Tone Master Deluxe Reverb VS 1967 Deluxe Reverb - ASK ZAC 38

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With my "Why The Deluxe Reverb is the Best Amp" video, many of you asked for a comparison between one of my 60's Deluxe Reverb amps, and the new Tone Master modeling amp. Well here it is, my unvarnished take on the amp, and I have to say that Fender did a great job on the Tone Master.
Gear used in Video:
2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck)
danocaster.com/
Strings:
D'Addario NYXL 10,12,16, 24, 34, 44.
Pick:
Blue Chip TPR 35 RB
Amp:
1967 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
Tone Master Deluxe Reverb amzn.to/2ZppSLG
Effects used:
TC Polytune
Ibanez Mostortion
Line 6 Echo Park
Live Wire ABY switcher
9v power via Truetone CS6 amzn.to/38S9rZK
#askzac #tonemasterdeluxe #telecaster

[@fivewattworld]

When you went to the back pickup on the 67...oh man. I've wanted to try a Celestion Neo Creamback in one of the Tonemasters since they were released. In my experience the Neos need more break in time than other speakers and they really sweeten up. Another reason to try a broken in Neo in it. I'm waiting to see if they come out with a Princeton Tonemaster. If it's going to be solid state, I'd also like it to be small. :) Great. I've been waiting for you to make this one. Thanks Zac!

[@telecasterbear]

Indeed. A Tonemaster princeton would be great.

[@KoreyHicksGuitar]

five watt world break in makes a big difference. I get to use it at 22watts all the time, and it has really tamed down that neo. All it needs is love and 200+ hours 🤣

[@davidmurphy4844]

Yes, the Princeton possibility occurred to me when this amp and the Twin Reverb were released. Hope that they do one especially with a DI speaker emulation output. Great video.

[@AskZac]

Thank you , Keith. If the amp were mine, I would do the speaker mod, and play Booker T and the MG's through it for days to break it in.

[@johnnymovz]

Korey I only have 60-70 hours on mine and it’s usually at 0.5 watts do you think mine will tame down too with time? Or do I need to juice it up more often for that to happen?

[@JBGuitarInstruction]

Remove the tonemaster tag and the audience will never know the difference...assuming there will be audiences ever again.

[@RogerThat902]

Yep, the Tone Master sounds brighter to my ears, but only the kind of thing you'd notice w/ an A/B test. Sounds really good to my ears.

[@Breuschling11]

I’ve been gigging for nearly 45 years and I’ve NEVER bought a piece of gear based around what the audience might think or notice. I buy gear that inspires me because that affects how I play - and they WILL notice that.

[@doctorskull8197]

Agreed!

[@johnvanwie1345]

To me, the Tonemaster seems like it holds it's own. I liked that it was put up against a vintage amp, and to he able to hear the difference is important. The vintage amp clearly sounds better to me in every aspect. But having said that, the Tonemaster seems like it would sound to most people's ear like a true vintage Deluxe Reverb, that is, as long as it is being played without the true vintage to compare to it

[@dallastoto3189]

I like the Tone Master and love carrying it into and out of gigs 🤠😎👍

[@yukonmcgee1640]

This is a rad video. We had the tonemaster the same time we had a proper deluxe reverb in at the shop I work at (both brand new). We AB'd them on a slow afternoon, and everyone in the shop came to the same conclusion, side by side, the real deluxe sounded better. It just had a bit more going on. For me personally, I could only really tell the difference when I was the one playing, the tube amp was just a bit more responsive and was a little less harsh and a little more sparkle on the high end, and it just a bit more going on when it broke up. But if I were gonna buy one of them? I'd probably spring for the Tonemaster. The difference was audible, but it was still a great sounding amp, and all those bonus features, plus the weight difference? I'd really rather have the tonemaster in my life. I have enough big heavy tube amps.

[@jamesmarcin4787]

Great video, I think Fender was listening to your suggestions on the bright cap and reverb. The latest Firmware update does just that.

