Fender Tone Master

Late 1993 tube amp head with hand stamped serial - The QA sticker code on back is used to date this model. Sold with matching 2x12 cab. One input, 2 channel amp - each channel with its own effects loop volume & tone controls and "fat" switch (Adds a 3dB boost in gain to the Ch A, mostly to the low and midrange frequencies) but NO master volume. Single channel floor foot switch, speaker and extension speaker output. 2 Pre-amp and 1 Phase inverter12AX7's and 4 6L6GCs. An inspection of the PTP did not reveal any mods from previous owners. Switchable output transformer impedance thats confusing as hell to use as to what it does unless you stick with the original 16ohm cabs that came with the head - Used for alt and classic rock. Rated 8 for features as it is a basic non-master amp circuit with little frills.

Read up on this amp before purchasing - the designer (B. Zinky) was looking for a "brown sound" switching amp circuit with flexibility. This is not your Daddy's Fender Blues amp. Clean side Ch A begins to break up at about 3 due to the volume control placement and OD Ch B side gets nasty crunchy with the gain and volume up. Volume Ch A and Gain Ch B are placed before the respective channel preamp circuit so its expected the clean channel to get dark and dirty with increased volume and a dimed guitar. Volume B is after the preamp and phase inverter tubes and before the output tubes so that any front end attached pedals will be greatly colored by the gain tone and power tube volume circuit. I use a line 6 M13 with Ch A and bypass it when going to Ch B. It can get "Marshall like" all by itself on Ch B but with a tighter low end. Each string will be heard through this amp.

I use the original lower output humbuckers found on Gibson Standards and Deluxes but have not tried it with EMG's or other high output PU's - as some early reviews have stated one needs to know what they are doing when using this amp. Advice Bit 1 is to get the tone you want out of each side and then leave it. Advice Bit 2 is to use your guitar controls to adjust on stage. Advice Bit 3 is to use you pedals sparingly where needed on Ch A. Advice Bit 4 is that this amp responds to playing dynamics more than my Marshall 2210 or Mesa TR ever could - so if you suck this amp will not let you hide even on high gain.

This amp appears particular to the type of preamp tube used. Expect to try a few brands and variations of 12AX7 in all 3 sockets to your tastes - I settled for GT gold C's across the board and my review is written with this combination. The previous owner had a menagerie (tung-sol in the PI, a non descript chinese in CH B and a Mesa Russian in CH A) going on in the circuit and the personality of the amp changed drastically (to my enjoyment) when I made the final change. I tried an old RCA 12AT7 as recommended by some earlier here in the phase inverter but it made the output a bit muddy. I have not had an issue with the "ice-pick" treble output others here and on web pages have mentioned. Sovtek 6L6WGC's recently placed in the power section and bias adjusted by tech.

I like this amp as the tone controls are very responsive across the dial and will influence the output differently according to the volume setting selected. I've been able to dial both nice tube breakup and clean tones in Ch A and thick distortion on the B side at high channel volumes. So be prepared to spend some time getting to know this tiger and once you have it record your dial settings.

As previously mentioned by others this mother is LOUD - I've tamed the output for practice purposes with a Magus Ultimate attenuator while retaining the clarity of the tone from the output section. I gave it a nine as it is versatile but takes quite a bit of work and patience to get to a "holy grail" tone. But I'd rather have the diversity this amp offers than to spend the same amount and get a one trick pony.

I had this tiger for about 5 years and gigged on and off with it, switching at times with a Marshall 2210 depending on the band I'm with. The Marshall cannot get the switched cleans the Tonemaster has which is why I keep coming back to it.

I had the circuits inspected by my tech who stated this thing is built like the proverbial brick outhouse and all that was needed was changed tubes to taste. I do keep spare tubes and fuses but I now trust that it will not fail me aside from these expendables.

Bought used - Fender has manuals and schematics online. Techs can take it from there.

Been playing seriously for last 12 years - I am a converted bass player. I have or have owned other Fenders Marshall Mesa/Boogie and Line 6 amps which have their own positives. This is a unique amp in its own right - and that it can come close to other tube makes in tone has helped make it my number 1. If this amp were lost I'd replace it if I could find one. I love its versatility (a tweekers delight) , but conversely I hated using the amount of time it took to get there - definitely not a plug and play amp.

1993 Tone Master. Used for Alternative Rock. Loud. Really loud.

The advice provided by the reviewer below is golden: replace the Phase Inverter tube with a 12AT7. I really liked this amp but found it a bit pointy and loud at times, and replacing the Phase Inverter tube with a 12AT7 instead of a 12AX7 was the best investment: much creamier sounding, darker, better distortion. The second best replacement was putting in TAD 6L6WGC short-bottle tubes which improved the amp considerably. Tung-sol 12AX7's helped the preamp tone as well. I play this with a Marshall 4x10.

