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Show Us Your Rob Allen Basses Part II
- Thread starter Mark Wilson
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Correct, mag only for me. Good memory
Thought so!
For me, ir's more of a "don't want to schlep two basses" thing when I don't have to. On some gigs I'll take either my fretless P one one of my fretted basses and the RA. This should allow me to minimize a bit more that way. Not getting rid of my fretless P - love that thing.
For several years, I've played my Mouse through an Acoustic Image Clarus, sometimes with a Contra-ex speaker, but mostly with an Epifani UL-110. I love the rich, organic tone that seems to come from the Mouse / Clarus combination. I'd like to experiment with other set-ups. I've considered an Acoustic Image ten2, but have heard great things about Phil Jones gear. I'd like something that works really good for the the Solid 4 and Mouse, both. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
Depends on your situation and the sound you're going for. I gig a couple times a week mostly with my band that does jazz with some funk and soul mixed in. I always have either my MB-2 4-string or Deep 5, along with a PJ (for the funkier stuff). Main amp is a GB Streamliner S900 and backup is a Shuttle 9.0. I use either one or two Berg AE210 cabs (rarely need the pair). I like the 210 because it is punchy with the RA. The Streamliner is huge in the low end, but I've gotten used to that the the tunes have a nice feel with the piezo on the RAs. The PJ (Fender AmDlxP) kills through the combination and the Solid 4 would sound sick through the S900.
Be prepared to cut the bass a lot to taste. When I first got it I was running the bass at about 9:00. And I personally don't think it mates well with the Epi cabs. The NYC Epi I had just had too much low and high and not enough mids. Combine that with the huge low end on the S900 and the huge low end on the RA and it'll just be too much. Imho both the RA and S900 like a good mid-present cabinet.
Here are live recordings, almost all with the S900 (of the recent gigs - maybe one or two is S900). The straight jazz tunes are most all RA, as are some of the funkier approaches of standards (eg MrPC). If you hear frets, it likely is the PJ. Older recordings have some Roscoe mixed in.
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Here are live recordings, almost all with the S900 (of the recent gigs - maybe one or two is S900). The straight jazz tunes are most all RA, as are some of the funkier approaches of standards (eg MrPC). If you hear frets, it likely is the PJ. Older recordings have some Roscoe mixed in.
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Nostatic: What a great website! I had trouble activating some of the songs, but heard enough to get the picture. Plus I could see and hear the videos. Great playing, and great tone! I feel I get a tone from my Mouse + Clarus + Epi UL-110s that is directionally consistent with what I hear on your deep 5.
Of course I'm listening through cheap computers speakers, so I could be deceived. When I use the Clarus / Mouse I cut the bass and mids on the Clarus to about 10:00 and also apply the filter to cut the bass somewhat. Seems to work. Of all the basses I have played, that sound makes the most sense to me. I played the Mouse / Clarus / Contra-Ex with a small jazz band recently and they loved it.
When I play the Solid 4, I've been boosting the Clarus low, mids, and highs applying the notch filter at about 2:00. I hope this makes sense. No matter what I do, I have not found a way to make the Solid 4 sound Great with Clarus. It may be fine, but it just does not sound great to me. I have in the past plugged the Solid 4 in to a REDDI (to the sound board) and that sounds really good. That experience led me to think I should get a tube bass amp, but ended up with a TC Electronics Amp instead (with an Aguilar 12). And I've tried it with a and old Baby Blue too. No matter what I do, it just doesn't light my fire like the Mouse / Clarus set-up does.
That's not to say that the Solid 4 is a bad bass for me. I've recorded and played with it and it is a fine instrument. I've had flats on it for a long time and maybe it's just time to go back to rounds for a change.
So, I'd like to find an amp that makes both the Mouse and Solid 4 sound awesome. Maybe I'm asking too much. I'll check out the S900 as you suggest. And it sounds like FenderP would point me toward a B-15. I'll keep my eyes open for that.
Thanks for your ideas. Any other thoughts?
Of course I'm listening through cheap computers speakers, so I could be deceived. When I use the Clarus / Mouse I cut the bass and mids on the Clarus to about 10:00 and also apply the filter to cut the bass somewhat. Seems to work. Of all the basses I have played, that sound makes the most sense to me. I played the Mouse / Clarus / Contra-Ex with a small jazz band recently and they loved it.
When I play the Solid 4, I've been boosting the Clarus low, mids, and highs applying the notch filter at about 2:00. I hope this makes sense. No matter what I do, I have not found a way to make the Solid 4 sound Great with Clarus. It may be fine, but it just does not sound great to me. I have in the past plugged the Solid 4 in to a REDDI (to the sound board) and that sounds really good. That experience led me to think I should get a tube bass amp, but ended up with a TC Electronics Amp instead (with an Aguilar 12). And I've tried it with a and old Baby Blue too. No matter what I do, it just doesn't light my fire like the Mouse / Clarus set-up does.
That's not to say that the Solid 4 is a bad bass for me. I've recorded and played with it and it is a fine instrument. I've had flats on it for a long time and maybe it's just time to go back to rounds for a change.
