Agressive Sounding Roscoe? And other Roscoe options?

arbitrary · #1 01-17-2008, 09:46 PM

I've been thinking lately (yes, thats what you smelled burning

), I have a couple basses that I'm thinking about selling that I don't use much at all anymore. I could buy a new bass with these funds...whoohoo! I was thinking about a zon, but their lack of a truss rod turns me away, and I've always liked Roscoe, especially the ones I've played.

But I'm curious, using which various woods and electronic combinations would translate to a more aggressive sounding Roscoe? Think of cutting through distorted guitars, possibly detuned at times, effects as times, etc... But keep in mind, I would like to use it for other things as well, so it doesn't have to be an aggro monster!

It'll be an SKB 3005 strung E-C with either a mahogany, spanish cedar, or swamp ash body. I've always been a fan of spalted maple tops. The preamp would be the Audere 4 band (thats what my Drozd has and I quite dig it), but I'm unsure of what pickups fingerboard. Any suggestions on any of this (even body woods)?

Which options will give me everything!?

Thanks!

-Eric

JPJ · #2 01-17-2008, 10:42 PM

Swamp ash body. End of story.

arbitrary · #3 01-17-2008, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPJ

Swamp ash body. End of story.

Hey there, I actually just sent you an email via gmail about some of the Roscoes you have on your site.

I'm thinking along swamp ash as well. Are there any other pickup options besides nordstrands and barts? Any neck woods, top woods and fingerboards that would help with this as well?

nosajwp · #4 01-18-2008, 07:58 AM

My SKB-3007 has a Spanish Cedar body with exhibition maple top, ebony board, and Bart 3 band with Bart soapies, and it can get quite aggressive if you dig in with the bridge pickup soloed. It can also be pretty smooth too depending on how you set it.

JOME77 · #5 01-18-2008, 09:28 AM

Swamp ash body, Aggie OBP-3 pre & Nord p/u's.

Definitely the more aggressive sounding Roscoe's I've owned match these spec's.

fishdds · #6 01-18-2008, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Swamp ash body, Aggie OBP-3 pre & Nord p/u's.

Amen, brother. These are the specs for my aggressive sounding Roscoe. I imagine some Fat Stacks may be even more aggressive than my DCs, but Roscoe doesn't offer them as an option. I'm not sure fingerboard wood makes a lot of difference, but are you after a bright aggressive sound, or a warmer aggressive sound? Ebony and maple would probably be a little brighter than say, rosewood. I have ebony sapwood on mine, and it's bright, without being clacky or tinny. Pic in sig. I don't have any experience with the Audere preamp. I've been really happy with the Aggie OBP-3.

arbitrary · #7 01-18-2008, 11:59 AM

Hmmm, I'll be looking for a warmer aggressive sound. A strong midrange voice would help to cut through. I'm not a big fan of the aguilar preamp, so thats out, I appreciate the input though. I was thinking that the 2 bands of midrange in the audere would help the mids cut through as well. I would like to try the Nordstrands, but I've heard weird things about them and the Audere used together. Any truth to this? Do the fingerboard sapwoods add anything tonally or are they just aesthetics? What would a Wenge fingerboard add to the equation?

bigbassman · #8 01-18-2008, 01:23 PM

I have an SKB 3006 with the Nordy dual coils and the Audere 4 band Pre (w/coil selection) along with a Sp. Cedar body, flame maple top and Spalted PH board.
The bass can get quite aggressive when needed. Actually more than needed. Also is capable of the opposite. I too love the Audere pre and think that the Nordies go great with it. No problems here.

arbitrary · #9 01-18-2008, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbassman

I have an SKB 3006 with the Nordy dual coils and the Audere 4 band Pre (w/coil selection) along with a Sp. Cedar body, flame maple top and Spalted PH board.
The bass can get quite aggressive when needed. Actually more than needed. Also is capable of the opposite. I too love the Audere pre and think that the Nordies go great with it. No problems here.

Do you find much of a change between the 3 Audere modes? Is there a coil switch for each pickup or a series/parallel switch?

JOME77 · #10 01-18-2008, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arbitrary

I was thinking that the 2 bands of midrange in the audere would help the mids cut through as well. I would like to try the Nordstrands, but I've heard weird things about them and the Audere used together. Any truth to this? Do the fingerboard sapwoods add anything tonally or are they just aesthetics? What would a Wenge fingerboard add to the equation?

