I wanted to love the new ToneMasters

[Fretting out]

I haven’t tried the super yet but my twin is definitely loud enough on 4 to practice with

I think it’s fine as long as you go into it thinking of it as it’s own thing

It’s close, it just doesn’t have the same… well.. it’s hard to put a finger on

It’s not bad it’s just not the same

That’s at least my experience with my twin which I’ve played for almost two years at this point

I’ve never used the attenuator

To each his own

At least you gave it a try before making a decision

 

[drri]

I had goggly eyes for them when they came out... Bough the DR, a month later bought the Twin.... sold the DR.... Used the Twin throughout 2019 to take to rehearsal... Lightweight, full tone thanks to the 2x12 and we played loud enough for me to put it on the 5w setting cranked and that was my base OD tone, tilt back legs meant I could aim it at my head I needed to hear..... We did like 3 gigs I think before COVID and it performed as expected only I turned up to the 12w setting cranked...... Loved it! And it's a hell of a lot easier getting a Fender tone out of it than something like a Line 6 lol.

It was during the shut down that heard what you all are saying and I agree 100%. Then I started thinking about the money I had spent on it (that's always a bad sign) and wanted to get rid of it before I lost to much (also bothered me that they updated them and put NEO Creambacks in them, I seen the cash grab coming lol).... I spent 1000 and I think I got 700 after all was said and done..... No regrets selling it either.

I feel they are overpriced, disposable amps.... and I loved what it did for me!! I no longer have to travel for rehearsal (it's at my house now) but if I did I'd but another one in a heartbeat! I'd buy used this time hopefully for around that 600-700 range, wouldn't bother me if it got scuffed up moving it around, no worries if power issues, or sitting in a car all day if need be....... Plus how else can I get a cranked Twin sound in a bedroom?? lol If I ever decided to quit being a gear nut and sold all the amps/pedals/guitars I'd get one with a basic board and be happy as hell.

I've done some videos for a pedal company so there's a fair amount of me using them a bedroom level cranked and I did the first speaker swap video for a the Deluxe Reverb, not even sure if anyone else has posted a video if they've done it. Also did a A/B with a Alessandro DR (wish I still had that one!) I do wish I could have done a better job on the recording of those. At the time they were unique and still gets comments so there's interest enough to show these aren't a fad.....

As for the Super, heard it, didn't even get interested in buying one..... Now if they did a Bassman model, maybe I would go down the rabbit hole again lol

 

[Chud]

I listed mine on CL today, we’ll see what happens. There’s a Frenzel I’d like to grab if I can…

 

[Jakedog]

I recently tried a TMSR. Lately I’ve been gigging a ‘68 Custom Deluxe reverb on the custom channel, or with the channels jumped. I do not care for the “vintage” channel by itself. Anyhow, I wanted to try the Super, because even though I don’t typically like the sound of BF/SF Fender amps when I play then, so many players I admire use them and make them sound incredible. I’ve been trying to give them another chance. It’s been unsuccessful thus far, but I’m trying.

So I went to GC and tried the TM Super. It sounded amazing. Like, beyond amazing. I had it on 3-4 and it filled the whole store with this glorious, fat, warm, sparkly clean Strat sound. It was out of this world.

So I took it to the gig the next night. Nope. Just nope. I generally gig my ‘68 CDR at 4.5. It works really well there. I had to get the TM Super up to six to hear it in the mix, and at that point it got real honky and middy, and not in a good way. There was no way to get the sound at the gig that I got in the store. That was the sound that made me buy it. So I returned it. I’ll stick with CDR on the Custom channel. That’s a sound I’ve been digging.

Ain’t gonna lie though, it was very cool to walk into a gig with my guitar on my back, my pedal board in one hand, and a Super Reverb in the other. They are definitely light and portable.

 

[Milspec]

I've heard they sound "like a very well-recorded Fender amp."

Is that the consensus?

I think that is a very fair statement.

I have the Deluxe now for about a month and just like every modern amp (tube or not) they lack the sparkle of the vintage versions they are based upon. They are just a little more compressed like a recorded sound, but the cleans are very good.

I think the strength of the TM amps isn't that it has the best tone, it is that it has a great versatility in that it has power scaling, mic simulatiors, line outs, and super lightweight all while having a tone that is "in the ballpark" of the amp they represent.

I am still not happy with the long decay rate of the reverb (haven't done the firmware yet though) and I have found a few instruments where the neck sounded great, but the bridge was horrible with this amp. Not sure why, don't run into that with my traditional tube amps, but it was not a good fit with that guitar and might be related to that reverb complaint.

I am still playing mine and happy I purchased it, but it isn't the holy grail of amps....just a very useable one in ways that a tube amp doesn't do.

