Fender Tone Master Pro: Episode IV - A New Hope

[JCW308]

Huh? Why do you think that?

I’m genuinely curious what you think. I’m a bassist as well and I’d say the TMP is currently abysmal for bass, borderline unusable depending on your bass needs.

What in your mind would it take to make it a viable option for bass?

I'd like to see a nice assortment of bass heads, cabs, combos and effects. To say a Bassman is covering bass is just not even trying, IMO.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I'd like to see a nice assortment of bass heads, cabs, combos and effects. To say a Bassman is covering bass is just not even trying, IMO.

 

[metropolis_4]

I'd like to see a nice assortment of bass heads, cabs, combos and effects. To say a Bassman is covering bass is just not even trying, IMO.

I don’t think they tried at all. You know the Bassman model wasn’t put there for bassists.

It has a few things like the Bassman, tube pre, and studio comp than can also be used for bass, but not a single thing in there was actually intended for bass.

 

[timbuck3]

I don’t think they tried at all. You know the Bassman model wasn’t put there for bassists.

It has a few things like the Bassman, tube pre, and studio comp than can also be used for bass, but not a single thing in there was actually intended for bass.

Maybe Fender is going to try to make a tone master for bass players? You know expand the market kind of like what Yamaha did with the THR series instead of putting all the amp in one they split them into three. I wouldn’t put it past fender to do something like that.

 

[timbuck3]

Tim Pierce’s Top 10 Tone Master Pro Presets

Watch the Los Angeles-based session player and guitar teacher demonstrate some of his favorite amp and effects combinations.

www.fender.com

 

[timbuck3]

 

[metropolis_4]

Maybe Fender is going to try to make a tone master for bass players? You know expand the market kind of like what Yamaha did with the THR series instead of putting all the amp in one they split them into three. I wouldn’t put it past fender to do something like that.

Maybe so, I could see that

Tim Pierce’s videos with it were one of the things that convinced me to give it a second chance. It was the first time I could hear that maybe they had fixed some of the tone issues

 

[12tone]

I'd give the sales rep a call anyway even if it's just outside the window.
I would consider it shady if they knew the sale was coming and didn't make you aware. Maybe they'll give you credit or something.
If you they give you grief, I'd send a message directly to this guy.

View attachment 26933

Well I did message my Sweetwater rep (Ashton Vaudt) about this and asked for some kind of break after the fact. I don't know if I'll get one or not at this point. We'll see what he says.

 

[12tone]

Update: I heard back from my Sweetwater rep and he actually did give me a price adjustment to bring it in-line with the new sale price., as a store credit of course. Sweet! I have bought plenty mucho dineros of gear from him & Sweetwater in the last few years so it's only fair!

Thanks for the suggestion @dean701 ! I didn't really think that they would do that! I'm impressed!

 

[timbuck3]

Update: I heard back from my Sweetwater rep and he actually did give me a price adjustment to bring it in-line with the new sale price., as a store credit of course. Sweet! I have bought plenty mucho dineros of gear from him & Sweetwater in the last few years so it's only fair!

Thanks for the suggestion @dean701 ! I didn't really think that they would do that! I'm impressed!

excellent.....i am waiting for the hext fractal and helix to drop along with ampx...by then i hope the tmp will be much expanded...i dont want to buy into more then 1 modeler at this point.

 

[riffy]

LOL, ya have to buy into one before you can buy into more than one!

 

[Sascha Franck]

i dont want to buy any modeler at this point.

FTFY.

 

[eggpl@nt]

Hmm. You can get a new TMP at Sweetwater for $1350. I already have an Axe, Helix, and QC.

Can’t really think of a reason to grab the TMP other than curiosity at a more reasonable price than their laughable $1700 launch price.

Any emerging opinions from the peanut gallery?

 

[metropolis_4]

Hmm. You can get a new TMP at Sweetwater for $1350. I already have an Axe, Helix, and QC.

Can’t really think of a reason to grab the TMP other than curiosity at a more reasonable price than their laughable $1700 launch price.

Any emerging opinions from the peanut gallery?

My thoughts:

PROS:
If you enjoy simple traditional “pedalboard in front of an amp” rigs you’ll have fun with it.

If you like Fender blackface amp tones you’ll love the sounds here.

