I certainly can't complain about the sound of my TM twin,just a nice looking nice sounding amplifier. I'm also glad I bought mine before the massive hike,
I am a tube purist for the past 29 years until i purchased this exact amplifier. The Fender Tonemaster Super Reverb. I have been cranking it up on the 45 watt mode everyday for the past 14 months. This is the best amp out there imho. Through the years ive gone through two 65 reissue deluxes, four hot rod deluxes, two pro jrs, one vibro champ, and a freaking boss katana artist which was a surprising amp that i traded in for the Tonemaster SR. Anyway Im a Fender guy. Always have been and this TM is the best amp that i have ever owned. You get what you pay for folks. "My sound" is a Gibson LP through a Fender amp. I just hits just right. Also this amo sound way cool if you junp channels aswell. Also these tonemasters do not eq like a valve Fender. Not a big dill. Just mess with eq untill you get your sound. This amp has a very sensitive eq. Cleans are that classic Fender sound, Break up crunches great with humbuckers, responses like a tube amp, don't play sloppy, rocks and i mean rocks with pedals! I run a klon clone gain stacked with an OCD and a BEOD! I go from SRV, to Gary Moore, to Zack Wydle! For real!!!! Rock your freaking sock off with some iconic tones that will inspire your riffage!!! Keep on rockin and i hope this comment helps anyone thats on the fence about these amps. Thank you for your time. I love my TMSR. Immediately felt as i had just aquire another instrument and tool. As i heard in the comments of a other video! FIRST SS AMP WITH A SOUL!!! SOULFUL AXEMAN
For live situations IMHO TMs are the best amps. Light weight, loud, reliable and great sounding. In the mix even our sound tech guy can not tell the difference. Way to go.
Your Little Wing cover was amazing! The solo in Sting's version of this song is one of my favorite solos of all time, but your cover was truly inspired. I was so hoping as you were elevating the dynamics of your playing that you were going to get to a point where you were just ripping a solo. Perhaps a V2 is in order at some point ;)? Also, you should be publishing your music, you are such a great musician and artist. I found you a few months ago and you're one of my favorite players now, I just love your stuff. Keep up the great work!
I have both the Tube Deluxe Reverb and the Tone Master Deluxe Reverb. I find the tube version best when doing professional recording, and the Tone Master for everything else. I have taken it to lots of gigs, rehearsals, auditions, and NOBODY could tell the difference. It was my playing that was the limiting factor, nothing else. The first time I dragged it out to a rehearsal, I was a bit worried, but after the first song, I totally forgot which amp I brought. The weight savings is incredible. Instant on and off, plenty loud and I don't worry if it takes a beating. I don't like bringing my "good stuff" to bar gigs as almost all musicians will tell you "stuff gets broken". It's a winner except for the price. I think that has to do with the Fender name and nothing else. They try to keep their prices higher than other brands in an attempt to raise the value of the brand. I use my 99% of the time and use the tube amp just to ensure it works in case of backup.
Have had deluxe over two years and really happy with it. I can get the same tone in different size rooms using the wattage selection. Training room is so small that normal twin would overpower everything else. On gigs no hassle with the miking, quick and easy. In a band mix you cant tell the difference to a real one so what not to like.
WowJohn that was a fantastic arrangement of little wing. Beautiful tone. I’ve been watching you for years now. Your definetly one of the best on you tube. Congratulations
First - I love love love my Deluxe Reverb ToneMaster. Second - I think the TM and the tube version should be considered two different amps. Sure we want to compare them because Fender is promoting them as sounding the same (or very similar) but the fact is if someone wants/needs the real tube experience they need to get the tube version.
@@bogdanrygalski Yep, and my electrician friend says some identical pedals dont either: I got a bit panicky for a nanosecond, cause Ive got 3 Mad Prof Simbles and was selling one, and he said sell the one you like least! Ha Ha! for now Im keeping all 3, so there! Ive tried all 3 and really cant spot any differences... ( sometimes with pedals with long production run they substitute certain components, and the Simble in Twimble isnt the single Simble, simple ay?!) cheers, Kimmo
I have a Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb. It is rather expensive for a digital modeling amp, but is a fine piece of equipment. The concept of creating a single amp model and packaging it in the original form-factor is very appealing. The cabinet-simulated output, and attenuation logic, adds functionality above the original valve amp. The thing to remember is this: You can only have one digital model on-board at once. There are only a handful of models available for the DR, and I don't know how many are available for the SR. These models are not "tweakable". One Tonemaster will sound pretty much like another (given the same model, and same speaker). If you are looking to replace a specific amp that has developed a sound via aging and equipment changes, then the ToneMasters are probably not the right avenue. On the other hand, it is more extensible and more robust than the valve amp. I'm very happy with mine.
