Fender Tone Master Amps

Rancid Rumpboogie

Blues Mangler
I dFor me, the idea of carrying in a Twin that weighs 33 pounds and sounds like a twin whether at bedroom levels or gig levels is pretty appealing. I don't expect to be changing anything anytime soon, but if I was, the Tonemaster Twin would look really good to me.
This is pretty much where I live too. I only used a couple presets on my Mustang III, all Fender. It did some kind of hokey approximation of a Marshall, but being an old fart who has played actual JCMs and know the difference, the difference always left me flat on that idea. The old bumble bee in a tin can analogy sort of. For me and my ninimalist approach, my Quilter Mach II is perfect. One twist of one knob and I can go from a Glorious Fendery tone (Twin or Deluxe with just one more knob's adjustment) to paint-peeling JCM, both of which sound very authentic to me, 32lbs, louder than I will ever play and sound just as good keeping my neighbors happy.

I haven't played one, but from all I have been able to glean, so long as you can do without the JCM thing, the Fender Tonemaster is probably as satisfying as my Quilter for considerably less. Throw in a good Marshall pedal and ...
 

Crossroads

Thump the Bottom
I struggled for yeas with my Line 6 HD500 into a switchable Bogner tube amp, and though the functionality was great, for me, there was always something missing in the sound. With the advances in processing and Impulse Responses in recent years I can't tell the difference between a good modelling amp vs the real thing.

For less than $700 I have an 300/150 watt amp I can play through a cab or PA and software that can emulate any amp. Amps I could never afford or even get my hands on, even create amps that don't exist. And to my ears and many others they sound as good (and better in some cases) than the actual amp. The best part is when you stumble onto an amp you never even thought of. I never would have bought a Sunn amp (even though I love Leslie's tone) but now it is one off my favs.

These amps can be modified in ways you could never do on a real amp, and download amps other have created, sampled or modified, and it weighs all of 5 lbs and fits a backpack.

Life is good

For those purists who think for whatever reason a tube amp is better, not sure I understand the thinking, IMO you guys are missing something.

But hey, whatever floats your boat baby.
 

CapnDenny1

Student Of The Blues
I had a Pevey Vypyr Tube 60. It sounded nice, the effects were good, andit was fun trying different amp models. ButI always came back to the Fender Clean amp setting. Then one day I decided to tweak the settings for that amp sim, and I could never get thetone back thatI liked. Ibroke the Fender Clean?

At least with thisamp it’s not a problem.
 

CapnDenny1

Student Of The Blues
Something about the modeling amps just doesn’t work for me. It just seems like it’s fake somehow? Like playing an electronic keyboard that sounds like a piano. Or one of those guitars that electronically does alternate tunings, or sounds like an acoustic, or a banjo, or a uke, or a trumpet.

I used to love the discussions (arguments) I used to get in with my son about real instruments. He said none of it mattered. In fact he proposed that music created by merely scoring it and deciding what you wanted the machine to play, even if you had no actual proficiency with an instrument was still valid. He saw nothing wrong with having the computer do all the playing, and just have the artist get the machine to create the art they intended.

He felt as long as the art was what tge artist wanted to create that was all that mattered. If people liked it that was good too.

I like real guitars, real amps, real musicians, real voices, etc.

But I also feel everyone should be allowed to whatever they like to do ti create their art. It doesn’t matter if I line it, or anybody else for that matter, as long as the artist likes it. Of course if you want people to listen, perhaps you need to care what they like? Or not?
 

Jalapeno

Student Of The Blues
n fact he proposed that music created by merely scoring it and deciding what you wanted the machine to play, even if you had no actual proficiency with an instrument was still valid.
This is no different than writing a symphony score and having a symphony play it (except the human factor, I suppose). I agree with him.

I have one foot in each of your camps. I love real instruments played by real people and I love computer instruments scored by me and played by the computer. And all the in between too, as long as the music is good. Crappy music with real instruments isn't good. Good music is still good regardless of the skill of the player or the type of equipment.

It's a big world with lots of stuff. Take the best of both or stick with one. It's all good. Never mind. Oh, look, a squirrel...

Eric
 

MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe
For less than $700 I have an 300/150 watt amp I can play through a cab or PA and software that can emulate any amp. Amps I could never afford or even get my hands on, even create amps that don't exist. And to my ears and many others they sound as good (and better in some cases) than the actual amp. The best part is when you stumble onto an amp you never even thought of. I never would have bought a Sunn amp (even though I love Leslie's tone) but now it is one off my favs.

These amps can be modified in ways you could never do on a real amp, and download amps other have created, sampled or modified, and it weighs all of 5 lbs and fits a backpack.

I've been letting my Bias Mini (and its competitor, the Headrush Gigboard) gather dust of late as I've sought simplicity while focusing on playing. That being said, my recent acquisition of the Dano 12 string electric has had me thinking my Nace Pro-18 just might not be the best amp for it: need lots of sparkly clean headroom, or so I think.

Said conclusion has had me revisit these Fender amps, and realize that within the modeling box I have all of them within easy (and cost-free) grasp so I've dragged out the Mini again and will soon be trying the Twin to see (hear) how I think they fit. Gonna try the Vox 30, too, of course. I'll be using the line out into a powered FRFR so I can try the cab sim and experiment with different cab layouts, too.

Eventually. :Beer:
 
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