Help choosing body wood

**Freddels** · #1 07-16-2009, 06:14 PM

Since it's so slow around here today, I may as well start something.

I'm most likely going to put an order in tomorrow with Greg for a new Roscoe. I've decided on the SKB-3006. I'm going with Burl maple top, wenge wedge but not sure on the body wood. It'll also have a wenge center strip in the neck and a spalted purple heart fretboard. Bart/Bart.

Now, I like low mids but worried about making it too dark and too heavy.

I had a fretless bass made back in 1987 that has the Bart/Bart electronics and it's a great sounding bass. The body is mahogany but it's very light weight.

My first choice would be a lightweight Mahogany body, then a lightweight Cedar body, and last would be a tight grained Swamp Ash.

I've listened to as many sound clips as I could find. I really love the sound of Dave Cheng's bass and also Jerry's bass. Both different body woods.

I would also like to keep this well under 10 lbs if possible.

I'm not a slapper (at all) . . . no really.

Help me make a decision.

Discuss and decide.

JOME77 · #2 07-16-2009, 06:42 PM

I suspect that what you're hearing and like (in Dave and Jerry's basses) is the Bart/Bart combo. IMO it dominates on a Roscoe with any body wood.

That being said, IMO wenge adds compression to the sound. I've only had 2 Roscoe's with wenge on the neck, one with a wenge finger board (solid maple body & Bart/Bart combo; sounded quite compressed) and the other a wenge wedge 3006 w/maple finger board (ash body & Nord P/U's; sounded quite bright).
IMO the Roscoe Barts are quite compressed sounding and coupled with the wenge/wenge, you may have quite a compressed sounding bass. If you're dead set on the wenge/wenge combo maybe you'd want to consider a solid myrtle burl body since it can be a bit brighter sounding, similar to maple (it can also look equally as nice as the maple burl top).

For myself, I still greatly prefer Spanish cedar over any body wood type for a Roscoe. It's light and acoustic sounding and quite frankly just does it for me. Add a nice maple/purpleheart neck with a cocobolo finger board, a burl maple top & Demeter preamp and I'm in Roscoe heaven.
I've never been a fan of wenge necks and finger boards. I had a MTD 535 and Elrick Standard 5 with a wenge/wenge neck and didn't like them at all. And a MTD with wenge/wenge neck & tulipwood body is pretty much known as Mikes signature sound. But different strokes for different folks.

Rest assured though, whatever you choose, it'll sound like a Roscoe. The way Keith makes the necks and the positions of the p/u's will assure you of that!

**Freddels** · #3 07-16-2009, 07:54 PM

Thanks. I love the look of Mahogany and Spanish Cedar.

I've never had a wenge neck so not sure how it would sound. Have been shooting ideas back and forth with Greg for the past couple of days.

I'm also thinking about having the pickups slanted like the LG model (just cuz it looks cool).

ubone · #4 07-16-2009, 08:36 PM

you"ll save yourself some major hair loss by talking with Gard.

**Freddels** · #5 07-16-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ubone

you"ll save yourself some major hair loss by talking with Gard.

Thanks. Perhaps he'll chime in here.

JOME77 · #6 07-17-2009, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

Thanks. Perhaps he'll chime in here.

No need to wait on Gard to chime in.....he'll say ash!

Just check out his basses......

Gard · #7 07-17-2009, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOME77

No need to wait on Gard to chime in.....he'll say ash!

Just check out his basses......

Hey now, what's good for me is not always good for everyone!

(You can always tell when Joe doesn't have something in the schedule, can't you?

)

Fred, based on what you've been saying, my tendency would be toward cedar, unless you want a bit more of a compressed sound, then I'd say mahogany. Ash is definitely not what you're looking for...

**Freddels** · #8 07-17-2009, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gard

Fred, based on what you've been saying, my tendency would be toward cedar, unless you want a bit more of a compressed sound, then I'd say mahogany. Ash is definitely not what you're looking for...

Thanks. What about the wenge strip in the neck and the wedge? Will it be too dark or compressed sounding?

CrashClint · #9 07-17-2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOME77

No need to wait on Gard to chime in.....he'll say ash!

Just check out his basses......

Watch out Joe, Gard my kick your Ash!

Gard · #10 07-17-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

Thanks. What about the wenge strip in the neck and the wedge? Will it be too dark or compressed sounding?

I'm not sure I completely understand the "wedge" part, are you going to have a "wedge top" with the wenge in the center and the burl maple on the sides?

