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I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sorely tempted by this amp. I am envisioning this covering all my desired bases by putting something like a Tech 21 Blond in front.
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01-12-2020 09:10 PM
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**adding a disclaimer as I did not realize there are additional switches on the back of the amp that I should have been dialing in. I will repost once I have time to go try this amp out again but this review below is suspect based on what I found out**
I just tested one of these side by side to a quilter toneblock 202 with blockdock 12 and was disappointed. I felt I could dial in something very similar to a twin sound (also had a twin tube there to play with as well) with the quilter but also many other tones as well. Twin had a coldness to it that I did not expect.
I also tried some of my pedals with the tonemaster and they all sounded muffled (like there was a wet blanket over the speaker). Something unpleasant about the frequencies that I could not quite dial out.
Just my 2c but curious if others have compared vs the toneblock and felt the sameLast edited by wherearemykeys; 01-13-2020 at 05:01 PM. Reason: adding a disclaimer
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Originally Posted by wherearemykeys
I also have not heard any comparison with the Quilter or DVMark that the Tone Master came up short.
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Originally Posted by wherearemykeys
Two most common complaints I read from people who weren't impressed by them were the lack of volume and brightness. TM amps seem to be quieter and darker (at least perceived so) when in the same settings with their tube counter parts. When I did A/B testing of Deluxe Reverb's, I found that the tube one was punchier when volume and tone controls were set equal between the two amps. That's probably more noticeable in some rooms than others. It could be because they have different speakers.
This is not a show stopper though, it just means some tweaking is required. Did you try turning on the bright switch on the TM Twin? It helps to keep the volume a bit higher when comparing with the tube versions as well.
You said there was also a tube version in the store. Did you compare quilter with the tube Twin as well? If so what did you think? It's also possible that you just like the Quilter more than TwinsLast edited by Tal_175; 01-13-2020 at 01:06 PM.
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Even the Washburn J600k, 17” lam and pressed spruce with a Benedetto S6, sounds good through the TM Twin. Hollow wood, or the auditory illusion thereof, comes through better than on the PC30 or Katana combo. Suspect because of 2 12s versus 1.
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Originally Posted by lawson-stone
I was really excited to try based on the forums so was surprised. Maybe I will head by guitar center to try another tonemaster - I went to the other place because it had quilter stuff as well that I wanted to check out.
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Following this thread with much interest.
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Originally Posted by wherearemykeys
A lot of folks who just play one in a shop don't know about the back panel controls. It can make a big difference. Then again, the Quilter is a great amp and who says you need to change?
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Originally Posted by lawson-stone
I don't have the Quilter Toneblock but was evaluating. I really enjoyed my Benson Hotrod's chimey goodness as well as PRRI I used to have but on both there was always a narrow volume in which I could achieve the tone that I wanted. The Quilter toneblock was pretty great but I am going to reevaluate the TMTR now that you have pointed out my mistake. I'm going to give the Strymon Iridium and monitor a try as well as I am hearing good things too.
Thanks for the info!
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Originally Posted by wherearemykeys
I would almost bet the Output Power selector in that store was set on 1 Watt.
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Deleted. I thought there was a master volume in addition to the output watts switch, but there’s not—just like on a real BF Twin.
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Originally Posted by wherearemykeys
I will receive my Strymon Iridium tomorrow and will check back in on a separate thread. I'll be running it through various speakers: Yamaha DRZ10, Acus 350, and Schertler Jam 150. We'll see how it compares to the Quilter, a Roland Blues Artist, and my 81 Fender Concert.
I've not played a Fender Tone Master yet. Since Fender had a very focused set of design goals combining speaker, cabinet, and amp sim, I don't expect the Strymon Iridium with a full range speaker to match it. However, I think it may come close while offering more choices and greater flexibility.
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Originally Posted by Spook410
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Originally Posted by lawson-stone
I use a Yamaha DXR10 and the poster you are asking uses a higher quality DRZ10
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Originally Posted by Alter
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Been a working musician for 40 years, been hauling heavy tube combo amps around the whole time. Still love em. At 58, hard to haul up a flight of stairs. But...the tone! The response! Tried a Tone master twin. It came home with me the same day. Love the attenuation and xlr out. pull it back to 22 watts, crank the volume, it breaks up beautifully. Without ear bleed. you would swear there were tubes in it. First SS amp I've ever owned. Not dissapointed.
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Originally Posted by Jorj
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Originally Posted by citizenk74
I must confess that I too have fallen hard for a Tone Master Twin Reverb. I decided to check one out after seeing Lawson-Stone's posts (and the demos he did). Needless to say I could not resist.
Two months in and it's the only amp I use with my jazz guitars anymore. Such a great, fat, balanced, perfect tone. I will likely be selling my Cube 80gx and likely my Princeton Reverb (my previous go-to jazz amps). The Twin and the PR are close to the same weight, but the 2 x 12" speakers in the Twin really make the magic happen. I don't play loud, but it feels thick with all the air being moved. It's a rich, glorious tone that puts a smile on my face and inspires me to play. Makes all my jazz guitars sound like a million bucks. NOTE: I did install the Fender firmware update to tame the over-the-top reverb. Now, it's perfect.
My advice is to take your favorite jazz guitar to the music shop and spend a few minutes with a Tone Master amp. It took only a couple minutes of fiddling to find "my" perfect jazz tone. I've had mine for a few months now and intentionally avoided doing a NAD post--I didn't want to gush about it and then lose interest and end up selling it and feeling stupid for my passing infatuation. Happily (unlike so many other over-hyped pieces of gear), this amp's richness just keeps growing on me. I've never sounded so good. Oh, and I also agonized over which Tone Master amp to get--Deluxe Reverb or Twin Reverb. Decisions, decisions.... I'm sure the Deluxe's are great too, but I pulled the trigger on the Twin and that was the right choice for me.
Hopefully, this was helpful. I really don't want to be on the hype train, but I really like mine. You should try one and see if it works for you.
Roli
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I'm wondering about the attenuation on the Twin. It doesn't go as low as the Deluxe. Is it a problem for home use?
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Originally Posted by m_d
This amp keeps getting better and better as I use it. It's now my default.
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Originally Posted by lawson-stone
ou favor over your tweed Princeton? What would you say are their tonal differences?
Maybe i should be itching for one of thems......
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Originally Posted by DMgolf66
That said, i like the princeton a lot. Wonderful sound, very gratifying to play. But the Tone Master Twin is just... no drama, all tone, great control, good recording resources (XLR out). Some of my favorite tones in jazz are an L5 or Super 400 through 2 12" speakers (Wes, Kenny...) and this nails it. I do love the Princeton, especially with the ES175
Now... I'll haul out the Princeton and play it for a while!
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Originally Posted by lawson-stone
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Has anyone discussed the differences between the the black and Blonde tolex model?
Did I read there is a different speaker?
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Originally Posted by DMgolf66
Ham Radio
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