Tourmaster or Renegade???

[Len Rabinowitz]

I'm not sure that the Renegade 2 X 12 is any lighter than the Tourmaster. The tellatle clue is the handles on the side, which the Renegade 2 X 12 has. The power scaling on the Tourmaster is more flexible than what is one the Renegade, but I am betting that the Renegade has a better record out. The one on the Tourmaster is OK for going into a live mixer, but is noisy for recording. I usually mike up for recording so it doesn't matter that much to me, and the one or two times I used it for recording I was able to get good results by using a noise gate.

I am as we speak getting some cranking distortion tones with my Les Paul and Tourmaster, so take that all you Renegade fans!

 

[Buckeyedog]

Renegade! Sorry Len. Honestly, I only have personal experience with the Renegade and none with the Tourmaster, but man that Renegade sounded bad ass at the house man. I loved it.

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

Actually, had the Renegade been available when I was looking I might have done the same thing. But it either would have been the 1 X 12 or the head plus TM 2 X 12 because of the front mounted controls. I didn't think the 1 X 12 sounded as good, and I am basically a combo guy, so I think the Tourmaster might still have gotten it.

I gotta tell ya though, that Renegade head and 2 X 12 cab combo still rings in my head! Get that if you can do the extra money!

Enjoy!

 

[tomk62]

Just got the GC email about the 15% trade up offer. I'm sure I can find some gear I can part with to get the discount. The promotion ends on Nov. 15th so I have until then to decide.

Keep in mind that you will probably get less than 50% of the retail value of what you trade in. Not worth it to many people.

GC is currently running 12 months no payments/no interest for the Egnater amps (and several other brands too).

http://gc.guitarcenter.com/financing/gccard.cfm

(Egnater is not listed on the web site but is shown as eligible in the holiday flyer I just received)

 

[Buckeyedog]

Just some small advice from some of us who have been there...........don't let a few hundred $$ keep you from getting what YOU want. You'll always second guess yourself. I've done that one too many times........they you end up selling for a loss, then going ahead and spending it anyway so now you are out even more $$.

Play both if you can and see what floats your boat. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[tomk62]

Just some small advice from some of us who have been there...........don't let a few hundred $$ keep you from getting what YOU want.

+1 to that.

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

I gotta second both of these. I'd be wary of the GC thing. They'll cut the price on the new item- and then give you next to nothing on your trade. Remember, these things are in the end designed to benefit them more then they benefit you.

I also agree that you should get what you want. You can spend $1500.00 intelligently, or waste $1000.00. Every time I got something that was "good enough" it never was.

Your best bet? Get the amp you want, put it on the GC credit card, sell your stuff on eBay (you'll do much better) and the PAY THE GC BALANCE IN FULL IN 11 MONTHS- If you are even one day late they slap you with something like 20% interest.

 

[Roddy]

Because of weight issues, Buy a head and separate cab...I have a Tourmaster head and it's 60 lbs,,!!! The Renegade head is 35!!....After owning a Tourmaster for over a year, I have to say that the Renegade lead channel sounds better than the TM ch 4...however, it doesn't sound like ch 3 which is old school Marshall..and it doesn't do ch2, which is a big sounding deluxe....and the TM's ch 1 is really similar to the Renegade ch1.
Like Len said, the versatility of the TM is amazing, but if you don't need that much going on, get the Renegade.....The lead channel in that amp is something else....I can get close to it, but not quite with the Tourmaster....With the Lynchbox, well, that's another story....

 

[viking22]

Because of weight issues, Buy a head and separate cab...I have a Tourmaster head and it's 60 lbs,,!!! The Renegade head is 35!!....After owning a Tourmaster for over a year, I have to say that the Renegade lead channel sounds better than the TM ch 4...however, it doesn't sound like ch 3 which is old school Marshall..and it doesn't do ch2, which is a big sounding deluxe....and the TM's ch 1 is really similar to the Renegade ch1.
Like Len said, the versatility of the TM is amazing, but if you don't need that much going on, get the Renegade.....The lead channel in that amp is something else....I can get close to it, but not quite with the Tourmaster....With the Lynchbox, well, that's another story....

Hi,Rod! I was waiting for your opinion on this !I would suggest to the OP to listen to RodWelles Blues Band if he wants to hear the TM in live conditions Fantastic sound and great music !!!

 

[Roddy]

Because of weight issues, Buy a head and separate cab...I have a Tourmaster head and it's 60 lbs,,!!! The Renegade head is 35!!....After owning a Tourmaster for over a year, I have to say that the Renegade lead channel sounds better than the TM ch 4...however, it doesn't sound like ch 3 which is old school Marshall..and it doesn't do ch2, which is a big sounding deluxe....and the TM's ch 1 is really similar to the Renegade ch1.
Like Len said, the versatility of the TM is amazing, but if you don't need that much going on, get the Renegade.....The lead channel in that amp is something else....I can get close to it, but not quite with the Tourmaster....With the Lynchbox, well, that's another story....

Hi,Rod! I was waiting for your opinion on this !I would suggest to the OP to listen to RodWelles Blues Band if he wants to hear the TM in live conditions Fantastic sound and great music !!!

Thanks Viking!!! I appreciate it!!

 

[RobC]

Well I just wanted to thank everyone for their opinions. What a great thread!

I looks like the general consensus is to go for the Renegade. The Tourmaster is a great amp but I think the Renegade comes closer to what I need. I may want the TM's 4-channels but I certainly do not need them for my applications. Besides I' not getting any younger so the 95 lb. TM might be just too much to lug around every weekend.