I play this with a Jazzmaster or Jaguar, and while the RAT used to be my standard pedal, I'm happier with the built-in distortion. The RAT can be too abrasive in the top end.

So far, so good. Built like a tank.

No repairs yet.

I've been playing for 18 years, and this is the best amp I've ever owned.

features have been covered, min you would expect for a modern amp

OK I review this about 5 years ago and wasnt too happy. I never sell gear and pulled this out of storage with its matching 2x12 to give it a go. I found the clean would break up to early and the OD had a bit of fizz to it. So i decided to change the Phase Inverter tube from a 12ax7 to a 12AT7. HOLY CRAP!!!!!! what a difference!!!! The clean is now excellent like a darker twin and the OD is thick/fat with a hot rodded marshall type tone. I've played session guitar for years, took this to a new project I'm working on and the guys were like WOW!!!!! Give the AT7 a try, it makes so much difference!!! (I prefer JJ tubes!)

Point to Point!!! No probs

never delt with them

with the 12ax7 in the phase inverter position I'd give it 5-6/10. with the 12at7 I'll give it 10. It eats my Budda superdrive (which I love!!!) and my Matchless DC30 sounds sterile next to it. I'm so happy i didnt sell it!!!

Hmm, don't know the year but since they don't make them anymore and didn't for very long guess it's heading for the Fender collectables arena which is always nice. I just play instro surf and this has the look of the old blonde Showman amps and mine is super loud & clean. Perfect surf amp imho. Two channels but I never use the dirty one. Channel switching is onboard if you want it. No need for any other features. This amp is the most powerful Fender clean amp I've owned. I normally run the volume on 4 to 41/2. Power is very flexible. With a 16 ohm cabinet the switch allows you to run it at 30, 60, or 100 watts. So if you're playing clean you've bought 3 amps in one. Very versatile for gigging. This thing is heavy and seriously loud when the 100 watts are switched on. Throw an outbaoard Fender tube reverb in front of it and just start grinning. So awesome.

Well, I bought it as a one trick pony for instro surf and besides a vintage 60's blonde Dual Showman nothing can touch (it if you want extremely powerful & rich & clean surf guitar). Hands down. Variety? There's a ton of it if you're playing a Jaguar cause it brings out the uniqueness of the switching only a Jag has. If you play a boring Strat you might need something else. This thing is perfectly matched to the needs of a Jaguar. At high volumes this thing is still clean. I couln't tell you about the distortion cause all distortion sounds like sh** to me. Very quiet amp - quiet enough to record with.

Bullet proof & I never bring a backup (I've been playing Fenders for 35 years with out backup). I just do periodic tubes changes every few thousand hours and I've never had any problems with Fender tube amps.

Never needed it.

I chose this just to try someting different from Fender and this is the most impressive Fender amp I've owned. Tone to kill for - best since the first Dual Showman. If you play clean this is a natural (not compressed like a Meas) high power workhorse. Unbelievable piece of craftsmanship from Zinky that does Leo proud. Fender - you lost a good man when Zinky left.

ok.. I admit it... i have MAJOR GAS... but i saw a good deal on a tonemaster with Vibroking 2X12 ext cab at Guitar Center (I know, i was shocked too!)and I checked it out.. and... well.. you know the story. This is IMO the perfect gigging set up for me. I get a pretty decent clean chanel, and a usable overdrive. I just put my 808 in front, and a delay pedal, and I'm happy. Features are basic, but suite my needs

I use primarily my ES 137, stock, and i get the tones i need. I also use my Les Paul special DC with P 90's and get more bite in this set up. I dig the tones, raw, straightforward, but with great clarity. You can hear the notes clearly defined, and the amp makes u better because it does not mask your mistakes

PTP, built fairly well... I'm hoping this amp outlives me. I'm not really one to swap tubes out a lot, so just the usual maintenance and it should be happy. This puppy does get HOT though!

um... yah, not so much..

I'm rating this pretty high... I try not to buy crap, and I really dig this amp. I think i got a pretty decent deal, and I haven't been playing my others which is usually a good sign with a new peice... and you gotta love the beige tolex with brown grill look.. great mojo is icing on the proverbial cake

You know the features - 2 f/sw ch's, fat switch on both, seperate FX loops for each channel(annoying), 3 way impedance switch(30/60/100watts).
And its a pretty blond colour. Kinda wish it had reverb, but I guess its just something else to stuff up!

I use fat strats but also have a PRS which I dont like as much thru this. With the strat its very versatile, the whole gamut - Clean-crunchy clean-dirt-holy crapballs dirt. No super saturated over the top gain, but I got a pedal to jump on for that.

