Does The Fender Tone Master Pro Live Up to the Hype?

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Well, I bought one.
00:00 Unboxing
1:37 Issues of Size
1:44 Like a Quad Cortex Mated a Helix
2:34 What I like About It
2:58 My First Loop (actually second, I did one off camera to test)
6:35 First Impressions
7:20 Form Factor is NICE
7:46 ‪@LeonTodd‬ made a good point
8:00 The biggest problem with it right now
8:20 Most Powerful Modeler - but you won't notice it
9:00 SCREEN looks pretty amazing
9:40 But I don't think it sounds as good as the Quad Cortex did?
10:00 I'm not blown away by the tones to be honest?
11:09 I wouldn't sell a Quad Cortex for this
12:20 NOT an ideal first modeler
13:27 First time plugging it in
13:38 BOOT Time
14:16 It is actually on now
22:22 Friedman BE Model
23:39 Closer look at the Cab Block EQ
27:32 Can it Mayer
27:50 Can it Eric
28:29 EVH Stealth
30:03 What else is available?
/ johnnathancordy get my lesson tabs and backing tracks here
www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnath... - if you like what I do and
only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!
Get my PADs bundle here: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr... (this folder will grow, and I'd encourage you to ask for different keys/songs and stuff that might suit this type of preset?)
I've decided to make it possible to grab both my Helix/HX Stomp bundles (the expression bundle with freeze presets has always been separate) together - www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr... - I will then email you a link to both bundles!
Try my general patches for Helix or HX Stomp in this bundle using this link - I will then send out the patches! www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
You can get my EXPRESSION patches in this bundle using this link - I will then send out the patches! www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
Try my patches for Pod GO using this link - I will then send out the patches! www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
/ johnnathancordy get my backing tracks here
www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnath... - if you like what I do and
only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!

[@willgoodfellow3144]

John, in a world of paid for promotion and videos which are just glorified adverts, your channel is a breath of fresh air. Thanks for your honest take on the fender tone master pro.

[@LIKEFUNK]

Don't lose sight of the fact that anyone getting paid or supported by any particular brand product, can also throw a subtle red herring to give a less than favourable review for their main supporter of any competitors product.

[@tabletmanager1490]

This should be the only kind of demo that should be allowed. Hate paid reviews as you cant always distinguish wich is paid or not.

[@DaviSiqueiraSilva]

​@@LIKEFUNKAgreed. But if you followed up John's work for long enough you'd see that's not the case with him.

[@JamesFlorio-ti8gc]

You took the words 😂 right out of my brain lol John is not only a expert at these units but like me, I feel he is actually open to new things with limited reservations. If it's great he will show you, if it isn't he will show you... In real world application

[@mchalespermanentbrew]

It’s bizarre that John wouldn’t be Fenders first choice for them to demo this given he’s probably the most knowledgeable player on YT when it comes to modellers. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Teletex82]

I think all of these modelers are extremely close to each other soundwise. Pretty much ndistinguishable in a band mix. I think what it boils down to is which workflow works best for you. In my case i really like how intuitive the TM Pro looks, for my preference.

[@mortonwilson795]

This thing is EVERYWHERE! On my YT page - there were 5 screens in a row and a few more above and below! Talk about a co-ordinated media blitz. Enjoying the vid - I tend to avoid the retailer ones and the 'excited and yelly' individuals . . . look forward to a 'how do I feel after a few weeks' follow-up and comparison with the other ones you work with. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Whoa! You got one fast! Can’t wait to watch this! Cuuuuuuute baby! What a great time! My babies are in HighSchool now. I miss those little baby guys.

[@southwestshooters]

John, this dude is a MONSTEROUS player. I hope you realise you are in the presence of a beast. I think this unit sounds great!!!!

[@BigHairyGuitars]

@@southwestshooters Thanks southwest, but I think that exact thing every time I hear John play. So good, AND you can tell there's a low key hidden rocker under that calm fusion awesomeness. 😁🤘

[@southwestshooters]

@@BigHairyGuitars well, I can certainly vouch for that Michael as I have jammed with John and I typically end up not sure if I should keep playing. It's lovely to converse with you, your tone and playing is top tier.

[@derrickmickle5491]

