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Fender Rumble Club

#25,581
eric_B said:
My experiences: I have the scratchy pot on my 100V3 as well. When I got it 2 years ago I used contact cleaner which didn't solve the problem, just made it turn much smoother. I usually set the master volume of the Rumble at a fixed level and use the volume knob on my bass so it hasn't bothered me.

Reading this post I thought to give it another try with DeOxit. I sprayed from both the out- and inside and the result is that the scratchy noise is still there but the pot now turns very, very smooth. Ultra smooth. Too smooth and light to my liking. It even wobbles a bit. The other pots are more stiffer but have a nice firm feeling. The master pot feels very cheap now, like a cheap toy. Apparently the cleaner did get inside the pot, didn't solve the problem and created another.

So YMMV but I can not recommend it.

BTW: I have cleaned a lot of dirty pots of old audio gear and DeOxit usually does the trick.
A factory new amp having dirt in a brand new pot seems unlikely to me.
Inferior material used for the internal wiper or element or a production error seems more likely.
I read somewhere about salt corrosion from overseas shipping or storage but that only conforms the material theory.

BTW2: great you got the part number from Fender but only Darren Riley shows up with a Google search and Invalid Link Removed for this item. So, it is still a search where to get one.
Click to expand...

I believe that is an issue with older Rumbles, but it shouldn't be a problem with anything made from 2017 on. Around that time, the factory switched to an improved carbon element and wiper in order to cut down on the noise. I think with the pre-2017 scratchy pots, De-Oxit may help temporarily, but I don't think it's going to be a long-term fix.
 
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#25,582
FirewalZ said:
Ive done this with my Rumble a few times...plug my bass into a Tone Hammer Pre/DI, than the output of the TH into the effects loop return. All the knobs on the Rumble no longer work, the TH preamp is doing all the driving and uses only the Rumble pwr amp....Instant Aguilar but scads cheaper. Heck, by a handful of preamp pedals in you gig bag and you could have "Instant" Ampeg, Mesa, etc...:)
Click to expand...

I plan on doing exactly that - my plan is to pick up a Sansamp VT Bass DI for when I want "the Ampeg sound"... I already have the Fender and Mesa sounds with existing amps...
 
#25,583
tombowlus said:
I believe that is an issue with older Rumbles, but it shouldn't be a problem with anything made from 2017 on. Around that time, the factory switched to an improved carbon element and wiper in order to cut down on the noise. I think with the pre-2017 scratchy pots, De-Oxit may help temporarily, but I don't think it's going to be a long-term fix.
Click to expand...

I must've gotten lucky, then - my Rumble 200C is a 2015, but none of the pots are noisy...
 
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#25,584
FirewalZ said:
Ive done this with my Rumble a few times...plug my bass into a Tone Hammer Pre/DI, than the output of the TH into the effects loop return. All the knobs on the Rumble no longer work, the TH preamp is doing all the driving and uses only the Rumble pwr amp....Instant Aguilar but scads cheaper. Heck, by a handful of preamp pedals in you gig bag and you could have "Instant" Ampeg, Mesa, etc...:)
Click to expand...

I do that too sometimes. Love my Rumbles, but love my Tone Hammer DI just as much. That's probably blasphemy on this thread though. Hope I don't get banned.
 
#25,587
tombowlus said:
I believe that is an issue with older Rumbles, but it shouldn't be a problem with anything made from 2017 on. Around that time, the factory switched to an improved carbon element and wiper in order to cut down on the noise. I think with the pre-2017 scratchy pots, De-Oxit may help temporarily, but I don't think it's going to be a long-term fix.
Click to expand...
Good to know they acknowledged the problem and took action.
But there probably are quite a few 2014-2016 V3 Rumbles out there.

Do you happen to know if Fender sells the 2017 version potentiometers?
Searching for the part number that was mentioned earlier did not turn up any sellers who have those in stock.
 
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#25,588
FirewalZ said:
Ive done this with my Rumble a few times...plug my bass into a Tone Hammer Pre/DI, than the output of the TH into the effects loop return. All the knobs on the Rumble no longer work, the TH preamp is doing all the driving and uses only the Rumble pwr amp....Instant Aguilar but scads cheaper. Heck, by a handful of preamp pedals in you gig bag and you could have "Instant" Ampeg, Mesa, etc...:)
Click to expand...
Master volume control on the rumble still works that way? Can you get the same loudness as if you were using Rumble's preamp?
Just curious
 
#25,589
Moody Tuner said:
Are the volumes independent between the two or would the master amp control that as well? I’m assuming the second amp would have some autonomy, otherwise it would be the equivalent of an extension cab and you would get 500 watts, not the 700. My assumptions have a tendency to be way off a lot of the time, so I can be missing a lot here.

Is the master amp controlling EQ and the second amp controls its independant volume because the signal is coming in after its EQ section? Thus: 700 watts of great sounds?
Click to expand...
The volume on the slave has no effect. The effects return (in) is post everything. The slave actually becomes a powered extension cab. You only get the 700 because each amp is driving its own speakers and each amp is seeing 8 ohms.
 
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#25,592
frenfrins said:
Master volume control on the rumble still works that way? Can you get the same loudness as if you were using Rumble's preamp?
Just curious
Click to expand...
When connected like this, the Rumble preamp and all the controls are not in the signal path, T.H. preamp is in 100% control. It seems just as loud, i believe the TM is 18v and I seem to have pretty much the same amount of headroom. It sounds pretty much just like a Ag TH500 head...but a TON cheaper.
 
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#25,594
Gravedigger Dav said:
I have not had a problem using the XLR out to feed a sound board. I've even told sound men it is post everything. Not one has complained. I don't typically touch my settings after sound check, so I don't see it as a problem. I see it as an asset. I can get the sound I want and I ask the sound man to EQ for the room and leave my tone alone. I've never had one complain at all. So, I guess I can see that some might want to have a signal before everything, but I don't see a real problem with it.
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I have the same experience using the built in XLR out. I have never had a complaint from a sound tech. I first get my tone and level set for me then never touch the knobs.
 
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#25,596
Ryeguy63 said:
I'm really surprised to hear Fender is going to stop making them. It's really a nice cabinet for it's size and price.I would imagine they would be available for awhile yet.
Click to expand...
The guy in CS said they had about 6 and a couple of the online stores still have a few, but at least 2 don't list 'em anymore. And I don't wanna go to GC and pay full price AND tax.:rollno:
 
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