Hmmmmm, I wonder if you could get a 2 band in the bridge then install a trim pot in the back. I had one installed in my Mouse 30 since the signal is so strong, but since the RA became my main bass, I began boosting my other basses.
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Show Us Your Rob Allen Basses Part II
- Thread starter Mark Wilson
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Hmmmmm, I wonder if you could get a 2 band in the bridge then install a trim pot in the back. I had one installed in my Mouse 30 since the signal is so strong, but since the RA became my main bass, I began boosting my other basses.
If you have an input pad on your amp, or an active input, that pretty much takes care of the hot output. Even on my amps without a pad or active setting, I just turn down the gain on the amp, and that seems to work fine.
However!... the relatively new RH450 by TC is WONDERFUL for use when doubling with a more typical EB and the Mouse. On top of the wonderful four band semi-parametric EQ, it has three storable presets that store not only EQ but also gain settings at both the input and 'post EQ pre power amp' setting. Wonderful for the Mouse. The warm tone works well with the Mouse also (I have a clip up on a recent thread in the amp section where someone asked about the TC/Mouse pairing).
I agree that the gain and EQ of a Mouse have very different requirements than most EB's (as you said, very hot, and if you don't have control over cutting deep lows, all that woody, organic mid character can quickly be overwhelmed by the low end in a mix... just like with a DB).
IMO and IME!
i recently put together a mini-rig including an Eden WT400 and a Schroeder 1x12 cube. The Rob Allen's (Deep 5, MB2-5) sound really delicious through this rig. A lot warmer than my Acoustic Image/Bergentino rig. Compared to the AI, the Eden has a crazy amount of shaping with its tube pre, three semi-parametric eqs and enhance circuits but Im essentially running flat.
I have kept a Radial Big Shot IO
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in my Mouse case for some time now. Running through an extra pot seems to tame the highs a bit more as well as cut the gain. Maybe I should just have my tech guy install a trim pot in the cavity and be done with it.
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in my Mouse case for some time now. Running through an extra pot seems to tame the highs a bit more as well as cut the gain. Maybe I should just have my tech guy install a trim pot in the cavity and be done with it.
Have you adjusted the treble response down with the trim pot.
I still don't understand your issue with output. Is your preamp distorting even when you have the gain knob of your amp turned down?
The older the better IMO. I changed mine on my MB after about 3 years, but don't quite know why
Seriously, these tapewounds last forever, and the slight mellowing that happens over time is IMO a positive for the tone of these basses. The strings on the Mouse on that clip I posted are about 2 years old.
I just sold a Mouse that I bought used after I received the brand new Mouse that Rob made for me. When I got the new Mouse, I was initially concerned because it had way more treble response than the old one; it almost sounded like it had nickels on it!
But then I realized that the strings on the used Mouse hadn't been changed in at least a year, and probably more like a couple years, whereas the strings on my new Mouse were brand new. Personally, I can't wait for them to get old so I can get back to that thick, thumpy DB sound. That's not a knock on Rob or his strings at all, but I definitely feel like old strings are the way to go for his stuff, unless you're looking for a lot of articulation.
OK, I'm in earlier than anticipated. I had an MB-2 on order with Rob (still 2 months out). This beautiful girl showed up on TB, so I picked it up and changed my order to a Deep 5 Thanks, Jon, she'll have a good home. First gig is tomorrow night
Thanks, Jon, she'll have a good home. First gig is tomorrow night
I haven't had this much fun in awhile. Been playing mostly fretted the past few months to woodshed slap technique and do some pop/funk gigs. The RA is a hoot to play. The string spacing is in between my Zon lightwave (narrow with vanishingly thin neck) and the Sadowsky PJ. The flatwounds have a totally different feel than the nickel roundwounds on the Zon. The Zon though it still the king of fast and easy. The thing nearly plays itself, and the tone is dead neutral. The RA requires a little more effort, but not much and rewards relaxed playing. It also is all about the fundamental - it is just big and fat. I'm not sure where the piezo treble adjustment is set right now (I assume that is what the hole on the cavity cover is for) but I'll mess with that later. This is a 35" scale and so far so good switching between 34" and 35" The only time I notice it is when I'm playing a note with my middle finger and I want to try and grab the low octave with my index finger...bit of a stretch down near the nut for that.
The B string is perfect. In fact I think this bass may have the best string-to-string balance of any I've owned (the Zon is spot-on but you can adjust pots for each string so that is kinda cheating). Me likey...
The B string is perfect. In fact I think this bass may have the best string-to-string balance of any I've owned (the Zon is spot-on but you can adjust pots for each string so that is kinda cheating). Me likey...
Wow ... I'm enviousThis beautiful girl showed up on TB, so I picked it up and changed my order to a Deep 5
Andy
Can anyone help me out ?
I know my RA deep 5 is supposed to have some kind of tone trim pot inside the cavity. So I opened her up and found this:
TWO presets. Any ideas what they both do before I start experimenting ?
Andy
I know my RA deep 5 is supposed to have some kind of tone trim pot inside the cavity. So I opened her up and found this:
TWO presets. Any ideas what they both do before I start experimenting ?
Andy
I know the MB2 has a treble roll off attached to a simple Fishman preamp. The preamp in my Deep 5 is a sealed no label box with no visible adjustments.
Wonder what electronics Spade2You has in his 6 string custom (which is equipped with a "Deep" preamp)?
I'll take a look tomorrow, but I don't recall it looking like that. I haven't really had a need to look back there.
Andy Brown
Commercial User
- Jul 23, 2004
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- Founder/Owner: Wing Instruments
Just placed an order with Rob for my own custom Mouse...
* Alder Body
* Ebony Bridge and Fingerboard
* Integrated Thumbrest
* F-Hole
* Lined Fretless
* D-Tuner
* Exhibition Grade Top
* Binding (depending on top)
* Fingerboard ext on G string for high "D" note.
I've owned two of these in the past and I really missed having a Mouse.
* Alder Body
* Ebony Bridge and Fingerboard
* Integrated Thumbrest
* F-Hole
* Lined Fretless
* D-Tuner
* Exhibition Grade Top
* Binding (depending on top)
* Fingerboard ext on G string for high "D" note.
I've owned two of these in the past and I really missed having a Mouse.
I'm guessing RAs (the Mouse, specifically) are active?
One of these may be waiting down the road for me, someday.
One of these may be waiting down the road for me, someday.
+1 They have a Fishman preamp/buffer run by a 9 volt, that has a treble roll-off pot as part of the circuitry. A 'raw' passive piezo pickup is typically a nasty sounding thing, and very sensitive to the input impedance of the amp. This buffer makes the RA happy with any input impedance you throw at it. The Mouse and MB's have a volume control on the bridge.
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