Joe Bonamassa has become the first artist to be honored with a signature model in Fender’s Tone Master amp series, with a reissue of his favorite combo: a 1959 Twin. And shockingly, it’s all-digital.
The Fender Tone Master ‘59 Twin Amp JB Edition sees the vintage charm of the high-powered late ‘50s tweed amplifier, emboldened by a choice modern features.
A mainstay of his touring and studio rig, Bonamassa is rarely apart from his beloved Twin. This collaboration, then, hinged on replicating the “sound and response of his vintage originals together with the versatility and functionality of Fender’s modern Tone Master platform.”
At its heart are 2x12” Celestion JB Neodymium Speakers paired with a six-way power attenuator. That means its tones are just as achievable at bedroom and neighbor-friendly volumes as they are when backed by 85-watts of power on the stage.
The original, Fender says, is “too loud for mere mortals when playing small gigs or at home,” so this power shift feature is a smart addition. As is the fact the combo has ground lift and a three-way cabinet simulator, letting players fuse the amp’s tones with their preferred impulse responses via the Tone Master IR Manager app.
The Celestion speakers have been chosen for “punch, warmth and articulation” aplenty. They have also gone through a weight reduction process to save a player’s back when lugging the combo around on tour.
Aside from a three-way EQ, onboard controls take in a built-in spring reverb, and controls for Presence Volume Bright and Volume Normal. Beyond that, there’s an effects loop for time-based effects and a Vintage/Tight switch for enhancing its bass response.
On the surface, it really feels like Bonamassa has taken everything that’s great about vintage and modern amplifiers in their own rights, and stirred them into a signature brew. According to Fender, the bluesman reckons it actually goes one better than the original.
“Joe Bonamassa is one of the world’s foremost authorities on vintage amplifiers, and he knows these original Twins as well as anyone,” says Fender’s Chief Product Officer, Max Gutnik. “For someone with Joe’s ears, experience and deep commitment to vintage tube amps to choose a digital Fender, and say it sounds even better than the original, is a real inflection point for our industry.”
The collaboration continues the Bonamassa-Fender relationship after a late ‘40s signature amp, and a reissue of his ‘61 Nocaster, dubbed The Bludgeon. It’s unlikely to be his last.
Recently, he shocked the guitar world by revealing that he’s warming to digital gear and amp modeling – it now looks like the unit he was using on tour was likely this signature build. As such, it is Bonamassa putting his money where his mouth is.
The Fender Tone Master ‘59 Twin Amp JB Edition is available now for $1,999.99/£1,789 €2,099.
See Fender for more information.
