arright, lemme get a consult from you guys...

**Pacman** · #1 12-29-2010, 06:58 PM

It's new build time

I've run a lot of this back and forth with Gard, but I thought I'd open this up to group discussion since....well, since I'm a little indecisive and kinda bored.

here's the "I know it's gonna's"

LG3005 Fretless
Spanish Cedar
Dark top (walnut, cocobolo, or the like)
Diamondwood FB (unlined)

Now, until very recently, I've been sorta set on:

Bartolini MM style pickup in the MM sweetspot and a piezo bridge into the Audere 4 band.

I also considered NO piezo (which would make both Gard and my wallet happier) but two Bart MMs.

But then I think, 'hey, Roscoe makes their pickup configurations for a reason, and maybe I'm overthinking this one...'

What do you guys think?

lowfreqman · #2 12-29-2010, 07:09 PM

I wouldn't mess with the Roscoe fretless mojo. I would stick with the standard Roscoe Barts and either do a Bart NTMB or the 4-band Audere for the preamp.

LilRay · #3 12-29-2010, 07:13 PM

I think Roscoe should develop a line of hollowbody basses the like of Rob Allen.

Other than that useless thought, sorry I can't help you Jon.

God Bless, Ray

VroomVroom · #4 12-29-2010, 07:23 PM

Total FWIW.... Stock placement, maybe pick Classic Barts over Roscoe Barts, but otherwise....it becomes something other than a Roscoe.

I recently traded one fretless (Roscoe Barts) for another (Classics). Took me a moment to adjust to the more open and happy mids, but I've fallen in love. They seem perfect for a fretless, and the bass still sounds like a Roscoe.

Obviously it comes down to what you're after sonically. I love my Rob Allen, for example, but that's a different vibe than what I want in terms of "electric fretless" tone, which always becomes a stew of Jaco, Pino, Levin, Egan, & Bona.

Good luck!

**nostatic** · #5 12-29-2010, 07:39 PM

Well, the usual "take a salt lick" disclaimer applies here. Having just gotten a C5 freltess that is close to your spec, the only thing I'd do differently would be to add a thin wenge layer between the top and body to set it off:

That is myrtle over ash. I wouldn't put a piezo on a Roscoe. Totally goes against what this bass does best. Plus mixing piezo and mags is a pita. They are different beasts and frankly don't work well together imho. I love my Rob Allen with its piezo. Putting a mag on it (which Rob hates to do and advises against) wouldn't get me anything. Might get more "flexibility" but it would screw with the vibe of the instrument imho.

As for MM pups...another, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." I actually like EB fretless basses - I think they sound really quite good. Better than any other mass produced fretless imho. But again, not what a Roscoe is about. I (believe) I have the Roscoe barts in my FL, and they kill. I can get a very good P-bass type tone on the neck pup, and nice pingy J-ish thing mixed, and a holy grail tone favoring the bridge pup. This is the sweet spot imho, and worth the price of admission. If you take the soapbar out of the bridge position and put a MM pup, I doubt you'll get the same thing. It still may be cool, but it won't be that "I'm going to cut you into little pieces™" tone.

JOME77 · #6 12-29-2010, 08:01 PM

+1 on you can't really improve on the Bart/Bart combo on a fretless (Roscoe or other)

IMO the Bart P/U's and the Bart 3-band combined with a diamondwood fb are perfection for the ultimate fretless tone. From there fine tune the sound with either Spanish cedar for a smoother more acoustic tone or ash for a more aggressive upper mid focused tone.
While I prefer the sound of the Bart CB's on all fretted Roscoe basses, regardless of body wood type, I lean more toward the sound of the Roscoe Barts on a Roscoe fretless with a Spanish cedar body and prefer the Bart CB's on a Roscoe fretless with an ash body.

bassWR · #7 12-29-2010, 08:05 PM

Well I'm kinda partial to Cocobolo for the top. Ditto the Spanish Cedar.
+1 on stick with the Barts. Jerry & Joe are better at the nuances of CB vs. Roscoes.
Just do em staight not slanted...IMHO.

**Ryan L.** · #8 12-29-2010, 09:01 PM

My vote would be to go with koa for the top, although I may be a bit biased

. And I'd also stick with the Bart pickups, in the standard positions. There's something about that setup that works perfectly, IMO.

**Pacman** · #9 12-29-2010, 09:19 PM

Thanks guys - you're all helping a great deal.

Gard, are you payin all these guys?

I really dig the slated pickups in my LG, I'll probably stick with those no matter what.

**Ryan L.** · #10 12-29-2010, 09:44 PM

Koa top with a birdseye diamondwood fingerboard would be killer. (Well, IMHO, anyway)

Just picture this as a fretless:

bassWR · #11 12-29-2010, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

I really dig the slated pickups in my LG, I'll probably stick with those no matter what.

So when you're on the other side of the world do the pickups slant the other way?

You could do Air Force Wings for the 12th freight inlay.

lowfreqman · #12 12-29-2010, 11:21 PM

I agree with Joe 100% on his pick-up/preamp assessment.

I think a Ziricote top with a BEM fretless board would look quite nice! How can you resist, o.k.?

CrashClint · #13 12-30-2010, 09:25 AM

I would put the Roscoe Barts routed in the 60s Jazz position. I think sonically it would give you more punch with the mwah.

Gard · #14 12-30-2010, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

Gard, are you payin all these guys?

Naw...at least nothin' they'll ever PROVE in court...

Darkstrike · #15 12-30-2010, 12:51 PM

Very hard choice, indeed.

MM fretless styles usually sound killer, but the classic Roscoe setup is wild too, I can't even play any other fretless since getting my SKB, everything about it is just *right*....

I'd say stick with the Roscoe setup.

**Freddels** · #16 12-30-2010, 12:54 PM

I'd stick with the Roscoe Barts and Bart preamp. I would go with the Walnut top.

Mojo-Man · #17 12-30-2010, 04:30 PM

As a new Roscoe Head, and a new owner of a fretless SKB-3005.
I love the diamond wood fingerboard.
And stick with the Bart/Barts for pickups.
The sound wonderful, for fretless.
Top wood is personal choice.
I went with a solid Myrtle body, and got the tone I was looking for.
I would not change a thing on my fretless.

RocketMusic · #18 12-30-2010, 05:50 PM

I guess I'll be the lone voice of dissent. My first question would be what is your current fretless situation? Do you already have a Roscoe fretless? If so, I wouldn't hesitate to try something different if different is what you want.

And, yes, I live to make Gard's life difficult.

**Pacman** · #19 12-30-2010, 05:53 PM

No current Roscoe fretless, and nearly no fretless at all.

Gard - do you guys have redwood?

JOME77 · #20 12-31-2010, 07:11 AM

Jon,
I'm betting that they've got some nice redwood. If not, I bet Keith knows where to get a nice piece. That does look great as a top wood.

As a side note, do you know a percussionist from the AFRES band named David Vittetoe? He played percussion at a service with us the other day. Super nice guy. I think that he's been in 12-13 years.