Jazz Flats on a Rob Allen Mouse?

Joe Smithberger · #1 02-09-2007, 06:15 PM

Has anyone tried this combination? I would love to get a more "double bass like" sound from the Mouse. It is great now, but the sustain and fretless "mwah" are both a little too pronounced. It wears Labella tapewounds which are kinda bright in a weird way. I tried the Rotosound tapewound strings and they didn't quite do it for me either.

In my searching this forum, I found several people who tried them on the longer scale Rob Allens. Most of these experiments were labelled as "disappointing" but no details.

vicenzajay · #2 02-11-2007, 02:01 AM

My Rob Allen Mouse from a TB'er this week. He had it strung with TI jazz flats...and it sounds fantastic. It definitely sounds very "double bass" in nature - strongly recommend them.

Of course, at some point I will restring it with the LaBella's as I'm a roundwound guy...just can't slide on a flat string as well.

Jay

Joe Smithberger · #3 02-11-2007, 12:31 PM

The LaBella tapes are probably no easier to slide on than real flats. The nylon can be very slick or a little sticky depending on humidity and temerature.

Joe Smithberger · #4 02-21-2007, 08:51 AM

Ok I got a set of TI short scale jazz flats. This just may be THE string for this bass, but I got a bum A string. I think they put a second D in the A pack. I have an email in to the dealer but for cryin out loud, these were pricey to start with. Hopefully this will quickly resolve itself. The other three sound fantastic.

Mojo-Man · #5 02-23-2007, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Smithberger

The LaBella tapes are probably no easier to slide on than real flats. The nylon can be very slick or a little sticky depending on humidity and temerature.

+1

Joe Smithberger · #6 02-23-2007, 06:59 AM

I heard yesterday that the US distributor is going to send me a new A string, hopefully soon. So far I really like these and can't wait to get them out to my church gig. I guess it's too late for this weekend, but maybe next?

The sound is very different from the Labella Tapes. If you listen to the Rob Allen clips on his site, they are all tapewound strung instruments - long singing sustain. The TI strings have a thump and growl with a shorter sustain that reminds me of a steel string fitted upright with a pickup in the bridge. More to come when I can play a whole set.

fretlessrock · #7 02-23-2007, 07:10 AM

I ran JF's on my Rob Allen MB2 for a bit and I thought that they were an excellent choice. They were not as dark as the tapes, easier to hear in a band situation (for me), and more versatile.

On the string gauge issue: are you sure that they sent you two of the same gauge? I have been fooled a few times and actually did get dupes in a few sets of Zon strings. Since then I take the slightly obsessive step of using a small dial caliper to measure my strings. My eyes have been fooled both ways. Once thinking that two of the same gauge were different, and once the other way.

Joe Smithberger · #8 02-23-2007, 08:40 AM

Fretless, yeah I looked at it a few times and its definitely the same gage. The real tell was when I tuned it to D pitch and it looked, felt, and sounded just like the one in the D position.

Definitely a different sound.

#9 02-24-2007, 04:54 PM

You might also want to try LaBella 760FL's they are 43-104 medium low tension and super smooth. I use them on my fretless and really like them a lot.

George

Chunk-O-Funk · #10 02-24-2007, 08:33 PM

Subscribed!

What are the chances of posting a sound clip?

Joe Smithberger · #11 02-25-2007, 06:51 AM

Chunk, I am still waiting oon my string, but when it comes maybe a can throw together something.

Joe Smithberger · #12 04-09-2007, 02:21 PM

All right, I have had them on long enough to decide....um...no. The tapes are back. The lower tension of the TI's was ultimately their downfall for me. If I could do more to adjust the action, I might have found a way to keep them. The setup of the Mouse is optimized for the LaBellas.

IMO any Mouse owners who are just bored and looking for something to fool around with, pick up that Fender instead and change whatever you want. The Mouse is a bit like fine art and I think we should respect the artists vision.

Chunk-O-Funk · #13 04-09-2007, 03:33 PM

Thanks Joe!

spade2you · #14 04-10-2007, 08:17 PM

Perhaps not so much string related, what woods are you using? Despite using brighter woods, mine still has a nice upright sound.

