NBD Part 1 - being Solid

[nostatic]

A bounty within 12 hours. First to arrive is an incredibly clean RA Solid 4 from Jack - thanks! I took it by Rob's today and had the hipshot removed (never will use it), but beyond that and a pup height tweak, it needs nothing. Ridiculously light, beautiful straight grain ash. This is a P-bass sound that has some serious booty and bell tone.

 

[DeliriumTremens]

What's going on with the slots in the back of the string holder? It looks like there's extra spaces for the ball ends on the E and A strings. Nice looking bass

 

[nostatic]

You can anchor the E and A strings on the back part of the bridge, lengthening the amount of string used. There is some argument that it changes the tone some. Not sure I'd notice, but if you can have the option why not...

 

[P. Aaron]

That's a cool lookin' bass! I want one of those too!

 

[EighthNotes]

I'm not usually into non-Fenders, but that is cool! It looks super comfortable and that pickup looks serious.

 

[nostatic]

The pup is actually an older one that is hotter than Rob's current offerings. It is hand wound and has the P-bass vibe with some of the typical Rob Allen huge bottom sound. It is comfy (sub-8lbs is awesome) - just need to change strings. Currently has 40-95 and my fingers were confused. Bought a set of 45-105 Lo Riders for it...now to find my cutters.

 

[lonote]

Wow, she's a real looker!

 

[Reynoldbot]

Golly that's quite an instrument you got there. I just want to lay down with that thing for a little while.

 

[plankspanker13]

No volume or tone knobs on her; simplicity, but how do you tweak your sound?

 

[nostatic]

Vol and tone are on the bridge (the metal knobs).

 

[johnk_10]

i meant to post on this thread the other day.
i'm a total vintage guy (and a traditionalist), but out of all of the new bass designs, this is definitely my favorite by leaps and bounds.

everything about it is 'no nonsense' to me and it has a very understated elegance in it's simplistic looking, and 'form meets function design'. IMO, everything on your bass (including the woods used and their cut) the finish color, the single ply tort guard, 1/4 sawn neck, and the beautiful bridge w/T/V system is beautifully executed, and in a whole other league, and extremely tasteful. to me, it's a welcome and refeshing departure from all of the coffee table basses that are so popular these days.

congrats!

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Agreed... I gotta stop looking at these Rob Allen threads. I've only played one once, but the aestheics of Mr. Allen's creations are impeccable.
They make me want things I do not need.

 

[nostatic]

Thanks - that is high praise from a serious P-bassaholic

I did an audition (with a surf band) on Saturday with it, and have been swapping between my horde the last few days. Tonight I did a blind listening test with my g/f. This bass got the "big booty" award. The most low end fundamental (which is saying something relative to my other Rob Allens) along with a nice bell-like chime. Very P-bass with a twist. I slapped some Sunbeams on it, now just need to drop the action a bit and it is going to replace my Zon 5-string fretted for now.

 

[OOZMAN]

I thought it was a fan fret from the first pic

 

[5StringBlues]

Pretty damn awesome!


I'm really liking the pick guard and the old style bridge.

 

[vinxbass]

Not my cup of tea.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

I think I just figured out part of the retro charm of this bass... it just LOOKS like it was made in the late 1950's or early 1960's.

I mean, it has that "mid-century" light blonde furniture look, and the aluminum bridge and knobs look very "Kenmore appliance" like to me. I LOVE it!!

 

[nostatic]

The swamp ash body is light and incredibly resonant. One thing about Rob's basses - they tend to be very "alive." When I hit notes, I can feel the body vibrating. I don't notice that nearly as much with other basses. The Deep 5 is the king of that - I swear sometimes with some note the thing is going to vibrate out of my hands.

The aesthetic certainly isn't for everyone, but it does have a modern-retro thing going.

 

[johnk_10]

my swamp ash 55 p bass does the same thing. as does my featherwieght '62.

after reading some of the text on his site, i can tell that his perspective about what makes a great bass is very much the same as mine.