Quilter 202 vs Tone Master Deluxe Reverb

**tonejunkie** · 03-05-2020, 09:53 AM

I'm wondering if anyone has compared these two... Any experience would be greatly appreciated. This would be for rehearsals and sitting in with other bands of all sorts. I mostly play a 335 clean.... Here is a clip

**lawson-stone** · 03-05-2020, 10:06 AM

I have the 202 and Tone Master Twin Reverb. I love them both, honestly, and wouldn't want to give up either. I find the 202 harder to understand as to modes of output. They try to do a lot with a smaller number of inputs/outputs and so a lot of switching is involved. Gives a lot of options, but when I want to record the XLR out of the Tone Master, with the mic'd speaker models, is hard to beat. I still haven't figured out on the 202 how to get a cabinet modeled output with level independent of the output to the speaker. On the TM it's silly simple.

**jumpnblues** · 03-05-2020, 10:14 AM

Fender Tone Master Deluxe/Twin Reverb, Quilter, Henrikson, are all great amps. There are others. Just depends on your aural tastes and what your ears like. I have a Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb and love it. Sounds outstanding. Definitely in the tonal ball park with the vintage Fender black face amps. It's so close in tone with them that it's hard to believe your ears. It's so close that it's "close enough" for my ears. And I've owned three vintage Fender Twin Reverbs. Even if it's not the exact tone of it's black face predecessors the tone that the Tone Master amps produce is superb. Great for super clean jazz. They also take pedals extremely well. I very highly recommend them. All that said, I still want a Quilter to go with my TMDR. Soooooo many great choices out there.

**lawson-stone** · 03-05-2020, 10:18 AM

I have never used a Deluxe Reverb. I have played modelers that imitate the DR, and my Fender SuperChamp X2 has the DR model, plus I"ve played around with the Boss Fender Deluxe Reverb pedal. All to say, my experience isn't definitive; but I have the feeling that the Quilter 202 set to vintage stack comes pretty close to a Deluxe Reverb sound, especially with the right cabinet.

Could be totally wrong on this, of course, but I pretend my TM202 is my Deluxe Reverb...

**Wildcat** · 03-05-2020, 11:32 AM

What are you playing through in this clip?

Originally Posted by tonejunkie

I'm wondering if anyone has compared these two... Any experience would be greatly appreciated. This would be for rehearsals and sitting in with other bands of all sorts. I mostly play a 335 clean.... Here is a clip

**Mecena** · 03-05-2020, 11:42 AM

So far I've heard only good things about Quilter.
I guess Fender won't dissappoint you also.

Hard one.

**Wildcat** · 03-05-2020, 12:13 PM

Personally I think of all of the features for the Twin model is the power attenurator 6 watt levels to choose from. 1, 5, 12, 22, 40, and 85. With the 2 12" speakers how does the tone respond or vary at the various wattage?

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

I have the 202 and Tone Master Twin Reverb. I love them both, honestly, and wouldn't want to give up either. I find the 202 harder to understand as to modes of output. They try to do a lot with a smaller number of inputs/outputs and so a lot of switching is involved. Gives a lot of options, but when I want to record the XLR out of the Tone Master, with the mic'd speaker models, is hard to beat. I still haven't figured out on the 202 how to get a cabinet modeled output with level independent of the output to the speaker. On the TM it's silly simple.

**Llacrobat** · 03-05-2020, 12:33 PM

I love my 202. Using it for clean jazz down to the crunchiest Stevie Ray Vaughan sounds. No extra pedals needed.
And yes; my GAS is telling me to buy a TMDR...

**jads57** · 03-05-2020, 01:42 PM

Probably already covered,but the Twin is a better comparison as far as Clean Headroom available. I played both the Twin and Deluxe models a couple times and was impressed,except for the speaker.

I own several Quilter Aviator amps and the 202TB. ABSOLUTELY LOVE 202TB!

**lawson-stone** · 03-05-2020, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Personally I think of all of the features for the Twin model is the power attenurator 6 watt levels to choose from. 1, 5, 12, 22, 40, and 85. With the 2 12" speakers how does the tone respond or vary at the various wattage?

As you might expect, at the 1 watt level, it's not quite as full-throated but it still sounds nice.

Here's a quick clip I made of my current obsession, Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" and solo choruses from the Omnibook. Played through my TMTR, using the 1 Watt output selector setting, mic'd with a Shure SM57 into my D/A box. "Gain" is on about 6. If I turn to 7, I start getting break-up. At 6, it cracks a little if I punch it hard.

**tonejunkie** · 03-05-2020, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by Wildcat

What are you playing through in this clip?

I have a fender blackface no reverb amp that I built... great pedal board platform.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**tonejunkie** · 03-05-2020, 08:00 PM

Thanks for all the reply’s! I just went to my local shop and they had a deluxe tone master and it sounds great! It’s very light and will be a perfect rehearsal and sit in rig

Quilter 202 vs Tone Master Deluxe Reverb

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**tonejunkie** · 03-06-2020, 02:27 AM

I took it to a big horn band rehearsal tonight... It easily had enough volume and was not breaking up. I like it :-)

**lawson-stone** · 03-06-2020, 02:18 PM

Another satisfied Tone Master player. These amps have a way of winning over those who give them time.

**lawson-stone** · 03-06-2020, 03:01 PM

I'm going to try today to do a clip with the Quilter TB202 and compare with the TMTR. Could be fun. Both are sensational amps.

**Herbie** · 03-06-2020, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

I'm going to try today to do a clip with the Quilter TB202 and compare with the TMTR. Could be fun. Both are sensational amps.

Well this would be very interesting! Can they be dialed to sound the same? Can they be dialed to sound the same good jazz sound?

Of course the speaker is very big part of the final sound. Can one play Quilter – or any other amp – thru TMTR cab?