Joe Smithberger · #15 04-11-2007, 06:25 AM

Mine is walnut top on spruce (?) with a birdseye maple neck. It has a very uprightlike sound. I was working on the note decay part of the sound and the TI's hit it perfectly. They were just too buzzy (not growly) on the fingerboard in the first two positions. Especially on the G string.

richnota · #16 04-11-2007, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Smithberger

Mine is walnut top on spruce (?) with a birdseye maple neck. It has a very uprightlike sound. I was working on the note decay part of the sound and the TI's hit it perfectly. They were just too buzzy (not growly) on the fingerboard in the first two positions. Especially on the G string.

have you tweaked your truss rod a tiny bit? RAs respond well to small relief adjustments. Beyond that, I'm curious if a tiny bit of string slot shimming on that buzzy G might be in order (test with a piece of business card, permanent fix using superglue).

spade2you · #17 04-11-2007, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Smithberger

Mine is walnut top on spruce (?) with a birdseye maple neck. It has a very uprightlike sound. I was working on the note decay part of the sound and the TI's hit it perfectly. They were just too buzzy (not growly) on the fingerboard in the first two positions. Especially on the G string.

Do you think the body could be ash or alder?? Either way, the overall config may be a shade bright, naturally. Do you have a tone circuit?

I think my choice of wood config takes a little away from the potential URB tone, but it's still good. Rob suggested different body and neck materials, which I will definitely pick on my next Mouse 30 (or Mouse 305), but I chose my config because I still wanted some brightness when needed. It's still a killer tone, but I realize that I could get even closer with some alternative woods. Perhaps I'm using that theory too much to justify getting another one.

Joe Smithberger · #18 04-11-2007, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richnota

have you tweaked your truss rod a tiny bit? RAs respond well to small relief adjustments. Beyond that, I'm curious if a tiny bit of string slot shimming on that buzzy G might be in order (test with a piece of business card, permanent fix using superglue).

Yes, I have adjusted all that was available. In order to eliminate the problem I have to add an unacceptable amount of relief or shim the bridge. It took me three weeks of fussing around to give up on the TI's. I don't enjoy $50 unsuccessful experiments. There is just too much difference in string tension and diameters between the LaBella tapes and the TI flats. I'm sure Rob could reconfigure the bridge to work with them, but then the $50 experiment becomes much more and I'm still not guaranteed that I will like the result.

If someone else wants to try, I will give you a good deal on the TI set.

Joe Smithberger · #19 08-01-2008, 11:47 AM

I want to revisit this thread and say that my initial assesment was not quite accurate. I guess my touch has evolved because now, a year and a quarter later, I put the strings back on and love them. I have moved to a Dingwall Afterburner as my primary instrument from a Stingray 5 with flats. The action on the Dingwall can go crazy low and I think I have evolved to work with that. Now I hear the Thomastiks as having more treble than the LaBella Tapes but not as much high mids. By turning down the treble on the amp, it becomes a thump and growl monster with a nice attack and shorter sustain. It is also easier to control the fretless mwah sound with left hand pressure. I am now anxious to see how these strings age. Hopefully they will break in to the point that I won't even have to turn the treble down.

I have also discovered that the Radial Big Shot IO switch box works great with this bass. By running the Mouse into channel two, I can turn down the volume so that the onboard Preamp can be run most of the way open. It also puts another pot in the signal path and attenuates some of the high frequencies in the process.

KJung · #20 08-01-2008, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Smithberger

Has anyone tried this combination? I would love to get a more "double bass like" sound from the Mouse. It is great now, but the sustain and fretless "mwah" are both a little too pronounced. It wears Labella tapewounds which are kinda bright in a weird way. I tried the Rotosound tapewound strings and they didn't quite do it for me either.

In my searching this forum, I found several people who tried them on the longer scale Rob Allens. Most of these experiments were labelled as "disappointing" but no details.

I can't imagine anything sounding more 'DBish' on the Mouse than the Labella tapewounds.

Have you messed with the treble roll-off on the rear access plate. If you take that down 50%, you start to get a nice thuddy thickness to the tone, especially after about a month or so of playing on those strings.

IMO and IME.