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Fender Rumble Club

#1,301
slobake said:
I was looking for a lightweight living room amp and tried a 40 watt Rumble. I didn't like the Rumbles before and wasn't expecting much but I was impressed with the tone and weight.
I have a been also thinking of upgrading my GK MB115. I have been looking for quite a while. I have played some nice vintage amps and thought about the new Fender, Ampeg and Traynor tube heads. Just haven't been able to pull the trigger. The GK works for where I play now but I will probably run out of head room if I need more juice. I even use my Ampeg B108 with the band sometimes.
I got on the Sweetwater website and this is what I found: (I rounded up the price, instead of $499.99 I just think $500)

Fender Rumble 500 2x10 combo $500 at 36.5 lbs
total $500

Fender Rumble 500 head $400
Fender Rumble 4X10 Cab $400 at 62.5 Lbs
total $800

Tone Hammer 500 head $700
Aguilar 1X12 cab $674 at 45 lbs
total $1,375

Orange Terror 500 $900
Orange 2X10 Cab $929 at 57 lbs
total $1829

Ampeg PF-500 $500
Ampeg PF-2X10 cab $400 at 48 lbs
total $900

Mesa Scout combo 300 watts 1X12 at 51 lbs
total $1,599


I didn't care about the weight of the heads they are all pretty light. I'm also sure I didn't list other possible choices like GK, TC Electronic, Peavy, etc
Tone wise the Fender combo might not be my first choice, but budget and weight make it look like a good choice. You may be hearing from me.
Have to decide if I will regret not buying higher end amp in the future.
Click to expand...

Always a tough decision. I'm thinking about "upgrading" to the rumble 500 from my rumble 350 in the future. Don't really need to, just like the new model for weight and great reviews it's getting. Plus the option to add a second cab to it later.
Fortunately, I'm in no hurry. And it may be blasphemy in this thread, but I'm really looking forward to hearing reviews on the new Peavey Mini Max series that should be out (hopefully) by this fall.
Price and specs look VERY competitive to the Rumbles.
Although I'm sure the voicing will be very different.
 
#1,307
DerekW said:
Rumble 350 eq question.
What's considered a flat eq setting? I assume as there's centre indents (at noon, duh) on the bass and treble, but what about the mids? Level and frequency both at noon as well?
Click to expand...
You are really going to have to trust your own ears for that. To me it's 0 boost/cut for bass (noon) roughly -5db on the treble (10 o'clock). It's the mids that are tricky. What bass are you playing? If a Precision with it's pronounced signature midrange honk (around 640 Hz) you will want to cut a bit there, but not too much, just enough to even things out. Are you playing a Jazz with rounds? I like a bit of boost in the 300 Hz area {dependent upon string age}. Again not much, maybe +5 db or so at 1-2 o'clock. Also note that the only change in the new V3 Rumble 4 band EQ was to the low mids. They are now voiced at 280 Hz vs 400 Hz on the second generation Rumble 75/150 front ends. Small tweaks go a long way.

Volume and room changes everything. When you're playing out you EQ for the room if you're on your own, or stage if you are being run in the PA.
 
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#1,308
DerekW said:
Rumble 350 eq question.
What's considered a flat eq setting? I assume as there's centre indents (at noon, duh) on the bass and treble, but what about the mids? Level and frequency both at noon as well?
Click to expand...
t
Not sure about the Rumble but 12 o'clock is not always a flat setting. There is a good discussion about that here: http://www.talkbass.com/threads
It is an older thread about GK's but it is good advice. I was having problems being heard over my band without getting complaints that I was too loud. Setting the EQ as advised in this thread really helped with that problem. I put the treble and bass at around 10 o'clock and set the mids at around 2 o'clock. I far from an expert on this and Linnin's advice about following your ears is really good. In my case the room and the number of people in the room also affected tone.
 
