PLEASE NOTE: This video was filmed back in August 2020 where we followed the social distancing guidelines for the time. All newly filmed videos will be following the UK's current set of guidelines. Stay safe. Team Andertons ❤️🤘
Still playing with the Boss Artist a great amp, the Tonemaster twin which I tried at the store before buying the artist , had nowhere near the resonance of my valve twin which I've played for yonks! Would canting it back on its legs improve the sound?
Should have just allowed the people to assume you two were a cohort who lived in sin and thus didn't need to mask because you're already so exposed to one another.
I run a orange crush 120 most of the time I have a magnetic sticker that says mud slayer over the cr120 part and when other bands are watching us they think it’s tube goes to show if your rig is set up right then it’s difficult to tell
It's clean sounds only and dirt from a pedal, if you drive the amps themselves you'll 100% hear the difference between a clipping valve vs a clipping transistor
@@sSkullCollector If you’re not looking at the actual amp I think you’d surprise yourself if put to the test. The digital modeling stuff has gotten really good.
@@adamwinski6444 Rob LOVES that amp himself, and he make it sound better than this, usually. ALL the amps here sucks... Poor Rob, not put in an easy situation here... He should have an hour and set up 5 amps, and then get blindfolded, and have to guess which is which
In a small venue with only a vocal PA nothing will cut through better than a Mesa Boogie; you need a high quality valve amp if you're going to be heard clearly live starting out. EVH is a prime example of this - he always used valve amps - hot ridded Marshalls in the early days; the best he could afford when starting out. His guitars were built up form various parts but maybe not the top of the range like his amps were. Once your band moves into the bigger venues & you are all miked up then really you can use whatever you wish. The sound engineer will balance it out & push up the faders when needed. Would be interesting to repeat in a real world test blending the guitar into a loud good rock blues band.
Great video. The Katana and ToneMaster were the two standouts here. That being said, if you put some smaller wattage tube amps Fender Princeton/Champ, Morgan PR5/PR10, REVV D15, etc... you'd probably be able to tell quite quickly which are tubes
This guys are making me watch 20 plus minutes RUclips videos lol they rock 😂🤟🏽. Just realized that The captain looks like Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory 😆
I have owned the Fender Deluxe Tone Master for almost a year now and it's a great amp that sounds amazing! Just make sure you do the software update to sort out the reverb.
Solid state != digital, digital is converting a signal from its analogue waveform to a digitised one so you can do some DSP and convert it back again, generally, a solid state amplifier used transistors to amplify an analog signal, you can build a basic transistor preamp pedal with very few components, a DAC and an ADC will not be involved !! 😂
Yep, that's why the Katanas sound so good. It's solid state but not digital. Well, the effects are but the preamp and power amp are solid state. It feels right.
Wow, a not so good blindfold test for Rob. But to be fair, especially with gain they all sounded pretty horrible which could make you think it's a cheap/non-valve amp.
Yeah, and the fact that they used a pedal for gain (i.e. solid state clipping) only makes it more difficult. The biggest difference between solid state and valve is the way it clips imo. Solid states usually sounds great clean
I don't see this as a fail, but rather that the tech is FINALLY getting where it needs to be. I think thanks in large part to what companies like Kemper have done with the Profiler...it kind of changed the utilization of the tech for the better (far far better).
That pedal is my main Distortion, i have a cover of Iron Maiden Hallowed by Thy Name with the same pedal and that doesn't sound as bad as this....I don't know what was it, the mics, the knobs i dont know
Cool demo. Where digital emulations has failed in the past has been in real life situations like playing with a band at proper volumes. Id love to see a comparison of valve vs emulation amps doing just that. Set them up in a rehearsal studio or on a stage with a live band. Thanks
They've done this with Kemper's. Kemper wins. Tonemasters also do well - in the correct environment. If you sit in the right zone digital wins over valve. Digital loses when you need detail over a broader range.
Tone master sounds great. I have a trace Elliot supertramp reverb from 1998 with twin Celestine vintage 30’s I bought brand new. Man it still sounds awesome. Had to do a couple of dry spray, but must be the most valve sounding solid state amp I have ever heard. It reacts so similar to a valve amp, I can’t tell the difference between valve and solid state when I compare to my JCM 800. Great bi of kit I have had for32 years with no issue and the sound I like. Maybe do a vintage/ old amp series of the old solid state stuff. Some are garbage but trace Elliot did a great job. In my opinion
Honestly I couldn't tell which amp is solid state or valve, snd frankly, I don't care much. I have played good solid state amps that I like a lot, and played valve amps that I don't like that much. I think this debate should be evaluated on an amp by amp basis, instead of saying all valve amps are better than all solid state amps, or viceversa.
1st Hats off....Big Balls to do an honest, blind assessment of amps :) but, the overdrive pedal sounds really bad imho.......been playing since 1974 and do not use any pedals, clip-on tuner, and these young guys are amazed that I plug straight into the input of the amp lol :).... but I do use the effects loop for boost and a delay, tube driven analog amp reverb, and just use the channels of the amp for tone set ups....in all fairness, I play a egnater tourmaster so i have 4 valve channels. bought it for $250 at RS guitar works yard sale. :)
Im starting to think that Mr. Chappers is becoming fond of that American Elite HSS strat. He been playing it a lot...I have the exact same guitar (Color and all) and gotta say I'm super happy with it. If you ever want to make Rob even more smitten with it? swap out those Fender "noiseless" pickups for some Lollars!!!
Trying to figure out which is solid state and which is valve by placing a solid state pedal in front is kind of pointless don't you think? No way to really tell if the amp uses the jellybean op-amps and Chinesium capacitors in it if you plug a pedal in between that basically has jellybean op-amps and Chinesium capacitors in it... Unless it's a Blackstar, I guess... ;P
To clarify what's going on with the Blackstar... It has valves, but also a whole number of op-amps (solid state) in the signal path. First thing the guitar signal hits is a TL072 op-amp, not a valve. Thus, at best it's like you're playing into a pedal then a tube amp. You never get that Guitar>Tube interaction. Whether that matters or not is up for determination by someone more experienced than me.
