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Show Us Your Rob Allen Basses Part IV

#941
Rob should be sending my D4 back soon. I was having an issue with the piezo's volume and he replaced the pot. Apparently he uses a slightly different than standard size, so good thing he's taking care of it. I was afraid it was going to be more surgery than that. He's also doing one or two other minor things with it in.

What's funny is we talked about possibly doing one or two things differently while the patient was open but as usual, he's right. We're leaving it as is. I hadn't noticed - he did - that the lacquer has yellowed over the years. I had one spot I may have had him fix but we're leaving it alone since it wouldn't look the same

More than once in our e-mail threads he's said how much he likes that bass. It really is unique compared to some of the "off the shelf" ones.

I can't say enough about Rob and his basses, but you guys know the deal if you've ever corresponded with him. He really stands behind his stuff, even 10ish years on from making me the bass, he found time to do this. To be clear: when I e-mailed Rob, he said there is most likely going to be a bit of labor cost + parts (and of course shipping back). I'm happy to pay that knowing it'll be done right. Considering what I paid originally, the many hours of joy it's given me, and this is the first major thing it's needed in all this time, that's pretty amazing. I've probably played that bass more than any other one if I was to compare.

Can't wait to get it back!
 
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#942
FenderP said:
Rob should be sending my D4 back soon. I was having an issue with the piezo's volume and he replaced the pot. Apparently he uses a slightly different than standard size, so good thing he's taking care of it. I was afraid it was going to be more surgery than that. He's also doing one or two other minor things with it in.

What's funny is we talked about possibly doing one or two things differently while the patient was open but as usual, he's right. We're leaving it as is. I hadn't noticed - he did - that the lacquer has yellowed over the years. I had one spot I may have had him fix but we're leaving it alone since it wouldn't look the same

More than once in our e-mail threads he's said how much he likes that bass. It really is unique compared to some of the "off the shelf" ones.

I can't say enough about Rob and his basses, but you guys know the deal if you've ever corresponded with him. He really stands behind his stuff, even 10ish years on from making me the bass, he found time to do this. To be clear: when I e-mailed Rob, he said there is most likely going to be a bit of labor cost + parts (and of course shipping back). I'm happy to pay that knowing it'll be done right. Considering what I paid originally, the many hours of joy it's given me, and this is the first major thing it's needed in all this time, that's pretty amazing. I've probably played that bass more than any other one if I was to compare.

Can't wait to get it back!
Click to expand...

Rob is a spectacular luthier!
 
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#943
The D4 is back from its spa vacation at Rob's ;)

All kidding aside, it feels great and the issue is now gone. It was worth the round trip ticket to have Rob deal with it.

He and I did chat before sending it back about my breaking strings. It's just the way I play; has nothing to do with the instrument. There are no burrs or problems in the bridge, and considering I've snapped them on my regular P as well (with a BadAss II), it's definitely me. So I'll never get more than a couple of year out of a set of strings.
 
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#944
F28AF304-7EA9-4AD5-905A-3CAE30343EF9.jpeg

I'm currently using a very old Acoustic Image combo and it sounds wonderful through it, it is also dead quiet. Using this with my Berg forte I was finding I was having to boost the mids quite a bit to get to a place where I was happy with the tone.
 
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#948
bass12 said:
I've been re-discovering my fretless MB-2 lately after only using it very selectively over the past few years. What a fantastic bass.
Click to expand...

Funny, I've been doing the same thing. I've had my MB-2 for about 15 years, and for many of those years it was my only bass. Then I joined a band where fretted was more appropriate, so I hung up the Rob and went through a succession of fretted basses. After a few years I left that band and started a band in which I play electric upright, and kept the Rob Allen around as a backup. But lately I've been taking the MB-2 down and playing it a lot at home, and remembering why I loved it so much. I always seem to come back to it.
 
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#949
Hello friends,

Since this thread seems to be the de facto Rob Allen Club, I thought I'd post my query here. Apologies in advance if it is not the appropriate place...

I love my MB-2 fretless and have decided I'd like to try to get my hands an a used fretted one. Does anyone know of (or have) a fretted 4 string MB-2 that's for sale? I'd consider a Deep or Mouse, but I'd really prefer another MB-2.

Thanks!

-Danny
 
#950
Christian Houmann said:
Hey Guys!

Let us see all the Rob Allen basses :)
Click to expand...
Just found out about this thread. Here's some shots of my Mouse. Top two photos also highlight my custom strap made for this bass by Artifact Handmade on Etsy. Lexicat helped keep an eye on the Mouse. Others on TB have owned this bass, but it's in my care now.
IMG_4202 (2).JPG
IMG_4203.JPG
IMG_6694.JPG


If you'd like to see more, check out this thread: NBD - Rob Allen Mouse
:laugh:
 
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#954
Bob_Ross said:
Can you elaborate on what Rob did to "ebonize" the rosewood?
Click to expand...

Hi Bob

Yeah, that top wood is what actually made the sale for me, even though I have never really been enamored with short scales in the same way I am with medium scales. I still took the leap and I am so glad I did.

Wow it's been so many years ago now. I asked him if he was just going to dye it black and he told me that usually isn't a permanent solution, but I never asked him exactly what he did or what he was going to do. I always assumed that he did some kind of process like this:

Ebonizing Wood | WoodWorkers Guild of America

But obviously, I could be wrong and I will say that 15 years later, it's still really nice and black and most certainly still looks like ebony.
 
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#955
Danny O Danny said:
Hello friends,
I love my MB-2 fretless and have decided I'd like to try to get my hands an a used fretted one. Does anyone know of (or have) a fretted 4 string MB-2 that's for sale? I'd consider a Deep or Mouse, but I'd really prefer another MB-2.
Click to expand...

I didn't have any luck finding a used fretted MB-2, and couldn't justify $3,000.00+ for a new one (since I'll continue to mostly play the fretless), so picked this Ibanez up for $600.00. It ain't no Rob Allen, but it ain't bad for my purposes.

20200909_152832.jpg
 
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#960
Danny O Danny said:
I didn't have any luck finding a used fretted MB-2, and couldn't justify $3,000.00+ for a new one (since I'll continue to mostly play the fretless), so picked this Ibanez up for $600.00. It ain't no Rob Allen, but it ain't bad for my purposes.

View attachment 3977606
Click to expand...
I have the same Ibanez for the same reason--it's like a poor man's Rob Allen, and quite good for the price. How do you feel about yours, and it compares to your Mouse?
 

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