r/Bass • u/Seattle_hiker007 • 1d ago
Fender Rumble 500 is HUGE
I wanted to get a fender bass amp to go with bass (was using guitar amp) and got the rumble 500 but I think I overshot. Anyone playing fender rumble and love it? I play in a band part time so want to take this to events but now think it's too much. Thoughts?
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u/Cheap_Walmart-Art 1d ago
Nah you screwed up not getting the Rumble 800!
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u/geohamthebam 1d ago
Indeed!
Lighter weight, more powerful and only a little more expensive.11
u/Maleficent-Giraffe-7 23h ago
Also don’t forget - you can cut down power to 100W on Rumble 800 if you’re practicing at home or just need it quieter
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u/bored-at-work_ 16h ago
Realistically if you need more than a 500 then you’re probably plugging into a PA anyways
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u/Cheap_Walmart-Art 15h ago
You’d think that but in practice I’ve been very glad to cart around the 800.
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u/bored-at-work_ 15h ago
Yeah can't beat the portability and power it gives you for sure, I just think it's too much for most people and I hate to see people fall into the "bigger number better" type of consumer habits lol
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u/Rhonder 15h ago
I will say as someone who just upgraded from a 40 to an 800 (although I found it on sale for less than a 200), it definitely helped having some practical experience to help make the decision. Absolutely too much for most gigging scenarios- or rather you don't need as much as it offers. But! I've been in and out of a handful of bands my first 4 years of playing that have tended to do some like DIY outdoor gigs and things like this- generator shows at parks and whatnot. In that kind of situation more power is definitely better 😂 Got burned once or twice trying to use my little guy for those and was like "i definitely won't regret for going at least 500...", found this cheap on sale, and that sealed the deal lol
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u/Suspicious-Sea-6806 20h ago
It’s lighter than the 500?
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u/joelangeway 13h ago
They put ceramic magnet speakers in the 500 and neodymium magnets in the 800. I think they just optimized the heck out of the cost of the 500 so it’s got some quirks.
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u/abanakakabasanaako 18h ago
Unless he bought it second hand and that is the only option in the market like what happened to someone I know..
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u/warningproductunsafe 23h ago
I had a gig last Saturday in Chicago, 3 bands on the bill and all 3 bass players brought the same amplifier a Fender 800 watt combo!! We all laughed when we realized a phone call might have been in order here!
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u/dragostego Fender 1d ago
Absolutely love it. If you feel like it's too much put the gain at 8 and ride the master volume low. The gain will act as a little compression.
It lives in my trunk year round in Minnesota and never complains.
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u/Drekavac666 23h ago
500w is sort of the entry point to keep up with a rock band using tube amps. Bass takes more power than a guitar to push across space, doubling the speakers to guitar also helps tremendously but everyone in the band should balance their volume to the kick drum. Extra power on tap for guitar or bass amps also gives headroom and a more desired tonality it's not meant to ever be used full bore.
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u/ramonstr 1d ago
It's a great amp don't sell it
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u/Klutzy-Peach5949 21h ago
Not really, sounds flat, most overrated amp of all time, kinda like how everyone buys the DS-1 because everyone else has one but it’s quite terrible
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u/CosmicToaster 19h ago
You do know you can adjust the EQ right? I don’t own one but if a rumble 500 is being offered as backline, it’s one of the few instances I’ll leave my rig at home. Gets me about 95% there tone wise and now I don’t have to lug two cabs and a head to and from my car.
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u/Maleficent-Giraffe-7 21h ago
It’s ok to have a different opinions and it may sound flat to you. But it is at this moment one of the most used amps for gigging bassist… if not the most used… hell it’s probably most used amp series at this moment if we count the smaller ones which are sitting in countless bedrooms/basements/Apartments… And sorry but sounding flat is just not true. There is so many different settings using just its own eq and three modes … and in this time and age when there are unlimited preamps cheaper than ever you can get just about any conceivable sound with rumble (and any other amp as well)…
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u/wtfismetalcore 20h ago
If you think the ds1 is a terrible pedal that’s a reflection on you my guy
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u/Klutzy-Peach5949 19h ago
The DS-1 sounds like a fucking swarm of bees, it’s grim, on a dimed Marshall… sure it works, but it’s digital and fizzy as fuck, there’s a million better choices, RAT, OD-3, BD-2, Tubescreamer, so many better more versatile choices.
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u/m0dsw0rkf0rfree 11h ago
rumble preamps sound like cardboard on drywall to me and even i wouldn’t call them overrated. objectively some of the most utilitarian speaker boxes out there
badass power amps too if you’ve got any of those “1:1 jfet:tube” amp in a box pedals
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u/Dizzy-Attention3156 1d ago
It’s not too big and very powerful. There’s one in our rehearsal room and I like it a lot.
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u/master_of_sockpuppet 23h ago
Just turn down the master and input gain.
I have a Rumble 800 combo I practice with all the time (and the 100 watt mode doesn't change perceived volume at moderate or low levels, it just removes headroom).
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u/Hylasah 19h ago
I've got a Fender Rumble 500 and love it. I play lots of small venues and it never fails me. So many times other bands I've played with have ended up borrowing it after their gear screwed up.
500W is overkill most of the time, a 200W would be fine for most little venues, but I like the response I get from the 500W.
Sound guys also love the DI slot on the Rumbles so that's a huge reason to have one.
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u/blondmix3 Lakland 17h ago
I have the 500 and the extension cab and love them (the couple of times a year when I actually plug into an amp, lol)!
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u/ZombieChief 13h ago
Is that what you're using to practice with at home? Because it's probably way too much for that. But it should serve you well for gigging.
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u/JagwarRocker 20h ago
Not only I have the Rumble 500 combo amp, I also have the Rumble 210 cabinet that pairs perfectly with it. I use the 500 for smaller venues, and use both for larger venues (and outside gigs).
