that I don't quite have enough money saved up to buy one of these just yet? You're killing me, here. :lol:

_________________
Director at Fender. Guitarist & guitar collector. All views/opinions expressed here are my own and not Fender’s.

Follow me on Instagram:
@brad_on_guitar

And on Facebook:
facebook.com/bradonguitar


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2019 2:34 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26415
Location: Tombstone Territory
You could always get a second job moonlighting at Atomic Guitars in Peoria, doing re-strings and set-ups.

:mrgreen:
Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: One week in with new Tone Master Twin ...
Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2019 12:03 pm
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:40 pm
Posts: 2594
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Retroverbial wrote:
You could always get a second job moonlighting at Atomic Guitars in Peoria, doing re-strings and set-ups.

:mrgreen:
Arjay


Maybe sweeping floors? Anything to help me save for that Twin. :D

_________________
Director at Fender. Guitarist & guitar collector. All views/opinions expressed here are my own and not Fender’s.

Follow me on Instagram:
@brad_on_guitar

And on Facebook:
facebook.com/bradonguitar


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 36 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: