The Combo Club

[SoulReflection]

I’ve owned a 500 for a few years, and am very happy with it.

The good:
Light enough to carry in one hand, powerful enough to cover a medium-sized club without PA support. With an extra 210 cab it shakes the foundations of the building. The build quality is very good, and it doesn’t cost the world.

The (possibly) bad:
You may or may not like the tone. The Rumbles have a definite vintagey sound, and some like their sound more modern. Personally, I love it. A lot has been made of the fact that the XLR out is post-everything, but I’ve never found it to be a problem. I never touch the controls during a show anyway, but a word to the sound person at the sound check will usually sort it. Or get a DI box if it bugs you. (IMHO)

The ugly:
Are you kidding? Look at this thing!

Great post @JakobT. My thought is, if you are looking for a modern sound and you can't find it with a Rumble and any the different basses out there, you are looking for a sound that I, and many others, do not want (IMHO). What you need is a modern sounding amp and modern sounding bass and an audience that likes it. Oh, and the modern sounding amp, could be a combo, as in Combo Club .

 

[Cracker7]

I’ve owned a 500 for a few years, and am very happy with it.

The good:
Light enough to carry in one hand, powerful enough to cover a medium-sized club without PA support. With an extra 210 cab it shakes the foundations of the building. The build quality is very good, and it doesn’t cost the world.

The (possibly) bad:
You may or may not like the tone. The Rumbles have a definite vintagey sound, and some like their sound more modern. Personally, I love it. A lot has been made of the fact that the XLR out is post-everything, but I’ve never found it to be a problem. I never touch the controls during a show anyway, but a word to the sound person at the sound check will usually sort it. Or get a DI box if it bugs you.

The ugly:
Are you kidding? Look at this thing!

Awesome post. Thanks a lot. My GK is as modern as I need. Looking for a little old school. I think this would fit the bill. Have to go test one out. But you’re right, they’re sooooo ugly damn. Hahaha

 

[JakobT]

Great post @JakobT. My thought is, if you are looking for a modern sound and you can't find it with a Rumble and any the different basses out there, you are looking for a sound that I, and many others, do not want (IMHO). What you need is a modern sounding amp and modern sounding bass and an audience that likes it. Oh, and the modern sounding amp, could be a combo, as in Combo Club .

Agreed, @SoulReflection. I have no problem with dialling in just about any sound I want, but there are those who find Rumbles «muddy». Those individuals will probably be better served with something else. Tone preference is a highly individual thing, after all.

 

[G-Dog]

Fender rumble 500 thoughts???
The good, the bad, the ugly.
Thinking of getting one. Options appreciated.
Thanks

I’ve owned a 500 for a few years, and am very happy with it.

The good:
Light enough to carry in one hand, powerful enough to cover a medium-sized club without PA support. With an extra 210 cab it shakes the foundations of the building. The build quality is very good, and it doesn’t cost the world.

The (possibly) bad:
You may or may not like the tone. The Rumbles have a definite vintagey sound, and some like their sound more modern. Personally, I love it. A lot has been made of the fact that the XLR out is post-everything, but I’ve never found it to be a problem. I never touch the controls during a show anyway, but a word to the sound person at the sound check will usually sort it. Or get a DI box if it bugs you.

The ugly:
Are you kidding? Look at this thing!

Hey, Crack! Jake hit the nail on the head!

I'm a 6-year Rumble 500 combo owner/user with no disappointments at all, but many pleasant surprises with this little, lightweight, "monster" of an amp. I ordered it shortly after introduction fully expecting it to not measure up to my experience with my Bassman 150 & 250 combos. But, "Holy Soundcheck, Batman!"! This thing blew them away with "bang for the buck" (watts/$), yet much less weight, and rich, full sound out of just 2x10" ceramic speakers, no less. Its 350 watts was puh-lenty alone in my very loud country cover band. But when I added my Bassman 115 Neo cab for the full 500 watts at outdoor venues, ... fuhgeddaboudit! Actually, the full 500 was mostly overkill and I only used it a few times. And in "at home" testing, I can't hear any significant difference between the Rumbles' ceramic speakers and the Bassman's Neo speakers! YEMV* And the looks?!? I absolutely love the '60s Fender blackface style! I even bought the Bassman 500 amp head, in some part, for that retro look. And I'm not the only one to think of the Rumble 500 as a Bassman 500 without the extra bells and whistles. Yep, it's that good!

