Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Review: The World's Most Giggable Amp 

Oooh indeed how true! Of course this thing is different than a real tube amp, still sounds great though 👍

Absolutely spot on! Best comment up here! So much so, mine is inbound as soon as Fender can ship one 😎👍

i have the tube version...tried the solid state....so different. ok 37 pounds compared to 20 pounds. 37 pounds is doable and the touch response is so much nicer on the tube version. get the special edition with the jensen alnico...5 pounds lighter, sounds better and breaks up at 5.

@@jacobbrown1690 i played one yesterday at a music store and was in owe. I compared it to the tube reissus and it was a very slight difference. NOt enough to not buy which I should have on the spot but I left to go to another music store the time I got back it was sold. They had a twin there too which I thought i would like more but the deluxe sounded better to my ears. Anyone a/b both of those amps.

Born yesterday? I don't have to put a reissue fender tube side-by-side a vintage. The difference is unmistakable, something Fender doesn't admit. But, I would like to A/B the tonemaster with a real (not reissue) '65 because the tonemaster, unlike the reissue, sounds like an authentic blackface in a lot of videos

I like the way you think! It's good to have solid, actionable goals :-)

one day just let me know . i can be the roadie

I can attest to this, I've had mine for a year or so, I think the biggest benefit is the attenuator as it is insanely useful for gigs to hit that sweet spot and still mic it through a PA despite venue size.

Would you still recommend this over a PRRI?

Agreed😎👍👍 😎✌👍❤🖖

Those are well thought out and very qualified opinions! I agree that this amp is not exactly like a tube deluxe, but that’s not at bad thing! It’s still very very good. Plus, what is a “tube deluxe” - I’ve played dozens, and every one of them is completely different from each other!

Hard to argue with that!

I have found that every tube amp I have ever played/owned sounds different the instant you change the tubes....I am just shy of 60 myself and have also had decades of playing under my belt....most recently I have had to "dial in' a Laney VC30, which I Love...NOW....I was ready to give up on it, having bought it as a small gigging amp....after trying multiple different preamp tubes...in all different positions..(all 12AX7)....then finally trying multiple different output tubes as well....this took HOURS...until...finally the amp has just the right amount of gain/breakup to overall noise ratio....and most of all the overbearing top end is under control and sounds sweet and warm instead of an icepick in your eyeball...in fact it sounds REALLY good, especially the clean channel, for NOW anyway....and the reverb is on par with a deluxe....this is exactly what the Tonemaster promises NOT to be....a true lack of consistency won't be found in an amp like this...I had a Deluxe back in the mid-70's...I hated that amp..but I was in my Teens, and If I knew then what I know now....a couple of new tubes and maybe a different speaker would have cured all it's problems, and I have often wished that I had hung onto it instead of practically giving it away. these new amps will never need a new tube, will always sound the same this week as it sounded last week and the month before that (forgiving any change in the sound of the speaker as the edges soften and it "warms up" a bunch. and if the sound is really good (albeit "different" ) out of the box then that is a very good thing indeed....oh yes and re the "twin"....let's not even mention the weight!

Interesting view from a player who has paid his dues AND owned the classic valve amps !! I just do NOT want to carry the damn things anymore ! I am def going to move in to the 21st Century....

Guitar Works Even fender was saying that the tube amps sound different from amp to amp, and that the tonemaster was the best representation of the sound from the test group.

Thanks so much! And YASSSSS the Deco is the best!

Argh and now they came out with Blonde Reissues too! So many choices!

Thanks Maggie! I really really love my pedals ❤️

Thanks so much William! It's funny, I'm actually much more comfortable teaching on camera than I am talking about gear. But this time I was having so much fun playing around with this amp it was easy :-)

Yeah! I’ve recently been enjoying the darker NORMAL channel (better for fuzzes). And yeah - the xlr out and cab sims are so useful!

Thanks Michael! I'm no audio engineering expert, but i try to make things sound as good as possible!

