Show Us Your Rob Allen Basses Part III

[ghiadub]

E-C, but he did ask me what I wanted.

On my E-G I have a drop tuner that brings the E down to a C and it sounds fine at the short scale.

 

[JxBass]

My two main goals were to create a Solid 4 that was a "nod" to my much loved MB-2 (in avatar), and to eliminate the multi-colored, multi-material features of the original (wood, plastic, aluminum) for a more blended and homogeneous feel. I started discussions with Rob early this year about how we would go about it; these infrequent phone discussions with him are always enormously enjoyable.

Nine months later the bass is here. The major features are:

- swamp ash body, oiled finish (versus lacquer)
- acoustic chamber and f-hole
- no pickguard
- pickup moved to neck position
- cocobolo fingerboard/bridge/pickup cover (all from one piece)
- Deep 4-like curve on fingerboard at body (doable without pickguard)
- drop-D tuner
- black hardware

The result is a Solid 4 with a very organic feel. It plays like a dream and the tone goes from the usual RA smoothness to grindy Chris Squire grit - very cool.

Both of Rob's cameras were broken so my blah pics will have to suffice.

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[spade2you]

Wow.

 

[BigBeatNut]

Nine months later the bass is here.

Looks gorgeous ... mag pickup only ?

Andy

 

[AMJBASS]

Here is a progress shot of the Mouse 5

Now really, was it really necessary to post that?! I am not sure I can hold off the temptation...

Is that going to be a low B, or high C mouse?

 

[JxBass]

Looks gorgeous ... mag pickup only ?

Andy

Yes, all of my RAs are mag pickup only.

 

[BigBeatNut]

Here is a progress shot of the Mouse 5

Shortscale 5 ... mmmmm ....

Is it chambered ?

 

[richnota]

Wow.

Double wow!
Mb solid? Solid mb? great fusion. Cake AND ice cream!

 

[JxBass]

Double wow!
Mb solid? Solid mb? great fusion. Cake AND ice cream!

Rob started with a solid piece of ash. He cut it with a band saw down its edge, creating a top half and bottom half, routed the chamber & f-hole, then glued it back together. No matter how hard I look I can't find the slightest hint of a cut or glue line - amazing given it's natural finish, not covered up by lacquer. Simply stunning work.

I had a nice note from Rob yesterday saying that there was a lot of talk in the shop about how this bass is more of a "Rob Allen" than the original S4. He also said that he may have a picture that he took before the cameras died. I'll post if I get it as it will be ten times better than any photo I can take.

 

[JxBass]

I forgot to mention how light this bass feels. I haven't been able to put it on a scale, but it feels just slightly heavier than my MB-2 and is lighter than my Deep 4. I don't have my original S4 to compare, but it's very noticeably lighter.

 

[ghiadub]

WOW. That solid 4 looks awesome. Love that.

to answer some questions about my mouse which is still in Rob's queue;

"Is that going to be a low B, or high C mouse?" Hi-C

"Is it chambered ?" No, I think. Same as a regular mouse.

 

[nostatic]

The regular Mouse is chambered. F-hole is an option, but all of them are semi-hollow design body.

 

[JxBass]

Thought I'd keep the thread juice flowing with pics that Rob sent me of the custom S4 that was done right after mine, just one serial number higher. It's for a friend of Rob's in NY, it has a Deep V maple neck, a la '53 Telecaster.

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[AMJBASS]

Very nice!

This thread is not good for the wallet... I have a Mouse 30 on its way to me now!

 

[Joe Smithberger]

That neck looks great.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Does anyone know if the piezo pickup on the Deep 4 is compatible with the [sfx] micro-H headphone amp? Rob's website doesn't list any technical data for the pickup, so the sfx manufacturer wasn't sure. I've heard the higher impedance of piezos don't always work well with some preamps, but the technical aspects here are above my head.

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[Joe Smithberger]

If it has a buffer preamp in it (like my Mouse) it should be no problem. Your Deep has a battery right?

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

If it has a buffer preamp in it (like my Mouse) it should be no problem. Your Deep has a battery right?

Yes, one 9-volt battery.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Here's the answer from Rob Allen:

Hi Dave- it should work fine, the D4 is high impedance, and is about double the output of say a Fender P bass, so I can't imagine any troubles. If you have heard that piezos don't work well with select preamps, it is most likely that the piezo is a direct out from the pickup itself (no preamp). In the case of the D4 it has a preamp, so you have line level output.

Hope this helps, R

 

[KJung]

Here's the answer from Rob Allen:

+1 The internal battery powered buffer used in the Rob Allen's with piezo pickups results in the normal impedance issues of raw piezo's not being any issue. The only issue with the buffer is that it is set VERY hot, and as Rob says, it is massively hot. This requires (or at least benefits from ) running the Rob Allen basses into the padded (sometimes called 'active') input of many amps so that you don't clip the input gain.

Small issue. The key is, you don't really need to consider the bass as having 'special needs' because of the piezo, since it is buffered and hence acts like any 'active' type bass.