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#1,309
slobake said:
t
Not sure about the Rumble but 12 o'clock is not always a flat setting. There is a good discussion about that here: http://www.talkbass.com/threads
It is an older thread about GK's but it is good advice. I was having problems being heard over my band without getting complaints that I was too loud. Setting the EQ as advised in this thread really helped with that problem. I put the treble and bass at around 10 o'clock and set the mids at around 2 o'clock. I far from an expert on this and Linnin's advice about following your ears is really good. In my case the room and the number of people in the room also affected tone.
Click to expand...
You can think of tone much like an artist's palette. Everything has a color. Bass: pickups & strings. Amp, and amp settings. Speakers and cabinet design. We'll leave the room out of it this time. Here's a thread I wrote on EQ -> http://www.talkbass.com/threads

We choose our equipment on a variety of variables. Tone color is one of them, and a major consideration. I like color. The most colored bass amp in all history is the Ampeg SVT. It is the essence of 'Ampeg Sound' and as such is a one trick tone pony.

Likewise the 70's silverfaced Fender Bassman 100 epitomized 'The Fender Sound' for bass players. You see Paul McCartney playing through one on the rooftops of Abby Road Studios. It was a stalwart in the club circuit for Rock; Soul, Jazz, and it was essential to Buck Owens' "Bakersfield Sound" and Johnny Cash too. Although Fender doesn't say this, I have stated before right here in the Fender Rumble Club just how much the Fender Rumble's sound is so much like the silverfaced Bassman 100's set to 'squeeky-clean' jazz or country settings. As you can both see and hear, Fenders were and still are very versatile.

Your tone is personal to you. If you ditch the western scientific mindset to analyze; label, and compartmentalize, but instead think holistically about your tone, you will be light years ahead.
 
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#1,311
DerekW said:
Guess that's why I was trying to figure out what "flat" was. As a benchmark to start tweaking from. And if things aren't sounding right, a starting point to start from to retweak.
Click to expand...
Some preamps have strong baked-in curves, and can't get very close to flat.

The classic Fender tube amp tone stack is a good example. You're supposed to dime the mids and roll off the bass and treble in order to approximate a flat response, but those settings are still miles away from it.

The 4-band EQ in the new Rumbles clearly isn't a typical Fender tone stack, but I hear some of the same stuff going on in the treble and upper mids.

If your Rumble is a combo, that's also going to play into the equation. The cabs in the ones I've checked out (V3 40 and 100) are tuned to sound old-school, and very coloured. If you check my NAD thread, I lined and sealed my V3 100, and it's sounding much tighter and more controlled. $5 worth of poly fill, and some scrap plywood to block the ports...

I'll put a scope on mine at some point for giggles, but your best bet is to avoid the voicing switches, and twist the knobs until you hear something you like.
 
#1,312
DerekW said:
Guess that's why I was trying to figure out what "flat" was. As a benchmark to start tweaking from. And if things aren't sounding right, a starting point to start from to retweak.
Click to expand...
Experiment. Keep a tone journal and write down your settings. What is it you like about that setting? Be sure to include what bass and stringset + string age. Control settings on your bass. If you're playing 'wide open' all the time, that is something you need to get away from.

You'll find many killer tone settings on your Rumble. None of which will be 'flat'. ;)
 
#1,314
I've been interested in joining the Rumble club for a while... Based on the feedback here I ordered both a Rumble v3 500 Combo and a v3 410 Extension Cab on a whim back on June 7th, as here in Ontario Canada stock of Rumbles in nearly non-existent. It is hard to even find a 40 in stock, and there are no 100, 200 or 500's anywhere, so I haven't even had the opportunity to try one out. The agony of it all is that my 410 Extension Cab arrived at my local dealer on June 25th, but there is still ETA for the 500 combo. I know it may be crazy to have made the purchase without trying them out, but my local dealer has a great 30 day return policy with no questions asked so I put down the 10% deposit just to order them in. I am waiting to pick them both up at the same time to start the clock on the return policy.

I'm a tried and true Fender lover, and I just got back in to the game after a 14-year hiatus (college, work, travel, kids...you get the picture). My best bud who's been drumming for the last 8 years in the band called me after there was some fallout with two other bass players in the last year. Now that I'm back in action, my now nearly 20 year old Fender BXR 100 (115 combo) just isn't cutting it as we've gotten right in to gigging outdoor festivals and parties this summer.

