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12-07-2010, 12:32 AM
|  | zulu as kono
Endorsing Artist: FEA Labs Effects | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: los angeles, CA | | | an appreciation
So I've been rehearsing/gigging a lot lately For a guy with a day job, its been a little nuts. For instance, 3 gigs Saturday, rehearsal Sunday night, rehearsal tonight and tomorrow, gig Friday night, 3 gigs Sunday and reheasal Sunday night, yada yada...
And part of this has been trying to sort out where my basses fit best as I'm in four different groups. My Rob Allen Deep 5 is a keeper, and goes out on all straight jazz gigs - no question there. But I'm also doing a funk gig, a Steely Dan tribute band, and another jazz combo that veers into funk and soul. I'm hoping (know?) that the Roscoe fretless will cover that last one and probably most the funk stuff. But the Steely Dan stuff requires frets, at least for some tunes.
I bought a Lull PJ5 (passive), but then added the Century 5 because...well, because my brief flirtation with the LG fretless got me hooked on the Roscoe sound. So for the last month or so I've been bringing both fretted basses to various rehearsals and A/Bing them. I kept going back and forth, as the Lull is just dead nuts comfortable on a strap, is a pound lighter, and has a "classic" vibe. By contrast, the "coffee table" aspect of the Roscoe can give some other people pause, and it isn't quite as comfortable to play while standing (more weight a hangs at a different angle).
Anywho, tonight I had a five (!) hour rehearsal with the Steely Jam band. The first two hours was just working with drums and keys to nail some rhythm section parts, then three hours of full band. With one 15 minute break. I was playing on a stool, going back to the way I used to always play. Ended up playing the Roscoe for all but one tune. I know that material, but we were breaking in a new guitar player (who knew the stuff cold - awesome) and I was working with the tone controls. This was through an Acoustic (GC) head and 8-10 cab. Not great sound, but I've played through worse backlines.
At any rate, the short story is that I never wanted to put the Roscoe down. It just killed tonally. I could go from a sweet fat tone on "Rikki" to a grindy punch on "Green Earrings." I picked up the Lull for one tune, and promptly put it back down because it just wasn't cutting it (literally). Plus is just wasn't as comfortable to play (this was seated on a stool). Yes, it is lighter, but the string spacing isn't quite as ideal for me as the Roscoe, and despite the fact that the Lull neck is incdeibly comfortably, I was just able to really work the Roscoe more effectively. Part of it was because I was totally digging the sound, and I was playing the snot out of it because the guitar player was so spot-on I could go syncopated and get a little more adventurous without the ship going off-course.
So the Lull is back in the danger zone. Maybe I'll keep it for gigs where I know I'll need to stand and use a strap, and want a vintage vibe. But frankly I really like having the mid eq to deal with the mix and the room, and I can dial in a tad of bass to fill out the low end.
Now I just need the fretless and it'll really get ugly... 
Last edited by nostatic : 12-07-2010 at 12:34 AM.
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12-07-2010, 07:38 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Christiansburg, VA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by nostatic  So I've been rehearsing/gigging a lot lately For a guy with a day job, its been a little nuts. For instance, 3 gigs Saturday, rehearsal Sunday night, rehearsal tonight and tomorrow, gig Friday night, 3 gigs Sunday and reheasal Sunday night, yada yada...
And part of this has been trying to sort out where my basses fit best as I'm in four different groups. My Rob Allen Deep 5 is a keeper, and goes out on all straight jazz gigs - no question there. But I'm also doing a funk gig, a Steely Dan tribute band, and another jazz combo that veers into funk and soul. I'm hoping (know?) that the Roscoe fretless will cover that last one and probably most the funk stuff. But the Steely Dan stuff requires frets, at least for some tunes.