I appreciate everything that was said. I played the Renegade head with the TM212 cab and it was awesome. I think this is the combination I will go for. I played the 112 and there was a big difference in sound but you have to expect that from a combo cabinet that is 1/2 the size and only has one speaker. It's going to take me a little longer to save the extra $$ for the head and cab but in the end I know it will be worth it.

I wonder what a Renegade 112 combo hooked to a TM212 cab would sound like?

 

[Roddy]

The 2/12 would be the way to go IMHO!!!!

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

Had the Renegade head and Tourmaster 2 X 12 cab been available when I was looking that might easily have been what I got. That was great sounding! Certainly it would have been a tough choice between the two.

The head and the heart have to agree. It has to be what your head says you need, but it also has to make your heart race. If the Renegade head and Tourmaster 2 X 12 cab do that, go for it!

The two Renegade channels sound to me like they are similar to channels 1 and 4 on the Tourmaster, and I actually tend to prefer cahnnels 2 and 3.

 

[Roddy]

Had the Renegade head and Tourmaster 2 X 12 cab been available when I was looking that might easily have been what I got. That was great sounding! Certainly it would have been a tough choice between the two.

The head and the heart have to agree. It has to be what your head says you need, but it also has to make your heart race. If the Renegade head and Tourmaster 2 X 12 cab do that, go for it!

The two Renegade channels sound to me like they are similar to channels 1 and 4 on the Tourmaster, and I actually tend to prefer cahnnels 2 and 3.

Channels 2 and 3 on the Tourmaster are simply stunning to play through

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

I crank channel 2 a bit and run my 335 through it, and it just nails a chuck berry BB King kind of tone. 3 is the best overdrive channel in my opinion.

 

[fester2000]

FWIW, I just went through this decision process -- I was contemplating the Rebel 30 combo, the Renegade head, or the Tourmaster head. I have a Marshall 2x12 1936 that I love, so I either wanted a smallish combo (hence the Rebel 30) or a full fledged head. I played both the Tourmaster and the Renegade heads through the Tourmaster 2x12 (oh...what a cab!!!) and decided the Renegade gave me what I needed and nothing I didn't need. And the price was a factor.

So I went with the Renegade and man what an amazing amp! I replaced the preamp tubes with JJ 12ax7s from Eurotubes and it does clean clean, grit clean, crunch and overdrive no problem. I pair it with a Line 6 M13 using the four cable method and it is approaching tonal heaven. I can either run a melt your face distortion pedal through the clean channel or just boost the overdrive channel with a tube screamer model (I tried it with a Bad Monkey with outstanding results as well).

Good luck, I really think most of us will be able to say "yeah, I bought one of those Egnaters when they first came out" someday with a touch of pride.

Cheers,

Fester2k

 

[glassjaw7]

I absolutely loved the Renegade head and combo and could not stop playing when I checked it out at a GC. Played on it for over an hour at least.

I've plugged into 4 different Tourmasters, and each time I am dissappointed I've tried dialing them in to get the sound I'm after but it's just not in there.

HOWEVER, that's just my opinion. It seems to be a great amp with tons of features, but I would choose the Renegade in a heartbeat.
RENEGADE

 

[guitar54]

I have not played the TM but have the Ren 1x12. This little tone monster is amazing. Light in weight - kinda (still 50+ lbs.), versatile as heck - Marshall, Mesa, Fender, Boutique, etc., LOUD as heck, controls on the front, amazing effects loop.....and the beat goes on and on.

Don't underestimate this little gem. The 2x12 combo is cool but it did not have the tone the 1x12 has. I played both. Try the 1x12 - it'll blow your mind.

I dumped a horrible Fener Super-sonic treble box for the Renegade and have not looked back. I've had Mesa's, Marshalls, Fenders, Peaveys, Line6's and the Egnaters are pure tone compared to these others.

I played a Mesa Electrodyne (? spelling?) and it is a nice sounding combo - but the tone comparison was the convincing factor in going with the Renegade 1x12.

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

Of all the Renegades I tried, the one I actually liked the least was the 1 X 12- although I do like the front mounted controls! I think I have just gotten used to that 2 X 12 tone- although I brought my amp into the school where I teach yesterday (I was doing a lesson on Les Paul and Leo Fender- and I am a history teacher!) and was reminded of what 100 pounds feels like!

The one Renegade that really blew me away was the head and TM 2 X 12 cab. That was amazing!

Had the Renegade been available when I was buying it definitely would have gotten serious thought- But I think I still would have ended up with the Tourmaster for various reasons.

I think the Tourmaster and the Rebel 20 were Eggie's first in the GC line. I think they learned a lot from them and applied a lot of that knowledge to the new stuff, which is definitely improved in some ways. The Tourmaster's line out is really too noisy to record with. I think that was improved on the Renegade and Rebel 30. It would be nice if the Tourmaster had independent reverb on each channel, or maybe tube mix, or maybe two independent effects loops like the Mod 50.

Well, nothing's perfect! This is the best amp I have ever had. LONG LIVE EGGIE!

 

[RobC]

First I want to say thank you to all that have responded to my post. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and advise with me. It's a pleasure to be part of a online community with that offers real advise not just commercial BS.

First thing first, based on all the posts the Renegade will be my amp of choice. My journey is moving forward. I was able to snag a TM2x12 cabinet on eBay last night for a great price. Now all I have to do I decide on which Renegade to get.

Not to beat a dead horse but I am looking for versatility, Should I get one of the 1x12 combos to play by itself at small venues and with the TM cab at larger ones or just by the Renegade head. The price difference isn't big enough to make a difference either way, I'm just thinking that playing small stuff, which I do 60% of the time, would be a little easier with just the combo rather then always dragging a head and TM cab around. Has anyone run a combo with an additional cabinet?

I know I tend to over-think things, it's a problem I have.

Thanks again.