Tonemaster hankering (now successfully hankered)

stylesforfree

Gassage said:

This is the ONLY Tonemaster I hanker after....
One of Fender's finest ever.

Zinky designed I imagine?

Johnnyseven

Has anyone had experience with the Twin and Super Reverb Tone Master? Been thinking about getting something Fender-y with a mid control that I can use at home and gig. Would need to sell my heavy as hell Bassman first though.

chickenbonejohn

HAL9000 said:

TimmyO said:.

I...  ...have a general hankering for something in a more traditional format that won’t continually be tempting me to faff with midi or multiple channels. 

My preferred way of playing is riding the volume to go between clean and gritty, and pedal for something more obviously ‘lead’

^ This is me. However, rather than going down the ToneMaster route I’ve recently ordered a (yet to arrive) Award-Session 5E3 Extra. It’s essentially a three-knob analogue solid-state amp - tone, volume, and master so no faffing necessary. I tried one out recently at a local blues jam and was impressed enough to place an order when I got home.

I recently got rid of a handwired Fender 75 combo (way too heavy for me at about 70 pounds) and a Sessionette 75 which had been my regular gigging amp for years. I put a Session BluesBaby 22, into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe cabinet that was given to me, and to me it sounded better than the Sessionette, so that's why I sold the Sessionette.   As the Blues Baby is a single channel amp, and I use variety of sounds during my live work, from clean thru' to  moderate overdrive, I wondered if I might be better having a two channel amp, so I too developed a hankering for the Deluxe Reverb Tonemaster after reading and watching lots of reviews. The two channels, light weight,  plus trem and reverb seemed to tick all the boxes. After trying one (the blonde version)  I'm cured of that hankering. It's a nice amp, and I did compare it at the same time to a handwired Deluxe Reverb, just in case that might have swayed me into getting a heavier and all-valve amp again...but the weight and cost ruled that out. I went into the shop fully prepared to walk away with a Tonemaster, so why didn't I buy one? It sounded fine, but it didn't make me feel like taking it home with me, I didn't fall in love with it, certainly not  a £1000's worth of love.  To get some drive I had to wind it up a fair bit, but the attenuation click switch on the back was too crude for me (22, 12, 5, 1, 0.5 and 0.2W). To my mind it would have been much better if it was a normal master volume so I could get exactly the right onstage volume. It's twin channel but the reverb and trem only work on one channel, and so I'd still need  at least a trem pedal if I wanted to use the full capabilities of the amp, and ideally I was hoping I wouldn't need a pedal for that. The 68 Deluxe seems to be the only version of the Deluxe Reverb that has trem and reverb on both channels. The trem was still noticeably noisy when turned down, in terms of a persistent background "ticking". The sound was OK, but my BluesBaby has a mid tone control as well as treble and bass, plus a "fat" switch" and "blackface" voicing switch...and because it has a master control, I can get the sound I want at whatever volume is appropriate for the venue - The Tonemaster had none of these, and the attenuator just didn't cut it as a substitute for a master control. I've decided to stick with my existing amp, and just bought a T Rex Moller twin drive which allows me to get four different levels of drive from clean to heavily overdriven out of the one channel. I've already got a trem pedal, so no change there.

soma1975

Did you also get rid of your paragraphs? 

TimmyO

Johnnyseven said:

Has anyone had experience with the Twin and Super Reverb Tone Master? Been thinking about getting something Fender-y with a mid control that I can use at home and gig. Would need to sell my heavy as hell Bassman first though.

@newi123 has the Twin I believe  

TimmyO

chickenbonejohn said:

HAL9000 said:

TimmyO said:.

I...  ...have a general hankering for something in a more traditional format that won’t continually be tempting me to faff with midi or multiple channels. 

My preferred way of playing is riding the volume to go between clean and gritty, and pedal for something more obviously ‘lead’

^ This is me. However, rather than going down the ToneMaster route I’ve recently ordered a (yet to arrive) Award-Session 5E3 Extra. It’s essentially a three-knob analogue solid-state amp - tone, volume, and master so no faffing necessary. I tried one out recently at a local blues jam and was impressed enough to place an order when I got home.

I recently got rid of a handwired Fender 75 combo (way too heavy for me at about 70 pounds) and a Sessionette 75 which had been my regular gigging amp for years. I put a Session BluesBaby 22, into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe cabinet that was given to me, and to me it sounded better than the Sessionette, so that's why I sold the Sessionette.   As the Blues Baby is a single channel amp, and I use variety of sounds during my live work, from clean thru' to  moderate overdrive, I wondered if I might be better having a two channel amp, so I too developed a hankering for the Deluxe Reverb Tonemaster after reading and watching lots of reviews. The two channels, light weight,  plus trem and reverb seemed to tick all the boxes. After trying one (the blonde version)  I'm cured of that hankering. It's a nice amp, and I did compare it at the same time to a handwired Deluxe Reverb, just in case that might have swayed me into getting a heavier and all-valve amp again...but the weight and cost ruled that out. I went into the shop fully prepared to walk away with a Tonemaster, so why didn't I buy one? It sounded fine, but it didn't make me feel like taking it home with me, I didn't fall in love with it, certainly not  a £1000's worth of love.  To get some drive I had to wind it up a fair bit, but the attenuation click switch on the back was too crude for me (22, 12, 5, 1, 0.5 and 0.2W). To my mind it would have been much better if it was a normal master volume so I could get exactly the right onstage volume. It's twin channel but the reverb and trem only work on one channel, and so I'd still need  at least a trem pedal if I wanted to use the full capabilities of the amp, and ideally I was hoping I wouldn't need a pedal for that. The 68 Deluxe seems to be the only version of the Deluxe Reverb that has trem and reverb on both channels. The trem was still noticeably noisy when turned down, in terms of a persistent background "ticking". The sound was OK, but my BluesBaby has a mid tone control as well as treble and bass, plus a "fat" switch" and "blackface" voicing switch...and because it has a master control, I can get the sound I want at whatever volume is appropriate for the venue - The Tonemaster had none of these, and the attenuator just didn't cut it as a substitute for a master control. I've decided to stick with my existing amp, and just bought a T Rex Moller twin drive which allows me to get four different levels of drive from clean to heavily overdriven out of the one channel. I've already got a trem pedal, so no change there.