I think the best use of an OD pedal is to use it as a boost. Light gain. Get a good tone from the amp then use the pedal as a boost. A lot of gain is not necessary to get a good guitar tone.
I wonder if they turned down the internal trimpot? If not it’s extreme gain. Sorry that pedal doesn’t sound like that in person. It’s how they’re setting it ,micing it or using it with those particular amps.
@@progste valve amps are outdated. Solid state tonemaster are where it's at now. Plus they are very very very light as well and I guarantee you you will fail if you blindfold test these against a valve amp
Ive done this with guitars and amps at my guitar store. its me and the sales guy nerding out, and I pick my favorite that month without ever even looking at it❤
Technology just keeps getting better over time... I honestly feel some guitar amp manufacturers don't want their solid state lines to sound as good as their tube amps. Profit over consumers. At least Fender gives us the best solid state lines with their Tonemaster and Rumble series
yea, screw the cars, guns, fine art, animation, film, furniture, and literally every other part of the general music industry (from turntables and mixing consoles to synthesizers and concert hall security) industries....it's ONLY the guitar industry that does that.
@@tazmon122 seriously? Are you dense? No one says old cars, guns, furniture and all that shit is better and your a fraud if you don’t own vintage stuff like the guitar industry does. No car company reissues 50’s cars because “your not a real car driver unless you can work a stick, use leaded gas and your engine still has a carburetor.” No animation or film company still puts out black and white silent movies because that’s REAL artwork and not those terrible “talkies”. Let me guess you still have a commodore64 that you’re logging into to watch this, huh? Your not an authentic computer user if you don’t do black with green letter bruh. Lol. Jackass.
It does not help, when you cant adjust neither pedal, neither amp. Different person may set it up with best intent, that does not mean, it will work for someone else ;).
@@JVR10893 one setting on one amp with certain pods transistors pieces it's going to sound one way versus a different amp with certain pieces volume parts valves transistors whatever it may be it all makes a huge difference
Seriously? Rob Chapman can play on EVH's VH1 gear or Andy Timmons gear and make it sound terrible. You want actual good guitarists that know what they are doing? Listen/ watch Pete Thorn, Michael Nielsen, Robert Baker, Ola englund, Rabbea did an awesome review of the BE100 deluxe & pedal. Sounds great to me
I played a Tone Master at guitar center while trying out a Tumnus Deluxe the other day, and until this video I had no idea that the Tone Master was solid state. Wild.
@@iandecruz2544 mate learn to set it. It will cover so much ground as a pedal. Mine lives nearly all at 12 o’clock which is the sign of a good pedal as it leaves heaps of room for tweaking, your may have a less then ideal amp or too much gain, try backing the gain off. Honestly it’s one of the best on the market rn
That’s true. But if deciding if an amp is valve or solid state comes down to identifying which amp it is, specifically, then I guess that pretty much settles the debate about valve vs solid state.
@@RAID5_Aesthetic There are loads of confounding variables that make these comparisons largely useless. The biggest one is that even a tiny volume difference can impact perceived sound quality. If one amp is 0.25dB louder than the other, then it will sound better even though you will not be able to tell that it is louder.
Never mind that, how about recording a full band, and playing it back on monitors or headphones to non-musicians. Then ask them "Is the guitarist using valves or solid state?" How many people 'on the street' would even understand the question?
YES! Princeton version is a no-brainer - I'm surprised they haven't done it yet. Bassbreaker? I don't see it, just like I don't see a Blues Junior version. The Bassbreaker 15 and the Blues Junior are both in that $600-ish range. Maybe the Bassbreaker 30.
@@budgetguitarist exactly. It’d probably cost them as much if not more to properly emulate a Bassbreaker as it costs them to make the valve version which would largely defeat the object.
@@budgetguitarist Yeah, and I'd argue they won't do a Princeton for a while. One of the main selling points is weight factor, and transporting to gigs. Those issues don't exist w/ Princetons or the others. And there are so many Blue Juniors running around for 300 bucks here nobody should ever buy a new one hah. I think they have to come out w/ Bassmans and Super Reverbs next. They would sell a million of those IMO.
Having witnessed in previous videos how accurate Rob's ears are, it is surely a demonstration of how good solid state amps have become. It would be nice in videos like this if Rob told us what he was hearing and what he was testing for when listening.
He's done that is past videos and it drags out LONG, this 20 minute video would normally be 45 minutes of boredom and confusion. When the session is this compressed you can compare the amps yourself better, hard to effectively judge them side by side when someone's talking about what they THOUGHT they heard for 5 minutes between playing each.
@@williambartholomew5680 I think there;s room for both. I totally agree that back0to0back examples are better, but I like to know his train of thought.
@@gainbear8853 Not just the weight but the fact there's no tubes to deal with, one mild jarring is all it takes to kill a tube. But tubes don't last forever and they're awfully expensive now, with how nice the Tonemaster sounds and for being for being $500ish less than it's tube'd twin, and the fact that you'd CONTINUE to save that $500 every few years from the sets of tubes you DON'T have to replace anymore - becomes a no-brainer at that point!
It really does depend. He did catch the nuance of the greater compression with the solid state amp but was most fooled by a digital emulation of a valve amp. So I think the argument between solidstate vs valve will always be there but now you've got digital approximations which can pretty faithfully mimic both.
I sort of agree, but with this _caveat:_ He only got to hear them on "clean," and at a certain volume. This has been very interesting and somewhat useful, but we don't know, from this video, whether or not the "illusion" would be sustained at gigging volume levels. Heretofore, I've been a devotee of tube amps, but that was mainly because, until pretty recently, most transistor and digital amps were prone to sounding fake, especially when it came to overdrive/distortion. There have historically been a few exceptions, but transistor amps _had_ earned that reputation. Hopefully that is coming to an end. The solid state stuff is lighter, cheaper, doesn't need to be biased and is less likely to burst into flame.