I leave it on the lo (30watts) setting for all my playing - makes the clean break up nice with the strats. Havent played a big enough venue to go the whole 100 watts yet. Tried it on the med 60watts a couple of times, but the clean was too bright, and the OD lost a bit of balls, because of not as much natural compression.
Not overly noisy, especially considering I use a strat and a bunch of pedals!

I used a Fender pro reverb before this and was always having to fiddle to keep it reliable, so far with 6 mths of gigging under its belt, the TM hasnt even hiccuped. It still has the original tubes in it as the guy who had it before me only drove it to church on Sundays (WTF??)
I havent taken a backup for this ever. Just keep some valves handy.

I got it second hand, so I havent been bothered with a warranty. I know Fender in Australia are pretty good, having worked for a Fender Dealer for 5 yrs, I did ask them about the matching cab for this and they answered pretty darn quick. Cant really comment here.

Ive had a room full of amps and gigged with a bunch of them, other Fenders (will it work tonight?), marshalls(clean - wot clean?), boogies (hello fart town), Soldano (well this one rocked but it was single channel!).
So far this has been the easiest to squeeze extremely satisfactory clean and dirty tones out of, and is very FX friendly.
When I first got it, the cab I was using it with made it ear piercingly bright. I finally got some V30's (which it was designed for) for my soldano 2x12 - goddamn - what a difference. It was one of those moments where you just couldnt stop smiling and giggling to yourself. Reverb would be nice, but I had that on my last amp, and it caused dramas, so I guess theres ups & downs. The seperate FX loops kinda shits me too, but I just use pedals in line now.
I like it a lot.

I had a 1999 Tone Master that came with a 4 x 12 Cab. I bought separately a 2 X 12 Cab. Both had V30's. 2 channels and two effects loops which I found a complete pain.

Looked amazing though! Very pretty amp in blonde tolex. Plenty loud enough at 100W the power cut down switch was good too.

I'll knock 3 points off for that separate effects loop.

I'm not the only one that was HUGELY disappointed by the gain channel - sounded so brittle and harsh. No sign of a nice fat overdrive in sight.

I got rid of the entire set up because of this - I've now got a vibroking which although lacks the headroom, sounds infinitely better.

No probs

A big let down - I wanted a much better overdrive - this sucked. Half the total points for that.

I bought my Tone Master new in 2000? somewhere around there.
The Amp is very versatile although I must say I haven't found a way to get a perfect (subjective of course) dirty sound. 2 channels with Fat options. Of course I wish it had reverb. I don't use the dirty channel as I'm not a fan of Fender distortion but the clean sounds are all I really need anyways,

I play American Standard Tele's and occasionally a Strat. Single coils for the most part. The Amp is not noisy under optimal conditions. The only time I have trouble is if I'm on a circuit with some ground issues. I've never messed with the Ohm settings, I need to research that. The clean channel will distort a little when I crank her up around six (ow...).

Amp definetly has a characteristic Fender "sweet spot". Unfortunately It's a little too loud for some situations. Yeah right!

I've never changed the tubes and I gig / jam constantly. The amp has given me zero problems.

N/A

I've been playing 15 years or so. I own lots of Fender (and Martin) guitars and a couple of Twins reverbs in addition to the Tone Master.

The thing I love most about this amp is the pure power it pushes. It just jums out and physically thumps you in the chest. Solid state amps simply cannot do this and even my 100 watt twins can't do past 15 feet or so.

The thought of losing my amp is unfathomable and I refuse to even think of life without it. This amp is not for amateurs, buyers beware!

I don't know why so many guys complain about the lack of reverb. Do you dog Marshall amps for not having reverb? Bruce Zinky designed this as a hard rock amp, as he said in an interview I read. I like the separate effects loops. I don't think the tone controls are entirely independent. Tweaking the clean channel controls seems to affect the drive channel somewhat. I like having separate effects loops for each channel. This allows more flexibility for the user.

Articulation. Every note is separate and distinct. No overemphasis on the bottom, like a Marshall, or twanginess like in traditional Fenders. The Celestion Vintage 30s give it a softer attack than Jensens or Oxfords. I rarely use the clean channel. I can A/B the TM with my '65 TR or my Magnatone 260A (even better), if I want outstanding cleans. If I want to use effects, then the TM gets the call. The OD channel is OUTSTANDING. I can't get off it. It makes a casual guitar player like me sound like a pro. No chops? No problem! Great crunch, great single note tone. It is brighter than my roommate's '74 Plexi, but I consider that a plus.

I've had it for 6 months and so far, so good. It should be easy to repair -- no PCBs. I am concerned that it runs so hot. In that case, a SS rectifier was a good choice.

N/A

I've been messing around on guitar for about 20 years. Now it seems like my home has become a guitar museum. Now my main axes are a '79 LP 25/50 Anniversary, a '59 LP Jr. 3/4, and a Firebird V. I also have a modified American Standard Strat, a G&L ASAT, a Rickenbacker 381V69-12, a DeArmond Silver Jet copy, and a Jazzmaster and Gretsch Double Anniversary sitting around waiting for me to work on them. If I ever went pro, I would probably get another TM as a backup. I much prefer it to a Marshall.

2 channels both great. Made in 2001 I believe. Reverb is always good but kind of nice NOT to have that crutch. Makes me play better and more consiuos of what I'm doing. A little too loud for the guys I play with but I like it loud. Gets a 9 for no reverb.

I use mine on the lowest ohm setting. It's supposed to be 30 watts, seems more like 300. Very quiet but not very clean on the clean channel set like this, which I prefer. You can boost the ohms to clean it up easily. The distortion channel is great too. I go back and forth with this amp but I have been using my twin amp and splitting the speakers so I have two amps running at once. Effects are run through the twin. I tried running the twin cab alone with the tome master and like the last reviewer said it really does have a more open feel and sound in this config. Our sound man asked me which amp was on which channel because one of the speakers sounded WAY better than the other. Guess which one? So I play without a reverb from time to time and I have not missed it much. Will sacrifice reverb for tone any day.

Never a problem...yet.

not needed

playing almost 30 years and would have to find another if I lost this. I had a chance to open up the "clean" channel set to low ohm setting in my garage recently and once it gets over 3 or 4 it never really gets louder just more crunchy and creamy. Totally SRV but in it's own Strat kind of way.

Mine was made om '98 and the later ones had the best performance and tone (ask Bruce Zinky). Modern point to point wiring no PC boards whatsoever just like the vintage Fenders that you buy then have to spend another $500 to make roadworthy. These had VINTAGE TONE AND MODERN DEPENDABILITY RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX WITH 2 FOOTSWITCHABLE CHANNELS. THESE HEADS WERE THE EVOLUTION OF THE RIVERA DESIGN FENDERS THAT HAD LIMITED TONAL CHARACTERISTICS. THESE HEADS WIN ARTISTS GRAMMYS'... ASK MAROON 5... Channel 1 does vintage Fender and even rivals Vox and Matchless' tone. I know 'cause I played 'em side by side. I've watched John Mellencamp's guitarist play vintage slide tones with his. I've watched John Oats(Hall and Oats) play his like a chimey Bassman or Twin. I've watched Maroon5 play theirs like Fenders on CH1 and Marchalls on CH2. I've watched Joe Perry play his during tha 2003 superbowl(I think that was the year...too wasted). I've watched Lenny Kravitz who switch from VoxAC30's to Fender ToneMaster stacks. Need I say more????

Listen to the aforementioned artists' more recent recordings and judge for yourself. Don't be pussified into thinking 100 tube watts is too much. These are played by actual recording artists at all volumes, each one achieving their own tone signature with pedals and effects. Sounds damn awesome played straight through also with Strats, Teles, and Pauls. Sounds awesome at low volumes and high ones. Lows sound very vintage tweed/Vox... high sounds very Marshall.
100 watts give this animal ball shaking lows when dialed in. HEAD ROOM JUNKIE'S DREAM. I am amazed by the artists who know about these heads. DO NOT BE MISLED INTO THINKING THAT THESE SOUND GOOD ONLY WHEN MATED WITH CLOSED BACK CABS WITH VINTAGE 30'S. i USE MINE WITH AN OPENED-BACK 2X12 PINE CAB WITH g12m70'S WHICH i USE TO REPLACE THE VINTAGE 30'S I GOT WITH THE HEAD. I LOVE THIS COMBO. YOUR EXPERIENCE MAY VARY.

Notice that vintage Fender amps are brought back to life with simple cap jobs and new tubes. Their point to point wiring survives 30-40 years. Well these modern gems are wired in the same manner, AND THEY'RE DISCONTINUED. WHERE ARE THESE MODERN ARTISTS GETTING THESE CUSTOM SHOP HAND WIRED HEADS?? SINCE MORE AND MORE OF THEM ARE DISCOVERING THESE WORKS OF ART, ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHERE THE PRICES WILL GO...FENDER HANDWIRED QUALITY, BRANDING, AND TONE. I ALWAYS WONDER WHY I SEE THESE FOR SALE FROM $825-$1200. ONE CAN ONLY SPECULATE WHAT THESE WILL BE WORTH ON 2007 AND BEYOND.

I've owned Marshall Plexis' and JCM800s' and TSL 100, Matchless Chief combo, Vox A/C 30s', Top Hat King and Club Royales, Holland Magma heads, Bedrock BC75 and The Royale 1x12, Budda Twinmaster, and more and I'm telling you I can nail alot of the tones with this head and a few pedals. I've beem playing since the early seventies. Am I a tone expert? I'd say not, but maybe you'd be better off asking the multi-million dollar artists who are beginning to hoard these rare amps. I almost had to sell my TM, but played it one last time at a gig, and the response from the crowd and musicians in the crowd and a sudden influx of mega cash made me change my mind. i fuckin' love this amp!!

I think I bought one of the last ones in Germany in 2002!
It`s a two channel amp with two separate effects loops. It has got
one hundred tube watts, combined with a tricky impedance switch which
allows the choice between 30, 60 or hundred watts!
I use this amp in a pop/folkrock/americana-style band.

I always looked for a "vintage" clean sound, but the old Bassman,
Super Reverb (and I mean the ones from 1966 or earlier, forget the
silverfaces, I hate that JBL-sound!)are not trustable on the road
and I don't have a personal roadie. After trying nearly any amp
available in Germany, I tried the Tonemaster and since then, for nearly three years, I played nothing else - I found my amp.
With a Stratocaster guitar - I play a Morgaine Mintage 61 (built by
Master Luthier Joerg Tandler in Germany) I can have all kinds of clean sounds I want to have: Push the impedance switch on "low"(that means 30 watts) and turn the volume on 2,5 - there you have the
clean sound of Tom Petty, John Mellencamp, The Jayhawks! I found myself playing chords all the time and there was no situation til now, where the amp was too quiet...! Wherever you are on stage, you can hear yourself playing, perfect! The amp is totally quiet, no hum. In contrast to the USA we have a good electricity system over here in "old Europe"...! The distortion sound is dangerous because the amp sounds good when you like blues settings (gain on 4). Then it sounds great, rich harmonics - when you are looking for a high gain distortion sound, find another amp! The Tonemaster has no problems with effects between guitar and input: I use several Boss
stomp boxes and I can hear no loss in sound quality!
Setting the impedance switch on medium (60watts) or high (100watts)
changes everything: then you have a nearly Twin Reverb sound of the
silverface JBL era, which I don't really like - funny enough, with a Gretsch 6120 or a Duo Jet the sound is again great!!!
What you should keep in mind is the importance of the right speakers: the Tonemaster 2x12" box fits perfectly to the amp. But I give credit to the Celestion Vintage 30 speakers which are essential to the sound. With other speakers the amp sound harsh, without warmth. I own a Marshall 1960AV 4x12"-box with the same speakers included - and it sounded good, too!

I use this amp for nearly three years by now, with regular rehearsing and having concerts in clubs. Although the amp gets really
hot (I took the backplate away, so he can cool down faster) nothing
ever happens til now. I have fuses and a pair of tubes as spares, but
only for psychological reasons. A word to the "I change my power tubes every year for the best sound etc. guys": Most of my amps have the original power tubes still on board, that means for nearly 6 to 8 years and they work perfectly and sound good. Just check the correct bias and get a set of matched tubes and give the amp a chance of getting warm (5minutes) and cooling down (15minutes)
before using or carrying.
I think the amp will never break down!

Nothing has ever happened with the amp. Nor has anything ever
happened to my Super 60 (from 1990) and my Super Amp '93 (from 1994),
so I can say that Fender Tube Amps are well made.
But if anything happens, the Fender guys here in Germany are very
helpful!!

I play the guitar for 26 years, I play in bands for 15 years but that
don`t mean anything, I`m just an average player who loves the sound
of guitars in a band. I play a Morgaine Mintage `61 , a Gibson Les Paul Standard, a Telecaster, a Gretsch 6120 and a Gretsch Duo Jet.
I like to watch my Paul Reed Smith Custom 22, but I don`t like the sound! I use beneath the Tonemaster a Fender Super Reverb, a
Soldano Hot Rod 50 and a Marshall 1987X.
If the Tonemaster was stolen or lost I would do everything to get
another one, because that's the amp I want to get old with!
I love the look of the amplifier, too, so I never leave "him"
alone!

I don't know what year this amp was made. It's versatile enough for the styles of music I play. I play everything but manly classic and modern rock. This amp can do modern rock pushed with a super overdrive or tube screamer. 2 channels.2 effects loop.channel switching.these features are enough for me.Iuse this amp for everything.And it has plenty of power for anyone.All tube amp!

This amp sounds amazing! I've tried many different guitars with this amp and all sound great.Almost every setting on this amp sounds great within reason.

This amp is very reliable. I play out 4 nights a week ( I been doing this for the past 2 years ) and don't use a back up. The only thing I do is replace the tubes about ever 8 months.

Never dealt with them

I've been playing 18 years. I own a Gibson les paul custom and a Gibson les paul standard. This is the only amp I have. I've had a few differnt marshalls, laney, Soldano,Fender.

