Hi all, I hope it's ok to post this here: I've decided to put my Rob Allen up for sale (I'm raising funds to purchase an NS Design CR upright): For Sale - Rob Allen MB-2 Fretless Bass
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Show Us Your Rob Allen Basses Part IV
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
New to the club...anxiously waiting my MB-2f 4 string....
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Just circling back and saw this. All three of my RAs (well all of my basses) have thick, heavy strings and high tension. My D4's bridge was designed for high action. At one point I strung my original D4 with the bottom four of the RS88 5-string set (starting at .135) tuned E to G. Granted that neck was reinforced but after two D4s and a S4, I can tell you RA's stuff is fine set up like that.
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,669
- 2
- 16,480
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
Good Morning, Rob Allen Club.
So I got this buddy on another bass forum with a Rob Allen fretless... (not certain which model) the other day he opened the case to get it out and saw that the binding had popped loose for several inches around. I see, looking back through the thread here, that seems to be a common issue... is there a recommendation for repair, or anyone at the RA home office who would advise?
I'll see if he'll send me a couple pictures to post.
TIA, Ed of H.
So I got this buddy on another bass forum with a Rob Allen fretless... (not certain which model) the other day he opened the case to get it out and saw that the binding had popped loose for several inches around. I see, looking back through the thread here, that seems to be a common issue... is there a recommendation for repair, or anyone at the RA home office who would advise?
I'll see if he'll send me a couple pictures to post.
TIA, Ed of H.
I've never had binding come completely loose, But when mine started to come loose, I took it to Mike Lull's shop for repair. Rob does not do these kind of repairs himself but advised me to find a confident luthier.
Ugh, one more thing to worry about 2020 unleashing on me.
Little surprised Rob does not do the repair work. Feels like a let-down.
I would think it's an extremely easy repair job that just involves a little bit of glue and some clamping. I can see that Rob would not think it to be worth the expense of shipping a bass to him for such a repair but I do think he should be prepared to do the work for a walk-in client.Ugh, one more thing to worry about 2020 unleashing on me.
Little surprised Rob does not do the repair work. Feels like a let-down.
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,669
- 2
- 16,480
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
I agree, and I do repair work... unfortunately I am waaaay to far away to be of any direct help. Reglueing bindings is usually a matter of knowing what the material is made of and what it was bonded with in the first place.
I don't know yet what his is bound with... could be wood or fibre... I just want to advise him best.
This is why I expected that Rob would be willing to do the repairs himself. But I guess he wants to focus on the building instead. With limited time, it makes sense.
At the very least, you'd need to add a wider shaft tuner or find someone to make a low B at a custom length. I don't know if Rob has changed his opinion, but he seemed to feel that his bass plus the LaBella B string sound best in 35" scale.
It might be worth trying out on a Mouse 30-5, although I probably wouldn't order with that purpose in mind. That being said, the Mouse series sounds great when tuned to dropped D, wich is almost half way there.
At the very least, you'd need to add a wider shaft tuner or find someone to make a low B at a custom length. I don't know if Rob has changed his opinion, but he seemed to feel that his bass plus the LaBella B string sound best in 35" scale.
It might be worth trying out on a Mouse 30-5, although I probably wouldn't order with that purpose in mind. That being said, the Mouse series sounds great when tuned to dropped D, wich is almost half way there.
For some reason I didn't think about drop D tuning.....did you use the Labella Black Nylons? Do they have enough tension? I have a 6 string fretless but rarely go below that D....would make a cool mouse and give me a range I'm used to. Thanks man!
Standard LaBellas sound great in dropped D. Kinda wish I was able to order the 5 string version, but it hadn't been released yet.
I had the bottom four of the RS88 5-string set (so a .135 IIRC) strung E-G on my original Deep 4. Worked great.
For grins and yucks I picked up a used TC Electronic BodyRez to see if it would enhance my Deep 4 sound at all. It actually sounded pretty good - tried it last night. I'm not making any rash judgements and I'd need more time with it but I think it may be a keeper.
For grins and yucks I picked up a used TC Electronic BodyRez to see if it would enhance my Deep 4 sound at all. It actually sounded pretty good - tried it last night. I'm not making any rash judgements and I'd need more time with it but I think it may be a keeper.
Rob recently reglued the loose binding himself on my old MB-2, but I'm the original owner, so he did it under warranty. I have to say, Rob was great to deal with. He not only fixed the binding, he gave the bass a general "tune-up" including truing the fingerboard and some finish work, and it came back looking and sounding great. Excellent customer service on a 15-year-old instrument.
Similar story here. Also after at least 15 years, when the neck had gone a bit funky on my MB-2 I sent it down to Rob. I sent it for the neck, 1/2 expecting a new neck, which is what Rob did. As well as replacing the neck he re-glued some binding that was starting to come off (I hadn't noticed), cleaned the pots, and resurfaced the top! The neck has stunning figuring in the rosewood. Almost too striking as the streaks run the board like black nylon strings, lol. Really though, it's like a new bass. Thanks again Rob!
Brian
