Ampeg Rocket Bass 210 Review - Can it compete with the Fender Rumble? 

This is how all bass videos should be!: high quality, illustrate your points, easy to navigate, appropriate great humour (not offensive so it can be recommended to anyone), not biased, and completely honest. I probably missed a few other things but that'll do. Thank you.

If a company has a bad rep for QC and reliability getting acquired by Yamaha is the best thing that could ever happen to them. Seriously who else makes guitars, pianos, motorcycles, ATV’s, and outboard boat motors that all last forever?

Great content! Thank you for the live gig footage! This is what everyone else is missing! What does it sound like at a gig! Thank you!

That is VERY good to know about the master volume affecting the DI output on the Fender and Ampeg amps. Thanks!

Great review dude! Definitely gonna consider this amp in the future

I went with this amp over the Rumble 500, mainly because of the sound. When you pair the Ampeg sound with some compression and chorus, you get a REALLY unique sound that fits a lot of different genres. I've used it in CCM and pop with the same effect. I am going to get the SVT to expand this because want the full 500 when I do festivals

Thanks for reviewing this AMP!

Once you start using an effects loop you it will expand your amps versatility in a big way. Running external preamp pedals or overdrives/distortions into the return give you a different amp! Great content man :).

That GRT Channel is nasty! Great Review, Andrew; Now we have a proper showcase of these combos

A killer demo! I particularly love the fact that you played a Thunderbird through it, since that will be the bass i intend to use jt with. Now I have a great idea of what mine will sound like. Thanks for making this demo video! I’m sold on this and I’m definitely buying one.

I have this coming to take on the road with me in this January. I’m excited that way it’s light to move but enough power to mix well with the band and push some air!!

Awesome review! Thanks a plenty!

My finger is on the button.Thanks for the honest review! Waiting another one for the Katana 110 :)

Hello there Sir. As for the fx loop feature on most amps, while I can see it not being the most useful for most situations. Running a preamp pedal into the in and negating the out can by pass your amps pre and result in some very interesting results. Just putting that out there.

Just got here. I can’t wait to get all of your side jokes first take. Nice review and amazing demonstration.

I was hoping you were gonna review this after seeing it on your Instagram. Great review, love the jokes

I bought this amp for 499 on sale with a jackson 4 string as my intro back into playing and I like it a lot. It is a beast in my opinion. I just bought a 5 string as well too cause I want to play metal. I really like the tone when you crank the mid and treble up all the way with the bass down to zero. It sounds really gnarly there.

I love this amp. I own 3 of them. 1 is at home in my studio. I use the other 2 at practice and live. I run into an ABY box and out into both amps. It's loud, but it needs to be.(I would rather run both at a lower output than 1 pushing hard). Plus then I always have a backup if 1 go's down. I used to have the same exact of a setup with the Fender Rumble 500, but it didn't quite have enough attitude and I'm an Ampeg guy anyway.

Sounds great. I'm a Rumble user and want to check out other larger combos but the Rumbles are just so light.

Thanks I just got the RB-110. The D.I. has a lot for hiss/white noise and you can hear it very easy using headphones. I had to play around with the knobs to get a cleaner recording(less hiss) into Protools.

Great review Thanks

Love my now old Ashdown Mag3. Great eq. Lots of features for recording and di for live. Sound smashes too.😁

The effects loop isn't the most useless standard feature on bass amps. It's a dealbreaker if it doesn't have one for me. Maybe I am the one percent.

There, pushed the buttons just because you're not calling out anyone.

Great video…. I picked up a Rumble when they first came out. Use it regularly and have never had an issue… Got it mainly to use in rehearsals and horrible load ins… but I find I use it most of the time now. Intended on getting an extension cab eventually, but have never needed it. Liked it so much I later picked up a Rumble 100…. I will say the overdrive on the rumble sucks. They need to work on that… lol. But I have a few different overdrive pedals I like so it’s not a big deal. I got to try an Rocket in a store side by side with a Rumble… Liked it a lot. But not enough to replace my Rumble. Both nice combos.

