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.
Not quite. I'd like to hear how it sounds when in this type of situation when I'm further away from it. I was less than two feet away from my amp and beside it. I'd like to be about 10 feet or so in front of it to get a better idea of what the audience hears.
I picked up the Rumble 500 combo a couple of weeks back, it's nice and punchy and carries lots of lowend for 2x10. I gigged it last week and it had no probs at all.
An easy one handed lift with plenty of power and volume on tap.. when I'm too lazy to drag round the Aggie GS's I'll be using this.
An easy one handed lift with plenty of power and volume on tap.. when I'm too lazy to drag round the Aggie GS's I'll be using this.
Hi George! Good question. I have played through an original blackfaced Bassman piggyback on top of an original 2x12 cab. I've also owned a silverfaced '77 Bassman Ten (50 tube watts in a 4x10 combo); and a silverfaced 70's Bassman 100 on top of a 2x15 cab, and finially a 1979 Fender Studio Bass 200 all tube watt 1x15 combo. So I am very familiar with the classic Fender Bassman tube sound. Which is something I like in Fender's Rumble amps. They come close. When I listen to my Rumble 75 or 350 they sound a lot like my old silverfaced friends from days gone by. Only tubes sound like tubes.
I was hoping that some of our club members with experience with the brand new Rumbles would step forward. I've been dying to audition them, but alas they still aren't available in any music store in a 100 mile radius. Maybe some others will jump in.
Thanks for your reply. My main concern is how much output I can expect from a given model. Speaking of tone, some have chimed in saying that the current offerings tend to have a hard, forward characteristic. This may be easily alleviated with an op-amp swap (2604?).
The 6G6(A) that I am most familiar with has been modified with bracing, select damping material and JBL D120's. So it may not be a fair comparison!
The 6G6(A) that I am most familiar with has been modified with bracing, select damping material and JBL D120's. So it may not be a fair comparison!
George, you're just not going to get true Fender tube tonality out of any solid state amp. Only tubes actually sound like tubes. As I said before Rumbles do come close.Thanks for your reply. My main concern is how much output I can expect from a given model. Speaking of tone, some have chimed in saying that the current offerings tend to have a hard, forward characteristic. This may be easily alleviated with an op-amp swap (2604?).
The 6G6(A) that I am most familiar with has been modified with bracing, select damping material and JBL D120's. So it may not be a fair comparison!
For loud gigs, I run a second generation Rumble 350 head on top of twin Rumble 112 Neo cabs. Eminence Neo 12's sound damn close to JBL 120 AlNiCo's for bass. Actually better. A lot better. I'll take Eminence Neos over JBL AlNiCo's any day of the week. Yes, they're that good.
I love the super quick transient response of the D-Class Rumble amps. It's something no tube amp could ever match. While tubes have some chacteristics that solid state can only approach and come close too, the new D-Class solid state amps blow tubes away in super clean & super fast response. This is something you absolutely need for modern bass tone. Plus the pre-amp can be colored in such a way as to easily approach warm tube Bassman mojo. Fender Rumbles can achieve both with ease. I used to be stuck in tubeland too. No longer. I Rumble.
Rumbles Rock!
I agree that the 2nd generation Rumbles are decent amps for the money. But they are also noticeably heavier than the current generation. Thus my interest in the current ones.
I have a Rumble 40 which I have commented on in this thread and one that I started for it, but I have no experience with tube amps that I can compare it to. I had two Fender Musicmaster amps, which I THINK were tube amps, but that was back in the '70s. Furthermore, the basses I had then, a Gibson EB2 and Fender Musicmaster, were different from the ones I have now.
So I'm not much help.
So I'm not much help.
This is such great information...thanks for the conversation here. I am contemplating one of three choices. 1) Rumble 200; 2) Rumble 500 2x10; or Rumble 500 Head with Single 15 cab. I have four playing venues: 1) home practice (obviously don't need any of these for that from a power perspective); 2) church with a live drummer and full instrumentation. Most of the volume would be carried through the PA and I need a personal monitor and some stage volume; 3) 5 piece rock band with monster guitars and loud drummer. I recently had a TC Electronic BG250/15 and it kept up, but was at the outer limits; 4) small jazz trio electric bass, drum, piano. My goals are 1) tonality (warm lows and punching mid/highs). 2) versatility and 3) portability. I also don't want to over buy, but more importantly I don't want to be thinking " I wish I had bought instead...."
I'm leaning toward the 500 head with the 1x15 cab, but my son thinks the 500 2x10 provides more flexibility and scalability. Does anyone know if the 2x10 has a defeatable horn? Are the components (plywood, speakers etc) in the speaker only cabs higher quality than the combo units?
Any insights will be greatly appreciated. Soon to be in this club. Thanks
I'm leaning toward the 500 head with the 1x15 cab, but my son thinks the 500 2x10 provides more flexibility and scalability. Does anyone know if the 2x10 has a defeatable horn? Are the components (plywood, speakers etc) in the speaker only cabs higher quality than the combo units?
Any insights will be greatly appreciated. Soon to be in this club. Thanks
I'm currently having practice this week for a gig this weekend using a gk700rb and the rumble 115 cab. I'll report on it soon.
After one rehersal I can honestly say a 500w head and 115 is a dominating force of low end power. The 115 is punchy, deep, and still cuts well. I play with a guitarist using a 100w tube marshal set up and a heavy handed drummer. I'm still told to dial it back. With the ability to mix in a little overdrive the Rumble500 head looks appealing.
After one rehersal I can honestly say a 500w head and 115 is a dominating force of low end power. The 115 is punchy, deep, and still cuts well. I play with a guitarist using a 100w tube marshal set up and a heavy handed drummer. I'm still told to dial it back. With the ability to mix in a little overdrive the Rumble500 head looks appealing.
Last edited:
Personally I would go with the 500 head and if you can get 2 1x15 cabs (if you like 15" cabs) then you will be ready for just about and gig, practice, or rehearsal. I leave one cab at home for practice and one at my church so all I need to take is the head. And if you need more power bring both cabs to the gig. Just my opinion.
It's your rock band that screams Rumble 500. Otherwise you could easily get by with a 100 or 200. The build quality of the combos and cabinets are identical and contain Eminence ceramic magnet woofers and compression tweeters and not horns. Horns honk and are harsh. Tweeters are sweeter. Yes they can be turned off. A Rumble 500 combo on top of a Rumble 115 cab is also an option to consider. If you like 15's better than 10's, by all means get a 500 head and a pair of 115 cabs. Either way, you'll be smiling!
Rumble On! 
HaHa! I have a ZOOM B3 too
The D-Class Rumble 350's are what really put Rumble 'on the map' as a: great sounding; high quality, and reliable gig-rig. Especially the 350 head on top of the 4 ohm 410 cab was and still is a very serious tone monster. Your twin stacked Rumble 350 combos are a formidable gig-rig indeed. And Yes Rumbles Rock! 