@@OgamiItto70 ...I would also add that, even though a failed output transistor or power amp IC cannot be unplugged and replaced like a valve, solid-state amps are more reliable, and any competent technician can easily and cheaply repair them. But solid-state guitar amps need to be designed to distort "properly", whereas valve amps naturally distort, partly as a result of the valves, but also due to the output transformers.
That’s kind of my thinking as well. You can’t tell what their volume settings are but if you watch other videos where they get the 68 DRRI really singing, you can sometimes see they are running the volume around 5 which is LOUD on those amps. Also, the 68 has a Bassman channel as well which is a very distinctive tube distortion when pushed but again, needs to be cranked. This test does show however that at reasonable volumes, solid state can sound great.
Lee!! You gotta do the same thing with heads and cabinets BUT have the head on top of the cabinet not plugged into the cabinet below it. To see if placibo of looking at a Mesa and cab yet its actually an orange head going into the cab, makes us hear valve/solid or a similar.
Great video. I have to admit - I own that Tonemaster model (FDR) and it’s just genius. I’ve gigged with it and am constantly blown away by how good it sounds. I also LOVE the attenuation and IR outputs. Now when I record I go through my pedals, through the amp and then DI/XLR right into my Apollo interface. It’s perfect.
So you really think Rob a professional guitar and amplifier salesman has not heard about nor learned about the Fender Tonemaster amps but all of us have? Really? REALLY? Rob Chapman acting surprised when Lee is pointing to the Tonemaster and (ha ha) supposedly informing him that it's a Transistor Amp. This is nothing but an act, a salesman acting the surprised individual when discovering that the Tonemaster is not a valve amp. Rob is in the "grapevine", he has known about the Tonemaster well before you or I ever even heard a word about it. L3ee near the end talks about the fender Tonemaster "launch" video -LAST YEAR! But go ahead and believe every word of this sales video, they want you too and you do like this channel as do I. I admit to being more sceptical now than at previous times in my music making life. I don't buy this act and I wouldn't buy the Brooklyn Bridge either. But I do have one to sell you! -Peter age 70
The pessimist in me is saying this is a Fender Tonemaster commercial in sheeps clothing, but I've heard nothing but good things about those amps from people who have actually played them. So I'm inclined to think the Tonemasters are legit good sounding amps.
It is surprising, and cool. But in a way it makes sense when you look at what Boss did with the Katanas, then consider Fender's capabilities several years later. It is a very smart amp.
This is an infomercial. Just a great one that’s feels legit. Hard for me to believe this just happen to work out so perfectly. But who knows for sure. But from my ears perspective that tonemaster is awesome, so maybe it’s just done it’s job that well?
They sound great in the store, to the point of having an emotional "no I'm not buying that, my ears are lying, tubes forever" for no good reason. But... tube amps do sound better. I want to sound better.
Feedback: I noticed lately in every video that has multiple amps that you have to mike up, it always sounding kinda inconsistent/bad for some reason and doesnt do the amps justice. maybe its because you are in a hurry and amps setting and microphone placement is 2nd thought, i dont know. just my 2 cents.
@@pd4165 Only for testing heads. Not if they're testing combos. If I'm in the market for combos, & perhaps have even decided speaker or cabinet size, I don't care what they sound like with cabs I have no interest in purchasing. If a solid state or digital modeling amp is coupled with a speaker/cab that sounds like or as good as a tube amp with its speaker/cab, I don't care that another tube amp circuit could sound better with a separate cab. Same holds even if combo sounds "good enough."
*One look at the guitar and I knew he was doomed to get it all wrong lol.* A maple fingerboard stratocaster loaded with single coil pickups was certain doom for blind accuracy. *If you had used humbuckers, completely scooped mids, mudding bass and modest treble, it would have definitely been more obvious but even then, it would have largely boiled down to price point in what was being scrutinized.* It's really difficult to use a scooped tone with any technology and get elite results. This is why so many guys go with Mesas, Marshalls or a lesser brand geared for shredding metal. I have a background in engineer so from my POV, it's all a scam. Solid-state, digital or valve means absolutely nothing if the right person designed and built it. Digital ultimately just makes it super cheap and easy, but the prices certainly don't reflect that.
I thought it was just me. I tried a BE-OD Deluxe, twice. Once with a Katana head, and later with an Atomic modeler. It was horrendous with both. And yet so many people get good results with that pedal.
@@thekolt533 Confirmation bias. If someone tells you it's a solid state amp, you're going to nitpick it and think it sounds digital. In a blind test, the difference is seriously marginal. Anyone could tell there was sonically a difference 10+ years ago, but the dynamics and basically everything are there now.
@@SynZ777 You say that, I just picked up a Marshall AVT50 half stack. Its got one 12AX7 in the pre amp but the rest is digital, and to my ears isn't any different to a tube amp. Either way, its really freaking nice, and nearly 2 decades old
Well the most popular (best sounding) sounds have been captured in so many pedals. All those ts clones and shit like that none of these are horribly expensive and they just sound good. Or look at all the boss pedals you can get them anywhere and they just sound good
I bought a Behringer TS808 clone at a flea market for $10 and it sounds somewhat better than the TS808 for a fraction of the price. So I definitely agree with your statement.
I have been using the DRTM for a year now. I live and play in an active adult community. Every Sunday my amp rides into our village center over a cobble stone road on a golf cart to play oldies. I run an EHX B9 organ pedal and Mel9 Mellotron pedal into it as needed. Its light weight, attenuator, XLR out, and reliability makes the cost worthwhile. If I took the Tonemaster badge off, nobody would know it wasn't a tube amp. Unless they lifted it. I'm keeping the badge on because I am proud to own it.
Let me throw a wrench into the mix, if the Tone Master Deluxe goes out what’s it cost to replace the the whole board down the line as it’s all surface mount and multilayer board vs fixing the Deluxe Reverb tube amp? I’m betting at repair time I’ll be wishing I had the tube amp instead…..