THIS was the review I was waiting for! Tons of useful insights and comparisons (vs. Line 6 Helix, Quad Cortex, Kemper and Fractal) from someone who is a true expert in using modelers. Great first impression video. I'm in the "benefit of the doubt" phase with this product and purchased the unit. Just from watching the videos I feel like I already know how to operate this. Making things simple and intuitive is hard, thoughtful work that should not be discounted as "aimed at beginners"--pros benefit too! I've had a Line 6 HX Stomp, a Helix floor model, and the Helix Native software for years and still feel intimidated when I use it. I don't feel I use them to their full potential. The skeuomorphism of the Fender TMP helps a lot with reducing the number of things you have to keep track of in your head (cognitive load) and making the product feel familiar and easy to use out of the box. I hoping Line 6 continues in the skeuomorphic direction it's started to with the Pod Go. And a touch screen would be nice. And a phone/tablet app. Out of the gate, Fender got these things right. Fender wouldn't risk putting serious resources and effort in this product without a game plan to eventually dominate as the #1 or #2 player in this segment. This is Fenders "minimum viable product", the least feature packed product they could release without risking ridicule and brand cred. The specs on this product would suggest that this device is capable of much more than what's being shown at launch. I'm looking forward to how the Fender TMP will evolve and how it will push the competition to up their game as well. UPDATE: Purchased the TMP along with the companion Fender FR-12 cabinet. I've had several hours to play with it. It's pretty impressive, especially when used with the desktop app. Only took 10 minutes before I felt like I was navigating it like a pro. It is stupid easy to use. I'm a massive Smiths fan, and for ages I have been chasing the tremolo sound of "How Soon Is Now?". To see it as a stock preset (46 How Late Is Then?) made me literally squeal and jump joy! 🤣 Fender put a LOT of thought into the user experience. Easily the most friction-free modeler I've ever used. Still need to A-B test it with the Helix and work through the initial excitement of the first few weeks of the honeymoon period before I can be objective about it. Still, I haven't felt this excited about a product in several years.

[@error8418]

It's so refreshing to hear any unbiased opinions on a new product. I'm tired of KZbin being flooded with videos by the usual suspects every time new gear gets released. This has to be the best channel for anything related to modellers.

[@RobertNolan]

This unit does look very easy to use, I like that, but there's a huge shadow looming over it that anyone, who's used Fender digital stuff, already knows. The sole concern I have for anyone who buys this is Fender's notorious lack of software support. The GTX line has not gotten any type of update since November '21; it came out in January '20. At 1/3 the price of this unit, people have bought a product that was essentially abandoned in software. What happens when Fender disables the ability to use an app, like my Super Champ X2? For most people it'll be face value when that happens, unless someone creates a third party app to support it.

[@timotheusmiller]

Learned a new word. And a good one! Skeuomorphism. Thanks!

[@derrickmickle5491]

@@RobertNolan Fair point. Anyone remember the Fender Mustang Floor? LOL I would be surprised if they abandoned such an expensive device, but their track record doesn't inspire confidence.

[@nickw1284]

I don't think they'll dominate the market. I'm a Fender Guitar fan-got two USA Strats. They're very late to the market and this product is expensive. I expect to see some 'lite' versions along the way to entice youngsters and financially challenged - aren't we all at the moment! They'll lose market share until they can offer a version in every segment.

[@jerryhorton5708]

JNC is my trusted source for all things modeling. His patches and advice are always immensely helpful

[@AdamBennettInc]

so glad that you got one of these, looking forward to more videos from you after applying the firmware update/as you get to know the unit better.

[@iam607]

I had to go ahead and subscribe bro. Your consistency and quality are commendable. You pumpin these videos out like a beast!!! How are you this productive and the videos are still top notch?! Much respect

[@GoogiPaw1]

I never used the capture function or profiling in any of my other devices so overall this is more convenient, intuitive, portable and sounds as good as my Kemper or Quad Cortex. They all have more options than I would EVER use.

[@bobbyhancock3347]

My thoughts exactly!

[@GrayGhostDog1]

These are exactly the same thoughts I have… I think the form-factor and UI is spot-on for my use cases. I much prefer that any foot/expression pedals are separate and optional from the unit. Similarly, the frfr speaker is an optional accessory and not an all-in-one type system.

[@msvapehead]

One thing thats nice about this is they don’t try to give you sooooo many things to choose you can get lost in all the options instead of playing the guitar. Changing parameters is so much more intuitive.

[@MarcusFHurt]

Awesome Video...As a QC, Helix, Headrush and Boss owner...who does not own a single amp or pedal, I just placed an order for this Fender and cannot wait to get it. For me it's 100% UI and scribble strip that sold me on this unit. I won't be selling any of my other modelers, just hoping this unit is simple enough for me to actually enjoy building presets. We will see.

[@antonymaitlandsmith8758]

A good honest first impression from someone who has a lot of experience with modellers, so thank you. As someone who hasn’t used a modeller before but is thinking about it, first impressions are important. It does appear very intuitive to use. Looking forward to seeing your updates and if it grows on you over the coming weeks.

[@mftran]

The best demo I've seen of this by far. You're getting great tones out of it. This unit will absolutely be a big contender in the modeling world.

[@jasong546]

I am not knowledgeable about these and I had a tough time with the hx stomp, so this is fascinating and well done for sure. Great job John.

[@BillySoundFarm]

Dang, you getting close to 100,000 subs. I feel like when I found you you're at 17,000 or something like that. Great work!

[@Mr_Ashley]

Knew I could rely on your channel for a proper review! Was happy to see this pop in my feed 🤘👍

[@stratos1975]

I've been waiting for this video. I ordered mine Monday. I sold a bunch of stuff to get it. I hope it's worth it!

[@DAKINCUSTOMAUDIO]

Bro - this is what we needed! Thanks for being real man - great insight and playing as always🤘

[@rayfletcher9017]

I'm looking forward to when you've had the time to deep dive into this unit, and make your own presets, snapshots (if possible with this unit)... You made it sound good right out of the box, and we all know with your ear, and a bit of tweaking, the sounds will be awesome!

[@Mikel_Palero]

In this video alone, you deserve so much more subscribers. Super well done.

