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I don't like my Rumble 100, help me find a solution
- Thread starter Christian C
- Start date
So what is your price range if you don't mind me asking? I have enjoyed the couple of demo experiences I had with GK RB700 I saw used at Sam Ash. Was very nice warm clean tone. I figure it'd accept pedals just fine.
You and I have similar effects setups, though I love my bass muff. I have sold it twice funding boutique fuzz's but have ended up back at it a third and hopefully final time. Also running the MXR Envelope filter and the B3K (my darkglass head has that built in). If money weren't an object, I have liked the clean and distorted sounds of my Aguilar DB750 and Darkglass Microtubes 900 heads. Maybe a less way overpowered version of those could fit the bill? The Genz Benz heads are also great.
I own a Rumble 100 which I use for low volume level rehearsal. I don't think it exactly sucks, but I have very low expectations for how an amp in that price range is supposed to sound and for me it is good enough. If yours sounds like you are suggesting it sounds, in my estimation it is either a problem with the amp or a problem with your ability to set the EQ. My guess is that it is the latter.
If this is for playing at home, just ok should be good enough. I mean, its not like you are going to be gigging a Rumble 100 anywhere. Yes, I am fully aware that someone will jump in here and tell me how they played MSG with a Rumble 100 and it was more than enough to hear over the drummer without monitor support.
uhm, maybe try a MarkBass or Phil Jones.
This, in a nutshell. It's a great amp for home practice and even for gigs where you don't need to push the volume. But it turns to mud on the bottom before you get to its peak volume level.
The last 3 small club gigs I did had a Rumble 100 as the backline amp. I don't love them by any means, but 'eh, they're just fine for an onstage monitor, at least for the rootsy Americana stuff I was doing. I send my signal DI to FOH before the amp anyway. At the last show they were taking the DI out from the Rumble, and I asked the guy if I could use my DI instead (just a plain 'ol JDI) and he commented later that it sounded way better than usual--much "clearer" was his description.
On a tight budget, I would look for a used Peavy combo with a 15 inch woofer.
Robust, punchy, not muddy and can survive a long time.
Hartke HD50 or HD75 would come to my mind as well. They are usually affordable and clean sounding although a tad midrangy for my taste.
If possible, you should bring your actual amp and compare side by side to see if it suits you well.
Robust, punchy, not muddy and can survive a long time.
Hartke HD50 or HD75 would come to my mind as well. They are usually affordable and clean sounding although a tad midrangy for my taste.
If possible, you should bring your actual amp and compare side by side to see if it suits you well.
Heh, I also replaced my Rumble 100 for similar reasons. It’s worth going through @FullumMusic ’s suggestions for finding the source of the mud but my guess is that you’ll find it’s the Rumble.
For a similar size, price, and loudness I’d get an Acoustic B100C. It’s definitely heavier, but sounds much cleaner.
However, if you’re willing to spend more and want even cleaner sound, Phil Jones gear definitely gets the job done. That’s where I’ve ended up.
For a similar size, price, and loudness I’d get an Acoustic B100C. It’s definitely heavier, but sounds much cleaner.
However, if you’re willing to spend more and want even cleaner sound, Phil Jones gear definitely gets the job done. That’s where I’ve ended up.
I use one Rumble 100 on top of another one, one is the controler with send into the other's return. It helps the limitations a lot (bass eq is still cut) but I usually use it (them) on keyboards or modular synth, it's a good amp for them... These 2 Rumbles were originally bought because I had to carry them up 3 stories in a factory space, and they work great for that too.
Let me know when you want to unload it. Always looking for a good deal on a second one.
Different strokes, I guess. About 5 years ago I joined a drummer friend for a casual jam in his guitarist's garage. Didn't have to bring an amp, a Rumble 100 was supplied. Long story short, I liked it so much I bought one for myself. I wouldn't call it FRFR, but it's transparent enough, and I've even gigged it a couple few times. I also bought a Rumble 40 for practicing at home.
It has a versatile 4 band EQ with voicing filters, but if you can't get a good tone, then yep... time to move on. I have no recommendations aside from auditioning a bunch of similar combos (if you have a large music store near you).
FWIW I've rehearsed through Ashdown and Hartke 1x15 combos (don't recall the model for either) and thought both were way muddier than the Rumble (shrug).
It has a versatile 4 band EQ with voicing filters, but if you can't get a good tone, then yep... time to move on. I have no recommendations aside from auditioning a bunch of similar combos (if you have a large music store near you).
FWIW I've rehearsed through Ashdown and Hartke 1x15 combos (don't recall the model for either) and thought both were way muddier than the Rumble (shrug).
If I have any gripe with Rumble amps in general is it’s baked in sound of which there is not much you can do about it. You either like it or you don’t. By the time you buy an EQ and a new speaker as a remedy, you may as well sell what you have and buy a different rig altogether. That said, a lot of people like them, and dollar wise they are very competitive cost wise.
Me? For amps and cabs I buy quality pro level gently used gear. For starters it will sound good. pro’s are not going to buy bad sounding rigs and most of the time will not abuse their gear.You can find used pro quality gear about about the cost of new weekend warrior level. Cheaper still if you are patient enough for the right price, and or you can live with a few blemishes.
All the gear shown in my avatar was bought used within the last 12 years. All told I have invested in the gear picture about $1,300. The full retail when it was new was somewhere in the $5,000 dollar range. Now it is total overkill even for a working pro.
I have about $500 invested in the rack set up, a stereo rig that can put out up to 1250 watt. The cabs cost about $800, two 210s. I’ve used it in theater concerts as well as outdoor concerts plenty of volume.
I only use one of these Eden cabs cab these days and a gently used (in pristine condition) a Mesa WD-800 (something I wanted for several years) I bought here on Talk Bass classified at about 65% off retail. It will last me the rest of my life.
I hope you found this useful. Best wishes.
You failed to mention the type of bass you are playing and the strings . The amp settings are dependant on the room /stage you are playing in . Have you engaged the three contour buttons at the same time ? Run the Bass at 3 o'clock and the Treble at 3 to full and no Middle to 9 o'clock if needed . If that does not help , buy the Rumble 500 combo or something else with some serious wattage .
Have you tried going into the Effects Loop Return?
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Did you ever think of asking those in the Rumble Club?
Can confirm the Rumble 100 has a muddy tone, however plugging the ports with polyfill singificantly tightened the loose, rumbly low end. Big difference. The obnoxious mud is still there but more manageable.
Fender P basses with Fender and Labella flats, My settings in clock numbers: Vintage ON, Gain 3, no OD, Bass 9, Low Mids 9, High Mids 3, Treble 9
I need a bigger amp for shows (the 100 doesn't cut it) and I'm totally lost. At the price of some f the heads and cabs I'd love to go full tube but the Ampeg Pf50t is only 50w
Fender P basses with Fender and Labella flats, My settings in clock numbers: Vintage ON, Gain 3, no OD, Bass 9, Low Mids 9, High Mids 3, Treble 9
I need a bigger amp for shows (the 100 doesn't cut it) and I'm totally lost. At the price of some f the heads and cabs I'd love to go full tube but the Ampeg Pf50t is only 50w
It's that baked in Rumble tone. It made all my bases sound the same, and I was just playing the same bass all the time. When I switched it out for a more transparent amp, all of a sudden I appreciated the differences between my basses again.
It seems that Rumble is finally falling out of favor as the flavor of the decade around here.
It seems that Rumble is finally falling out of favor as the flavor of the decade around here.
Bigger shows need bigger amps. An HPF can and does clear mud. Any amp and room can create mud, IMHO.