I have one of the first ones made,serial 0104. One fx loop. Other features as described by other users. I do miss a reverb but an added T.C. GForce does the job perfectly.

I am using several guitars such as Gibson LP custom, Gibson MIII, Vigier Passion Custom III, Parker fly deluxe, Ibanez Artist 500, Ibanez Maxxas II, a 1961 Fender stratocaster, Tele, Music Man Steve Moorse, Gibson Flying V, ... and they all sound fine. It is my impression that this amp works better with single coils but the actual difference is minimal.
My main stile is blues but I also play hard rock and rock. This amp covers the range easily. I am giving it an 8 just because I have lately purchased a Tony Bruno Underground...and it kills the Tonemaster anytime, anywhere and in anystile.
If you are expecting a traditional Fender clean - you are wrong but, the Tonemaster's clean is perfect in its original way. If you are looking for a OD tone of a TWIN with a booster you are wrong again - the OD is very original, "ToneMasteesque" and perfect. There is abig difference in sound depending on the box/speakers you use. I have tested it with 4x 12" Vintage 30, with 2 x 12" Electrovoice, 1 x 12" JBL, and they all sound well but very different. There is a huge difference of sound when using the same model od speakers in a box with closed back versus the box with an open back. The rule is do experiment and you will be able to find your tone or the tone you are loking for. My favourite is to hook two boxes: a closed back 4x12" vith Vintage 30 and a 1 x 12" open back box with a JBL E120 ( 103dB!!!) speaker.

You can depend on this amp! I use it for gigs, concerts,...it works without any problems if the basic rules are followed: biasing, changing power tubes regularly,NOT MOVING THE AMP at least 15 minutes after you switc it off, etc... I have also added a cheap but reliable fan ( the one that is used for PCs) and the life of the power tubes has increased for some 30%. Make sure that the fan is installed in such way to "aspirate" the air from the amps compartment instead of blowing air in.

never had to deal with Fender.

I am playing for some 30 years and I have owned a lot of gear. All gear I have now is for my studio as well as for gig purposes.Presently my amps are Toni Bruno Underground, a 1969 Orange OR120, a 1969 Marshall Plexi, a 1969 Fender Super reverb, Marshall JCM 800 and JCM 900 (4102 model), Marshal 45,a Boogie Heartbraker, Boogie Mark II C, Boogie dual rectifier and all of these were picked and played for years and are with me to stay ! It is simply not possible to compare the ToneMaster with any of the above as each and every have their own sound and character. However, the ToneMaster is a part of the equipment that is not for sale and if stolen I would buy another one.

I was going to buy a Dr. Z when this Tonemaster came up on Ebay. I play blues, rock, country...whatever, and needed a versatile amp. this came with a 4x12 cab and the impedance of the head is adjustable, basically emulating a 30, 60 or 90 watt amp. I was looking fot a vibrant clean channel, and an overdriven sound with a good bottom end. This amp could theoretically do it all.

I gig with a strat, a custom built soloist, Les paul and occasionally a Tele or Gretsch. The amp has a fairly nice clean channel...not as nice as a Twin, but "Fender" clean. Nice crunch on the overdrive...but it really won't sing on it's own without a little help from a pre amp pedal. It's NOT a Marshall.

It's used..so a lot of this may not be fair, but the knobs are constantly falling off the fromt of the amp and the volume pot on the OD channel went out on me in the middle of a solo. It's a handwired amp..but it seems a bit delicate. Bring a back amp if you gig with this one.

I've never called Fender support in 35 years....have any of you?

After playing with this amp for a few months, I can say that I'm happy with it, but it isn't the Holy Grail that many have said it was. It is not as versatile as I'd hoped. It does not have the sag of a high gain Marshall and it does not have the crystal clear clean sound of a Twin. I like the 4x12 cab and I am now testing the combo of a Marshall JCM 2000 head and the ToneMaste cab...and so far it really rocks. It's a nice amp...but not a great amp.

i don't know what year it was made. this amp can do everything! i play blues to hardcore. 2 channels are all you really need. this is the only amp i use with the 4x12 cab with vintage 30's. this has more power than i will ever need.

I have a les paul standard with burstbucker pro pickups. and a les paul custom with a duncan jb humbucker in the bridge and a duncan 59' in the neck. this suits my musical style perfect. it sounds great no matter where i play.sounds great at high and low volumes.

it's a tube amp. so tubes can go out at anytime.it's never broken down. just replace the tubes at least evert year or so. I've been playing without a backup.

i've been playing off and on for 14 years. i have gotten rid of alot of other gear because this sounds the best. and all i have to do is plug in and play. every guitar i have played through the tone master sounds great. this has not been the case with other amps i have owned. i sold my jcm 800 head, soldano slo, marshall jcm 900, marshall jmp, marshall 1987, fender bassman, ect. not to say those were bad amps. just something about the sound of the fender tone master.