[@michaelgriffin5304]

Man I am so tired of seeing these videos everywhere already. That being said, your review was very well done. I can't see myself getting one of these unless I were in a very, very specific scenario. Subbed!

[@GerryBlue]

Yeah, Fender marketing sure went all out, handing out these like candy, and of course, no one that gets $1,700 free will say anything bad about it. I'm not the market segment for this, but as with movies and tv shows, I'll wait for the users reviews.

[@Chrs.towper]

Agree with most of your comments. There are other brands that have been in the modelling and capture/profiling world for a while and fender has a lot of catching up to do. Although, for someone looking for their first modeller, I think the TM pro's UI itself makes this a great choice. As a former fractal and quad cortex user, I found this easier to use. It's a steep price for most people though but is it worth it? Too early to tell.

[@dukbtr]

This is not Fender's first modeling unit. They had the Fender Mustang Floor which came out in 2012.

[@sordel5866]

My concern is that Yamaha/Line 6 has had an age to work on something better. If their flagship is quickly superseded by other manufacturers then Fender will either have to abandon it or replace it with another product. I think this is more competition in the marketplace, which is great news for consumers but not necessarily for Fender customers.

[@Chrs.towper]

@@dukbtrwhat I actually mean was, for a user who's looking for their first modeller. 🙂

[@davidforman6191]

Has the firmware update added any more amps etc?

[@DavesGuitarGear]

The thing is because they are software based, as long as the product has plenty of processing power, and the company puts in the support for the device then they have something which is relatively future proof and they can regularly address and refine the UI and the sound. Look at how long the helix has been out and because of its power and the continued updates from line6 it is better sounding than ever. It does look like this fender has plenty of processing power to move forward, let’s just hope Fender are going to put the ongoing support for it. I do really really like the look of this pedal.

[@paulshedden1404]

Loved the video - nice job. The Mission Engineering co branded and custom painted expression pedal is an obvious add on. The built in toe switch can be used to switch between volume and wah for example or switch one or more effects on/off. Will open up the control and creative power of the Tone Master Pro. The Mission SP1-TMP has a mono wired toe switch, that is needed

[@organic6299]

Thanks for the short review, John. Hopefully more to come from you here with the new 7ender. Yesterday Greg Koch on Wildwood Guitars YTube did some tunes, too.

[@josephbecerra9211]

Great video from an impartial point of view. I look forward to the next sets of videos comparing this to the other modelers. Keep in mind capturing technology is different than modeling technology and the fender was never marketed as having that ability to capture as the idea is that component modeling is better than capturing. I wonder how this might work in conjunction with the fender FR-12 that's kinda what I'm thinking of doing

[@jamproject9]

First minute of playing says everything , inspiration should be a huge deciding factor. Well done Fender.

[@Jonw8222]

One of the things that brought me to your channel was your blind tests. Would love an EJ tone blind test with this vs Fractal, QC, Helix, Ampero II etc. It could be any tone but yeah.. if you could find the time for that.. it would tell a lot. I've been unconvinced by the tones so far but love the UI. I was happy to see this video as it shows I'm not alone in some of my first impressions. Really good point about the UI making it sound better because we can see the amp knobs and it makes it feel more real (without necessarily sounding more real) but I think a blind test with no UI.. just seeing you play the same thing through different devices would tell a lot. The song isn't important, as long as you tweak each device to sound best (to your ear). The other thing about this is the price.. it really needs to sound good especially if it doesn't have capture technology. Maybe with some tweaks on a custom preset it could sound awesome? But it'd be nice to see that put to the test and blind tests are awesome for taking out our biases.

[@mchalespermanentbrew]

Absolutely refreshing to see an actual proper review/demo of this. It’s been nauseating to see the usual YT clique gushing over this. Obviously it’s to be expected that the retailers will big this up as it’s in their interest to do so, but some of the YT crowd reviewing this, should be ashamed of themselves for being a part of such a massive corporate marketing push. I’m sure some would sell the own children to get in bed with Fender. Will be interesting to see how many of them continue to use it over the next couple of months ( particularly the ones who don’t use modellers). That’s not to say I’m not gassing for one and for the most part it seems to be moving in the right direction. However, your review reminds me that none of the modellers are really just plug n play and all of them require a certain element of ‘deep diving’, which is where I get off, as anything I have to scroll in, through, up and down with instantly kills my muse and leaves me running back to my little Blackstar amped 2 set up.. Thanks for putting this out so quickly, you may have just saved me £1650 😏🙏🎸

[@tossedpenny]

Haven't really heard enough yet to make a decision on the overall sounds and tones, but definitely like the user interface experience with the appearance and usability of the big touchscreen. I'm interested in a deep dive on the reverbs in the unit to see if we have anything like the dynamic plate in the helix.

[@TheLochs]

I'm excited to try this out. A good friend of mine developed it at Fender.

[@dejct]

Finally the one opinion I care about ;) I am pretty underwhelmed by this unit sound/tone. Id say it actually sounds very unpleasant/cheap... probably because I have an HX Stomp and I watch your videos basically every day lol. There's barely any amps in this and the price is absolutely outrageous for what you get. For me, this doesn't even come close to the Fractal/Helix stuff and I'm actually surprised at how much it sucks haha

[@joeygentile7829]

Thanks for your unbiased and honest opinion John.

