NAD on its way - Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb

[ataylor]

Great post!

I have gone back and forth on the Tone Master Deluxe Reverb ever since they came out, simply based on the physical footprint of the amp. A Deluxe Reverb is just bigger than I need for playing and recording at home. I really wish they made a Princeton-sized Tone Master.

The other amp I’ve been thinking about is the other one mentioned in the OP — the new Vibro Champ — but I just love the spring reverb sound of the Tone Master amps and the extra flexibility of the line out and attenuation.

I really think an aggressively priced Princeton Tone Master would quickly become a top seller.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by ataylor

Great post!

I have gone back and forth on the Tone Master Deluxe Reverb ever since they came out, simply based on the physical footprint of the amp. A Deluxe Reverb is just bigger than I need for playing and recording at home. I really wish they made a Princeton-sized Tone Master.

The other amp I’ve been thinking about is the other one mentioned in the OP — the new Vibro Champ — but I just love the spring reverb sound of the Tone Master amps and the extra flexibility of the line out and attenuation.

I really think an aggressively priced Princeton Tone Master would quickly become a top seller.

Well Fender does sell Princeton amps using a spiffy modeling technology called "tubes" that I'm told can closely imitate the sounds of the Tonemaster.

Seriously, I know the attraction of a handy nice line out and the same sound at different volumes rather than needing to play heed to the amps "sweet spot". For awhile I used a Fender Mustang V2 with a Princeton preset (I made a few more with different amps, but used the Princeton one the vast majority of the time, and had it set so that when I turned the amp on, there it was*). Worked pretty well**, and I have a mid-60s black panel Princeton for comparison.



*I like the Tonemaster line too from what I hear, but I still wonder at the human inability to resist tinkering with a device like a modeling amp with lots of options. There's no law that says you can't set it up to sound like a single amp, clean or with minimal effects, and make it the plug in, turn it on, play no-brainer device from that point on.


**Like a lot of modeling IMHO, it sounded like a Princeton but didn't feel exactly like playing a Princeton straight in guitar, cord, amp. Feel emulation seems to be improving since when my Mustang was made.

[ataylor]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

Well Fender does sell Princeton amps using a spiffy modeling technology called "tubes" that I'm told can closely imitate the sounds of the Tonemaster.

Seriously, I know the attraction of a handy nice line out and the same sound at different volumes rather than needing to play heed to the amps "sweet spot". For awhile I used a Fender Mustang V2 with a Princeton preset (I made a few more with different amps, but used the Princeton one the vast majority of the time, and had it set so that when I turned the amp on, there it was*). Worked pretty well**, and I have a mid-60s black panel Princeton for comparison.



*I like the Tonemaster line too from what I hear, but I still wonder at the human inability to resist tinkering with a device like a modeling amp with lots of options. There's no law that says you can't set it up to sound like a single amp, clean or with minimal effects, and make it the plug in, turn it on, play no-brainer device from that point on.


**Like a lot of modeling IMHO, it sounded like a Princeton but didn't feel exactly like playing a Princeton straight in guitar, cord, amp. Feel emulation seems to be improving since when my Mustang was made.

Ha — yeah, I haven't ruled out a Princeton... or a Mustang for that matter

But honestly, part of the draw of the Tone Master amps for me is the digital approach in a very traditional package. I love the aesthetics of the classic Fender amps, there's something just inspiring about the look. Conversely, I don't care for LED screens and multi-function effects knobs, even if I'm totally fine with (and might even prefer) solid state and digital amps in general.

The amp I have right now is a Vox Pathfinder 15R — it's a small solid state amp that somehow is capable of a lot of the hallmark tone from the Vox tube amps. It has the same aesthetics — the diamond grillcloth, the gold logo, the Vox-style control panel — it looks and sounds like a Vox should but in a small, lightweight, home/studio-friendly package. That's what I'm after with a Fender amp. I'd always thought that was the Princeton Reverb until the Tone Master series came along, then the new Vibro Champ seems to check a lot of boxes for me too, so who knows?!

[Song]

Congrats on the new in a box amp! I'm glad you like it.

[jonfields45]

BTW, I considered a Princeton, but my plan was to hand wire a kit. The problem is the 35 lbs. and my 64 years young...

[jonfields45]

I've had this amp long enough for the honeymoon to wear off. I've been practicing everyday using it and mostly my PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline. I am still quite amazed at how good it sounds.

A great electric guitar amp gives the instrument the engaging complexity I associate with an acoustic guitar. This one has it and as it's guts are an ARM PC and a switching power amp it will stay unchanged...as long as I resist a firmware update.

[Ray175]

I’ve had mine since end 2018. One of the best amps I’ve owned over 50 years of playing - and that includes 1964 AC30 Top Boost, 1965 Deluxe, various Princetons. Not only is the sound great but the weight, xlr out, three distinct IR voices and power attenuator are well worth having

[jonfields45]

After listening to a few YouTube videos on Fender Deluxe Reverbs I got it into my head to try the no bright cap firmware version. Clipping off that cap seems to be a mod that quite a few shops are making money doing. I had already updated the firmware to the version with the more gentle reverb engagement.

The quick story is I did not like it and went back in less than a day. However, I get my distortion by overdriving the amp, not with a pedal.

The longer story is I downloaded quite a few Fender schematics to figure out the history of that cap.

The videos might lead you to think it was something Fender added to the cheaper printed circuit board 65 Reissue but it was there all along on the vibrato channel. Compared to the Super Reverb which has a similar bass/treble tone stack with a switchable bright cap, the Super Reverb uses a 120 pF cap. The Deluxe has no cap on the normal channel and only 45 pF on the vibrato channel. The Twin Reverb also uses 120 pF. So to this EE it is definitely audible but must be a smaller impact than the switchable one on more expensive models.