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07-16-2011, 02:33 PM
|  | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | |  NBD!! Roscoe Century Standard 5 JJ Natural...
Below are the pics... the first one Gard sent me and the next 4 are quick carpet shots I took myself.
Specs: Century Standard 5, one-piece ash body, three piece maple neck, pau ferro (morado) board, standard bart preamp with the switchable mids, and the bart J style pickups, and came out to a wonderful 8.2 pounds when finished.     
Of course the J style pickup equipped Roscoes are not exactly brand new, but they are newer, and of course not limited to the Standard line, but this is the first one I've played.
I've had multiple Roscoe basses in the past, and while I think they're great, none of them really stuck with me. I always felt like a narrower aperture pickup type would be more my thing, so when Gard told me about the new JJ equipped models last year, I got SUPER excited, and of course ordered one. 
Recently, Bass Gear Magazine did a review of some Roscoe Century basses, and a couple of them were Century Standards (though dual soap models). I pretty much said it in the review and I'll say it again here, the Standards are a fantastic value.
Well, I just recently got this one, and it clicked with me from the first notes. In fact, it's got me thinking about a Signature JJ5 at this point, though not likely this year (got a lot of irons in the fire right now, and not all bass related, you may be surprised to hear.  ). I think the key to the whole thing with me is the narrower aperture pickup style. I just love the split and single coil pickups. Period.
Anyway, this bass has a lot more clarity up in the upper mids and highs... not more sizzly, just more full in the treble region. It's still got all the booty compared to the dual soap models, but a different, maybe slightly more focused aggression I just love.
These are 35" scales, so it's hard to compare to an actual J, so we can't really talk about 60's vs 70's position, but it's probably closer to a 60's simply because the bridge pickup is not super close to the bridge. I think that's generally better, because it makes it fatter sounding, but it does have me wondering what it would sound like if that pickup was a little closer. I also wonder about moving both pickups back slightly vs just a little more separation. Note, these aren't complaints, because my gut feeling is these positions are best, but this bass opens up a whole new world of Roscoe tone for me, which just makes me want to explore a bit.
The neck profile on this one is slightly rounder than other Roscoes I've played, and while I've always loved their extra slender profile, I'm really diggin' this one a lot. When I mentioned that to Gard, he very graciously offered to have it adjusted, but I don't think I'm gonna' do that. While I wouldn't mind checking out one with the more traditional Roscoe profile, this one just somehow seems "right" the way it is as a whole package, so I don't wanna' mess with it.
Anyway, looking forward to gigging with it again tonight.
Peace.
Last edited by Vic : 08-02-2011 at 07:37 AM.
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07-16-2011, 02:42 PM
|  | Smile more, ok?
Staff Reviewer; Bass Gear Magazine Moderator | | Join Date: May 2004 Location: Columbia MO | | | Nice!
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07-16-2011, 03:04 PM
|  | Well, Ahoy Paloi | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Cape Cod, MA | | It's just that black hardware would tie it all in.....(sigh) |
07-16-2011, 03:12 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bipslapper  It's just that black hardware would tie it all in.....(sigh) | Think so? I might agree... maybe I'll see about ordering a set to try. |
07-16-2011, 05:10 PM
| | Registered User
General Manager, Roscoe Guitars | | Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Greensboro, NC, USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bipslapper It's just that black hardware would tie it all in.....(sigh) | ...do I need to come up to Mass and whup some @$$...
Stick to the trees, arborist.  
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07-16-2011, 05:18 PM
|  | Drunk on power... and beer | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland. | | Utterly gorgeous bass man, congrats, the one piece body is beastly! Quote:
Originally Posted by Vic These are 35" scales, so it's hard to compare to an actual J, so we can't really talk about 60's vs 70's position, but it's probably closer to a 60's simply because the bridge pickup is not super close to the bridge. I think that's generally better, because it makes it fatter sounding, but it does have me wondering what it would sound like if that pickup was a little closer. I also wonder about moving both pickups back slightly vs just a little more separation. Note, these aren't complaints, because my gut feeling is these positions are best, but this bass opens up a whole new world of Roscoe tone for me, which just makes me want to explore a bit. | IIRC, the pickups are in the 60's position, re-engineered to the 35" scale.
Jerry got a fretless done with the J pickups set in Zon's locations, and reckons it sounds killer. I'd be interested in seeing what 70's position would sound like.
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07-16-2011, 05:19 PM
| | Drunk on power... and beer | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Gard ...do I need to come up to Mass and whup some @$$...
Stick to the trees, arborist. | In fairness, these things be made from trees, so in a way, he is.... 