[@ksharpe10]

It is Elodie!!!! I know one thing it has to get real soon, a great Dumble, and Trainwreck amps. I would like to see a Magnatone/personally. What will make or break the unit survival wise, is UPDATES, and how fast they come. AT it's price point it needs them badly. But honestly best user interface I ever seen, both the machine and Computer match, Brett kingman showed them together.

[@harryharris1619]

Great first look/review of this modeler. After looking at other reviews it seems that tube amp players will still like the tube amps and for the modeler players this sits right in there with most of the other modelers sound wise. To me the user interface is far more friendly than say the Fractal units which I think is a big advantage for newer players going into the modeler world. The other thing is that there is no mention of the processing power of this unit in the specs or reviews. So not sure what is actually possible with this unit in the future as far as updates and new features. First release firmware except in a few cases are never the end product for something like this especially at this cost point. I really think that it is the Fractal world that is being left behind. Fractal still has in my opinion the best sounding modelers on the market however their user interface is really complex and in depth which for some probably may not be really wanted or needed. All the reviews of this unit are still very early and we should expect more in depth reviews and comparisons to similar units. Would really like to see the reviews and comparisons on the new Fender FRFR amp/cabs that were released at the same time as the modeler. We need to give this some time before jumping to any final conclusions.

[@thenoodler]

I’m waiting for a modeler that models other modelers. Then you will really get everything in one box.

[@chrisdover8507]

Man I love your phrasing style. Great player

[@mikebledsoe2315]

*My thoughts are your guitar playing is awesome, the demo of this modeler was nice and this unit is decent and sounds good.*

[@IanIredale]

Those Fender amps sound really superb (probably as expected though right). They come across (and ive watched a few demos now) sounding much better than the Helix ones in my opinion. And that interface coupled with the rotary footswitches are excellent. I wont be selling my Helix just yet, but I'll be keeping a watchful eye on what people say after actually using it live, week in and week out.

[@pedrovictor4256]

I hope they add more amps and effects in the near future, right now it looks lacking but it has potential

[@JarickL]

Yes busting out the unboxing machete! Seriously though you are the only trustworthy channel doing modeler reviews and I appreciate that.

[@PeterDStephens]

Hey John, thanks for doing this review. As someone who is considering buying a biggish modeler, I am weighing up the Fender against the new version of the FM3. Curious on your thought about the quality of the reverb and delays in the fender vs the fractal. The fractal definitely has amazing spatial sounds and your video here sounded like the fender has pretty decent spatial sounds as well. Interesting because this did not come across on the video demos from other channels. Anyways thanks again for your video 🙂

[@dornyoh]

Good Lord! That EVH sounds phenomenal on every KZbin video review I have checked so far

[@martymay9723]

Good review. Thank you for you opinions. Stay true!

[@jimmcdougall9973]

I’m not sure whether to say congratulations on your new acquisition. I have a feeling it will be returned or sold on. Again I’ll say, there are a plethora of modellers available today, all offering more or less the same and, for those with super hearing, higher and lower quality sound effects. This one comes with a nice built in flat screen TV, but that’s about it. Still waiting for the “next big thing”, which was, by my estimates, the Kemper. If I were to give in to GAS, and part with my cash, it would have to be the Friedman IR-X. I have enough effects pedals.

[@yikelu]

Thanks for being the contrary voice. I had a feeling listening to the tones on the other channels that they weren't all they were cracked up to be. Decent enough, and amazing UI, but not gonna make me sell any of my Helix gear. I will say, I think the Tone Master Pro would be an amazing choice as a pedalboard replacement. The thing I missed the most using my HX Stomp XL as a primary rig is the instant tweakability. Run the TMP into an amp with an amp model programmed but bypassed as a backup (or possibly into FOH), and it really fulfills that tweakability aspect.

[@charlesg.1207]

I agree with your comments on this especially that its missing the cloning feature which is useful for some of us. I think Fender is a little late to the game. But overal I really think its a good unit. I belive those footswitches are momentary capable which is a small thing but useful which i havent seen on the QC. They also put out some FR cabs 10 & 12 inch that are in an cab platform. Wondering how those sound.

[@Sammywhat]

When you hit that neck pickup after Foot Switch mode - WOW! The sound of that guitar is glorious!!

[@mateoburmaz9181]

Thank you. This is honest review that i needed

[@mateoburmaz9181]

is there any chance for you to do mooer gtrs w900. thank you

[@NickGranville]

Glad you got your hands on one! Fender should have given you one. Gee

[@Garflips]

I don't know man. I think right out of the box, to me, it has a more "amp-like" sound than I've heard you play from other boxes, and you've had amazing tone from those other boxes. I think this is a step up. JMNSHO

[@trickfall8752]

I think I’ll eventually get one of these. Hopefully by the time I do they will have added some more out there effects. It seems like they’ve covered the bread butter stuff for release, but I’d like to see some them add some of the more esoteric things like a freeze and some string synth type sounds.

