Vintage Twin vs. New Twin vs. Tone Master | Fender Amp Shootout 

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I have the Tonemaster Twin, the way to run it, is with the bright switch on and the bass at 6 or less, same with treble and mids. Those setting will make the amp sound very close to the original. In this video he has the Tonemaster amp eq’d very dark.

You can't beat the sound of an original vintage amplifier! I picked up a 64 blackface bassmen pre CBS. My favorite amplifier in the world. Tone for days! Wouldn't trade it for the world.

Great video. Hopefully Fender will borrow your Twin & give us a software update/option to mimic the old amps. That would be awesome!

Great video man a friend of mine used 2 of the 65"s live !! talk about loud it was fun watching him play and face melting 😆😆🤪

This “comparison” was a demonstration of mr. V’s blues chops, not the performances of the three amps. To compare, play the same chords, in short sequences, on all three amps. That way, mature ears can hear the variations. Play a variety of chords in a variety of guitar forms, across the amps in sequence, so we can figure out what might be audible. Playing a complex melody only gives us hints about the demonstrator, not the demonstrated. This is not the first “comparison” that features chops of the tester rather than the behavior of the equipment. Mr. V is not alone, but joins a wide variety of amateur and professional performers doing more “look what I can do” than “look what it can do” performance. He is in good company.

Great video👊‼️

As an engineer I would want a tone master and a vintage dual mic'd and blended with a chorus added. So much bliss.

I love the sound of that tone master

Gotta say, I'd belly up with the Vintage in a heart beat if someone could point me to a winner like this one, however, I actually felt like the ToneMaster's sound was kind of what I like the most anyway with it's darker edge. Especially on those slow blues there around 11:00. Nice. Thanks!

I was just recently gifted a 1976 Fender Twin w. master push / pull volume...It's the most perfect clean tone amp

I've always been a fan of (original) '65 Twins, but pristine examples are rare (and expensive). Most bear some evidence of those ubiquitous slings & arrows of outrageous fortune so prevalent in the musicians' realm and are typically in need of some TLC. One can grow weary from the hunt for the right vintage tube amp. . . So, in 2020, I acquired a reissue '65 Twin Reverb and couldn't be happier. As discussed, there is a very subtle darkening aspect to the peak treble & bass tones; but, the mids are profound--mix well, yet never get lost. It's also worth mentioning just how great the clear channel is for pedal applications. Oh yes, it is quite capable of being loud--and I do mean LOUD--and yet bell-clear when that's what you need. Then there are the Laws of Physics--specifically, Gravity . . . Yes, the only downside is the weight. Gigging isn't a really consideration these days; so, the Twin Reverb stays in the studio mounted to a furniture dolly (saves my back). I think it's found a home there, and that's fine with me.

Yeah all of these amps are slightly differ and need to be EQ’d individually in my opinion to be the most consistent. I will say that I have an old tube twin reverb and I was going to help a buddy at church carry his stuff out a couple sundays ago and when I picked his tonemaster twin up I almost hit myself in the chin with it! Lol I did not expect that. I researched later and I think it showed they are only 33 pounds. That is very nice compared to almost 90 pounds…

Speakers, speakers, speakers! Run them all through the same cab for a more accurate comparo.

You need to try and eq the tonemaster to the real twin. Even if u took 2 vintage twins with the same eq they will still sound different due to aging resistors capacitors and transformers. The circuitry is different so of course it's not going to sound the same at the same settings. Try to tweak it to sound like the original.

They all sound good. The first was the best by quite a bit. I'm listening through a solid state logic six and 2 JBL Eon One Arrays.

The Tone Master is a mix of the old and new to me. I far prefer the old Twin. It is fantastic. I love the bell you speak about.

I'm madly in love with the original tube amp, but my budget pushes me towards the Universal Audio Dream 65.

This video would have been more helpful if he didn’t keep changing pickup switch positions. Even when he said “you won’t even hear me talk, I’ll just switch from one amp to another” as soon as the amp changed the switch position also changed at the same time. That’s not really an A/B/C of the amps…instead it is a confusing run-through of neck bridge pickup combos. Would have been much more helpful to go through all three amps in each respective pickup position instead of the other way around.