I did a show one time where we were the 2nd band to play. I ran late to set up but the 1st band we knew them and the bassist had the Rumble set up already. He let me use it for the start of the set. It worked out fine. Thing is we quckly took a 5 min break and rolled in my Ampeg. Keep in mind both amps were using a 15" speaker. I can say I had a AB test live at a show and the Ampeg was much better for the job. My bud also said he heard the difference and was going to look into the Ampegs.

I considered the rocket bass 210, but the rumble 800 combo is so lightweight. Edit: I might be in the minority, but I use the fx loop on my amp quite frequently. I use an HX stomp for FX and amp models and run it into the FX return to bypass the rumble's preamp.

I know effects loops seem silly on bass amps, but having one means I can always plug a preamp pedal into the effects return so that I can highjack the power section/speakers to get a whole different tone characteristic out of it. I wonder what a Origin Bassrig Super Vintage sounds like going through this effects return on this... hmm...

Awesome video! Just discovered your channel whilst finalizing on my main bass amp. I use a jc40 for guitar and was looking for a solid bass amp for live looping with a quiet drummer. I was going to get the rumble 200 but the price is so close to a 500 so I figured why not it maybe more power than I need but that’s a good thing. But now the RB 210 has my eye. Sorry about your stolen 500 that’s rough mate 💔however since you’ve been using it do you miss your rumble 500? Are you team rocket yet lol? Thanks for the great vid! Cheers

I had an Ampeg combo back in the day I was constantly taking it to get fixed. I swore off Ampeg after that. Been using Fender for a long time now and never had an issue.

5:43 - Damn it Andrew, the quick jokes you throw in are GOLD 😂😂😂

Great video! I had the Ampeg Rocket RB-112 and the RB-210 and then went with the RB-115. I also hooked up the Ampeg Portaflex 115LF cab to the 210 and the 115 and in MY opinion the RB-115 was just as "loud" as the 210 but much fuller. Again, it's a different story without the cab (the RB 210 is louder) but with a cab the RB 115 was "louder" or at least just as loud as the RB 210 but much fuller. GREAT amps (yes, I also had the Rumble series too 500, 800 Stage) and in the end went with the RB 115 with the 115LF cab; I haven't looked back or wanted too.

Hey, thanks for the review, much appreciated! I have a Rumble 40, just playing at home but, if I were to choose between the Ampeg Rocket RB-210 or the Rumble 500, it would be the Rumble 500, for two reasons. One is reliability, I think the verdict is still out on the Rocket amps until they've had more problem free gigging hours. Lots of bass players such as yourself have put many hours of gigging on the Rumbles getting tossed around, and still going! Second is weight and size, the Rumble 500 is a bit lighter and more compact. As for tone, a Zoom or Tech21 pedal can be added to shape whatever tone, especially if someone wants to dial in an Ampeg tone on the Rumble. I like the Rutabaga rating! :) Thanks!

I play a rumble 100 currently and I'm looking for something louder. Is this as loud as the rumble 500?

Nice review of the amp. But did you review the Serak you’re playing? I thought they made only 30” scale basses. That looks like a 34”.

Thnx from an old bass player that's being eying this amp.

dude that shade 🤣 anyways, i was inspired to buy the rumble by a video you made a year ago so now if ever that one ever fails on me, this will be the replacement.

I’m disappointed that a company with Ampeg’s history (and the backing of a tech-savvy organization like Yamaha) would copy the Rumble’s amateurish post-MV DI circuit. Not being able to make slight changes to your stage volume without screwing up FOH is absurd. Especially on an amp that’s powerful enough to carry larger gigs.

Great video!!! I have this Bass Amp!!! 9:23 you mention I don't have to have the speaker output!! Can I just put a dummy headset in (cut cord) just to mute the speaker? I am blowing away folks at practice. I already DI out to record our practices. Thanks

The gain nob being missing might be a problem for me my active basses are crazy hot.. hopefully its a non issue like you said.