[@christophernoia5197]

My concern is the serviceability of the tone master amps. The sound is pretty great and it would be an awesome live amp for multiple reasons, but when the warranty is up and something goes wrong, to what extent can it be fixed. A huge benefit of the vintage amps is that you can repair pretty much everything, so you could hypothetically have a single amp for your whole life that will appreciate in value over time. That's assuming that tubes don't go completely extinct in the near future.

[@TurboMountTV]

A huge benefit of solid state / digital amps is if nothing goes wrong in first few months nothing probably ever will. I've had to repair EVERY tube amp I've owned. I've NEVER had to repair a digital.

[@dougcarlson1319]

I hope you'll test the Tone Master Deluxe Blonde with its updated Firmware, reverb fix, and different speaker! Thanks for doing a nice comparison video.

[@paulthomasmiller1842]

I updated my deluxe reverb tone master. No bright cap. Extremely pedal friendly.

[@dougcarlson1319]

@@paulthomasmiller1842 How is the overall tone and playability now with the firmware changes? Better? Worse? I'm still wondering about that blonde speaker too. Thanks for updating me! 😊👍

[@paulthomasmiller1842]

@@dougcarlson1319 I don't have the blonde. There are five firmware options. I selected the no bright cap, reverb mod option. Massive improvement when using effects pedals. I have a deluxe reverb amp and the tone master amp and overall the tube tone to my ears is better, but the tone master more than holds its own and is an outstanding amp.

[@ferraridinoman]

Sorry, but the original sounds "warmer" and more (valves?) compressed.

[@spada60]

Your 67 sounds dull to me no highs. The bright cap sounds better more bite and will do better i a mix

[@andybeisel8205]

Neck pickup = TONEMASTER Rock pickup = OLD DELUXE Must run stereo rig. Heckin' Hell Ya.

[@danyjr]

I can't believe it...I prefer the Tonemaster 😂

[@SAGABIJO2]

Because it is loader in the room, it's a comparison mistake... the old one is so much better, more musical, warm, organic, woody...

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

Have you heard the new 68 Custom Vibro Champ? I am utterly in love with it, just have to let a few months pass before I buy it, just to make sure the wife doesn't have any problems LOL They upgraded the speaker to a 10, which is I think part of why it sounds so magical. I do a one-man recording studio KZbin channel and don't gig anymore, so it will be perfect for me at 5 watts. Anyway, you should give it a listen, it's oddly magical sounding.

[@AskZac]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2jUo2qJaaZ0j9k

[@dancompton1728]

Personally, as an owner of this amp. I feel it works best using the "attenuator" in the back as a master volume and using the volume on the front panel as you would a preamp secondary volume. I think the sweet spot of the amp is keeping the volume from 4-6 as the bright cap is no longer present on the Vibrato channel. My pedals sound best this way. Also, you can use a patch cable from Normal input 2 to Vibrato input 1 and get the normal channel with reverb and tremolo. The catch is you have to turn the Normal volume to 0 and just use the eq from the Vibrato side otherwise you get phasing issues. I feel the reverb does deserve an update because it's unusable beyond 5. Cool comparison!

[@jmparker56]

I've had one of these for about a month and very pleased with it. It makes so much sense for what i do. Playing quiet at home using the attenuator or playing out with the fellas. Useable tone at .2 watts and sound better at .5 watt and above. Also a plus using it going direct into my Recording interface and muting the speaker. I don't really use so much the reverb on the amp or the tremolo as I have pedals. Use my Strymon Deco and my Greer Lightspeed with it. Not an expert on any of this but as of now it works for me! I think Fender did a fine job with this. Great review Zac by the way!

[@jacobl6572]

You tube digitally compressing both is not the same as hearing a live tone of each. I agree with all your points having owned a few tube Deluxes. I always used vintage Jensen / Magnivox, alnico's for a very smooth tone. For $899+ tax, it is pretty high price to me for the Tone Master. You are paying a lot extra for the package and name, a marketing ploy, than actual amp quality.

