NAD: FENDER RUMBLE 500 V.3 BASS COMBO

[grayn]

I've been using the same bass rig for gigs/rehearsals, for quite a few years now.
Gallien Krueger head through a Mark Bass 2x10 cab.
It's been a great set up and impressed folks with it's sound.
Light though it is, I can't be bothered to lug it up to my music room, when not in use.
So, when I want to play/practice bass, I usually play acoustically.
More recently I've been playing a lot more at home, so figured it was time to get a practice amp.
No shortage of choice or perhaps too much choice.
Then I started thinking, perhaps I could get a combo that would be good/loud enough to be a back up, to my regular rig.
The most obvious choice would be a 2nd hand Mark Bass combo and I saw a nice 1x12 combo on Gumtree.
But unlike basses, that I'm very happy to get preowned, I'm always a bit dubious about getting 2nd hand amps.
I know it may be foolish but you never know what they've been through.
Anyway I decided to visit my mate Tony's shop, in Keighley.
Which cut the combo choices to 2; Blackstar Unity or Fender Rumble.
He had a few different sizes in each but I quickly took a fancy to the Fender Rumble 500.
Nice and compact for a 2x10, rediculously lightweight and very straightforward controls.
Gain to control input, Master for output, 4 band EQ, plus 3 mod buttons and a 2 control, overdrive section.
Very unlikely to ever use the overdrive but it sounded pretty good, if you like that sort of thing.
The 3 push/push mod buttons are Bright (high frequency boost), Contour (mid scoop, with extra bass & treble) and Vintage (compressed, smooth and vintagey)
Funnily enough, when I first switched the amp on, I didn't notice the Vintage button was down.
And I thought blimey, this sounds like some old 70s amp, which I didn't really like.
Like the overdrive, I'l not be using the Mod buttons but I can see how they could be very useful.
Remembering that this is a relatively low cost amp, I was pretty impressed with the sound.
I took my Musicman Stingray Special to try it and kept the controls on bass and amp, mostly flat, at 12 o'clock.
That flat setting sounded pretty good and after some minimal amp and bass control tweaking, started to sound very good.
I got the amp up loud, in a large environment and was pleased with how everything kept clean aand nicely controlled.
This is a pretty loud combo and to my ears seemed well capable of handling gigs.
As an initial comparison to my gigging rig, I think the Fender is a little cleaner but didn't quite have that direct, punch in the chest feel, my main rig had, when I first tried it.
Overall though I think this Rumble will be a great practice amp and a very capable gigging combo.

[GreeneKing]

Wondering whether it would be up to the main gigging role with the extension cab?

[FinnDave]

My band headlined a festival in Kent 6 or so weeks ago, and for reasons I won't go into here, I played through a Fender Rumble 100 combo. As it was DI'd, it sounded every bit as good as the Ashdown/Barefaced rig I had planned to take.

 

[grayn]

10 hours ago, GreeneKing said:

Wondering whether it would be up to the main gigging role with the extension cab?

TBH, I think the Rumble 500 could easily handle gigs without another cab.

It's a loud combo, with a great tone.  It would be pretty awesome with another 2x10 0r 1x15 though.

[Muppet]

On 28/09/2019 at 19:54, GreeneKing said:

Wondering whether it would be up to the main gigging role with the extension cab?

Definitely can. To be honest, on it's own it's loud, but when I pair mine with the extension cab it's very loud. I've said this on here a few times before but I have a number of amp and cab combos and if I just need to turn to something reliable, simple, that I know will just work then this is it. 

[hooky_lowdown]

I love my rumble V3 combo, can always dial in a good tone. 😎

[Muppet]

There's an extension cab in the for sale section,  just sayin'  (not mine before you ask!) 

Apart from the obvious volume benefit, this and the combo stacked looks awesome. 

 

Edited September 30, 2019 by Muppet

[G-Dog]

On 28/09/2019 at 12:08, grayn said:

  ... ... I quickly took a fancy to the Fender Rumble 500.    ... ...  
Very unlikely to ever use the overdrive but it sounded pretty good, if you like that sort of thing.   ... ...  

I usually like a little Overdrive, just for warmth, on my 4+ year old Rumble 500 combo.  Sometimes even a lot of distorted Overdrive, if the song calls for it.

But, if you really have no use for the Overdrive, here's a useful tip.  Turn the Drive and Level both fully counterclockwise, then engage the Overdrive for a mute function!  You can use a footswitch to do this, too.

I just recently learned this, though I don't use it like that.  In fact, it saved someone else an unnecessary repair bill when he thought his Rumble had stopped working.  After I told him, he just pushed the Overdrive button and was SO relieved to hear it again!  He hadn't previously checked that those knobs were at zero and the button engaged.

[grayn]

5 hours ago, Muppet said:

There's an extension cab in the for sale section,  just sayin'  (not mine before you ask!) 

Apart from the obvious volume benefit, this and the combo stacked looks awesome. 

 

Sure would be a great match.

I'd have to put them side by side though, I'm too scared of pulling a stack down.

Unfortunately I can't pair the Rumbel with my Mark Bass 2x10, as it's 4 ohms.

[Norris]

I've never lacked for volume at any gig we've played in the years I've had mine (without an extension cab). Either it will be loud enough on it's own, or you'll be DI'ed into the PA and you'll have to turn it down anyway to give the engineer enough room to work in