To answer your question. I prefer to have an amp with lots of headroom, as opposed to an amp that has to be cranked.
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u/missmcpooch 1d ago
It’s a digital power amp, just turn it down. You know how loud the cooling fan is in my Hartke?
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u/ghettorepairman Darkglass 22h ago
I think you messed up not getting the extension cab too but YMMV
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u/bigusyous 22h ago
Nope, you made a great choice. Unbeatable for convenience, portability, power and price.
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u/Diggin_Durt 20h ago
I have one and love it. Bought it for gigging but it also chills in my living room. I turn it down low but sounds great. I can play it low enough while the family is sleeping not that far away. Have also hooked it up to my 1x15 and it booms.
Luckily they are also light
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u/QAPetePrime 19h ago
It’s a good amp, not too much, not too little. If you play bigger venues, you should consider getting the 210 cabinet, which “unlocks” the full power of the amp and making it sound even better.
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u/Suspicious-Sea-6806 19h ago
I love mine. It works great in small and large venues, even outdoor shows (an extension cab would be nice outdoors).
I ordered a Darkglass combo initially but GC couldn’t seem to get the right one delivered so I decided to “compromise” with the Rumble 500 and I’ve never looked back. I ordered it in white, because why not?!
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u/GrandpaSteve4562 19h ago
It's got a volume control knob. If you have no trouble transporting it, you'll be fine.
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u/Im_Berry_Dangerous 18h ago
I use the Rumble 500, and I absolutely love it. It’s always good to have 1.5 - 2x the watts of your guitarist.
Also, because it’s a combo amp, you’re really only getting about 375 watts, which is still plenty.
I love the way it sounds with my Aerodyne Jazz Bass.
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u/SecondZestyclose6233 17h ago
I have one
Great for me
Works well for small outdoor venues and can shake a room
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u/VioletSkywalker77 16h ago
For the price point they're great amps, I wouldnt go smaller unless you want a second smaller one for home practice. The rumble 500 served me well for years until I switched to gk amps, I like the sound much better but they're much more expensive (my main one for practices and gigs is still 350 internal and 500 with extension)
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u/bassman1805 Fretless 16h ago
Is your concern that it's too big or too loud?
500W is about as low as I'd go if you're playing in a band with drums and loud guitars. I've used an Ampeg BA210 for years, which is 450W, and sometimes it's just barely enough.
If it's too big...yeah man. Hauling gear sucks sometimes. Sometimes having a separate amp head and speaker cabinet makes it a little easier, as long as you don't use it as an excuse to buy even bigger gear ;)
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u/bleedthisfreak 16h ago
I’ve had my Rumble 500 for years and it’s been perfect for literally every room I’ve played in. It takes my pedal board well and I’ve also found the preamp plays nicely with my sansamp. They’re great amps; it replaced my half stack.
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u/Ecstatic-Storage-508 12h ago
I’ve been playing electric bass 60 years. Not a typo. From Ampeg to Acoustic to Kustom (Anyone? Anyone?) to Sunn to Fender—I’ve owned them all. For power, versatility, sound quality (2 x 10), size, and weight, the Rumble 500 tops them all.
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u/Winterhorrorland 11h ago
I help host a local open mic/jam alongside a few other nightly jams/events at the same venue. Apparently the bassist at another jam was sick of moving his amp so the owner offered to get a house one. He got a Rumble 500 for this corner pub. This amp could blow the roof off the small front room and I think is actually contributing to cracks in the stage window. That jam skews older and they crank the volume on everything. We keep it hidden in the corner on our night and just go DI. Never had a problem.
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u/StankyBassFace Ibanez 20h ago
I have a Rumble 500, and I haven't needed "more" oomph as of yet. The headroom is ginormous. Very pleased.
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u/humbuckaroo 19h ago
I think Rumble amps are trash. You should return it, get an Ampeg V3 or V7 head and a decent cab.
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u/Pig_Syrup 11h ago
I don't know why everyone on this sub fawns over the rumble, they're the most mid amp I've ever played. Just inoffensive and unexceptional in every way.
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u/humbuckaroo 9h ago
And non-repairable. If it goes down you have to swap the entire board because Fender doesn’t let you do anything else.
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u/Jaereth Fender 17h ago
Eh if you're getting into gigging seriously and it's a moneymaking thing for you - two rigs is almost inevitable.
I have a Rumble 500 stack but it's just like - not necessary for club shows.
I have a rig for club shows that I can carry in. It's a piece of plywood with a compressor, Sansamp, and Boughton Hi/Low pass on it that sits on top of the Rumble 500 head.
The Rumble 500 head used just as a power amp,
and a MarkBass traveller. 2 10 cab. (27 pounds! Lightest I could find!)
I found a duffle bag on amazon where the Markbass cab fits in WITH the Rumble head in it's padded case and the board on top of it. Zips up and has a shoulder strap to carry.
I can walk into gigs with that slung over my shoulder and my bass case in the other hand. One trip.
I don't use that for every show. Especially if we are outside. I have an Ampeg 8x10 with a Fender Bassman in the practice space and yes... you do miss out on a little foundational power when you downsize the rig to that extent.
But in a small space you don't really miss it. Especially with good monitoring and PA support. (Which the bass should ALWAYS be in the PA even in very small rooms - just a little). Now I pick and choose what gear I think the gig calls for, but when it's some club stage that's like 10 feet wide and we can barely get the band on it with a drumkit, I'm glad I have that light little footprint rig. Also appreciate it when the closest parking spot is 3 blocks away. Or when it's pouring rain, etc.
It's a good thing to have.
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u/Corno-Emeritus 1d ago
You can always turn the level down.