Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb vs Fender Twin Reverb - Valve vs Solid State 

I was fooled by one of these in a guitar shop here in Austin, Tx.(Strait Music Company). I had left my Strat with them to get some work done on it. (1986 ...57’ reissue loaded with Texas Specials). When I picked it up I walked over to their amp section and saw the Twin logo and didn’t notice Tone Master at the bottom. Reached behind the amp to turn the power on, waited a couple mins then turned on the standby switch as I’ve so often done with Twins. Dialed it in like I usually do and proceeded to play some tasty riffs and licks to test out the changes on my axe. I didn’t really notice any difference in tone. Then I saw the price tag dangling off the side...was like why is this Twin only a grand?!? Thought it might be used so I looked around the back. Saw all that stuff going on back there. Thought to myself...what the hell is this?!?!!!! What kind of sacrilege or heresy is this?!?!!! So I played around with the “attenuator”. Lowered it, cranked the volume, as you would with a hot plate on an amp like this or a Super Reverb, and it did exactly what you’d get if you were indeed using a hot plate. Got the amount of breakup I liked at lower volume. My old 90’s era red knob Twin weighed a ton. I got rid of it years ago. Had a few Twins throughout the years and loved them but I could never quite get the sound I wanted without cranking it up, pissing off bar managers or using a hot plate. Took a different direction through the years in terms of Amps and put the Twins on the back burner. But after playing through this, being fooled by it, and taking into consideration all the other features it has to offer...I’m sold on it. Fender really nailed it with the tech and all the time in R&D they put into making this amp. Unlike other modeling amps that switch through three or more different “amp” models kinda okay, This one does one thing very very well. Without a side by side I was fooled. But I will admit in this video I could tell within the first A to B with one was the Tube Amp. But in a band setting in a live venue the difference wouldn’t be very discernible. This amp is worth having in your arsenal...or at least in my arsenal. Great vid Bro!!!

Superb playing, and an awesome demo, Mike! Loved this video - also, tubes hands down for me!

Such a fun day man!! 😍 Amazing playing bro and so nice to look back at these videos 🤘🎸🔥 .....I bought that guitar yesterday.....my precious

Hey! I'll never forget Adam Lee! On one of his older RU-vid channels he made one of the sweetest sounding Gretsch videos I've ever seen/heard. Great player 👌.

Dude, you are just so naturally good at speaking/presenting, and your playing never ceases to floor me.

Full disclosure...my ears have 67 years of wear and tear on 'em! The amps definitely sounded a little different, but I kept going back & forth on which was digital and which was analog. At the end of the day I think it's a toss up in a live band environment. Given that, the weight alone tips the balance in the Tonemaster's favor...load in & load out are my least favorite parts of gigging :-) Love the content Mike!

There certainly is difference, however the solid state amp sounds pretty damn good. There is a factor that I haven't seen mentioned that are worth considering. Maintenance. That SS Twin amp is going to sound the same after ten years, while the std. Twin is going to have needed a re-tube at least once. For most players (especially small-venue giggers) the slight tonal distinction is marginal, while the convenience of the SS Twin is huge.

Great video, thanks! Amp A sounded brighter for the first few samples but B also sounded good, nice and warm. With o/d, amp A stole it for me, much more clarity to my ears but in a band situation I don’t think I’d hear the difference too clearly.

I spent the whole video hopping the one I preferred was the tone master. I preferred the twin by a county mile. Both sounded great, but the twin has way more depth and drives nicely. I’d be happy taking the tone master to gigs though!

The Tone Master definitely isn't as concise and sparkly as the tube Twin, but I'm curious as to whether that could be eq'd out. I'm curious if perhaps a little tweaking with the treble and mids would get it closer. the TM sounds great, but it sounds like an amp that may have the same eq settings on the knob as the tube Twin, but hasn't been EQ'd to sound like the Twin does. It really does sound like two similar amps that are just eq'd differently more than anything. Great video and playing, thank you.

