Reverend Rumblefish XL

I have an XL I bought new in January 2002.My finish is bugeye (bubbled chrome) people either love it or hate it. Semi-hollow, passive j bass pickups. maple neck rosewood fretboard. Dealer cut me a deal with the hard shell case which is pretty cool (my drummer calls it swanky). Plenty of features with nothing excessive(which I like). It's like a cross between a danelectro, a fender jazz, and a cadillac. Thanks to the semi hollow body you can hear it when you play unplugged(not as loud as an acoustic, just louder than I was used to). Weighs about 8 1/2lbs.

Very hot pickups with a wide range of sound between the toggle switch and the tone pot you have a lot of options. Doesn't exactly do a jazz bass sound. think jazz bass with a bit more clarity. For the guys who don't think it has real low end flip the switch all the way down and it thumps. Single coil is noisy but series and paralell are pretty quiet unless of course you're set up next that neon beer sign. I've owned a spector, pedulla, rickenbacker and still have a modulus vintage jazz. I traded all but the Modulus because they just didn't seem to be as right as my Reverend. The modulus is much more refined but I still prefer the sound of my rumblefish. Just really cuts through and sound great through my ashdown setup and anything else I've played through.

great setup and hardware. Stays pretty well in tune but not like my modulus. The neck is amazing. skinny and smooth with rolled edges. Feels great to play. balances ok (neck heavy) when I'm sitting down but is perfect when I'm standing. The pots are smooth and the toggle swith makes no noise. tuners are solid. fretwork is very very good.

Rock solid. No problems at all. The first year I had it I adjusted the neck from season to season but it settled down and havent adjusted it since.

Great Guys. Called them with some gee whiz type of questions and they answered em. Too bad they stopped making basses I'd buy a 5 string from them.

Been playing about 4 years and since I love toys I've played a lot of basses. I always come back to the Reverend.Its the bass I love. When I bought it I looked at everything I could find under $1500. Came real close to a music man but as soon as I played this bass I knew it was the one. Just felt right.

Same as the other categories. Mine's a 2001 in the White finish, made not too long before they went factory direct (I got it from Thrasher, the 1st Reverend dealer). I'm not gonna give it a 10 because it could still have a lot of other neat stuff on it.

VERY clean on most settings, probably because I use a GK 400RB head. In comparison to a P and a Cort with a big passive humbucker, the Reverend is a lot cleaner but doesn't have the bottom response of the real humbucker, it makes up for it with its more usable mid and high range and of course the typical jazz sound. ALthough I've seen reviews saying its not a slapper's instrument, I slap on it all the time. I find that the strings have to be brand new or its very weak though. The only thing it doesn't do super-good is harmonics ala Jaco, but if I tune it up a step it does that just fine too so thats just a matter of loose action.

I don't have a lot of experience with Jazzes, but I have played a few Fenders and some other instruments. So far, the only instrument that played better was a Modulus Vintage J, which was going for $1500 off the wall, about $600 more than I payed for the Fish. Bass was set up great and I've had no problems except a fussy volume knob but I made that problem myself. Only factory problem is that its pretty neck heavy, which is the only reason I didn't get the 5L model. Joe could easily extend that upper bout or add a chunk of lead or something under the bridge, then it would be perfect for any style. Neck-heaviness is only a problem when playing really quick or doing Wooten-esque tapping, because your left hand can't hold it up so well.

I've tortured this bass. I've thrown it across the room with no problem-didn't even go out of tune. Thrown it around myself a dozen times. If you try that stunt, USE A SHORT STRAP! The instrument is slightly neck-heavy and it will come off your shoulder if you wear it low.

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The only thing this bass needs to be the perfect passive Jazz is a bit better balance. BEYOND Fender, comparable to the Modulus and other high end intruments. If it weren't half the price I'd knock it a bit but damn for $900 I doubt one could get a better Jazz bass new. Even an all around better bass is hard to find for $900, maybe a used Ric but thats not a Jazz the Reverend is and it does everything. And I mean that because I use it for jazz, blues, funk, rock, metal, punk, alt-rock, latin and everything else.

made in 2002, made in the US.
21 frets and is a four string.
plastic top.
Volume, Tone, And seclector.
Two jazz bass pick ups.
The neck is a Kent Armstrong and the bridge is stock.
Passive.
Neck-rosewood on maple, Body Mahognay souronded by plastic.
Fire ball Red finish.
Has a custom body.
Top loaded bridge.
Hipshot Ultra light tuners.
Thin neck, jumbo frets, rosewood fretboard.
Only tools for accessories.

It suits my style of music like a glove (Ska, Reggae, and Jazz)
Im using a 72' Fender Bassman 10
Its a little bit noisey on single coil mode.
Mainly a warm smooth sound.
Not a lot of viraty because it is passive.

The action is super low and perfict.
The pickups are tuned nicely.
The only flaw is that it has adjustable pole pieces and a few came striped.

I think that this bass will with stand live playing very well.
The hardwear is tuff as nails.
The finish is good.
I bought new strap bottons but the origanl ones were solid.
The truss rod needs to be adjusted about twice a year, but i live in chicago it gets really dry in the winters!
I would use this bass without a back up.

The folks at Reverend are very nice.

Best bass Ive ever had.

Moroccan Gold Brushed Aluminum top, Rosewood fingerboard.....What a LOOKER!!!!!!