The only negative combo I've heard with the Nord p/u's is the Demeter pre. Most really dig the Nord/Audere combo (which I've not heard). I have heard though that the Audere is a much smoother sounding pre than the Aggie though.

IMO the sapwood doesn't add or take away anything from the base wood (ex. purpleheart verse purpleheart sapwood).

The wenge IMO would compress the tone although the finger boards on Roscoe's are not very thick. You'd probablly hear more of a compressed effect using it for the neck or stringers.

arbitrary · #11 01-18-2008, 02:06 PM

You're right, it was about the demeter pre and the nords. I imagine I'll go with the Nords and the Audere then. I wonder if Wenge has more sizzle/treble/high end than ebony fingerboards?

JOME77 · #12 01-18-2008, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arbitrary

You're right, it was about the demeter pre and the nords. I imagine I'll go with the Nords and the Audere then. I wonder if Wenge has more sizzle/treble/high end than ebony fingerboards?

The wenge would probably have more upper midrange but I would think that the ebony would have a brighter tone.
It's been my experience that the wenge can somewhat dampen the highs a bit (which is what I mean by stating that the wenge compresses the tone).

bigbassman · #13 01-18-2008, 03:38 PM

In response to the Audere Z modes there is quite a bit of difference between the high, mid and low mode. High being more aggressive and brighter.
There are also 4 mini adjustment screws on the preamp top itself for the high mode, low mode and pickups.
I have the coil selectors switches for each pickup which gives me the ability to go to single coil.

arbitrary · #14 01-18-2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbassman

In response to the Audere Z modes there is quite a bit of difference between the high, mid and low mode. High being more aggressive and brighter.
There are also 4 mini adjustment screws on the preamp top itself for the high mode, low mode and pickups.
I have the coil selectors switches for each pickup which gives me the ability to go to single coil.

Sounds Fantastic! I'm game! I have the 4 band Audere in my Jerzy Drozd and quite love it. I wonder if Roscoe offers a series/parallel switch in addition to the 2 coil selector switches?

atrapp · #15 01-18-2008, 06:15 PM

Eric,

Come over and play my LG3K, with Nordy Big Singles and the Bart pre... it is very aggressive sounding, heck on Tuesday I'll be taking delivery of LG3K #2, so come over on Wednesday!

arbitrary · #16 01-18-2008, 06:28 PM

[quote=atrapp;5181573]Eric,
Come over and play my LG3K, with Nordy Big Singles and the Bart pre... it is very aggressive sounding, heck on Tuesday I'll be taking delivery of LG3K #2, so come over on Wednesday!
/QUOTE]

Sounds good to me. What time are you free on Wednesday? I'll bring your bassdriver as well.

atrapp · #17 01-18-2008, 07:54 PM

[quote=arbitrary;5181611]

Quote:

Originally Posted by atrapp

Eric,
Come over and play my LG3K, with Nordy Big Singles and the Bart pre... it is very aggressive sounding, heck on Tuesday I'll be taking delivery of LG3K #2, so come over on Wednesday!
/QUOTE]

Sounds good to me. What time are you free on Wednesday? I'll bring your bassdriver as well.

from 2 - 5... give me call.

Basso Gruvitas · #18 01-20-2008, 06:58 PM

Ash body, bubinga top, maple fingerboard, and.....

Bart pickups and preamp

OR

Nordstrand pickups and Aguilar preamp.

All depends on how much top end you want.

And as Jay says....end of story!

Blake Bass · #19 01-21-2008, 02:22 PM

I know this is the Roscoe Forum and I own a beautiful Century V, but if you want a Zon don't let the absecnce of a truss rod scare you. I have owned a Sonus special 5 fretless for 10 years and the neck has never given me any trouble. I think some of the newer Zons have rods. I don't think you'll be disappointed with a Zon or a Roscoe, they are both great instruments.

fishdds · #20 01-21-2008, 02:37 PM

Quote:

A strong midrange voice would help to cut through.

This is where just the fact that it's a Roscoe is going to help the most.

Roscoes are great at cutting through due to their natural mid emphasis. IMO this is due mostly to the pickup placement, with things like wood choices being secondary. Obviously, woods play a part, but I've heard great mids from a variety of different Roscoe basses.