Tone Master Amp with all-new Blonde finishes

[Greg Cutshaw]

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/fender ... e-finishes

A few speaker and spec tweaks as well.

[Jack Hanson]

My favorite Fender amp color combo, but they somehow look wrong without white cupcake knobs.

[Bill Terry]

..they somehow look wrong without white cupcake knobs

Yeah, I agree... But still pretty cool.. I have absolutely no use for one of these ToneMaster amps, but I'm sure curious..

[Steve Spitz]

I’d love to hear a steel players view of the speaker swap.

Replacing the speakers with those Celestions for “more rock and roll flavor” as a description, sounds like something a six stringer might appreciate more than a steel player.

I’m wondering if fender will offer to update the reverb online for current TMTR users, through the amps USB ?

Update- I just read on “the gear page” from the fender rep, that the update will be available to “fine tune “ the reverb. Kudos to fender for listening to the feedback from players, and offering a solution. Impressive when such a large company is so responsive.

I find the reverb usable, a bit sensitive, and a slightly longer decay tail than I would like. In a band setting, the reverb tail isn’t an issue.

This version pictured below, worked for me , for a long time. Tubed blackface twin, not a re-issue. I’m not in a hurry to haul it anywhere Again, anytime soon.

Since I got my ToneMaster, this thing has gotten really heavy.

I put the tone master chassis in this cab with the 15”. No big difference.

[Larry Dering]

Steve, do you feel like it's an improvement on the tone with the 15" JBL?

[Steve Spitz]

Larry,
I was very surprised to find no improvement with my JBL or any other 15” speaker.

I think Others who tried the swap agreed and posted the same as well.

We all want to find that improvement, but it seems like the pairing of the stock speakers and the Tone Master Head really work well together.

[George Kimery]

Larry, see my comment 0n 8/15 post under Fender Tone Master.

[Larry Dering]

George thanks, I remember that now. I guess it's as good as it gets as is. I get a usable tone and can take advantage of both channels for guitar as well. My Quilter micropro mach2 combo suffers the same fate.

[Dave Hopping]

I’d love to hear a steel players view of the speaker swap.

Replacing the speakers with those Celestions for “more rock and roll flavor” as a description, sounds like something a six stringer might appreciate more than a steel player.

I’m wondering if fender will offer to update the reverb online for current TMTR users, through the amps USB ?

Update- I just read on “the gear page” from the fender rep, that the update will be available to “fine tune “ the reverb. Kudos to fender for listening to the feedback from players, and offering a solution. Impressive when such a large company is so responsive.

I find the reverb usable, a bit sensitive, and a slightly longer decay tail than I would like. In a band setting, the reverb tail isn’t an issue.

This version pictured below, worked for me , for a long time. Tubed blackface twin, not a re-issue. I’m not in a hurry to haul it anywhere Again, anytime soon.

Since I got my ToneMaster, this thing has gotten really heavy.

I put the tone master chassis in this cab with the 15”. No big difference.

Now THAT'S my dream Tone-Master Twin!

[Rick Heins]

Wow, you guys are on the ball!

I was going to mention that these just came out and here they are already! The Celestion Neos sound great in the amp. They have a slightly different flavor but still sound great clean and are plenty loud enough to keep the Twin sounding huge and not breaking up too soon. It's more apparent in the Deluxe Reverb.

Yes, the bright cap mod and the reverb taper will be available for all owners to modify if they want to download the easy update.

I've hear a lot of you asking about a 15" version and I'm taking notes. No promises though.

[Dave Hopping]

The last 15" Twin-Reverb Fender did had a cabinet about 2" taller than the 2-12 Twins.VERY good thinking! I thought seriously about getting a Tone-Master Twin and swapping the chassis into my '65 Twin Custom 15, but if we're talking blonde, I'll hang on awhile longer . IIRC Fender has done at least one run of blonde Twin-Reverbs in the last few years.

[Dan Beller-McKenna]

I did swap out one of the Jensen Neos for a Celestion Classic 30, and I thought it improved the tone. I just have never met a neo speaker I could get along with. This is a tone compromise (still one neo) and a weight compromise (added @5lbs).

To be honest, for the past six months I haven't taken it (or any of my gear) out of the house, so the fact that the Tone Master is what's in my practice room tells you how much I like the tone. Of course, it is also because the xlr out on the TM is perfect for recording, which is all I've been doing during the pandemic. I had no idea how much I would need that feature when I bought the amp last fall!