[@Jeff-11_354]

The TM sounds way bright to me. It seems like when you go to back pickup it would take everyone's head off. Just my two cents. I'll take the 67.

[@JasonHobbsGuitarist]

Once again the Blackface 67 prevails! You can’t beat the tone of the blackface amps. In the words of the great Tom Bukovac , “ Big tone is heavy and hard to carry” . 👌 Muscle up! Zac said it, “backup”…

[@andybeisel8205]

Both amps are cool as heckin' butterbombs!!!!!!!

[@thedaver8]

Wow, dang. They both sound great! I'm amazed that the Tone Master holds up so well!

[@seanylewl]

To me the Tone Master has more dynamic range and clarity, but the 67 has a more lush sounding bottom end and sounds smoother. The important thing though is that the Tone Master doesn't sound artificial - it sounds like a real Deluxe Reverb, just with a different speaker. Considering the other benefits you get (attenuator, direct out and really light weight) then it's an incredibly great amp, definitely worth the price imo.

[@druwk]

I have a 5e3 clone with an attenuator that checks most of these boxes (light, volume, tone). I have to get reverb, and tremelo from pedals, but have much more flexibility. Tube amps breath dynamically better than the modeling. I like how they take pedals better. I like how they interact with guitar volume better. I don’t gig anymore, so transportability doesn’t factor. Could totally see where an amp like this would shine if you we’re playing out. -- Would be great if Fender offered software updates in their software to customize. Bright cap defeat, sag, British speaker adjust(?), gain/break up, Harmonic or Tube bias style Tremelo. Set and forget, still leaving a grab and go, light weight amp.

[@cptntwang]

Hi, I am gigging with a Tonemaster Twin. I could not be happier. My Silverface pro reverb stays safe at home.

[@thetessema1]

I have the tone master and I love it a lottttttttt

[@mrcards169]

Did you do the upgrade ?

[@thetessema1]

@@mrcards169 I didn’t yet but will do soon.

[@andrearecchia8859]

Hi Zack, I wonder if boost the mids of the Tone Master with and EQ pedal, will it sounds better and closer to the "spongy feel" of a tube amp?

[@AskZac]

Get the blonde TM. Much better amp

[@KoreyHicksGuitar]

Got my tone master deluxe reverb in December, and I’ve played probably 60 gigs in on it so far. Very happy with it as a long time Deluxe Reverb user! I was initially worried about reliability, I use it for gigs four or five times a week, for personal practice at home and for teaching 4-6 hours a day. It sounds the same as it always did, except the speaker is now well worn in. Some of the venues we play have poor power or low/high-voltage... no noise issues and it is really quiet and works extremely well. Now, if only they would issue a USB update to get rid of the “brite cap” on the vibrato channel! I actually got it out of necessity and frustration when my Mesa boogie went down opening for Willie Nelson at Billy Bob’s Texas in late November!

[@AskZac]

Love a report from an experienced user. Thank you, Korey!

[@stephenleake81]

I was at that Willie Nelson show. I saw that Mesa head and I thought you were playing through it. If I had known it was a Tonemaster Deluxe, I would have gotten one months ago!

[@KoreyHicksGuitar]

Yeah, Mesa died. Didn’t have the Deluxe TM yet. Ended up going through the steel amp 🙄

[@landonkirk2825]

An update to get rid of the “brite cap” would be nice! The vibrato channel doesn’t take my overdrive pedals very well it gets fizzy

[@landonkirk2825]

@Luke updated it and love it! It’s an amazing, practical amp. It sounds so good plugged direct as well!

[@christophernoia5197]

Why didn't they just put an actual fender spring reverb in the amp? I figured these would have that, especially at the price point these are listed at.

[@AskZac]

It would not fit

[@googaboogaloo]

Woah I actually liked the tone master more

[@shawnmichaud6315]

Im A Vintage tube guy. Can't really afford blackface or Tweed. But Silverface Champ, Princeton Reverb and some Gibson Tweed gets you there on a budget well a reasonable budger

[@SanFranciscoFatboy]

you will tire of this amps tone in 30 minutes or less....... solid state grates on a persons soul.......

