First Rehearsal, First Gig and First time Recording with my SKB-3005

[Baird6869]

I must say that I am extremely impressed with my "new to me" SKB.

I have always been a Stingray or Fender Jazz and more recently Sadowsky Jazz style guy.

In all fairness, my Roscoe does not do everything.. but it does ALMOST everything. I really like the Stingray and Sadowsky slap tone better than that of a Roscoe, but the more I play around with my EQ and PU blend, the better my slap sound gets. Still A Roscoe has a great slap tone IMO but it isn't a SR or a Jazz (nor was it intended to be).

Anyways, I did my first metal rehearsal (mostly STP, Pearl Jam, Green Day, etc. covers) and I was blown away by the way the Roscoe cut through. I was playing through my mini-rig (Ampeg 1x15 and a Markbass F-1) and it totally kept up to John Bonham style drumming and a guitarist with a stupid loud '70's Marshall 100W head with a 4x12. REALLY nice articulation on the high end and my B string was amazing. Really nice booming low C and D notes. Wow.

Next... I used the Roscoe for the last set of a classic rock type gig. Again, great articulation across the board and amazing punchiness.

Lastly, my cover band hasn't recorded in a while and we decided to lay down a few cover tracks in the studio for a new demo pack. Again, the SKB was very impressive. Punchy as hell. Cut through the mix amazing, great articualtion.... etc. I went direct to the board and we used ProTools to dial in a good amp model. The only issue I had with my sound was that the bass sounded a bit gritty and a bit trebly. Disclaimer: I need to work on my settings for different types of music (we recorded Crazy Train, Lenny's Are you Gonna Go My Way and Sublime's Santeria) as I couldn't have picked 3 more different songs to record!

All in all, I still love my Stingrays and Sadowskys but I am sold on Roscoe (even with an older model with Barts and the Demeter Pre -I love the combination!). I will likely be gigging a Roscoe 90+% of the time and using a Sadowsky or Stingray for slap and a few other tunes for the rest. Great product though and the workmanship is incredible.

P.S. My new SKB-3006 should be arriving in a week or so!

Here is the SKB in question....

[JOME77]

Great!
Sounds like you had a fun time breaking in the Roscoe! That's certainly a great looking Roscoe!
The Bart PU/Demeter pre combo is one of my favorite in a Roscoe! Especially with the maple finger board. I think that it really allows you to hear the sound of the bass (combination of woods).

What are the spec's on the new 3006 that you have coming? Depending on the wood combo's and pre/pu choices you went, it could very well fill the tone gap of your present Roscoe nicely.

[Basso Gruvitas]

I'm sure a Roscoe would be ideal for metal and classic rock as it cuts through with great mids.

I don't know why more alternative rock bass players don't use Roscoes as well for the same reason - great mids that cut through the distorted guitars.

[Baird6869]

Originally Posted by JOME77

What are the spec's on the new 3006 that you have coming? Depending on the wood combo's and pre/pu choices you went, it could very well fill the tone gap of your present Roscoe nicely.

It is actually a used one (should have mentioned that!) and it is maple over spanish cedar with a wenge fingerboard. Also has the Barts/Demeter.

This one may end up with Nordys but I am suprisingly loving the Barts (I didn't really like them on a Lakland) but I have no problem with the Demeter pre and doubt it will be changed.

I tend to gig with a bass with a maple neck and one with rosewood, wenge or other dark woods.

P.S. With compression, I am getting really nice slap tones. I think slapping on a Roscoe will work just fine!

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by Baird6869

It is actually a used one (should have mentioned that!) and it is maple over spanish cedar with a wenge fingerboard. Also has the Barts/Demeter.

This one may end up with Nordys but I am suprisingly loving the Barts (I didn't really like them on a Lakland) but I have no problem with the Demeter pre and doubt it will be changed.

I tend to gig with a bass with a maple neck and one with rosewood, wenge or other dark woods.

P.S. With compression, I am getting really nice slap tones. I think slapping on a Roscoe will work just fine!

