SWR LA 15 vs Fender Rumble 100 for £200?

[solo4652]

Hi,

I'm in the market for a decent combo as a step-up from my practice amp. Looking for 100w with CD/mp3 input and headphone jack. Ideally, not too big/heavy.

Any thoughts on SWR LA 15 for £199? Reliability a bit suspect?

See [url="http://www.bassmerchant.com/item_detail.php?product_id=284&category_id=2&subcat_id=4"]http://www.bassmerchant.com/item_detail.ph...amp;subcat_id=4[/url]


How does this compare to Fender Rumble 100? I've been advised that Fender don't make good amps.

See [url="http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/11481"]http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/fl...roduct_id/11481[/url]

Any other suggestions, please?




Thanks to everybody for your very helpful comments and reports. A decision has to be made, after 2 weeks of confusing and tiring research.

I'm going to buy the SWR. It's got the simple features I want without the weight or the complexity. SWR's reputation seems good too. I got very mixed comments about Fender amps - everything from "Superb" to "Awful - muddiest sound I've ever heard..."

Everyone has a favourite, of course. Let's hope the SWR is reliable enough, and has enough power. At £199 including delivery, it seemed a good deal. Fingers crossed.

Edited July 3, 2008 by solo4652

[BassBomber414]

Solo ,

I can't really advise you on these two amps as I haven't heard them.You are really looking at a 'no-man's world' of combo amps - a bit 'overkill' for home and not big enough to play in a band.I have a Fender Rumble 15 for home practice and that has been really good for the money.What I would say is that 100w is not much in a Bass amp which tend to need a lot more watts than a guitar amp for the same volume and if you are playing with any sort of band with acoustic drums you are going to be drowned out.If you are buying for practice only/gigs without drums then an amp with a reputation for very fine tone is the SWR Working Pro 10 - on the same website as your other SWR.This is a very light compact combo.I would also council caution at buying a combo with a single 15" speaker at this level You will tend to get more definition / punch with a 10" speaker and it will still reproduce the lows you need.I read this same advice , before I went and bought my Warwick CL Neo 1x15" 250w and then found it to be very true. My advice would be for home practice/quiet gigs, a light, quality 10" combo and for playing with a band with drums at least 250 watts and a 2x10" or buy a head and speakers.

Everyone will give you different advice and for a good concensus put Harmony Central in Google and check out the hundreds of user reviews on the site.

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='solo4652' post='218692' date='Jun 14 2008, 08:03 AM']How does this compare to Fender Rumble 100? I've been advised that Fender don't make good amps.[/quote]
I gigged a Rumble 100 for a year with no problems at all. It's probably the best 100w combo on the market. Clean sound and never distorted. Only cons: bit heavy to lift with top handle (fit side handles and wheels) and comes with a flashing light at bottom.

[jamesf]

I used an LA15 last year briefly, and whilst I was able to dial up some surprisingly funky tones, It was really quiet for a 100 watt amp, so, as BB414 said, if you're looking for something which you can gig with, I'd go higher power. It's a really nice compact little box BTW, a lot smaller than it looks in photos. Some harmony central reviews said the reliability was indeed a bit hit-and-miss with them though, but it's best to try one out for yourself if you can get to a music shop which has one in so you can pick it up, feel the weight, check for rattles etc.

[mikeh]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='218726' date='Jun 14 2008, 10:07 AM']I gigged a Rumble 100 for a year with no problems at all. It's probably the best 100w combo on the market. Clean sound and never distorted. Only cons: bit heavy to lift with top handle (fit side handles and wheels) and comes with a flashing light at bottom.[/quote]

+1 I've gigged a Rumble 100, suprisingly good amp for £200. Really, REALLY loud for 100 watts as well. I would happily have one as my main amp.

[Stewart]

I agree with stingrayfan - played a small pub gig using another bassist's Fender 100, and it was surprisingly capable.

If you don't have a mad drummer (or mic up the drums) it'd probably cope with most small venues.