Eric Haugen I’m glad you do, I’ll be checking out your channel a lot in the future.

Thanks man! I try to keep the balance between talking a bit to cover salient points I'd like to make, and then playing enough so that folks can hear the amp :-)

So true!!

I know! I've thought the exact same thing - lightweight modeling versions of classic amps that LOOK like classic amps! Take my money!

I’m waiting for a mesa mkIIc+

Yeah! I haven't investigated the low power mode enough, but with a good overdrive pedal you'd be all set, and have the easiest time loading in and out of gigs!

Thanks my guitar brother! You know how much work goes into creating 10 mins of HD video :-)

Eric Haugen Hahaha, you know it! Keep it up!

Thanks so much Clint! I'm loving this amp - can't wait to use on some more vids and gigs to really see what it can do!

Yeah I gotta play around with that milliwatt setting - it’s the only thing I’m not blown away by on this amp.

I still can't pronounce it!

@@EricHaugenGuitar Ha!

Yay! Thanks for noticing my perfectionism! My lav mic captures horrible room honk so it's best to mute it out to really hear things without comb filtering and whatnot :-)

Yeah! I love those old peaveys!

Yeah! I gotta do another demo now that I've had this for a year - I swapped out the speaker for a Weber hemp coned alnico and now this thing STINGS! It's 2lbs heavier but that's ok :-)

@@EricHaugenGuitar oh thats interesting.. 2lbs on top is not much!

Thanks Jeff! Once you combine this amp with some pedals it really takes off!

Thanks Jason! Good ears - that was indeed a snippet of "Cold Little Heart" - I love that dude! I think I'm gonna do a vid lesson on that track - it's sooooo goooood. And yeah, I totally agree - these amps are not tube amps, but they're certainly close enough for rock n roll!

Eric Haugen dude!!!! Please do a video lesson for that song, I loved your video lesson that did for “The War On Drugs” and really your taste in both music and gear is what sold me on your channel! (That mustang you have is the bees knees!) but yea, I think they’re a good alternative and I really hope the tone master series does well...cause I could go for a future Tone Master Princeton Reverb,

@@JasonTMays Thanks Jason! We must both have impeccable tastes! Yeah, I'm 100% doing a version of "Cold Little Heart" - I'll probably come out in late November :-)

Eric Haugen I agree!!! We just became best friends through our impeccable music taste! Lol. And I’m stoked! I can’t wait to see this lesson!!!!

Plus, it’ll be an excuse to hang with my buddy Ashley 🍻

Don’t think about it too hard. It was an embellishment.

He wouldn’t be the first to get some rubbish in a box instead of what he paid for. Fortunately, it was just a very light amp.

Thanks Gary! Yeah that’s from a lesson I did a few weeks back, “Hendrix Doublestops on Nothing Compares 2 U” - I always like to take tunes, and imagine what if Hendrix was alive to play them 🤔

Yay! Congrats Don!

Yeah I gotta do some more poking around - try it with different guitars and environments. So far so good though!

Have you seen the Fender Vintera series Bigsby teles? They're pretty close!

@@EricHaugenGuitar I can’t believable you actually replied to me!🤣 thank you! I’ll make sure to check it out, it’ll take some saving..where’d you get that one? I imagine it’s rare

I ended up making a lesson on just that! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JpaRvo6fXs4.html

@@EricHaugenGuitar Oh cool, thanks!

Exactly! Once you're on stage no one can tell the difference except your back :-)

Cool! Those Blonde versions look BEAUTIFUL!

Congrats! 70 is the new 50! I think Fender knows exactly what they're doing with this amp. They've got their target market locked in and it's people like us - Fender lovers who don't need an amp with every feature/sound in the world, just the one.

Dangerous for our wallets! A blessing for our backs!

Cool! The old Silvertone is a very cool retro collector's item, but at the volume I play (quiet) doesn't sound as good as my tone master.