[Fred Rogan]

looking at the specs for both speakers, looks to me like the Jensen is rated at 100 watts and the Celestion is rated at 80. I love the blonde tolex but i think, like someone else said, that the blonde is designed to appeal to six stringers.

[Mike Petryk]

Hi,
Here is info for the firmware update.

https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/art ... Procedure-

Mike

[Godfrey Arthur]

Not to be a downer amid the new technology, but computer operated software gear after a while doesn't last as long as the original hardwired as the processors start to go south.

I have a Yamaha Motif rack that after 20 years is starting to not want to boot. Parts? Sat in a climate controlled studio all its life.

Vs a 1970's Super Showman that is still working and will long after.

[David Gram]

Would love for these to be released as a stand alone unit in the size of a quilter toneblock or a milkman half and half. Another combo amp is a little overkill for me at the moment.

[Dan Beller-McKenna]

True enough, Godfrey. But for seeing as I am now in my 60s, I need something light that approximates the sound of my '71 twin. In any case, I suspect the Tone Master will hold up about as long as I can keep gigging (and maybe breathing). If I get past that, I'm probably gonna need someone younger to haul my amp anyway, so I can start playing through my 71 tube twin again in my 80s.

(This presupposes that I will ever be able to leave my house and play a gig again. )

[Tim Marcus]

Would love for these to be released as a stand alone unit in the size of a quilter toneblock or a milkman half and half. Another combo amp is a little overkill for me at the moment.

Why?

I already have The Amp and The Amp 100 which are tube/analog and is much smaller and lighter and definitely not a computer

[Steve Spitz]

Dan,

I’m with you. I love my tube amps, but I’m not as keen on lugging them around. My tonemaster gets it done, and I like the grab and go combo concept.

To me, gear is a tool . The tonemaster is a great gig worthy tool. My load ins/loud outs are brutal. I’m humping gear through a crowd of drunks. The more pieces, the bigger the hassle.

I’m also happy to avoid the cost of maintaining my tube amps. Tubes age, lose their sparkle, and sometimes go south. I feel like I need to carry spares. I also pay an experienced tech to check them out periodically. It’s not enough to make me sell off the tube gear, but it adds up.

All electronics are a perishable commodity, computer or not. Not enough to make me sell off my twin, Super, or Deluxe, I’m just happy to keep some hours off of them with the new Tone Master.

Another great feature of the Tone Master, to my wife, it looks like the amps I already own. My wife doesn’t recognize it as a new gear purchase. Thank you Fender...

And yes, Tim makes some great gear ! I’ve owned two of his amps and liked them both. I would like to try “the amp” . I’m sure it’s a great piece of gear.

[Jean-Sebastien Gauthier]

Would love for these to be released as a stand alone unit in the size of a quilter toneblock or a milkman half and half. Another combo amp is a little overkill for me at the moment.

Why?

I already have The Amp and The Amp 100 which are tube/analog and is much smaller and lighter and definitely not a computer

That's right! I had the Fender Tone Master and right after trying the Milkman's The Amp and sold the Fender and now only use the Milkman!

[Godfrey Arthur]

True enough, Godfrey. But for seeing as I am now in my 60s, I need something light that approximates the sound of my '71 twin. In any case, I suspect the Tone Master will hold up about as long as I can keep gigging (and maybe breathing). If I get past that, I'm probably gonna need someone younger to haul my amp anyway, so I can start playing through my 71 tube twin again in my 80s.

(This presupposes that I will ever be able to leave my house and play a gig again. )

Yup Dan I hear what you're saying and had considered same.

These days I use a JTM30 in the studio. Sits under the mixing desk. My all tube Marshall stack is just accruing value in the other room. No way I can move that these days. The 30 watt JTM is even a little on the heavy side.



Back in my time moving a Hammond B3 and 122 Leslie by myself in and out of a Dodge Maxivan playing a four hour gig and then packing up and unloading the same was SOP.

Yes, key to gigging in your 70's and 80's is ROADIES!



The economic situation has downsized everything as it was designed to do. The less moving around, maintenance, hunting for replacement parts, we've been shown that "austerity" is the new normal.

Our work ethic has been cut in twain.

In fact I loop my old POD through the JTM30 and get all those amp sim tweaks in one easy to reach unit.
So I'm right behind the trend towards light weight processor amplification.



Dan said:

(This presupposes that I will ever be able to leave my house and play a gig again. Oh Well )

We're in good company Dan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQrR_bh ... e=youtu.be

But I think they should've played this instead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gje_0OMj4h4