Fender Rumble Club

[basslicks]

I was a staunch head/cab guy and thought combos sucked (except for practice) but GC has this on sale for $100 off for President’s Day, so I picked one up to keep at my second band’s house (current main is Markbass Little Mark III and 500 watt MB cab).

I’m approaching geezer years and clearly remember lugging around 150 lbs worth of gear, so I thought this thing would be a cute little toy. Holy crap was I wrong! This thing is a little beast!

Even the hard-hitting drummer had no chance against this amp. I kept cranking and cranking and couldn’t believe what is now achieveable with a sub-40lb Class D combo, plus it freaking fits in the front seat of my sedan! I can dial in some serious tone too, I thought it would sound overly processed, but it really goes from nice super clean thump to raw grit without sounding like crap (quite the opposite).

I’m going to sell my MB setup and get another Rumble 500 so I have one at both places. I have seen the light. That is all.

 

[Rhubarbcrumble]

All current Rumble manuals are available online:

https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Original/10002/237060_bamp_manual_all_revA.pdf

Thanks for providing the link to the owner’s manual. I had a read, but I’m still a little confused. It says...

“LEVEL — When the OVERDRIVE circuit is enabled, LEVEL controls the volume of the OVERDRIVE. Use this to balance volume levels between your clean and overdrive tones.”

That seems to suggest that the level knob should only affect the volume of the drive and not affect the clean signal. In that case, I still don’t get why engaging the overdrive switch with the level knob set to zero plunges the amp to zero volume when the master volume knob is not set at zero?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

If you set the Level at noon the Master Volume will work normally, as if Drive wan't engaged.
If you roll Level back from noon then it starts to attenuate & obviously gives a volume boost if rolled past noon in the other direction.

 

[G-Dog]

Thanks for providing the link to the owner’s manual. I had a read, but I’m still a little confused. It says...

“LEVEL — When the OVERDRIVE circuit is enabled, LEVEL controls the volume of the OVERDRIVE. Use this to balance volume levels between your clean and overdrive tones.”

That seems to suggest that the level knob should only affect the volume of the drive and not affect the clean signal. In that case, I still don’t get why engaging the overdrive switch with the level knob set to zero plunges the amp to zero volume when the master volume knob is not set at zero?

Remember that the Gain control also effects the Drive. The manual says, "The GAIN control will also affect the level of distortion/compression if VINTAGE and/or OVERDRIVE are selected." [Emphasis added] So, the combination of Gain and Drive give a very wide range of distortion.

But, if the song calls for a quick switch from soft & sweet to loud and rough, the higher Level setting can give you that with the click of the footswitch.

Otherwise, a zero Level can give a very convenient footswitched mute, since there is not a specific mute button.

 

[GonePlaid]

Remember that the Gain control also effects the Drive. The manual says, "The GAIN control will also affect the level of distortion/compression if VINTAGE and/or OVERDRIVE are selected." [Emphasis added] So, the combination of Gain and Drive give a very wide range of distortion.

But, if the song calls for a quick switch from soft & sweet to loud and rough, the higher Level setting can give you that with the click of the footswitch.

Otherwise, a zero Level can give a very convenient footswitched mute, since there is not a specific mute button.

I prefer a 'clean' sound 99% of the time so the OD button is always off. Now I'm gonna need to mess around with it some more. Oh, well, another project.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I was a staunch head/cab guy and thought combos sucked (except for practice) but GC has this on sale for $100 off for President’s Day, so I picked one up to keep at my second band’s house (current main is Markbass Little Mark III and 500 watt MB cab).

I’m approaching geezer years and clearly remember lugging around 150 lbs worth of gear, so I thought this thing would be a cute little toy. Holy crap was I wrong! This thing is a little beast!

Even the hard-hitting drummer had no chance against this amp. I kept cranking and cranking and couldn’t believe what is now achieveable with a sub-40lb Class D combo, plus it freaking fits in the front seat of my sedan! I can dial in some serious tone too, I thought it would sound overly processed, but it really goes from nice super clean thump to raw grit without sounding like crap (quite the opposite).

I’m going to sell my MB setup and get another Rumble 500 so I have one at both places. I have seen the light. That is all.

Welcome Rumbler # 1039! We celebrate your enlightenment. Rumble On!

 

[skullbass]

Hi all !
I currently have a Rumble 25 (only a master volume, no gain knob) that I use with my SR300e.
I have a lot of EMI sources in my house so when I play with the preamp of the bass to use it in single coil mode, I get a pretty loud hum. This is "normal" but it's pretty loud nonetheless. I have Powerspan pickups that are pretty hot. Yes it's directional and I almost found a place to use it noiseless but it's annoying...
My question to you all: do you think the Rumble 40, with it's gain knob, will be able to tame the noise a little bit ?
And if so, will the Rumble 100 with double the headroom in watts, will be even better to reduce the humming sound (low gain, high master volume) ?