[@AskZac]

I played hours, and my soul is still here......

I have a new 1964 Handwired, '65 reissue I love them. And I dig the Tonemaster! Plus it's so lightweight!!

[@AskZac]

Very nice!

[@J_Fowler]

I really like my tone master. Does it beat my fender tube amps head to head? Not quite. But it comes close enough when you consider ease of transport and the option to go direct into front of house. Fender did a real good job overall. I think it is in line with their tradition of providing practical solutions for musicians. The Deluxe looks great too

[@jts3339]

I purchased a new Deluxe Reverb as a backup for my original ‘65 that I bought in High School when it was a year old and cost $100 used. (Other guitar players at the time used to make fun of my “little” Deluxe because they had Fender Twins or Bandmasters.) When I saw the ToneMaster series Deluxe Reverb I was always curious if I would have been better off with the solid state amp vs. another tube amp. I think you finally answered the question for me.

[@tristensmithguitar]

Now THIS was the video I’ve been waiting for on these amps! The tone master definitely holds its own against the real deal. I’m sure they may feel different in a room and have the obvious speaker/bright cap factors but it seems like a worthwhile tool for mic’d up or DI live use.

[@AskZac]

Thanks, Tristen!

[@stevelankford7343]

Since this comparison was so good I wish while you have the Tone Master you could compare it to the Boss Artist... Thanks Again!

[@johnwelch557]

I have several tube amps collected along the way, incuding a Twin. Love 'em but always miss-trusted tube amps starting in '56. Lots of trips to town to replace tubes, fix this and that. I know first hand about carrying two amps to every gig.... sheesh! I played the tone master at a shop and fell in love with the tone and versatility. Why couldn't we have this for the last 60+ years! Thanks Zac!

[@AskZac]

Very cool!

[@martinleblanc4814]

Thank you, Zac, instructive and fun as usual... But I would LOVE you to rather compare your 65/67 with the regular Deluxe and the 64 Handwired. The fact that anyone would like a transistor guitar amp is beyond me. Could you eventually do that? Your opinion would mean a lot. Thanks again!

[@Tonetwisters]

@Denis I'll bet it sounds great! I do not play out anymore, and I've already commented on the "save your back" movement; but I have a '77 DR in a Mojotone cabinet, with a heavy duty Twin speaker. I recently had some caps changed out, new preamp tubes (Mullards) as well as the OT replaced with an original blackface OT, as well as a tone knob to enhance the lows mids ... let me tell you, this amp just crushes. Sounds incredible, and I have been at this stuff for 58+ years. I don't have to blow the doors down to get a good tone!! :-)

[@martinleblanc4814]

@Denis McKeown Thanks for your appreciation. I finally found a dealer, her in Montréal (Nantel Musique), who has a Handwired in stock, so I will get a chance to try it. Thanks again!

[@Tonetwisters]

The TMDR is fuller and warmer, actually, both sound great, just a bit different. The vintage is a bit punchier.

[@guitareveryone]

Do you find much tonal difference between your 65 and 67 Deluxe amps?

[@AskZac]

The 1965 has a touch more midrange. The 67 has a bit more clean headroom. Very close though.

[@glenkepic3208]

Fresh out of the box, The Tone Master sounds pretty great.

[@michaelogden5093]

Tube amp does sound better. Tonemaster is a bit spikey. Tonemaster would be fine but hey... what's the point of a modeling amp without a headphone jack. C'mon Fender... think of it as a cupholder in you sessy car. Seems you could run the TM through an EQ pedal and fix it right up. Amps that don't require maintenance are where it's at.