Browse the Fender Rumble Club and feel free to ask any questions that may help you decide, or to know what to expect. Also, browse the Fender Rumble Club Wiki page, linked in my signature (too), for everything you could ever want to know about Rumbles. As JakobT mentioned, some people have a problem with the XLR Out being post EQ only, and being post Master Volume and messing up the FOH settings! See the Rumble XLR Out Volume Levels section of the Rumble Wiki for real life experiences, tests and experiments to calm the hysteria. Also, see the Rumble Extension Cabs section to see what they look like, if you're thinking of adding one of those, because the 115 and 210 cabs are different sizes that some OCD people find frustrating. And the Rumble Talks section gives valuable background, tips and in-depth descriptions of Rumble features, spec.s and attributes. Plus lots more!

Good luck! Hope this helps.



*Your Ears May Vary
.

 

[Cracker7]

That’s great news. I just ordered one from my local shop. Just have to drive over to pick it up tomorrow or Saturday. Then I’ll give it a go. Thanks a lot guys and gals for always giving out great info.

 

[bhendrix]

That’s great news. I just ordered one from my local shop. Just have to drive over to pick it up tomorrow or Saturday. Then I’ll give it a go. Thanks a lot guys and gals for always giving out great info.

A great decision imho... The 500 combo is the best all around combo amp I've ever owned. I'm a bit tall (6'4) and needed a little elevation for mine. So I opted for another Rumble Cab to sit her on!

 

[iagtrplyr]

Sooooo, received my Fender Rumble 112 v3 cabinet yesterday - in excellent shape and ready to rock. Gonna give her a go under the 500 combo later today. BUT, one thing I found VERY interestink! Bought this on Reverb and the sellers "store" name there is "Lefty Bassist Gear Outlet". Found out after the sale that the seller is a TB member! Check out the Fender Rumble Thread to see his avatar....I think our fearless leader has a doppelganger in TX! So just hoping the cab ends up being ambidextrous and not "lefty" only!

b, you are a hoot! I wouldn’t worry about your cab being a lefty though, because Fender isn’t crazy about us southpaws.

Enjoy that new cabinet, our bass buddy. Prepare for not only a volume bump, but a much greater sense of fullness.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Watch out, the speaker wires might be backwards .

 

[bhendrix]

b, you are a hoot! I wouldn’t worry about your cab being a lefty though, because Fender isn’t crazy about us southpaws.

Enjoy that new cabinet, our bass buddy. Prepare for not only a volume bump, but a much greater sense of fullness.

Were you able to check out the avatar of the seller (from the rumble thread)? Look familiar??

 

[iagtrplyr]

Were you able to check out the avatar of the seller (from the rumble thread)? Look familiar??

Nah man, I haven’t had time, but I’ll put it on my to-do list either tomorrow night or this weekend. I spent my time tonight prepping for my yearly association membership pitch to the rank and file tomorrow.

Great story I’d like to share with ya’ll: last night at our middle/ high school building, one of our former elementary students now going into sixth comes to their orientation, takes pictures with his phone of his homeroom, pics of the teachers, and some of the social distancing of the desks, and when asked by the principal why he’s doing that, he replies, “My mom wants to see what the room and teachers look like because if she’s not impressed then I’m staying home and doing school online.”

Probably one of mine from last year...

 

[StatesideRambler]

That story demands follow-up. We’ll be checking back in anticipation.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Nah man, I haven’t had time, but I’ll put it on my to-do list either tomorrow night or this weekend. I spent my time tonight prepping for my yearly association membership pitch to the rank and file tomorrow.