The attenuation ability is so helpful! I’ve had mine for almost two years and even with my classic rock and blues band (that is pretty loud) I run it in 12 watts at rehearsal and that keeps me in the sweet spot
Thanks for this, John. I've used a few ToneMaster Deluxe Reverb amps on the road. As you say here, they're lightweight, simple, and sound good. I don't think I'd buy one, as I prefer traditional tube amps, but they're an excellent option for a backline rental amp on tour.
The thing I like most about the tone master, is the fact that I can control the speaker volume would be attenuator and The direct out is not affected. I can't find another app that does that and it comes in handy let me tell you playing live
Yes. It is an awsome amp. Been playing 40 years and love my new TM deluxe. It is the first amp that has that awesome light grit tone out of the box. I can have the attenuators low, crank to 8 and the tub screamer becomes the overdrive. Usually i have to have a clean sound, I pedal for light gain and a second for harder music. This one is just so awsome with no pedals
I have Tonemaster Twin and the big selling point for me was the attenuator. It serves double duty as a home practice amp and half of my stereo live rig. Perfect volumes for both and sounds great!
One of the best covers of LW I've seen, beautiful! I play at two rehearsal studios in Brooklyn; one has a Twin Tonemaster, the other has a "real" Twin. No one will ever convince me that they sound and feel the same, even my drummer can tell the difference! Don't get me wrong, the Tonemaster is a good amp and sounds fine, plus it's light in weight, but it lacks the punch of the tube Twin. I think maybe you'd need to play it in a band context to really feel and hear the difference.
Are the speakers the same as the tube Super Reverb? If not, I’d be curious to hear this amp through a tube Super Reverb cab. Jim Lill’s tests showed that the speaker cab is a big part of the difference in tone between different amps.
It’s interesting. I agree with you the tube version sounds better…hands down…BUT I hear it in isolation more than in a band mix where I would say the average player and more importantly the average listener would never be able to tell the difference…I guess that’s not necessarily the case, although that’s been my experience gigging my TMDR blonde these last 2 years
@@johnladdsmusic I’m sure you’re right that the audience could never tell the difference, but that’s true for lots of things, guitars, pedals, etc.! But as the one playing through them, I do hear and feel a big difference when jamming with a band.
@@jakollee looking at the specs, looks like the ‘65 Twin has Jensen C-12K speakers while the Tonemaster has Celestion G12 Neo Creambacks. I wonder if that could account for the tone differences you hear.
Sounds great! I have the Tone Master Super Reverb and the blonde Deluxe Reverb and they are amazing amps. I also have a restored 68 Super Reverb, a 65 Deluxe Reverb and a host of other tube amps. I love gigging and recording with the Tone Masters! They only time the difference is jarring is when I use fuzz, but gain stacking makes it workable. Hoping the TM’s stay reliable!
Ppl that think these will fail bc they have a pc board but a normal super reverb wont which also has a pc board. They dont know that tube heat and a board is likely to be less reliable than just a board bc it can melt. And it has happened which forces the user to shell out additional funds for a whole new amp. U want an original style super reverb hand wired?? Prepare to spend quite a bit of money for that... and considerably more than a tm. Youll just buy vintage?? Those are going to be less reliable bc parts and components are always going wrong and u can break one by just unplugging it and plugging it back in somewhere else. The tm is also 4 different boards which means they can be repaired with a straight swap that will take all of 5 mins. And with less parts to go wrong i dont see these being unreliable in relation to a tube amp but more reliable in the long run. These arent made to replace tube amps. Theyre made for working players. Its also no secret that solid state amps have been great pedal platforms for decades especially when its not a cheap practice amp that was your first ever. Ill refer to that pedal show when mick stated he would use a jazz chorus interchangeably with a deluxe for pedals.
Sure - but do you imagine that those boards are going to be available when they discontinue the amps? Like the Princeton Recording Amp from about a decade ago, that has a part which is basically impossible to get now? In the long run, we know that 60 years on, there are tons of vintage tube amps still working - in 60 years, do you think it'll be possible to replace these boards?