All-purpose modern handmade guitar amplifier. Out of production.

A true modern classic, however hard to get as it is out of production. I have many HIWATT amps and I am a little spoiled by mil-spec. build quality. This was a really good amp for Fender in many ways. Component choices were very good in every way. They use Jensen transformers in the effects section...Also, the simplicity of the amp was something I really liked. I was getting really good sound(s) in no time at all. Nothing like a 1st generation PRS McCarty through a short tube stack! I was playing for hours the first day. I was running the Tonemaster through my best stock HIWATT 4 x 12 cabinet.

Seems very serviceable from most parts suppliers. I should have no trouble keeping this amp in top shape.

Fender's customer service was very good in telling me about my particular amp. I had a date code and a serial number and they had the build date range for me right away. It took 3 calls to get someone really willing to help before I got the info.

If you can get one of these babies, do it. $1000.00 is well worth it.

100 watt head w/ 2-12 v-30 cab.same amp everyone else is talking about. wish it only had one effects loop, so my reverb would hit both channels.

I bought this with my black american strat, maple neck in mind. It has 62 reissues in it. I also use 12 gauge strings. In the world of amps this one exists by itself.not because its better than every other amp but because it is very unlike anything I have ever played before. I use this amp to power long exploratorative solos. If you are trying to find a good sound then you must first decide where to put the impedance swith. on LOW the amp will push just 30 watts. this is good for getting a dirty sound in a small room. MED will deliver 60 watts. this is what I like. High uses all 100 watts for a clean at all levels sound. I usually have my volume knob around 7 or 8 . I very rarely use the distortion channel, for it sounds more compressed, which doesn't utilize my heavy strings. It is not necessary to put the tone controls up very high. none of mine ever get any higher than 6. When the clean channel is cranked this amp sounds most like Hendrix in Band of Gypsies. The highs, lows and mids are seperate, every note on the guitar had its own designated area inside of this amp. If thats what you want than buy it. The distortion channel sounds a little like Mitch Stien's tone.

haven't had it long

bought it used but youd never know

I use this in combination with a polytone mini brute 15. with a raezers edge twin 8' tower cab. American strat, wine red les paul , and my main axe, a 1982 guild x 175

My amp is a 1997 and has two channels both with its own effects loop. Each channel has a fat switch which gives it a nice warm tone and they have the typical bass, treble, and mid. The 1st channel has a great warm tone that?s a little beefier than most Fender black faces amps but has a bunch of head room. The 2nd channel has a nice overdrive to it that?s nice and thick (Marshall Plexi Like). The one thing that some people may consider it?s down fall it that it has no reverb. I however feel that this amp does not need the reverb so I won?t mark it down for it. If you are thinking of getting the head you should also consider getting one of the matching cabinets, either the 2 12? or the 4 12? cab. This amp was definitely made for the matching cab and the vintage 30s inside of it. I?ve heard this amp through other cabinets and it?s definitely not the same amp. When played through a Marshall cab it?s sounds a little thin and lacks the same punch that the matching cabinet offers.
I have the matching 4 12? cab which sounds amazing and rich.

I play a 52 Fender Tele reissue through it and it sounds incredible. I play a in a brit pop rock style band and I use a lot of clean tone. Some might say I kill the amp?s tone with all my effects but I disagree. I run my T.C. Electronics D2, Lexicon MPX 500, Line 6 Echo pro modeler, and Alesis Quadraverb through the effects loop. The effects loop is incredibly quiet and the effects sound amazing. I love the distortion n this amp it?s perfect for what I?m looking for. It has a nice think brit rock sound and the perfect amount of low end to give it the pefect punch.

I have yet to have any problems with it. I?ve never had a problem with any of my fender amps, including my 65 Bassman.

I have not delt with Fender before but by the looks of the other reviews it doesn?t look like a great experience.

I would have to give this amp a nine because nothing is perfect. I have been incredibly impressed with this amp both the clean and the distortion are amazing and well worth checking out if you?re considering buying it. If you look closely you can find it for a really good deal. I got mine with the 4 12? speaker cabinet for 1250.00 used Not a bad deal considering the quality and the tone that this amp has

this amp is not for the weak of heart. It is a tool to be used not to be admired. It is not a going to do everything sort of amp. It is what it is and it ain't no more. This is my main amp. I play about ten gigs a month in a sonic three peice.