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Hi all !
I currently have a Rumble 25 (only a master volume, no gain knob) that I use with my SR300e.
I have a lot of EMI sources in my house so when I play with the preamp of the bass to use it in single coil mode, I get a pretty loud hum. This is "normal" but it's pretty loud nonetheless. I have Powerspan pickups that are pretty hot. Yes it's directional and I almost found a place to use it noiseless but it's annoying...
My question to you all: do you think the Rumble 40, with it's gain knob, will be able to tame the noise a little bit ?
And if so, will the Rumble 100 with double the headroom in watts, will be even better to reduce the humming sound (low gain, high master volume) ?

Have you tried using other basses, specifically a passive bass? Have you tried using different cables? Have you checked your home's electrical circuit to ensure it is correctly polarized and grounded?
It really isn't normal. I doubt an amp with a gain control would fair any better, but I could be wrong. Why do you have a large number of EMI sources and what are they?

 

[skullbass]

Have you tried using other basses, specifically a passive bass? Have you tried using different cables? Have you checked your home's electrical circuit to ensure it is correctly polarized and grounded?
It really isn't normal. I doubt an amp with a gain control would fair any better, but I could be wrong. Why do you have a large number of EMI sources and what are they?

Ground ok tested with Three prongs tester
Different cables: tested
Different bass: tested
Hum X: did nothing
Wifi add some noise but minor
Humming even when only the basement breaker controlling where I play is on
Brought my amp + bass at a friend's house: almost same hum with my combo, less with his old Fender 175 (?) amp.

 

[GonePlaid]

Ground ok tested with Three prongs tester
Different cables: tested
Different bass: tested
Hum X: did nothing
Wifi add some noise but minor
Humming even when only the basement breaker controlling where I play is on
Brought my amp + bass at a friend's house: almost same hum with my combo, less with his old Fender 175 (?) amp.

I have an old(2000)Bassman 25. Great sounding little amp, recently developed a 'bzz'. It'll go to the shop next time I'm headed in that direction. I talked to the tech. There's all kinda possibilities. I'll let a guy who knows what he's doing figure it out.

 

[G-Dog]

Ground ok tested with Three prongs tester
Different cables: tested
Different bass: tested
Hum X: did nothing
Wifi add some noise but minor
Humming even when only the basement breaker controlling where I play is on
Brought my amp + bass at a friend's house: almost same hum with my combo, less with his old Fender 175 (?) amp.

Do you and your friend have a lot of florescent lights, not just the long tubes, but newer screw-in incandescent replacements, too?

 

[Cardsfan_69]

Are you wired 220 or 221?

 

[skullbass]

Do you and your friend have a lot of florescent lights, not just the long tubes, but newer screw-in incandescent replacements, too?

Well good question, but when I close the bulbs I use there's no impact on the sound. Even with only one breaker on.
I removed all the dimmers in the house already...

 

[Inky13]

Are you wired 220 or 221?

Whatever it takes!

 

[Cardsfan_69]

Whatever it takes!

We have winner!

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Ground ok tested with Three prongs tester
Different cables: tested
Different bass: tested
Hum X: did nothing
Wifi add some noise but minor
Humming even when only the basement breaker controlling where I play is on
Brought my amp + bass at a friend's house: almost same hum with my combo, less with his old Fender 175 (?) amp.

Good, you definitely did your homework. I have no answer. Maybe take your amp to an authorized Fender Service Center and have them look it over.

 

[skullbass]

Good, you definitely did your homework. I have no answer. Maybe take your amp to an authorized Fender Service Center and have them look it over.

Well I don't know....As I said, in humbucking mode there's no problem at all...
But my particular bass seems to be a hum magnet when put in single coil mode AND the Rumble 25, with its absence of controllable gain, seems to put it up front with no possible overcoming path....

For those who use single coil (which surely produce some hum by nature of the beast): do you see an advantage to have an amp with more headroom or with separate Gain-master control ?

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Well I don't know....As I said, in humbucking mode there's no problem at all...
But my particular bass seems to be a hum magnet when put in single coil mode AND the Rumble 25, with its absence of controllable gain, seems to put it up front with no possible overcoming path....

For those who use single coil (which surely produce some hum by nature of the beast): do you see an advantage to have an amp with more headroom or with separate Gain-master control ?

Just as a note, both my 25s are nice and quite with every bass I use. Most are single coil.

 

[BBassBassington]

Both my Jazz basses are a bit noisy even with both pickups full on but it's hardly noticeable when playing. When I had an SR300E I had even less hum in single coil then the Jazzes.

I think you need to bring it in and have a professional look at it. However if possible you could try your bass on an amp you know is producing little to no noise. It's entirely possible that it's the Ibanez having a ground issue but it's hard to diagnose over the internet.

 

[skullbass]

Both my Jazz basses are a bit noisy even with both pickups full on but it's hardly noticeable when playing. When I had an SR300E I had even less hum in single coil then the Jazzes.

I think you need to bring it in and have a professional look at it. However if possible you could try your bass on an amp you know is producing little to no noise. It's entirely possible that it's the Ibanez having a ground issue but it's hard to diagnose over the internet.

Thanks ! I'll find a place where they have both the bass and the amp and I'll bring my things to compare. So this way I eliminate one variable: location... Or I rent those two things...