Show us the Rob Allen basses!

[Just Thumpin']

Well, I can't really think of anything to say that does a picture like this any justice. So, I'll let the picture do the talking.

gorgeous! Do tell more!

 

[tombowlus]

Very nice! Is that redwood?

 

[spade2you]

Very nice! Is that redwood?

Yup, one piece.

 

[Lennard III.]

all those Rob Allens do look sooooo nice - love his work a long time now

I need to have one too with one of those Koa tops

 

[spade2you]

Oh yeah, forgot the fingerboard.

 

[Christian Houmann]

all those Rob Allens do look sooooo nice - love his work a long time now

I need to have one too with one of those Koa tops

I should have RA with Koa top in a few days Can't wait!

 

[Just Thumpin']

I should have RA with Koa top in a few days Can't wait!

Cool, please show it to us once you have it!

 

[EduardoK]

Oh yeah, forgot the fingerboard.

Beautiful wood spade. What is it?

 

[spade2you]

Beautiful wood spade. What is it?

A surprisingly nice slab o' mac ebony, especially considering the additional width. Rob assures me that mac ebony isn't as sensitive as gaboon ebony, which is an issue with me due to the porosity. Living in Nebraska, I have high 90% humidty during the summer and 0% during the winter, so my gaboon ebony basses tend to freak out a bit.

 

[EduardoK]

A surprisingly nice slab o' mac ebony, especially considering the additional width.

Thought so but didn't dare to say. That is a really nice and classy grain for sure.

Living in Nebraska, I have high 90% humidty during the summer and 0% during the winter, so my gaboon ebony basses tend to freak out a bit.

Have you tried using a dehumidifier and a humidifier? They work great and those fine basses truly deserve it.

 

[spade2you]

Have you tried using a dehumidifier and a humidifier? They work great and those fine basses truly deserve it.

I have my guitar room adequately controlled, but I tend to (further) complicate things by having very tight tolerances on my action. Even with adequate control, it seems that only my gaboon ebony basses require adjustments. Honestly, it's just limited to my 4 basses with these fingerboards out of 14.

 

[Marcocolo]

Got this gem from a fellow TB'er. Don't know how to do the pic thing, but I can say for sure , no pic does this bass justice.

 

[richnota]

that is a thing of beauty. congrats.

 

[easy]

some times I see some of these basses and I still get all jealous, then I remember, "oh yeah, I have one now"

I guess I just miss my bass. I don't keep it at home with me, I keep it in my rehearsal room, so I have separation anxiety

 

[Krügmeister]

I... HATE... YOU... ALL... (where is my rolaids)

 

[Just Thumpin']

Thanks. I am pretty pumped about it! Here are the complete specs. The clock starts today and Rob said we are looking at 3 months since he is starting everything for this bass from scratch...

MB-2, 4-string, 34" scale, lined fretless
Claro Walnut Exhibition Grade Top (Pictured Below)
Alder Body
Tortoiseshell Binding
Matching Headstock
Standard Hardware (Annodized Aluminum)
Birdseye Maple Neck
Macassar Ebony Fretboard
Dunlop Straplocks
Standard MB-2 Electronics

Had a conversation with Rob this past week and may be rethinking the top and moving towards Koa. Not sure yet. Any input / advice?

 

[spade2you]

Had a conversation with Rob this past week and may be rethinking the top and moving towards Koa. Not sure yet. Any input / advice?

Between koa and claro walnut, I don't think you can go wrong. Koa could get really scarce over the next couple of years, though. I don't really see koa making a bass that much more valuable in terms of resale, perhaps until it's banned for harvesting.

 

[richnota]

Had a conversation with Rob this past week and may be rethinking the top and moving towards Koa. Not sure yet. Any input / advice?

Rob does very magic things with Koa. While I like the warmer reddish brown color of Koa, the walnut top photo for you bass is extraordinary. What do the koa choices look like?

 

[Just Thumpin']

Rob does very magic things with Koa. While I like the warmer reddish brown color of Koa, the walnut top photo for you bass is extraordinary. What do the koa choices look like?

I do not have a great picture of the Koa he has offered me yet becasue he has not done the final cut and book-matched it, but it has a really unique birdseye pattern in the middle of a somewhat light-blondish area surrounded by gorgeously grained, dark Koa. As soon as I have a decent picture I will post it...

 

[Just Thumpin']

Between koa and claro walnut, I don't think you can go wrong. Koa could get really scarce over the next couple of years, though. I don't really see koa making a bass that much more valuable in terms of resale, perhaps until it's banned for harvesting.

On a resale basis I am pretty much down either way as, at least at this point, Rob's basses do not seem to hold their value very well in the secondary market -- especially if you add the cost of an exhibition grade top. Of course, I am buying this to play, not sell, so resale value shouldn't matter for quite a number of years...