 

[chris m.]

I recently tried a TMSR. Lately I’ve been gigging a ‘68 Custom Deluxe reverb on the custom channel, or with the channels jumped. I do not care for the “vintage” channel by itself. Anyhow, I wanted to try the Super, because even though I don’t typically like the sound of BF/SF Fender amps when I play then, so many players I admire use them and make them sound incredible. I’ve been trying to give them another chance. It’s been unsuccessful thus far, but I’m trying.

So I went to GC and tried the TM Super. It sounded amazing. Like, beyond amazing. I had it on 3-4 and it filled the whole store with this glorious, fat, warm, sparkly clean Strat sound. It was out of this world.

So I took it to the gig the next night. Nope. Just nope. I generally gig my ‘68 CDR at 4.5. It works really well there. I had to get the TM Super up to six to hear it in the mix, and at that point it got real honky and middy, and not in a good way. There was no way to get the sound at the gig that I got in the store. That was the sound that made me buy it. So I returned it. I’ll stick with CDR on the Custom channel. That’s a sound I’ve been digging.

Ain’t gonna lie though, it was very cool to walk into a gig with my guitar on my back, my pedal board in one hand, and a Super Reverb in the other. They are definitely light and portable.

The phenomenon of digital modeling amps sounding good by themselves but disappearing in a live mix is super common and actually a bit of a mystery. But I’ve experienced it more than not.

 

[Jakedog]

The phenomenon of digital modeling amps sounding good by themselves but disappearing in a live mix is super common and actually a bit of a mystery. But I’ve experienced it more than not.

To be fair, I have the same problem with most BF/SF tube amps. They sound wonderful in a room by themselves, and completely disappear at a gig because of their scooped voicing. The only way I’ve ever been able to get them to cut at a gig was by using an EQ pedal to pump mids in, a mid hump OD, or by cranking the treble, which just kills everyone. I have no idea how so many people are able to get the sounds out of them that they do. So I guess in that way the TM was pretty accurate?

 

[chris m.]

To be fair, I have the same problem with most BF/SF tube amps. They sound wonderful in a room by themselves, and completely disappear at a gig because of their scooped voicing. The only way I’ve ever been able to get them to cut at a gig was by using an EQ pedal to pump mids in, or by cranking the treble, which just kills everyone. I have no idea how so many people are able to get the sounds out of them that they do. So I guess in that way the TM was pretty accurate?

Could be. I think it depends on the genre of music, though. I use BF style Fenders with great success and they cut really well, whether just clean or with an O/D pedal.

 

[fretWalkr]

It sounds like most of your issues were with volume. IIRC the TMs have a built in attenuator. Did you check the attenuator setting?

A SR on 8 should have plenty of volume.

 

[loopfinding]

i don't really get them tbh. i'd rather have a good modeler for less in pedal form and then just choose my delivery system (line in to other gear, headphones, FOH, power amp, etc) and not be physically married to the cab and giant chassis...i don't need my modeler to cosplay as a tube amp.

 

[schmee]

Standard DR on 3 does 90%+ of my gigs.

 

[wiresandwood]

If companies want to build solid state, great. Build good solid state amps and let them be what they are (which is awesome, solid state is great when it is allowed to be what it IS).

It won't sound, 'tube'. Stop the marketing and hype. Make good tube and solid state amps and stop cutting corners and stop the marketing hype.


I just want to buy reliable and good sounding amps. I'm tired of the marketing game and I'm tired of countless **** products. I've played too many broken "new" amps and the used market is full of fried HRDs etc. Do it right the first time.

We all pay the price for this 'cost cutting' it isn't worth it.

Fender is disgusting for charging what they are for these tonemasters. These used to be the prices for the amps they model. Save the marketing costs/dev/engineering and just build better amps.

I've played more broken new princetons/drs than I have functioning ones.

My sterling mm 5 string has better finish and fretwork than my performer strats.

beer

 

[Milspec]

If companies want to build solid state, great. Build good solid state amps and let them be what they are (which is awesome, solid state is great when it is allowed to be what it IS).

It won't sound, 'tube'. Stop the marketing and hype. Make good tube and solid state amps and stop cutting corners and stop the marketing hype.


I just want to buy reliable and good sounding amps. I'm tired of the marketing game and I'm tired of countless **** products. I've played too many broken "new" amps and the used market is full of fried HRDs etc. Do it right the first time.

We all pay the price for this 'cost cutting' it isn't worth it.

Fender is disgusting for charging what they are for these tonemasters. These used to be the prices for the amps they model. Save the marketing costs/dev/engineering and just build better amps.

I've played more broken new princetons/drs than I have functioning ones.