[@foxmeisteruk]

Another observation - when you tried to add a new block to the "Wide Eddie" preset it looked like you couldn't add anything else because you were on "combo" amps. It does appear that a preset can only contain two cabinets, so you are not able to add any new combos, half-stacks, or cabinets, but you can add amps and other effects. I don't know if this also applies to IRs.

[@jakestewartmusic]

Fender dropped the ball on the drop-day amp selection. I would have made sure to include some cult classic Fender amps that few other modelers have. Amps this is missing: -tweed deluxe, champ, twin, pro -brown princeton, deluxe, pro, vibroverb -black vibrolux, champ, bassman head -Pro Jr -Rivera-era 'Evil Twin' -Super Champ -Super Sonic -Excelsior Imagine having so many classic amps in your history, dropping an amp modeler for such a high price, and having that many hugely influential amps unaccounted for.

[@antonego8356]

Future updates?

[@gdawgs101]

I'm pretty sure every single modeler ever had additional amp profiles added via updates. You really think a company with as many resources as Fender, trying to break into a hugely competitive new segment, aren't going to support the hell out of this thing post-launch? This isn't some rag-tag garage project like Neural DSP, this thing is undoubtedly going to become more and more feature-packed as time goes on

[@davelouis4004]

Apparently the developers at Fender said they’ll have more updates , guitar and bass amps every 6 months , we’ll see ?

[@jakestewartmusic]

@@gdawgs101 of course they're going to have updates (that's why i said "drop day amp selection"), but i think they missed a massive opportunity to hit the market with a comprehensive selection of iconic Fender amps. for the price, the amp and effects list is a bit of a joke to me. perhaps it'll be worth the price later, but no company should be jumping into a competitive market with a product of this price that'll be 'worth the money later'

[@jakestewartmusic]

@@davelouis4004 of course they're going to have updates, but they missed an opportunity to hit the market with a unique selection of Fender amps from the get-go. I wouldn't pay this much for a modeler that has so little to set it apart from the competition in the hopes that it'll be worth the money later after an update

[@AnthonyBencomo]

Yeah I was shocked to see smaller channels get this unit for demo but not you. I think you’re great.

[@VideoMcVideoface]

If it has the same fizzy overdrive as the Mustang gtx, no thanks. The touchscreen features are more important than a lot of people admit. Quad Quartex and Headrush are currently best, imo.

[@keithb5612]

The user interface and functionality look great. The way forward is for smartphone App and Touchscreen functions to combine up to make developing patches easier which means not having to be tethered to a laptop eg like with Fractal/Helix products currently. I am hoping that a smaller HX Stomp/Headrush Core type Fender version will follow and I am hoping that Line 6/Fractal etc develop products with this type of mobile use functionality in mind...ie, no computers being required to use the modeller. The other modelling manufacturers have to keep up with this surely. Now we need a tone comparison with all the other floor modeller units. Direct comparisons are probably the best way to evaluatie tones etc. Thanks for the review JC.

[@pads-zr9ln]

I think it already does

[@keithb5612]

​@@pads-zr9lnSorry... Does what?

[@pads-zr9ln]

@@keithb5612 it has the smart phone function

[@keithb5612]

​@@pads-zr9lnYes... That was my point for other modelling units to follow the touchscreen and App functionality of the Fender unit. Maybe that was unclear in my note. Cheers

[@ac8704]

I really like the form factor and physical design. It sounds like you can get it to sound as good as any other modelers. I never really care for factory presets. I may have missed it, but does this have a snapshot mode, or is it just preset and footswitch / stomp? I can't see any reason to buy this if you already have a Helix or Quad Cortex. I can see a lot of people who are coming from the analog world liking the screen showing a representation of the amp / stomp-boxes.

[@69ssrscamaro4]

I'm quite happy with my Helix floor ever since 3.5 firmware. It does very well with external pedals running into it's 4 FX loops. The plugin is equally as good in Pro Tools. For a non professional player I can't justify paying $1700 again for another modeler. From a money perspective the Neural Modeler from Steve Acktinson is very good with the right profile if your into DAWs.

[@Herfinnur]

1:45 ❤CUTIE!!!❤ The preset sounds are really rough and yanky and way closer to my taste than the Helix presets. They almost sound like a good live outboard recording. I'd love to find out how to get more of that on the Helix

[@christianwalsh7082]

Sounds good to me, big fan of the screen and usability compared to the rivals - seems simple. Couldn’t get my head round an HX stomp at all, this seems to look useable

[@chrisjs6123]

Had a play with one today. Unit feels a bit cheap- much prefer the QC form factor. Screen graphics are lovely but the screen is laggy- I hated the lag. I did end up buying the FRFR12 that fender also released. Now that’s great- paired with my QC finally I’ve got real amp in room sound. People haven’t given fender enough props for doing a great cab to go with modellers. The 12” is way better than the Kemper cab.

[@ciggy_]

It’s pretty clear that the “X sent me this product to review, but I can say whatever I want” argument essentially means “they sent me this product, and as long as I don’t say anything negative about, I’ll get the next product they release as well”

[@ryand5251]

Thanks for always helping me feel like I don’t need to move on the the new gear right away! As a side note, couldn’t find if you’ve done a video on the hotone mini? Would love to see what you could get out of it

[@IsaacLausell]

How do you feel the dynamic response is in comparison to the Helix and Neural? Is the Neural colder or is this more touch responsive? Does it have a parametric and graphic eq and stereo delays?

