Bass of the Week: Rob Allen MB-2

Rob Allen MB-2 Bass

The Rob Allen MB-2 is a unique semi-hollow bass designed to combine the warmth of an upright with the punch of a solid body electric bass. Though it’s available in a fretted version, the MB-2 comes standard as fretless to keep with the organic feel.

The bass is offered in three variations depending on the top selected: Maple, Walnut, or Koa.

Allen matches the maple top with a mahogany body and cocobolo fingerboard, while the walnut top sports an ash body with ebony fingerboard and the Koa top is paired with a mahogany body, ebony fingerboard, and tortoise binding. The basses are given minimal oil finishes, which the luthier explains is to retain optimum resonance.

Other features include Hipshot tuners, a Fishman Matrix piezo pickup, and an optional f-hole in the body.

Available in 4 or 5-string models, the Rob Allen MB-2 is built to order with prices starting at $2800. For more info, check out Rob Allen’s website.

Rob Allen MB-2 Bass Photo Gallery:

Rob Allen MB-2 Bass Specs:

  • Scale: 34” on 4-string; 35” on 5-string
  • Nut: 1 5/8” on 4-string; 1 7/8” on 5-string
  • Birdseye maple neck finished in satin lacquer
  • Oil finish on body
  • Lined or unlined fretless fingerboard
  • Grained ivoroid or tortoise binding
  • Semi-hollow body design
  • Volume control incorporated into bridge
  • La Bella 760n strings
  • Hipshot tuners
  • Fishman Matrix piezo pickup
  • Gig bag included
  • Weight: 6.5 lbs on 4-string; 7 lbs on 5-string

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Leave a Reply to Kevin Johnson Cancel reply

  1. The Koa 4 is my dream bass… Sigh.

  2. Great bass, I have a 5-string fretless with a high C string.

    • kees

      Hi David

      I have an MB2 tuned BEAGD, but would like to shift to a high C (instead of the low B). Did you just put the high C string and does it work? Or is it special made for the high C string?

  3. Nice… but where are the pickups? I’m not familiar with piezo pickups.

  4. Oh yeah! I’ve got the walnut MB-2 and it’s incredible good! I finally bought one last year. I waited for 8 long years before I had the opportunity to buy one! (I tried my first Rob Allen at Rudy’s Music in NYC 2003).