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Upgrading from Rumble 15-Thoughts on Hartke KB-12?

#41
A Rumble 50 would be so much more than your Rumble 15 and they're not only cheap but also won't strain your back. IMO you really don't need the power of a 100 or 200 watt amp for what you propose using it for. But the extra headroom would always be there for more if you need it and want it.
 
#42
The 15 isn't the best as you found. My speaker blew up too on my. The 40 is great but for headroom and gigs the 200 or 500 is amazing. That Hartke is awesome as well, but I would tried as many as you can at a store with your bass. I was dead-set on Phil Jones products I still love them but I tried Markbass and some of their smaller amps. Much more happy with that as my next big bass purchase. GL
 
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#43
My friend had a kickback in his rehearsal studio and it struggled to keep up with a light touch jazz drummer. Unless you are buying fancy stuff, you need a 1x15 or 2x10 to keep up with a normal drummer, and if you have a meatfist kind of guy and some loud guitarist, you may need even more. The suggestion of a rumble 200 or higher is probably the cheapest way to get there. You can go cheaper, but you may find yourself needing to upgrade when you get a band.
 
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#44
Old_Noob said:
Honestly, it didn't sound like any of these really cut through the mix with the room mic, and that wasn't exactly a hard hitting drummer either.
Click to expand...

Your perception of that and opinion on the drummer are your own, but one thing I'd say is it greatly depends on what you are listening through...laptop or other small speakers, headphones and desktop monitors will give different impressions. The audio from any youtube video can only tell you so much, and I wouldn't take from that video that those combos can't be heard with drums.

Lot's of opinions are offered here...I think the primary thing you are considering here is whether, generically, a 1x12 combo (with the speaker size being the limiting factor given consideration) can meet your needs for "home practice and some garage jam sessions with friends, but wanting something that can hold its own on smaller gigs IF you ever join a band".

You can obviously go a number of ways...in my opinion, a 1x12 combo would be a reasonable choice to meet those needs, and likely any from the current crop that have the features that you want could be used satisfactorily. I think it would also be reasonable to assume that some time down the road, you may run into situation where a 1x12 combo is insufficient. With an unknown future, it's also possible that a 1x12 combo could serve you indefinitely...there are small gigs where a 1x12 combo is sufficient as a standalone, and it's also possible that the future hold a PA with the capability of supporting bass and IEMs, and that combo would be sufficient in any situation you'll face.

So, I think that going with a 1x12 combo for your current and immediately foreseeable needs and accepting the possibility of needing to buy again at some point in the future is a valid choice that leaves you open to making your future choice on future available options (i.e., needing something more later isn't necessarily or inherently a negative). It can also be a valid argument that going with a 1x15 (or more) carries you farther into the potential future, so going that route is better preparing you and saving future expense.

I have a 1x12 cabinet and I use it with various heads standalone for rehearsals with acoustic drums, jams, and some small gigs. Because having PA support/IEMs is the norm for me, it's technically sufficient for anything I do, which fully covers the kinds of situations you're looking at and more.

Good luck with your decision.
 
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#45
My son used a Rumble 30 all through college Jazz band, and was plenty loud over horns and a sedate Jazz drummer, but that would get drowned by even an average rock drummer. The Rumble 100 or 200 are a decent buy for the money, plenty around used too. The Rumble 15 is a bargain basement practice amp, time to step it up, sounds like.
 
#48
Considering you are mostly a solo act, and weekend warrior, you obviously don't need a head and 810, a small combo sounds good for your needs.

The class D is referring to the power section. Most amps are heavy because of the big, iron transformer. The class D used digital technology, so it is much lighter. SO, you can have a 500 watt head that weighs 3 lbs instead of 50 lbs.

Next, is your budget. For $500 , your choices on used combos is nearly limitless. If you have a music store near you, just go ask them if you can try out amps in the drum room with an employee on the kit, or your buddy who went with you, or whatever. They will say yes and you can find out what you like.
 
