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Fender Rumble 100 Bass Amp Powerful Enough?

#21
Michael King said:
I am looking at buying the 100 Watt Fender Rumble playing with an acoustic band. A couple of guitars, mandolin, maybe a banjo. Americana folk music. Is this amp powerful enough?
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Michael King said:
This I a new model and is very light. The 40 watt version is crazy light but 40 watts is definitely not powerful enough.
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I have the 40 and the 100. The 40 is louder than any unamplified acoustic instrument. Not sure why you think it would be inadequate for this purpose unless the other instruments were amplified.

I posted this in the rumble thread:

nutdog said:
I don't know what you were expecting but for a 22lb 100 watt 112 this thing continues to impress me.

Some friends I play with put together a ridiculous arena rock/hair band parody band and had their first gig last week. The bass player is a student of the band leader and didn't have a bass amp. They also didn't have a PA so I volunteered as sound man. The bass player, "Brutus von Dragoste," played through my rig, which is a zoom b3 direct to the board with svt sim also feeding the v3 rumble 100 through the effects return.

Due to the nature of the music I wasn't sure how it would do. These guys were way louder than I ever play. They also used an acoustic drum kit (my bands use vdrums) and the dude was hitting hard, so hard I only had kick in the PA. And the obligatory 412 guitar cab.

The combo handled the gig with no problem. At one point I pulled the bass down all the way in the PA and could still hear it on the floor.

View attachment 521550

Combo on the stage:
View attachment 521551
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#24
Michael King, I believe we have a mutual friend who was asking me about a 40 watt Fender Rumble a couple of days ago, a guy named Daniel. I play gigs in Norfolk/Virginia Beach with a couple of bands using a GK MB115. It's a 200 watt combo that I believe has the same amp as the GK MB200. I've used it with and without PA support with electric and acoustic bass. I'm a long-time user and fan of GK. Anyway, I believe the 100 watt amp would work in the context of what you described, but 200 watts would certainly give you room to grow. Of course you could go with the 100 watter now and upgrade in the future if the context changes. It never hurts to have more than one amp on hand.

Feel free to send me a private message if you have any specific questions I might be able to help with.
 
#26
I play in a medium volume rock/pop/R&B band with horns, and I've used as little as a 35w Ampeg BA110. It got pushed a little hard at that volume so I recently upgraded it to a BA112 v2, which is 75w. No problems whatsoever. Not saying everyone can do it, but I certainly can, even though I'd rather have an SVT/810 behind me. But even though I still trot out an SVT now and then, I make concessions for old age and tough schleps ;)
 
#27
JimmyM said:
I play in a medium volume rock/pop/R&B band with horns, and I've used as little as a 35w Ampeg BA110. It got pushed a little hard at that volume so I recently upgraded it to a BA112 v2, which is 75w. No problems whatsoever. Not saying everyone can do it, but I certainly can, even though I'd rather have an SVT/810 behind me. But even though I still trot out an SVT now and then, I make concessions for old age and tough schleps ;)
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I'm thinking that just maybe a big SVT head and 810 cab might be a bit much for the application the OP mentioned... Kind of like using a 10 lb sledge hammer to drive a nail to hang a picture...
 
#28
Big Hoss said:
I'm thinking that just maybe a big SVT head and 810 cab might be a bit much for the application the OP mentioned... Kind of like using a 10 lb sledge hammer to drive a nail to hang a picture...
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And that's another reason why I have smaller rigs, too, although even at the piddly volume levels I usually play at, I love to use an SVT and 810. But try doing a jazz casual at a restaurant with one, and you will be shown the door ;)
 
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#29
JimmyM said:
And that's another reason why I have smaller rigs, too, although even at the piddly volume levels I usually play at, I love to use an SVT and 810. But try doing a jazz casual at a restaurant with one, and you will be shown the door ;)
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I've never heard an 810 played at low volumes... What few I have seen / heard in person, I swear the owner / user was trying to see if they could hyper extend the cones...

And yeah, Jazz clubs, coffee houses, and even most of the blues venues won't be too happy with you dragging a giant stack through the door...

Funny thing about Jazz clubs, last time I went to one, which if I recall correctly was the Blue Cat Lounge in Houston Texas, the act on stage was a mic'ed up accoustic guitar going through a 30ish watt guitar amp, a guy on a black Fender / Squier Jazz with a small, probably 50 watt bass amp, a live kit drummer, and a keys player, vocals through a small FOH PA system. Nothing turned up too terribly loud, and it was a joy to listen to these guys / gals play / sing...

So yeah, it is important to select the right tool for the job...
 
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#31
Rather than start a new thread, I'll just piggyback!

I currently use a TC Electronic BG250 115 for most gigs but have been kicking around the idea of getting something even smaller for acoustic shows and practice. I noticed the Rumble 100 at GC today and had to try it out and it sounded pretty good, but of course that's just at GC so it means nothing. What really blew me away was when I bent over to pick it up...I almost hit myself in the face with it! It weighs nothing! It was next to a Peavey that was a little bigger and $50 cheaper and I couldn't even pick it up.

So I guess my question is...any further thoughts on this amp since this thread was last bumped? Does it keep up pretty good? Would a speaker swap help it? I've not an Eminence Neo that needs a home :)
 
#32
It keeps up pretty good and as you noted it is unbelievably light. I had a BG250 and that is a killer combo also. The 100 won't get as loud, but it can hang with drums and I have used it stand-alone for small rooms. The Rumble 200 is like the BG250 in volume, but the 100 is pretty close.

mmbongo said:
Rather than start a new thread, I'll just piggyback!

I currently use a TC Electronic BG250 115 for most gigs but have been kicking around the idea of getting something even smaller for acoustic shows and practice. I noticed the Rumble 100 at GC today and had to try it out and it sounded pretty good, but of course that's just at GC so it means nothing. What really blew me away was when I bent over to pick it up...I almost hit myself in the face with it! It weighs nothing! It was next to a Peavey that was a little bigger and $50 cheaper and I couldn't even pick it up.

So I guess my question is...any further thoughts on this amp since this thread was last bumped? Does it keep up pretty good? Would a speaker swap help it? I've not an Eminence Neo that needs a home :)
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#34
I used the rumble 100 at my last two gigs. Had a bit of FOH support but not too much. It handled the venues well. It's really a very loud unit and if you tend to the "cut through" style of playing you can eq it up to make a difference. It's very impressive but I have just ordered the markbass cmb112h combo just to get a little more power and the flexibility adding an external cab which you can not do with the rumble.
 
#35
shaft311 said:
My take on this amp (I owned one) is that it's fine for practicing by yourself or with a low-volume, unplugged group such as your situation.

Anything beyond that, you will be disappointed. An amped guitar and drum kit will drown it out quickly, and it starts to sound like crap as you turn up the volume.

It's also heavy and unwieldy.

I did not own mine very long. There are definitely better options.
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Heavy and Unwieldy at 22 lbs?? ***
 
#37
shaft311 said:
Check the dates, bud. Years have passed since this thread was created, and the Rumble 100 is now a 12" lightweight combo. At the time this thread was made, it was a 60+lb 15" combo.
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The guy posted that 2 years ago almost exactly. When did Fender change to V3 on these? I agree if it's 60+ lbs it's pointless, might as well get a cab and head at that point.
 
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