Amp Selection - Genz Benz Contour vs Rumble 500

[FreshPete]

Long time reader, first time poster.

I've played a fair amount of bass in the past but always had a house amp and/or run direct. After a handful of years not playing out, I started playing in a country band, and at first I bought a preamp, planning to run direct. It worked okay for a couple of gigs but the venue (we've been playing at the same place) says they won't run bass through their monitors (saying they've had 2 blow out on them).

So I bought a used Fender Rumble 112 bass cabinet, and I'm running my guitar head (Quilter MicroPro Mach 2) to power it. Sound is good in rehearsal, but it already feels like I'm at the limit on clean headroom. Pretty loud drummer and lead guitar (50w tube head & 2x12 cab).

So my current signal chain is:

• 90s MIM P-Bass (LaBella flats)
• Walrus Mira Compressor
• Genzler Magellan Preamp
• Quilter Micropro Mach2 head (100w RMS)
• Fender Rumble v3 112 cabinet

I'm thinking I'll sell the 112 cabinet for a used combo amp. I have an opportunity to buy a Genz Benz Contour 210 locally (asking $300). I also see a used Fender Rumble 500 combo (asking $400). I know the Rumble model is current and 15lbs lighter. In terms of priorities, it's a bit of everything - headroom/clarity, reliability, cost, and weight.

I'm leaning toward the Contour for price, expected quality, and flexibility. It could function as a cabinet pretty easily if I got a different head down the road.

Anyway - thanks for any input or thoughts about different ways to look at it. I think I'm doing a great job making this way harder than it needs to be.

 

[H Nighttrain]

Personally that's a no-brainer for me, I've never heard or played a Fender Rumble that I liked, or a Genz Benz that I didn't like.

 

[PiquetBass]

Head on down to the Fender Rumble Club and take a look - lots of happy customers there (including me!).

Been using my Rumble 500c against a loud drummer, 3 (yes 3) guitars, and 2 vocalists in a local Grunge tribute band for just over 2 years with no issues.

It's reliable, plenty loud enough and gets noticed in every pub / club we play!

 

[PiquetBass]

Personally that's a no-brainer for me, I've never heard or played a Fender Rumble that I liked, or a Genz Benz that I didn't like.

And there you go - 2 opposing and valid opinions for you. Simple answer is surely to find one of each in a store and try them!

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Having owned several products from the Fender Rumble v3 line, I would have chosen the GB even if it was $500 and the Rumble was $300...very different tiers of equipment.

To throw in some objectivity, it's not as though the Fender won't "do the job", it just depends on if the character of those amps+cabs is to your liking. If you're totally at home with it and don't yearn for anything BUT that, you'll probably be happy with it. I think it's fair to say the GB is going to have more flexibility, especially if you want to utilize just the cab with a different head later on. If you like the Fender Rumble tone, there's nothing wrong with that...it can be a challenge to dial out the cab's voicing though...speaking from ample experience.

 

[tonym]

The Contour should be plenty loud, and the quality and reliability ahead of the Rumble. Not trashing the Rumble line. I own a smaller one and they're good. But the GB is on higher level of quality based on my experience. AgedHorse is online here and could answer any specific questions about headroom, reliability, etc.

 

[abarson]

If a $300 Genz Benz Contour showed up local to me, your head would spin how fast it became mine.

 

[lowplaces]

Genz Benz Contour 210 locally (asking $300)

No brainer if it's issue free.

 

[agedhorse]

The Contour/Focus amps/speakers are still covered under the factory flat rate service program, all parts are still available and in stock.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

That sounded ominous.

 

[FreshPete]

This is awesome perspective. I'm going for the Contour. It's less money and will be a really excellent neutral and flexible setup. I tend to gravitate toward neutral tones as a starting point. I like the flexibility of it functioning as an amp/cab, and I like the idea of running it with my Magellan Pre.

@PiquetBass - that sounds like it's killing it for you with that many instruments. I really like the Rumbles - great value, lightweight, and powerful. Probably why I'm sitting here waffling.

Off I go - thanks for the help! It's very much appreciated.

 

[agedhorse]

If you need a copy of the owner’s manual, just message me.

 

[Maxi Funkl]

I own a Genz-Benz Contour 500 2x10 and have 1x15 Contour cab. That setup could handle most if not all gigs for most situations. Volume and fitting in the mix hasn't never been an issue. Reliability has been excellent. I'd buy it over the Rumble for sure. Also feed my Magellan Pre-amp into it with fantastic results.

 

[Boundary Effect]

All the Genz Benz I've encountered in the wild perform wonderfully.

 

[John D Harris]

Just to confirm what you've decided already, I gigged with the GB Contour 115 for several years (added the 115 ext. cab on bigger gigs, mostly for the pant flap feeling).

It is a very neutral sounding combo and I would set the EQ to flat or very nearly flat (just a touch of Contour, which is what the owner's manual recommends).

I like a tight, solid, non-boomy, low end sound and the Contour delivered.

I always played active basses so I could send the tone I wanted to the FOH soundperson, so they would be "less likely" to screw my sound up.

No pedals (though I would have liked a good warm-sounding compressor) - just the sound of my bass guitar only very much louder!

 

[mjmeche]

The Contour should be plenty loud, and the quality and reliability ahead of the Rumble. Not trashing the Rumble line. I own a smaller one and they're good. But the GB is on higher level of quality based on my experience. AgedHorse is online here and could answer any specific questions about headroom, reliability, etc.

Not exactly had a Shuttle 6 that had to be repaired twice, finally sold it. My Rumble 500 head has never given me any trouble and pretty much dial what I want.

 

[agedhorse]

Not exactly had a Shuttle 6 that had to be repaired twice, finally sold it. My Rumble 500 head has never given me any trouble and pretty much dial what I want.

Had it been repaired properly, you wouldn’t have continued to have issues. That’s not an amp problem, it’s a service problem.

 

[burgerdj]

The Contour/Focus amps/speakers are still covered under the factory flat rate service program, all parts are still available and in stock.

That’s all you need to know.

 

[Adjectives]

Personally that's a no-brainer for me, I've never heard or played a Fender Rumble that I liked, or a Genz Benz that I didn't like.

What this guy said 100%

 

[John D Harris]

Personally that's a no-brainer for me, I've never heard or played a Fender Rumble that I liked, or a Genz Benz that I didn't like.

I though the Rumbles I've played (just in a music store - which might not count - the R200c and R500c), sounded OK, but not in the same class as the GB combos.