Quick Look : Fender Tone Master Amplifiers

When it comes to that classic California clean sound, with near endless headroom, many players look to the classic Fender blackface Twin Reverb or blackface Deluxe Reverb. I will not get into the differences between a blackface and a silver face because it's Christmas time and I don't want to be starting any fights.

I love my Fender Twin Reverb. It sounds great. It sounds great right where it is, because moving it is an effort. The thing is heavy. The combination of the case, the Jensen speakers, and those power transformers all add weight. While players have been kicking these things around for decades, I do worry about damage to the spring tank or the tubes.

But what if, you could get an amp that a) costs less b) looks near identical to the original and that c) sounds damn close to the original? Would that be worth your time to look? For a reasonable player, the answer is yes.

Now, I've already heard the whinging about how the Tone Masters don't sound like a "real" amp because they don't have tubes and "tube warmth". The Tone Master is not identical to a Fender blackface tube amplifier, but it is very very close and unless you are A/Bing two amps side by side in a proper studio setting, I would challenge anyone to pass a blindfold test and identify which is which while specifically stating why that is so.

Thus, consideration of a Tone Master requires a certain openness of mind as well as the acceptance that it will cost less, be lighter and not have tubes or a spring tank. Perhaps it is the tone that might matter more to you.

Love those tilt back legs

Unlike other digital modelling amps, the Tone Master amps do only one model. The amp that they are trying to sound like. Thus a Tone Master Deluxe Reverb is designed to sound as close as possible to a Fender Deluxe Reverb. It does so through some excellent engineering using solid state technology, some quite incredible digital modelling and innovative approaches.

Instead of being 22 watt tube amp, it is a 100 watt D class power amp with a digital preamp. That doesn't mean it is louder. It is the reality that tube amps of a given power rating can be a LOT louder than a solid state amp with the same power rating. Power is not volume.

If you've ever played a Fender tube amp, and have cranked it to get that wonderful tone, you've also noticed that they are really, really loud. Nice for you, not so much for family, neighbours and potentially the local constabulary. The Tone Masters have selectable output controls that, in my opinion, do a very fine job of giving you the tone of a cranked amp at much lower volumes. Take into account the science of Fletcher-Munson and you will understand why lower volumes do sound different from higher volumes, and also understand that Fender has tried to address this as they reduce output. Perfect? No, but still really really good.

If I turn my Twin Reverb all the way up, the volume is untenable. If I turn up the Tone Master Twin Reverb all the way up, it's too loud, but then I can turn down the output via the rotary switch on the back while retaining the tone and reducing the volume. Bedroom players, and players who must live with other people and neighbours rejoice!

I think that Fender have done a good job on the digital reverb implementation as well. It's not a spring tank, but play this amp in your local club and you could very well forget it's not real springs. That's the point. Get the sound you want, without crippling back pain, increased reliability and more flexibility. 

Back of the Tone Master Twin Reverb

Do you record? Awesome, because both Tone Masters have DI out for recording to your computer. There is therefore of course, Impulse Response speaker emulation built in with a choice of cab sims. The amp is also firmware upgradeable by USB connection. 

The speaker or speakers in the Twin are still Jensens. Instead of the old style, these are the new N-12K Neodymium design. This makes them lighter without compromising response and they couple very nicely to the Class D power amp.

The front panels are identical to reissue Deluxe Reverbs and Twin Reverbs. In fact, if you do not notice the small Tone Master plate on the grill cloth, you might not even realize that the new amps are Tone Masters. Fender is not hiding anything, but they have done a lovely job on the vintage look.

Yes Tone Masters are not sixties blackface Fenders. They are new. If you want a sixties feel blackface, you can still buy the reissues from Fender. You will pay more. You will have more to carry in terms of weight, and for that cost and extra weight, you may find the new indistinguishable from the reissue.

I've had opportunity to play through both Tone Masters. I am very impressed. Why not go to your proper guitar store and give them a try for yourself instead of just believing what someone else says? How bad could that be?

Cheers and play on.