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Post subject: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 4:40 pm
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I've mentioned this elsewhere, but I've been rehearsing for an upcoming radio show on WBRU in Providence, RI and I have decided to forgo the Orange 1000 watt stack for my Rumble 350 combo amp for that show. I think it would be the most practical since I'm sure that it's probably a small studio (usually radio stations are) and I'd have better control with the Fender, especially with the volume. It's a lot easier to tame a 350 watt (or 400 something according to Fender's schematics, but whatever) amp than it is with that 1000 watt one. As it is, I have that thing turned down to almost 0 on the gain and around 1 in my tiny rehearsal room. Plus, the Fender has casters on it and it's all in one unit, which will make it easier in that space. I do have casters on the 18" cab, but that's not really an option I want to use for that event.

Anyway, as I've been using the Rumble, I realized how damned good it sounds. I've gotten the tone I want, even with the Schecter Jazz Bass, which for some reason use to be sort of muffled sounding with it. Maybe there was another factor involved, but it sounds just as good now as it did with the Fender P Bass Lyte bass that I was using when I first got the amp in 2012 (which by the way, will be 4 years this coming month.) I remembered now why I got that amp those years ago and why I originally joined this forum (albeit, a different account) in the first place. It wasn't to complain about a crappy product, but to talk about one I really liked. 8)

I did try the Squier Jazz Bass through it, but although the Squier is now a nice player, I have to be honest about the pick ups in comparison to the other basses. They have a good over all tone, but are weak. They aren't as beefy, which is a shame, because the bass does play good and I can get that Jazz growl with them. It's just not as good as the Schecter or the Fender P Bass Lyte. I'll bet even a Standard Fender would be better, if they use better pick ups, which I assume they would considering the price difference. I don't know what to do about it. I mean it's not horrible, just not as powerful.

The one thing that's got me wondering now is how different the Rumble 500 combo would be in comparison to the 350 combo. I wonder if anyone's ever done a side by side between both amps? I've never seen anything on line about that, but it would be interesting to know. I know I still like my 350, though. 8)

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 9:05 pm
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The 500 Combo would be pretty good. But, unless you run an 8 ohm cab from it, you're still at 350 watts, not 500.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2016 12:44 pm
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You see that's the thing. I wonder what the volume difference would be between the two, since the one I have is conservatively rated at 350 watts, anyhow. Adding an extra cab wouldn't be a big deal to me since I have two of them. I'm not saying that I want to get rid of my Fender, but I'm just curious how they are comparable.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2016 7:52 pm
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PaulLF wrote:
You see that's the thing. I wonder what the volume difference would be between the two, since the one I have is conservatively rated at 350 watts, anyhow. Adding an extra cab wouldn't be a big deal to me since I have two of them. I'm not saying that I want to get rid of my Fender, but I'm just curious how they are comparable.


I really don't know what to tell you on that Paul. I would venture a guess that the third generation may have a bit of an edge in tone, and possible volume with it's construction of wood, over MDF.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 4:25 pm
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That's true, it does have MDF construction for it. I actually had forgotten about that. Still, it's never seemed to affect anything negatively for me. It the plywood is a enhancement with the tone, then that would be a bonus. 8)

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:32 pm
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I've always liked plywood, over MDF, because of the strength, and being lighter as compaired to the heavier MDF to equal the plywood's strength.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:17 pm
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I've never gigged with this amp, so I couldn't tell you how durable it is. Then again, I'm very careful when I move my equipment. I know what you mean, though. I didn't even know it was MDF until after I got it and found out about it much later. I still don't regret buying it, but if I ever had to replace it, I'd go for a 500, I'm sure.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:12 pm
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PaulLF wrote:
The one thing that's got me wondering now is how different the Rumble 500 combo would be in comparison to the 350 combo. I wonder if anyone's ever done a side by side between both amps? I've never seen anything on line about that, but it would be interesting to know. I know I still like my 350, though. 8)


Biggest difference is in the totally new front end, the overdrive is also new along with a new trio of voicing filters. You really have to try it out. They're a lot of fun, especially the Rumble 100 1x12 combo at 22 very light pounds. You should go play through some of them just as an educational audition if nothing else.

I still like my Rumble 350 head for loud clean powerful sound quality and authoritative punch/attack. The new Rumbles from the 40 on up are much more tube like in tone. Especially the new overdrive and vintage voicing. I've written extensively on these features in the Fender Rumble Club.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 11:39 am
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That sounds pretty cool. 8) I don't intend to get rid of the 350, but if for someone reason something happened to it, I'd want to replace it with one of those 500 combos, especially with the improvements.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 3:57 pm
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The vintage voicing for me on the Rumble 200, for me makes it worth owning alone.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 6:38 pm
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If I ever get a chance to go to a shop that has them, I definitely would want to try them out.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:14 pm
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Digging up an old thread, although it's still on page one. Goes to show you how busy this forum is in these parts. :P

I've been still using the Rumble 350 a lot for practice, since it's in my office, and replaced that old Peavey clunker I had in here, albeit a bit too loud for the tiny room, but it does have a volume knob to some extent. It sounds really good with my Squier Precision Bass and hollow-body violin bass, which are the current basses I've mainly been using through it.

I finally decided to try out one feature of the amp that I don't recall using since I bought the thing in 2012, which it the Auxiliary Input, which also happens to be an RCA type jacks. Luckily, I had a cable that was RCA to 1/8" input, plus a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter, so I could dust off my old drum machine and run it with the bass. It worked fine. Out of curiosity, I plugged the P Bass into that using that chord with that input and that worked, as well. I'm not sure if the EQ or any other controls worked with that input, or not, since I didn't bother with it, just tested the input, itself. It pretty much sounded the same, either way. It's good to know that it's another handy feature of the amp that I have available to me, should I need it.

Yeah, it's still an excellent amplifier, too. 8) I don't regret ever buying it, even though I suppose it's technically obsolete with the 3rd generation Rumbles coming out not too much longer after I got it. It still does the job.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:14 am
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I have my 500, & you know Fender will make a better version of it too.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:11 pm
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Yeah, I have to admit I'm curious to see what will happen down the road. Maybe they'll have the Rumble Version 3 for a couple more years, or less, depending on how well they keep selling, or the suits get a bug up their arse and want to change things around, then something new will pop up. I still wish they would have came out with a Rumble 800 or 1000 (usually that's the typical wattages higher than 500 with the Class D heads) so I'd have enough justification of GAS to dump my Orange Terror Bass 1000 and get one. :P I just can't bring myself to "downgrade" 1000 watts to 500, even though I really don't need it, and probably never will. :roll: I suppose if the Orange completely fries and the repair costs aren't worth it, then I'd say to hell with it and get a 500 head. They're relatively inexpensive, especially with some sort of AMS deal, or payment plan.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 350 Combo: Still An Excellent Amplifier
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 4:12 pm
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Your 1,000 watts Orange is still a 1,000 watts. And an Orange is a top line product. I wouldn't be to quick to down grade. I've done that a few times, but I really don't need the power you may use, or need performing.

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