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Fender Rumble LT25, Studio 40 & Stage 800
- Thread starter G-Dog
- Start date
Don't hold your breath, Souly. Just the flexibility and adjustability of your Broughton should be worth the cost, not to mention the actual functionality.
But, since you have both, a comparison of the two would surely be interesting! And I'm not calling you Shirley.
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Don't hold your breath, Souly. Just the flexibility and adjustability of your Broughton should be worth the cost, not to mention the actual functionality.
But, since you have both, a comparison of the two would surely be interesting! And I'm not calling you Shirley.
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Well, @G-Dog, I can guarantee that I am not a Shirley. I have checked, as my wife has. I am not a Shirley!
I can also confirm that, with all the EQ adjustments on my Studio 40, I cannot duplicate the results that I have found between the EQ and the Broughton HPF. The HPF quickly and easily solves problems with room characteristics and gives me the sound that I desire.
Anyone else can dispute this and they are welcome to. I know what I have found and that is all that matters. I am keeping the Broughton and looking forward to the day that I can play out with the confidence that I can dial out any room characteristics. But, this is just MHO.
First I've had my Stage for all of 20 hours so take the following for what it's worth.
First the bad. The fan. I get that it needs to be there for loud continuous play but while idle I would have preferred it stop. It's not loud or audible across the room but it's not silent either. Also I wouldn't have needed the manual at all if the firmware check was in the menu.
And on to the good. There are enough models I would use to make it good value. Like all modelers there are a ton I'll never use and others that are situational. It's quite loud, easily rattling the house without breaking a sweat. I also have a guitar and with the guitar models included have a nice clean and driven sound dialed in.
At the moment by bass chain is the gate, compressor, modern bass od, kgb800 and no cab sim.
And guitar is the same gate, compressor, mythic, 70s british with the green back cab.
No horn on either preset.
Given it has no input level function it would be nice if the compressors had some indicator that the threshold was being met. Doing it by ear unless I want to squash dynamics is hit or miss.
First the bad. The fan. I get that it needs to be there for loud continuous play but while idle I would have preferred it stop. It's not loud or audible across the room but it's not silent either. Also I wouldn't have needed the manual at all if the firmware check was in the menu.
And on to the good. There are enough models I would use to make it good value. Like all modelers there are a ton I'll never use and others that are situational. It's quite loud, easily rattling the house without breaking a sweat. I also have a guitar and with the guitar models included have a nice clean and driven sound dialed in.
At the moment by bass chain is the gate, compressor, modern bass od, kgb800 and no cab sim.
And guitar is the same gate, compressor, mythic, 70s british with the green back cab.
No horn on either preset.
Given it has no input level function it would be nice if the compressors had some indicator that the threshold was being met. Doing it by ear unless I want to squash dynamics is hit or miss.
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Congratulations, Solly! Please post a pic of your Stage in The Fender Rumble Club and get a free, unique membership number. Glad you've enjoyed this specialty sub-thread of The Club, so far, and we look forward to your continued contributions.
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One more pet peeve this time about the Tone app. The contrast between the background and the "grab" button is so low that I had to one read the manual to know it was there and two crank my brightness to see it
Well, the new 2.0 3D version of the Tone App is much better, visually, than the older 1.0 version. But my old eyes have trouble with my little phone screen, too. (My cataracts aren't quite operable, yet.) But, I find that my 10" android tablet is a good size for the Tone App, even though the Play Store says "this app may not be optimized for your device". It works fine and is very easy to use. In fact, this tablet is my main innerwebz device at home and in my wi-fi enabled car!
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My Android tablet was released in 2015 so... unsupported device 
Back to the HPF conversation, the Ampeg SVT and GK RB800 models both have a low cut that functions like a fixed frequency hpf so Dookie good catch. The GK one seems to have a lower frequency dialed in.
Back to the HPF conversation, the Ampeg SVT and GK RB800 models both have a low cut that functions like a fixed frequency hpf so Dookie good catch. The GK one seems to have a lower frequency dialed in.
I am looking at a used Stage 800. It is a really good deal, but total overkill for me. A Studio 40 would really be a better fit, but the deal is so good, it is hard to pass up. I don’t have a giggable amp, and the Stage would definitely fill that bill and the ability to add a 2nd 2x10 makes it possible to be all the amplification rig I’d ever need. I’m very tempted to “buy once, cry once” vs. constantly upgrading.
A couple of questions:
1. Is the Stage 800 usable as a practice amp in a home or does it need to be turned up pretty loud to get a “usable” tone?
2. When I look at the amp models, I see a lot of “classic” amps, which is cool, but one of the reasons I’m drawn to this amp is the ability to sample and “try out” several amp models/tones. I’m pretty new to the bass game and am not sure what I like yet, so this would be great. That said, I don’t see any models for newer “modern” amps/cabs like an Aguilar Tone Hammer, a Bergantino Forté or a Genzler Magellan. Is there an amp model that fills this bill that I am missing?
Thx!
A couple of questions:
1. Is the Stage 800 usable as a practice amp in a home or does it need to be turned up pretty loud to get a “usable” tone?
2. When I look at the amp models, I see a lot of “classic” amps, which is cool, but one of the reasons I’m drawn to this amp is the ability to sample and “try out” several amp models/tones. I’m pretty new to the bass game and am not sure what I like yet, so this would be great. That said, I don’t see any models for newer “modern” amps/cabs like an Aguilar Tone Hammer, a Bergantino Forté or a Genzler Magellan. Is there an amp model that fills this bill that I am missing?