2 angled JBass type pickups, can be used in series, front pickup alone, or as one big humbucker. Hits ALL the sonic possibilities. They are NOT Active.....they feel "alive" inside the hollow body.

Satin finish neck...thin at the nut....very Jazz Bass feel.
The neck??? OH GOD, the NECK!!! Feels like you have been playing it for 35 years!!!

Gig bag is outstanding!! Plenty of velcro pockets for holding a lot of accessories.

I use an SWR WM-15 amp that seems as if it was MADE for this bass!!

You can go from funky slapping to smooooooooth, full notes and everything in between.

We go from Blues to Funk to R&B to Soul...and she carries it all with sound to spare!!

I took it out of the box...put on a strap...and plugged it in.
I could have gone right to a gig.
Joe naylor sets weverything up METICULOUSLY from the factory.

The best way to describe a Reverend neck is "Feels like a 62 Strat that has had 5 re-frets!!!" NOW you get it!!!

EVERYTHING is solid on this Bass. I know Joe, and he won't put ANY part on his guitars that doesn't rate highly.

Reverend's customer service has become legendary. You'll get a REAL person on the other end of the phone, and Emails are returned FAST. They consider their customers as #1.

I have been playing music for 34 years...I know what I like and don't like. I expect this bass to take my playing ability to a higher level. It just FEELS so right. Effortless to play!! If you LIKE the instrument you play, it will inspire you. THIS BASS INSPIRES....BIGTIME!! Worth EVERY penny, and more.

I have a Rev guitar, and the looks and positive comments you get from other players is many!! If you are a "Fender Guy" and want something different that FEELS familiar, this is it!!



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I bought the bass used; the previous owner had it for 6 months or so. I imagine it is a 2000 or 2001. It is made in Eastpointe, MI in the USA. My bass is a fretted 4-string XL model. The body is semi-hollow and made of phenolic; it has a piece of wood that runs through it that contains a sustain rod. The XL version has a volume pot, a tone pot and a 3-way mini-toggle switch that allows the 2 passive Jazz Bass style pickups to run in parallel/single-coil/series. The pickups are Joe Naylor's design but I don't know who actually makes them. The tuners appear to be Gotoh minis, the bridge is Fender-style. The neck is vintage yellow tinted maple with a rosewood fingerboard, dot inlays and a graphite (I think) nut. My instrument is a navy blue color with a silver colored pickguard. It came with a Reverend logo (made in China) gig bag.

I play Chicago-style and West Coast jump blues and the instrument works great for me in this setting. I use an Ampeg B248 combo, no effects. I have the limiter on, the graphic EQ off and have the bass at 3:00, ultra-mid at 1:00 and the treble at 1:00. The gain and volume control settings vary depending on the venue. The single coil setting is a little "buzzy" but that's to be expected; the parallel setting (classic Jazz Bass sound) and series setting (massive bottom...think Gibson EB-1) are dead quiet. This bass, the XL model, is capable of a variety of different sounds thanks to the parallel/single coil/series mini-toggle switch. It sounds rich and warm in all settings. I would say that it would be very good for just about anything except slapping. I love the massive lows!

Remember, I bought the bass used BUT the action was low, the neck was straight, the frets were perfectly seated, crowned and polished. The bass was really in perfect condition; it was used, but not very much. These instruments are essentially hand-made and the attention to detail is evident. There was absolutely nothing I had to do other than put on a new set of strings. It doesn't get much better than this bass.

I can say already that it will withstand live playing because it has! I have replaced the stock strap buttons with Schaller strap locks but I always do that to gigging instruments. The phenolic body is well made and very sturdy. It appears to be very durable and dependable...but there will always be a back-up instrument. I am not wild about the tuners and I can see a set of Hipshot ultra-lites on the horizon. The pots operate smoothly and the bridge is adequate.

I sent 1 e-mail about the truss rod and bridge wrenches and got a personal reply from Joe Naylor in 2 days. I don't forsee any problems in this area.

For the money, I would have been crazy to pass this up. I had never even seen a Reverend, let alone played one before I bought it. I normally don't do things like that! I read all the reviews and noticed that old guys like me who play blues and roots music loved the bass. I have been playing since 1964 and have owned just about every non-boutique bass made at one time or another. I am a Fender man at heart...I use a MIJ fretless Jazz Bass and a cheapo Squier P-Bass Special (soon to be sold) as well as a Hamer Echotone 335 style guitar. This is like a Jazz Bass with a little more tonal flexibility and a much lighter body. The neck is as good as any out there and better than 90% of them; it feels like a "broken in" 60's Jazz Bass neck (it has rolled edges). This bass is like Danelectro meets Fender at the crossroads at midnight or something. The first time I plugged the bass in was at a gig. After the first set, the soundman came up and asked about the bass because, "Man, that thing sounds great...really smooth and big bottom end!" I like the retro styling but I can see where somebody might not care for it but, make no mistake, this is a modern instrument dressed in 1950's drag, not a relic. All I can say is if you like old Fender Jazz Basses, you owe it to yourself to check out one of these bad boys! This is the time to buy a Reverend because they just disbanded their dealer network and are now selling direct...that means dealers will happily slash prices on their remaining inventory and used prices are low...but this won't be permanent. Get while the getting is good.