Arnold's J.B. Allen bass

Well, it is a Bass with some proud measurements. Some call it a 7/8ths and some a 4/4. The String length is only 41 3/4". The restoration done by Robbie McIntosh is just amazing.

Sound? Floor shaking on the bottom, sweet on top. Better looking and sounding than most Prescotts I have seen. This is one of the best Basses ever made in 19th century USA all around.

It must be played to be fully appreciated.

 

This friggin' chat line cuts off before I can post. But I'll try one more god damn time.

Phil Palombi's J.A. Allen. Label says: 1842 SPRINGFIELD , MA
http://home.earthlink.net/~prescottviol/Photos/1842JAAllenPalombi.jpg

My Prescott is on loan to a major player while I survive psoriasis.
http://home.earthlink.net/~prescottviol/Photos/1820PHOTOAngleWhite.psd.jpg

I was going to reproduct posters but it's too expensive.
Don Carrigan

 

No, I never measured it but similar if not bigger in width to my Prescott I would guess and that was 28.5" at the lower bout which was original. The upper and middle bouts were cut smaller early in its life on my former Bass.

 

The Allen is a 4/4 bass if I've ever seen one. You can read an article on the bass in the ISB Bass World, Volume 27, #3. It was published Spring of 2004 and features Robert McIntosh explaining the bass' history and restoration.

I should mention that I do not own the bass but I am marketing it on consignment for a client. Dr. Rod, I'll try to post some measurements for you soon. Ken's comments on tone were right on; I would add that the bass posseses an unusual "woody" quality as well as being deep, rich and clear.

 

Well, I agree in part. It IS after all made out of wood..lol

Seriously though, playing the Bass as with any Bass you hear more wood than you do in a distance. The woody sound seems to dissipate in the distance. My Prescott was like that, so I thought. At a concert I was playing, one of the regular attendees came up to me as I was warming up and said he has never heard such a beautiful sounding Bass. "Woody" was not in his description.

 

Beautiful looking bass.

What type of tuners are those?

 

I too have been groaning over that bass ever since Arnold put it up there a couple of years ago, and I will be very sad when it gets a "Sold" sign under the picture.

Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm related to J.B. Allen, and I'm also pretty sure that his ghost can find no rest until that particular bass is in the hands of a kinsman with the same initials, sold for the price he originally received for it. What do you say, Arnold?
--Jeremy Bubba Allen

 

Nice one J Allen!

 

Handmade of steel and brass. Three are original (1841), a fourth was made to match by a very fine machinist. (The bass was built as a three-stringer.) There was no more room in the pegbox so he split the shaft which serves the A and D tuners. It's very beautifully done.

 

Good Evening.

I noticed some interest in a J.B. Allen bass via postings from last December. My 1841 J.B. Allen bass has the following dimensions:

Body length of 47"
Upper bout of 19 3/8"
Middle bout of 15 3/8"
Lower bout of 28 3/8"
String length of 43"

The back is two piece maple. The ribs and scroll are of matching maple. The tops is thirteen-piece (!!) spruce. The varnish is reddish-amber in color.

To borrow from Mr. Schnitzer, this J.B. Allen possesses an unusual "woody" quality as well as being deep, rich and clear.

Robert McIntosh has been kind enough to send me his article (published by ISB) about another J.B. Allen. If anyone has information about J.B. Allen, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Regards,

David Oberg

 

Dr Rod,

Sadly, my ability at posting pics has been held in the balance and found wanting. If convenient, I'd happy to send them to a Thunder Bay e-mail address to your attention.

Regards,

D.

 

The basses are beautiful... Thank you so much for posting them. All I have to do is get my youngest through college and I'll be calling.... Ha (about 2 years)

 

if you send them to me I'll post them for you.

Click on my name over there, check the dropdown list for my email address.


BTW I played the AES JB Allen. Nice bass!

 

Pics are here:

 

What kind of $$ is this going for? Are Allen basses in general worth more or less than Prescotts?