I bought a Lull PJ5 (passive), but then added the Century 5 because...well, because my brief flirtation with the LG fretless got me hooked on the Roscoe sound. So for the last month or so I've been bringing both fretted basses to various rehearsals and A/Bing them. I kept going back and forth, as the Lull is just dead nuts comfortable on a strap, is a pound lighter, and has a "classic" vibe. By contrast, the "coffee table" aspect of the Roscoe can give some other people pause, and it isn't quite as comfortable to play while standing (more weight a hangs at a different angle).
Anywho, tonight I had a five (!) hour rehearsal with the Steely Jam band. The first two hours was just working with drums and keys to nail some rhythm section parts, then three hours of full band. With one 15 minute break. I was playing on a stool, going back to the way I used to always play. Ended up playing the Roscoe for all but one tune. I know that material, but we were breaking in a new guitar player (who knew the stuff cold - awesome) and I was working with the tone controls. This was through an Acoustic (GC) head and 8-10 cab. Not great sound, but I've played through worse backlines.
At any rate, the short story is that I never wanted to put the Roscoe down. It just killed tonally. I could go from a sweet fat tone on "Rikki" to a grindy punch on "Green Earrings." I picked up the Lull for one tune, and promptly put it back down because it just wasn't cutting it (literally). Plus is just wasn't as comfortable to play (this was seated on a stool). Yes, it is lighter, but the string spacing isn't quite as ideal for me as the Roscoe, and despite the fact that the Lull neck is incdeibly comfortably, I was just able to really work the Roscoe more effectively. Part of it was because I was totally digging the sound, and I was playing the snot out of it because the guitar player was so spot-on I could go syncopated and get a little more adventurous without the ship going off-course.
So the Lull is back in the danger zone. Maybe I'll keep it for gigs where I know I'll need to stand and use a strap, and want a vintage vibe. But frankly I really like having the mid eq to deal with the mix and the room, and I can dial in a tad of bass to fill out the low end.
Now I just need the fretless and it'll really get ugly... | How about this one? http://www.rocketmusic.net/cgi-bin/c...ction&key=2863
__________________
Dave
G&L L-2000 Tribute][STREAMLINER 600][G&L Club Member # 417 |
12-07-2010, 07:56 AM
|  | Giver of GAS
Owner, Rocket Music | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Blacksburg, VA | | | Hah! Todd tried that one! The LG body style doesn't work for him, wrist issues I believe made it uncomfortable for him. But he LOVED the tone. The fretted 5 went out when the fretless came back.
Not to speak for Todd... |
12-07-2010, 09:05 AM
| | zulu as kono
Endorsing Artist: FEA Labs Effects | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: los angeles, CA | | You sure you're not an ex-wife? 
Yeah, that bass is sick, and truth be told if I knew now what I know then (or something like that), I might have just kept that and played sitting down. For me the LG is fine playing seated, but the top horn is too short for my taste when using a strap. It doesn't but most people, but I'm not most people... |
12-07-2010, 09:13 AM
| | Giver of GAS
Owner, Rocket Music | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Blacksburg, VA | | Let's see... I get all your money AND I finish your sentences? Yep, I just might be. 
Where did it all go wrong, Todd? We should stick it out, at least for the kids!!  |
12-07-2010, 09:19 AM
| | Registered User
Owner: LilRay's Leatherworks | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Between my Roscoe and Leather | | Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketMusic Let's see... I get all your money AND I finish your sentences? Yep, I just might be.
Where did it all go wrong, Todd? We should stick it out, at least for the kids!! | You're just buttering him up for an alimony payment.
God Bless, Ray
__________________
1 Peter 1:13 Quote: |
Originally Posted by RocketMusic Ray is correct! | |
12-07-2010, 09:23 AM
| | Giver of GAS
Owner, Rocket Music | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Blacksburg, VA | | No alimony payment, no Century fretless |
12-07-2010, 09:29 AM
| | Registered User
Owner: LilRay's Leatherworks | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Between my Roscoe and Leather | | Same ol' story. No alimony, no Boom Boom, no Mwahhhh and you gotta wax your own neck. 