All three sound good and are EQ'ed differently, but one has been breaking up the speakers for decades so it sounds more open. That's the vintage tube right there.

Thanks for the comparison, the thumbnail links really helped. Would have been really great to hear with the reverb off as well, and as others have mentioned, due to the variability in potentiometers, making an attempt to use the EQ to get the amps as close as possible is the best way to compare amps. All the best.

after all the trouble I've had with the reissue of the 65 deluxe reverb( due to the changes in the circuit ) I' m pretty much done with Fender.

Thank you for showing this Comparison! This video has solved my question "which amp will give me the best clean tone I want with my Epiphone Dot Studio (the scaled down version of your Gibson 335)? I love the Original Fender Twin Reverb with the Neck Position. So full and sweet, not to bright and "Jangly" and not too "boomy" or "Flubby"...(if that's even a word)?? LOL! Plenty of punch and smooth!

Great video! Holy cow that vintage Twin truly sounds amazing! Any chance of another video where you attempt to dial in the Tone Master to sound as close as possible to the vintage Twin? That would be an interesting exercise.

The vintage sounds king to me, but i know with some tweaking, the tone master can achieve something very similar :)

Could you try adjusting the eq and reverb levels to try and match the tone of the original?

What about the wattage and weight of the 3 amps are they similar

I found the vintage one bright, but also that's because it's so immediate and present. The reverb also had more depth and subtlety, as though the 'dry' sound and the 'wet' sound have more space between them. Also, it sounds like the others have a sheet over them or something... but that's not something you hear without a vintage amp right next to yours. I'm excited that I can buy a 33 pound amp that's close enough.

Surprisingly enough, I completely agree...the vintage one is best, the new tube takes second.

Let me start by saying that Ryan is compelling presenter, a Stellar guitar player and has excellent taste in his choice of personal amplifier. Please accept my apologies for saying this but his knowledge of amplifier circuitry could have used a little more vetting with regard to the technical aspects. I have never encountered a "paper transistor" in my 45 some odd years of (medical/Industrial/musical instrument) electronics repair nor have I encountered "a rubber one". I suspect he was alluding to the fact that we don't build transformers with paper insulation any more (unless trying to capture some vintage "mojo"). I did understand what he was trying to get across with regards to building a modern device compliant with contemporary safety standards which was the whole point of his mentioning such things in the first place. Moving on to my opinion of the Tonemaster compared to the tube amplifiers, I have previously experienced a blind audition comparison test and the modeled simulation comes close but does not meet the sonic standard set by the original. This comparison test confirmed that personal opinion again. There are pros and cons to both technologies. Vintage amplifiers or anything with vacuum tubes require maintenance and care but are generally repairable over many decades. Newer technology offers convenience (less weight and more reliability during its EXPECTED service life) but contemporary manufacturing practices mean that extending the service life of these amplifiers might be difficult if not impossible. Considering the price of the Tonemaster, I would opt for the new tube Twin if I did not already own a vintage Fender amp (or 4).

Tonemaster also seems to get a little dirty when strummed harder where the other two didn’t do that. Nice demo👽👽

Not only is the Tone master a solid state amp, it is a modeling amp.

Its bright and jazzy but can it chug?

I have the tonemaster and didn’t get tjat bell sound I wanted until I recorded through its output cab sim. I know its not ideal to record an amp with recording the speaker but the switch set to 1 when recording the xlr output is very chimy and bell like. The other two switch settings mimic a 57 and a royer but the bell sound goes away. Ive actually gotten my favorite rhodes sound this way and prefer it to micing the cabinet

Ryan, this was a great video and as the owner of a Tone Master Twin (which, of course was purchased through Sweetwater), it would have been nice to have also heard the blonde version as it has a different speaker than the black Tone Mater Twin. and sounds a little different. Oh, well...next time. Great stuff.