For a pedal platform the solid state amps today are not our father’s solid state amps! I own a few great tube amps (Marshall Bluesbreaker, Fender Bassman and Vox AC30) but lately I’ve been using the DV Mark Raw Dawg Eric Gales head with a Frank Gambale cab. It is an outstanding pedal platform amp, has a ton of power and does that “bloom” thing we look for when pushed. And combined the two pieces weigh less than 30 pounds! What a wonderful time to be a guitar player! Great job as usual Mike

Really close!! I could hear the solid state but it still kept the twin tone!! My new tone master should be here Monday

although the speakers are hard wired, is there enough power to drive a 212 or 412 with Jensen neodymium 12s?

I love the route these solid state amps are going! the only thing they have yet to replicate is breakup at a high volume, when that happens, I’ll buy one haha

So how loud is the fender master twin rever compared to a amp like a Randall 4 12 half stack

Just bought the Tone Master Twin Reverb blonde with Celestians. Great amp but It's not to compare with a twin reverb's tone. I can however play forever at low volume around the house with zero maintenance. I'm very happy. .

I closed my eyes and chose amp A each time. I came here because I WANT to but the tonemaster - reliability, weight, hum...... but in the end, I chose the original. no pain, no gain.

Listening on some mixing speakers at the moment.. The difference is pretty big to me. Amp A is deeper and thicker. Compression feels softer. Amp B is thinner and brigher. Compression feels sharper. My guess: B is digital. I'm right. I'm curious though.. When his final comment from this guy is that the Tube amp is very loud, that leads me to believe he had it turned up louder. I mean, maybe the volume knobs were on the same number, but he implies that the Tube amp sounded louder. So if you turned the Tube amp down to level match it with the Digital amp (or turned the digital up), would they actually be more similar? Both our ears and Mics are going to capture more of that deep low end if the true volume of the amp is actually louder. And yeah a hundred watt tube amp is going to be able to reach a much higher loudness than a hundred watt solid state because of soft vs. hard clipping/compression at the ceiling, but a hundred Watt Solid State is plenty loud enough for any size gig, and the Cab IR on the tonemaster makes it easier to connect to a PA/mixer than Miking a Tube Twin.

Not a massive difference but enough to detect which was which. The valve is certainly my preferred sound - the warmth and depth appeals more to my taste but if budget, weight, maintenance etc are a concern, the Solid State offers a viable alternative...

as always, smooth and tasteful playing.

I thought they were closer in the cleaner samples - I could barely tell the difference. When more grind was added, I thought the note definition, string to string definition, was a little sharper in the tube amp. I still want one, though (a tone master), because I'm getting old and my Mesa Lonestar Special weighs 60 pounds!!

How's the feel? Nothwithstanding the sound, how did it respond under the fingers and pick?

The Twin is like being wrapped in a warm blanket. The Tonemaster is like looking at a photograph of a blanket

What amp would you recommend someone who started on a Marshall code 25 it’s digital as a beginner now I’m past the beginner stage I’m thinking bout getting a proper amp with valves what would you recommend guys? I mainly play nirvana/greenday

Wow they both sound great! I’m glad you did this video because I’ve been super into fender amps lately! The clean on the tone master sounded really good. Maybe a little hollow compared to the tubes but not bad by any means. With drive I think the tubes were much better. I been looking into getting that 22 watt 65 deluxe reverb. Is that pretty much the same amp as this twin reverb but smaller? I’ve got a 2006 or 07 fender hot rod deluxe and I’m not super happy with it sounds like it has a blanket over it. Maybe a new speaker and having the tubes biased would help? I’m skeptical If I should put more money into it if I’m still not going to like it that much.

Good test thanks for the video I'll take the 33 pound tone master any day there is not that much of a big difference. the tone master is cleaner to me plus I am 60 years old who wants to lift a 70 pound tube amp these days not me.

IS That a original '65 Blackface? Or Re issue? I picked the 2ed at beginning u was playing more aggressively at first, then A sounded great, think its tubes? Or not..?