Its sound- you chose to taste, who cares on the tech- BUT if you are a gigging musician- light and reliable tips the scales massively in favour of one over the other IMO
It's a shame Andertons don't carry Randall amps because those are the only solid state amps that have been consistently great for years but clearly Boss caught up and Fender is on the way. Goes to show that tubes are really pointless if the solid state ones are built and set up well.
I own a champion 100 and a blues junior and I'm not surprise at all, the clean on the champion is pretty amazing for a cheap solid state amp (I used it for a lot of time in gigs and with pedals too). Kudos to Fender!
I love the Anderton's videos so much! You guys really should think about opening a store somewhere in the U.S. because we miss the friendliness that used to be like you still have every day!
PLEASE NOTE: This video was filmed back in August 2020 where we followed the social distancing guidelines for the time.
All newly filmed videos will be following the UK's current set of guidelines.
Stay safe.
Team Andertons ❤️🤘
All love to you guys in Guildford. Stay safe yourselves. And give Pete the same test!
Still playing with the Boss Artist a great amp, the Tonemaster twin which I tried at the store before buying the artist , had nowhere near the resonance of my valve twin which I've played for yonks! Would canting it back on its legs improve the sound?
Stay safe from politicians, please.
Should have just allowed the people to assume you two were a cohort who lived in sin and thus didn't need to mask because you're already so exposed to one another.
I wear a full body condom AND a mil spec gas mask just to be sure although it is difficult to walk around with and go to the "Loo" in.
Next you should see if a blindfolded solid state amp can tell the difference between Rob Chapman and Lee Anderton.
Depends on the drive pedal ;)
Wait, one of them is a robot?
Or paint the blindfold with nitrocellulose lacquer to see if it makes guitars sound better.
That would be good😜
How about blind test between a Chapman guitar and a turd
This just goes to show how us guitarist listen with our eyes
I am blind.
I run a orange crush 120 most of the time I have a magnetic sticker that says mud slayer over the cr120 part and when other bands are watching us they think it’s tube goes to show if your rig is set up right then it’s difficult to tell
they listen with their ego
It's clean sounds only and dirt from a pedal, if you drive the amps themselves you'll 100% hear the difference between a clipping valve vs a clipping transistor
@@sSkullCollector If you’re not looking at the actual amp I think you’d surprise yourself if put to the test. The digital modeling stuff has gotten really good.
Really love seeing these chaps bouncing off each other. Clearly so much knowledge and love in the room
Sounds like the Blackstar was in 2 watt mode or something?
Yeah, didn’t seem to have any headroom at all
@@MikeTaffet Did Pete set these tones up? :D
I have HT20 and it sounds much better than presented here
I have one myself, 40 watt tho. Can confirm, can get every tone in the world but you have to learn to work them
@@adamwinski6444 Rob LOVES that amp himself, and he make it sound better than this, usually. ALL the amps here sucks... Poor Rob, not put in an easy situation here... He should have an hour and set up 5 amps, and then get blindfolded, and have to guess which is which
Lol rob said "it's the cabinet size" and lee sneaks in "well they're all about the same size so.."
a blind guitar player, I can confirm...finding a pedal with a foot without seeing it...takes practice!
I thought the deluxe reverb was a tube amp, and I thought the blackstar was solid state. I wasn't sure about the rest, that tonemaster is amazing
Just bought that HT series for my son he’s playing next to a tonemaster. Thing sounds amazing heard it for the first time last week!
This speaks volumes about the ToneMaster, doesn’t it?
In a small venue with only a vocal PA nothing will cut through better than a Mesa Boogie; you need a high quality valve amp if you're going to be heard clearly live starting out.
EVH is a prime example of this - he always used valve amps - hot ridded Marshalls in the early days; the best he could afford when starting out. His guitars were built up form various parts but maybe not the top of the range like his amps were.
Once your band moves into the bigger venues & you are all miked up then really you can use whatever you wish. The sound engineer will balance it out & push up the faders when needed.
Would be interesting to repeat in a real world test blending the guitar into a loud good rock blues band.
Tonemaster for the win. Traded my Artist in on a Tonemaster Super Reverb. I highly recommend the Super.
Beautiful Stratocaster in this video. Seems Ultra rare
I just love seeing Lee and Chappers in the same videos again.
Great video. The Katana and ToneMaster were the two standouts here.
That being said, if you put some smaller wattage tube amps Fender Princeton/Champ, Morgan PR5/PR10, REVV D15, etc... you'd probably be able to tell quite quickly which are tubes
I need to see that purple LP! Please post it to Instagram or use it on a video???
This guys are making me watch 20 plus minutes RUclips videos lol they rock 😂🤟🏽. Just realized that The captain looks like Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory 😆
I have owned the Fender Deluxe Tone Master for almost a year now and it's a great amp that sounds amazing! Just make sure you do the software update to sort out the reverb.
Smh imagine having to update the software on your amp 🙄
@@matthewtucker1699 Well, you do it to your phone, car, and refrigerator. Welcome to 2021
@@matthewtucker1699 smh Imagine living with that ignorant elitist 80s mindset in 2023...
Solid state != digital, digital is converting a signal from its analogue waveform to a digitised one so you can do some DSP and convert it back again, generally, a solid state amplifier used transistors to amplify an analog signal, you can build a basic transistor preamp pedal with very few components, a DAC and an ADC will not be involved !! 😂
Yep, that's why the Katanas sound so good. It's solid state but not digital. Well, the effects are but the preamp and power amp are solid state. It feels right.
Just proof that most of the difference people claim is really rooted in what they're told rather than how something sounds.
Wow, a not so good blindfold test for Rob. But to be fair, especially with gain they all sounded pretty horrible which could make you think it's a cheap/non-valve amp.
Yeah, and the fact that they used a pedal for gain (i.e. solid state clipping) only makes it more difficult. The biggest difference between solid state and valve is the way it clips imo. Solid states usually sounds great clean
I don't see this as a fail, but rather that the tech is FINALLY getting where it needs to be. I think thanks in large part to what companies like Kemper have done with the Profiler...it kind of changed the utilization of the tech for the better (far far better).