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The winners are crying and the losers are dancing. |
07-16-2011, 06:46 PM
|  | Layin' Down Time
Endorsing Artist: Roscoe Guitars Moderator | | Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Omaha, Nebraska | | | Congrats! My Standard Plus 5JJ is my favorite of my 3, as great as all of them are. I'm sure you're going to find plenty of music in that one.
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Jon Packard
Roscoe #6181/#6259/#D010/#D049 Quartus on Facebook my photography website Quote:
Originally Posted by KeithBMI Pacman. He serves out nice warm portions of kickass. | |
07-16-2011, 06:50 PM
| | Drunk on power... and beer | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Pacman Congrats! My Standard Plus 5JJ is my favorite of my 3, as great as all of them are. I'm sure you're going to find plenty of music in that one. | I hate comments like that....... freakin' GAS..... 
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The winners are crying and the losers are dancing. |
07-16-2011, 07:12 PM
|  | Cogito Ergo Idiot | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: SF Bay Area, CA | | Outstanding, Vic! Congrats on the bass, and thanks for the terrific write-up. All the best with this one...FWIW, I'm just as in-love with mine as I was the day it arrived. Heck, perhaps more. And the new fretless (same pickups, but in the Zon 'Sonus Special' placement...adjusted for 35" scale)? Oh. My. |
07-16-2011, 07:21 PM
| | Drunk on power... and beer | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by VroomVroom Outstanding, Vic! Congrats on the bass, and thanks for the terrific write-up. All the best with this one...FWIW, I'm just as in-love with mine as I was the day it arrived. Heck, perhaps more. And the new fretless (same pickups, but in the Zon 'Sonus Special' placement...adjusted for 35" scale)? Oh. My. | I truly can't wait to hear that new fretless of yours.
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The winners are crying and the losers are dancing. |
07-17-2011, 10:28 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CinCinNati | | | Lovely bass Vic!
That's a nice piece of ash!!!
And the rosewood is spectacular!
I agree with the black hardware.
I'm not a fan of the flat hardware on this bass.
Either black or silver high gloss...
All my basses but one are natural.
Makes it easy to sneak in a new one when they're all the same color...
Last edited by Supertanker : 07-17-2011 at 10:56 AM.
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07-17-2011, 10:38 AM
| | Drunk on power... and beer | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Supertanker All my basses but one are natural.
Make it easy to sneak in when they're all the same color... | What?! You don't recognize this one? I've had it for years.....
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The winners are crying and the losers are dancing. |
07-17-2011, 10:44 AM
| | Smile more, ok?
Staff Reviewer; Bass Gear Magazine Moderator | | Join Date: May 2004 Location: Columbia MO | | | Yep: all that wood is super cool. Nice grain, everywhere.
I think I'd like flat black hardware better...
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07-17-2011, 02:00 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CinCinNati | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkstrike What?! You don't recognize this one? I've had it for years..... | I've said that many times.
A natural Roscoe will fit right in.
Her, "Is that a new bass?"
Me, "This old thing! It's been here a loooong time!!! You've never seen it before?"
Last edited by Supertanker : 07-17-2011 at 02:09 PM.
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07-17-2011, 02:33 PM
| | Well, Ahoy Paloi | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Cape Cod, MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkstrike In fairness, these things be made from trees, so in a way, he is.... | Thanks Bill, you got my Back!
In all seriousness, great bass, you will love playing it. The ash body looks fantastic |
07-17-2011, 02:41 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Supertanker Lovely bass Vic!
That's a nice piece of ash!!!
And the rosewood is spectacular! | Thanks!
Quick note, it's not rosewood. It's Pau Ferro/Morado. Common confusion, but Pau Ferro isn't even in the rosewood family at all, and doesn't sound like any rosewood, either. In fact, I like it for that. It's really somewhere between maple and ebony, which is what makes it a favorite of mine. Quote:
I agree with the black hardware.
I'm not a fan of the flat hardware on this bass.
Either black or silver high gloss...
| I actually do like the hardware on this bass, but the more I think about it, the more I do think black would work better. I'll look into this. |
07-17-2011, 02:43 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | | Finally got to really open it up last night. Played a gig where we tend to get pretty loud. Dang, this thing just growls and barks like crazy, but with a nice roundness to its foundation. Great bass!!! |
07-17-2011, 04:35 PM
|  | Providing the Lowend for the High One | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bonaire, GA (near Macon) | | | Very nice Vic! Great looking grain.
I could really dig one of those in the 6 string fretless configuration. |
07-17-2011, 05:20 PM
| | Registered User
General Manager, Roscoe Guitars | | Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Greensboro, NC, USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JOME77 I could really dig one of those in the 6 string fretless configuration. | 
...troublemaker...
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