Fender ToneMaster Twin Reverb users

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Maybe I'm getting used to hearing it but today playing a Derby SD10 3X5, Sarno black box to Peavey Profex II into reverb channel of the ToneMaster Twin was a sound I have been seeking for ages. Sometimes things just go right. I have tried various outside gear and lots of knob settings trying get a tone that made me happy. Today it all came together for me. I've had trouble bonding with this amp because I didn't feel like it matched up with my real tube Twin Reverbs. That's no longer an issue. Anyone else found your magic formula with the ToneMaster Twin?

Dale Rivard · From: Ontario, Canada

Hi Larry, I've been using my Twin Tone Master on most gigs(except when adequate backline is provided) for about a year & a half and have been very happy with the results. It's loud, clean & has some of that Fender simmer that the tube amps have. My main amp before(& what I still use at home to record) is a 68 tube Twin. Even though I prefer the sound of the old, tube Twin, the Tone Master has some of that tube character & vibe. It's just not practical for me to haul and do road work with the heavy, vintage Twin. So, when I load up and leave the house, I grab the 33 lb Tone Master! lol Also, I have done a few in studio sessions with the Tone Master, and the producer, singer & myself were happy with what we were hearing.

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Dale, I'm still an old tube guy with 2 Twin and 2 Bassman amps plus a smattering of other Fenders and Peavey Tube amps. Still prefer that sound but honestly I was taken by how well this combination worked out. I just recently got a Quilter 202 head to go with my TT 12 in a separate cabinet. Good sounding unit but not a Twin.

Norman Evans · From: Tennessee

Larry, Here's some photos of my settings with an Emmons S10 PP with a BL705 and the Sesh 400. I believe this is the best sound I've ever had. Norm

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

I like mine so much that I got a second to leave at my house gig. I will say, though, that the attenuator knob notwithstanding, this amp is like a tube twin in that it really achieves optimal tone when you bring it up to a volume threshold: i.e., it sounds best when it gets a little loud. Must be some basic audio principle about moving air and speaker movement etc. That said, the TM Twin with the attenuator turned down to 22W or lower sound much better than a tube twin with the channel volume turned down below 4.

What really puts it over the top for me, though, is the excellent XLR out.

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Nice one Norm.
Dan, I totally agree on the volume being necessary. It makes a big difference. And the direct out is fantastic. Not saying it will be my favorite amp but it has potential and the weight is plus.

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

Agreed, Larry. When volume permits, I prefer using the 40w Marsh Melloverb Jr. I picked up last spring. But for roughly the same weight, the Tonemaster will cover me when I need the extra oomph.

Ideally, I'd take my '71 Twin to almost every gig. But: the wight! Oy vey, the weight!

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Dan,same here. I fire up the tube Twins every so often just to refresh my memory of that tone. But I won't carry them out of the house. Not even sure I can.

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

Black Box in front and attenuate to get the volume up to at least 5. It gets a nice growl.
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Little Walter PF-89.
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Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

If the Tone-Master were built in the USA I'd long since have gotten one. As it is, I've been satisfied with my Milkman PS-300 15" combo, but I do like two channels and I've been a Fender amp guy since the tweed era. I have a recent Twin-Reverb Custom 15 that hasn't gone to work in awhile, so I've ordered a head-cab for it.Pics to follow. Winking

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Right on the money Ken.
Dave, that custom should be a sweet amp. I've considered making a head cab for one of my twins.

Bob Watson · From: Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

I just picked up a Tone Master Deluxe and I like it a lot. It's 6 lbs lighter than the TM Twin which was a big selling point for me. I played an outdoor gig at a county fair where we were all mic'd up and it handled our stage volume really well and the XLR out sounded great. The next gig I played was a small club and the band played at a lot lower volume than we usually do. It wasn't quite as warm as it had been at the lower volume on the 1st set, but I set the attenuator to 12 watts on the 2nd set and that did the trick. I've had it for about a month now and I'm really glad I bought it.

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Cool Bob. I would love to try the Deluxe reverb but then I already have a reissue Deluxe reverb. Since it's not too bad to handle I will stick with it. I believe Jim Cohen was using the Tonemaster Deluxe reverb and a few others. Does it stay clean at higher volumes?

Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

I bought a TM Twin for a gig that I play once a month when I play steel and Tele. I play steel thru the Normal side with either a Holy Grail or a Lexicon reverb in front and Tele thru the vibrato/reverb side. I have had it long enough that I have tweaked the Normal side to where it is now my favorite steel anp on any gig, Tele or not. I get as good a tone out of it as my beloved Peaveys.
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Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Clyde, I do the same. The normal side is very good and with a reverb or delay it can handle steel or 6 strings.

Bob Watson · From: Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

Larry, I don't recall having it up past 5 or 6 but it was very clean at that volume. It seems to have plenty of headroom and it sounded great at an outdoor county fair gig we played at where everything was mic'd up. I had great clean tone, plenty of headroom, and the XLR out sounded excellent! Of course the Twin would be a lot louder, but the band I play in doesn't play all that loud and I have a Tube Fender Twin Custom or a Peavey Session 400 that I could use if I really wanted lots of volume. I very rarely play that loud so I chose the TM Deluxe, but I believe it'll be able to handle all of the gigs I play.

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Bob thanks for the reply. Sounds like the Deluxe does a respectable job.I favor the Twin reverb since I was familiar with my old tube Twins. I bought a Deluxe reverb reissue years back and never really bonded with it. It's a fine guitar amp but didn't satisfy my tastes for steel. I rarely use it. I have seen the Deluxe used at a couple steel shows and the user sounded great. Maybe it was just my playing that didn't make the mark. Lol.

Bob Watson · From: Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

Larry, I haven't played a six string guitar through the TM Deluxe yet but I have played guitar through the TM Twin and I liked it a lot and thought it sounded really close to a tube Twin Reverb. Having said that, I have played guitar through reissue Deluxe Reverbs and vintage Deluxe Reverbs and I doubt that they would have the headroom to handle a pedal steel. For some reason the TM Deluxe seems to have more headroom than the reissue Deluxe or a vintage Deluxe. I have been playing pedal steel through a Roland Cube 60 for the last 15 years or so and the TM Deluxe was a definite improvement and weighed 8 lbs less. The TM Twin has a little bigger cabinet and weighed the same as the Roland does, so I went for the lighter option and feel it's an overall improvement. Both my ears and my back are very happy about my choice. The TM Twin would be a great choice too, but I have a Custom Twin Reverb with a 15" speaker in it so if I think that I might need more headroom, I can always lug it out. I might have gone with the TM Twin if I didn't have other options for when I needed a really loud amp. So far, the TM Deluxe is doing a great job handling every gig I've played with it.

Dave Stagner · From: Minnesota, USA

I'm using a TM Deluxe for pedal steel and really like it, but headroom is limited, for sure. I normally run the volume at just under 4, but there's some noticeable crunch if I hit it hard. I have to keep it under 3 to be completely clean. This is fine with me, because I want things a little crunchy - I'm going for a sort of cosmic/outlaw country live sound. And I can get as much volume as I think I'll ever need by just turning up the power scaling.

I've played with the TM Twin and it definitely feels cleaner and, well, bigger. I was actually looking for a Twin when I got a good deal on this Deluxe, but the Deluxe is working great for me so I'm in no hurry to change.
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1967 ZB D-10
1990 OMI Dobro
Recording King lap steel with Certano benders

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Bob thanks.
Dave, I'm glad the deluxe is working out for you. The Twin has that extra power I enjoy. I have several different types of amps from large to small for my playing. But I keep the Tonemaster Twin in the running. It's not perfect but capable of a satisfying performance when set correctly.

Dave Stagner · From: Minnesota, USA

Listening to a recording of our gig the other day, where the pedal steel wasn't going through the PA at all, I'm really, really happy with this ZB steel/Tone Master Deluxe combo! I don't expect to have a good, natural picture of what the audience hears from my little seat, but what was projecting out was really nice!

I've been talking to someone about trading the ZB for a Sierra, but I mentioned this after the gig, and a couple of different people said I'd be crazy to give up the ZB. It just sounds SO good.
_________________
I don’t believe in pixie dust, but I believe in magic.

1967 ZB D-10
1990 OMI Dobro
Recording King lap steel with Certano benders

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Dave that has to make you feel good. Nothing beats a pleasing sound.

Dave Stagner · From: Minnesota, USA

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Big Jim Murphy and Redd Volkaert is a wonderful schooling on how a band should sound. Not only the steel tone but the sound and style of Redd on that Telecaster is my desired guitar tone. That's some fine music for listening.

Dave Stagner · From: Minnesota, USA

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