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Fender Rumble Club

Hi all. Changed out the stock knobs with some chicken head style. Gives a classic looking combo even more class. Love how it turned out!

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Looks good. I chose a different route:
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I used 2 sets to do 3 Rumbles by leaving the OD circuit knobs white.
 
I got the same black knobs as GP, after seeing his. The stock knobs are the only thing I don't like about Rumbles. As discussed much earlier on in this thread, the Fender stock knobs exude a sticky substance that's difficult to get off.
And since my OD circuit serves as MUTE, I don't gots to touch them.:smug:
 
I got the same black knobs as GP, after seeing his. The stock knobs are the only thing I don't like about Rumbles. As discussed much earlier on in this thread, the Fender stock knobs exude a sticky substance that's difficult to get off.
I find that the «sticky» knobs were mostly a problem on earlier models. Of course, rubberized knobs like these will go sticky eventually, no matter what, but I haven’t seen it for four or five years now.

The solution if they do get sticky is to scrub off the sticky bits with Scotchbrite or similar, which will leave the knobs niche and white, but with the rubberization removed.
 
My oldest Rumble, the 2x10" 500 combo, is now over 7 years old and going strong, without ever a moment's worry! And to think, as a 15" snob at the time, I fully expected to return it 'cause the spec.s seemed too good to be true! But the tones quickly made a believer out of me! And, when I plug my Bassman 15" Neo cab into it, I can't hear a difference between the 2x10"s and the 15"! Love it!!!

I've also had a now 13-year-old 2008 Fender B-DEC 30 watt, 10" first generation bass modeling amp; same generation as the first non-Custom Shop V1 Rumbles, probably made in the same factory. I gave it to my bass playing protegé a couple years ago and it's still going great! I have every confidence that my now 2-1/2 year-old Rumble Studio 40 will have a similar lifespan.​


Well, you gotta remember that the Bassman is the designated "premium" line and the Rumble is the "value" line. Therefore, at least theoretically, an equivalent Bassman "should", somehow, be better than the Rumble, right? Well, the Bassman usually does have more controls and/or connections than an equivalent Rumble.

I bought a brand new kickback-style 2002 Bassman 150 combo (with 12" Eminence, right below) that really kicks serious butt for it's size, and I still love its tones! So, when I needed more volume, I got a new 2004 Bassman 250 combo (with 15" Eminence, left below). The two, chained together FX Send to FX Return, gave me up to 400 watts thru a 12" and a 15" that is still totally awesome!! And the built-in bells & whistles of Contour, Room Balance, Tuner output, Mute, etc. are great. But these suckers are just too dang hea-vy for this now septuagenarian. No wonder the Rumble 500 replaced them on my stages. But they still sound so good I hate to even think of selling them. :(
Of course my real darling (other than Mrs. Dog) is my 6-year-old ultralight Bassman 500 hybrid head with a lightweight Bassman 115 Neo cab. Those preamp tubes give some very real old school tones thru that Eminence 15"! And the Class D power amp keeps the head less than 20 lb.s! But, I cherish it too much to take out of the house very much! :smug:
TLDR: At home any one of my Bassman amps can always sound better than my Rumble 500c without any pedals (and not counting the Rumble Studio 40 modeling tones). On a live stage the difference in tone is overruled by the significantly lower weight of the Rumble 500c. YMMV​




Lovey, in 2005 my Fender Bassman 150 kickback combo (shown above right) was still the only then-currently manufactured 150w Fender bass kickback-style amp, as far as I know. Is that what you had, or was it something else? At roughly twice the weight, and half-again the power, of the now-current V3 Rumble 100. I cannot imagine how it could not have superior volume or fullness, unless it was damaged? Is that why you no longer have it? Just curious.
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Love looking at these older Fender Combos. This has got to be the 12" I had in 2005. I just can't remember it. I should have gotten the head with 2x10 and 1x15 cabinets. I'd been much happier.:smug:
 
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