Fender Tone Master Pro: Episode IV - A New Hope

[jellodog]

Deep breath. Big boy pants: ON.

So it's been a crazy few weeks. Shots were fired. There was criticism, there was snark (me included). There were poop memes.

The other TMP thread looks to have been moved to the Gear Rants section; so it still lives on for those that enjoy a little more poop in their discourse.

I'll definitely be reading that.

This post is an attempt at creating a slightly more cordial reset thread to discuss the Fender Tone Master Pro without any baggage attached to it. The TMP is no longer a rumour, it's now out there in the wild. People are using it. It's a developing story and no doubt the device will be updated and improved over time.

I don't even own the TMP (love my FR-12 though). However, we've got threads for the Quad Cortex, Helix & Fractal modellers. Seems only fair to include the TMP and give it a space to breath.

I'm (naively?) hoping this thread could be a balanced mix of commentary, help with issues, maybe some tips, tech discussion (graphs!), and sure: legitimate critique, because that's what we do, but without the toxic cross-forum feuds that have gone on elsewhere.

This is The Gear Forum. Let's talk about gear.

 

[jellodog]

Suspect it's going to be pretty quiet in here for a while.

To date, I think a couple of members bought and then moved on to other gear (JT, Metro), @2112 has one and there are still 2 or 3 other members that own one right now. Let's try and make those members feel welcome.

/cc @fazer

 

[Gearzilla]

I'm (naively?) hoping this thread could be a balanced mix of commentary, help with issues, maybe some tips, tech discussion (graphs!), and sure: legitimate critique, because that's what we do, but without the toxic cross-forum feuds that have gone on elsewhere.

 

[DrewJD82]

This approach has worked out well for the QC here. Sometimes there's some cross-over, but that's mainly a result of both owners and non-owners agreeing on the same points.

I think there's a bit of a line we, as a forum, not so much owner/mods, need to clarify when we're throwing around "We're not like TGP" because that can very easily go the other way of "We can bash the shit out of products and the people saying dumb things about them" which to me is more like TGPx10 rather than being 'opposite of TGP'

Have some fun, for sure, point out hypocrisy or something over the top, technical errors and hold companies accountable, but don't become worse off than the people or thing you're discussing.

I can absolutely understand how the guys who dig the TMP dig it. What I don't understand is the failure to recognize what it took to make a unit like that which they can dig. I won't pretend to understand the value someone else sees in something, I pay stupid money for convenience sometimes (I ordered Tijuana Flats the other day via Uber Eats....it's literally behind my apartment, I paid $6 so I didn't have to walk and get it) and I have dumb idiosyncrasies I'll allow a certain of money to entertain.

One man's curated collection of SIC's is another man's touchscreen and the span of players is so wide that the guy stoked with his SIC's may not even fathom a need for a touchscreen while the guy with the touchscreen can't fathom a need for SIC's and even if you explained it they wouldn't give a shit.

 

[holoholo]

This approach has worked out well for the QC here. Sometimes there's some cross-over, but that's mainly a result of both owners and non-owners agreeing on the same points.

I think there's a bit of a line we, as a forum, not so much owner/mods, need to clarify when we're throwing around "We're not like TGP" because that can very easily go the other way of "We can bash the shit out of products and the people saying dumb things about them" which to me is more like TGPx10 rather than being 'opposite of TGP'

Have some fun, for sure, point out hypocrisy or something over the top, technical errors and hold companies accountable, but don't become worse off than the people or thing you're discussing.

I can absolutely understand how the guys who dig the TMP dig it. What I don't understand is the failure to recognize what it took to make a unit like that which they can dig. I won't pretend to understand the value someone else sees in something, I pay stupid money for convenience sometimes (I ordered Tijuana Flats the other day via Uber Eats....it's literally behind my apartment, I paid $6 so I didn't have to walk and get it) and I have dumb idiosyncrasies I'll allow a certain of money to entertain.

One man's curated collection of SIC is another man's touchscreen and the span of players is so wide that the guy stoked with his SIC's may not even fathom a need for a touchscreen while the guy with the touchscreen can't fathom a need for SIC's and even if you explained it they wouldn't give a shit.