Having bought a super reverb my other option was an ‘amp pedal’. Such as, Blackstar Amped 1 or the Victory V4 duchess, would be really keen to see you review one of those!
Sounds great to me! Nice playing. I recently purchased a Princeton TM. I already had a ‘65 re-issue Princeton. Having a hard time deciding which sounds better to me.
Glad you tried one out. I love mine for all the reasons you said: simple, light weight, power scaling, direct out, and just a great tone. Your version of little Wing sounded great through it!
I found all that in a tube amp, with a Direct out, that has a cab sim, so it can go straight to front of house, or right into a DAW setup. It’s a 30watt amp, and I tried out three of these Fender Tonemaster series amps, too. They just couldn’t get the sound of the tube amp, but another big reason I chose it was because it gets the full use of the pre and power amps, along with the EQ. I can run it silent, or on. Egnater Rebel 30 112. They make a 1x12 combo and just the head, as well. It’s being slept on. It can be voided to sound Fendery or a Marshall.
@@CorbCorbinsounds amazing mate, going to look into them. Ty for sharing the good word. Can I ask what year model you have? The first one that popped up on Google for me just now was the MK ii that sounds great but $1300.
@@markiszak It’s a Mark I, which the only issue I could find anywhere online, was some people upgrading the power transformers, but I only saw a few of those in any message boards. I think some folks have them blow. The Mk I does all of the same stuff, and they are being sold used, for much less. Some Mk II’s as well. I’ve seen the Mk II for $1100 new, come and go on reverb. I would buy it if I had the cash. I bought the combo, and I got a 1x12 cab in the deal. I gigged it all last year, and had been playing it regularly for over a year before that. I also saw a few people who wrote reviews about getting the more expensive MK2, but after researching they got the Mk1 used. The combo is very light. Just do some research on the Mk 1, as you can probably find one for $500 with minimal shipping price, which I think is hard to beat, for a tube amp with the features. I wanted a Revv D20, as I wanted the direct with a cab sim, but those were just out of my range, with a cabinet. The only other amps with a similar setup were all over $1,500. I found the Bandit get brought up over and over, looking up amps that had the direct out with a cab sim. Good hunting.
Hi Nathan, just saw your video today. I own the Deluxe from this line of amps and I've been gigging and recording with it for about 3 years now. I also own an Ampero II Stomp which I use along my regular fx pedals as a fly-rig sort of thing. Just wanted to make 2 clarifications about the build and materials of the TM amps: 1) these amp cabs aren't made out of plywood, but solid pine wood with finger-joints (which makes the cab really lightweight); and 2) in the Twin and Deluxe, the speakers have neodymium magnets, but in both the Super and the Princeton they have Alnico. In both cases, magnets are way smaller (and lighter) than ceramics, so that (and the lack of valves and transformers) makes up for the lightness of the TM series. Greetings from Mexico!
I've been giging with the TM blonde deluxe reverb for almost two years and i love it at 24 lbs. my back loves it to. i use helix for effect only i don't use the modeling on gigs.
Weight on these is super impressive. The twin is unbelievably light. I understand the opposition towards introducing more features to it like an FX loop, maybe a tonemaster Supersonic amp would be a good idea. I'm not sure if I buy the "all processing power is used just for a deluxe/twin/princeton/super" argument. Would be interested in a 1x12 combo with this new tech that can cover a few bases (blackface & tweed at a minimum). The latest generation of Mustang GTs really don't cut it for me, and they're way too expensive to compete with the Boss Katana.
I bought mine in August and I love it. I'm an acoustic/electric solo gig vocalist gig type, but I really enjoy plugging my Gibson SG Standard into the Tonemaster SR and trying to keep up with Johnny Winter (impossible...duh), but doing so is a blast and I'm learning so much from his music. You covered the advantages of owning the amp as well as the large question of " just how long will it last?" I have a Princeton 12" Bordeaux also and a prime condition Red Knob Twin, in case problems arise, but for now, it's the best sounding and most fun amp I've ever played through; likely the last too because nothing else compares to it on all levels. You made an excellent presentation, by the way, and your "Little Wing", well, it 's a hurricane of a fine rendition. A hurricane. Thank you!