My sterling mm 5 string has better finish and fretwork than my performer strats.

beer

Like a lot of US companies, they have their quality line and their discount line of products. Fender can and does still make high quality equipment, but they also make some real crap that they have to market with hype and celebrity endorsements to move off the showroom floor.

The jury is still out on the long-term quality of the TM amps, but I agree, they are over-priced for an amp despite it's inherent benefits. I purchased a new in box Deluxe TM for $650 from a local mom and pop store which was about their cost I suspect. I feel that is where the price should be and is why I purchased it. Anything North of that line and I would likely have passed.

 

[superjam144]

If companies want to build solid state, great. Build good solid state amps and let them be what they are (which is awesome, solid state is great when it is allowed to be what it IS).

It won't sound, 'tube'. Stop the marketing and hype. Make good tube and solid state amps and stop cutting corners and stop the marketing hype.


I just want to buy reliable and good sounding amps. I'm tired of the marketing game and I'm tired of countless **** products. I've played too many broken "new" amps and the used market is full of fried HRDs etc. Do it right the first time.

We all pay the price for this 'cost cutting' it isn't worth it.

Fender is disgusting for charging what they are for these tonemasters. These used to be the prices for the amps they model. Save the marketing costs/dev/engineering and just build better amps.

I've played more broken new princetons/drs than I have functioning ones.

My sterling mm 5 string has better finish and fretwork than my performer strats.

beer

I agree. Call it what it is. My blues cube is a great ss amp. But tube tech won't make it a tube amp.

 

[backporchmusic]

Fender is disgusting for charging what they are for these tonemasters. These used to be the prices for the amps they model. Save the marketing costs/dev/engineering and just build better amps.

I've played more broken new princetons/drs than I have functioning ones.

Welcome to TDPRI!

I find your take on Princetons and DRs interesting. We all know Fender is disgusting, but can you give details? I've not played on a 'broken' PR or DR, so I'm not 'in the know.'

 

[Hoodster]

Yeah, his credibility took a major dive with that ridiculous statement.

 

[wiresandwood]

I've had my experiences, which may differ from others, but they are real and have had consequences on my opinions. All I can do is post my experience. I think we should hold manufacturers accountable and shouldn't accept shoddy products at any price point.

I bought and returned two of the sweetwater princetons a few years ago with the tweed outer and cannabis speakers. They both had issues (tremolo circuit issues and output). Played a 68 PRRI at a shop that was broken (brand new display model). Played a brownface deluxe reissue ($2k) that was broken (brand new display model).

I also know that there are over 100 positive reviews for the cannabis/tweed princeton model and that there are plenty of working examples out there. I'm just not going to pay 1200+.

I understand the need for lower budget options. I also have had "budget" stock amps from the 60's that still worked fine when I got them (ran quieter than the prris mentioned above) that hadn't been touched by a tech.

My notes above are on my experiences. That's all I've got. I'm here like everyone else, trying to find cool **** to play through. My money goes where I trust it'll be serve me and support what I believe in.

 

[Blrfl]

Fender is disgusting for charging what they are for these tonemasters.

Okay, I'll play: based on your understanding of what it costs to develop and produce the product, what should Fender be charging for them?

I ask that question a lot and nobody can ever put a number on it that isn't based on the lowball price they'd like to pay or some discount based on lack of tube mojo. TMs don't appear to be gathering dust on store shelves so they got something right.

These used to be the prices for the amps they model.

You're not getting a gallon of milk for its 1968 price of about a dollar, either. The 1968 MSRP for a Twin Reverb was $580 or $4,715 adjusted for inflation. Modern amps are cheap, even tube amps that were hand-wired by dwarf monks cloistered in a cave outside of Burbank.

The price of that 1968 gallon of milk in today's dollars? $8.18.

 

[That Cal Webway]

I'm a clean player w a touch o' verb.

I tried a DRTM at GC recently. It's nice, I found it pleasant like my Katana 100w.
But, the tube DR I tried there had much more of the "it" factor... to my ears.


(as always: your kilometers may variac

 

[Tele-beeb]

I haven’t found a single amp (in my 50 guitar playing years) that doesn’t have ‘some thing.’ Can we live with that ‘thing?’
For me, its the digital-MIC-overly expensive ‘thing.’ Excluding the badge and look, they are mass produced at low cost and as removed from the ‘real thing’ as maybe a Katana. Can we imagine how many TMDR’s they could sell at $499? I would guess they would be making $300 a unit and could sell one to almost all of us?
P.S. some will say its all that programming. I deflect to a $149 Zoom modelling pedal… which has to have at least as much programming?
Back to my original point, I could clearly see someone really enjoying one and overlooking the potential negatives, the concept is genius.