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Show Us Your Rob Allen Basses Part II

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#561
Well, Rob's done somewhat similar specs (neck-wise, except for the fretboard itself) for my previous two basses, so I'm pretty sure he was expecting that request.

The lined board on my Deep 4 is just fine - I just prefer unlined these days from a playing perspective. Aesthetically I really don't care either way to be honest.

I love my fretless P (in some ways more than the Deep lol) and if I can get the flexibility to have the RA sound but a bit more upright-like plus the P-ish sound in one bass, that would be great.
 
#562
Unlined for me is a functional thing - lines confuse me. The aesthetics are a bonus. I'm actually working with the Deep5 from the opposite end. I am plenty happy with the tone for jazz. The problem is I love the bass so much that I want to play it for other situations including a funk band and a Steely Dan tribute band. Both of those require a bit tighter tone with less bloom, and a little more cut. The comp turned out to be the ticket for the funk gig - played the whole set with the D5 and got nothing but compliments. At the last SD band rehearsal I played about 1/3 of the tunes on the D5. Part of the complication there is the attack that I need for some songs (like I Got The News), and then just making sure that there are no intonation issues during more complicated parts of reading the charts. One more rehearsal before back to back gigs and to-date I've had 2 rehearsals and one gig with an almost 2-hour set book. Been a challenge and a lot of work but I love it. And would dig playing most of the sets on the D5 because it would sound so damn fat.
 
#563
nostatic said:
Unlined for me is a functional thing - lines confuse me. The aesthetics are a bonus. I'm actually working with the Deep5 from the opposite end. I am plenty happy with the tone for jazz. The problem is I love the bass so much that I want to play it for other situations including a funk band and a Steely Dan tribute band. Both of those require a bit tighter tone with less bloom, and a little more cut. The comp turned out to be the ticket for the funk gig - played the whole set with the D5 and got nothing but compliments. At the last SD band rehearsal I played about 1/3 of the tunes on the D5. Part of the complication there is the attack that I need for some songs (like I Got The News), and then just making sure that there are no intonation issues during more complicated parts of reading the charts. One more rehearsal before back to back gigs and to-date I've had 2 rehearsals and one gig with an almost 2-hour set book. Been a challenge and a lot of work but I love it. And would dig playing most of the sets on the D5 because it would sound so damn fat.
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I'd love to do a SD tribute band. I'd just show up with my 60s P and be done with it, though :)
 
#565
FenderP said:
I'd love to do a SD tribute band. I'd just show up with my 60s P and be done with it, though :)
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If it were 11 years ago, I'd show up with a Sterling and be done with it. But I haven't owned a 4-string since then, and have integrated the B into my approach to playing. While I can play on only 4, with songs that have arranged parts I'd have to rethink certain sections as I'm playing them in placed on the neck that use the B. The Mouse is an experiment, and I'm thinking that might work ok due to the short reach to the nut. My wrists don't like extreme angles and playing at the nut of the wrong bass isn't comfortable. Getting old blows...
 
#566
I've had a lot of luck with the EBS Compressor stompbox.

It also has a "dual mode" setting that splits lows and highs (in addition to a standard and tube-sim mode. I've used it a fair amount, and for a two knob unit, it works very well.
 
#567
My latest addition (addiction) is a 2002 MB-2. Standard stock comes as birdseye maple neck, cocobolo fingerboard, mahogany body with maple top. Picked this up in great shape for less than the cost of a basic j/p-bass :hyper:. My first fretless in a long while & loving it. I forgot what I was missing.
 
#568
I bet that is a fat sounding combo. Congrats.

I forgot to add to this thread - my new (to me) fretted Mouse. I got it last week, and after having played nothing but 5 strings for the past decade plus I had a little adjustment to make. And how best to do that but at back-to-back gigs :p Did two sets with just a few "oops wrong string" moments. Then last night took it to the funk band rehearsal and did most of the tunes on the Mouse. I guess I got used to it because when I grabbed the Deep 5 to play a tune that is in D, it felt like I was on an aircraft carrier :D

mouse0.jpg


mouse2.jpg


mouse1.jpg
 
#570
The same. The inherent tone of a RA is very close whether fretted or fretless. The only real difference I find is the more defined nature of slides and hammers. It still is a huge woody tone, and I cut the low bass on the amp with it.

I do however notice a pretty significant different going between the Mouse and the Deep 5. The Mouse to me is like a P-bass with flats and a bunch of wood. Going to the Deep 5 though...the sound just gets massive. I mean seriously massive. I wonder if Rob has ever done a fretted Deep 4/5.
 
#572
richnota said:
beautiful new basses!

Question: The fretless mouse has really big low-end, hows the bottom on the fretted version?
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Low end is not really impacted by frets. The open E string on my fretless Mouse is very similar to the open E on my fretted (as is the response of the rest of the bass). Of course, you won't get the mwaw and bloom on lower notes that comes from string on wood, but the basic frequency response is identical.

