Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

For anything to do with guitars, amps, effects units and any other music making accessories

Moderators: David Martin, dave robinson, Iain Purdon, George Geddes

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby Hank2k » Mon Apr 27, 2020 10:24 am

I do like the concept of these tonemasters with the look and ample volume for live use

Ive said for a long time the problem with a lot of setups is they work well for one thing and not for the other.

I have 2 main setups:

Vox AC30 head and Cab and ESE or Vox Short Tom Echo - Magic sound, looks great and when it all works its brilliant

Boss Katana 50 Mk1 with Zoom G3x. - Light weight, 95% of the way there sound wise. I live in a flat so i can use this setup at home without disturbing the neighbours and i can also do recording at home or play with headphones etc. And i can carry it all with a guitar in 2 hands down to the car!

These are great times we are living in as guitar players that technology is allowing us so much more flexibility.

Of course when we do shads style gigs with the band i need the vox look and i have had the Katana head powering the 2x12 vox cab and that has done ok but a proper Vox AC30 lookalike with a good poweramp similiar to the tonemasters would be fantastic.

Some of the Vox Valvetronix options over the years have been ok but they always looked cheap compared to an AC30 and they had far too much going on with catering for all markets which they didnt really need.

I do think the cost of the Tonemaster is too much at moment but as times progress i imagine these will go down. Oddly enough a few months back i was in PMT in Romford and they had a used Fender Cyber Twin in there for £99. I remember them coming out and being priced similiar to Twin! They never really caught on as again they were trying to do too much but it was a cool concept and actually sounds pretty good!
Hank2k
 

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby dave robinson » Mon Apr 27, 2020 1:35 pm

Gentlemen, I think you are missing the point here;

The Fender ToneMaster Deluxe costs £799 in 2020 - in 1963 that was £36-88p

In 1963 a Vox AC-30 cost £105, in 2020 that is £2,263.80

The Fender ToneMasters are not overly expensive by comparison. :|
Dave Robinson
User avatar
dave robinson
 
Posts: 5937
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:34 pm
Location: Sheffield
Full Real Name: David Robinson

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby Hank2k » Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:36 pm

When you put it like that Dave they arent but in comparison to a similiar type of amplifier nowadays they are a bit expensive but then so are a lot of things these days.

The Katana artist is the nearest i can think of to one of these and they are £550 ish?

I think Boss shook the whole market up with the Katana series of amps because they became great alternative gigging amps for £169 i think i paid for my 50w Mk1

As with everything its everyones personal opinion of course and whatever is the best sound that inspires the player to play more has no monetary value
Hank2k
 

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby dave robinson » Mon Apr 27, 2020 3:22 pm

The Katana Artist is not in the same class as the Fender Tone Master, all Katanas' are cheap transistor amps on par with the Fender Mustang. The speakers in The Boss Katana amps are dreadful.
I still have a Katana 100 head and have compared it with my Twin Reverb. By comparison it s lifeless.
I would add that Boss had to do something about improving the Katana combos because of the speakers being poor. The only way that I got a decent sound out of mine, was with the computer software when I got rid of the combos and used good speakers. Their Artist model was the result.
I would add tha there isn't a similar amp to the Fender Tone Master, it's way out ahead of the competition. :)
Dave Robinson
User avatar
dave robinson
 
Posts: 5937
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:34 pm
Location: Sheffield
Full Real Name: David Robinson

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby Egelund » Mon Apr 27, 2020 4:51 pm

Hi all

I paid 8oo pounds for my tonemaster deluxe reverb, and My working amp before that was a Fender super sonic 22, similar to the deluxe reverb tube. It is now sold in UK for 1200 pounds.
In my opinion there is a great difference between a product, to a low price, with all sorts of features and effects.
Compared to a product, more expensive, where all the innovation is to make a product who only can sound good as a tube amp, and nothing else.
Niels
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vyhpwi2vaf5s ... C_0122.MOV
User avatar
Egelund
 
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue May 03, 2016 4:28 pm
Full Real Name: Niels Egelund faddersbøll

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby dave robinson » Tue May 19, 2020 1:35 am

