I just purchased a new fender rumble 500 combo which I am playing a new Fender P bass through. I purchased the amp because of the very good ratings it received. Overall I really like the clean sound along with overdrive setting. The only thing I am disappointed in right now is the vintage setting. I expected that sound to have that dirty vintage tube sound like in the song by “Yes” in roundabout or somewhat close to that. I have adjusted the mids, bass and treble to try to achieve something but I cant even get close to that sound. When I activate the vintage setting it does not seem to change much at all. I have looked online and some users are right on the money with that vintage tube sound. I guess my question is if the amp is not defective could it be the P bass just cant produce that effect. I don’t have thin skin so let me know your thoughts, it could be user error, need some help.
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Rumble 500 Vintage setting
- Thread starter Rbffd
- Start date
The Vintage mode on Rumble just sound Warmth and thick-fat tone.
Suggest the Overdrive engage and tweak both drive and level knob to get dirty tube tone.
If she unable give you the tone you liking, you need a Bassman 500.
Suggest the Overdrive engage and tweak both drive and level knob to get dirty tube tone.
If she unable give you the tone you liking, you need a Bassman 500.
The VINTAGE switch on the Rumble amps is specified in the manual as:
VINTAGE: Dynamic compression (-9dB max) with low pass (-6dB/oct) @ 400Hz
Basically, when you push the switch, all frequencies above 400 Hz (the mids and highs) are rolled off at a slope of -6dB/octave, along with the kind of compression you would have experienced with an older, lower-powered tube amp.
It is sorta analogous to the "DEEP" switch on a Bassman amp, in that it makes a significant cut in the mids and highs, sounding warm/thick/fat!
Imagine a Bassman 50 through a 2-15 cab, and the DEEP switch engaged.
It's NOT the Chris Squire/Yes/Rickenbacker sound!!
A P-Bass should sound awesome through a Rumble 500, using the Vintage switch, but only if you’re going for that old-school deep, 60s classic rock, Motown, flat-wound sound. What bass sounded like BEFORE round-wound strings, 70s progressive rock and metal, and especially Seinfeld slap!
If you prefer the sound of an amp with small (10 Inch) drivers and a tweeter, DON’T push that Vintage switch!
If you’re worried something isn’t working right with your 500, plug in your bass (with the bass’s tone control all the way up), all the amp tone controls flat (at 12:00), the overdrive OFF, and the Bright, Contour and Vintage switches Off (out).
Get an idea of what that sounds like, then push the Vintage switch on. The sound should get louder, fuller, kinda boomy, and the highs should sound like you turned your bass’s tone control way down.
This video will give you an idea of what you might expect, from 0:40 (where he engages the DEEP switch) until about 1:45 where he switches it off:
If it sounds like the Vintage switch on your amp isn’t having much effect, it’s probably because you’ve EQed out most of the lows using the Bright and Contour switches, or the tone controls.
Also, there’s a reason Chris Squire used a Rickenbacker, not a Precision, to get his Yes sound. I think you could easily get the sound you’re looking for by plugging a Rick into your 500. It would be much harder using a P.
And the Rumble’s Vintage switch won’t help!
If you prefer the sound of an amp with small (10 Inch) drivers and a tweeter, DON’T push that Vintage switch!
If you’re worried something isn’t working right with your 500, plug in your bass (with the bass’s tone control all the way up), all the amp tone controls flat (at 12:00), the overdrive OFF, and the Bright, Contour and Vintage switches Off (out).
Get an idea of what that sounds like, then push the Vintage switch on. The sound should get louder, fuller, kinda boomy, and the highs should sound like you turned your bass’s tone control way down.
This video will give you an idea of what you might expect, from 0:40 (where he engages the DEEP switch) until about 1:45 where he switches it off:
If it sounds like the Vintage switch on your amp isn’t having much effect, it’s probably because you’ve EQed out most of the lows using the Bright and Contour switches, or the tone controls.
Also, there’s a reason Chris Squire used a Rickenbacker, not a Precision, to get his Yes sound. I think you could easily get the sound you’re looking for by plugging a Rick into your 500. It would be much harder using a P.
And the Rumble’s Vintage switch won’t help!
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Thanks for the responses guys. KenB that was a great solution. I did have the lows EQed out and the description from the manual that you quoted for the vintage setting itself is what it is doing. You also read my mind on the Rickenbacker. Thanks again for the well thought out answer and the video. It helped out a lot. I have adjusted tone controls and used your advise on the settings.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Remember, not everyone's idea of "vintage" is the same. Squire had a unique tone, and it's from the 70s, but it's pretty unique.
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Come discuss settings and tones in the Fender Rumble Club and see the resources we can share. Post a photo of your Rumble and get a free Club number!
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Come discuss settings and tones in the Fender Rumble Club and see the resources we can share. Post a photo of your Rumble and get a free Club number!
.
I'll post a picture of my Rumble 200 soon... but she's still getting dressed.
I'm in the process of making a new grill frame, with "real" Fender blackface grill cloth and metal logo.
I just can't abide the cheap cloth and plastic logo that comes on the (otherwise AWESOME) Rumbles.
I bought the blackface cloth from Stewart MacDonald.
Black/White/Silver Grill Cloth, 59" Wide | stewmac.com
Their cloth is totally indistinguishable from the cloth that comes on the current Fender blackface reissues.
"Project in process" pix are acceptable, even encouraged!
You may help others wanting a new grille..
So I've been playing a lot more with my new Rumble and for me the magic is in the Vintage switch. Looking at the frequency chart I can see the cut off starts at about 100mhz and slowly rolls off. What is interesting is that if I reproduce this without the vintage switch using my EQ it doesn't sound quite the same -
1. The gain/master is not the same - I have to raise it without the vintage switch to match volume level
2. With the vintage switch on the overall sound is a bit thicker - especially noticeable on the D and G strings. I read somewhere else there is some compression going on with the vintage switch enabled? If there is it must be more of a 'coloration' compression because I am also using an Empress compressor before the amp and I don't notice significant squishing or anything that makes my playing feel different. Oh, by the way in all testing I have my tweeter turned off
In any case I really love the Vintage switch - for me that's the magic sauce. Didn't care much for the contour switch, way too scooped and can't ever see myself cutting through in a band setting and the bright switch - I guess if your going for clanky that's the thing, but man I find it really harsh. I guess that's good though - something for everyone.
1. The gain/master is not the same - I have to raise it without the vintage switch to match volume level
2. With the vintage switch on the overall sound is a bit thicker - especially noticeable on the D and G strings. I read somewhere else there is some compression going on with the vintage switch enabled? If there is it must be more of a 'coloration' compression because I am also using an Empress compressor before the amp and I don't notice significant squishing or anything that makes my playing feel different. Oh, by the way in all testing I have my tweeter turned off
In any case I really love the Vintage switch - for me that's the magic sauce. Didn't care much for the contour switch, way too scooped and can't ever see myself cutting through in a band setting and the bright switch - I guess if your going for clanky that's the thing, but man I find it really harsh. I guess that's good though - something for everyone.
