This fall, Fender announced the release of two new amplifiers to its Tone Master™ Series, the Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Blonde Amplifier and the Tone Master Twin Reverb Blonde Amplifier. We had a chance to check out the Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Blonde Amp and in this gear review, we will highlight some of our favorite features.
My main amp for the last fifteen years has been the classic Fender Deluxe Reverb ‘65 reissue. I love the sound of that classic Fender tube amp. It is perfect for my jazz gigs, rock gigs, blues gigs, and just about anything I do these days. It’s so versatile and such an iconic Fender amp. When Fender announced they were making a solid-state modeled after the classic tube amp, I knew I had to try it out.
One of the first things I noticed about this amp is that it looks great. The solid pine cabinet with the beautiful Blonde textured vinyl and Oxblood cloth grill give it that classic Fender Blonde look—Fender has really come through with their modeling technology. I have reviewed a couple of their recent releases, and I feel they are such incredible amps.
This 100 watt, solid-state amp has the volume and tone comparable to its tubed, vintage cousin. There were many impressive features on this amp. One feature that I noticed was the output power knob on the back. You can change the five-way attenuator anywhere from 0.2 watts to the full 22 watts. This could be used to really help the amp break up at lower volumes so that you can achieve that classic Fender bite in any size venue.
The amp also features an XLR balanced output and two options for onboard cabinet impulse responses (IR). You can go directly to a board to keep stage volume down or use this feature for recording giving you the familiar miked cabinet sound of a Shure SM57 or a Sennheiser MD421. It also has a ground lift that is very convenient for getting rid of certain buzzes from power at different venues.
The 12” Celestion G12 Neo Creamback speaker with a neodymium magnet really gives it a raw tone distinctive of its tube predecessor, as well as keeping it light at only 23 lbs. The amp also comes with a two-way footswitch for controlling reverb and tremolo, and it comes with a cover to protect your amp during travel or storage.
Priced at $949.99.
For more information and full specifications, visit fender.com.
Disclaimer: We were loaned the product from the manufacturer for an honest review. We received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.
