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Show Us Your Rob Allen Basses Part IV
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
I just picked up a new "to me" MB2 - I've reached out to the RA team twice (still waiting on feedback), so I though the crew here may be able to help. SN is #501, so I'm curious as to what year of production that might be from. Also, I can't tell if the top of walnut or possibly figured mahogany. I'm guessing walnut, but thought someone here might be able to confirm. Any thoughts?
Attachments
Sorry...it's been so long since I've posed a pic (years, a decade or more?!?) that I forgot to click the "full image" button. This should help...maybe.
This post literally changed my life, I took a chance and just ordered it the second I opened the link and have played her daily for 2-3 hours.
I started playing a 6 in 1994, I've exclusively played 6 for the last 10 years and have been a fan of Rob's work for as long as I've been on TB, almost 20 years now.
It is truly a magical bass and I have some nice ones.
Yeah, that seems to be a not-uncommon issue with RA instruments. The binding on my 2007 MB-2 started separating from the body around 2018 or '19. Fortunately Rob sent me very detailed -- and very Don't Try This At Home! -- instructions on how to repair it. Sadly, three out of the four luthiers I contacted about doing the repair declined, and the one who said it's within their wheelhouse couldn't take on any new work for at least 6 months, so I've just been living with it as-is for a while now.
Thread Drift: What make/model case is that? A Hiscox perhaps?
Hi @Bob_Ross , this is happening to both of my beloved RA's. Can you please share the instructions? Thanks
This makes me so happy. Once in a while, I'll post a link to something like this that I think is special just in case it might be a match for a TBer. Wishing you many years of music and joy together!
copied & pasted from the PDF that Rob sent me:
==============================
431 A Street, Fillmore Ca 93015
[email protected]
Binding Repair
Occasionally over time on older basses, the binding can separate from the body. This
can be due to excessive heat, extremely dry weather (which can cause the body to
shrink slightly), and the breakdown or shrinkage of the binding itself. It is made of
celluloid nitrate, which is not unlike movie film, although obviously much thicker.
Binding repair work is best done by a qualified repair person or luthier. People who have
experience with instrument restoration would be a plus. That said, you can do it yourself
if you are very handy with tools and detail work.
Materials needed for the actual binding repair:
• heat gun
• cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) thin viscosity, and medium viscosity
• accelerator for cyanoacrylate glue (a must)
• blue masking tape
And if you need to do some finish repair these materials are needed also:
• Minwax Wipe On Poly (satin)
• Moser's pure carnauba wax
• 220x, 320x, 400x & 600x sandpaper
• #0000 steel wool
• cotton cloth
Instructions: Heating the binding:
Where the binding has pulled away, use a heat gun (a hair dyer may work depending on
the model..) on medium heat. Heat the binding keeping constant movement over it,
and in a couple/few minutes it will expand (lengthwise) back into the old position. Do
not linger over the binding in one spot, it will burn it and ruin the entire binding.
Now tape across the binding with blue tape (light tack, it will leave no film) onto the
body, multiple times along the binding holding it in place. Let cool for a10~15 minutes.
Then remove the tape and see where the binding sits. If it still shows a gap, use the
heat gun again, to heat it until it expands it back into place. Then glue immediately.
Glue Process: you will need to move very quickly on this part, as the binding will
want to cool and retract and the glue dries quickly. You may want to run a strip of blue
masking tape along the side of body below the binding, so that it does not run onto the
finish. Flow a small~medium amount of medium viscosity super glue in between the
body and the binding. The idea is to get the glue to cover the interior surfaces. Then
quickly with both thumbs (or a wooden caul made to the exact shape of the body) hold
the binding tightly in place to the body (use rubber gloves, or cover your thumbs with
masking tape to prevent the glue from sticking to your fingers). If you have squeeze out
at this point, have an assistant wipe the excess with a swab. Then have the assistant
mist the area with accelerator. Within 30~120 seconds it should cure and hold it in
place. Wait about 10 minutes for the accelerator to flash off. Then carefully flow some
thin superglue into any opening that will take it, this will back fill any voids and make a
very strong body. The use accelerator one more time.
Finish Repair:
If you have high spots of glue, or glue has spilled over onto the body you will need to
sand these down. Use 320x sandpaper on a small wooden (or steel, or some flat
substrate) block that is perfectly level. Sand the minimum amount until you are level
with the finish. Then use some 400x and 600x in the same manner. If you have broken
into, or even through the original finish (which is likely, to some degree), use Minwax
Wipe on Poly in successive coats applied with a small cotton pad or brush, according to
the directions. 3 coats should do the trick, then once cured use some #0000 steel wool
to blend the finish and follow with carnauba wax.
I have a repaired binding with this method in the past with excellent results.
====================================
What can be better than getting a Rob Allen bass? Only logical answer is getting two of them! These are two old ladies here (276 and 423 serials) that have some battle scars and binding is starting to come off on the walnut one a bit but I bought them both together and I like them. Not a fretless player but I'm a fool for pretty things and couldn't say no to this dynamic duo. Chances are i might end up letting the fretless one go because I can't play a lined let alone an unlined one but time will tell. Here are these beauties
PS What is a normal action height on a fretless RA bass? Mine is at 5 mm on the E and 3.5 mm on the G on the 12th which seems high, neck is not completely flat but the truss rod seems maxed out (I don't feel like pushing it's limits further). It is still remarkably easy to me to play but it does seem a bit high even for my standards. Saddle isn't really tall enough for me to shave it off so I guess it is what it is? Any advice welcome!
PS What is a normal action height on a fretless RA bass? Mine is at 5 mm on the E and 3.5 mm on the G on the 12th which seems high, neck is not completely flat but the truss rod seems maxed out (I don't feel like pushing it's limits further). It is still remarkably easy to me to play but it does seem a bit high even for my standards. Saddle isn't really tall enough for me to shave it off so I guess it is what it is? Any advice welcome!
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Luckily Rob repaired my binding on the D4 when I sent it in for an electronics issue a few years back before he retired.
I was certainly surprised, but yes....I was able to confirm that it is, indeed, a one-piece redwood top. Was yours made around 2005, by chance?
It was a fun experiment, but I'll admit they don't add as much as one would hope. The piezo can basically cover the full range of the magnetic pickups. The pickups are kinda like the piezo with much less dynamic range. The LaBella strings were built around the piezo and have a noticeably weak response on the D string. One big benefit on my 6 string is that the magnetic pickups added enough weight to balance it. Without them, the body is too light and would result in neck dive.
