Blues Jr. or Tone Master?

[Kbonger]

After getting my new Les Paul and Strat I'm feeling the need for a new amp.

Short list is Tweed Blues Jr. and a Tone Master.

I have Fender Play that offers 10% off and free shipping so there's that. Also, I like the look of those "chicken head" knobs.

Any ideas before I pull the trigger?

[ataylor]

Do you have any other amps? What tone are you after?

I feel like the Blues Junior leans a bit to the warmer side of the Fender tonal spectrum, with more midrange and earlier breakup (compared to the 22W Deluxe Reverb). It has a master volume if that’s important to you — some people like that feature on a tube amp, others don’t.

I think the biggest questions come down to what the Blues Junior doesn’t have — it doesn’t have tremolo, and it doesn’t have that signature 60s-style Fender reverb, at least not in the same quantity and quality as one of the mid-60s reissue combos. It has a smaller tank, and the latest version of the Blues Junior — the IV — tones down the reverb a bit more still, based on my limited experience and some reviews.

It really comes down to what type of Fender tone you are looking for. If you love the signature mid-60s Fender tone from amps like the Deluxe, Twin, and Princeton Reverbs, with that glassy clear tone and luscious reverb and tremolo, the Blues Junior may not meet those standards. But if you’re after a versatile tube amp that checks enough of the Fender boxes, the Blues Junior is an incredibly popular amp and justifiably so.

A couple other options to consider if you haven’t already…

Roland’s Blues Cube Hot is their take on the Blues Junior but with some of the same approach as the Tone Master amps. They get great reviews and come in at a lower price point. Could be a nice middle ground between the amps you mentioned.

The new Vibro Champ Reverb that Fender came out with gets you more of that signature 60s tone but in a smaller package than the Deluxe — like the Blues Junior, it’s tube-driven, but it has really nice tube tremolo and lush reverb. The reverb is digital, but I suspect if you’re considering the Tone Master, that’s not a deal-breaker.

I’ve been on the fence with the Tone Master Deluxe as well — I keep going back and forth between it and the 65 Princeton and now the new 68 Vibro Champ. The reason I don’t have the Blues Junior on my list is because I love the mid-60s tone, reverb, and tremolo — and because I have a little Vox P15R that checks the warm tone box.

Good luck!

[ataylor]

Also, you may be able to do better than 10 percent off from a retailer like Guitar Center, Musician’s Friend, or Sweetwater — or a local shop if they have what you want in stock. You’ll typically have to call to get the best discounts.

Some folks mention getting 15% off from Musician’s Friend plus their 8% back in rewards credits if you have an account/profile with them (free) — that could be a nice route.

[rmp]

I've had both (infact 2 blues Jrs, there are better amps out there for the money fender gets for these IMHO).


which Tone Master are you looking at
Deluxe?
Twin
Super Reverb?

either way, I'd take any of them over the Blues Jr.

I have a blonde deluxe, I love it, GREAT amp, the power attenuator is the bomb. The blonde is the way to go too out of the box, the reverb is better, and the bright mod is definitely the way to go if you're using OD pedals

you can make the black one = the blonde, but requires firmware updates.

I'd skip that and go right to the blonde if the Deluxe is the choice

the best part, it's feather light! Really! I have les pauls w/case that are almost heavier.

[Steve DeRosa]

If you're thinking Blues Junior (or any variation on the Deluxe Reverb theme) you need to check out one of these - IME the best $400 you'll ever spend on an amp:



https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...tube-combo-amp

[Jeff Scott]

I've got a TM; love it!



If you are open to other suggestions (aren't we all, always?) try a Swart.

http://swartamps.com

[BoneDigger]

Have you considered a Bassbreaker 15? It's worth looking into.

[Kbonger]

This stuff is awesome so far andd I'm really enjoying looking at all these ideas.

I have a Strat American Pro 2 and a Les Trad V mahogany. My amp is a new 20 watt Behringer. I've only been playing 6 months so I'm still trying different settings, tones, etc.

So far, I like the look of the Fender tone master twin blond. There's just enough room under my desk to fit it in there.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Kbonger

...So far, I like the look of the Fender Tone Master Twin blond. There's just enough room under my desk to fit it in there.