Either way, wenge won't darken your tone at all, it may add a bit of midrange, but with the amounts we're talking about here, it won't be an overpowering effect at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrashClint

Watch out Joe, Gard may kick your Ash!

It'll be a real ashwhuppin', to be certain!

(fixed your typo too...

)

**Freddels** · #11 07-17-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gard

I'm not sure I completely understand the "wedge" part, are you going to have a "wedge top" with the wenge in the center and the burl maple on the sides?

Either way, wenge won't darken your tone at all, it may add a bit of midrange, but with the amounts we're talking about here, it won't be an overpowering effect at all.

I meant the top will be a sandwich with the burl maple top, the wenge slice and then the body wood. Only b/c it looks cool.

Gard · #12 07-17-2009, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

I meant the top will be a sandwich with the burl maple top, the wenge slice and then the body wood. Only b/c it looks cool.

AHHHH!!!!

OK, now I got it...yeah, that will not have a noticeable impact tonally, so I would just ignore it from the standpoint of tone.

I agree it will look very cool....

JOME77 · #13 07-17-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

I meant the top will be a sandwich with the burl maple top, the wenge slice and then the body wood. Only b/c it looks cool.

OK. I hought that you were going with a wenge FB too. I see now you stated spalted purpleheart.

Go with a natural Spanish cedar body. It'll sound good, be light (ask for a light piece) and lok nice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gard

It'll be a real ashwhuppin', to be certain!

I ain't scared!

Meet me out back of the Roscoe shop in 30 minutes. If I'm not there, just start without me!

**Ryan L.** · #14 07-17-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

I meant the top will be a sandwich with the burl maple top, the wenge slice and then the body wood. Only b/c it looks cool.

That's what mine is going to have, too. And I wanted it because I think it looks cool, too.

**Freddels** · #15 07-17-2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan L.

That's what mine is going to have, too. And I wanted it because I think it looks cool, too.

Absolutely!!!!

VroomVroom · #16 07-17-2009, 12:08 PM

Definitely an enjoyable thread....all the best with your custom order!

I really don't have much to add, other than to suggest that following Gard's advice is the way to go. Give him the input on what you're after, and let his vast knowledge and experience fill in the blanks for you. I don't want to muddy the waters at all, but I'll say that all of my favorite Roscoes over the years have ash bodies. While there's certainly some common ground to be had, each one has a unique voice and an emphasis on different spots in the frequency range. My point...to the extent I have one

... is that one piece of wood is different from another, regardless of species.

Having now experienced the sound on an ash/maple bass, I'd really like to hear a wenge wedge neck mated to a cedar or mahogany body. Before I shut up, I'll add that your sandwich sounds absolutely delicious.

**Freddels** · #17 07-17-2009, 12:19 PM

Order has been sent.

SKB-3006

35" scale (this will be my first 35" and hopefully I can adjust)
Standard neck with wenge center strip
Burl maple top
Wenge sandwich
Lightweight Spanish Cedar body

Spalted Purple Heart (looking for a 55/45 or 60/40 split). It should look nice.

Bart pickups (slanted like the LG) I could change this but I think they look cool that way and don't think they'll affect the tone much at all.

Bart 3 band preamp

Black hardware

Am I forgetting anything?

**Ryan L.** · #18 07-17-2009, 01:32 PM

Looks like you have got it covered. I've owned 4 different SKB3006's in the past, and they are probably THE most comfortable and easy to play 6er that I've played or owned. You won't even notice the 35" scale on it. I'm just not a six string guy anymore.........

That sounds like it should be a killer bass. And now comes the hurry up and wait part of the process!!

**Freddels** · #19 07-17-2009, 01:46 PM

I've never played a 6.

I always string my 5's E-C and never had much use for a low B string as most basses don't have great sounding B strings. I figure I'll venture into the low end a bit with the extra string.

I couldn't rationalize another 5 string bass especially since I would string it E-C and I have no idea why I'd want a 35" scale bass for that.

Not sure how the neck will feel. Can anyone tell me if the profile is similar to a Zon neck? (I have a Zon Sonus Custom 5).

Hopefully, I'm not biting off more than I can chew.

Gard · #20 07-17-2009, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOME77

I ain't scared!

Meet me out back of the Roscoe shop in 30 minutes. If I'm not there, just start without me!

...see...you are really chicken, there AIN'T no "out back" of our shop, our back wall is the back wall of the dog grooming/boarding place next door!