Those spring reverbs

If you ever feel like just plugging into a Deluxe Reverb, throwing a TS in front and playing it’s the simplest way to get there in the digital realm.

Analog fx loops and amp controls are nice additions.


CONS:
If you enjoy more complex signal routing you’ll be frustrated with it.

If you like having access to deep editing parameters, and powerful controls over shaping your signal you’ll find it limited. (Honestly, if you just need a more powerful EQ than a Boss GE-7 you’ll be disappointed)

If you’re running instruments other than electric guitar you’ll find it limited.

If you need a high level of control over footswitches you’ll also find it very limited.

 

[eggpl@nt]

My thoughts:

PROS:
If you enjoy simple traditional “pedalboard in front of an amp” rigs you’ll have fun with it.

If you like Fender blackface amp tones you’ll love the sounds here.

Those spring reverbs

If you ever feel like just plugging into a Deluxe Reverb, throwing a TS in front and playing it’s the simplest way to get there in the digital realm.

Analog fx loops and amp controls are nice additions.


CONS:
If you enjoy more complex signal routing you’ll be frustrated with it.

If you like having access to deep editing parameters, and powerful controls over shaping your signal you’ll find it limited. (Honestly, if you just need a more powerful EQ than a Boss GE-7 you’ll be disappointed)

If you’re running instruments other than electric guitar you’ll find it limited.

If you need a high level of control over footswitches you’ll also find it very limited.

Thanks for your thoughts.

I’m very simple when it comes to tones and setup, but I can’t say that Fender tones tend to be what I seek. I’m more interested in high gain amps, and I have seen some half decent demos of TMP with high gain, especially after the last few fixes that were deployed.

I’d probably live on the 5153 and Uber models.

 

[[Nathan]]

Thanks for your thoughts.

I’m very simple when it comes to tones and setup, but I can’t say that Fender tones tend to be what I seek. I’m more interested in high gain amps, and I have seen some half decent demos of TMP with high gain, especially after the last few fixes that were deployed.

I’d probably live on the 5153 and Uber models.

Got mine a day or two before I went on vacation, @metropolis_4 nailed the tldr of the unit as far as I can tell.
High gain stuff feels better than I expected while jamming along. Built a preset from scratch and noodled around in the video I posted.

Definitely need to give it some solid hours when I get back, but considering how much forum nerds bash on the unit, it’s actually fun, capable and intuitive to use. Don’t get me wrong the criticisms are warranted but if you walk into the equation knowing what it lacks or that it’s going to need months/years of firmwares to get somewhere great (just like fractal, helix and qc)… then what it does do today is good enough/capable for a modelling unit. The bones are there, just needs tweaks and updates (and probably profiling which was rumored/hinted around launch).

 

[metropolis_4]

Thanks for your thoughts.

I’m very simple when it comes to tones and setup, but I can’t say that Fender tones tend to be what I seek. I’m more interested in high gain amps, and I have seen some half decent demos of TMP with high gain, especially after the last few fixes that were deployed.

I’d probably live on the 5153 and Uber models.

Before I would have said avoid at all costs, but after the latest update the 5153 sounds great to me. But definitely not any better than Fractal or QC.

I'm not really a high gain amp guy though so take that with a grain of salt.

 

[Mongillo19]

Don’t get me wrong the criticisms are warranted but if you walk into the equation knowing what it lacks or that it’s going to need months/years of firmwares to get somewhere great (just like fractal, helix and qc)… then what it does do today is good enough/capable for a modelling unit.

My issue is if I was getting a modeler that was "good enough", I wouldn't want it to be the same price as modelers that are "great".

 

[riffy]

I am a high gain guy, so far, the TMP isn’t doing it for me.

 

[[Nathan]]

My issue is if I was getting a modeler that was "good enough", I wouldn't want it to be the same price as modelers that are "great".

Yeah totally fair, but to someone who already owns fractal and a helix and is thinking about a tmp it’s a valid way to look at it.

The TMP or an FM3 can be the perfect or worse choices for two different people so who am I to say get it or don’t kind of thing. All the info is out there and if it suits someone with all its shortcomings then it actually is a capable unit. I know a bunch of people who moved on from fractal because the UI and ecosystem just didn’t jive with them, fair play.