[@marksc1929]

...it's more the lack of feel with the Tone Master...but throw a compression pedal in front and gig with it ..love my 60s Pro Reverb ...but i refuse to drag it around etc ....great video...thx Zac...👍

[@larryyork1146]

Thanks for the review Zac, Very surprising that you didn’t care for the reverb. I haven’t heard that from any other reviews. I,m 68 so the days of lugging tube amps is over for me. If they made a Princeton in the tone master that would be ideal but again thats only 12 watts. This might be the best solution for me as gigging is over and this would be a nice house amp.

[@AskZac]

I think I would buy a TM Princeton

[@Smiffy55ukx]

Larry, having just bought a DR Tonemaster the great advantage (apart from the lower weight and lower cost!) they have is that the power can be attenuated to several levels. At 22w it's very loud, I find for playing at home or with friends that at 1watt it gives really good tone and volume with just a touch of break up when pushed.

[@johnphillips752]

I'm a little disappointed we couldn't hear straight up stock comparisons. But thanks for the effort with what you had available.

[@dallasblues74]

There’s a definite difference when A/B’ing these two amps. And I’d certainly give the advantage to the original. However, if one were to remove the little Tone Master logo plate on the front folks would likely be hard pressed to know that it’s not tube driven at your average beer joint gig. In other words it’s close enough for dumps I often play here in Texas.

[@tongusgrump2261]

Spill a beer on a PCB amp or solid state keeper axe fx They’re landfill lime my old VCR. I only play local bar gigs to a rowdy crowd:)

[@nothingbutyoumultimediaser7626]

I bought a Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb amp after my mid 60's vintage Fender Pro Reverb died. It lost its Vibrato . It was a loan from an old friend. I do not miss it at all as the Tone Master is, in reality, a much better amp than the tube version ever was. There is no discernible difference in sound, or feel, but the Tone Master has features that are simply no available on the tube version and it will never need new, properly biased tubes to keep that sound and feel consistent. The attenuator and the ability to record it without a mic are extremely useful in the studio for practice and tracking. I would never consider trading the Tone Master for a vintage tube version.

[@failuremagnet]

Maybe it's all n the speakers, but, to me, the Deluxe sounds like a guitar playing through an amp, the way it's supposed to, while the Tonemaster sounds like a guitar playing through a megaphone - too thin, no real character. Again, it might all come down to settings and such, and I guess if you're playing a loud gig in a small club where you're fighting with the mix, it would be fine. But for recording or anywhere tone is going to be heard and matter, gimme them tubes.

[@crosseyedwillie]

I have a custom “Vintage Vibe” pattered after a blackface. I have a “Quilter 101” patterned after a blackface .... there still is an undeniable warmth that I can’t get from the quilter. Is it $900 better, NO!

[@jimpage601]

Thanks, Zac! I was hoping you'd talk about one of those Tone Masters. I'd be tempted if they made a Princeton Reverb version and I was married to a more forgiving person!!!

[@AskZac]

VERY tempting

[@sega62s]

people are deaf, the 67 sounds way better, it has more dynamic, clearer, spacier sound, I prefer tube amps for sure

[@cassavamellin]

I own the TM with bright cap still on it. I love it. The light weight yet larger cool classic look is awsome. Great cleans and handles my old OD pedals well

[@TurboMountTV]

Turn ANY Tone Master into A Super Tone Master by putting a Fender MTG Tube Distortion pedal in front. Gives it that warm room-filling sound that a tube amp does. High Volume Low Gain setting to keep it clean. Will make it even more indistinguishable from the tube originals.

[@ronnieking1025]

Made In China No Thanks Fender Iam 68 Years Old My Deluxe Reverb Is 56 Years Old

[@tonya4157]

I don't know what it was but when you first started the CCR riff on the Tone Master around 4:40 or 4:50 something sounded strange, like it got confused. Maybe it was the reverb, I don't know. It happened again later but I don't remember exactly when or what lick.

[@paramidge8935]

No speaker out - why!!! Don't people want that flexibility? Are Fender being careful here - does it all go wrong without a very specific speaker balance with the Jensen neo?

