Digital Game-Changer: Joe Bonamassa Partners with Fender for First-Ever Tone Master Signature '59 Twin Amp!

Joe Bonamassa has officially made history as the very first artist to be honored with a signature model in Fender's acclaimed Tone Master amp series, delivering a stunning reissue of his all-time favorite combo: a 1959 Twin. And shockingly for tube purists, it is entirely digital.

The new Fender Tone Master '59 Twin Amp JB Edition captures all the timeless vintage charm of the high-powered late-'50s tweed amplifier, heavily emboldened by a choice selection of modern, player-friendly features.

As an absolute mainstay of his touring and recording rigs, Joe Bonamassa is rarely seen apart from his beloved Twin. This high-profile collaboration hinged on flawlessly replicating the "sound and dynamic response of his vintage originals, seamlessly paired with the versatility and functionality of Fender's modern Tone Master platform."

At its sonic core are two 12-inch Celestion JB Neodymium speakers paired with an intuitive six-way power attenuator. That means its legendary tones are just as achievable at bedroom and neighbor-friendly volumes as they are when pushed by the full 85 watts of power on a festival stage.

The original vintage amp, Fender notes, is "simply too loud for mere mortals when playing small gigs or practicing at home," making this smart power-scaling feature an invaluable addition. Equally useful is the inclusion of a ground lift and a three-way cabinet simulator, allowing guitarists to integrate the amp's core tones with their preferred impulse responses via the Tone Master IR Manager software.

The custom Celestion speakers were carefully selected for their abundant "punch, warmth, and note articulation." They have also undergone a significant weight-reduction design process to save a touring player's back when lugging the combo around from venue to venue.

Beyond the classic three-band EQ, onboard controls feature built-in spring reverb alongside knobs for Presence, Volume Bright, and Volume Normal. Furthermore, players will find an effects loop for time-based pedals and a dedicated Vintage/Tight switch designed to shape and enhance bass response.

On the surface, it truly feels as though Joe Bonamassa took everything great about both vintage and modern tube/digital amplifiers and stirred them into an ultimate signature brew. According to Fender, the blues legend reckons this unit actually goes one step better than the original vintage benchmark.

"Joe Bonamassa is one of the world's foremost authorities on vintage amplifiers, and he knows these original Twins as well as anyone on Earth," 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 state that it sounds even better than the original, represents a real inflection point for our industry."

This milestone release continues the thriving Joe Bonamassa-Fender relationship, following a signature late-'40s tweed build and a custom reissue of his prized 1961 Fender Nocaster, affectionately dubbed The Bludgeon.

Recently, the guitarist shocked the gear world by revealing that he was warming up to digital modeling gear—and it now appears the mystery unit he was testing on stage was indeed this signature build. As such, Joe Bonamassa is truly putting his money where his mouth is.