[Dubs]

I blew up a Fender Rumble 100 about a week ago – it was in the practise room at Uni that we use. It just didn’t have the power to properly cut through at practise so I had it completely cranked then something started to smell like voice coil glue, I looked over and there was smoke bellowing out of the driver and port :wacko:
I quickly turned it off and ran outside with it cos it was still smoking and I didn’t know if it was going to set itself on fire (I set a JBL subwoofer on fire once when I was testing an enclosure that I’d built) but luckily it didn’t. After about an hour I turned it on again and the driver was completely shot! 100% dead, do not pass go, do not collect £200, RIP.

In all honesty it was completely my fault, but using this as an example I would say that the driver doesn’t have much tolerance when it comes to a little bit of abuse.

I’ve never used the SWR but I think it looks pretty cool – probably a really bad reason to buy an amp.
For what it’s worth, the Fender sounded pretty good until I blew it up

[BTGAndy]

I've got an LA12, I've always found the LA series to be very quiet for the wattage. Still a great little amp if you want that SWR sound though.

[solo4652]

Having taken delivery of the SWR LA 15, I thought it might be useful to post my initial impressions. Bear in mind that I'm only 4 months into bass playing (so I don't have anything like a well-tuned ear for amps), and my only other amp is/has been a 15W Stagg practice amp...

Size/weight: Physically bigger than I was expecting. Weighs about 20 Kgs - heavier than I was expecting. Definitely a 2-handed lug up the stairs. Not as portable as I thought. Probably me being naive/inexperienced with my expectations here.

Controls: Simple input, tuner input, CD input. Master volume, Bass, Mid, Treble controls, Headphones out. That's it. That's all I wanted, really - nothing too complex.

Build quality. Has a chunky, weighty feel. Tough-looking metal grille. Very strong edge-mounted carry handles.

Sound. I'm playing a Yamaha BB404 through it. Impressive mid-range clarity giving a funky-bright tone. Top end is bright and clear. Bottom-end needs to be cranked up on the Bass control to give enough attack to compete with mids. I found the same thing with the Stagg pracice amp - perhaps it's the Yamaha's playing characteristics. There is simply no comparison to the Stagg 15W amp. The SWR gives such a clean, pure sound with no distortion, humming, crackling or anything. I'm especially pleased with the mids - I'm hearing tones I just didn't hear at all with the 15W thing. However, the SWR is not really a deep-down thumper-growler. I'm sure that none of this will surprise all you experienced people, but it's a pleasure to my ears. I'm so pleased I listened to the Basschatters, and upgraded my amp before the guitar.

Volume is surprisingly low. I thought I wouldn't have to go above half-way on the volume dial. However, I'm already three-quarters up the master volume dial with the Bass volume at three-quarters, Mid at half, Treble at two-thirds, with the guitar volume cranked right up. And this is only for bedroom noodling. I don't have any experience of playing with other people, but I'm already wondering whether I have enough power or headroom here. I hope I haven't under-egged the pudding, so to speak. Maybe I'm a bit deaf. Interesting that BTGAndy says that he felt the LA 12 is "quiet for the wattage", and jamesf also remarked that the LA15 was really quiet.

Ipod shuffle plays tolerably well through the CD input and is much clearer than the horrible mudslop that came out of the Stagg.

Early days yet. Very impressed with mid-range tonal clarity. D string in particular has gone from being a bit indistinct to sounding poppy and funky. Some early concerns with volume/headroom. I'm playing with a drummer in 2 weeks - perhaps I'll post an update then.

Steve White

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='solo4652' post='231989' date='Jul 3 2008, 01:41 PM']Weighs about 20 Kgs - heavier than I was expecting. Definitely a 2-handed lug up the stairs. Not as portable as I thought. Probably me being naive/inexperienced with my expectations here.[/quote]
Sadly all amps and cabs look light on the computer screen. Then when they arrive, they become ugly things that you trip over in the hallway! Fit wheels if it's not got any, makes life slightly easier.

