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You're in for a treat @Gravedigger Dav, I'm really enjoying mine aswell.
Rumble Report:
So I just got back home from a two week trip to the UK (research conference followed by holiday and a LOT of fine whisky) and have been wanting to play my bass (I get a little antsy if I don't play an instrument regularly). Turned on the rig (Ibanez SRF700 with custom pups, pedalboard with OD, EQ, mfx, LPF/HPF and comp into 200c) and had a bit of a play and wasn't feeling too happy with sound (which is what I've been using for a while, and what I was happy with a few weeks ago). Removed the pedalboard from the chain, direct to amp, dropped the bass EQ a little (to about 9 (o'clock), low mid 10:30, hi mid 1:30, hi 10:30) and hit the Vintage switch. Now that's a bass sound I'm happy with! Gain is at 9 (o'clock) and has a great little grind when I dig in that I wasn't getting with the comp on. Think I'm going to try this 'naked' setup for a while (mucking around at home and playing at church) and see if I'm happy with it. My Rumble journey has been interesting, when I first got it I had no idea how to use amps properly, then I went to a preamp pedalboard based rig and used the Rumble as a power amp. Then I went back to using the Rumble as a proper amp but with a heap of pedals in front of it, and now I'm loving how it sounds just going directly into the Rumble! Happy days!
So I just got back home from a two week trip to the UK (research conference followed by holiday and a LOT of fine whisky) and have been wanting to play my bass (I get a little antsy if I don't play an instrument regularly). Turned on the rig (Ibanez SRF700 with custom pups, pedalboard with OD, EQ, mfx, LPF/HPF and comp into 200c) and had a bit of a play and wasn't feeling too happy with sound (which is what I've been using for a while, and what I was happy with a few weeks ago). Removed the pedalboard from the chain, direct to amp, dropped the bass EQ a little (to about 9 (o'clock), low mid 10:30, hi mid 1:30, hi 10:30) and hit the Vintage switch. Now that's a bass sound I'm happy with! Gain is at 9 (o'clock) and has a great little grind when I dig in that I wasn't getting with the comp on. Think I'm going to try this 'naked' setup for a while (mucking around at home and playing at church) and see if I'm happy with it. My Rumble journey has been interesting, when I first got it I had no idea how to use amps properly, then I went to a preamp pedalboard based rig and used the Rumble as a power amp. Then I went back to using the Rumble as a proper amp but with a heap of pedals in front of it, and now I'm loving how it sounds just going directly into the Rumble! Happy days!
Love the Rumble cause that's what we do here..... But yeah.... Love those fretless basses too! Mawahhhh on brother!
Last night had a rehearsal with my other band. I think the speakers are finally breaking in. And it the 500 and 210cab are sounding sweeter and sweeter.
Fits in real good with the band, we have 2 guitars/ banjo, drums, violin /cello and me on bass. And working on 3 part vocals.
Fits in real good with the band, we have 2 guitars/ banjo, drums, violin /cello and me on bass. And working on 3 part vocals.
Hey @munkeyfish, what kind of comments are you getting from your band mates?
I really hadn't thought about speaker break-in with the Rumbles, but that might be why my 100 sounds better all the time. I think you are right!
A lot of raised eyebrows. They were in the camp/thought of this being a beginner type amp and it didn't help that I referred to as my back up amp while I sort out my GK MB212II issue.
In my one band, at our first show with the amp, my lead guitarist asked where the rest of my amp is at. The 210 and 500 head has such a tiny footprint and I didn't get a chance to try it at practice. I literally went from box to stage with about an hour or so to get use to the controls a bit. I treated that show as the backline was being provided for me. As you may remember, my first head had scratchy pots and the OD channel quit working, so I had to get a replacement that came in at the last minute. He was impressed that it carried the room so well. He had played the same venue the weekend before with his Red Hot Chilli Peppers cover band and his bass player there uses a Mesa 810 or 610? Cab. My guitar player was convinced I needed more speakers to be heard since his other bass player needed more.