Nice wood combo on the 3006. Spanish cedar w/maple top is my favorite. The wenge FB normally adds a bit hi-mids to the sound so that should balance things out nicely.

You may want to consider swapping out the Demeter in one bass for the Audere pre. IMO it's by far the most versatile preamp for the Roscoe and it sounds great with the Bart p/u's. If that doesn't do it you could also change out the Roscoe/Bart p/u's for the Bart CB's. It be much less expensive than the Nord's and they have a similar more open sound.

Just in case you decide to go with the Nord p/u's, most Roscoeheads feel that the Demeter pre doesn't work out very well with the Nord's. As a matter of fact I'm told that Nordstrand dosen't recommend that combo either.

Post some pic's when it arrives. Having a Roscoe 5 and 6 is a blast!

[Baird6869]

Thanks for the great info. I have yet to play the 6er, but I am not a big fan of changing ANYTHING on really high end basses and will likely keep the Barts/Demeter unless it sounds like crap (which I doubt!).

Originally Posted by JOME77

Nice wood combo on the 3006. Spanish cedar w/maple top is my favorite. The wenge FB normally adds a bit hi-mids to the sound so that should balance things out nicely.

You may want to consider swapping out the Demeter in one bass for the Audere pre. IMO it's by far the most versatile preamp for the Roscoe and it sounds great with the Bart p/u's. If that doesn't do it you could also change out the Roscoe/Bart p/u's for the Bart CB's. It be much less expensive than the Nord's and they have a similar more open sound.

Just in case you decide to go with the Nord p/u's, most Roscoeheads feel that the Demeter pre doesn't work out very well with the Nord's. As a matter of fact I'm told that Nordstrand dosen't recommend that combo either.

Post some pic's when it arrives. Having a Roscoe 5 and 6 is a blast!

[Fishheadjoe]

That bass is stuning! I'm sure your more than happy!
I just played my first gig in 25 years, just before Xmas and it was my first live gig with my Roscoe... I was standing there playing it with a great big harry smile on my face, the bass cut through like nothing else and I got tons of comments from the audience afterwards on the sound and the look of my bass!
Could I be happier that I bought the Roscoe... I think Not!
fishheadjoe

[CliffD]

Dude I LOVE the colors of that bass, must sound great to boot. I'd love to see the new 6er when it comes!

[Baird6869]

Originally Posted by CliffD

Dude I LOVE the colors of that bass, must sound great to boot. I'd love to see the new 6er when it comes!

I will post pics of the 6er when it arrives.

The SKB-3005 pictured is the only bass I have brought to jam in years that blew my band away visually. My band stopped everything when I took it out of the case and said "holy $h!t, what the hell is that thing?"

They agreed it cut through in the mix better than any of my other basses as well (and this wasn't even through my beastly gigging rig!). I can't wait to gig it this weekend with my SVT and Sadowsky 4x10.

Bhal, blah, blah! It is cool to be excited about a new bass again!

[CliffD]

Ooh, and a coveted 4x10 to, nice!

[Baird6869]

The Canada Post lady rolled into my driveway at 5:00pm with my new (to me) SKB-3006. Pics are kinda crappy but you get the idea.

I played around with this for a few minutes and absolutely love it! The fretboard is wider (than my 3005 and Sadowsky 4) and that will take some getting used to, but I am looking forward to gigging this pair for a long time.

Waiting for Gard to send me the full set of specs when he has time but it is maple over spanish cedar, wenge FB, Barts with the Demeter pre.

P.S. I am in the process of finishimg my basement and it is a complete mess! ;-)

[JOME77]

Nice pair of Roscoe's!

I think that I've seen that 3006 on this forum before!

Very nice!

[Baird6869]

Originally Posted by JOME77

Nice pair of Roscoe's!

I think that I've seen that 3006 on this forum before!

Very nice!

Thanks!

Yup. The 3006 was obtained in a trade with a fellow TBer! The 3005 was also previously owned by another TBer way back.