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Ampeg PF-500 & 210HE VS Fender Rumble 500 Combo

JohnnySee

JohnnySee

Mar 27, 2014
40
15
Canada
#1
As the title suggests, I'm slightly torn between these two rigs. I need a portable setup that I can use to practice with a few other musicians but also can handle smaller shows. I love the Ampeg sound & my last amp was an SVT-VR, I'll be getting a V-4B when I start to get more heavily involved in music again.

Already noticed a few pros & cons with each setup, & although I've played Ampegs before I've never played through or heard a Fender bass amp before. Also the YouTube vids of the Fender didn't seem all that impressive sound wise.

The Fender is $500 & seems more portable & lightweight, the Ampeg is $800 & probably sounds nicer to me & a bonus is as its not a combo I could use the PF-500 with my Barefaced '69er if I needed more volume.

The real question is, is the Ampeg worth the extra $300?
 
#3
Try them both out head-to-head with a drummer at stage volume, then buy the one that sounds best to you.
Ampeg's well earned reputation for catastrophic failure is reason enough to avoid it like the plague.
Fender Rumbles are well reguarded for road worthy reliabilty, and superb tone from a modern four band EQ (and not the old Bandaxall/Fender tube tone stack of yore) and D-Class ICEPower. Lightweight; Stylish, Powerful, and Loud.
 
#4
More BS from a Fender fan. You get commissions or something? Yes, the PF500 had some rough goings in the beginning, but let's not pretend that Fender's never had a rough product rollout, either. But Ampeg's problems with the PF500 are by and large over thanks to a handful of revisions, and I also know plenty of folks with an older PF500 who haven't had a single problem with theirs. I've not played the new Fenders yet, so I can't comment on that, but if you get a PF500 made in the last year or so, you really shouldn't have a problem with it.

Also, please show me a Baxandall tone stack with a 5-position mid switch. Baxandalls are treble and bass. Not that there's anything wrong with the Baxandall...it's actually one of the flattest and easiest to use EQ's ever made, but they certainly don't have 5-position mid controls.
 
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#8
Linnin said:
HaHaHa! More BS from an Ampeg fan! ;) No, I'm not on the FMIC payroll, nor do I get free gear (but I should!). How about you Jimmy? On the payroll? Get free gear?
Click to expand...
A fair question. Not on the payroll, did get a free practice amp but otherwise I've paid for everything I've got. Not full price, of course, but I have spent a lot of money on them. And not a single one of them I bought ever had a catastrophic failure due to mfg issues. My PF350 did, however, get knocked over by a soundman onto a hard stage and it broke the preamp board, but you can't blame Ampeg for that.
 
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#10
JimmyM said:
A fair question. Not on the payroll, did get a free practice amp but otherwise I've paid for everything I've got. Not full price, of course, but I have spent a lot of money on them. And not a single one of them I bought ever had a catastrophic failure due to mfg issues. My PF350 did, however, get knocked over by a soundman onto a hard stage and it broke the preamp board, but you can't blame Ampeg for that.
Click to expand...
Perfect! We're both being open & honest. Everyone wins! :thumbsup:
 
#11
Okay, back to the question:
I think tone is the most important factor.
For loud, you'll have to add an extra cab for both Fender and Ampeg
So try them out with and without band, if that's possible.
Personally, I would recommend the PF500 with a PF115HE cab, but that's my personal taste.
 
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#14
Well good for you, Linnin! I have this weird out of the blue idea you really dig Fender Rumble.
However, if I were to choose a Fender amp, I would go one of these:
Invalid Link Removed

But, my apologies, I'm straying away from the original question.
 
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#15
No, the late model TV Bassman were super cool tone monsters, but too expensive for what they were. I wanted a TV 12, but for a cool $Grand? Nope not for me. That is exactaly why the $500 Rumble 500 Combo is so killing right now! Nothing else comes close! It's a Tone Mosnter! With burgers & fries on the side. Mmmmmmmmmm..... Ketchup & Mustard too....Salt...Pepper...
 
#16
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#19
Well, I myself don't want to start a Fender vs Ampeg war, or a Fender/Ampeg vs The Rest war.
It's just that with an Ampeg amp and a (USA) Fender bass, you're there!
Infact, my initials are A.F. (they actually are: Alexander Frank), so that's my final word on it!
:D
 
#20
I actually compared these two directly last week.
I had gone into the store to try out the new Fender Rumble 500 combo.

After putting it through its paces, I plugged into the Ampeg setup.
Costs more, but still looks good, and until now has been one of my favourite sounding amps.

I'm gonna be straight up and honest....I preferred the Fender in every way.
Weight, tone, portability, looks etc.

Fender just really got it right this time around.
500 watts in a 16kg combo and it sounds great.

And I've never ever preferred a Fender to Ampeg before now.
 
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