The tube version is 65lbs. I wouldn’t be interested in lugging that thing anywhere. But I have heard them in the wild and they sound wonderful. I’ve been interested in checking one of the tone master versions since they came out. Wow, you got a good deal on that. That’s what the Dlx Tonemaster is going for used around here.
@@ErikThomasMusic Hilarious, I’m a cyclist and in great shape. I ride close to 200 miles a week with the cycling club. On my off days I do yoga and ab work. Last week I did 5 gigs and I just retired from my real job a year ago. I have injured my back several times in my life, so I don’t lift heavy items any more.
Yes - what offsets the price is the flexibility allowed by the attenuator, and the balanced-out option with cab sims. Add an Ironman II to the price of a used tube version and you're on the same level.
Around 2020 I sold my trusty Roland Blues Cube Stage to get a TMTR as I used Twin Reverbs for years live, and thought a light weight version, with attenuation and cab sim out would be great. They are basically a good amp, did a few gigs, but found it lacked mid- top end chime of the valve versions- no fiddling of the EQ got there, and it bugged me to point go selling it. I bought the DR version, another good little amp but found it too lacked that complexity in the top end of the valve versions- it doesn't come through on RU-vid with compressed audio, but it's obvious in person to me. It too got sold. Now after much soul-searching, I just bought another Blues Cube Stage three years later, and although it is clearly tweed voiced, it acts more like a valve amp to me, and sounds good live. The Tonemasters are very good, but not for me.
I had the chance to play a deluxe reverb tone master for some time and loved it, but I didn’t like the tones out of the xlr out, I wish they would let you load one or two third party IRs. For giging if I still have to mic it, I would rather spend half the price on a blues deluxe. If they make that XLR better I would consider spending the asking prices.
I had a TM Twin for a bit over a year ago. Sold it pretty quick. It sounded OK, not so great on OD tones. Yes, the weight difference between it and a real tube Twin was great but I always thought the whole idea behind digital was to offer more in a package, not make it a one trick pony, so for the price I feel the Tone Master series is way way too expensive for what the product actually does. Good luck getting one fixed by your local amp tech.
Agreed that's the thing with most modelling amps - it's possible to get more functionality....Like if this had an FX loop or power amp in, that'd be something....
I actually read in another videos comment that someone had one fixed. Was a very simple fix, and also the only instance I've actually read of one going bad. The idea that these will fry and get thrown in the garbage is just not the reality. Not to mention, a lot of tube amps can be totaled as well due to cheaper modern construction.
@@john808welk Not really- they are very popular. I also did not buy it but I am convinced. Sounded great. Would rather a FM9 though to get close that tone and many, many more in one convenient package.
The Amp sounded very good, warm, smooth, pleasant to listen to, but expensive. The noise from the guitar single coil pickups, like around 4:30 was noticeably loud, probably not the the fault of the Amp, but is something I'd find unacceptable these days.
@@christophervincent8420 for sure. It wouldn’t stop me from getting. Just would have been a nice upgrade/added feature over the tube version. Another reason to spend the money on it over the heavier valver.
@@sugarprobe absolutely. I think Fender missed a huge opportunity. Plus it would have justified the money more along with better pedal interactions with loopers and more aggressive pedals.
Owned this amp for a few weeks now, and took it my first rehearsal yesterday. Think I’ve found my latest rig. Great pedal platform and sounded massive, I love the fact I can go super clean when needed. The only thing I don’t like is the reverb - what are your thoughts on this?
@@johnnathancordy I just felt I wanted a bit more reverb but if you turn it up too much it gets a bit swamped. Maybe a subtle amount of reverb is for the best anyway.
@@paulngardnerI don't own one but I've heard people say that there is a firmware upgrade from Fender that lets you tweak the reverb a bit more at low levels.
Hi. I played with the twin tone master version. IMHO : It’s a very nice sound but a little clinical… the knob don’t react like a real twin but you have less problems with sound . It’s a good tool but less authentic i had several twins and they all sounded different… The 2 and other watts switch on the back is not enough progressive. Best regards.
If you gig, and want the aesthetic of a Fender amp without the weight, these hit the mark. However, it’s a modeling amp, with only one model available. Hard pass for the money considering you can get something with more options available (HX STOMP, GT1000 Core) for half the money. Even then, you have to deal with the headache of pedals and all that. I’d rather just have everything in one box if I’m doing the modeling thing.
The major question for me personally is serviceability. Why are Fender not telling anyone about the limitations (or not), of repairs ? Until I know these amps are repairable I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.
