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The Fender Rumble 40 V3 is a versatile bass combo amp with aux-in, headphones out and line-out - making the amp viable for quiet practice, and for use on stage.

It's a significantly different amp compared to its smaller sibling, the Rumble 25. While the circuit itself is the same, there are extra controls to change the amp’s voicing.

The key to the versatility this amp possesses are the EQ switches. The amp has a contour switch (changes the mid-range profile), vintage (gives the amp a warmer tone), and bright (enhances the high-end). When one of these switches are engaged you can use the EQ knobs to further change the amp’s tone.

Also, the Rumble 40 is surprisingly light for its size, making it easy to haul around the house or for gigs.

It has a 10” speaker. While this is on the smaller side, the amp still has a reasonable amount of depth and warmth. The 10” speaker also gives the Rumble 40 a punch that it would otherwise be lacking.

The volume and overdrive controls for the amp are a bit odd, with the Master control dictating the overall volume and the Gain control deciding the base level of gain. The amp also has a gain boost in the form of an overdrive circuit, which is controlled by the drive and level controls.

The 40 V3 comes with an AUX-input as well as a headphone-out, and it has an XLR line-out. Basically, this allows you to plug the amp directly into a P.A. So while this amp isn’t loud enough to gig with on its own, the inclusion of the XLR-out makes the wattage of this amp a non-issue in many situations.

Features

• 40-Watts
• 10” Speaker
• Controls: Bass, Low Mid, High Mid, Treble, Gain, Drive, Level, Master, Contour, Bright, Vintage
• AUX-Input, Headphone-Output, Footswitch, Line Out

Pros

A common theme among reviewers is that the Fender Rumble 40 V3 gives you quite a lot for the money. And it's not just about its versatility in terms of tone and connectivity, because there are plenty of reviewers who are genuinely impressed at the sound of this humble amp. Having used a Rumble myself, I can also among the many who love this amp's portable profile and weight.

Cons

There are a few who are concerned about the build quality of the cabinet, and some caution against driving the amp hard, as it affects tone.

Overall

With its portability and versatility, it's hard to wrong with the Fender Rumble 40 V3.

Although this was previously on our recommended list, there are now more highly rated options available which you can see in our guide to The Best Bass Amps Under $500.