[tauzero]

[quote name='solo4652' post='231989' date='Jul 3 2008, 01:41 PM']Size/weight: Physically bigger than I was expecting. Weighs about 20 Kgs - heavier than I was expecting. Definitely a 2-handed lug up the stairs. Not as portable as I thought. Probably me being naive/inexperienced with my expectations here.[/quote]
I was a bit surprised to see what amps you were looking at when you said you were looking for a "portable" practice amp. I'd have suggested trying out a GK MB150 (or the older 200MB) but it's a bit late now...

[alexclaber]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='232037' date='Jul 3 2008, 02:36 PM']Sadly all amps and cabs look light on the computer screen. Then when they arrive, they become ugly things that you trip over in the hallway! Fit wheels if it's not got any, makes life slightly easier.[/quote]

When I finished my first superlight cab I showed it to my mother-in-law and said "pick it up, it's really light!" She did. She disagreed. I suppose I should have said it's really light for a quality bass cab, it's not light compared to an empty cardboard box of the same size!

Alex

[solo4652]

A quick update. Today was the first time I've ever played with a drummer - that's why I bought the SWR LA15, rated aT 100W. It's not really loud enough, sadly. Both volumes on the guitar set to max, with the volume on the amp likewise. Still got a nice clean undistorted sound. But I couldn't hear myself over the drummer, and he was trying to play softly.

Looks like the SWR LA15 is a nice bedroomp-practice amp, but runs out of puff for anything else.

[BassBomber414]

Steve,

Interesting review.

At least you will hear your playing in all it's glory when you practice at home.


Regarding the volume levels - You really do need 250w or 300w with a solid state bass amp to get over a Rock Drummer.My drummer uses a set of DW drums that are very very loud and it's difficult for a drummer to play at a reduced level as they won't get the same rebound effect from the skins.

I won't say 'I told you so' , as I knew you would get lots of different advice.

We live and learn.

On the plus side ,at least you know your Yammy sounds good.

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='solo4652' post='239387' date='Jul 14 2008, 06:13 PM']I couldn't hear myself over the drummer, and he was trying to play softly.[/quote]
That's drummers for you. Hate to say it - but the Rumble would have prob done the job. Mine used to.

[mikeh]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='239478' date='Jul 14 2008, 08:22 PM']That's drummers for you. Hate to say it - but the Rumble would have prob done the job. Mine used to. [/quote]

+1 The Rumble is a VERY loud 100 watts.

[phatbass787]

Surely one of these would be a better choice for the money? Should definitely be heard above your drummer.

[url="http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Ashdown-EB-12-180-EVO-II-Combo~ID~9002.asp"]http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~A...mbo~ID~9002.asp[/url]

or if you can stretch to it;

[url="http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/37138"]http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/fl...roduct_id/37138[/url]

[chrisba]

I've just been through the same buying exercise, tried lots of different amps ( not any SWG ) and liked the Fender Rumble 100 best, until...

...I tried an Ashdown Electric Blue 15" . At about £220. Heavy for it's size, but a great sound. Bought one straight away, used it in a couple of gigs and managed to impress a ex-pro bassist ( with it's sound, not my playing ). Anderton's in Guildford have them in stock. I play a Squier P-Bass through it, and a kosher Fender one occasionally...

( This is between the two mentioned in the previous post. Of these I didn't try the cheaper one, and couldn't stretch to the more expensive, which didn't sound much different, just louder )

Edited July 15, 2008 by chrisba

[solo4652]

As Bassbomber says "You live and learn..."

I'll certainly keep the SWR as my practice amp. When I'm jamming with my drummer mate, we might be able to use the line-out to boost the output (he says - he's got some sort of plan involving a second amp, I think - don't ask me, I just pluck strings semi-randomly)

If I ever get involved in band beyond this hobby level, I'll need to buy something else. We'll cross that bridge...

Steve