Little more low end in the tone master I think? Thing is, even though not a 100% match (maybe 99%), they both still sound amazing and I defo want a tone master - got my eye on the new blonde twin! Great job by Fender - great vid as always by Mike Bradley (awesome player)! 👏

I get the feeling that we’re being up sold! I’ve heard other comparisons between the two and the differences are almost indistinguishable. Perhaps Fender is loosing market shares in their tube range and feel the need to thumb the scales a little. The volume on the TM could have been match easily and it could have been dialed in a bit better compared with what I’ve heard before!

Side by side it is pretty evident as the digital amp is way less detailed and punchy. But I bet if you had the TM Twin in a backline and didn't have a chance to A/B it you'd get through your gig just fine. This sounds way better than the kidney bean POD that we had 20 years ago and is another step in the evolution of digital amps.

Both amps sound great. But, hearing one or the other in a track may even be more indistinguishable in the end. And what’s not to like about 15 kg. Would be interesting to hear how a few Celestion’s would sound in this amp, or even the TM Deluxe Reverb.

I like the original twin vs the solid state

I got it right, I think the biggest that I noticed was the reverb didn't sound as natural on amp B

One thing about all of these Tone Master comparisons that I feel is often overlooked, the valve and digital versions have different speakers. Only the Super Reverb model has the same speaker type between both amps. Not to say that alone would change everything, but I do question if the neodymium magnets have the same definition as ceramic or alnico. It would be interesting to hear some demos of a Tone Master Twin with some nice jensen alnicos. But yeah, tube definitely sounds better, especially clean. Although depending on types of pedals used the TM version does cool stuff with distorted sounds.

In this video I really enjoyed amp A The real tube fender twin but I do have the tone master twin reverb and I really enjoy playing it on 12W setting with Amp just above for it sounds so good and sweet I will more than likely post a video about it on my RU-vid page

Could tell straight away. A was brighter and warmer. B sounded a bit flatter, not as full. However the difference isn't massive and the practicalities of the tonemaster make it worth checking out .

Maybe a couple of preamp tubes would make a diff?

Low volume gigs I use my Gries 5 Blackface so I can get my tube sound fix. Louder ones and the TMDR come along. It sound just as good in the louder mix. At home I still sounds great. The tube version is prone to issues and farts and breaks my back. After years of this the tone, even with its difference in tone is worth the money if only for the XLR out. Best direct recording amp around.

WOW OK! I picked first A: But I actually wasn't sure on 2ed& 3ed riffs. Theres very slight differences between the Two. Now construction comes into play:Switch quality's from Jack's to quality materials? That's why I keep my original black face and usually just buy someone a few beers to Lug it around 2 gigs.

Ok nice sounds (as always), great tones, super played blablabla. Typical high end Mike Bradley quality (not kiddin'), loved it. But i could not get my eyes from that guitar for the whole video. Man thats kind of a dream to me.

Hard to tell from my phone speakers, but my local shop (and turbo-Fender-fanboys/dealers) have a similar setup for people to try, and I definitely like the solid state better. Of course, Mike would prefer the sound of a screaming rabid cat as long as it had a valve in its belly, but we knew that going in. ;)

The tube amp had more consistent dynamics due to the compression of the tubes. The digital was anemic and lacked the same consistency in dynamics.

Amp A seems to have more punch and dynamics. Amp B in comparison seemed a bit flat

I am in Tanzania East Africa where any of the two are unavailable. They sound good both, with the first being better, I guess not that much better to huge price difference. Nowhere to even test any. THANKS FOR THE DEMO

I couldn't tell the difference on RU-vid, or even at the guitar shop, so I bought one. It's after a few days, that's when you start to really hear the difference. It's especially true when you use overdrive. It sounds flat, very tight digital sound. For gigs, it's fine. people are drunk bands going to have a horrible sound anyway. Drummer too loud, feed back on mics, roaring loud crowd. In that setting it's fine I guess, but at home when it's just you and your music... That's where it hurt the most. I sent mine straight back

The results surprised me because I thought A had a punchier/livlier tone ................ which I assumed would be the SS version. I was wrong. That Twin Reverb Reissue was awesome. The ToneMaster (B) was very good but a clear underdog to the real deal. IMO

They both sounded great clean. Amp "A" sounded better with the dirt pedal, not much better though. Honestly, I just didn't like that dirt pedal, or maybe the way it was adjusted. It made both amps sound dark and muddy to my ears.

