Thanks pilmat and nostatic. It is hard to show how nice it is. I wish Rob was able to take pics because it'd capture it a bit more.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Show Us Your Rob Allen Basses Part III
- Thread starter Bryan R. Tyler
- Start date
- Status
Thanks pilmat and nostatic. It is hard to show how nice it is. I wish Rob was able to take pics because it'd capture it a bit more.
As the owner of a Deep 5, I understand the "pics don't do it justice" thang
The koa top on this one is nicer than my other D4. Granted, my other one is 10 years old, but still. I also like the binding Rob did. While similar to the other D4, its darkness really works with the black pickup cover and the hardware. Like the parts around the output jacks, the covers around the screwholes for the neck are black, too. Pretty cool.
The nut width, is that standard or a little meatier on your bass?
And to top it all off, WHY are you on-line? I see your little green light on and ask myself "why isn't he playing the darm thing?" That's what I would be doing!
The nut width, is that standard or a little meatier on your bass?
And to top it all off, WHY are you on-line? I see your little green light on and ask myself "why isn't he playing the darm thing?" That's what I would be doing!
It looks to be about the same as my other D4 so I'd say standard for Rob. Others can chime in on their D4 or D5. It's definitely thicker than, say, the one on my fretless P.
I think it says logged in because I have the page up, but I've been doing stuff all evening. I'm not hanging around here that much lol
Standard nut width on a RA 4-string is 1-5/8". 5-string is 1-7/8". Of course for a custom you can spec whatever you want but my MB-2 measures at 1-5/8" and my Deep 5 is 1-7/8" - maybe just a hair under that.
As for neck thickness (front to back), I find my MB-2 has a thicker neck than the Deep 5 - not a V-neck but certainly more rounded than the Deep 5 (or the Deep 5 is flatter - depends on your perspective). I wouldn't mind the 4-string having a tad less meat on it but it is by no means beefy. Again, sounds like FenderP spec'd a different contour. My Deep 5 neck is about the most comfortable neck I've ever played, period. I just picked up a Sadowsky 5 and it is really nice, and have owned other Sadowskys, Roscoe, Lulls, Zons, etc. The Deep 5 neck is totally sublime.
Some sonic yin/yang
As for neck thickness (front to back), I find my MB-2 has a thicker neck than the Deep 5 - not a V-neck but certainly more rounded than the Deep 5 (or the Deep 5 is flatter - depends on your perspective). I wouldn't mind the 4-string having a tad less meat on it but it is by no means beefy. Again, sounds like FenderP spec'd a different contour. My Deep 5 neck is about the most comfortable neck I've ever played, period. I just picked up a Sadowsky 5 and it is really nice, and have owned other Sadowskys, Roscoe, Lulls, Zons, etc. The Deep 5 neck is totally sublime.
Some sonic yin/yang
It is 1 5/8". I thought he meant the actual thickness of the white piece of plastic which is definitely thicker than a "normal bass".
All three of the basses Rob has made me have different neck profies but all definitely thicker than what most people get. That's the great thing about Rob - he'll make you what you want. When we talked about the neck, he got the fact that the radius below was going to be a uniform radius and made exactly what was asked for. He also knew what I disliked about the others.
So it may have taken me 20 years, but I think this may be the only fretless I need.
Yep, it was the front to back thickness I meant. I see it is a standard on the semi-hollows, but the S4 on the RA site has the nut thickness more like on a Fender. If memory serves me right, the RA site S4 is FenderP's.
Nostatic, both basses look sweet!
Nostatic, both basses look sweet!
That it is, but I think with roundwounds for the pics. It shipped to me with my standard RS77LE set.
thx, the Sadowsky showed up today. I have to gig it to be sure, but so far it seems like it'll stay. Polar opposite to the RA tonally. My current Rob Allens (Deep 5 and MB-2) are total keepers. I dig 'em more every time I play 'em. And that is fairly rare with instruments, at least for me. I have loved the Deep 5 from the first time I touched it.
I always considered my Stambaugh w/EMG P/J pickups and Pope pre to be the polar opposite of my Rob Allens, but I also like everything in between. 
Day two with the bass and all is well. I was in the studio today and wound up redoing four of my parts (one originally done on the old D4, two on my P fretless, and one on my 60s P) on the new D4. It records great, and it was nice to be able to do two parts at once. I only went direct and didn't have an amp with me.
The engineer (who has also been recording me since 1997 or 1998) loved the bass and its sound, even more than my other D4 and said it's probably his favorite of my basses at the moment (outside of maybe my '78 P). He didn't even use any compression on me.
When we go to mix I'll re-amp the parts on either my B-15 or B-18 and decide which (mag or piezo) I'll use, or in places, both. For example, in the middle of "Red" (the King Crimson tune), I can see leaving both to give it more low end.
The only "issue" I have found with it so far is that playing the open E in the right way gives it an odd bloom.
So it passed my most important litmus test - it records well.
It definitely has a different voice than the old Deep 4. It's a much richer, rounder, and I think deeper sound. There may be something to the thinner walls ... hmm.
The engineer (who has also been recording me since 1997 or 1998) loved the bass and its sound, even more than my other D4 and said it's probably his favorite of my basses at the moment (outside of maybe my '78 P). He didn't even use any compression on me.
When we go to mix I'll re-amp the parts on either my B-15 or B-18 and decide which (mag or piezo) I'll use, or in places, both. For example, in the middle of "Red" (the King Crimson tune), I can see leaving both to give it more low end.
The only "issue" I have found with it so far is that playing the open E in the right way gives it an odd bloom.
So it passed my most important litmus test - it records well.
It definitely has a different voice than the old Deep 4. It's a much richer, rounder, and I think deeper sound. There may be something to the thinner walls ... hmm.
I'm thinking of swapping out the satin Hipshot tuners on my MB2 5 string for black ones. Anyone happen to know which diameter I should get? 1/2 or 3/8?
Thanks,
LR
Thanks,
LR
I thought about doing that with my MB-2, but frankly I like it so much the way it is I don't want to change anything. Sometimes mojo can be a fickle beast...
I switched them on my mouse and they were 3/8". It was a small change, but sometimes beauty is in the details. I don't regret it at all.
Gigged the Deep 5 and the new Sadowsky R5-24 last night. Sadowsky is going back. It is a really sweet bass, but I'm way too spoiled by my Rob Allens and just too into the tone and attack of the instruments. So far the only other bass that has managed to stay in the house is the Fender AmDlxP. And I need that one for certain gigs.
I need another RA (yeah...need....that's it). I should have snapped up the 4-string fretted that was for sale here a month or so ago. Arrgh...
I need another RA (yeah...need....that's it). I should have snapped up the 4-string fretted that was for sale here a month or so ago. Arrgh...
- Status