Once again this amp is a tool and does not have the ability to sound like many amps. It does two jobs well clean and distorted. This amp cuts through the mix and demands athority. It not an amp you can hide weak skills behind walls of saturation. If you suck the amp will suck. If you have skills the amp will sing. I think the amp's breakup is like rapture. The amp is a bit noisy in the gain channel. but that's what you get with 100 watts of point to point wiring. I play a stock American Tele and a early 90's Hammer FM speacial. One thing to note is the amp I own is within the orignal run with the stamped imprinted serial number. One more thing I've noticed is you have to use the matched fender cabs or the amp's sound is very thin.

I have used this amp flawlessly for about the last 75 gigs. Never a problem. Always huge in the tone department.

Gigging about 14 years. My opinion is this amp is a tool. If you don't know what your doing this amp will not help you.

don't know what year the amp was made. I wanted a Fender head with the flexability of clean and over drive. on this score it has what I need

i play a variety of guitars-- gretsch 6120, Strat ocaster, SG special.
I have found this amp to accomodate the different guitarsand the differnet styles i play. I've read a lot of bad reviews about the tone of this amp. I think the problem stems from guitarists who are unused to haveing tone controles that are sensitive and resposive. If you crank this thing up with eveything at 10 it's gonna sound abused. i've found that the sound you want from this amp really depends on manipulating the tone controls.

I've been playng for 20 years. i've own Rivera Fandango, Fender hot Rod Deluxe, Hiwatt studio/stage-- imported from England. My Tone Master adds another dimension to the sounds I need

same features as the other postings though you really cant give this more than a 6 rating

this is what I dont get, I read the reviews and thought great a fender amp that can come up with vintage and modern sounds. It could not be further from the truth, muddy OD with a flat 2D feel and clean that is worse than a peavey!!! This was one of the last models my local store got it and the tubes were like new. I played a used prosonic in the same store and it sounded way better. I'm sure people spend alot of money on an amp and make themselves love it when it really doesn't cut it. I'll go back to my blackface bassman with pedals!!!

just tried it, I'd not give it the chance to break down as it sounded so poor

never needed them

I'd avoid this one and buy something that sounded better (like a peavey!!!!) it looks great but lacks the fender magic I'd expect from a custom shop amp

Two channel head (clean and gain). Two effects loops. Blonde tolex with oxblood grill. If it had reverb, it would be the perfect amp.

I have had the amp (with the 2-12 Celestion V30 cab) for about 9 months now. I believe I may have gotten one of the last ones (thank god). The tone is amazing. I play rock (e.g. Steve Morse, Eric Johnson). I plug my NOS Nocaster in and I am in heaven. The clean channel brings out every nuance of the guitar. The gain channel is rich, warm and smooth--not good for metal, but for rock it's perfect. I don't understand some of the previous reviewers' comments about the poor tone. Maybe this is just testimony to Fender's lack of quality control and producing a consistent product. All I know is, I got a winner and this is the last amp I will ever buy.

No problems yet, but I have had it less than a year. Effects loops work great (using TC Electronic's GMajor), except I notice the effects take the edge off the tone slightly. It (and the speaker cab) seem built to take it.

Don't know--have never dealt with Fender.

I have been playing most of my life (40 years(!)), but seriously only the last 5. When I was a kid, I had a Princeton and a Vibrolux Reverb (am I sorry I got rid of them!). The Tonemaster is a modern amp with a vintage look. I know the workmanship on some leaves much to be desired, but mine is immaculate. The tolex and grill are very well done. I think the value of this amp will only increase. It was expensive, but I feel lucky to own one.

Don't know what year but, is a late model. The amp is versatile for blues, rock, heavy metal. You won't get massive distortion but enough to were you don't lose clairity when you play more than a power chord. I play Kiss, Van Halen, 70's, 80's, 90's rock, pop and blues. It has all the features I want and need. This amp has plenty of power. I use this head and the 4x12 cab with vintage 30's to practice at home,with a band, and live.

I use a Gibson Les Paul standard with a Seymour duncan JB in the bridge, SD 59 in the neck. And a Gibson Les Paul with a SD Custom in Bridge. This is veery good for the style that I play. Sounds great everywhere.

It's a tube amp so tubes can alway go bad at any time. But that is not a amp ploblem. Has not broken down.

I've been playing 14 years. I own a Soldano SLO-100.And I like the Tone-Master a lot more. I've tried a lot of amps over the years ( too many to list) and this is my favorite to this day.

This is just an addition to the last post I made. I have recently found that a LP standard through the dirty channel set at med ohmage and Gain at around 5, treb full, bass at 3, and mids at 7 gives far less compressed, but almost identical version too what is most likely the person with one of the greatest live guitar tones playing right now, Allison Robertson of the Donnas. I have been chasing this sound while trying to avoid her JCM2000. This nails it with sound, but is more natural, which is absolutly perfect. It produces alot of harmonics. I just can't decide which channel to use now.