A friend mine has fallen on hard times because of this pandemic and has asked if I want to buy his ToneMaster Deluxe Reverb for just over half price. It's just too good to turn down as it is almost new, still boxed. I will probably buy it and if he should want it back when things turn around I'll sell it back to him for the same price. That'll be what I call a win, win situation, helping a mate and having the little Fender to play with in the studio. :)
Dave Robinson
User avatar
dave robinson
 
Posts: 5937
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:34 pm
Location: Sheffield
Full Real Name: David Robinson

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby dakwah » Wed May 20, 2020 6:49 am

great result Dave and the possibility of returning the reselling the amp back to your friend at cost.

would love to hear your opinion of the deluxe compared to your twin to use with my H&C. I have only ever played at home and probably think the deluxe would be great (unless the twin was much better tone wise). At present I am using the Helix LT (but do not have the failures you encountered, but it is not moved from the room). Unfortunately I have a tin ear and find setting the eq not easy and find this site great and you have helped me in the past with some patches for the Zoom (many years ago). For some members like yourself and Steve Reynolds you seem to be able to get a great sound from any of the equipment that you use. So inspires those of use with less skill.

much appreciated

Stan
dakwah
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 7:45 am
Full Real Name: stanley wan

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby dave robinson » Wed May 20, 2020 12:30 pm

I completely trust what David Martin has said about the Deluxe Reverb which is why I'm going to buy it. The guy who owns it is a good mate and has described the tone and I believe what he has explained to me about it not needing a MID pot as it's voiced slightly different to the Twin. I don't need another amp, but if by giving him what he's asking gets him out of a jam, I'm pleased to do it as I won't lose money either way.
As I have stated in other threads I had a real Fender Twin for 25 years but this one is better because of it's power switch, allowing the preamp to do it's job at relatively low sound level and it is great. This amp can and does sound like the old A 15 used to do cranked up when The Shadows used them - that is the sound. :)
Dave Robinson
User avatar
dave robinson
 
Posts: 5937
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:34 pm
Location: Sheffield
Full Real Name: David Robinson

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby dave robinson » Wed May 20, 2020 12:49 pm

dakwah wrote:great result Dave and the possibility of returning the reselling the amp back to your friend at cost.

would love to hear your opinion of the deluxe compared to your twin to use with my H&C. I have only ever played at home and probably think the deluxe would be great (unless the twin was much better tone wise). At present I am using the Helix LT (but do not have the failures you encountered, but it is not moved from the room). Unfortunately I have a tin ear and find setting the eq not easy and find this site great and you have helped me in the past with some patches for the Zoom (many years ago). For some members like yourself and Steve Reynolds you seem to be able to get a great sound from any of the equipment that you use. So inspires those of use with less skill.

much appreciated

Stan


On the subject of the Helix. I got some good sounds and echoes set up on mine, but I found that once I investigated the Katana through the Boss Tone Studio, I could get much the same sounds and in many cases better, hence my decision to back heel the troublesome Helix. For me if a piece of kit fails once, then it's once too many, I rely on the sound being good in live performance and the last thing you need is your confidence ripping out of you by crap gear.
I then decided to put all my pedals into use, as I have quite a few that I bought for certain songs and I have bought a designated board and a Voodoo Power block to feed them. The result is outstanding, far better than any Helix, Tonelab or similar and I went for the Fender amp to use with this pedal board idea in mind. I did go back to the Tone lab LE and it's good, but the pedal board has my Synth, Organs, Octaves - everything, so the ToneLab will be back up. :)
Dave Robinson
User avatar
dave robinson
 
Posts: 5937
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:34 pm
Location: Sheffield
Full Real Name: David Robinson

Re: Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb amp

Postby dakwah » Wed May 20, 2020 1:15 pm

thanks Dave

for those of you who gig and have greater playing experience must have reliability. For me that is not an issue, just a good sound at home, but like you I love gear and have spent a great deal of money over the years (mainly due to this and other similar forums), but it is the only big spend I have (+ wife and now grandkids!). I, like you get stuff out have a play and then go back to the one which I perceive to be the best at that time!

Stan
dakwah
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 7:45 am
Full Real Name: stanley wan

PreviousNext

Return to Gear

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 21 guests

Ads by Google
These advertisements are selected and placed by Google to assist with the cost of site maintenance.
ShadowMusic is not responsible for the content of external advertisements.