Fender Rumble 40 settings
Fame settings for Fender Rumble 40
David Bowie · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the David Bowie "Fame" clean tone on a Fender Rumble 40, set Gain 0, Drive 0, Bass 4, Mid 6, Treble 5, Bright voicing 0. Use the both pickups balanced (neutral fingerstyle) pickup.
Clean settings
Adapted for a Fender Jazz Bass · updated 2026-10-06
- Pickup
- Both pickups balanced (neutral fingerstyle)
Fender Rumble 40 knobs
- Gain
- 0
- Drive
- 0
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 5
- Bright voicing
- 0
- Overdrive gain
- 0
- Contour voicing
- 0
- Overdrive level
- 0
- Vintage voicing
- 1
Playing tips
- Use your fingers to pluck the strings for a percussive attack.
- Experiment with the balance of your pickups to find the sweet spot for clarity.
- Keep your playing dynamic and controlled to maintain the punchy low end.
The original rig
What David Bowie used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Rumble 40 actually has.
- Bass
- Gibson ES-335TD CRS Country Rock Stereo
- Amp
- Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, early 1970s)
- Gain
- 0
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different bass or pedals? Get Fame adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts David Bowie's tone to your own bass, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Fender Rumble 40 settings for Fame?
Set Gain 0, Drive 0, Bass 4, Mid 6, Treble 5, Bright voicing 0.
Which pickup should I use for Fame?
Both pickups balanced (neutral fingerstyle).
What gear did David Bowie use on Fame?
Bass: Gibson ES-335TD CRS Country Rock Stereo. Amp: Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, early 1970s).
Will these settings work with my bass?
These settings were adapted for a Fender Jazz Bass. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact bass, pickups, amp and pedals.
Popular songs on the Fender Rumble 40
- For Whom the Bell Tolls · Metallica
- Schism · TOOL
- Hysteria · Muse
- Money · Pink Floyd
- Feel Good Inc. (feat. David Jolicoeur, Kelvin Mercer & Vincent Mason) · Gorillaz & De La Soul
- Come Together · The Beatles
- Paranoid · Black Sabbath
- Chop Suey! · System Of A Down
- Give it Away · Red Hot Chile Peppers
- My Name Is Mud · Primus
- Message In a Bottle · The Police
- Orion · Metallica
Settings are generated by ToneAdapt's tone adaptation for the gear named on this page and are a starting point — every amp, guitar and room is a little different.