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#51
I went through multiple upgrades while playing guitar. A small used Fender combo followed by a used Carvin 100 watt head/used 4x12 Marshall cab (way too much), followed by a open box Fender Blues Jr combo (my all around fav), followed by a new Fender 68 Custom Reverb combo (super nice, but I always went back to my Blues Jr), followed by a new Marshall 50 watt head/2x12 Marshall cab (love it), followed by a Vox AC15... you get the idea. When I picked up bass again after 35 years and before joining TB I was all set on a Trace Elliot Elf rig, but after reading a lot of posts on TB I decided not to go the upgrade route and got a nice Ampeg Portaflex rig to begin with. It's been wonderful. Thanks! @JimmyM I am glad I spent the extra money. The best thing I ever did was join TB. You are getting great info from highly experienced top level pros. Thanks! @agedhorse and many others. I have spent a lot of time in the bass room at Guitar Center playing Ampegs, Peaveys and Fender Rumbles. For me I would go with Ampeg or Fender, just my personal preference and I am likely the least experienced person on this thread. If @agedhorse suggests a Rumble 200, I wouldn't mull it over too much. It will be a single purchase and it will serve you very well. Good luck on your purchase!
 
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#53
I had a hankering for a 112 combo and I went with the Hartke KB12 mostly for price, but also for the "kickback" feature. I have not been disappointed. It's loud. It has a full low end. You do have to tame the highs back because of the aluminum in the cone, but that's what the treble knob is for, right? It's easy to carry, it works great on tight stages because it points upward at you like a monitor wedge. When I used this amp, I just put a battery powered Zoom MS-60B in front of it: tuner, comp and Sansamp, done. Makes a potent little rig.

Here's the bad news. First, you can't hook up a second cab to it. Second, the "500 watts" thing is baloney. It can't be more than 300, but then that's all a single 12 is gonna need, right? Third, it has very few features. There's a headphone out, a DI out, and a switchable midrange shape thing. Otherwise, nothing. No compressor, no tuner, no overdrive.

Still, for the $350 I paid for it on the used market two years ago, I consider it a good buy.
 
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#54
scottfeldstein said:
...I just put a battery powered Zoom MS-60B in front of it...
Click to expand...
Since @scottfeldstein mentioned it, I would like to recommend this multi-fx pedal. I also use it with a battery powered Roland Duo Capture EX (line level) with headphones as a stereo mobile practice/recording setup into an iPad or laptop. The MS-60B can go through batteries is the only downside. I mostly use it plugged into a 9 volt power supply. When I first started playing bass again I bought a Boss TU-3 and a Boss LM3 limiter. A few months later I got the MS-60B. I realized I could have just purchased the MS-60B only. It is really all you need IMO to start out with.

In the MS-60B manual it says "Maximum output level: Line +5dBm (with output load impedance of 10 kΩ or more)" Anyone care to explain how this great little multi-fx pedal can be line level and work in front of an amp? Is it because I am using TRS cables from the MS-60B to the Roland Duo Capture EX?
 
#55
Jxff said:
Since @scottfeldstein mentioned it, I would like to recommend this multi-fx pedal. I also use it with a battery powered Roland Duo Capture EX (line level) with headphones as a stereo mobile practice/recording setup into an iPad or laptop. The MS-60B can go through batteries is the only downside. I mostly use it plugged into a 9 volt power supply. When I first started playing bass again I bought a Boss TU-3 and a Boss LM3 limiter. A few months later I got the MS-60B. I realized I could have just purchased the MS-60B only. It is really all you need IMO to start out with.

In the MS-60B manual it says "Maximum output level: Line +5dBm (with output load impedance of 10 kΩ or more)" Anyone care to explain how this great little multi-fx pedal can be line level and work in front of an amp? Is it because I am using TRS cables from the MS-60B to the Roland Duo Capture EX?
Click to expand...
Why shouldn't it work?
 

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