So, I'd like to find an amp that makes both the Mouse and Solid 4 sound awesome. Maybe I'm asking too much. I'll check out the S900 as you suggest. And it sounds like FenderP would point me toward a B-15. I'll keep my eyes open for that.
Thanks for your ideas. Any other thoughts?
I'll add a +1 for the Rob Allens through a Streamliner 900, they sound great. Same is true for my Shuttle 9.0. And your Epi UL110 and UL112 is my all time favorite cab "pairing"
Speaking of Solid 4, I just heard from Rob last night that he will be starting my new one soon
tedw, thanks for the props. The videos are old and the band is much tighter these days with a different 2nd sax. I need to shoot some new ones. The mp3 are current though - I'll have to check for bad links. Part of my musician workload being web guys as well.
As for amplification, the S900 is made for P-basses. The Solid 4 (I had one and shouldn't have sold it) will kill through that amp. I'd go with nickel round wounds personally. I totally understand your eq attempts with the Clarus. I'm still working on the best way to have seamless transition between my RAs and my AmDlxP (active PJ). I don't like to have to change amp eq during a gig as I'm too far away from the head. I've got a Paradriver and I can either eq some bass out (for the RA) or some bass in (for the PJ) and switch that in/out. That said, with the onboard eq on the Deep5 as well as the PJ it becomes a non-issue as I can deal with it on the instrument. With the MB-2 it becomes more of an issue.
On the S900 lately I've been running the bass about flat (maybe pull back a bit), small push of mid @600hz and small push of treble. I dial the tweeter down a bit on the AE210. The Shuttle 9.0 in the past I've run dead flat, but I haven't used it very much as it is backup.
As for amplification, the S900 is made for P-basses. The Solid 4 (I had one and shouldn't have sold it) will kill through that amp. I'd go with nickel round wounds personally. I totally understand your eq attempts with the Clarus. I'm still working on the best way to have seamless transition between my RAs and my AmDlxP (active PJ). I don't like to have to change amp eq during a gig as I'm too far away from the head. I've got a Paradriver and I can either eq some bass out (for the RA) or some bass in (for the PJ) and switch that in/out. That said, with the onboard eq on the Deep5 as well as the PJ it becomes a non-issue as I can deal with it on the instrument. With the MB-2 it becomes more of an issue.
On the S900 lately I've been running the bass about flat (maybe pull back a bit), small push of mid @600hz and small push of treble. I dial the tweeter down a bit on the AE210. The Shuttle 9.0 in the past I've run dead flat, but I haven't used it very much as it is backup.
Nostatic and JX bass: I looked at the Streamliner 900 online and it looks like it is a great amp, and it sounds like it's well suited for what I am trying to do. Since joining talkbass a few years ago, I've become a junior gearhead, and I'm always willing to trying something new; especially if I can find one used. And, S900's seem to come up used enough that I should be able to snag one.
It's interesting and understandable that you each have differing views on speaker pairing. I've got to get my hands on and AE210 to see what that's like.
Nostatic, thank you for emphathizing with my eq efforts on the clarus. I don't really know what I'm doing and am just trying to find settings that sound good and get used in the mix by the sound engineers.
I watched the Ed F demo of the S900 on the Genz Benz site, and that actually gave me some insight into how to use the eqs. Looking forward to trying it.
I've also been thinking it's time to try a RA 5 string, either an MB2 or Deep5. I played an MB2-5 for years but, lacking lines, I was not satisfied with my intonation. My lined Mouse has been very satisfying, and in many ways I like the relative simplicity of the 4-string. In our church, my Mouse is always present in mix, unlike all the J basses that all the other guys use. The Mouse (walnut neck, alder body) is the best sounding bass I every played.
I actually took delivery of Deep5 a couple of years ago, but it came unlined (I had ordered lined). Rob was very good about taking it back and on a whim I went for the Solid 4. Now, for some reason, after looking at your website, I'm thinking about selling the old MB-2 and another bass and ordering a Deep5. Does you website come with some sort of GAS virus?
It's interesting and understandable that you each have differing views on speaker pairing. I've got to get my hands on and AE210 to see what that's like.
Nostatic, thank you for emphathizing with my eq efforts on the clarus. I don't really know what I'm doing and am just trying to find settings that sound good and get used in the mix by the sound engineers.
I watched the Ed F demo of the S900 on the Genz Benz site, and that actually gave me some insight into how to use the eqs. Looking forward to trying it.
I've also been thinking it's time to try a RA 5 string, either an MB2 or Deep5. I played an MB2-5 for years but, lacking lines, I was not satisfied with my intonation. My lined Mouse has been very satisfying, and in many ways I like the relative simplicity of the 4-string. In our church, my Mouse is always present in mix, unlike all the J basses that all the other guys use. The Mouse (walnut neck, alder body) is the best sounding bass I every played.
I actually took delivery of Deep5 a couple of years ago, but it came unlined (I had ordered lined). Rob was very good about taking it back and on a whim I went for the Solid 4. Now, for some reason, after looking at your website, I'm thinking about selling the old MB-2 and another bass and ordering a Deep5. Does you website come with some sort of GAS virus?
