Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Show us the Rob Allen basses!
- Thread starter spade2you
- Start date
- Status
This Mouse just showed up yesterday. Beautiful job by Rob once again. This is a 'base' model.. nothing fancy... Alder, one of Rob's standard flame-type maple tops (amazing), birdseye maple neck with the Goncalo Alves board and bridge (nice... similar feel to the Ebony I had on my MB-2 5, but a little softer and warmer.
This bass sounds very similar to the MB-5 I had, and the differences are in a positive direction for me personally, since I don't play DB and was looking for the most DBish bass guitar I could find. This is it! It's just tiny and featherweight. Talk about a unique instrument.
I like it a lot!
Nice one, this is mine (twins???):
soundclips here:
Link Removed
listen to "canvas" and "wicked on the prowl", I recorded both with the mouse (I programmed the drums as well)
Will try later on to get just the bass sound from the original master, sounds much better (I think the version they put on myspace is a MP3 copy of a MP3 copy of a MP3 copy of the original...)
Nice one, this is mine (twins???):
soundclips here:
Link Removed
listen to "canvas" and "wicked on the prowl", I recorded both with the mouse (I programmed the drums as well)
Will try later on to get just the bass sound from the original master, sounds much better (I think the version they put on myspace is a MP3 copy of a MP3 copy of a MP3 copy of the original...)
Nice! I'm really enjoying this bass. The tone really comes through on the 'Canvas' cut.
Talked to Rob last night and I am sending off a check today.
Specs are:
Paduk top
Alder body
Maple neck
Goncalo Alves fingerboard and bridge
Tortoise binding
Build time is quite reasonable at the moment as they have just completed some batch necks and bodies, so 1-3 months.
Also, if anybody is interested there are two Mice in stock.
-mouse 30 w/extraordinary flame maple top, lined fretless, goncalo alves
-mouse 30 flame koa/f-hole/lined ebony w/extended f.b./thumbrest (might be the one that was reviewed in BP recently)
Specs are:
Paduk top
Alder body
Maple neck
Goncalo Alves fingerboard and bridge
Tortoise binding
Build time is quite reasonable at the moment as they have just completed some batch necks and bodies, so 1-3 months.
Also, if anybody is interested there are two Mice in stock.
-mouse 30 w/extraordinary flame maple top, lined fretless, goncalo alves
-mouse 30 flame koa/f-hole/lined ebony w/extended f.b./thumbrest (might be the one that was reviewed in BP recently)
man these basses are outrageous. I'm curious, do they have kind of an upright type sound more than a typical bass?
IMO they are all about getting as close as you can get to a DB tone in an EB type format... they have wooden bridges, semi-hollow bodies, and use a DB type piezo pickup mounted under the bridge. Nothing sounds like a DB other than a DB, but these get quite close, and closer than most EUB's I've tried or heard.
Indeed!!! The only thing that can compete with the Mouse 30 is the really short scale Guild Ashbory bass. The Ashbory bass may have a slightly more authentic DB sound than a Mouse 30, but is such a royal pain in the arse that I'd never bother with it. The ultra short scale makes it difficult to intonate. The lines are virtually worthless because the string is bent to sharp when it finally reaches the fingerboard. Strings don't last very long before getting brittle and snapping.
My Mouse 30 gets a nice sound and is easy to play and maintain. Despite using a maple neck and ash body, it has a killer DB sound. Had I used a mahogany body, deeper sounding neck, and/or the "Deep" Mouse body, it would be even better!
On top of the DB sounds, you can get some nice acoustic bass sounds and hybrid electric sounds. It's seriously one of the most comfortable and lightest basses out there.
Search youtube for "rob allen bass" and the first link that should pop up is a Danish Jazz quartet, Niels Bugge Kvartet, with the bassist playing a mouse. At times you can't tell its not an upright, and others it is more apparent. Regardless, I think it is a pretty good representation of the sound.
I would link it, but I can't visit youtube at work.
Chef
In Memoriam
They cost as much as a decent used DB too
much more easily transported tho!
Depends on how you define 'decent'
! A DB can get quite spendy, as you know! Actually, the Allen's are at the very low end of the boutique bass price range, with an MB-2 or Mouse with a very nice fancy top and birsdseye neck running about $2,000 or so. That's a lot of money in an absolute sense, but when you get one of these in your hands, the wood, fit and finish, and workmanship feel at the very, very top of the boutique luthier quality scale to me.Per the DB comments though, I like these basses because I don't have the training to play DB, or the need for one on 90% of my gigs. It is nice to have a Rob Allen as an Electric Bassist... it kind of gets you in that DBish tone range, and in a live mix, it's shockingly close. In a jazz listening room with an acoustic trio... close but no cigar. In a larger group context playing folk, blue grass, country or anything but pure, straight ahead jazz... I don't think many could tell it's not a DB.
Of course if you play a DB and own one, buying one of these would be a little bit like buying a flight simulator if you owned an airplane, but I guess it would still make sense for those gigs where you didn't want to do the schlep, and the 'look and exact sound' of a DB was not required. IMO as always!
I'm listening right now and honestly, its hard to believe thats not a upright he's playing without watching the video. I do wish it was a little louder in the mix... but I always say that about the bass.
Depends on how you define 'decent'
He really has his build process down tight. He prepares stuff in batches, he told me last night that they had just finished a batch of 160 necks! So while he quoted me up to 3 months, it could very well be much sooner.
I believe you said your's was a base model, thats what I decided to go for as well and since he had a Paduk top ready to go, there is no upcharge! I thought about splurging an extra $400 for the flamed redwood, but figured this was a better use of my precious cash.
+1.. Rob's 'standard' tops look more figured than many AAAA upgrades. You will be VERY happy, I think. They are like works of art.
If you spring for the hardcase, that thing is better made and more beautiful than some basses I've owned!
I am actually a big fan of the Protec Contego that ships standard with it. In fact, the first Mouse I had turned me on to using the Contego with my Skjold.
I also recommend Rob's hardcases. There's ZERO movement allowed. Plus, it's always easy to get a regular guitar gig bag for it later. That's what I did with mine.
Chef
In Memoriam
Those look like nice bags... similar to the Sadowsky Protabag and inCase Slim Bag in general design.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,945
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
I couldn't decide between the hard shell case and the killer gig bag, so I got both. 
And yup, they are both top freakin' notch.
And yup, they are both top freakin' notch.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
I've been afflicted with Rob Allen GAS for awhile now, but there's one topic I don't remember reading about: has anyone suffered from feedback when playing their Rob Allen at relatively high stage volumes, or is it a non-issue?
- Status