[@valentino3191]

Something I would perhaps consider is to do a blind test. I'm a skeptic about lots of things and while I'll get angrily criticized for saying it, I think players have a lot of irrational hangups. Vintage doesn't necessarily mean better and while some think electron tube amps are always superior, modeling technology has gotten very advanced. Instead of focusing on the era or design, perhaps just think in terms of: "If it sounds good...It's good." Tubes or not.

[@skinnykarlos710]

I don't know whether it'd be correct to refer to my need for tubes/valves as OCD but need them I do. I've yet to be entirely happy with any valveless/tubeless piece of gear. Maybe I'm just an old fart too set in my ways to change. My back might hurt, my wallet might be thinner but dammit I just love it when those vacuum tubes light up and glow. Gives me the same sort of feeling that I used to get when the ATM would rattle letting me know it was getting my money ready to pop out of the shute. I am getting old...

[@MrKaufmana1]

I have played through one of those - and I really like the Twin that they made too. Not going to sell my Deluxe Reverb for the Tone Master, but I agree, it's a solid amp, and it sounds good. Now I'm curious how your vintage one stacks up compared to the new hand wired reissues and the PCB reissue! lol

[@AskZac]

Probably not going to do any more comparison videos against my old amps. This really intrigued me because of the modeling tech, and how far it has come since the POD.

[@johnmirabile3535]

I LOVE THE FACT NOT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT TUBES, BUT I LOVE THE WARMTH, THEN AGAIN A GOOD NON TUBE CAN GIVE YOU A NICE EDGY SHARP QUICK TONE, THERE MORE ICY, IF IM MAKING ANY SENSE...IM IN THE MIDDLE OF RECORDING AN ALBUM, THE TUBES WENT ON MY FAVORITE AMP LAST WEEK JUST GOT THE TUBES TODAY, FROM 2 DIFFERENT PLACES, NOW MY 2ND FAVORITE AMP BLEW HER TUBES THIS MORNING, BUT I FOUND A SOMEWHAT LOCAL GUY WITH THOUSANDS OF TUBES IN STOCK...THIS VIDEO IS MY LAST STOP BEFORE I EITHER BUY DR TUBE OR D/R DIGITAL, I HAVE TO ADMIT I HATE THAT WORD DIGITAL I THINK OF MUSIC FROM THE 1ST NINTENDO SUPER MARIO BROS. HAHAHAAHAH NO JOKE! SORRY MY CAPS LOCK GETS STUCK NOW AND AGAIN, YOU ROCK ZAC!

[@jimsuber6784]

Of course, KZbin isn't much of a technical listening venue but based on what I'm seeing the only real difference is in the hands from one amp to the other. You, of course, love the vintage amp better. Your hands bespeak that love. The amps are usably equal.

[@mmullerman]

Night and day. Save your money and buy the original. Nice demo though. Thanks.

[@FLdb-wj4wc]

Lol. Right at the beginning the tone master lost and sounded like a toy. Fake thin. I did play in in guitar center and wanted to like it. It does some things good but with drive pedals it collapses. It does this weird thing where it sounds like microphonic pickups. Especially when you play lead notes on the high E string it sounds really fake. It's hard to explain or maybe it just feels fake. I'm not a tube snob but they still haven't figured out the formula. I've tried the roland blues cube artist, boss katana artist, tone master and I'm sick of searching. Amp companies should make a lighter tube amp. There are videos where the tone master sounds amazing. I've seen live bands where guitarist are using boss katana and it sounds great but i don't like the sound and the feel.

[@antoonhermans8953]

hi zac , well these day's fender has done the firmware upgrades you asked for ( zac asked ? ) and they have released the blond version with a celetion neo speaker , to me tough after playing through my tm for over a year now i feel no need for upgrading the firmware or whatever , the jensen neo speaker sounds a lot darker then it did in the beginning so that;s a plus i guess and i have sold my 2 expensive handmade tube amps ( a third power ( princeton clone) and an marble ( 5E3 clone - dutch brand btw ).

[@Frankinsteinguitar]

To me the Tone Master just sounds "newer" - speaker not broken in. Like swapping in a new speaker into any tube amp.....it takes a while to "loosen" the speaker up.