Thanks Nate! That was a piece of an arrangement I was working out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JpaRvo6fXs4.html

that was Prince thou :)

Ha! Thanks man!

Errr, Prince, actually. Credit the master at every opportunity

@@analtarofnothing69 This version sounded more like Sinaed's. But I agree that it's good to be accurate when referencing. thank you.

Yeah I’m quite happy with it!

Aha yes the A# diminished leading to the B5! EVIL! I recently swapped the speaker on mine for a Weber Alnico and now it's even better! I put in a 12A125 Hemp coned version - now there's a jazz, smoky thing goin' on with it 🥃

Carlos, I just bought this amp. You would love it!

It's perfect for when lockdown ends and we can all gig again!

Ha! Yeah there’s so many choices! A lot of folks are saying the Katana is just as good and much cheaper, so I dunno I guess you gotta try em both!

Yeah this thing is pretty darn convincing! I’m loving it

Yeah! I recently switched the neo speaker out for a Weber Hemp-Cone Alnico, and now it's really smooth in the lower wattage zones!

What's the power rating on the Weber? I was considering swapping for a Lil Texas or Jensen Tornado 100, but thought I needed at least 100 watt RMS rating...

That depends! I decided to go with a 30w rating because I know I'm never gonna be pushing this amp all the way to 100w. Most rooms I play (back when there were gigs) are small enough that I've used the 5 watt setting and it was plenty loud for lead work!

Yeah those Katanas are great! I should a/b one of those with these to see if the differences are worth the $$$

@@EricHaugenGuitar Just got home from playing. Decent size room and I used the 5 watt setting -- didn't need 25. I recorded in August in a studio in Montreal. Choice of top shelf vintage amps including two Vox AC 15's from the sixties. Still on one open G track I laid down we used the Katana, It's that good.

As for tone -- I only use the "clean" setting then heat it up with some gain and the boost effect. I get a nice tight sound similar to early Stones and can easily dirty it up for Chicago Bluesy tone.

Thanks Daniel! I recently switched the speaker to a Weber 12A125 Hemp-coned alnico and now this amp is COOL AS FUCK. I'm taking it to the studio this week to do basic tracks - it's the best sounding Fender amp I have.

@@EricHaugenGuitar Dude!!! That is so badass. Been thinking about one. Would definitely upgrade the speaker.

Cool! The price is the main complaint about these amps, so saving some $$$ and getting one used is the way to go!

Yeah! It may not be the same, but it sure seems close enough! I still gotta play around with the attenuators settings - see how real I can make it sound. But for now, as long as I’ve got my pedals I’ll be alright 🤙

Thanks Jon!

😂😂😂😂😂!

Phwa. Yeh. Wait 'til you gotta lug a dual showman cab with 2 15in. D-130's.

Ok boomer

"My amp is heavy as hell and I love it. I've had back surgery 3 times, my arthritis is killing me and SORRY WHAT WAS THAT I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER MY CRIPPLING TINNITUS. ROCK'N'ROLL MAN."

Hrmmm you're a true old school player - riding the guitar's volume to control tube overdrive is something I was never good at! Coming up in the 90s, I got so used to the "just stomp on a pedal" approach :-) I'll play around with this one to see if it emulates that well, but I suspect I'll be able to tell the difference. There's nothing like diming a tube amp and working the volume knob.

but when the "real thing"' is impractical, inconsistent in sound due to differences and deterioration of tubes, expensive to maintain, and moderately more expensive....why would you WANT it in the first place?....i could care less about the pedigree of any amplifier IF it allows me to get a sound that I am happy with. case in point...one of my all time favourite players who also gets a great sound is Frank Marino....his main rig for decades consisted of his pedal board and an "Acoustic" (brand name...not a flat top amp) solid state guitar amp....not a tube in sight.....that worked great for him! the deluxe and twin models take the "'solid state" philosophy MUCH further in their technology...and I for one would rather never use a tube amp again if there was a sensible substitute available.....so this "new" modeling approach is very welcome! I'm holding out for the predictable next step in the series....a '59 bassman tweed complete with Jensen P10's...I used to have the real thing years ago but was actually afraid to gig with it for fear that someone might steal it of the stage...I sold it for a small fortune a few years back.....I am SURE this will be the next thing on the agenda for Fender....if it's not, they will need their heads examined! lol!