[@ajd8346]

John thx for this. Great review. Any chance you could do an apples to apples comparison of this and the boss gt1? Just a tone comparison. Like both with fender deluxe type of amps and maybe a tube scream style pedal and delay and reverb. Both on the same flat response speaker. Just from a pure tone front David vs Golioth kind of thing.

[@johnmccarthy9445]

I have a Quad Cortex. At this point I will keep it, but if I was buying a modeler and had to choose between a QC, and Fender Tone Master Pro, I would probably go with the Tone Master Pro. 1. The user interface is better, 2. it has scribble scrips, 3. I do not consider the capturing aspect of the QC a factor, and, 4. the Tone Master looks like it can do everything I need it to do. I would have to be convinced the sound is as good as the QC, though. If the choice was between the QC, Tone Master Pro and the Fractal FM9, I'd be very tempted to go with the FM9 solely based on the variety of amps, cabs and effects, and I assume the sound is as good if not better than the other two. That being said, I really love the QC and I know how to navigate through it pretty well, at least to suit my needs.

[@erik2446]

Appreciate your take on this. That's a serious machete you keep in your music room?

[@TheRCAirMarshall]

I see quite a few reviews that say oh this is a first for Fender. Maybe the first floor based unit. Remember the Cyber Twin? I actually had one and it was not bad at all to be honest. I’ve always loved Fender amps in general, nobody does clean like Fender. My current setup is an old Line 6 HD500 into a Tech 21 Power Engine 60, and I’ve been looking to upgrade to a better modeler. I’ll give you my take on why this works for me… I don’t need 500 amps, and the amps they have in this are right in the wheelhouse of what I want anyway… Fender, Marshall, Friedman, Boogie, EVH 5150, great! And they sound pretty dang good to me… Who knows better than Fender what a Fender amp or a 5150 should sound like? Anyway, I don’t care about amp profiling because I don’t have a bunch of fancy old amps to profile anyway. This gives me the tones I actually use, in a nicely packaged unit. Great UI, easy to use… We get so consumed by the feature sets that we so easily lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day this is supposed to be for guitar players, not computer science majors. I love it, and as someone who has been looking at all the new units (Helix, FR9, Quad Cortex, Headrush, etc) I think this may be the one I go with, and run it into the Tech 21 Power Engine, which sound great BTW. It may be a little basic, but ya know, that’s exactly what I want

[@LeonTodd]

Can't wait for the new Predator v Cordy movie to drop.

[@pascaldanae5644]

Thank you so much for this video! I find the tones to sound a bit over processed. Would love to hear just the amps clean and crunch with no effect at all only playing with eq and gain to better appreciate the actual sonic print of the machine🙏🏾🤘🏾

[@timchalmers1700]

Very interesting... not that I'm convinced that I need to get one immediately. If you're looking for ideas for another video - can do a video with upgrading the firmware and whatever features are added?

[@trentreimer130]

I was going to disagree with a couple of your points, but after seeing the unboxing I'm thinking it's probably best just to nod my head and agree with you.

[@xdoctorblindx]

I love my blonde Tone Master Deluxe Reverb, but I got it AND an HX Stomp XL used for less than HALF the price of one of these new. Price is hard to justify, but understand the neccesity of high price to ensure that the market takes a new a Fender modeling product "seriously" relative to its competitors.

[@buddyslowhand7647]

Fender Support vs Kemper or Line 6 Support.... which one will be a good choice in the long term? My Kemper runs flawless since 2012....

[@DaviSiqueiraSilva]

The fact that it has zero gap between presets changes makes possible to have several incredibly different "snapshots" at disposal when in preset mode. If the tones and effects are good, this could be awesome. I'd like to know if the pitch effects are polyphonic, though.

[@extreamtechguy1891]

I tried the Helix the Prime the pod go I personally like the fender much better because I’m a singer who plays guitar. I just could not wrap my head around the software on the other units. I will get a quad cortex eventually. Fender is also adding to the unit regularly if they keep it up it will mature into a great product line.

[@mrtruefifth]

The one thing that stands clear from multiple demos, even the ones with flawed audio recordings, is that the clean sounds, like Fender and Vox - is better than other modelers. In that respect, it brings something very important to the table compared to the competition.

[@johnnathancordy]

I haven't seen anyone compare them to other modelers to be able to judge the fender or vox sounds? Good idea for a video though

[@mrtruefifth]

@@johnnathancordy Please Remember to do the Firmware Update AND factory Reset - as the unit is shipped with pre-production firmware. More amps and corrected sound anomalies have been confirmed by TGP users. Fenders modeling tech is based on the Tone Master amps, and takes a long time to create for each amp, and you hear that the Tone Master amps have much more realistic top end and break up than many other digital solutions.

[@AnthonyBencomo]

This 100% I’ve never heard such good clean tones. Ndsp was my favorite for cleans but this is on another level.

[@andrew6978]

Are you kidding, the Vox sounds horrible.