If you are very sensitive to intonation, fretted instruments with the relatively fixed bridge used on the RA's has some inherent issues. No fretted bass guitar with any bridge will ever play exactly in tune, but the RA bridge design gives you a wonderful, acoustic warm wood sound on a fretted instrument at the expense of accuracy of intonation. Not a big deal, since the RA's aren't about playing way up on the neck, and most DB players are out of tune up there anyway:p

Here's a clip of my fretted Mouse if you haven't heard one. Even with the very tight and mid present RH450/RS210 rig, I find that the big piezo low end of the Mouse requires some low end roll-off in order for that nice woody growl to emerge. Low end response is a zero issue on these basses (other than you have to have some EQ power down low to control it).

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#573
KJung said:
Low end is not really impacted by frets. The open E string on my fretless Mouse is very similar to the open E on my fretted (as is the response of the rest of the bass). Of course, you won't get the mwaw and bloom on lower notes that comes from string on wood, but the basic frequency response is identical.

If you are very sensitive to intonation, fretted instruments with the relatively fixed bridge used on the RA's has some inherent issues. No fretted bass guitar with any bridge will ever play exactly in tune, but the RA bridge design gives you a wonderful, acoustic warm wood sound on a fretted instrument at the expense of accuracy of intonation. Not a big deal, since the RA's aren't about playing way up on the neck, and most DB players are out of tune up there anyway:p

Here's a clip of my fretted Mouse if you haven't heard one. Even with the very tight and mid present RH450/RS210 rig, I find that the big piezo low end of the Mouse requires some low end roll-off in order for that nice woody growl to emerge. Low end response is a zero issue on these basses (other than you have to have some EQ power down low to control it).

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Thanks, I'm now running a TC450 with a 2x10 as well. I'm amazed how thick the Mouse sounds compared to the fretted MB2 i had. The MB2 never seemed to have the authoritative bottom compared to my fretless MB2. I ended up having it defretted and glassed by HG Thor...it now sounds amazing but that's another post. In retrospect I think there may have been issues with the neck angle--probably needed a little shim.

This makes me want to order another fretted RA; Perhaps an unbound MB2 in the Pino style? Anyone else notice the split saddle on Pino's bass? Is this standard on fretted RA's?

customPino1.jpg
 
#574
richnota said:
Thanks, I'm now running a TC450 with a 2x10 as well. I'm amazed how thick the Mouse sounds compared to the fretted MB2 i had. The MB2 never seemed to have the authoritative bottom compared to my fretless MB2. I ended up having it defretted and glassed by HG Thor...it now sounds amazing but that's another post. In retrospect I think there may have been issues with the neck angle--probably needed a little shim.

This makes me want to order another fretted RA; Perhaps an unbound MB2 in the Pino style? Anyone else notice the split saddle on Pino's bass? Is this standard on fretted RA's?

customPino1.jpg
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Or just get a Deep and call it good :D

I actually am thinking about a fretted 5 of some sort, though I know it still wouldn't replace my Zon (ie a traditional wound string/mag pup) tonally. Though I would like it to...I pick up the Zons now and they feel like they weight a ton. And I've grown to like the deeper body on the Deep 5 - except for the sharper angle on the arm rest. In a perfect world I'd get one unbound with more of that taken of. But the world isn't perfect and I'm not made of money these days. If it was before I club raced my 911 a few years back...

Ken is also right about fretted intonation - with a strobe it is off and can't be completely compensated. But by ear it is close enough for my taste.
 
#578
I was actually thinking of the one I've got being built - this one was a temp fill-in until it is done. The problem is I've kind of fallen for the top on this Mouse, so now I'm wondering about a neck swap for it. Always something else to fiddle with...
 
#580
richnota said:
But what if you already have a Deep 5? I love the big koa girl, but a blonde one would be rather fetching.....mmmmmm.

Dang economy. My bass fund has been "redirected" to help family members who have lost their jobs. Its great to be able to do that but then again, a brand new Deep 5 is nice too.:ninja:
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Depends on what sonic problem you're trying to solve...or if you're into multiple beautiful instruments. I have a tough time with the latter - I feel weird right now with 4 basses (but I'm weird). For me I'm trying to cover all my sonic needs with the minimum number of instruments. The D5 fretless can cover my jazz gigs, will do the funk thing, but isn't ideal for some of the Steely Dan material. The Zon will cover the rest, but I've now been spoiled by light Rob Allens, so 9.5 lbs is a bummer. The fretted Mouse is an experiment to try and cop a "P-bass" vibe and see if I like playing a 4-string. I actually have adapted to the 4 pretty well, but still prefer 5 and prefer fretless. So there still is the more cutting tone that is called for on some tunes (e.g. "I Got The News"). I've been wondering if ab MB-2 or D5 fretted could cover that, but my gut says roundwounds and a mag pup are part of what is needed to get the sound.
 
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