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.
The way deals like that happen, is Gibson offered the whole lot to its dealers, and guitar center got them all. Nobody could match that price unless they also got the same deal. It is a big risk usually that smaller dealers won't take on. That price is way below original dealer cost. And the 2015 introduced the newer pickups with splitters, making the 2014 model a harder sell I assume.
I'm running a 500 v3 combo with a 2x10 extension. Were I too add more juice, I'd get arrested for assault. Plenty of punch and tone.
To clarify, I meant more juice for my 50 watt ampeg pf50t tube head. I'd be running out of the ampegs transformer balanced out into the effects return of the rumble 500c - using it as a power amp and the ampeg for a pre.
Pretty sure you would still need to have another cab plugged into the pf50t, unless it has a built in dummy load.
Technically that's like going from a small cup of imported tropical juice, to a big old jug of sunny D, more juice, but not real tube juice.
The PF-50T manual says no speaker load is required.
I only know that because when I bought my Rumble 500 I had it narrowed down to the Rumble and the Ampeg as my two choices. I did double check and sure enough you don't need to speaker load.
Odd design for a tube amp. Probably wired so the power amp doesn't engage until a speaker is plugged in. And of course the amp should be powered down before the connection is made.
I know this has been covered in previous posts, but not for quite a while.....just curious if anybody has had any recent experience with the Bassman 500 vs. the Rumble 500 amps. Is the Bassman 500 that much "nicer" for it's higher price point?
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
Hi gents, I have been the proud owner and promoter of the V3 500 combo. I pair it with a 1x15 cab. I no longer have my suv and really don't want to beat up my car with load ins and outs of the 1x15 cab. I like the idea of both fitting in my camry trunk.I'm looking at the v3 1x12 single cab or the Hartke hydrive 1x12. If anyone has the 1x12 does the 500 combo fit exactly when stacked? Thanks in advance Rumbles Rool!
Yes, the 500 combo fits exactly on top of the Rumble 112 v3 cab. I would certainly recommend the Rumble 112 cab over the Hartke...it's very likely that the two Rumbles will sound better together and the Rumble 112 cab is very nice...punchy and relatively balanced.
Bob
I am in a position to answer that but...
But... I don't have room in my home at the moment. A tight situation was made much much worse with the arrival of my parents' huge coffee table and huge buffet sideboard. I need to sell that coffee table! Anyone need a traditional-looking coffee table in pristine condition? It is the Venetian model by Karges.
Back on topic: I have a Rumble v3 500 combo along with the matching v3 2x10 cabinet. I also have a Bassman 500 hybrid head. At some time I will be able to do a full side-by-side comparison of Rumble vs. Bassman: equal power into equal cabs. I will also do a comparison of both pre-amps into v3 1x15 cabs using the FX OUT on the Rumble combo into the PWR AMP INPUT on the Bassman.
The Bassman 500 and the Rumble 500 differ in two key areas: the pre-amp (and overdrive) and the flexibility of the user controls. They both use identical über-flat ICEpower power-amps. All the nit-picking over the Rumbles' implementation is addressed by the full-featured XLR OUT on the Bassman and the very complete and flexible channel options (VINTAGE and OVERDRIVE). All the hardware on the Bassman is upgraded from the Rumble line including switches, jacks, pots, etc.
If you were to do a simple feature-by-feature comparison of the two heads, every penny of the extra cost of the Bassman is accounted for in hardware and assembly alone, regardless of whatever tone benefits may or may not exist. But there are tone differences, starting with that tube-based creaminess and proceeding to a much-broadened flexibility in tone-shaping. I think you can come very close to reproducing, on the Bassman, any tone you can produce on the Rumble but the reverse is not the case. But given the Rumble's very good front end, there is a huge majority of users with whom this difference will never be an issue.
Bottom line:
Q: Is the Bassman 500 worth the extra cost over the Rumble 500?
A: Yes. Absolutely.
Q: But is it necessary?
A: No. Not unless you have some very specific requirements or you just gotta have that tone or you received some "under mattress" money which is burning a hole in your pocket!
______________
I grab my Rumble v3 200 when I go to a friend's home to practice/jam. Zero complaints, on any level.
At home I can not not use my Bassman 500 into a Rumble 1x15 cab; I am still busy exploring tonal variations. I'm fascinated!
Update on the mystery Rumble 100 with a 15" speaker. I got an email this afternoon saying it is ready for pick up. I don't have time to stop by this evening after work, so I will have a look at it tomorrow at lunch. Stay tuned to the Rumble channel for updates.
Well, I got back earlier than expected today and found my 500c had in fact been delivered to the local GC. Checked it out, picked it up, brought it home, plugged it in and fell in love with it completely. I was a bit nervous since I'd only been able to try the 200 and 40 in advance, but I am super happy I went with the 500 - sounds freaking fantastic. Here's a pic of it with the new P Bass:
A Rumble and a PROPER P. Well done, sir.Well, I got back earlier than expected today and found my 500c had in fact been delivered to the local GC. Checked it out, picked it up, brought it home, plugged it in and fell in love with it completely. I was a bit nervous since I'd only been able to try the 200 and 40 in advance, but I am super happy I went with the 500 - sounds freaking fantastic. Here's a pic of it with the new P Bass:
