discreet

Could be... you mostly see the black cushion on plates with the large 'F' logo stamp and this first appeared in mid-1965 - with the serial number located between the two top screws. This was the way of things until late in 1976 when the serial number was moved to the headstock. The black cushion remained until the early 80s. As usual with Fender, no dates can be absolute...

It's not because it's heavy, it's because it's well-designed and built to last! If I had a more robust scrotum, I'd gig my Trace combo every time, it sounds really killer.

Mmm... maple.

Yes, it's a symptom of old age...

Funny you should mention it - the flimsy stock plastic logo has offended me (again) and I ordered a spiffy chrome replacement (again). From eBay.

So... A white P Bass, then..?

If you want to go Class D, the punchiest example I've used is the G-K MB 500 Fusion.

May I suggest the Fender Super Bassman all-valve head currently for sale in the marketplace? If I had the necessary paper tokens I'd be on that like a Weight Watcher on a Greggs Steak Bake. Mmm, Steak Bake... Mmm, Fender Super Bassman... punchier than a Geordie alcoholic. Edit: No offence, Michael.

There's no jam at an open mic. Mmm... jam.

I kind of wish you'd said 'I don't like this set up, give me my money back!' Then at least I'd still have the 1212L!!

They do. I found the filters to be largely redundant when gigging, or you tend to disappear in the mix. Can't help but think the filters are there to make the amps sound good in the shop and at home... Also Markbass sound great with the EQ flat, or at least at 12 o'clock, so have that 'plug and play' capability. Obviously modern customers don't want to be spending too much time thinking about things, they just want to switch on and be done.

You're welcome. I know little yet about the new Studio and Stage amps. As said above, if the V3 would do you for giggjng you could save money, but it would be good to try them out first.

Sounds like a plan. I seem to have got round any possible EQ limitation by not using it. Might try my BDI-21 with it at some point, though I'm very happy with the plug-and-play sound I'm getting. Know what you mean about the top handle and depth. I'm already thinking about fitting a side handle.

After a couple of rehearsals I'm finding this time round I prefer a very clean sound. P bass with flats. Gain at around 9 o'clock, Vintage, Bright and Contour buttons OFF, Drive OFF, EQ at 12 o'clock and Master to taste... very articulate, very punchy, very transparent and very lush. Oo-er.

I probably would take the easy way out and wrap it. https://axedecals.com/product/pink-paisley-guitar-wrap-skin/

Ow. I'm glad I left well alone and just painted over the existing finish...

My Schroeder 1212L/Burman set-up. Wish I'd kept the Burman gear, but it was incredibly heavy... Sounded (and looked) like nothing else.

Still regret selling my 1212L. Fantastic cab. Best amp I used with it was a GK MB500 Fusion. Also sounded great with a Burman all-valve. But then most cabs do...

'Chunky' is a good word to describe the Rumble sound. Plenty of h*ft, with good articulation and clarity.

Yep. Or at least that's roughly when it appeared at my atelier... doesn't seem like 2 years. Lots of gear (and cash) under the bridge.

Rumble 500 V3 Combo - Revisited There have been a number of threads about gear you miss, gear you should never have sold, and gear you got back or re-bought... such is the GAS carousel. I bought a Fender Rumble 500 V3 Combo in February of 2016 and reviewed it on this board. I was very pleased with it in every way, but sold it - as the band I was in, and the number of small gigs it was doing, needed an even smaller and more portable set-up... yes, it is just about possible. A G-K MB200 and a BF One10 cab. However... I missed the Rumble ever since it went, so when one came up for sale here, I bought it. I'm a little further down the road and possibly more able to appreciate the subtleties of gear that I may have once missed. Or maybe not. Anyway, here are my impressions second time around. Now read on... Model: Fender Rumble™ 500 (V3) Combo Amplifier: SS/Class-D Colour: Black and Silver Controls: Gain, Bright/Contour/Vintage Presets, Drive/Level, Bass, Low-Mid, High-Mid, Treble, Master Effects Loop: 1/4" - (Send/Return) Inputs: 1/4" Jack; 3.5mm Stereo; 1/4" Overdrive Footswitch (not included) Outputs: XLR with Ground Lift; Headphones 3.5mm Stereo Voltage: 230V UK/EUR Wattage: 500W RMS @ 4 ohms (with Ext Cab), 350W RMS @ 8 ohms (Internal) Speakers: 2 X 10" Eminence Ceramic Magnet, Compression Tweeter, Twin Ports, Cloth Grille (removable) Cab Material: 12mm Baltic Ply, Black Tolex, Chrome-Nickel Corner Protectors Handle: Moulded Plastic Strap with Chrome-Nickel Plated Caps Controls: Vintage-Style Radio, Cream Dimensions: 23" X 19" X 14" (59 X 49 X 36cm) HWD Weight: 36lbs (16.3kg) I've been using a venerable Trace Elliot Combo for a while (which is really very good) and looked forward to comparing it with the Rumble. I imagined the Rumble would be far superior tone-wise, but this was not the case. They both do the same sort of job, just in different ways. Both the Rumble and the Trace sound best in a band situation, both are powerful and punchy, both have lots of headroom and both are true gigging amps. But their Gain controls work entirely differently. On the Trace you need it high, to work the preamp and EQ. On the Rumble it's more about pushing the Vintage and Drive circuits, which add harmonics, depth, warmth and, er... drive. It also progressively adds compression, which is very cool indeed. But it brings little or no volume or grit to the table when used in isolation... and you don't want it at more than 9 o'clock if you're looking for a super-clean sound. Just push the master a bit more. Dispersion is really excellent and the tone is smooth and consistent. Sounds very lush, professional and 'right'. The combo is small, light and it can get very loud. It's sold as a 500-watt amp, but you need an extension cab to get full beans - thus negating the purpose of a combo in my opinion, but there it is. In practise, the 350 watts on tap without an extension are more than enough in most situations. And of course there is a DI out should you need to go front of house. It's not 'better' than my Trace combo. The Trace has a lot going for it. But the Rumble is much easier to use and is less than half the weight, making it a one-hand lift. You still wouldn't want to carry it very far with that one hand, but at just over 16kg it's just about the smallest and lightest you can go down to, yet still plausibly vibrate the floorboards, annoy guitarists and compete with the most shed-building of drummers. And if you're inclined, a Rumble and P-Bass wearing a set of flats will get you into B15 territory on the cheap. Fantastic with a pick, too - you can really nail that Joe Osborn 'Wrecking Crew' vibe. You can pick one up second-hand between £325 and £350 (they are circa £510 new), so there's not much stopping you from owning one. What's not to like?