While there are enthusiasts, Gig musicians who still fuss over tube amps and drool over their collection of effects pedals are in the midst of a digital revolution. Products from brands like Kemper, Line 6, Fractal Audio, and Neural DSP all allow musicians to digitally model tube amplifiers, with results that are surprisingly close to the real thing.
These new digital modeling amplifiers are easy to set up, reliable, and much lighter and more compact than previous rigs. The sound is also noticeable these days. When not in the studio, many modern musicians use digital options for their sound, and many of those options are incorporated into their hit tracks.
Fender has been competing in the digital amplifier space for decades, but the new $1,700 Tonemaster Pro, released late last year, is the brand's first true professional option in recent memory. is. This is also one of the most intuitive things I've ever seen him do. It's essentially a portable guitar studio with classic models of iconic amps and effects, a touchscreen, great onboard controls, and an incredible amount of digital processing power. It also has a 4-channel audio interface and hundreds of mic and cabinet modeling options, making it easy to compete with the real thing in the studio. It's also pretty great at karaoke.
If I was looking for an all-in-one guitar solution for both the bedroom and the stage, this would be my choice, especially if I didn't want to fiddle with menu screens forever.
new black box
The Tone Master Pro looks about the same as most other all-in-one amp/pedalboard solutions I've seen. Essentially, this is a black board that is supposed to be placed in front of you while you play, either on the floor or on a desk. A 7-inch touchscreen sits between his two silver knobs on the top of the device, flanked by 10 pedal switches and an associated LED screen at the bottom. Everything is very clean and modern, so it's easy to hide while performing on stage.
One quirky yet familiar thing that I like is that Fender has included a classic red power light on the back of the device. This makes it easy to tell that it's powered on just like a “normal” Fender amp. The rest of the Tone Master's back is lined with inputs and outputs unlike anything you've ever seen on a guitar amp.
There are both 1/4 inch and XLR stereo outputs. 4 separate effects sends and returns (2 stereo) for using outboard pedals and effects on your device. Two expression pedal outlets. Mic/line and instrument inputs. It also features foot switch control, 3.5mm AUX input, headphone output, MIDI input/output, USB-C, and MicroSD. Also, something like Bluetooth. If you need more, you'll probably need a mixing board or patch bay.