I never thought of it that way. I just think it looks cool without it. It looks like a big silver box.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Yes - I would agree you can a very clean tone and that's a good thing with which to build on! Now engage that vintage button and you'll be given the warmth and somewhat tubey tone reminiscent of the bassman line of tube amps - which imho is a classic Fender "flavor"!
I've played through 2 R100's before. However, they aren't/weren't stacked. 1 aimed front, 1 aimed toward drummer. BL set them up. I have played my 100>my 200c, stacked-at the house.(not too loud) Awesome.Man, I really wanted to hear your thoughts on the double combo daisy chain stack. I’m really sold on that idea.
I’m hoping to make a stack with two 150 watt 15” combos of an evil brand whose name I dare not speak here.
As much as I liked the sound of my R200c/R112*, I only got to use those 2 together 3 times-the places we play(ed)didn't require that much 'oomph'. If I ever play somewhere that warrants it, I'll stack the 100/200c.
BTW, I just remembered I did use the 100/200c stack once at the PSL American Legion. It was kinda overkill for the room. Sounded sweet though.
*sold the 112 since it wasn't getting used.
Last edited:
It’s all a question of taste. For me, it just so happens that Rumbles tick all the boxes when it comes to sound, weight and power. I even like how they look.
If you’re happy with yours, rumble on. The important thing is what you think.
You say your question is about Rumbles but, IME, the writing you refer to has been applied to most all Fender products at one time or another. And, it may seem true in certain circumstances. F'rinstance, the Fender guitar amps got a reputation early on for being "as piercing as ice-picks" due to their lack of distortion thru most of their volume range. That was especially true when using Fender's likewise piercing single-coil pickup guitars! Hence the need to really crank Fender guitar amps to get the oft-desired warm, or even hairy, distorted guitar tone. Nothing special? Hmmph! It was a significantly cleaner flavor than most expected, and it took some getting used to.
Some believe this contributed to the use of early Fender Bassman amps with guitar to get a richer guitar tone from the more bassy circuit and/or bassy speakers. Meanwhile, others were promoting their more distorted (cheaper to produce?) amps and pickups as having that "more flavorful" tone. Lemons to lemonade, eh?
Then, Fender Stratocasters had been pidgeonholed into that clean, reverby surf sound when "that left-handed British black guy" invaded America with a Strat and a few FX pedals. Suddenly, that clean Fender sound was in demand, since it could be dirtied up to taste and still cleaned up nicely!
Though, admittedly, the CBS-owned Fender company never did any significant bass amp development, while Ampeg and others were very actively pushing the loud & heavy rock bass scene. Thus Fender bass amps got the reputation for being underpowered with weak speakers, compared to the more powerful bass amps of the '70s and '80s. But most admitted, however, that the Bassman had great tone at low volumes.
Then, in the mid-'90s came the very first Fender Rumble bass amp from their Custom Shop! Now, this was a serious 300 watt all tube head sitting on a couple of serious 4x12 cabs, some including subwoofers! I get the feeling it was limited Custom Shop production without the venerable Bassman name in order to test the marketing waters. Well, it must have been deemed a success as the 300 watt Bassman later appeared with real bass tuned drivers! Late to the modern bass party, and hard to shake old perceptions, but a real player nonetheless.
Then(!), the Rumble name returned in the early 2000s, but was relegated to Fender's "value line" of small solid state bass amps, while the Bassman name carried on what the first Rumble started! Again, maybe as a test, Rumbles had something to prove in this new incarnation (V1) as cheap, beginners, or practice, bass amps. "Hey, how 'bout adding a sound sensitive pulsing red light in the port?", somebody said. Are you kidding me?!? Why not just print the word "toy" on the nameplate!?! But, slowly, over time, the Rumbles gained market share with reliability and versatility of good tone at an affordable price. And this was enough to justify more powerful 150 watt & 350 watt amps and very good speakers in the second version (V2). Until, finally, the third version of Rumbles (V3) got the retro Bassman cosmetics and some really serious, 500 watt power and ultra lightweight cabs, that took off like wildfire! The V3 Rumbles are now crowned with the 800 watt, 2 ohm stable, 800 HD and three 3rd generation bass modeling amps, the LT25, Studio 40 & Stage 800.
Nothing special? No nuance or flavor? Well, It's hard to argue with success, but detractors will always try, and you'll never convince some people with words. I, for one, never gave a serious thought to the V1 or V2 Rumbles, and expected my trial of the V3 R500c to fall flat. "But if you saw my face? Now I'm a believer!"
Sorry for the rant.
ps: I'm considering getting a cool V1 Rumble 25 with the pulsing red light!
.
.
Last edited:
@G-Dog
What an amazing response! Please do not get me wrong, I really do enjoy my rumble and the sound, it's great! If I was buying a new amp, would I go for a fender again? Probably not? But not because I don't like it, I would do it just for the sake of trying something else out.
I have ever held one bass in my entire life, my bass. Yeah, I know... same goes with my rumble. It is the only one I have ever used and I did A LOT of research before I got it & I am really satisfied with my stealth painted rumble 100 v3 baby
Thank you for such a detailed and entertaining response, you are truly a goldmine of information.
And, of course, thanks to everyone else as well)!!!
What an amazing response! Please do not get me wrong, I really do enjoy my rumble and the sound, it's great! If I was buying a new amp, would I go for a fender again? Probably not? But not because I don't like it, I would do it just for the sake of trying something else out.
I have ever held one bass in my entire life, my bass. Yeah, I know... same goes with my rumble. It is the only one I have ever used and I did A LOT of research before I got it & I am really satisfied with my stealth painted rumble 100 v3 baby
Thank you for such a detailed and entertaining response, you are truly a goldmine of information.