Well made video i have been hereing a lot of amppeg product has been brakeing down i am glad i got the rumble and passed on the ampeg altought it does sound good

Hey Amp, a quick question....if I want to use my preamp pedal and by-pass the preamp on my combo, I heard that I can just plug into the fx return and play. Can you validate that please? ATM I don't have an amp, sold my head(it didn't have an fx loop anyways) and awaiting for my Orange Crush delivery.

Couple years ago , looking for a light amp, I played the Rumble 500 in a store. It was very loud, but somehow blur or muddy on many presets or eq. Did not buy it. A week ago I played an ampeg rb-210, and I fell for it, specially with the SGT and the loudness. Over all: sweet and nasty, just like finding the secret G-Spot. A must have 😝

I love this

The post-mater volume DI out is only thing giving me pause on this for use with my band. I have the RB110 for home practice and it sounds exactly how I want a bass amp to sound.

Just found this channel by searching Ampeg Rocket. Then I saw Patrick watches your channel so…. SUBBED!

How does this compare to a Boss Katana 210 combo?

Damn bro....so sad for your Rumble 500 which you absolutely adore....hope this one serves you as well

I tired to sell a GK combo amp at a local music store last year. The manager wouldn’t buy it from me and proceeded to tell me that Fender and Ampeg make the best bass amps today. I’ll give him Fender, but Ampeg is nothing like they used to be. My B2RE head is 20 years old, beat to hell, and still gets me through 4-hour gigs. Hopefully this rocket amp treats you well!

Great video...the opinion about the effects loop being useless in a bass amp...have you eve used a second amp as a slave? The output of the 'primary' amp from the 'Send' to the 'Return' of the 'Slave' allows the same preamp ( tone) settings from your Primary to pass to your Slave, while utilizing the power amp only and speaker output from the Slave...this is actually a bit different than simply adding an external speaker...I really like this method, as an alternative (if you've got the cake to buy or own 2 amps...)...have you ever reviewed a Slave set up? Again, cool stuff here.

Nice I use the 210 and a Ampeg 115 on the bottom sounds alright

11:05 This is why you're my favorite XD. Great vid dude!

How's that continuing left thing working?

When playing this amp outside of this video do you still using your sansamp VT pedal?

The OD on the fender V3 supposedly has been redesigned. Is that the version you have experience with?

I use my effects loop. I don't know why they bother putting gain, EQ, volume and gimmicky switches on bass amps anymore. I never plug into the front, just into my preamp pedal and then into the return on the fx loop. When my Rumble 500 dies, I'm just going to buy a PA.

thanks thinking of buying an ampeg rocket 210 hope we stay to the left too my friend

Absolutely agree on the DI. comment, a pre/post preamp option would be nice too. I convinced our bass player to get the 1x15" version and all is good so far, he is not a technical guy so this clicks all the boxes, so far it is loud enough and classic sounding. For FOH, a direct split after a buffered stage to the Di. would be optimal, so you have to make sure that the level is right from the first song FWIW.

i really need to know what riff that is at the start!

Yo! Has your ampeg amp ever cut out during a gig when cranked pass noon? Bc mine did a few times and I was scared to go through the hassle to exchange it in fear of the same issue. I miss that combo and want another one. Please let me know thanks

Sounds great. Worth giving the Laney Digbeth 500W a go.

One thing no one mentions when comparing the Ampeg RB to the Fender Rumble is the input power for the Ampeg is self adjusting from 100-240 volts 50-60 hz. This can be important if you tour outside the US or if you play in venues that have voltage drops and power issues.

Does your 2x10 buzz or hum? I got one today and it has that noise. I would like to know if is normal or should I returned

I wonder is the boss katana bass 210 able to compete with these 2 🤔

A folding hand truck and a bungee cord makes moving amps a much simpler task.. Great review.

I'm looking to get either this or the rumble 500. Which is better live?

No gain knob on the Rb500?

