Clarky Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) [attachment=111086:RA-Front.jpg] I recently acquired this gorgeous bass from German BC'er Markus (BC username Bender) but I have decided I prefer my Takamine B10 as a double bass emulator (and the band really likes the gypsy jazz vibe of the B10 too). I can't really afford to have two DB emulators so I am moving this on. The bass in question is incredibly light (6.5 pounds) and has a very slim, fast neck and a lovely piezo-driven DB-esque tone and the specs, pinched from Markus' FS thread ([url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/177556-sold-rob-allen-mb2/page__hl__rob%20allen;"]http://basschat.co.u...l__rob%20allen;[/url] has a ton of pics), are as follows: alder body (tort binding) with flamed walnut top (200$ upgrade) maple neck / lined ebony fretboard with side dots matching bound headstock (200$ upgrade) Labella black tape wound strings Protec Contego case There are a few tiny nicks and scrapes (all pictured in Markus' thread) but nothing in any way significant and it could pass for new from a few feet away. I paid Markus' asking price of £1500 plus post and would be looking to recoup this. For an unbiased third party opinion of this, you could always ask BC'er chris_b who came to try it out this morning (he is after a 5-string MB-2) Edited June 24, 2012 by Clarky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Many thanks to Clarky for letting me try his Rob Allen bass. If it had one more string it would be sitting here at home with me. I've been looking for a 5 string Rob Allen for over a year and I thought that maybe I could make myself love 4 strings, but I’m going to carry on with my search for the 5 string version. This bass is in great condition. The neck and action make this one of the easiest and most comfortable basses to play that I've tried in 20 years. The tone with the Piezo is woody, full and clear. Rob Allen basses are very special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierreganseman Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 hey Clark, is this thing strictly doubnle bass?? or are "normal sounds" obtainable as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Well it has one tone only and thats a woody, piezo tone. So it sounds 'quite' like a double bass but not exactly. Its not, for example, nasal or middy. Its more rich and rounded... but with a piezo you get out of it what you put in, so your playing style can change the attack and decay of each note. Think of it as a piezo fretless and you will get the best idea of what it sounds like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Here's a guy playing one to a Stevie Wonder track for example [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIf2O22p5oc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIf2O22p5oc[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierreganseman Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 i see i am affraid not my thing then.... just keep hearing so much positive comments on those... for a sec' i got tempted: p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 Couple more pics [attachment=111184:RA2.jpg][attachment=111185:RA-ThumbRest.jpg] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 On the grounds that the Stevie Wonder clip I posted above is a bit fizzy/scratchy sounding (mine sounds warmer in real life) here's another clip of a Rob Allen which gives a more representative impression of what a Rob Allen sounds like (this is the short-scale Mouse model but they are very similar) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iWt-0qTydE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I'm sticking with my Takamine but I got to say these do sound good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Bump for a serious bass! What a beauty. I wish I had the cash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 Hmmm, the band have asked that I play double bass only going forward. This potentially changes matters as regards my Takamine B10 which may just have become redundant. Need to re-think so the Rob Allen is on hold for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 These basses are fabulous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1340480986' post='1705178'] Hmmm, the band have asked that I play double bass only going forward. This potentially changes matters as regards my Takamine B10 which may just have become redundant. Need to re-think so the Rob Allen is on hold for now. [/quote] If I am only gigging DB from now on with the band, my logic for selling the Rob Allen over the Takamine flies out the window. Don't want to make a silly mistake here (given how hard it is to get hold of a Rob Allen this side of the pond and how nice it is to play) so I am withdrawing this from sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Bands don't last forever. I'd hang on to all your basses. They'll be used sooner or later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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