[@gffg387]

​@@johnnathancordyGreat idea for a video. You're the KZbinr we trust to make this comparison. Tone Master vs Helix vs Fractal. We're counting on you Jonathan

[@alexhudson3574]

where did you get that knife from ? i love it , was not expecting that lol i was interested in the fender tone master

[@limpeacock573]

I think that with Fender in the game, the race may be on. If this unit is successful, It will be interesting to see if the other big players march out their own modellers. The price point on this unit is too high for me. However, I’m more interested in the Tone Master FRFR speaker. Right now, I will stick with the Helix, but it will be interesting to see how Line 6 answers. It is a great time to play guitar!

[@Shashli4ok]

I have watched few demos, and sounds of this device reminds me old Line6 multifx.

[@7of9kids]

I am a Headrush Pedalboard user and I also have a Fender Mustang III V2. It looks and sounds like a great unit...my concern is Fender continuing to fully support it with firmware updates and repair support if it decides to misbehave. My Mustang III V2 is a great modeling amp... which still works and sounds great many years later. But Fender just suddenly dropped all support when they came out with their next generation of Mustang amps, which were not as good amps. The Tonemaster series of amps have been great for a few years...lots of support new models and firmware updates. When is the day when they move on to some other product and suddenly stop supporting the Tonemaster Pro? Headrush is great but very slow with updates..now they have new products Prime and Core... but there is word of an update for the older series of products...thank you very much. Before I invest $1700, and a lot of time learning a new system, and creating my own sounds...how do I know Fender will remain on board as my partner helping me to better using their product? I like that they have a desktop interface app...Headrush will not ever apparently...their touchscreen is all you need...per Headrush. Expression pedal is almost $200 add on...God this is just very expensive!

[@davidmeatty5922]

Your studio intern is a real cutie. Congrats Dad.

[@pepeowen]

Fender have released a modeller and the world is going nuts. Every five minutes someone has a negative comment about it on a forum or KZbin. The reality is that it sounds pretty good and it seems very practical, plus a ton of advanced features. Not sure about the price tag, to be honest, but they must have done their market research and know they will still sell loads. John, thank you for this sort of review, really helpful. At first I thought you were slightly biased in your comments against Fender but as you played through I could see you were truly honest and you mentioned many things that actually impressed you.

[@timelmore2]

This (assuming that the reverbs and delays are great) is really everything I've wanted in a modeler, so I'm interested in it as a concept. I'm honestly not a customer for anything in this price range. I'm not sold that a capture is better than a modeler. I would rather have the versatility of a model over a moment in my amp that is manipulated by an eq and drive. I think the notion that this could be the last in the line of 1st gen modelers is really interesting. I don't know what a gen 2 would look like, but it is an interesting thought.

[@mahall85]

As someone totally new to this world, and is in the market for one such device, there are a bunch of little things that attract me to this. The UI, the large screen and no power brick, the footswitch spacing, and that it has the desktop editor on day one are all huge pluses. Of course, tone is king in the conversation, but better tones sound like they could come down the road, if Fender chooses to do that, but they got a lot of the stuff “you can’t fix later” correct IMHO. Now, watch Line 6 make an update to the Helix in six months that blows this away, LOL…

[@NedJeffery]

Honestly when it comes to tone I think we've hit diminishing returns. If a cheap Chinese product like NUX can make something indistinguishable to a real amp then we're done. It can't get any better than this.

[@masterofreality230]

@@NedJeffery I think we still have a long way to go. Can we get close to a single tone? Yes. But you cant go from sparkling cleans to screaming distortion the same way you can with high voltage tubes. Maybe some people dont care about that, but I do.

[@martiboucat]

I like the form factor very much. I'd love a Line6 product like that. A Helix LT for 1000€ without a touchscreen and the expression pedal but with the scribble scripts and the capacitance buttons. Also, the reputation of Fender on the update firmware side of things is not good...

[@AmericanNationalist852]

Updates schmupdates, this is just meant to be a modeler for boomers anyway, so no one buying this will be needing those

[@blackrichard1029]

Nice review. I quite appreciate the straightforward approach. Much more useful than the smiling shills. I presume they'll come out with a lot more amps, etc., because that looks very limited. The main question I have that I haven't seen mentioned in any vids yet -- and that may be because I've been skimming some -- is how deep can you dive into the amp parameters? (I'd love a modeler that lets you extensively play w/ the circuits in the amps and pedals, or even create your own, from individual components on up.)

[@AmbitiousRealismCreates]

John I am not going to read all previous comments to see if this has been addressed but I have to ask: did you do the firmware update AND a factory reset? According to many users from TGP and Fender that is crucial especially regarding the quality of the preset sounds.

[@henrikhansen6617]

Hi John. Are the footswitches too close? They seem like it would be hard hitting the right one immediately after doing a jump kick on stage.

[@lyleanderson5407]

Nice honest demo! Sadly two big deal breakers (1) No internal power for pedals like TC Electronic G System (2) Footswitches are to close together. It's a great unit but someone needs to look at the G System and design a similar layout but with all the new technology of today.

[@LivinginLosAngeles-re5yx]

Yup.....really close together.