The real 65 reissue and reissue sounded significantly clearer and better. The tone master in this video sounded muddy... but maybe in real life or different EQ then it may sound good too in comparison. I've played a tube master a bit in real life and it sounded good... but I haven't had a chance to take a deep dive...

I have the TM Twin. At first I thought it sounded great all by itself - but that low end doesn't cut through and mix as well. The absence of that bell like chime in the treble makes a big difference. I have a Fender DeVille 2x12 and it smokes the TM Twin in every way. I am autistic and my heart always knows the difference. I may return mine. I am still on the fence regarding that.

the difference in the reverb isn't just in the impedance. ever since accutronics moved overseas their pans sound much worse. Different tooling. Different tension on the springs. Probably a bunch of other small things that add up to a different sound.

Thank you for NOT playing a Strat. 335 with a Fender is da bomb!

The tone master would be a good choice but in the context of this comparison I think it falls short at least imho.

To me the Twin 65 Vintage has better tone than the 65 Twin tonemaster and even the New Twin with tubes 6l6 power ect. I own a 100 watt Vintage 75 Twin and I love the sound of the old Twins. I bought a new 68 twin reverb (tubes) and it sounds great. I bought it because my 75 was in need of repair . When I played the new 68 for a few week then got the 75 back it was like died and went to heaven the sound was SO MUCH better than the new 68 Twin I bought. To me without a doubt a twin reverb new or Vintage has MUCH better tone than a tonemaster...

The original vintage amp sounds like a record - It's so alive! The others sound good, but sadly the tone master sounds like it's the vintage amp with a blanket over it.

Thanks for this video You have run your own (vintage) amp to get the best sound you could get out of it. That's OK. You should have tried to get the best sounds out of the two others. Personnally I own a 1975 Silver Face Twin Reverb loaded with J120D JBL speakers and a blonde Tone Master Twin Reverb loaded with two Celestion Neo Cream back. I know I will never be able to get the same sounds out of both. But I can tell you I have found out how to make them sing and put a smile on my face

It's not just the modern circuitry and some of the electronics that are the difference. Fender is using less expensive electronics in their reissue tube amps because they can save a tiny amount of money. They're also using very inexpensive lead free solder, which doesn't effect the tone, but will reduce reliability over time as the solder joints will break as the amps heat and cool from use. PCB layout is negligable as long as you are putting distance between components which get very hot and will cook others nearby. The problem is, pedals are coming out that sound exactly llke some of the most iconic amps ever built, so there's not a really great reason to buy some of these expensive reissues anymore, unless nostalgia has you, or you feel the need to brag to others who probably don't care.

This demo might be more telling about the pickups, as the "new" and TM both have plenty of high end for singles. I do agree though that the original Fenders lived in the upper frequencies and could ALWAYS be heard in the mix. For me, I would rather have an amp that can hide in the mix and come out when wanted, any of these could do that with the right settings. P.S. I enjoyed the video, but why did Sweetwater Ok this video that makes the vintage one seem to win? A balanced editorial at the end would have helped people not feel like they bought the "wrong thing".

Why wouldnt you play a strat through them as well?? Thats really what i came to hear the differences in.

Vintage Twin by far

Vintage Twin all the way followed by '65 Twin Reverb RI !!

Amp #2: Tones not as crystal, glassy, glossy. Flat. Dead. Not lively like #1, your old amp. Amp #3 (Solid State): Got some of that glossy, glassiness back - but was way rolled up in the bottom end. Welp, sorry to say - VINTAGE KILLED IT. It's an amp with CHARACTER. You'd be trying your whole life to get the other two to sound like the old one - but you could get the old one to sound like #2 or #3 in the recording studio. I could do it as an engineer. But hey - who would want to??

I echo all the comments regarding the folly of setting all the settings the same. You need to dial in the sound on each to suit your ears not an arbitrary dial number. If you can't obtain the sound you like then we'd know there is a problem.

Though it's stated they all have very similar speakers the vintage chimes more like an alnico to my ear.

I can honestly tell the difference.

Need a 4th Twin. My 95 pro tube Twin, 25/100 watts. LOUD It will eat these for a snack and ask for more.