Great vid mate. But the question remains, the GTX100 is using the same digital algorithms, it is more than half the price. Why don't you go for that amp? I have a GT100, and the Fender amps sound awesome.
From "Stilwell" - who worked on the amps apparently. www.tdpri.com/threads/mustang-gt-vs-tone-master.1064489/ "Wow. You guys could not be further from the truth with these comments. You're making a lot of assumptions that are incorrect. No disrespect intended here in any way, but I have to defend my people for a moment. I was part of the team that developed these products. Our R&D team in Scottsdale was responsible for creating absolutely everything you hear in these amps. No third-party contract/commission work, no "playing around with existing software". Maybe that was your experience in the synthesizer world, but that's certainly not how we do things at Fender. It never has been, and I've been here since the Cyber-Twin days. All new DSP (hardware) platform, completely designed by Fender engineers from the ground up. All new DSP algorithms (amp models, reverb & tremolo) completely created by Fender DSP software engineers. There was absolutely nothing plug n play or simply tweaked from existing algorithms. These were all started from a clean sheet. It all took several years of intense, hard work to bring these to market. I was in the room with the team playing the amps, listening critically, comparing vs the reference amps. Tweaks would be made on the fly and we'd listen some more. This went on for months. I watched it all come together and helped fine tune the algorithms into what you hear in the stores today. Minimizing these efforts down to plug n chug variations on existing algorithms or the work of others is simply false. We're all guitar players and very proud of the work we do. We think these are the absolute best digital representations of the Twin and Deluxe Reverb at any price point, and our convolution spring reverb is without peer. We hope you all enjoy them as much as we enjoyed creating them."
Tonemasters are great amps, I like the Deluxe version. If they would be cheaper, I would definitely consider purchasing one. Mostly because of the authenticity, sound and the looks. I don't have a link, but for sure in a Tone Master review I've seen, it has been assumed. I can't check the authenticity of this quote from a public board. I have done software development for decades and can share, you never start from scratch. Why would you throw away your own intellectual capital, especially in a public company, where cost cutting and profit optimalisation is key. Well, a double blind test is all that is left to compare them. 🤪
I think it's for people that are "fender snobs" (I am one) that wouldn't want people to see them playing a "modeler" but still want some of the convenience. If you have vintage amps you don't want to move but for special occasions then you get that if you can afford it. Nobody will ever notice the difference live and you have a lot of advantages over a real tube amp IF value isn't your primary concern.
I think youre right abt that. Thing is only the guitarist acc cares abt tone, and for that u need a tube amp. So i would invest in smthg like this if im jamming with a band or gigging bc its light weight, sounds 95-99% like a super reverb which I love, and is more versatile for all situations. Id then get a small tube amp for home use while still being able to use the tm at home where I can be a tone snob without sacrificing functionality. I don’t want 10 different amps for 5 different gigging situations and need backups incase the tube amps fail and im fkd. Id rather play smthg like this thats going to be reliable and still sound good. Gone are the days when only tubes would do, it was always going to happen eventually anyways so im cool w the digital thing. Acc i find all the digital amps have that hi fi thing which is great in the cleans and great with the mids boosted when over driven. Above all most guitar players are moving away from tubes bc they’re expensive, must be serviced, and are too loud for most stages in the modern world which also has pa systems. Tube amps are becoming more niche and im okay with that bc id rather keep smthg valuable like that at home away from danger where its just for me.
I’m so glad you checked them out. I love the twin I got. Also I think the power section is a big deal in selling these. There’s no way I could play a tube twin in my house at normal house practice volume. I have a jc 40 with no attenuation and it’s literally on 1 volume since it’s so loud and it’s only 40 watts .
People's disposable income has shrunk, we got less to spend on luxury items. As a result there's an endless round of sales in many guitar stores online and off. So, you can currently buy some stunning Brit valve amps at roughly half price if you look
In my experience, Tube amps sound ALIVE, while the Tonemasters sound clean and flat and lifeless. Nice tone, but no life. I've owned lots of Deluxe Reverbs - vintage, reissue, 64 handwired, tonemaster, rreplicas. Only the reissues, the replicas, and of course the vintage amps sounded great. That said, tonemasters sound better cranked.