[@pinkfluffeeunicorns]

Thats kinda cool that you can change banks while the loop goes on

[@Crabfather]

You can do that on the helix, with a bit of jiggery pokery

[@stephonwilliams8890]

You can do this on the boss gt1000 too

[@pinkfluffeeunicorns]

@@Crabfather I'm coming from a hx stomp so this is all p new to me haha but that's cool too! Thanks for the info 🙆🏻‍♂️

[@Crabfather]

@@pinkfluffeeunicorns forgive my ignorance, does the stomp have a looper?

[@RobertNolan]

​@@Crabfatherthe Stomp/XL both have a looper in it.

[@rhythmguru1]

I know it's a lot more to add to your costs, but I'm really curious this paired with their new FRFR cabs in a live context. As someone who gigs, the question is do you get that decent amp in the room feel with the cab with the versatility of sending direct to FOH with your dialed in presets (I really like that the cab seems to have some EQ on it that isn't affecting the FOH setup, so you can dial in the amp to the feel how you want in the room while sending your preset signal to FOH). Like the new Headrush stuff it also seems like you can do a microphone in, so you can possibly do vocal stuff which is pretty cool for a grab and go gigging setup for a singer/songwriter or just a person doing covers with backing tracks (Bluetooth too). That means it has the versatility to bring to a rock cover gig with a band and then go out the next night as a solo artist and literally bring the exact same setup. The other draw to me is the easy tweakability on the fly with the foot switches becoming knobs to just twist and dial in a tones. That's really the problem with the HX stomp I have, navigating the menus on the fly to change something quickly during a rehearsal or gig is daunting (which is probably my fault for not spending more time with it not plugged into the computer as it's so much easier to change with HX Edit). It definitely feels like Fender actually spent time with the other units and really asked themselves, ok this works but how do we make it better or easier or more useful. If nothing else, hopefully this continues to push the digital modelling/capture units further as more and more brands enter the market. This is the future of guitar playing IMO, the idea of dragging a 70lb amp with only one sound in it to a gig on a 6 foot by 6 foot stage in the corner of a bar to play for an hour or two just seems more and more silly.

[@jeppej4265]

Ola Englund had the FRFR as well and did he's review using both together. Not sure if metal tones were your thing but at least for those it sounded really good!

[@christianjonesmusician]

Forget the unboxing, let’s talk about that knife!

[@davidwharton5912]

In comparison. A Helix feature that rules them all is the ability to use the sweep of the foot pedal to control all perimeters (one at a time) when dialing in effects and amps, speakers ... if the item of equipment has an adjustment you can put it on the foot pedal and adjust it whilst playing. Sooo much better than fiddle, play, fiddle play, ..... Not many reviews highlight this Helix feature, but its invaluable. Cheers

[@Crabfather]

Wuh oh, John's got the big boy knife out ! I like the tones, but hmm.. considering the less flexible routing and lack of expression pedal, I'm not jumping up to throw nz $3k at it. Good test _ it's baby proof !

[@flattardianspresident5502]

i have a tone master super reverb... and im 65... i have been a tube amp all my life.. im also MAKING A LIVIING with my STUDIO. too much is less... just saying.. in a studio stetting.. this is great. for most conposer artist wanna be.. less is more. . always.

[@javiermp81]

Form factor, UI, I/O, ease of use, amount of foot switches are all awesome. Not very convinced with the high gain sounds and especially the price. And on the skeuomorphic side it somehow bothers me using a Fender modeler to play a high gain Marshall or Mesa Boogie amp. Fender can only do clean sounds, right? I will definitely try one of at the store. As for purchasing one, my gut tells me to wait for the next generation Helix or Fractal, which hopefully will be packed with all the newest trendy features if they’ve been watching the market closely.

[@wabisabi7399]

Sound-wise, it has the right frequencies.

[@tjhall9377]

Sooooo. I have been using the Quad Cortex for a couple years now but always needed an external midi controller. But this seems like that kind of thing is bundled in, and the seamless transition of rigs is really quite astounding. It’s the one thing that Quad Cortex is inching closer to but not quite there yet. I will sit on any decision for a while but damn this does look good but the multiple signal paths and flexibility / monolithic approach is still more appealing to me.

[@orlandocarrillo8730]

Every video I’ve heard with this modeler has sounded pretty good. It might not be stand out but it seems to be based on some user feedback that it’s not so hard to learn; it’s not hard to achieve a good tone; and then there’s the preset spillover capability. The UI looks great, I’m hoping it gives the Helix a run for its money. I won’t give it a negative mark because it doesn’t offer captures. That’s a relatively young feature for the market. I think Tonex sounds amazing but wasn’t a fan of their editor. The helix sells for $1699 and it’s tech from years ago plus you have to really learn how to work it to get usable sounds. I think Fender is in to something here. I hope it’s enough to speed up a Helix Gen 2

[@StratsRUs]

The Helix used to take a bit of work but since the updates and all the help online ( You Tube) , it is a breeze and editing is very intuitive.

[@QuickSticks8771]

Yeah seem that once your at the point that these units are indistinguishable in feel and tone from what they are recreating why are expecting new units to sound mind blowingly better How could it be

[@1minutecomicswalahollywood648]

Hello John, I am a new subscriber. ❤