I've been seriously considering one of these for a while now - my '65 Super RI sounds wonderful, but at 65 pounds it's a bear to haul around (I'm not getting any younger) and, while I like the tone of a "big" combo with multiple speakers, I also don't do as many big gigs as I once did and don't always need the raw power of a Super/Twin. FYI the first high-power amp I ever saw was a blonde/oxblood Fender "Twin-Amp" (pre-reverb) at a schoolyard dance in 1964, and I thought it was the coolest-looking amp in creation then and now - but with good examples costing over $10K (they didn't make many of them - I've seen more Bandmaster/Showman amps from this period than Twins), not to mention the weight, it's not likely I'll be scoring an original; I have, however, seen some guys do a " '63 job" on the blonde TM Twins (flat aluminum logo, creme barrel knobs) - looks almost exactly like the real deal, and it'd make the perfect complement to my double-cut White Falcon...

[jonfields45]

I have had my ToneMaster Deluxe over a month now and the honeymoon continues. I think it sounds better than a Blues Jr. The backside power knob is a big feature for me.

As an EE, I like the idea that it will be consistent as it has no grid biased power tubes (preamp tubes are always cathode biased which is a form of negative feedback and pretty bullet proof) to drift off from factory settings.

As a 64 year old man I love the light weight and it is going places where only a modeling pedal into the PA would have gone before.

I gave my duo partner a modeling amp years ago. Not a bad amp, but full of options that he's never really mastered and honestly did not work for me either. To me the sensible options today are one amp that you understand and really works, or a higher end pedal such as a Line6 HX Stomp and a FRFR speaker. Even with the pedal it helps to choose one amp model and figure out how to make that one sound great.

I've sold my HX Stomp... I have retained a Mustang Micro where the Fender Deluxe model and Spring Reverb are not as good as the ToneMaster, but useful at times.

[ataylor]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

I have, however, seen some guys do a " '63 job" on the blonde TM Twins (flat aluminum logo, creme barrel knobs) - looks almost exactly like the real deal, and it'd make the perfect complement to my double-cut White Falcon...

This sounds rad. Any photos of these mods by chance?

[rmp]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

I have had my ToneMaster Deluxe over a month now and the honeymoon continues. I think it sounds better than a Blues Jr. The backside power knob is a big feature for me.

it's one of the amps best features IMHO. That and the excellent sounding reverb and tremolo.

with the attenuator you can get that classic deluxe spank with out the volume that the tube version would be pushing, GREAT for recording mic'd.

you can do silent recording too, the emulated DI out does a pretty good job, but the attenuator is not active.

I've been using it in the recent recording work I've been doing with my band.

it takes pedals very nicely too. so any good OD/Delay/Compressor,, just drop it in front of the put,,.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by ataylor

Roland’s Blues Cube Hot is their take on the Blues Junior but with some of the same approach as the Tone Master amps. They get great reviews and come in at a lower price point. Could be a nice middle ground between the amps you mentioned.

I'm going to second this one. Had a Blues Jr that served me well for a bunch of years. It needed an overhaul and I had it done and then A/B ed it with the Roland, and for me the Roland came out on top. Great warm tones, different power levels, no more replacing of tubes and such. Just another thought...
Good luck with your decision!

[raysachs]

Another Blues Jr owner who now has a Roland Blues Cube Hot. I liked the sound of the Blues Jr but it really needed to be played loud to get the best out of it. The Roland Blues Cubes all have attenuators that go as low as half a watt. I almost never play mine above 5 watts, often at 0.5 watt. Very similar to the Tonemaster conceptually - one amp modeled really well. Great sound with traditional controls… I might check out a Tonemaster too, if they ever do a Princeton version, but all the current models are just too physically large for my space. The Blues Jr and Blues Cube Hot are the right size for me.

-Ray

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by ataylor

This sounds rad. Any photos of these mods by chance?

If you're on FB, check out the Fender Deluxe Reverb Appreciation Society - there's more than a few with the TM Deluxe, and a couple with the Twin as well last I looked...