Great story I’d like to share with ya’ll: last night at our middle/ high school building, one of our former elementary students now going into sixth comes to their orientation, takes pictures with his phone of his homeroom, pics of the teachers, and some of the social distancing of the desks, and when asked by the principal why he’s doing that, he replies, “My mom wants to see what the room and teachers look like because if she’s not impressed then I’m staying home and doing school online.”

Probably one of mine from last year...

My friend has two kids that are primary age, and he and his have decided to home school for the upcoming year. I think they can handle it. She is a stay at home mom and he has a Ph D in math. I'm a little jealous, but I think my son will be okay. He goes into kindergarten this Fall.

Are you concerned? I know a good number of primary and secondary teachers, and they are anxious.

 

[Polish Thunder]

b, you are a hoot! I wouldn’t worry about your cab being a lefty though, because Fender isn’t crazy about us southpaws.

My name is Polish Thunder and I am left handed.

I approve this message.

 

[G-Dog]

My name is Polish Thunder and I am left handed.

I approve this message.

Did you, or your kind, invent Reverse Polish Notation?

.​

 

[JPDsma]

Did you, or your kind, invent Reverse Polish Notation?

View attachment 3953097
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Hah lol, one of my college buddies’ brother did! At least he worked on it!

 

[Polish Thunder]

Did you, or your kind, invent Reverse Polish Notation?

View attachment 3953097
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Ummmm....no comment.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Those RPN HP calculators were top-of-line spendy in their day. They still make RPN calculators? Do I even want to know the answer?

 

[swink]

Did you, or your kind, invent Reverse Polish Notation?

View attachment 3953097
.​

I had to look it up...
Reverse Polish notation (RPN), also known as Polish postfix notation or simply postfix notation, is a mathematical notation in which operators follow their operands, in contrast to Polish notation (PN), in which operators precede their operands. It does not need any parentheses as long as each operator has a fixed number of operands. The description "Polish" refers to the nationality of logician Jan Łukasiewicz,[1] who invented Polish notation in 1924.[2][3]

The reverse Polish scheme was proposed in 1954 by Arthur Burks, Don Warren, and Jesse Wright[4] and was independently reinvented by Friedrich L. Bauer and Edsger W. Dijkstra in the early 1960s
..... No Polishman in the list.

 

[G-Dog]

Hah lol, one of my college buddies’ brother did! At least he worked on it!

Then, I thank him, and them, most kindly. It took some getting used to, but then the numbers just flew into resolution! Too bad I couldn't get a calculus calculator back in my college days, though.
.

Those RPN HP calculators were top-of-line spendy in their day. They still make RPN calculators? Do I even want to know the answer?

Yes, only the math and engineering majors had 'em at my university in '76. I was lucky enough to have a good paying full time job, with a credit union that agreed that a $200 calculator loan was a good investment. It certainly was that, at least until the IBM PCs started proliferating at work a few years later.

Of course there are still RPN calculators, just check The Zon. I believe the HP 12CP still rules the financial desktop, but they're a lot cheaper these days.

​

Of course, here in the future, ... there's an app for that!

.​

 

[GonePlaid]

Then, I thank him, and them, most kindly. It took some getting used to, but then the numbers just flew into resolution! Too bad I couldn't get a calculus calculator back in my college days, though.
.



Yes, only the math and engineering majors had 'em at my university in '76. I was lucky enough to have a good paying full time job, with a credit union that agreed that a $200 calculator loan was a good investment. It certainly was that, at least until the IBM PCs started proliferating at work a few years later.

Of course there are still RPN calculators, just check The Zon. I believe the HP 12CP still rules the financial desktop, but they're a lot cheaper these days.

View attachment 3953108​

Of course, here in the future, ... there's an app for that!

View attachment 3953113
.​

You should create an app for the Rumble Club Wiki.[says the guy with a flip phone](uhh, whusanapp)