I have a Quilter TB202 which I like a lot. I am confused between Tone Masters and DIY one channel Deluxe amp, so if the Quilter would do the job I could start to worry something else!

**yebdox** · 03-06-2020, 11:31 PM

Haven’t played one, but the pics available suggest that there is no external speaker jack, is that correct, Lawson?

**Wildcat** · 03-07-2020, 11:14 AM

I just order a TM DR from Sweetwater after reading this thread. Pushed me over.

Sweetwater was very nice to take back the Boss katana 50 I had recently purchase which allowed me to up grade to the DR. I had put my small pedal board, (micro) Reverb, delay, chorus, overdrive and ditto looper, away with the Boss. I didn't like that.

I thought hard about whether the DR or TR model? Decided the DR should be sufficient for my needs.

Read some reviews of the DR on Sweetwater. Mostly praising the the Blackface tone. Some about the weight. A few saying the technology is unprovened over time. Also the price is in the tube version of the DR model.

About 6-8 months ago I was thinking about another Fender Ultralight Jazzmaster head and cab. Discontinued some years back. Well someone mentioned about the Fender Tonemaster models. I was what heck is that? Then I did some research. This got the ball rolling.

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

Another satisfied Tone Master player. These amps have a way of winning over those who give them time.

**Mecena** · 03-07-2020, 11:47 AM

This topic gave me GAS also.

But I don't like any of this two models.
I hope Fender will make like Princenton or Tweed in Tone Master.
Or any other tiny amp.
Twin Reverb is just soo big in dimensions. -.- Deluxe Reverb also.

**Wildcat** · 03-07-2020, 11:57 AM

I thought the same being the former owner of multiple Princeton models. Vintage and Reissued. Also amp builder clones.
However, what pushed me over is the power attenurator. With the TM DR you get 22, 12, 5, 1 and .5 wattage. Also at 23 pounds for the DR a Princeton would probably be at about 15 pounds or less. That's not so important to me at that point.

For a reissue tube model I would highly recommend the Sweetwater special addition Fender 65 Princeton reverb model. It has 12inch speaker, 12-15 watts and a tweed lacquer finish. $$999!
I can't say enough good things about this amp model.

Originally Posted by Mecena

This topic gave me GAS also.

But I don't like any of this two models.
I hope Fender will make like Princenton or Tweed in Tone Master.
Or any other tiny amp.
Twin Reverb is just soo big in dimensions. -.- Deluxe Reverb also.

**Mecena** · 03-07-2020, 12:32 PM

60 cm wide is the thing which bothers me. 10" guitar cab is like 38 cm wide. xD I could like put 38 cm wide cab in my tiny tiny room. But like 60 cm is overkill. xD I have room like 2.5 meters x 2.5 meters. xD

I could find a place for 8" guitar cab, or tiny 10" guitar cab. But this extremely wide 60 cm combo .... not sure. -.-

I also have like, weight carrying limitations after surgery. -.-
I can go for like, 10 kg max.
Above that, no.

PS.

But if they make like, Tone Master Princeton, I would be more then open for it.

10" cab, not double channel wide stuff, small, no tubes, light.

That would be a really cool option for me.

**Wildcat** · 03-07-2020, 01:13 PM

I agree totally on no need for double channels. But I cant help but think it was a marketing decision to go with classic look for these.

I guess Jazz players and probably some other type players dont need the retro look and go with efficiency first.

Also if they did come out with an efficent size model, once again reference the discontinued Fender Jazz ultralight head and cab, I guess the sales would be modest.
As the young folks say, it's all about brand recognition.

Originally Posted by Mecena

60 cm wide is the thing which bothers me. 10" guitar cab is like 38 cm wide. xD I could like put 38 cm wide cab in my tiny tiny room. But like 60 cm is overkill. xD I have room like 2.5 meters x 2.5 meters. xD

I could find a place for 8" guitar cab, or tiny 10" guitar cab. But this extremely wide 60 cm combo .... not sure. -.-

I also have like, weight carrying limitations after surgery. -.-
I can go for like, 10 kg max.
Above that, no.

PS.

But if they make like, Tone Master Princeton, I would be more then open for it.

10" cab, not double channel wide stuff, small, no tubes, light.

That would be a really cool option for me.

**lawson-stone** · 03-07-2020, 01:31 PM

So here's a side-by-side of the TMTR with the output level switch at 12w, and the Quilter Tone Block 202. The TB202 is going through the Quilter 12" Extension cabinet. Both are miked with a Shure SM57 placed in (hopefully) the same position relative to the speaker cone. Playing my project "Donna Lee" and switching about every 20 seconds.

Hope you enjoy it!

**Herbie** · 03-07-2020, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

So here's a side-by-side of the TMTR and the Quilter Tone Block 202. The TB202 is going through the Quilter 12" Extension cabinet. Both are miked with a Shure SM57 placed in (hopefully) the same position relative to the speaker cone. Playing my project "Donna Lee" and switching about every 20 seconds.

Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks! Listening thru my cell phone they sound both good and a bit similar but Quilter sounded maybe a bit more thicker, jazzier.

This helps a bit for my GAS... So I can start to drool after something else...

Nice playing, BTW!

**Wildcat** · 03-07-2020, 02:02 PM

Great playing! Really enjoyed it. I like how you shift the camera to each amp back and forth.
Just curious ballpark what is the cost for the QTB and extension cab.?

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

So here's a side-by-side of the TMTR with the output level switch at 12w, and the Quilter Tone Block 202. The TB202 is going through the Quilter 12" Extension cabinet. Both are miked with a Shure SM57 placed in (hopefully) the same position relative to the speaker cone. Playing my project "Donna Lee" and switching about every 20 seconds.

Hope you enjoy it!