Horses for courses. Yes, I agree there should be no snobbery regarding tube amps. It’s the fact that these new ones are trying to imitate which bothers me. Q: Why not have the confidence to launch a new product which is not an imitation? A: Because Fender are squeezing every last penny out of the past. It’ll end up killing innovation.

He just did a video based around it! Check it out if you get a chance!

Doug FA excellent, thank you for the heads up. I must have missed that one. And I thought I was a big Haugen fan!

@@astropop3870 You're welcome... and I agree, his quick Nothing Compares To You section in this video was really nice!

Later, I play Michael Kiwanukas “cold little heart” - you can bet a Lesson is coming up for that one!

Thanks Tago! Between the Tele and the Mustang, I'd say the tele is the more versatile and sturdy guitar. The Mustang rules, but the small scale can make the fretboard get crowded for some things :-)

Yeah I had my man Tom Brantley redo the pickups and wiring - something went weird in the old CIJ wiring and I figured it was time to gut it and upgrade. The finish is really interesting- it’s a very tinted natural.

@@EricHaugenGuitar It sounds awesome!

Yeah quilter stuff is killer! I think we’re really getting to a place where tube vs solid state is getting to be like mp3 vs vinyl. Both have pros and cons, thankfully we don’t have to choose just one thing!

Cool! I was wondering how this model compares to the Twin or the Quilter!

@@EricHaugenGuitar While I'm loving the twin, the Quilter Mach 2 is just more flexible. I love love love my Quilter.

@@dustylense Love my Quilter too. Very versatile.

Thanks Lars! I think this amp excels as a lightweight pedal platform - at least for my pedals :-) I'm not completely sold on the attenuator feature, but that's ok - I love my overdrive pedals anyway!

@@EricHaugenGuitar Good to hear! I guess it´s the same as with every master-volume tube amp I have used. All of them sounds the best with master on 10 :)

Oooh I haven't tried the Twin yet!

Yeah exactly! The feel is a little different, but not even in a bad way - just a little punchier. Nothing wrong with that!

@Luke Robinett yes the clean is dissapointing but with a bit of work on the tone studio it's reasonable

The Deco is the greatest overdrive sound around! I’ve tried dozens of other transparent overdrives, and nothing has the squishy, organic feel of the tape compression side of the deco. In fact, that’s what led me to realize that maybe digital is good now!

Thanks Marc! I just got that guitar back from the doctor - new Tom Brantley pickups and wiring - it really sings now!

@@EricHaugenGuitar Wonderfull chain, every Note sounds perfect! And she is a real Beauty! :)

Thanks so much Bartni! I was never much good at shredding, so slow and tasty kinda became my thing :-)

me neither :)

Yeah I gotta experiment with the attenuator more, so far it’s the only feature I’m not quite sold on. My strymon deco still has the best overdrive

Yeah, I bought a Deco last year after admiring your great tone!

@Luke Robinett I know just how you feel!

Blackface Princeton? You should be as happy as a hog!

Thanks man! I really like this amp - I just switched the neo speaker out for a Weber Hemp-coned Alnico and now it has a really unique, smoky character! You'll see it in this weekend's vid. It doesn't sound like exactly like the tube version - it's got it's own thing goin' on.

Eric Haugen unique smoky character! Oh man, I needed that!! 😂

Thanks man! This vid isn’t even running the amp through my usual after effects In GarageBand - it’s gonna sound even better in future vids.