My Ampeg experience. Bought a new Ampeg amp at Steve's music store in Montreal years ago. Within 10 months I had to bring it back twice for repairs as it stopped working. Luckily the third time it failed ( broke ) before the 12 month warranty expired I took it back and got my money back and bought another amp. Never, ever considered getting another Ampeg amp again.

I bought the RB115 for practice at home and small gigs at local bar and liked it so much I went and bought the RB210. I needed the extra wattage and volume the RB210 had to offer. So I bought the Ampeg PF112 to go with the RB210 and it just sings. I have had no WC issues. Both amps work flawless so far. It works very well with my all my effects as well. It seems that Yamaha is going to help bring Ampegs quality control to where it needs to be… reliable.

Have you had the chance to try the ampeg venture amps?

How does the volume hold up for outdoor performances?

I love my RB-112!! If I move up in Wattage I'd go with the RB-210 or Maybe an SVT depending on cost.

Call me weird , but I prefer a 3-band EQ over a 4-Band EQ. I'm all about simplicity. Great vid, btw

Those tone controls sound great !! Which not many do....

Is the headphones output left and right or just left. I’d like to hear left and right not just one side

I like your band it sounds good

According to published specs the RB-210 is actually a bit shorter than the Rumble 500 but significantly wider: Ampeg RB-210 - 513 x 654 x 354 mm - 17.7kg Fender Rumble 500 - 584 x 483 x 356 mm - 16.6 kg

The FX Return is a great way to use something else for Preamp and just use your amp as a power amp. By getting something like a HX stomp or something like that, you can get a huge variety of amp, pedals and preamp on the cheap. That give more "GAS" money to buy more bass 😂 As a owner of a Fender Rumble 500, i totally agree that the Overdrive is a gimmick that you turn on to see, but figure out quickly that you can't get a good sound out of it quickly. Else, i run like you the amp flat as i think it's where it sound the better (Real flat instead of all at noon as the preamp have a natural slight mid scoop in it.). As for the size, i think that is probably the only thing i dislike really and that could make me change my gear. Having just to carry a combo is great, but now heads are so smalls and having something like 2x 1x10 or 2x 12 give way more flexibility. Maybe later

Couldn't hear you on the gig footage

Plugging a noise gate into the effects loop reduces the hum significantly

I'm a shoe -in buyer for ampeg so i tried this new series, as I love my B100R which I leave at the band's rehearsal space. They're ok but I found them underpowered and was sorely disappointed. IMO the rumble 800 210 neo is a far better product.

Mine failed after 4 months.

Sorry to hear about the rumble getting stole :(

Can the vinyl be easily scratched?😢

It's a decent amp. I had one for about a month and then sold it. I still prefer my old Peavey amps.

@amp 😂dude when you are playing the bass you look like an angel because of the window behind you… the bass angel 🤙🤣🤣

6:12 made me burst out laughing

Botjh ampsare larger than required: A 'Crazy 8' by Greenboy lets mekeep up with a 20 piece big band with 150 watts-at half power. If I wasplaying rock. I do with a Fearful 10 or 12". You do notneedto get hernias carrying equipment. The crazy 8 weights 12 lbs!

I have a 500W Rumble and it’s not EQ’ed like I wish it was. Ampeg analog SVT in a box, whatever they call it. Problem Solved. !!!

That’s so sad that your rumble amp got stolen

Samus66, bass version

Great video, but you might want to consider cutting back on the caffeine…

The light behind your head makes it looks like a virtual background from zoom. But great review.

Rumble 500 for me, everytime!

I tend to find big companies like ampeg , really rely on their big svt pro gear , while the combo's tend to be shyte and won't last a season , so yer wasting yer money there .

I own a rumble but love ampeg and went to a store who had one so I could buy it but once I tried it I was so disappointed

Stick with the Rumble, you only get one Back!

Ampeg is bigger n heavier? Say it ain't so! 😂 That's Ampeg. I had a "refrigerator" for a long time. You just get used to it. And these Rockets are lighter than usual for Ampeg.

Criminally low subs man your awesome u should be famous

Yamaha bought them 🤔 could only make them better right?