Appreciate you @DrewJD82 and the culture you're creating here.

 

[DrewJD82]

Appreciate you @DrewJD82 and the culture you're creating here.

@jellodog gets that credit this time!

 

[paisleywookiee]

Legit question: does anyone who’s owned the TMP or has one currently know what the CPU limits are? For example, what’s a typical signal chain that’ll run great, and what chokes it? Not knocking Fender for this, but I don’t think they’ve been as forthcoming with which proc they use, as opposed to the other companies disclosing specifically which chip(s) they use.

 

[Stone]

Agree 100% we are The Gear Forum after all, I have no issues at all with any platform one chooses
its the shills that get me to become somewhat cross, boasting that its the 2nd coming and its a Helix killer and Fractal slayer
And all the rest of their BS spiels
I think here were a different group and its why its the best Forum bar none
We are not TOP.

 

[norminal]

Yeah, I’m kind of getting burnt out on all the negativity towards other forums, products, members, etc. And I admit, I’m guilty of participating.

I say we instead, praise the positive things about the Tone Master Pro.

Like the fact that more purists, blues lawyers, and boomers are abandoning their amps and going digital.

Or Fender’s stock rose a few points this quarter.

Or DGTCrazy’s “job” has recently gotten more difficult.

 

[Mongillo19]

Yeah, I’m kind of getting burnt out on all the negativity towards other forums, products, members, etc. And I admit, I’m guilty of participating.

I'm all for negativity when people make false claims. Outside that, yeah it's tiring

 

[Jarick]

Call it like it is, positive or negatives, but don’t need to beat a dead horse.

If there was any part of me that was still interested in the TMP it’s likely squashed by Leon Todd’s new comparison series.

I wonder if they can make some modeling adjustments otherwise it seems like they are closer to Headrush than Quad Cortex.

 

[jellodog]

I'm all for negativity when people make false claims. Outside that, yeah it's tiring

Totally. Nothing wrong with straightening out a few things when they're simply not correct. There's definitely more civil ways to go about it though!

Proper insightful graphs, data, recordings, measurements and research from people that know what they're doing is interesting. And when presented without malice it's definitely cool for geeks like me that are interested in that sort of thing. I'd like to be able make up my own mind, and avoid descending into a shitstorm to discover anything useful.

I like coming here (you've seen my post count) and this is now my home on the internet, so I want to keep coming here and enjoy some good vibes and laughs mixed with some useful info and shared love of guitars, amps and tones.

I'm enjoying modelling more than ever now these days. And even though I really should be playing my guitar more than reading about it, I still love to read about it and all the new gear in that space, and I especially like to hear the sounds that members are making with it all.

 

[Byrdman]

@jellodog gets that credit this time!

IMO, you all get a "Good Job!" creating the culture we have on this forum!

I admit, I like to stir up the shit but feel free to let me know if it goes too far because my wife always tell me that I don't play well in the sandbox with assholes...

BTW, seems like we picked up a few new members tired of the BS at TOP, so we are moving in the right direction!

 

[Stone]

Yup we have a good culture here
We are not the other place

 

[Stone]

And yes, I'm very biased towards my FM9, and with good reasoning on my part
I love it and would not change it for anything else, that being said, I also respect and appreciate what others like as well

 

[Byrdman]

Yup we have a good culture here
We are not the other place

Kind of like The Island of Misfit Toys

 

[jellodog]

So no other TMP questions or observations other than @paisleywookiee's question?


Am I going to have to go out and buy a TMP myself, just so we can get some legit owner content in here?

 

[stilwel]

I'll post some actual playing content. Do people still do that?

 

[Stone]

Does Fender have any Ambassadors?
And do they have like L6 and Fractal an equivalent to Eric and Cliff?
They should come here and get some constructive input no?

 

[Frodebro]

Does Fender have any Ambassadors?
And do they have like L6 and Fractal an equivalent to Eric and Cliff?
They should come here and get some constructive input no?

Stilwell is here.