[@ctcards2636]

Buy a Milkman 100 and call it a day. Best of everything about a Deluxe.

[@Lowtech14]

To my ears, through AirPods(!), the ‘67 sounded smoother and sweeter. The TM sounded harsher, rougher around the edges.

[@randyschock7374]

Great. No I gotta save up for a 60s fender deluxe reverb..... thanks.

[@johnmirabile3535]

THE TUBE AMP SMOKED IT, ZAC YOU JUST COST ME AN EXTRA 600, AND A CHIRROPRSCTOR VISIT IN THE NEAR FUTURE! HAHAHA

[@cowtowncustoms2110]

Zac, your right, it is a good sounding amp and with less weight and the ability to plug in to any power outlet without worrying about changes in power is a plus. But the sound coming out of an amp with glowing tubes just cannot be replicated!

[@gimmeagig]

I'm just a bass player dabbling on guitar so I don't have the trained ear or connection to the tradition of old fenders. But to me the tonemaster sounded better.More open more clear more sparkle. Maybe that's not so good for distorted tones but for a good clean sound I would pick the tonemaster

[@davidtobin6563]

Someone probably made this comment but there is an update that "clips" the bright cap and tames the reverb with more control.

[@BollocksUtwat]

"My buddy Kirk Fletcher" okay... that's instant cred.

[@AskZac]

I am grateful for Kirk's friendship. Fantastic guy!

[@waynechurchill7212]

Wooo. It great amp tonemaster Iam useing mustan 3 line. Out to my Princeton tone it in it not to shabby great. Info.

[@russellesimonetta3835]

Solid state won't growl and snarl. Ok for old school clean country.

[@ObeseModetoBeastMode]

Sounds close enough for my ears. Thanks Zac.

[@reviewersrevival5408]

Hmmm. I was hoping that the ToneMaster would be closer to its original namesake. Direct comparison does reveal its digital, sonic sterility. Great vid. Thanx a million, brother. :)

[@Tyler_Hodges]

Im thinking a used 67 is about the same price as a new tone master.

[@cliffdelbridge6732]

I like your Deluxe more, as well as my Katana 100 Mk2

[@garygratzer9670]

C’mon. Papery was a great description.

[@WillyPDX94]

Even listening through Airpods over the Internet, I heard some of the same differences you mentioned. I love tube amps, but if I were going to pick up a digital amp, it would have to be the Tone Master. It's not going to provide the same qualities as a real Blackface Deluxe Reverb, but given my modest abilities as a guitarist, I think I would be happy with the Tone Master in most of my gigs. The one thing I wished you'd done was to try using the EQ on the Tone Master to darken the sound a little bit to see if it could get closer in tone to your '67 Deluxe Reverb. I wonder if messing with the onboard Treble and Bass controls and/or using a good EQ pedal, you could get the Tone Master to sound a little more mellow. This is not a criticism of your review which I think was just fine. If I buy a Tone Master, I'll certainly try some things to tame the treble just a tad. They call it a "Tone" Master, right?

[@AskZac]

William, I had the treble on 3 on the TM. The reverb channel has a high-end presence that you can't get rid of with eq. The normal chan on the TM does not have this, but it lacks reverb. I would like Fender to address this.

[@brianemrick7232]

I am going to try the new blonde one with the brite cap clipped, reverb twerked, and celestian cream back speaker. You may want to review that one.

[@Brucaleeffo]

you can download firmware update and get the same "specs" as the blond one in the old version I guess

[@shckltnebay]

Not sure if you mentioned it, but the price is a issue for me compared to the RI

[@paulcowart3174]

When you first switched over it sounded like someone threw a blanket over your tone Way different mid response No love for the original Fender Tonemaster ? Or at least a mention I love mine It's been my main amp through 4/10s for a long time but really like my 1482 that's a Deluxe wannabe lol

[@danielrose3172]

No contest... If you can't tell, no problem.

