Fender Rumble Club

[G-Dog]

Thanks. I'm not thinking of gigs anytime soon, but maybe some jams. I'm pretty certain this will do quite well for that while sounding full at low, bedroom volume. (An aside: back in my audio engineering days with an occasional sound gig, I preferred smaller amps I could mic, but I'm aware those kinds of set-ups aren't possible in many places.) ... ... ...

Your audio engineer background may be interested in trying out your Rumble's XLR Out. It includes a cab sim circuit and is post-EQ & post-Master volume, so it acts very much like a mic'd amp. Although many bassists consider a post volume XLR Out to be a deal breaker, we have many testimonials to the contrary. I'm sure many here would join me in being interested in your opinion

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Thanks! I gave some background in the new members forum, but I'm new to bass and have been playing for about a week. I've played guitar for quite a while now, but plateaued somewhere at intermediate or so. I also play some piano/keyboards. My main instruments in my gigging musician/music school days were sax and clarinet. I also worked as a mastering engineer in the 90s before going back to school to refocus on other things.

I've long wanted to play bass and finally got around to it. I first went looking for a bass, which had a couple turns, but I have a Squier Vintage Modified 77. I'd been playing through an AmpPlug and especially like the drum loops. I was thinking about getting a cabinet with a bass-appropriate speaker for one of my guitar amps but saw the Rumble 40 was about the same price and is quite good.

A lot of us came to bass from guitar (in my case via percussion). Welcome!

 

[Sertsa]

Your audio engineer background may be interested in trying out your Rumble's XLR Out. It includes a cab sim circuit and is post-EQ & post-Master volume, so it acts very much like a mic'd amp. Although many bassists consider a post volume XLR Out to be a deal breaker, we have many testimonials to the contrary. I'm sure many here would join me in being interested in your opinion

That's a very interesting choice, and I didn't know that. It's been a while, but it's something I think I'd have liked. If I'd want a direct signal from a bass, either in the studio or live, there's always an often dreaded DI box, so to me a post-volume XLR out / cab sim gives another option and the musician more control (which can be good or bad). I'd be interested in comparing it to how it'd sound with a mic. In any case, it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, as there are plenty of even lighter, smaller DI options.

A lot of us came to bass from guitar (in my case via percussion). Welcome!

Thanks! The best bassist I've known was a trumpet major in college. (He loved bass even then, though, and honed his skills in USAF bands).

 

[Miles_ONeal]

That's a very interesting choice, and I didn't know that. It's been a while, but it's something I think I'd have liked. If I'd want a direct signal from a bass, either in the studio or live, there's always an often dreaded DI box, so to me a post-volume XLR out / cab sim gives another option and the musician more control (which can be good or bad). I'd be interested in comparing it to how it'd sound with a mic. In any case, it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, as there are plenty of even lighter, smaller DI options.



Thanks! The best bassist I've known was a trumpet major in college. (He loved bass even then, though, and honed his skills in USAF bands).

Easy enough to test the mic vs DI if you have a mixer handy.

Phil Lesh came to bass from a trumpet (in part) background. He was pretty amazing.
Maybe my propensity to slide comes from playing trombone. Hmm.

 

[Sertsa]

Easy enough to test the mic vs DI if you have a mixer handy.

Phil Lesh came to bass from a trumpet (in part) background. He was pretty amazing.
Maybe my propensity to slide comes from playing trombone. Hmm.

I've long since sold most of my mics and such, just some demo reels on Ampex 456 remain. Oh, and some DAT tapes.

And cool. How are you on fretless? I imagine playing an instrument without frets or keys makes for excellent and necessary ear training.

 

[Shinbone]

Just got my Rumble 500 v3 today. Still getting it dialed in. Can I join the club? Lots of great info on here.

 

[SouthboundVet]

Just got my Rumble 500 today, as well! About to try it out now.

I would love to join the Rumble club, too! Cheers!

 

[MadJack]

Congratulations to both of you, @Shinbone and @SouthboundVet!

Be sure to take a peek at the Fender Rumble 500 (& 40) Frequencies Wiki Page. I know, I'm jumping the gun, before issuance of the Rumble Club numbers, but I'm looking to help find some good starting points and better understanding of their tonal range.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I've long since sold most of my mics and such, just some demo reels on Ampex 456 remain. Oh, and some DAT tapes.

And cool. How are you on fretless? I imagine playing an instrument without frets or keys makes for excellent and necessary ear training.

I've never tried fretless. But yes to the ear training!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Just got my Rumble 500 v3 today. Still getting it dialed in. Can I join the club? Lots of great info on here.

Just got my Rumble 500 today, as well! About to try it out now.

I would love to join the Rumble club, too! Cheers!

We'd love to see pics, especially in the wild.

 

[Shinbone]

We'd love to see pics, especially in the wild.

Loving it so far.