Yeah, that Friedman pedal sounded terrible with all of them. Weird.
That pedal is my main Distortion, i have a cover of Iron Maiden Hallowed by Thy Name with the same pedal and that doesn't sound as bad as this....I don't know what was it, the mics, the knobs i dont know
Cool demo. Where digital emulations has failed in the past has been in real life situations like playing with a band at proper volumes. Id love to see a comparison of valve vs emulation amps doing just that. Set them up in a rehearsal studio or on a stage with a live band.
Thanks
They've done this with Kemper's. Kemper wins.
Tonemasters also do well - in the correct environment. If you sit in the right zone digital wins over valve. Digital loses when you need detail over a broader range.
@@pd4165 Cool. Ive missed that. Gonna check it out asap. /Thx
Tone master vs the real thing blindfold shootout next video?
Tone master sounds great. I have a trace Elliot supertramp reverb from 1998 with twin Celestine vintage 30’s I bought brand new. Man it still sounds awesome. Had to do a couple of dry spray, but must be the most valve sounding solid state amp I have ever heard. It reacts so similar to a valve amp, I can’t tell the difference between valve and solid state when I compare to my JCM 800. Great bi of kit I have had for32 years with no issue and the sound I like. Maybe do a vintage/ old amp series of the old solid state stuff. Some are garbage but trace Elliot did a great job. In my opinion
Honestly I couldn't tell which amp is solid state or valve, snd frankly, I don't care much. I have played good solid state amps that I like a lot, and played valve amps that I don't like that much. I think this debate should be evaluated on an amp by amp basis, instead of saying all valve amps are better than all solid state amps, or viceversa.
🤣🤣 Lee's reactions. Great video! I was thinkin about sinking like $1300 into another tube head. After this, I might just get a solid state.
I also picked #4, if I ever need a new apartment amp I’ll buy one
I was spot on. 2 and 3 were valve.
1st Hats off....Big Balls to do an honest, blind assessment of amps :) but, the overdrive pedal sounds really bad imho.......been playing since 1974 and do not use any pedals, clip-on tuner, and these young guys are amazed that I plug straight into the input of the amp lol :).... but I do use the effects loop for boost and a delay, tube driven analog amp reverb, and just use the channels of the amp for tone set ups....in all fairness, I play a egnater tourmaster so i have 4 valve channels. bought it for $250 at RS guitar works yard sale. :)
You should really do Valve amps vs Amp Sims someday :>
That friedman pedal will fizz up any amp! Worst one to tell a tube/ss amp apart 😂
First riff he did with 808 was insane
Played a tonemaster it’s insane
Im starting to think that Mr. Chappers is becoming fond of that American Elite HSS strat. He been playing it a lot...I have the exact same guitar (Color and all) and gotta say I'm super happy with it. If you ever want to make Rob even more smitten with it? swap out those Fender "noiseless" pickups for some Lollars!!!
I have the same one too but with rosewood fingerboard.
Dunno why I am watching this, I have 4 Amps that can put the windows out, but lockdown means I have been mainly playing my Acoustic
I need to see more of that Gibson in the left corner!
This is vindicating for me cause I had the blackstar ht20 and loved it but it sounded like trash with a drive pedal on the clean channel
Just shows, you need to dial in the sound yourself.
I wonder why you didn't used the Roland Blues Cube.
Keep this amazing amp are secrete lol also check out the Yamaha mxr it's even better
Trying to figure out which is solid state and which is valve by placing a solid state pedal in front is kind of pointless don't you think? No way to really tell if the amp uses the jellybean op-amps and Chinesium capacitors in it if you plug a pedal in between that basically has jellybean op-amps and Chinesium capacitors in it... Unless it's a Blackstar, I guess... ;P
The Friedman pedal sounded HORRIBLE in all 4 amps ...
These videos would not be the same without the Captain. Respect and love to the Captain Lee Anderton
To clarify what's going on with the Blackstar... It has valves, but also a whole number of op-amps (solid state) in the signal path.
First thing the guitar signal hits is a TL072 op-amp, not a valve. Thus, at best it's like you're playing into a pedal then a tube amp. You never get that Guitar>Tube interaction.
Whether that matters or not is up for determination by someone more experienced than me.
Unless you run each amp through the same speaker you can't really say whatever difference you might hear is definitely about tube vs. solid-state.
I love his comment about the digital tonemaster... it's about 400 pounds less than the valve equivalent. Do you mean weight, Sterling, or both? :)
It’s hard to believe how bad that Friedman pedal sounded with all of the amps.
That pedal does sound good in a mix. But it can be a little fizzy.
@@robbirose7032 yeah... i agree, scooped the mids more than expected
I think the best use of an OD pedal is to use it as a boost. Light gain. Get a good tone from the amp then use the pedal as a boost. A lot of gain is not necessary to get a good guitar tone.
@@brandonlesko3126 I agree.
I wonder if they turned down the internal trimpot? If not it’s extreme gain. Sorry that pedal doesn’t sound like that in person. It’s how they’re setting it ,micing it or using it with those particular amps.
That Friedman pedal made the amps sound like that little novelty Marshall stack
that is what happens when you put them in front of an amp with a very clean speaker
😂😂😂
Don't talk shit about that amp. Jack Black played it in School of Rock so if it's good enough for him, it's good enough for all of us.
The Fender Tonemaster engineers..."We did our jobs".
I’d like to try that thing someday in a music store
Love ur fender mustang GT 200s i own one lol
still costs like a valve amp though...
@@progste valve amps are outdated. Solid state tonemaster are where it's at now. Plus they are very very very light as well and I guarantee you you will fail if you blindfold test these against a valve amp
@@jgab115 right...
Keep your blindfold, I'll take the good amp.
Andertons should have an in-store blindfold service where people can blind test amps in their price range.!
Ive done this with guitars and amps at my guitar store.
its me and the sales guy nerding out, and I pick my favorite that month without ever even looking at it❤
The guitar industry... the only industry where 1950’s tech and 2021 tech is debated. Cheers.