06/30/2020: Why two jack channels? I see one channel is designated "Normal" for only clean tones and the other channel is labeled "Vibrato" (has reverb). So, why not just use the footswitch for reverb and you can run the Vibrato channel clean or with reverb. So, why is there a need for the "Normal" all clean channel? Also, I see it is supposed to copy the tube amp, which any tube amp cannot have headphones. But, come on, this is solid-state and they could have added a headphone jack for total silent playing. The attenuator switch in the back is basically a volume knob, and you can't play silent. So, why is there no headphone jack at a price of $1,000.00 for a slid-state amp? Can anyone out there in cyberland answer these two questions?

The only issue is I can buy a Silver Face Twin for $550 US and the Tone Master costs $350 more?

Preferred amp A (valve) from the start, seemed a bit warmer tone

B just sounds like a dialed back Twin that hasn't hit that sweet spot yet. Still sounds great, just doesn't have that oomph. Depending on your gigging situation, I could easily see why someone would go with the tone master. For live shows it gets you close enough while saving your back and your wallet. Worth it for a local gigging musician, maybe not for a big tour or studio. It's kinda like a player's series Strat in that it has all the features you want for being playable with a solid tone profile, but none of the extra fine details you'd get in a custom shop build.

Got a tone master twin reverb. I keep hearing a digital “pop”...such a shame. I really liked it. It’s going back.

I can hear the difference between the two without much problem. Seems like we're talking about the difference between roses and lilies here. Both are lovely and sweet. Wouldn't want to live a life without both in it. Especially playing live, I'm not sure an exact dialed in tone matters that much anyway. If your close, it's fine. In love with your videos, Mike. Always a great job.

I guess I have to call this the best comparison yet. I say that, because the difference was very clear and consistent. I hoped that I would prefer the ToneMaster, but preferred the tube amp in every section. Perhaps, the digital amp needs a bit less compression. That might make it harder to distinguish the two. Thanks for this demo!

Those tonemaster twins are LIGHTTTT, it’s light as a feather

Got it right but the difference was not huge. My old ears are not so great these days and I suspect a younger listener might separate them more easily.

The tube amp has a brighter and more delineated sound. The Tonemaster sounds slightly muffled. I suppose you could just bump up the treble and that might even out the difference. Given all the other great features that come with the Tonemaster, as well as weighing and costing less than the tube version, it would be great if the solution could as simple as boosting the treble. In the end, though, I think you have to try them live yourself before making a decision on a purchase. Very entertaining video!

I guessed it right... the tube its like ya can hear each note in a chord... dont get me wrong the solid state sounded really good... fender has come a long way with solid state amps

It was in the first 30 seconds I knew which one was which but the tone master sounds good

Differences are clear. I could tell immediately. The tone master is missing a noticeable amount of mids and the reverb was a dead giveaway. Great review thanks

That’s a nice strat Mr B, you should buy it!!😜😜😜

The difference is day and night! ''Amp A,'' has better dynamic range and more low-end frequencies, while ''Amp B'' sounds more ''thin'' in dynamic range (slightly compressed, which is common due being it a digital chip/emulation)

I was wrong

Amp A all the way....I've heard that the reverb and tremolo are very weak on the Tonemaster...an essential Fender sound imo.

Wow the solid amp sounds really good tbh, it's true that it cannot replicate a true tube amp sound with much more headroom but for a starters like me? I'd be glad to upgrade my roland cube 60 to the tone mastah lol, Hell even a fender champion is good for me tbh, and maybe get the real tube amp when i have lots of gigs to play, the only drawbacks of the tube amp is that there are no aux or headphones jack to use in silent mode, especially in bedroom volume, only blackstar has it but the sounds is not quite the sounds that i'm looking for 🙁

the life in the valves seem to inspire his playing a notch or two more than the black box magic

wow!!! the new amp, sounds amazing!!!