Thx!
ShawnG, you don’t know me but I was you a year and a half ago slobbering over the Stage 800 but thinking more along the lines of the Studio 40. Thankfully, my “Go Big or Go Home” tendencies took over and I took the plunge. Best decision ever made.
The 800 will play nice as a practice combo with good tone at low level, which to me is the most important thing. You’ve got an Aux In and headphones capability for those super quiet times like any good combo, and have the option of playing with full group live and not sounding shabby doing it if the opportunity to do it.
Seriously, if the price is good and the combo checks your boxes, it’s a no-brained. Do it before someone else does!
If ya do make the buy, stop by the Combo Club with a picture and I’ll grant you a membership number to where all the cool kids hang out.
Good hunting!
It is primarily a Fender modeler with a few other choices from Ampeg and GK. For modeling of modern amps you'd want Bias FX Elite.
That said modern doesn't mean better since we're talking about subjective preferences. Of the choices the Stage does have I prefer the GK 800RB, Ampeg SVT-VR and Fender Bassman Pro the best and in that order.
I found out yesterday that while the Stage has lots of effect options some of them are so heavy DSP wise that if you select ONE of them, your options for other effects get crippled. As an example it's not possible to select your favourite reverb and delay if they're both in the heavy group. If I was an ambient player that would be a show stopper.
Back to the HPF talk, I ran some tests and the Ampeg and GK options for low cut are set to the edge of room vibration. Meaning when putting out 100dB raw everything vibrates and when the low cut is engaged only the easily vibrated does. I don't have a means of telling what frequency that is but it's high enough to stop most vibration but low enough not to stop all vibration. I prefer it on since it is far more musical that way. I'm sure my neighbours do too 
Alright, I pulled the trigger. Couldn't pass picking up an almost new Stage 800 for a a little more than a used Rumble 500 price.
A couple more quick questions, please:
1. To use this amp in a "stock" mode should I use Rumble v3 with 2x10 cab setting?
2. Would the "Clean" preset be the closest thing to "Modern" amp model?
Thx.
A couple more quick questions, please:
1. To use this amp in a "stock" mode should I use Rumble v3 with 2x10 cab setting?
2. Would the "Clean" preset be the closest thing to "Modern" amp model?
Thx.
So I had the chance to plug the 800 in last night and run through the presets with two of my basses on a low volume setting (no opportunity to open it up yet, I’ll be interested to see how loud the 800 gets).
I found several tones that I liked, so feeling like this was a good way for me to go vs. a 500. I’ll probably spend a lot of time on “Clean Focus”, but also liked the Studio and Tube pre’s, the Basic Redhead and Basic KGB-800 presents. I was surprised to find that I really liked the Basic TV Front preset, too. I’ve never heard one in the wild and didn’t think it would be my thing, but I like it.
As a beginner I’m not much into all of the pedal effects, but it’s nice to know they are all there, for “free”, if/when I want to play with them. The song-focused presets are a nice addition to to get an approximation of “that sound” as a base to build on.
All in all, I’m pretty happy with my purchase, even more so now that I’ve gotten the stale cigarette/ganja smoke smell out of it!!
I found several tones that I liked, so feeling like this was a good way for me to go vs. a 500. I’ll probably spend a lot of time on “Clean Focus”, but also liked the Studio and Tube pre’s, the Basic Redhead and Basic KGB-800 presents. I was surprised to find that I really liked the Basic TV Front preset, too. I’ve never heard one in the wild and didn’t think it would be my thing, but I like it.
As a beginner I’m not much into all of the pedal effects, but it’s nice to know they are all there, for “free”, if/when I want to play with them. The song-focused presets are a nice addition to to get an approximation of “that sound” as a base to build on.
All in all, I’m pretty happy with my purchase, even more so now that I’ve gotten the stale cigarette/ganja smoke smell out of it!!
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Another quick question, in order to get all of the volume out of a preset, I am assuming you need to boost the “virtual” volume of the preset as well as the “Master” knob?
Not sure why each preset has a different “virtual” volume vs. everything being flat and then just using the Master knob. If someone can educate me, I’m all ears (beginner bassist, here). Thx!
Not sure why each preset has a different “virtual” volume vs. everything being flat and then just using the Master knob. If someone can educate me, I’m all ears (beginner bassist, here). Thx!
‘Tis true, but luckily for me I play bass, not wind chimes where all that ambience is crucial!
Light reverb is enough for me in the music room, but for some it may not be.
Hooray for ShawnG! Welcome to the modeling world of Fender! I think you’re gonna love it, especially if you’re patient and like to dabble with your tones.
Truly, stock mode is what you wish to make it. Yeah, if you physically want to model what it has inside, a Rumble V3 model with 210s would I suppose be the default. Run through your speaker selection after you choose your amp model and see what your ears like. Heck, it might end up being an 8 X 10 with neo drivers!
For your second question, and please people, feel free to chime in. Clean, as in any one of the amp models that runs lower gains and no effects is not hard to find. Fender’s own Acoustic model will give you that in spades. It’s a tad dry but serviceable. As mentioned, I love the British clean, but that’s my ears talking.
I’d maybe consider the base GK 800RB as a nice clean model. I think it’s fairly modern-sounding. The first model preset is Fender’s Basic Bassman Clean and it’s a great foundation to build from.
How soon before you pick it up?