God Bless, Ray
__________________
1 Peter 1:13 Quote: |
Originally Posted by RocketMusic Ray is correct! | |
12-07-2010, 09:32 AM
|  | Cogito Ergo Idiot | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: SF Bay Area, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by nostatic At any rate, the short story is that I never wanted to put the Roscoe down. | Duh.  |
12-07-2010, 09:34 AM
|  | Drunk on power... and beer | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketMusic Where did it all go wrong, Todd? We should stick it out, at least for the kids!! | Seeing ya'll pass the kids back and forth is just saddening.
Espcially the little girl.... 
__________________
The winners are crying and the losers are dancing. |
12-07-2010, 09:36 AM
| | Registered User
Owner: LilRay's Leatherworks | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Between my Roscoe and Leather | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkstrike Seeing ya'll pass the kids back and forth is just saddening.
Espcially the little girl.... | CLASSIC!
ROFL!
God Bless, Ray
__________________
1 Peter 1:13 Quote: |
Originally Posted by RocketMusic Ray is correct! | |
12-07-2010, 09:58 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Christiansburg, VA | | | well, I gave it a shot!
__________________
Dave
G&L L-2000 Tribute][STREAMLINER 600][G&L Club Member # 417 |
12-07-2010, 10:52 AM
| | zulu as kono
Endorsing Artist: FEA Labs Effects | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: los angeles, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by dDaddybass well, I gave it a shot! | oh, no worries. This will soon have a fretless neck and be heading west:  |
12-07-2010, 10:55 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Christiansburg, VA | | | SWEET!!!!
__________________
Dave
G&L L-2000 Tribute][STREAMLINER 600][G&L Club Member # 417 |
12-07-2010, 01:18 PM
| | Giver of GAS
Owner, Rocket Music | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Blacksburg, VA | | All this fretless talk made me go pick out another Christmas tune... "Santa Clause Is Coming To Town" (And he's bringing a B String!)
Nothing to this one. Just my personal fretless Roscoe, biased to the bridge PUP slightly, upper and lower mids boosted a hair. Then into my Alembic F1X preamp into my M-Audio FastTrack Ultra 8R USB interface. Add a smidge of plate reverb, and viola!  |
12-07-2010, 01:23 PM
| | Drunk on power... and beer | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland. | | | Niiiice!
__________________
The winners are crying and the losers are dancing. |
12-07-2010, 01:26 PM
| | Registered User
Owner: LilRay's Leatherworks | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Between my Roscoe and Leather | | Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketMusic All this fretless talk made me go pick out another Christmas tune... "Santa Clause Is Coming To Town" (And he's bringing a B String!)
Nothing to this one. Just my personal fretless Roscoe, biased to the bridge PUP slightly, upper and lower mids boosted a hair. Then into my Alembic F1X preamp into my M-Audio FastTrack Ultra 8R USB interface. Add a smidge of plate reverb, and viola! | Oh I'm so awesome, I don't need lines! 
Great Job Mr. B.
And Santa better wear Orange if he Crosses the Jawja line. Too many good ole boys'll be taking shots at them deer. 
God Bless, Ray
__________________
1 Peter 1:13 Quote: |
Originally Posted by RocketMusic Ray is correct! | |
12-07-2010, 01:37 PM
| | zulu as kono
Endorsing Artist: FEA Labs Effects | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: los angeles, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketMusic my personal fretless Roscoe[/url], biased to the bridge PUP slightly, upper and lower mids boosted a hair. | That is a fav setting of mine. Especially the B-string. Small children run in fear. Nice intonation btw...one of my goals is to sometimes play tunes where people can't tell I'm on fretless. Not saying it happens very often...but a man needs goals.  |
12-07-2010, 01:45 PM
| | Giver of GAS
Owner, Rocket Music | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Blacksburg, VA | | | Hah! My intonation always sounds great when I'm the only one playing. Just don't try to overdub anything or you'll pull your hair out! |
12-07-2010, 02:00 PM
| | Drunk on power... and beer | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland. | | And always, always make sure the guitarist is in tune!
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