I chose my gigging bass amp solely on weight (and watts) because I have to use London's public transport to get around. If I was gonna gig electric guitar then I would really consider a tonemaster. The xlr out is a great plus too. I have a nasty Fender Princeton 65 DSP (yuk yuk) but it comes in under 12 kg and I can bypass the preamp and it's stupidly loud. Subtlety and pubs... noone cares 😂
@@johnnathancordy Thank you. I have a Tone Master Deluxe Reverb and really like it. However, when I try the XLR through an audio interface into my computer, it has never sounded good. I think it is a connection problem or problem with the interface.
This is almost funny, I've been eyeballing the Fender TM Twin Reverb to match with my HX Stomp. Basically funnel them as stereo using their outputs, but I can use the speakers to give me the amp in a room sounds I miss when playing only the HX. I would be curious to see you try that.
Nearly zero audience members will either detect or find fault with these in their ears. Those few that claim they can are completely discountable. Great amps, the entire Tonemaster range.
I get the appeal, but honestly can’t see why, once you’re ready to go this route with a digital rig, you wouldn’t just get a cab + modeler and get all the other amps and effects.
A little bit less repairable? I'd say it's a LOT less repairable. As in, unless Fender is willing to swap out a board or the entire amp, you're up a crick.
That's the amp that came to mind yesterday when I was thinking about alternatives that have tubes - you can grab Hot Rods over here for about 4-500 used pretty often....
@@johnnathancordy I’ve been gigging them since 96 they are great but have moments when the caps need changing and the preamp valves die. I use a 12AY7 in the 1st slot which tames it a bit but it’s a great pedal platform. But I do miss the lightness of the tonemaster and they sound amazing. I should have bought the Twin.
Gigs and DIY tours. Leave your higher end, easy to damage, tube amps behind. There's no way an audience in a bar is going to hear or care about the differences. And really, it's only a certain type of player that is going to find those differences anyway.
I’ve only tried the deluxe and twin versions of the tone masters and didn’t like either of them at all. The only thing they had going for them is they’re light weight
A lot of people disliked the first generation that came out. When Fender did the blonde versions of the Deluxe and Twin, many people who originally disliked the Tonemasters, changed their opinion. Like a lot of players, I upgraded my DR to the blonde digital model, and swapped out the speaker. My blackface DR is now basically the blonde DR, but with the classic aesthetics. As I noted above, there is virtually no adjustability to the amp models (other than swapping them out with another available model). The amp has a "generic" sound. If you want to get the sound/feel of a specific amp, you'll need to look elsewhere. I was interested in a "typical" sounding amp, with the light weight and extensibility provided by the cab-modeling and attenuation. For that, it's great.
@@gdkopinionator4356I guess the difference is I own the real thing - a tweed deluxe and bassman (made by Victoria amps to as close to real spec as possible) and a super 75 (basically a 15inch BF pro amp) so I have the real sounds for comparison. These modelled versions just aren’t good IMO, but each to their own. I wanted to like the tone masters but…
This is only my opinion, but I think you're mistaking the meaning of reliable. I'm not sure it's about the life of the (regularly serviced) product, more about the fact a valve isn't going to suddenly blow or break or it's not going to overheat. Add to that it won't every need revalving etc. You're right in the respect that it's lifespan won't be the same as an old analog valve amp in that it's digital and electronic and therefore will be super-ceded by something cheaper and more powerful, probably shockingly soon as well.
Some have said that because these Tone Masters are digital that if the chip goes (power surge or what ever) that they are unrepairable. So wouldn’t a real solid state amp be better? Perhaps something like t(e Blackstar Debut for about 1/4 the cost?
In the comments here, apparently they have 4 boards or something that are quite easily replaceable, so for as long as they're making the amps, hopefully that's not the case. Beyond that, who knows I imagine there's a lot of parts that won't be easy to get in a few years?
I think in this category, the Boss Nextone series of amps are Tone Masters killers. Much more versatile amps and with more features. I own the Nextone Special.
it's funny how fender uses all their classic model names on this new crap, they gave up on their classic designs and today's reissues are crap as well. my best advice is to get a used tube amp the older the better in most cases.
Are you not a fan of the tube stuff these days either then? It's quite common to see used silverface stuff in the UK for pretty reasonable prices - would you think those might be up to par or better with the modern stuff?
I don't really like the tone master series. I believe that they are overpriced. That Pedal Show have a fantastic video on this, the differences when you strum chords are more than obvious