Tedw, I didn't mean to confuse on the speaker pairing comment. Although I loved my Epi cabs and the UL110/UL112 pairing, that was before my Rob Allen days if I remember correctly. I have since moved on from Epi and have been using PA-like cabs (LDS nEarful and AudioKinesis Thunderchild) with my Rob Allens, which work really, really well IMO.
JxBass, thanks for the clarification. Very interesting....
Nostatic: Nice Deep 5... you're clearly more comfortable with unlined than me.
One other question on the s900... is the fan pretty quiet when the music stops?
Nostatic: Nice Deep 5... you're clearly more comfortable with unlined than me.
One other question on the s900... is the fan pretty quiet when the music stops?
I will admit that I haven't played through the UL cabs in a long time, but the voicing on my Epi NYC was so deep that imho it would have been a bad mix with the S900 and the Rob Allen. I think that more full range cabs (like the Thunderchild) and punchy mid-present cabs (like the Berg AEs) are a better fit. The S900 has a huge, wooly low end as does the RA. I think you need a cab that doesn't really accentuate the low freqs to go with that.
Alder/walnut is my fav combo as well.
I don't hear the fan on the S900 at gigs at all.
Alder/walnut is my fav combo as well.
I don't hear the fan on the S900 at gigs at all.
Fair enough, Nostatic, on the UL's. I'll have to track down an AE and check it out.
I don't typically play gigs where I need to fill the room... typically there is a sound system. Still, I love having a great amp. What do you think of an S600 as an alternative to the S900. When in doubt go for the headroom?
I don't typically play gigs where I need to fill the room... typically there is a sound system. Still, I love having a great amp. What do you think of an S600 as an alternative to the S900. When in doubt go for the headroom?
The Berg AEs are discontinued but they do show up used. There certainly are other good choices - I just really like the form factor and sound on the AE210. I actually had a Thunderchild on order but decided to just stick with a pair of AE210s depending on the size of the gig. The TC from all accounts is an awesome cab and Duke is the real-deal.
The S600 has plenty of juice, but as jx said, I'd rather have the extra power. That said I have yet to get past noon on my head.
I've actually spent the evening (rare free one) going between my various basses trying to iron out tone issues when swapping on stage. I normally have either the MB-2 or Deep5 along with the PJ. The RAs can be overwhelming depending on your band situation. I like to have mids and some punch and the RA has so much low end the mids can get lost. Initially I went to a Paradriver to dial some mids up, bass down (not an issue with the Deep5 though), then I picked up an FEA dual band comp. That pedal has now become my "always on" effect - it just makes every instrument I have sound better in a live situation. The advantage with the RA is that I can apply a higher compression ratio to the low frequencies (I split around 300hz) and less to the mids/highs. When I really want the RA to cut I now kick in the Paradriver with the mids boosted a bit around 500hz and the bass cut (on the MB-2). I can use that on a funk or rock tune and have no problem. If I want a fat "uprightish" tone I just bypass things.
The downside to my RAs is that I frankly have a tough time finding other basses I like. Luckily I totally dig the AmDlxP and that does tones that the RA just cannot do (no substitute for frets). But I picked up a totally sweet Tony Franklin fretless, and while that can do the more aggressive nasal fretless tone well, if I eq the MB-2 I can get close and it also has that immediate piezo attack. The TF may not stick around. I already canned Zons and Roscoes due to my RA affliction.
All of the above is conditional on your band situation, technique, etc.
The S600 has plenty of juice, but as jx said, I'd rather have the extra power. That said I have yet to get past noon on my head.
I've actually spent the evening (rare free one) going between my various basses trying to iron out tone issues when swapping on stage. I normally have either the MB-2 or Deep5 along with the PJ. The RAs can be overwhelming depending on your band situation. I like to have mids and some punch and the RA has so much low end the mids can get lost. Initially I went to a Paradriver to dial some mids up, bass down (not an issue with the Deep5 though), then I picked up an FEA dual band comp. That pedal has now become my "always on" effect - it just makes every instrument I have sound better in a live situation. The advantage with the RA is that I can apply a higher compression ratio to the low frequencies (I split around 300hz) and less to the mids/highs. When I really want the RA to cut I now kick in the Paradriver with the mids boosted a bit around 500hz and the bass cut (on the MB-2). I can use that on a funk or rock tune and have no problem. If I want a fat "uprightish" tone I just bypass things.
The downside to my RAs is that I frankly have a tough time finding other basses I like. Luckily I totally dig the AmDlxP and that does tones that the RA just cannot do (no substitute for frets). But I picked up a totally sweet Tony Franklin fretless, and while that can do the more aggressive nasal fretless tone well, if I eq the MB-2 I can get close and it also has that immediate piezo attack. The TF may not stick around. I already canned Zons and Roscoes due to my RA affliction.
All of the above is conditional on your band situation, technique, etc.
Just to fuel some GAS, my MB-2 (used to be VroomVroom's, picked it up used). Walnut top, alder body, walnut neck, mac ebony board.
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