I've had good luck with my Greer Pedals, but yeah I do agree I think this amp can be finicky with certain overdrives/fuzzes. Here it is with come more saturation from the Greer Southland Overdrive : instagram.com/p/B73g0rvHETe/ I do keep the treble fairly low, and use the neck pickup. I'm in Vibrato 1, btw. I'm about to shoot an overdrive demo with this amp tomorrow - I'll play around with different inputs and see how that goes :-)

Yeah I gotta get Ashley over to the house with his Deluxe! You're absolutely right - when I've got $1000 of fancy pedals on the floor, I could probably plug into a cardboard box and it'd sound pretty good!

@@EricHaugenGuitar LOL, still laughing to myself about you thinking they shipped you an empty box.......LOL Sounds like something that would happen to me!

These amps are good lookin', lightweight pedal platforms - I love it!

Oooh that's a good amp too! Does your 68 custom hum? A client of mine from has one and his has quite a bit of transformer noise.

It used to be worse than it is now, but for me changing out the stock preamp tubes significantly decreased the noise. I like the amp a lot, especially the custom channel with the Bassman wiring, but even after putting an Dr Z Brake Lite on it, I don't ever get to run it at the volume where it gets really sweet.

Just an update. Finally got the TM yesterday. Holy cow. Stands up side by side with the '68. But even better in my mind because I can get the TM running at 6 on the volume for the dirty clean sound I love without taking paint off the walls and having angry neighbors 😄🤘

Yeah! I've really been digging the .2watts setting these days! Great edge of breakup tone

@@EricHaugenGuitar yep, that's perfect for in the bedroom playing. Sounds very lovely with the verb and a little Trem.

Oh yeah I haven't tried it yet but I think you're absolutely correct!

@@EricHaugenGuitar I seriously love the look and sound of this amp. Truth be told it's actually rekindled my interest in electric guitars!

Oooh good idea! The deco is my absolute fave overdrive sound - it's funny, because it's not even marketed as such. There's something so squishy and organic about the tape saturation mode that every other "transparent" overdrive lacks. They all sorta punch you in the face.

Good ears Michel! Yeah! I ended up making an arrangement and lesson out of it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MOrxupXAMZI.html

Thanks Chris! I try to keep things to the point, and cover all pertinent questions I have :-) I still gotta mess around with the amp a lot more to see what all the stuff on the back can do, but so far so good!

Thanks! That’s actually two of my bands songs mashed up together - I wasn’t really thinking about what I was doing 🤠

I have an old Marshall combo that is similarly unreliable! Great when it's not in the shop, but steadily falling apart component by component!

@@EricHaugenGuitar :D

I still love my retro tube amps, but yeah I think digital has finally gotten to the place where it’s close enough to be a very reasonable alternative!

Eric Haugen sure I do too, I have a good one, had a bunch, this one is great. But I tell ya some of these are great, and just like tube amps a few are not great. I tried the deluxe and it sounds excellent. I have seen guys on here sound great. If you want a tube amp that’s great but some of the hate is misplaced and by people who have never tried it.

Eric Haugen you sound great!

Thanks man! Yeah, you know how the internet is - some folks just need a place to vent. Honestly, you can't really tell how anything sounds though all the processing and compression that happens when you watch vids on here. It gives you a good idea, but we both know trying something out in person is the only way to tell :-)

Thanks my fellow Eric!

These days I put all the gadetry info in the description box under the youtube vid - I forgot to mention that in this demo. Oops! It's a 92 CIJ 52 reiusse - the pickups are www.tombrantleyrewinds.com The neck is actually a recent MIM Classic 60s model

Ooooh I LOVE princetons!

Yeah! All of us guitar players remember solid state/digital as being synonymous with cheap/cheesy. I think it's starting to look like it's more of a separate but equal sorta thing. No, it's not the same, but it's actually quite good!

Imo solid state has had good bedroom level cleans and modern high gain for 20 years. With that being said, when the volume goes up I still prefer tube.

Yeah I’ll never get rid of my cool tube amps - it’s nice to have a lighter alternative for gigs. Kempers intimidate me - a little too advanced looking for a simpleton like me