1. Vintage 2. New Tube Twin End of story

Whats up Ryan!!??

Play the snot out of that Tonemaster for two or three months to get those speakers to break in fully and then get those three amps together see what you have. Also, these are Fender amps, so play a Strat or Telecaster thru those to get the full Fender effect from those amps. And carefully learn to eq each amp accordingly to get the best sound and tone out of each one....not just your vintage amp. Get an older, more seasoned player to demonstrate these amps.

I’d take the tone master

Nothing like tubes. Solid state doesn't have the mojo. Tonemaster sounds compressed.

I would assume the tone master sounds better at bedroom volume? That would be a big selling point for me

Now when you demo ..Why do you play something different on each amp??? It's hard for us to judge!! You should always play the same stuff

Get the tone master. Lift a tube twin and you know why.

Eric Johnson's amp tech's secret is that he wraps new Panasonic capacitors in crappy 50 year old wax paper capacitor covers and then charges gullible guitar dweebs 10x the retail price in parts and service. How good of an amp tech is he if he has to travel around with the amp to keep it working? What a great racket that guy has going. I can't tell much difference maybe because the licks are too long , but they all sound good and this guy is a good player. Maybe the Tone Master sounds a little flat and thumpy compared to the others, but I admit I'm prejudiced against solid state.

EACH TWIN NEEDS IT OWN EQ SETTING, YOU CANT REALY SET ALL TO THE SAME NUMBER ON THE KNOB. AS TESTED EACH AMP IS VERY DIFFERENT. TWIN OWNER

By “Circuitry” he means PC boards

I hate to say it, but the vintage one sounds the best to me. The Tonemaster sounds wooly in comparison.

Strumming play it strum it

Tonemaster too muddy

Jesus Christ this is rough... Write the guy a script next time so he doesn't say something completely inane like that his 65 deluxe has paper transistors in it or that the opposite of ptp is circuitry... "Hi I'm hosting this video and everything I know about amps I learned from internet forums"...

Why does everyone use a Gibson guitar to try out these "Fender" amplifiers??? The Fender Strat is suppose to be the "other half" of this amp because of it's combination with it. It would be nice to hear a strat or telecaster with these amps for the true fender sound.

Night and day! The vintage sounds epic, the current model darker and the Tonemaster sounds 'average'. In 10 years time the Tonemaster will be worth peanuts and starting the fail.

Sweetwater is the best. But dude, seriously, you KNOW the human ear/mind has a very, very shorttime ability to retain tones. Play a very (very) short phrase. Even one note! Then compare it to another amp. Without a bunch of talk. Then you can talk about the "darkness" or whatever. Show that. Illustrate what you mean. Playing long sequences is simply parroting what other misguided "professionals" do. Come on brother. Compare! Then if you want to play long passages showing what you mean, by all means do so. You could have done much better on this demo. But, Sweetwater is still the best!

These side by side comparisons are, IMHO, utterly useless. What's the purpose of setting all the knobs to the same setting,? All you get out of that comparison is the sound difference at one particular setting, missing the point . Suggest setting the reference amp up to a particular preference, then use whatever settings are necessary to get the competitors to sound as close the reference as possible. Whenever a change is made to the reference, try matching the actual sound of the competitors. Enough said....

"Sales engineer"??? 🤣

Dude talked for 4 minutes then said "let's get right into this" then talked more😐 ffs that's almost half the video length that you should be shooting out 3 amps but instead you keep yammering on😂

The host should not be talking about amp technical details, it's obvious he knows very little about the terms he's talking about or attempting to explain. A 65 Deluxe reverb does not have transistors in it, rubber capacitors for fire safety?? What??Lol I build my own tube amps and the jargon he's trying to pass off is laughable. Sweetwater, did anyone not notice this??

Rubber capacitors and resistors? Point-to-point wiring? You're a decent player, but leave the tech talk to actual techs, bacause the amount of nonsense hurt my head.

The reissue wins. Warm and full

Hands down your original 65 blows the others away.. Just goes to prove, that they can't reproduce good quality sound, even if they try...