It's disappointing, but here we are in August already and it appears that I may not get the opportunity to rock with my Rumble this summer as we only have 2 more festivals left on the card before the month is out. I'm still looking forward to it, whenever it arrives!
 
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#1,315
Neogeek said:
I've been interested in joining the Rumble club for a while... Based on the feedback here I ordered both a Rumble v3 500 Combo and a v3 410 Extension Cab on a whim back on June 7th, as here in Ontario Canada stock of Rumbles in nearly non-existent. It is hard to even find a 40 in stock, and there are no 100, 200 or 500's anywhere, so I haven't even had the opportunity to try one out. The agony of it all is that my 410 Extension Cab arrived at my local dealer on June 25th, but there is still ETA for the 500 combo. I know it may be crazy to have made the purchase without trying them out, but my local dealer has a great 30 day return policy with no questions asked so I put down the 10% deposit just to order them in. I am waiting to pick them both up at the same time to start the clock on the return policy.

I'm a tried and true Fender lover, and I just got back in to the game after a 14-year hiatus (college, work, travel, kids...you get the picture). My best bud who's been drumming for the last 8 years in the band called me after there was some fallout with two other bass players in the last year. Now that I'm back in action, my now nearly 20 year old Fender BXR 100 (115 combo) just isn't cutting it as we've gotten right in to gigging outdoor festivals and parties this summer.

It's disappointing, but here we are in August already and it appears that I may not get the opportunity to rock with my Rumble this summer as we only have 2 more festivals left on the card before the month is out. I'm still looking forward to it, whenever it arrives!
Click to expand...
DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! :woot: Welcome to the Fender Rumble Club, Neogeek! You are member 200! :hyper::bassist::hyper:
That Rumble 500 combo + Rumble 410 cab are going to KILL! You'll be able to play any stage any where. Congratulations!

:laugh: Rumbles Rock! :smug:
 
#1,316
Neogeek said:
I've been interested in joining the Rumble club for a while... Based on the feedback here I ordered both a Rumble v3 500 Combo and a v3 410 Extension Cab on a whim back on June 7th, as here in Ontario Canada stock of Rumbles in nearly non-existent. It is hard to even find a 40 in stock, and there are no 100, 200 or 500's anywhere, so I haven't even had the opportunity to try one out. The agony of it all is that my 410 Extension Cab arrived at my local dealer on June 25th, but there is still ETA for the 500 combo. I know it may be crazy to have made the purchase without trying them out, but my local dealer has a great 30 day return policy with no questions asked so I put down the 10% deposit just to order them in. I am waiting to pick them both up at the same time to start the clock on the return policy.

I'm a tried and true Fender lover, and I just got back in to the game after a 14-year hiatus (college, work, travel, kids...you get the picture). My best bud who's been drumming for the last 8 years in the band called me after there was some fallout with two other bass players in the last year. Now that I'm back in action, my now nearly 20 year old Fender BXR 100 (115 combo) just isn't cutting it as we've gotten right in to gigging outdoor festivals and parties this summer.

It's disappointing, but here we are in August already and it appears that I may not get the opportunity to rock with my Rumble this summer as we only have 2 more festivals left on the card before the month is out. I'm still looking forward to it, whenever it arrives!
Click to expand...
I am interested to hear how the combo + 410 works for you. I opted for the stand alone 500 head and 410 with hopes to add a 115 under that.
 
#1,320
outoftune said:
I am interested to hear how the combo + 410 works for you. I opted for the stand alone 500 head and 410 with hopes to add a 115 under that.
Click to expand...
I will definitely report back here on my experience once I receive it and get a chance to rock it.

I've most often read that the more common combination is the 500 combo with the 115, so I took a gamble as I mentioned before and went with the 410 extension cab. As I am currently a 115 owner, I'm looking to experience what others have reported that 10's have to offer.
 
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