Technology just keeps getting better over time... I honestly feel some guitar amp manufacturers don't want their solid state lines to sound as good as their tube amps. Profit over consumers. At least Fender gives us the best solid state lines with their Tonemaster and Rumble series
yea, screw the cars, guns, fine art, animation, film, furniture, and literally every other part of the general music industry (from turntables and mixing consoles to synthesizers and concert hall security) industries....it's ONLY the guitar industry that does that.
@@tazmon122 seriously? Are you dense? No one says old cars, guns, furniture and all that shit is better and your a fraud if you don’t own vintage stuff like the guitar industry does. No car company reissues 50’s cars because “your not a real car driver unless you can work a stick, use leaded gas and your engine still has a carburetor.” No animation or film company still puts out black and white silent movies because that’s REAL artwork and not those terrible “talkies”. Let me guess you still have a commodore64 that you’re logging into to watch this, huh? Your not an authentic computer user if you don’t do black with green letter bruh. Lol. Jackass.
@@tazmon122 literally all of those things are without debate better now
@@misterknightowlandco clearly you've never been to a vintage car showcase, or an animation1 class.
That Friedman pedal sounded like shite in all of them.
mr. chapman has weird taste in everything that sounds awful. gear wise.
Which is super weird considering how amazing this pedal sounds. I have one on my board and it’s my fav distortion in the world.
Everything uploaded to RUclips sounds like shite. It’s just the depth of shite that varies.
Perhaps it isn't set to sound good, but to help him determine if an amp is valve or not.
It does not help, when you cant adjust neither pedal, neither amp. Different person may set it up with best intent, that does not mean, it will work for someone else ;).
What I've learned from this video:
Don't buy that Friedman pedal.
That Friedman pedal is one of the best pedals on the market. I have no idea why it sounded so bad in this video.
Well... don't dial it in once and then play it on 4 different amps without touching the knobs...
@@JVR10893 one setting on one amp with certain pods transistors pieces it's going to sound one way versus a different amp with certain pieces volume parts valves transistors whatever it may be it all makes a huge difference
idk, but my Friedman BE-OD and BE-OD Deluxe before doesnt sound like that. i think they dimed it all the way.
tried using thru Les Paul and Strat
Seriously? Rob Chapman can play on EVH's VH1 gear or Andy Timmons gear and make it sound terrible. You want actual good guitarists that know what they are doing? Listen/ watch Pete Thorn, Michael Nielsen, Robert Baker, Ola englund, Rabbea did an awesome review of the BE100 deluxe & pedal. Sounds great to me
Being an tube amp fanboy for 45 years, it is really hard not to like the tone master. Well done Fender...
Valve snobs be like "This test was RIGGED"
Ha Ha spot on dude! I,ve been looking to buy a new amp, this has put a spanner in the works, big time!
i've heard the ToneMaster is ridiculous...
The "yeah" part KILLED ME HAHAHAHAHAH
Me 2🤣
I played a Tone Master at guitar center while trying out a Tumnus Deluxe the other day, and until this video I had no idea that the Tone Master was solid state. Wild.
Golly that Friedman pedal is one of the worst pedals I've ever heard.
Yea it’s sad because it doesn’t sound like that in person.
@@kcussrebutuemos4815 Uh ! yes it does I just listened to it through four different amps!
@@iandecruz2544 mate learn to set it. It will cover so much ground as a pedal. Mine lives nearly all at 12 o’clock which is the sign of a good pedal as it leaves heaps of room for tweaking, your may have a less then ideal amp or too much gain, try backing the gain off. Honestly it’s one of the best on the market rn
I tried one out... Sent it back.. Total piece of overpriced crud...
BE-OD sounds awesome. Not really in this video though.
To be fair to Rob, he's not a Fender amp guy. He's not really an American amp guy at all.
That’s true. But if deciding if an amp is valve or solid state comes down to identifying which amp it is, specifically, then I guess that pretty much settles the debate about valve vs solid state.
@@Newnodrogbob Spot on!
@C J B hes not a guitar guy but he has his own guitar company?
@C J B Because it's entertainment and not science. Relax.
To be fair... he clearly couldn’t identify a difference. No shame in that, he simply had his main criteria for judging removed (his preconceptions).
All you need to know about all these "Valve vs. Solid State vs. Digital" disputes
Blindfolded, people rarely can say the difference.
At low volume. But if you crank them there is no comparison. Tube all the way.
@@RAID5_Aesthetic There are loads of confounding variables that make these comparisons largely useless. The biggest one is that even a tiny volume difference can impact perceived sound quality. If one amp is 0.25dB louder than the other, then it will sound better even though you will not be able to tell that it is louder.
I am yet to see “digital” amplification whatsoever tbh I am waiting on digital ears first
Never mind that, how about recording a full band, and playing it back on monitors or headphones to non-musicians. Then ask them "Is the guitarist using valves or solid state?"
How many people 'on the street' would even understand the question?
If you listen closely you can. Especially on how sterile it sounds and on the high end.
Rob asking the real questions at the end, "Do they do a Bassbreaker one?"
I'm waiting for the Princeton version
Meanwhile I'm waiting for a hand wired twin smh
YES! Princeton version is a no-brainer - I'm surprised they haven't done it yet. Bassbreaker? I don't see it, just like I don't see a Blues Junior version. The Bassbreaker 15 and the Blues Junior are both in that $600-ish range. Maybe the Bassbreaker 30.
Me too. A Princeton would be amazing.
@@budgetguitarist exactly. It’d probably cost them as much if not more to properly emulate a Bassbreaker as it costs them to make the valve version which would largely defeat the object.
@@budgetguitarist Yeah, and I'd argue they won't do a Princeton for a while. One of the main selling points is weight factor, and transporting to gigs. Those issues don't exist w/ Princetons or the others. And there are so many Blue Juniors running around for 300 bucks here nobody should ever buy a new one hah. I think they have to come out w/ Bassmans and Super Reverbs next. They would sell a million of those IMO.
