Fender Tone Master Super Reverb - Does it stand up to the original?

The new Tone Master Super Reverb is a digital replication of the legendary tube amplifier with modern features like an output power attenuator and XLR IR cab sim output. It looks identical to the tube version, and even uses the same Jensen alnico speakers. How does it sound? Rather fantastic.

Intro 00:00
Intro song - 00:25
Dirty Strat tones - 01:31
Clean Strat & Reverb - 03:35
Roy Buchanan tone - 04:48
Ch 1 Dirty tones - 05:30
A/B comparison - 06:44

[greysuit]

Roy Buchanan!!! Such a great player and hardly mentioned. Excellent demo and great reference to an amazing guitarist.

[kevinhart]

Just got mine today and the amount of tones you get from this amp is shocking! Looove it!!!

[nikverschuren]

To my ears it still sounds digital, how would you compare them.

[hargoniyamaki]

In the Deluxe Reverbs, I bought a used Tone Master and later purchased a new '68 Silver Face Deluxe Reverb which I find to have a much more authentic tone, especially when some temperature comes into the tubes. Notably, recording on both amps, I noticed a much better tone on the '68 with an SM57 Beta mic than I could wring out of the Tone Master using many different mic placements and settings. The person who sold me the Tone Master didn't bond with it, I also sold it down the line. I see a good number of them available used, and that makes me feel buying the tube version might be a better choice. Still, the investment in the all-tube models is significant and could explain why they are seldom on the used market in my area as the loss would be more significant. So, if you want to try a Tone Master, buy a used one so you can cover your bases if you decide not to keep it.

[abradfordajb]

Very nice demo. Nice to hear some melodic riffing for a change rather than just another boring, mundane 'shred-o-rific' self-promo lick-fest. After much hemming and hawing, I am now officially totally sold on the TM amps.

[kevinhart]

Now I can sound like SRV without breaking the bank. Thanks Fender

[Bfordandafter]

Those Neo Jensens really take a long time to break in... helps immensely with the DR tonemaster once it has.

[mrblack]

some nice self promotion with the King Canyon tshirt 😎

[AndrewBanker]

Great video. Tonemaster amps sound great - but very different to the tube re-issues. I hear the same thing here with the Super. More mid-high frequencies, harder pick attack, and less complexity in the mids. It the mids where a tube amp shines. I gig with a Tonemaster Deluxe, mainly due to the weight. But if they weighed the same, there would be no debate.

[tomsnow]

Good demonstration but the reissue sounds miles better, it's not that the tone master sounds bad it sounds great but it just cant compete with that sound, it immediately sticks in your memory.