• Registered: 2009-03-23
  • Posts: 70

Topic: Fender Custom Shop Tonemaster and Marshall Jubilee 2555

Hello all.

Advice time again.  I've been offered a Fender Custom Shop Tonemaster from a friend.  Firstly, does anyone have any experiences with these?? I have read very mixed reviews on the net about this amp.  I'm also on the look out for a Marshall Jubilee 2555 with the idea of pairing the two.  I know Joe has said Marshall and Fender work well together.  Does anyone know what the result would be if I got these two together, I kind of new to the amp pairing thing.  I have never played a Jubilee and have never seen them at any music store near me, only on the internet.  Should I just take the plunge on one or are they not for everyone?? I know you gus on here are massive fans of the amp but it is a lot of money should I find one somewhere.

Many thanks.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2006-05-31
  • Posts: 489

Re: Fender Custom Shop Tonemaster and Marshall Jubilee 2555

The Tonemaster is really a great amp, but there are two points that kept me awy from buying one years ago. 1. Lack of bass, 2. Is said to be not very roadworthy

Nowadays, I'd go with the jubilee, which is an excellent amp.

Jimi75's Website

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Fender Custom Shop Tonemaster and Marshall Jubilee 2555

The days of the expensive Jubilees are over my friend.  Ceriatone offers a 2555 clone and from the few reviews I've heard it nails it.  It's also handwired, something that even the original lacked.  I'm not familiar with the Tonemaster but if it has a reputation for breaking down I would avoid it.  The beauty of blending amps is that you can actually take two amps that sound mediocre or even bad in some cases and end up with a VERY good tone.  Take an amp that has a ton of midrange and pair that with an amp that has plenty of lows and highs...you'll end up with a full sound.  Some great "Fender"  type amps that blend nicely with Marshalls are anything in the Dumble vein (Fuchs ODS, Ceriatone OTS, Two Rock CRS, Quinn SDO, Brownote D'Lite, Bludotone Bludodrive, etc etc.) primarily because of the "mid boosts" that come with the amps.  A typical Fender amp has a "V" shape in the EQ curve while Marshalls tend to have a very soft "U" or flatter "---" shape.  A silverface Fender Dual Showman (or blackface Showman) with a midrangey overdrive pedal such as a tubescreamer or Fulldrive II would blend nicely with a Marshall amp.  Good luck experimenting and have fun building your rig!

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • Registered: 2008-10-02
  • Posts: 373

Re: Fender Custom Shop Tonemaster and Marshall Jubilee 2555

I almost bought at Tonemaster - Didn't have the cash and it was sold when I did have it. I also have a Jubilee - they couldn't be more different. They both have there own sound and both are great. I would say the Tonemaster is more spongy and brighter than the Jubliee, and the clean channel is amazing on the Tonemaster. One thing is the Tonemaster loves V30's it was designed to use those speakers so if people reviewed it with other speakers I can see why they would say it has lack of bass. But with the right cab it roars. THe thing I didn't like on it was the duel effects loops for both channels, but I was told there is a mod to fix that. For it being not reliable I don't know if I believe that either it is a point to Point custom shop amp, I can't see it being any less reliable than any other amp built that way. Hell My Jubilee goes to the shop almost ever year for a soder joint! There is a guy who plays locally with a Tonemaster for about 10 years and he never had any problems and his tone is great with a Les Paul great rock crunch to. Bruce Zinky design that amp for Fender before he left and formed his own company. The clean on the tonemaster is a lot like a vibro king but a hair darker.

Damn now I want a Tonemaster again!

  • Registered: 2009-03-23
  • Posts: 70

Re: Fender Custom Shop Tonemaster and Marshall Jubilee 2555

Sounds like the tonemaster would work well with the Jubilee.  Have the fender for clean and the Jubilee for overdriven and lead.

  • From: Maryland
  • Registered: 2007-10-20
  • Posts: 109

Re: Fender Custom Shop Tonemaster and Marshall Jubilee 2555

The tone master is a great amp, no problems with toughness or reliability. Used for many years by Jimmy Page and Joe Perry among others.  It was designed and made by Bruce Zinky in fenders custom shop in Arizona in the early 90's,  Getting harder to find like the jublilees several years ago.  Nice crunch distorted sound, great clean, more on the fender than Marshall side.  Power can be turned down from 100w-50w-35w sounds good at all 3.  Would work well with a Marshall (done by Robin Trower for many years), I think you'll like it, if not interested and the price is good, list it here and I'll get it! Like I relly need another amp! Good luck, Dave

mickieblue wrote:

Sounds like the tonemaster would work well with the Jubilee.  Have the fender for clean and the Jubilee for overdriven and lead.

If heartaches were nickels, I'd have 35 cents!
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  • Registered: 2010-07-26
  • Posts: 1

Re: Fender Custom Shop Tonemaster and Marshall Jubilee 2555

Anyone have a ballpark range of how much a mint cab & head should go for?

  • Registered: 2007-11-04
  • Posts: 404

Re: Fender Custom Shop Tonemaster and Marshall Jubilee 2555

Tone masters are amazing amps.  I'd buy one right now if I had the money.

I believe the question was how are the speaker cabinets. I dont think you need to worry about the speakers being unreliable.

I have never heard a bad tone come out of a tonemaster and they always have been played thru a tonemaster cab. 

If you buy a jubilee I see no reason why the tonemaster cab would be a bad choice. My only thought is why not get a marshall cab so the head and cab match.  Seems like you'd have no worries if Marshall made both the head and cabinet.

I think when Joe says marshalls and fenders go well with each other he is speaking about the heads or amps.  Not mixing the heads with different speaker cabinets andmost makers pair speakers with their amps that sound good based on how they made their amp.  So be careful...if buying the jubilee is your thing I'd probably get a marshall cab.

But thats just me and my OCD.