Me at the start: “Well, this is going to be stupidly easy for Rob.”
Me at the end: “So, Bruce Willis was dead all along ..!?”
Having witnessed in previous videos how accurate Rob's ears are, it is surely a demonstration of how good solid state amps have become. It would be nice in videos like this if Rob told us what he was hearing and what he was testing for when listening.
He's done that is past videos and it drags out LONG, this 20 minute video would normally be 45 minutes of boredom and confusion. When the session is this compressed you can compare the amps yourself better, hard to effectively judge them side by side when someone's talking about what they THOUGHT they heard for 5 minutes between playing each.
@@williambartholomew5680 I think there;s room for both. I totally agree that back0to0back examples are better, but I like to know his train of thought.
I disagree. When it comes to Robs voice, less is more
@@derrickderrick4397 +1. I think the videos are just better without him.
There’s probably parity, if not overlap with the top of the line guitars coming out of Fender Mexico and the most affordable Americans.
This is probably blasphemy to some, but I'd love to have a Tweed Deluxe Tonemaster. I love my Twin Reverb Tonemaster.
They put a tweed cover on either of the tonemasters and I’m in the next day.
I’m no longer carrying valve amps around. Too old.
Whatever works for you. That's the important thing...
@@gainbear8853 Not just the weight but the fact there's no tubes to deal with, one mild jarring is all it takes to kill a tube. But tubes don't last forever and they're awfully expensive now, with how nice the Tonemaster sounds and for being for being $500ish less than it's tube'd twin, and the fact that you'd CONTINUE to save that $500 every few years from the sets of tubes you DON'T have to replace anymore - becomes a no-brainer at that point!
@@gainbear8853 they do a blonde version but tweed would be sweet. I have had a twin tonemaster for a year or so, not looked at another amp since.
If he needs to be so attentive to the tone and makes mistakes, it pretty well ends the valve vs not issue.
It really does depend. He did catch the nuance of the greater compression with the solid state amp but was most fooled by a digital emulation of a valve amp. So I think the argument between solidstate vs valve will always be there but now you've got digital approximations which can pretty faithfully mimic both.
I was thinking the same thing.
Yeah...if there was genuine difference in qualify it would be immediately obvious.
I sort of agree, but with this _caveat:_ He only got to hear them on "clean," and at a certain volume.
This has been very interesting and somewhat useful, but we don't know, from this video, whether or not the "illusion" would be sustained at gigging volume levels.
Heretofore, I've been a devotee of tube amps, but that was mainly because, until pretty recently, most transistor and digital amps were prone to sounding fake, especially when it came to overdrive/distortion. There have historically been a few exceptions, but transistor amps _had_ earned that reputation. Hopefully that is coming to an end.
The solid state stuff is lighter, cheaper, doesn't need to be biased and is less likely to burst into flame.
@@OgamiItto70 ...I would also add that, even though a failed output transistor or power amp IC cannot be unplugged and replaced like a valve, solid-state amps are more reliable, and any competent technician can easily and cheaply repair them. But solid-state guitar amps need to be designed to distort "properly", whereas valve amps naturally distort, partly as a result of the valves, but also due to the output transformers.
It’s amazing what you can hear with your eyes isn’t it?
I will never get tired of the blind folded challenge, keep it rolling fellas!
I don’t think the amps were loud enough for the valves to show their characteristics
That’s kind of my thinking as well.
You can’t tell what their volume settings are but if you watch other videos where they get the 68 DRRI really singing, you can sometimes see they are running the volume around 5 which is LOUD on those amps.
Also, the 68 has a Bassman channel as well which is a very distinctive tube distortion when pushed but again, needs to be cranked.
This test does show however that at reasonable volumes, solid state can sound great.
Lee!! You gotta do the same thing with heads and cabinets BUT have the head on top of the cabinet not plugged into the cabinet below it. To see if placibo of looking at a Mesa and cab yet its actually an orange head going into the cab, makes us hear valve/solid or a similar.
the editing on this is on point and a half!
Yah. Yah. Yah. Yah.
The editing was awesome. I’m 😂
Welcome to Andertons lmao
ShhhhhaniaTwain
Great video. I have to admit - I own that Tonemaster model (FDR) and it’s just genius. I’ve gigged with it and am constantly blown away by how good it sounds. I also LOVE the attenuation and IR outputs. Now when I record I go through my pedals, through the amp and then DI/XLR right into my Apollo interface. It’s perfect.
I got a challenge
"Can chappers tell the difference between donations to charity and no donations to charity"
Joke. It was a Joke c'mon
@@Elias0112 Just referring to his controversy a year ago he’s moved on guys
@@pentatonicpaddy And he shreds 😂
@@pentatonicpaddy 😂
So you really think Rob a professional guitar and amplifier salesman has not heard about nor learned about the Fender Tonemaster amps but all of us have? Really? REALLY? Rob Chapman acting surprised when Lee is pointing to the Tonemaster and (ha ha) supposedly informing him that it's a Transistor Amp.
This is nothing but an act, a salesman acting the surprised individual when discovering that the Tonemaster is not a valve amp.
Rob is in the "grapevine", he has known about the Tonemaster well before you or I ever even heard a word about it. L3ee near the end talks about the fender Tonemaster "launch" video -LAST YEAR!
But go ahead and believe every word of this sales video, they want you too and you do like this channel as do I. I admit to being more sceptical now than at previous times in my music making life. I don't buy this act and I wouldn't buy the Brooklyn Bridge either. But I do have one to sell you! -Peter age 70
id like to sit down and talk for like 10 mins with chappers or lee
It'll feel like 10 minutes but it'll be an hour
Are you looking to sell them insurance?
@@martinemesguitar LOL
@@martinemesguitar hahahaha nice :D
Good to see Laurel and Hardy back together again!
The pessimist in me is saying this is a Fender Tonemaster commercial in sheeps clothing, but I've heard nothing but good things about those amps from people who have actually played them. So I'm inclined to think the Tonemasters are legit good sounding amps.