I honestly don't think I'd think of a DR as a "2 channel amp" in that "you have 2 songs on tap to switch between" way - more that you can choose which of the 2 you want to use, then use that one channel. 

I've heard a couple of good things about the Award Session amps but there's no way I'd buy one blind (deaf?) - it may well be my loss but I can't see me going that route. 

dazzajl

Johnnyseven said:

Has anyone had experience with the Twin and Super Reverb Tone Master? Been thinking about getting something Fender-y with a mid control that I can use at home and gig. Would need to sell my heavy as hell Bassman first though.

I’ve had the Super Reverb for a few days and the jury is still out on whether it’s going to be a long term love or not. It’s an amazingly easy carry for any amp of its volume ability, let alone a 4x10. So that’s a massive win just there. 

Whether the sound is for you or not gets a bit more complicated and depends on what you like from a big Fender. It does break up and it’s not unpleasant when it does at all but it’s nowhere near the sound of a hot running Tweed. At around 6 on the volume it has a nice edge of break up thing going on when you dig in that I like. On the lowest power setting it sounds shite though, as the speakers really aren’t at the party then, so you’re not going to get that without everyone in your house and next door (if you have one) enjoying it too. That’s still a nice level to be in the room with, you can feel the air move but it’s not going to leave your ears ringing or give you tinnitus. 

If you want a really manageable big fender with a huuuuuge sound spread and amazing cleans, this could be your answer. 

Fishboy7

I'm curious to try one.  Might make a good living room amp.  

Power-Beef

Jalapeno said:

Princeton, with a pine rather than MDF cab and a neo speaker for your delectation - give Rift a call ...

And @Modulus_Amps too.

markslade07

I’ve got the Twin at the min, which I used for the last few gigs of 2022 before I packed the band in. I liked it and used it mainly as a clean pedal platform with fairly budget multi fx. I got the Twin rather than the Deluxe as at the time I fancied a 2x12 for something different to anything I’d had before. It certainly worked well for me, and sounded pretty good to my ears, and being lightweight was a massive benefit for a gigging amp.

As I don’t gig currently, I’m contemplating selling it as it’s just taking up room and getting something smaller (maybe the TMDR), but I’d definitely have one again if needed. Would love to try the Super one day, but just for shits and giggles rather than any need for a 4x10!

TimmyO

Casting my mind back to when I heard newi playing his Twin one I remember it was a lovely room-filling sound - open back 2x12 will do that 

sw67

I am in Nashville watching bands all night and one of the best guitar tones I heard was a deluxe reverb tone master. I couldn’t see what pedals were being used but he had a few. Sound was really good in a band mix through PA

chrisj1602

sw67 said:

I am in Nashville watching bands all night and one of the best guitar tones I heard was a deluxe reverb tone master. I couldn’t see what pedals were being used but he had a few. Sound was really good in a band mix through PA

I gigged my TMDR with a HX Effects and also with individual pedals and it took either option very well.

lovestrat74

I have the same hankering for the Princeton. I only play at home. I prefer to plug in and play. Never gotten into pedals, too much faffing about. On paper the Princeton looks like the perfect amp for me.

TimmyO

I suspect being able to play a Blonde next to a regular TMDR is going to be nigh on impossible 

sw67

I saw John Bohlinger of Rig Rundown playing when I was on holiday. He was using a Blonde Twin Reverb Tonemaster. I have both a twin and deluxe valve version but after seeing both in a live situation I would consider the tonemaster. 

DrCornelius

sw67 said:

I saw John Bohlinger of Rig Rundown playing when I was on holiday. He was using a Blonde Twin Reverb Tonemaster. I have both a twin and deluxe valve version but after seeing both in a live situation I would consider the tonemaster. 

Love that guys playing. How was the gig ?

sw67

DrCornelius said:

sw67 said:

I saw John Bohlinger of Rig Rundown playing when I was on holiday. He was using a Blonde Twin Reverb Tonemaster. I have both a twin and deluxe valve version but after seeing both in a live situation I would consider the tonemaster. 

Love that guys playing. How was the gig ?

Probably the best band i saw in Nashville - made everything look easy and had a great sound.

stickyfiddle

Oh man I bet that was awesome! Bohlinger is a monster player, which obv doesn't come across in Rig Rundowns but he's worked with everybody and done a shitload of music director roles for various major productions in Nashville. 

DrCornelius

sw67 said:

DrCornelius said:

sw67 said:

I saw John Bohlinger of Rig Rundown playing when I was on holiday. He was using a Blonde Twin Reverb Tonemaster. I have both a twin and deluxe valve version but after seeing both in a live situation I would consider the tonemaster. 

Love that guys playing. How was the gig ?

Probably the best band i saw in Nashville - made everything look easy and had a great sound.

Awesome , very jealous