I know the E string handles D very well. Not sure about the rest. My only experience with the MB2 was in 35" scale 5 and 6 string versions.
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 IV
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
I know the E string handles D very well. Not sure about the rest. My only experience with the MB2 was in 35" scale 5 and 6 string versions.
A beauty! Congrats and enjoy! What are the specs on that sweet thing? And did you just pick that up from Rob?
thanks..."This unique bass features a semi-hollow swamp ash body, with a curly koa "drop top". The koa on this bass is over 50 years old, it comes from a very large timber that I acquired many years ago; it is well aged and perfect for instrument making. The thin koa top is put in a vacuum press to mould it onto the ash body, for a considerable forearm contour. The 34" scale neck is made from eastern rock maple, and features a lined rosewood fingerboard. This rosewood is very special, it is also old stock and is the same type of (rare) rosewood used on classic instruments made in the 50's and 60's. It has a beautiful landscape quality to it, and is old, dry, dense wood with excellent sustain. The headstock has a matching rosewood overlay. Strings are La Bella 760n, a steel flatwound with a black nylon tape outer winding, for a very smooth feel and warm tone. A locally made (in Los Angeles, Ca) custom form fit case rounds out the package." ...i bought it as new online from a reputable dealer in the uk.
Very nice! Hit me up if you get crazy and want to sell it!
Heads up Rob Allen friends...
I just saw that Guitar Center has four used Rob Allen fretless basses. They are all 4-string and look like more recent builds. A Deep 4, MB-2, and two Mouse basses. I'm not affiliated at all with Guitar Center other than buying too much gear.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I just saw that Guitar Center has four used Rob Allen fretless basses. They are all 4-string and look like more recent builds. A Deep 4, MB-2, and two Mouse basses. I'm not affiliated at all with Guitar Center other than buying too much gear.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
i took it all down a couple of stops to that tuning and it handles it fine, which i thought would be the case as thats pretty much the same tension as the mouse ..it now sounds real deep just the way i like it.
Last edited:
Nice score! The tone and light weight make it a fun bass to play all night.
Greetings fellow Rob Allen fans! I'm considering buying a MB2-5 lined fretless. I had an unlined one once upon a time, but prefer the lines. Please PM me if you have one that you'd like to sell.
I'm curious to know what y'all are using for preamps/DI's for your Rob Allens (to get your signal out to FOH). I play in an IEM-only environment, so I'm looking for something I can put on a pedalboard, rather than an amp & cab. I love my Ampeg SGT-DI in this role for my magnetic pickup basses (Jazz & P, and Stingray) but not so much for my MB-2.
I'd like to find something specifically for the Rob Allen, with a little bit more control than just a DI such as a Radial or Red Eye--at least an output volume control, maybe an HPF. I'm thinking a Radial AC Driver or go w/ full EQ such as a Genzler Magellen DI. A Radial Tonebone or EBS Microbass seems overkill, on the other hand, with the two channels and whatnot.
Or, what else should I consider that's maximized for a high output piezo bass like the Rob Allen but that preserves its beautiful inherent tone.
I'd like to find something specifically for the Rob Allen, with a little bit more control than just a DI such as a Radial or Red Eye--at least an output volume control, maybe an HPF. I'm thinking a Radial AC Driver or go w/ full EQ such as a Genzler Magellen DI. A Radial Tonebone or EBS Microbass seems overkill, on the other hand, with the two channels and whatnot.
Or, what else should I consider that's maximized for a high output piezo bass like the Rob Allen but that preserves its beautiful inherent tone.
Last edited:
Great question. I've used a Noble for years now for everything. I play in church and our sound guys are very happy with it. I'm not sure that's the best answer, but it works for me.
I get it. It takes time and money (or really good luck in the used market) to score a Noble. In the meantime, I'm sure there are lots of good alternatives…
One thing for sure, the Rob Allen output is super hot compared to your other basses. Really great for the signal noise ratio that you send it to FOH. But, a lot of the sound techs in our church don't know what to do with that hot of a signal. So I think it's OK to dial back the Rob Allen volume control somewhat… I've heard some RA players say that doing that diminishes the tonal qualities of the Rob Allen, and I'm sure that's true to some extent. However, I'm not sure that it really matters in context of the total mix.
I don't consider myself to be an expert in any of this… That's just based on my experience.
One thing for sure, the Rob Allen output is super hot compared to your other basses. Really great for the signal noise ratio that you send it to FOH. But, a lot of the sound techs in our church don't know what to do with that hot of a signal. So I think it's OK to dial back the Rob Allen volume control somewhat… I've heard some RA players say that doing that diminishes the tonal qualities of the Rob Allen, and I'm sure that's true to some extent. However, I'm not sure that it really matters in context of the total mix.
I don't consider myself to be an expert in any of this… That's just based on my experience.
I had the older version of this and loved it for ampless gigs.
Get Your Truest Tone
Fishman is dedicated to helping musicians of all styles achieve the truest sound possible wherever and whenever they plug in.
www.fishman.com
Since getting an AER Bass One, I use that for everything now.
Funny you should mention the Fishman Platinum Pro. I used to have one, for acoustic guitar, but I tried it out with bass (not a Rob Allen or piezo bass) and it worked great. A friend swears by the Fishman for his upright bass. I ended up selling it and getting a Red Eye DI instead for acoustic guitar. The Red Eye is bare bones and has no EQ and is fantastic for acoustic guitar, but doesn't work all that great with the Rob Allen. So I think I'm going to end up re-purchasing a Fishman Platinum Pro.
I use the Broughton Messenger DI with my MB-4.
I found my here on the Effects For Sale page.
Messenger DI | Broughton Audio
Sold out on November 17th. IntroductionThe Messenger is a high fidelity instrument preamplifier, perfect for the studio, live performances, or practicing at home. The preamp offers a wide array of features in a compact, easy to use format. Up to 15 dB of clean gain Shelving bass and treble EQ...
www.broughtonaudio.com