I always got it right witch one is real tube even throudh iPhones speaker, it simply cant be replicated

Attention to Fender Champion 100...his clean channel is a réplica of Twin 65 for 150 bucks more or less

Finally there’s an affordable reliable decent sounding alternative to a preCBS amp. It’s about time. I’ll take it. Lighter and under warranty. Thank you.

Real deal was overall better - more full sounding. For what I do, the percussive high-end crunch (think reggae, funk, finger style) of the Tone-master totally works for me. I do still detect some solid-state-esque behavior from the tone master, but still a very likeable amp as someone who has played one.

A thing of beauty to hear again even though I was right there.

It was pretty obvious. Also obvious that the tube amp you used is not a real twin but rather a re-issue.

Look regardless if your a tube snob or not..(as i am) The difference to me is negligible . For a grand You get a 29 lb amp that has attenuation.. This amp sounds really good..Hoping for a Tone Master Super Reverb someday soon

The real Twin sounded great but is overkill for too many situations.Too frickin'heavy to carry.But sounds so good. The Tonemaster needs more treble maybe?But Intested the weight and it IS a gamechanger.The looks are great. 👉🏻It costs waaaay too much.That is why I spent my money on another Boogie but 1x12 50w used. This is a noble effort Fender! It sounds great but money wise,you are out far in the fields for many.

I suppose it's a matter of taste. I bought one and everyone in my band likes it. A friend told me he has always hated Twins because they are so bright! I told him not this one! So there you go.

I’d bet money a good majority of the people who commented amp A was way better only did so after the fact you told them that was the genuine tube amp, lol I’m not a tube snob so I’ll say the difference is minimum. That being said if you are a working musicians the tonemaster would be perfectly acceptable for live gigs.

“A” brings out much nicer overtones and sounds more in tune to me.

Definitely amp A...B wasn't bad...just not as good of a tone. I'll take the valve amp. I'm 61 with ceramic knees and can manage 64 lbs with no problem with the little I would be moving it...if I were a busy gigging musician I'm sure that weight would get old quick.

If ain't buzzin' like a fridge. It isn't a real Twin. :) Amp A is rather like your coked up step brother doing a belly flop in to the ball pit at Jungletastic. Amp B reminds me of a Methodist Church. Very clean. Very, very clean.

The tone master lacks that "punch in your face" tone, which is what makes fender amps great.

I preferred the tubes in every demo. I was a little afraid you were going to tell me that was the tone master, but such was not the case. Still a tube/valve fan.

A was a bit brighter, but just a bit.

it was pretty obvious, if i was in room it would have been extremely obvious, but hey its only 38 lbs and 400 bucks cheaper;-)

To me the tone master is hotter, sounds a bit dirtier and the reverb sounds longer/louder

Clearly A is the tubes. The reverb gives it away

A. Hands down.

Great video, well done. But it was obvious from the first match up A sounded more dynamic and lively than B. The tone master sounded like wanna be digital replica of the twin.

Definitely prefer the valve amp. The solid sounds great too, but at times it seems like he still needs to grow up a little.

Yea, if I were to choose I am going with the tube. I will deal with the weight. Fender has failed again at making a solid state amp.

Yes but put a brownie cmatmods distortion threw the clean ch. And crank it. Then u will see the solid state is no good. Your not really testing the amp correctly

The Tone Master was doing OK for the clean stuff but with any distortion is sounded like it had a blanket over it. What a shame.

Quite easy to tell the difference and the valve amp sounds miles better

I liked B more

The valve amp sounded like the treble was rolled down. It was easy to tell that A was the valve amp because he was enjoying into playing amp A but didn't seem to know what to do with amp B, the playing was generally worse and less passionate on the solid state amp, especially the last riff. if you rolled off some highs and mids it would be nearly impossible to tell.

Add a band: I don't think I could tell the difference. It's easy when the amps are side by side and you don't have a drummer and bass player added to the mix.

I heard it as soon as you switched amps in the opening jam...that TM TR sounds like ass in this video!

A much better

I prefer Amp ei😅

“A” valve amp obviously.