And, of course, thanks to everyone else as well
)!!!
.
No probs, Katoos! Dunno what came over me.
Yeah, nothing wrong with trying different things. Life is a smorgasbord! Sample it all.
.
No probs, Katoos! Dunno what came over me.
Yeah, nothing wrong with trying different things. Life is a smorgasbord! Sample it all.
.
I remember the 200c/112 stack I think!I've played through 2 R100's before. However, they aren't/weren't stacked. 1 aimed front, 1 aimed toward drummer. BL set them up. I have played my 100>my 200c, stacked-at the house.(not too loud) Awesome.
As much as I liked the sound of my R200c/R112*, I only got to use those 2 together 3 times-the places we play(ed)didn't require that much 'oomph'. If I ever play somewhere that warrants it, I'll stack the 100/200c.
BTW, I just remembered I did use the 100/200c stack once at the PSL American Legion. It was kinda overkill for the room. Sounded sweet though.
*sold the 112 since it wasn't getting used.
Yeah-I keep trying to go to 12s and then always end up sticking with the 15s-no matter the brand. It’s what you and i discovered when we A/Bed the Rumble 115 and 112 cabs in the famous driveway. Though the two 112 formation would work for me, as much as I love my 5 string, I’d be nervous trying to go against a drummer with only a single 112. A 115 combo can hang on its own.
Yes, you do. I used the 200c/112 stack at the Legion the night you and Susan came down. Being the "olde phart" that I am, I go for the lightest amp that will cover the gig. The 100 has covered the rooms we still play. I might take the 200c to tomorrow night's-semi outdoor gig. Depends on how energetic I feel tomorrow. If I could get by with the 40, I'd take it. Saturday night's 'jazz' gig amp will be either the 40 or the B25.
Last edited:
I thought I remembered that. You even had both cabs tilted.
I often seem to run up against loud guitarists. The last situation I was in, the lead guitar player would use a 4 x 12 half stack. He switched between a Fender and a Marshall half stack. Anything Rumble 200c and up speaker and wattage-wise (140 watts into one 15") seems to be as low as I can get away with.
Have you ever tried your R200c daisy chained and stacked with another R200c?
I know you wouldn't need it if you didn't need the 112, but I imagine that would be pretty awesome!
280 watts into two 15s!
Absolutely agree with this! A great plug and play line of amps! In the late 70s I rocked an SVT 300 watt 910 cab all over California and the Punk circuit after that SWR redhead Gallien Krueger and various other top grade amps and I believe the rumble sounds as good and sometimes better than some of those except for the SVT. Very satisfying tonal range. Add to that, cheap and light! Best Buy winner! I love my Rumble 200c!
Nah(don't have a 2nd 200c), but the 100>200c is all I'll ever need. And I can still mic/DI to the PA(which we don't).
I have several Rumbles and I like the tone. I don't claim to be an expert. I'm like eveyone else. I have my favorites.
My Rumble 100 V-3 has made me a believer of the Rumble line. The 100 has a great bass tone, and good power for a 100 watt combo.
Even though I have an Acoustic 360 the rumble holds its own. The Rumble is far easier to tote and the Rumbles have a very good tone.
ironically—- my sax sounds much better through a rumble 500 combo than the 360. So, even on gigs where I use the 360– my twin 500’s are there also for the sax. The rumbles blow my Bose L1 away in tone for the sax.
ironically—- my sax sounds much better through a rumble 500 combo than the 360. So, even on gigs where I use the 360– my twin 500’s are there also for the sax. The rumbles blow my Bose L1 away in tone for the sax.
D
On one hand I'm excited, on the other, I'm going to have to sell my beloved Rumbles. And then rebuy them, for a much higher price. In France. Moving in 6 months. All the family that I care about is already there. My most favoritist niece and her 2 children live in Arcachon (Bay of Biscay; oyster capital of France), west of Bordeaux. Hate big cities (brother and wife in Marseilles, nephew and wife in Lyon), so moving there. Can't wait. But going to have to hold my nose when I click on "Buy" for a 220 VAC/50 Hz Rumble 200c. The appartements selling in my price range are half the size of the place I own now. Not sure if I'll also have room for a 40c, but just the thought of being 200-free has my huevos up in my throat.
Going to go strictly short scale, so keeping my SG and my new fav, the Schecter, along with one guitar, my MF exclusive G&L Ascari GT tri-bucker in Irish Ale, which should have cost 3x what I paid for it, it's that good! Like the Schecter...made in Indonesia. The Schecter was the best set-up instrument out-of-the-box I've ever acquired. The G&L came in a close second. Just a pinpoint-sized finish flaw on the floor-facing side of the headstock. Took me a long time to notice it. Both immediately playable after tuning, and really well intonated.
Going to go strictly short scale, so keeping my SG and my new fav, the Schecter, along with one guitar, my MF exclusive G&L Ascari GT tri-bucker in Irish Ale, which should have cost 3x what I paid for it, it's that good! Like the Schecter...made in Indonesia. The Schecter was the best set-up instrument out-of-the-box I've ever acquired. The G&L came in a close second. Just a pinpoint-sized finish flaw on the floor-facing side of the headstock. Took me a long time to notice it. Both immediately playable after tuning, and really well intonated.
I got my amp stand in today and it looks great and feels sturdy. It holds the amp very well. For $26 you can't beat it.
Wow, what an adventure! From the desert southwest to France. Sounds exciting. The cost of a French Rumble is a small (er, not so small) price to pay. Enjoy this great adventure.
