Fender Tonemaster Twin users

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Now that the honeymoon period is over, how many still love this amp? I find the Reverb is useless. With a Boss RV 3 and Jack Stoners suggested settings I get a decent tone and enjoy it. Without a outboard reverb or delay it's not so great. I'm looking for other users opinion and options.

Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

I have been using mine since 5-20. I am not gigging but still love this amp and use it every day.

Brooks Montgomery · From: Idaho, USA

I love mine. I haven't done the reverb upgrade yet, don't mind the reverb for a lot of my stuff--but I also have a small pedal board that I use on the left channel: Nuenabar Wet Reverb, Boss DD,and Boss Blues driver.

It's the best and most useful amp I've ever owned. I've got a collection of some nice amps (tube and SS), but they all stay in storage. The TM is my practice amp, and gigging amp. Pedal, lap, guitar, and blues harp.

Important to note that I am not a pro, but a hobbyist gigger with local bands at local bars, events, parties, jams etc.

If it were to evaporate, I wouldn't look for something else, I'd go right back and buy another.
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A banjo, like a pet monkey, seems like a good idea at first.

Jerry Van Hoose · From: Wears Valley, Tennessee

Hello Larry, Did you install the reverb software update from Fender? A few months ago, I installed the reverb software update on mine and find the reverb very usable on about 3 along with a little delay from a Strymon DIG Digital Delay. My settings are very close to Rick Heins suggestions with the attenuator set to either 22 or 40 watts.

Dan Beller-McKenna · From: Durham, New Hampshire, USA

My assessment comes in three separate chronological stages. Let me preface this by saying I don't use the onboard reverb on any of my amps, including my '71 Twin and my DRRI. I always use a stomp box.

I bought this amp in November 2019. I liked it okay at first, but felt it needed at least one real speaker to sound good. I swapped a Celestion Vintage 30 for one of the Jensen neos, and was pretty happy with it for the couple of gigs I got to use it on. Too little sample size, though, to make a firm commitment to it before everything shut down in March 2020.

During the lock-down, I took up recording to pass the time and stay sane. The TM Twin proved invaluable for its XLR out. I was extremely happy with it for the next fifteen or so months as a recording amp. Still, I wasn't fully committed; wanted to hear it in action a little more, and unsure of the value of the amp for gigging with the extra 5-6 lbs of the Celestion in there.

I started playing out regularly again early in July. I've played about ten gigs, and used the TM Twin on most of them. After a few, I was pleased with it. I even brought it to a couple where I would have normally brought my heavier '71 Twin set up. At this point I decided it was time to see what it "really" sounded like in action, so I put the other Jensen neo back in, bringing it back down to 33lbs. I have played another four gigs with it and like it more and more. It's a keeper!

To be clear, it will never sound quite as good as my '71 Twin head through my Peavey/JBL 15 in a closed back cab--but neither has any other amp I've owned. I also probably slightly prefer my DRRI (which sounds really nice with the NOS RCA power tubes in there; thanks Bill Rasch!!). But sometimes I want the bigger sound of the twin, and the TM Twin sounds like a twin. There is a fullness to the overall tone and a punch to the bottom end that I don't sense from a single 12. I don't always need that sound, but when I feel that I do need it, the TM Twin has it.

At 33lbs (less that the DRRI or the 71 Twin head alone) and with a handy XLR out to the board, it will definitely be in the regular rotation.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Can't help but wonder how many will be in a landfill within a few years when 50-60 year-old silverface Twins and 40-50 year-old 400s are still deliverin' the goods.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Jack,
Amen to that! Very Happy

Erv

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

My old twin reverbs (2) won't be in a landfill cause I can't carry them out of my basement.
Jerry, I have yet to do the update but I will. I would love to make the internal reverb usable.
Dan, my DRRI left me less than impressed, but I haven't tried tube swapping or tone tweaking updates. I have an old JBL D120 and a vintage Celestion 30 waiting to be tried. The Tonemaster Twin is especially handy for me doing Telecaster and pedal steel work. I use a pedalboard for the Tele. I'm glad to hear some feedback on this because it seems to be less of an item on the forum. I went to the Oklahoma steel show and hoped to see other players using one. Not any did. The Peavey Nashville 112 or the 400 was still a favorite. Some Telonics and one Fender Steel King was used.

Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

Jack and Erv, what is your reasoning that you think these amps are not going to last and end up in landfill? I have read that a lot but have not read of any real reliability issues so far.