 

[JPDsma]

New Amp day today! It has been a while since I have checked in. But I have been doing a few gigs with two very different bands. After turning 70 and having to schlep my R200cV3, bass, cables, cords, etc (72 lbs, I weighed it) for 1/2 mile up crowded cobble streets (think San Francisco only with big 6-10” cobbles all at 6200’ elev) and only turning the R200c to 1/4 volume, I decided to get me a R40. Fresh out of the box it sounded great. Not quite as full as the 15” R200c but sufficient for live acoustic and moderately amplified acoustic gigs. I will put it into action Friday night.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

New Amp day today! It has been a while since I have checked in. But I have been doing a few gigs with two very different bands. After turning 70 and having to schlep my R200cV3, bass, cables, cords, etc (72 lbs, I weighed it) for 1/2 mile up crowded cobble streets (think San Francisco only with big 6-10” cobbles all at 6200’ elev) and only turning the R200c to 1/4 volume, I decided to get me a R40. Fresh out of the box it sounded great. Not quite as full as the 15” R200c but sufficient for live acoustic and moderately amplified acoustic gigs. I will put it into action Friday night.

Please tell me you at least have a wagon with good sized wheels!

 

[JPDsma]

Please tell me you at least have a wagon with good sized wheels!

Nope. This is me in January with all my stuff. The R40 should be a big improvement.

 

[M-Mittlesteadt]

I’ve noticed that there’s been a substantial shift in the attitude to Rumbles in the past few years.

It used to be that Rumbles were viewed as cheap entry level amps, but this has changed - it seems that Rumbles are now viewed more as great budget workhorses, which is certainly the case (I see them as more than that, but it’s definitely not wrong).

It just goes to show that it just takes a while for everyone to realize what we’ve known all along - Rumbles are great!

Over the past 45 years of playing bass through all kinds of amps/cabs and combos (including my own cab designs/builds) I have never really liked either Ampeg nor Fender amps/cabs. I have a bass playing friend who borrowed me his older version Rumble a few years ago, and while it got me through the gig(s), I really did not like it.

I wasn't even in the market for a new rig. I had my own cabs and amp so I wasn't even looking for anything. I happened to be in my local music store waiting to pickup a newly repaired Roland EP-9 electric piano. The repair guy was out to lunch and would be back soon.

They happened to have a wall lined with all the various new (V3) Fender Rumble combos, so I thought well, Fender amps/cabs/combos aren't really "my thing" but I had time to waste so I plugged into each one and played through them all. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by their tone and volume. Then I began picking up each one, and it just shocked me how such great tone and volume were coming out of these incredibly light combos.

I settled on buying a Fender Rumble 100. Perfect for small gigs I thought. A 22 lb. 100 watt bass combo into a 112 speaker. So what do I think about the newest line of Fender Rumbles?

My current gigging rig...Two Fender Rumble 100's daisy chained together...(essentially a modular 200 watt 212 rig)...

 

[TooMuchStuff]

A lot of us came to bass from guitar (in my case via percussion). Welcome!

Yay, another fellow percussionist here!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Over the past 45 years of playing bass through all kinds of amps/cabs and combos (including my own cab designs/builds) I have never really liked either Ampeg nor Fender amps/cabs. I have a bass playing friend who borrowed me his older version Rumble a few years ago, and while it got me through the gig(s), I really did not like it.

I wasn't even in the market for a new rig. I had my own cabs and amp so I wasn't even looking for anything. I happened to be in my local music store waiting to pickup a newly repaired Roland EP-9 electric piano. The repair guy was out to lunch and would be back soon.

They happened to have a wall lined with all the various new (V3) Fender Rumble combos, so I thought well, Fender amps/cabs/combos aren't really "my thing" but I had time to waste so I plugged into each one and played through them all. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by their tone and volume. Then I began picking up each one, and it just shocked me how such great tone and volume were coming out of these incredibly light combos.

I settled on buying a Fender Rumble 100. Perfect for small gigs I thought. A 22 lb. 100 watt bass combo into a 112 speaker. So what do I think about the newest line of Fender Rumbles?

My current gigging rig...Two Fender Rumble 100's daisy chained together...(essentially a modular 200 watt 212 rig)...

I was biding my time until I could get a "real" rig (something like an SVT and fridge) but needed something for practice and small gigs. I found the Rumble 100 and fell madly in like. Then I thought about daisy chaining, found out others loved it, and got a second. Ahhhh. No reason to go elsewhere any time soon for my bass amplification. There was a vintage rig I fell in love with out in California at a Thunderbird Club GTG, but between the cost of purchase and shipping, it wasn't even close to worth it to me at that point in time (nor would it be today).

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Yay, another fellow percussionist here!View attachment 7175432

Sweet rig! Much less complex here, a couple of djembes, a cajon, and a rainstick.

 

[Stealth57]

I was biding my time until I could get a "real" rig (something like an SVT and fridge) but needed something for practice and small gigs. I found the Rumble 100 and fell madly in like. Then I thought about daisy chaining, found out others loved it, and got a second. Ahhhh. No reason to go elsewhere any time soon for my bass amplification. There was a vintage rig I fell in love with out in California at a Thunderbird Club GTG, but between the cost of purchase and shipping, it wasn't even close to worth it to me at that point in time (nor would it be today).

Which one? Something from More Music?

 

[DWA2469]

I’ve noticed that there’s been a substantial shift in the attitude to Rumbles in the past few years.

It used to be that Rumbles were viewed as cheap entry level amps, but this has changed - it seems that Rumbles are now viewed more as great budget workhorses, which is certainly the case (I see them as more than that, but it’s definitely not wrong).

It just goes to show that it just takes a while for everyone to realize what we’ve known all along - Rumbles are great!

Great point! Reminds me of the Peavy Gear of the 80's!