[@0013619511]

Loud Music causes Global warming !

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

I've got a 65 reissue Deluxe Reverb and I absolutely love it. I've got a Strat, Tele, and a 335 and it sounds awesome with all of them. They also take pedals really well. What's the big difference between the vintage 65 and the reissue? Is there THAT much of a difference in sound?

[@tomfoolery2082]

Any1 tht can find gear theyre happy with im all for it no matter what it is . Not easy sometimes .

[@bobframe1949]

Zac, I was one of the guys asking for this review, so thank you very much. Great review. Gave me some things to consider that I hadn't gotten from other reviews. Thanks!!!

[@billymcpeters1172]

Tone master is more compressed sounding.

[@TheOlmecindian]

People must not like the tone master I always see them for sale

[@aaronparker1614]

I’d like the tonemaster more if it were a little more dangerous.. like I know I’m gonna miss burning myself on hot tubes or shocking myself while messing around in the chassis..

[@ebeep]

It will be dangerous for your wallet when it quits working and literally no one can fix it.

[@4034miguel]

There is a clear difference, perhaps due to the speakers difference. I love both voices. Your Deluxe Reverb has a clarity I did not expect. Great video!

[@richardlynch5632]

Jumper cable from normal input 2 to vibrato channel 1. Then just plug guitar into normal channel input 1. This will give you the verb and vibrato, but bypasses bright cap. The speaker does sound smoother when broken in. Of course EVERY old amp sounds different even when not modded. This Tone Master still takes pedals well. Thanks for doing this for us. Also the attenuator on the back comes in handy if you have neighbors!😎👍

[@AskZac]

I tried jumpering, and the channels had some strange interaction.

[@richardlynch5632]

Yep...have to keep volume on normal channel down or will get phasing. Just use volume on vibrato channel. 😎👍

[@chrisboule970]

This worked really well for me. Got rid of the top end sizzle. But Fender definitely needs to update the firmware to improve the reverb. Anything more than 1.5 is almost unusable.

[@voxelraster]

If someone would try this comparison in another 50 years from now, your original will still be around and ready to go and the "Tone Master" will be a distant memory.......

[@johnwriterpoet1783]

Who cares at all about 50 years from now? Nobody.

[@voxelraster]

@@johnwriterpoet1783 Nobody at Fender - that's for sure!

[@jimdep6542]

Question. The Fender Mustang's have a Deluxe Reverb model. What would the difference be in a Tone Master in comparison ?

[@AskZac]

I have not played the Mustang yet

[@boyan.guitar]

The 67 by a long mile for me. Oh, and the tonemaster doesn't have a good reverb and tremolo... That's all I need to know. Another informative video, thank you very much 😊

[@carlrudd1858]

Hello, could you please explain what is accomplished by clipping the 47pf bright cap? Thank you.

[@AskZac]

The reverb chan sounds like the normal chan, which is less bright.

[@mariowanagat1412]

Haha 😂 no question 67 so much more smoother

[@ScottMedinaX]

You can really tell the difference when you have headphones on!

[@ScottMedinaX]

@Luke Bad difference? Maybe not. But for me and my ear it's clear that the 67' Deluxe Reverb sounds better. Let me be clear I don't have either and am not going to be buying either anytime soon. But if I were I'd feel like I was "settling" for the Tone Master because of cost. Let me ask you thins. If the cost was identical which one would you buy?

[@frankadams4586]

This was a cool "sort of" shootout. As a diehard Deluxe Head myself, I don't see much not to like about the Tone Master. Seems like a great option for a lot of people looking for a smaller amp. With my '66 and my DRRI, I'm not a candidate for one but I'd probably recommend one to someone.

[@johnulrich5572]

Both are great amps and both sound really good, each in it's own right. I will say that I liked your sound better through the Tone Master. More clarity. But I get what you're saying. Fender should make the TM with a real tank reverb.

[@AskZac]

Or a better model of reverb. A Flint sounds much better, but is a $300 pedal.