Jerry Van Hoose · From: Wears Valley, Tennessee

Larry, the reverb update made it very usable for me. Now, if needed, I can turn it up to 4 without using any outboard effects, just guitar, volume pedal and amp and get a good sound. By the way, my wife is very computer literate and installed the update for me in a matter of 2 or 3 minutes.She said it was easy but Iâ€™m afraid it was beyond my expertise.ðŸ˜‚

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Thanks Jerry. I have no problem with software updates and computers. I will take care of that and see how it does. Glad to hear you can go to 4. I can't stand the reverb above 1.5 like it is.

Larry Beem · From: Iowa, USA

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Mine almost made it this year. Lol

Scott Akers · From: Texas, USA

Larry, I've had mine about a year and a half. Been using it since venues have reopened in my area and I'm quite happy with the sound. Telecaster and lap steel in one side and pedal steel in the other. Run updated reverb around 3 but also use a carbon copy delay and Sarno earth drive on some songs. Sounds as good to me as when I was playing through my twin or Peacey LTD. Not the same sound but a great sound on its own. Tonemaster twin is now my go to amp for gigs.
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Carter D-10, Magnatone MOTS, Fender SFTR, Fender TMTR, LTD 400

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Thanks Scott. I do well with the pedals and normal channel. Gotta go with the updated software on the reverb. Sounds like a serious improvement.

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

Works okay for me.
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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes

C. Jason Pierce · From: Tennessee, USA

I bought a brand spanking new Tone Master twin today and decided to go with the Blonde version since I liked it better with a Strat guitar. The music store had both the black and blonde models and they sounded quite different due to the Jensen vs Celestion speakers.

Iâ€™m very happy with the blonde and to me it sounds way better than my old Peavey Nashville 112. But I wonder if the black or blonde tone master sounds best with pedal steel. Has anybody compared directly?

Also do you know if itâ€™s possible to load the black firmware into the blonde amp in order to use a Jensen speaker IR for the line out on a blonde amp?

It would be cool if Fender would offer a firmware version that would allow the 1/2 XLR switch to swap between speaker models instead of between mic models.

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

My info was that the Celestion speakers were geared more toward the R&R sound, and the Jensens are a better fit for steel guitar.

Joseph Napolitano · From: New Jersey, USA

Had a TM Twin for a week. Used it on one gig. Couldn't dial in a decent sound. Returned it . Happily resumed using Silverfaces. Split the Twin into Rick Johnson cabs.

David Spires · From: Millersport, OH

I love mine!

David Spires
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2021 MSA Legend XL 10&7; Asher Electro-Hawaiian Junior Lap Steel; '79 OMI Dobro 66 w/ Scheerhorn cone and setup; '64 Hand-wired Re-issue Fender Princeton Reverb

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

David Spires, do you use yours with both guitar and steel?

David Spires · From: Millersport, OH

Lap Steel, Guitar, Pedal Steel... whatever I happen to be doing.
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2021 MSA Legend XL 10&7; Asher Electro-Hawaiian Junior Lap Steel; '79 OMI Dobro 66 w/ Scheerhorn cone and setup; '64 Hand-wired Re-issue Fender Princeton Reverb

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Thanks David. I just finished updating the reverb software and it drastically improved the ability to use that. Now I have to tweak my tone settings as it seems to be darker with the update.

Anthony Parish · From: Austin

I love my Tone Master Twin. I don't use much reverb, but the reverb sounds good and, what's the word... Natural. I haven't gigged with the amp. I use it in my practice room at low wattage. I don't worry about leaving it on for hours and hours and hours like I would with a tube amp. I'll go out and get a sandwich and leave it on the whole time. I don't worry about hum or buzz or weird microsonic tube noises. Sometimes my old tube amps felt like little nuclear reactors, running hot and drawing a heavy load. Not this light little Twin. I believe I will end up in landfill long before this amp. Maybe someone will play it at my funeral. I bet it will sound good, with just a little reverb.

Willem Langeveld · From: California, USA

I love mine. In fact I plan to sell my NV112. Anyone in the SF Bay Area interested, let me know.

Willy.
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Dekley S12 5-4 with Alumitone PU, Telonics Pro volume pedal, Peterson StroboPlus HD tuner, Peavey Nashville 112 with Strymon Big Sky reverb or Headrush Pedalboard with my own pedal steel patch, or Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb with Strymon Big Sky through the normal channel.

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