Hartke HA3500 w TP4x10 vs. Fender Rumble 500

ClaytonCroft

ClaytonCroft

Sep 2, 2015
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Tucson, AZ
www.bradharrisband.com
#1
While I really like the sound of my current Hartke rig, the bulk and weight of lugging 100+ lbs of gear to and from a weekly jam rehearsal is getting...old.

I've read all the wonderful reviews and opinions about the Fender Rumble 500 combo. 36 pounds! Woo!

Bear with me here, as I'm no pro. It's an increase in wattage (350 vs 240, I think) but less cone area, yes? I'm wondering if a swap would give me the loudness, in a much lighter form. The Fender has some nicer, newer features, too, like an aux input and headphone jack for home practice, etc. And, if I ever won the lotto, I could power a Fender 1x15 with it in the future.

Would there be a really brutal drop-off in volume going from 4x10 to 2x10, despite increased wattage?

Thanks!
 
#3
Your rig now is closer to 80 pounds actually. Should be about 60 and change for the cab, and 20 or so for the head.

Your best course of action really depends on what you want compared to what you have now. The transporter cabs actually sound really good, and are light as ceramic 4x10s go (now the 4.5XL, that is a beast, but it sounds killer). And the HA3500 is also a full featured pro head that can get some nice tones and should have plenty of volume for most applications (and no so much that it's likely to destroy the 4x10).

The fender honestly seems like a downgrade from what you have now. Judging by your choices, I'm guessing your budget is basically zero dollars. If you actually have money to put into it, then your options open up considerably. For instance for about 500 or so, you could get a genz benz shuttle 210 cab and a hartke tx600. That setup should sound good, be at least as loud as your current setup (most likely louder), and weigh about 45 pounds or so total. You could probably get in the neighborhood of 300-400 for what you have now if it's in good shape. If you're stuck on the fender, you should plan to get the matching 2x10 as well if you want to keep the volume you have now.
 
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