My drummer has made the comment that at our last practice that the tone I am getting suits this band better. More of an old school vibe with a hint of modern. I think he is right. But I feel the GK suits my other band a little more, as the modern sound suits them a bit more. But I'm not discounting the Rumbles tone at all. It may sound better now in that band as well.
And I'll be honest, I'm not really in a rush to get my GK fixed (I think the speakers got toasted due to a Fuzz being set too high and engaged at concert volume ) I'm really wanting to expand my Rumble set up to adding another 210 and I'm really interested in the Bassman 500 and modding the cabs to lay on their sides for the Bassman. And going back and forth with Rumble and Bassman.
I will get the GK fixed at some point, but the more I live with the Rumble, the less important getting it fixed is on my to do list.
It is kinda funny, in one band, you have a Vox AC30, either a Splawn head or Port City head or an Orange on a port city cab and then this wee Rumble 500 on a 210 cab. (Was the GK that is bigger) on the stage. Not at all what you would expect to see. When I started in that band, I was using an Ampeg PF500 head and 2 PF115LF cabs. Looked massive, but the head kept going thermal in the middle of shows. It had to go. I was going to try another Ampeg head, but when I hit GC, they either didn't work right or sounded like butt. I had enough of that bad taste. Now the higher dollar ampeg heads were great, but not in the budget.
I'm getting along with the Rumble the more I use it. I like that I can move it easy. I like the small footprint with huge sound. I think my ah-ha moment was when I rolled the bass knob back to around 9/10 on the dial, that opened the amp up more.still plenty of bottom, just not that "pushed" lowend.
Sorry for being so long winded. But it isn't everyday that your eyes opened.
It takes far more time to explain enlightenment than it does to receive the epiphany. Thanks for your post @munkeyfish, may others benefit from your experience.
On election day I had to take a bit of a drive to vote (2 attempts to re register failed), so the traffic on the way back had me decide to pull off to the freeway side GC and kill an hour till the traffic was gone.
I was curious about the green p bass special they had hanging. Plugged into the 200c on the floor. That bass is really cool, though overpriced. It was almost like playing the geddy Lee, but with a p body - p/j (tad thicker neck). I hardly use vintage on my amp, so I decided to experiment. I am not crazy about the 400hz filter idea, but with some eq, I am realizing the character of the amp is a bit cooler. I used bright too. For some reason my thumb was in a good mood and I got into some slap wanking, added contour to the mix, and it was like a total meters type tone, with both pickups, but still cool with just the p. I actually had it up pretty good, the volume where they usually tell you to turn it down, but instead several of the sales guy would have good comments and questions, and didn't ask me to turn down.
I think I am going to try the vintage more seriously next time I get a chance to jam.
I was curious about the green p bass special they had hanging. Plugged into the 200c on the floor. That bass is really cool, though overpriced. It was almost like playing the geddy Lee, but with a p body - p/j (tad thicker neck). I hardly use vintage on my amp, so I decided to experiment. I am not crazy about the 400hz filter idea, but with some eq, I am realizing the character of the amp is a bit cooler. I used bright too. For some reason my thumb was in a good mood and I got into some slap wanking, added contour to the mix, and it was like a total meters type tone, with both pickups, but still cool with just the p. I actually had it up pretty good, the volume where they usually tell you to turn it down, but instead several of the sales guy would have good comments and questions, and didn't ask me to turn down.
I think I am going to try the vintage more seriously next time I get a chance to jam.
I'm considering super gluing my vintage button in the on position on my 500c.
Lucky we have the option to go back and forth.
A piece of gaff tape would be a better idea.
Lucky we have the option to go back and forth.
A piece of gaff tape would be a better idea.
I've been waiting for this. Now my week is complete.Happy Fender Friday!
I'm still going back and forth on Vintage or just a low-mid bump. I like the sound of both, and I prefer vintage if I can get away with it in the room that I'm in. Some rooms are definitely more vintage than others. I will say that the combos hold up fairly well against a set of drums if the drummer isn't trying to beat the skins into next week.
If your drummer wont play at a reasonable volume, beat him into next week.
