@Aberdumbie you might try out a 40. I loved mine. And just for home use it is plenty loud. Has all the features of the bigger ones except the effects loop. Have to go to the 100 for that.
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I found mine on GC's used gear pages for well under $300 shipped - you just have to be patient, but vigilant:
As you can see in the pics, it's practically new...
I agree - I'm on my 2nd Rumble 200 Combo, because I missed the 1st one too much after flipping it... Although I own much more expensive rigs, I gig the Rumble 200 fairly often because it sounds so good, looks great, and is so convenient to gig with... FWIW, this is one of my other options:
I have the 40 as well--very loud for the house--never have to put it up that loud.
And I use it when it's my urn to play at church--I use the jack in the back to go to the PA--sounds great...
I was messing with all the knobs and buttons on my Rumbles the other day. The 100 and 200 always sounded a lot different from each other. I got the most even tone and best sound by just running every single knob at 12:00 on the Rumble 200. Then I plugged into the 100 and did the same and for the first time, it sounded just like the 200. All buttons out/off. Fender American Standard Precision with Thomastik flats into a Render Rumble set perfectly flat is such a great tone. No one frequency range is crowding the others, so I can hear the highs, lows, and mids now. There's one for the Rumble Pool! Just run it flat!
even with those dampigs on top that's a screaming pair of mini-stacks right there ...
Big Hoss
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I did something similar with my old Crate BX-100 once the Rumble V3 500 came along. A reminder that the Rumble V3 500 combo, at the time I got mine, cost exactly the same as an Ampeg BA210 V2, and was one of the other contenders for me. Fender has for some inexplicable reason jumped the price of the Rumble V3 500 combo up $100.00 since I bought mine. Having said that, the tone, the MUCH lower weight, the reliability of the Rumbles vs the Ampegs (sorry, I have been around both of them long enough, the newer, post St. Louis Music generations of Ampegs QC wise are sub par IMHO), all added up in the Rumbles favor. Not the least of which was tone.
I can easily, and I mean just noon all the tone settings, push a voicing button, and get the tone I am looking for 75% of the time without messing around with the knobs. Need more or less here or there? Just twist a knob or two... Need it louder? Get your ears checked / cleaned. I have mine set up with the v3 210 extension cab and we have been in a 20x80 ballroom warming up for a party gig, me just warming up and caused drywall issues. I can't overstate how loud this thing gets.
Mind you, I looked at a LOT of combos, that came close-ish. The Rumble V3 500 was the ONLY ONE that hit all my wanted items. The BA210 V2 was a close second, but not close enough obviously. I also looked at Peavey, Markbass, GK etc... None of them hit the marks I was looking for.
They were.
#1. Weight. I already owned a Crate BX-100. As much hate as I see here and there for the old Crates, there is also a lot of love from those that gig them. Yes, it was stupid heavy, no it wasn't super powerful. It was a bit persnickety getting the tone you wanted out of it unless you could figure out the graphic equalizer. Once you got the EQ settings right though, it really worked well for the small gigs I had done in the past, and it had a line out that meant going to the board was a simple affair. My main reason for upgrading was weight. Since buying the BX-100 I developed back problems and needed to reduce my load in weight. A 50lb combo was really pushing it for me outside of having to use a hand truck.
#2. Tone. This is where most fell flat for me. The Ampeg was close, but the sound in my head, really comes out of the speakers on the Rumble...
#3. Ease of use. Again the Rumble shines here. The Ampeg was pretty good though...
#4. Price. I've said this a bunch of times before. If I can't afford the gear, no sense in even considering it. Even with the price increase over the last 3 years, the Rumbles are still a great buy.
#5. Appearance. I wanted something with a traditional appearance. I play a lot of Praise and Worship, Country, and Classic Rock stuff. And I am NOT playing anything Stryper, so the cosmetics of certain makes / models just wasn't going to do it for me...
#6. Reliability. And a good warranty / support. Fender has since shortened the warranty terms, but is still pretty generous with them. Aside from the initial Guitar Center flogged floor model Rumble V1 100 that left a bad taste in my mouth for a long time, I haven't seen any Rumbles with any sort of long term real problems. Some of them were duds out of the box or shortly thereafter like almost any manufactured product, and Fender has taken good care of their customers.
#7. Power / total SPL. If I am going to spend the money, I want to buy the loudest potential I can afford. Not to use it to get loud, but something I learned early on in my playing days. I can always turn down and not use what I have. I can't turn up past what I have when I need it and don't have it... The Rumble really is / was the winner here as well. I know the MFG ratings may say different, but real world experience and A/B testing against other MFG units showed the Rumble really is LOUD, and clean at LOUD volumes...
There is a lot of love here for other amps / combos as well, and everyone has their own needs. If your requirement sheet looks anything like mine, again, look at the Rumble V3 series combos... They will do the job, and keep on doing the job, without killing the bank account, or the back...
Probably because everyone and his dog was buying these up, so they raised the price due to the demand?
BTW - How many if these did your dog buy?
Big Hoss
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Rumble On!
No joke. Not sure where, but warming up, hit the open E and get drywall dust falling on you (Thank goodness the building wasn't old enough for that to be asbestos!), yeah I am going to call it drywall issues...
Big Hoss
Up note, down note, blue note, brown note...
- Sep 5, 2014
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Probably because everyone and his dog was buying these up, so they raised the price due to the demand?
BTW - How many if these did your dog buy?
1 Rumble V3 500 combo, 1 Rumble V3 210 cab.... If I had the $$ and storage space. I would buy a pair of the 410 cabs and a 500 head as well...
And a Rumble V3 40 for quieter practice....
And a USA Geddy Lee Jazz....
And a Fender Champion 100 for the guitar...
and....
Danged GAS...
OK.... So my local small dealer has a Rumble 200 in his inventory that he wants to deplete by January 1st. He has two of my basses in his workshop that he is finishing up. He just dropped his sticker price to $395.00 for the Rumble 200 on his floor. Just sent him a note about my basses. One should be ready tomorrow or Friday and told him I had cash money and wanted to take his Rumble 200 for $300.00.... I know that is low, but if he comes back in the $350.00 range I'll be happy. I may be a Rumble club member before the week is out.
When you go to pick up your bass just flash the cash and see if he accepts. If not bring $50 more. I would bet he paid $350 for it from Fender.
After selling all of my equipment to help pay for my wedding 3 years ago, and graduating school, I'm finnally back. But, I have a baby now too, which also means I have a budget. Which led me here, I now have a SUB ray4 in black with a maple fretboard, and a fender rumble v3 200 combo. Merry christmas to me(and everyone else, I won't be selfish here)!
Big Hoss
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Actually a Rumble 200 is perfect for gigging small bars.You can never go wrong with a Rumble 500. The 500 combo + 210 cab is the most popular configuration. The 500 head + a pair of 210's would be better than a single 410. Take your pick as you can't go wrong.
And the sound is just delicious!
Not the best pic.
I just have to say this.. that in 2017 I started out with my Fender Rumble 500v3 full stack. I experimented with a Peavey MiniMax, MiniMega and Tour 1000. An Acoustic HD1000, an Ampeg BA210v2 cimbo and a TC Electronics BH800.
Nothing sounds as solid, warm or as versitile as my Fender Rumble 500v3 rig.
Nothing sounds as solid, warm or as versitile as my Fender Rumble 500v3 rig.