It is surprising, and cool. But in a way it makes sense when you look at what Boss did with the Katanas, then consider Fender's capabilities several years later. It is a very smart amp.
This is an infomercial. Just a great one that’s feels legit. Hard for me to believe this just happen to work out so perfectly. But who knows for sure. But from my ears perspective that tonemaster is awesome, so maybe it’s just done it’s job that well?
They sound great in the store, to the point of having an emotional "no I'm not buying that, my ears are lying, tubes forever" for no good reason. But... tube amps do sound better. I want to sound better.
New blind fold challenge idea: Rob, Pete, Rabear, and Lee play the same riffs on the same equipment and the viewers need to decide who is playing!
There is a difference between solid state and digital....
Feedback: I noticed lately in every video that has multiple amps that you have to mike up, it always sounding kinda inconsistent/bad for some reason and doesnt do the amps justice. maybe its because you are in a hurry and amps setting and microphone placement is 2nd thought, i dont know. just my 2 cents.
Yeah - note for Anderton's - run all amps through the same cab. You're measuring amps, not speakers or mics.
@@pd4165 Only for testing heads. Not if they're testing combos. If I'm in the market for combos, & perhaps have even decided speaker or cabinet size, I don't care what they sound like with cabs I have no interest in purchasing. If a solid state or digital modeling amp is coupled with a speaker/cab that sounds like or as good as a tube amp with its speaker/cab, I don't care that another tube amp circuit could sound better with a separate cab. Same holds even if combo sounds "good enough."
*One look at the guitar and I knew he was doomed to get it all wrong lol.* A maple fingerboard stratocaster loaded with single coil pickups was certain doom for blind accuracy. *If you had used humbuckers, completely scooped mids, mudding bass and modest treble, it would have definitely been more obvious but even then, it would have largely boiled down to price point in what was being scrutinized.*
It's really difficult to use a scooped tone with any technology and get elite results. This is why so many guys go with Mesas, Marshalls or a lesser brand geared for shredding metal.
I have a background in engineer so from my POV, it's all a scam. Solid-state, digital or valve means absolutely nothing if the right person designed and built it. Digital ultimately just makes it super cheap and easy, but the prices certainly don't reflect that.
I thought it was just me. I tried a BE-OD Deluxe, twice. Once with a Katana head, and later with an Atomic modeler. It was horrendous with both. And yet so many people get good results with that pedal.
and what have we learned? soiid state amps have gotten REALLY good over the years.
With the Fenders - not gigging one of their D class amps is more about ego than sound.
(though I'd want to run a valve pedal in front, just for pride)
@@pd4165 LOL we are hypocrites.
Better but still not there imo!!
@@thekolt533 Confirmation bias. If someone tells you it's a solid state amp, you're going to nitpick it and think it sounds digital. In a blind test, the difference is seriously marginal. Anyone could tell there was sonically a difference 10+ years ago, but the dynamics and basically everything are there now.
@@SynZ777 You say that, I just picked up a Marshall AVT50 half stack. Its got one 12AX7 in the pre amp but the rest is digital, and to my ears isn't any different to a tube amp. Either way, its really freaking nice, and nearly 2 decades old
No Blues Cube ? How could youuu
Definitely should have been in there!
Guessing:
1. Orange SS
2. Marshall hybrid
3. ? SS
4. Fender valve
Edit: this will probably save me a lot of money on tube amps!
I realized that an expensive pedal isn't as good as its price.
this OD sounds great in as a preamp if you're looking for a friedman tone in my experience
Well the most popular (best sounding) sounds have been captured in so many pedals. All those ts clones and shit like that none of these are horribly expensive and they just sound good. Or look at all the boss pedals you can get them anywhere and they just sound good
I bought a Behringer TS808 clone at a flea market for $10 and it sounds somewhat better than the TS808 for a fraction of the price. So I definitely agree with your statement.
I have been using the DRTM for a year now. I live and play in an active adult community. Every Sunday my amp rides into our village center over a cobble stone road on a golf cart to play oldies. I run an EHX B9 organ pedal and Mel9 Mellotron pedal into it as needed. Its light weight, attenuator, XLR out, and reliability makes the cost worthwhile. If I took the Tonemaster badge off, nobody would know it wasn't a tube amp. Unless they lifted it. I'm keeping the badge on because I am proud to own it.
Let me throw a wrench into the mix, if the Tone Master Deluxe goes out what’s it cost to replace the the whole board down the line as it’s all surface mount and multilayer board vs fixing the Deluxe Reverb tube amp? I’m betting at repair time I’ll be wishing I had the tube amp instead…..
I have missed Chappers and The Captain! Cheers Rob and Cap'n!!
Its sound- you chose to taste, who cares on the tech- BUT if you are a gigging musician- light and reliable tips the scales massively in favour of one over the other IMO
Blackstar clean tone was terrible. That or the setup.
Something went wrong with the settings. HT Series sound fantastic, and this is a Mk II which got even better clean channel.
@@MirroBlac definiely sounds like it. They managed to make a strat not sound like a strat hahaha
It's a shame Andertons don't carry Randall amps because those are the only solid state amps that have been consistently great for years but clearly Boss caught up and Fender is on the way. Goes to show that tubes are really pointless if the solid state ones are built and set up well.
It's NOT a fail for Chappers, but it's a compliment for Fenders engeneers!
I own a champion 100 and a blues junior and I'm not surprise at all, the clean on the champion is pretty amazing for a cheap solid state amp (I used it for a lot of time in gigs and with pedals too). Kudos to Fender!
“Action Lee-play” 😂. Promote that man!
I love the Anderton's videos so much! You guys really should think about opening a store somewhere in the U.S. because we miss the friendliness that used to be like you still have every day!
I sold my valves. Solid state is as good and doesn’t break down
Yey, blindfold challenge! Neat
It's really neato, gee wizz 😁
A blind ABX test. The terror of the tone cork sniffer and the golden ears audiophiles.
With the Captain's facial reactions he'd make a great Aardman character