Quote:
Originally Posted by CactusmanDoug  Congratulations!!
Thanks so much for the review. I would love love love to hear that baby myself.
Enjoy to the fullest.
Doug |
Cheers Doug - I shall! I bet that SKB fretless of yours is a real beaut too.
I’ve had a few days to get to know it now, so here are some more impressions.
Visually, it is attractive and understated, with a look of functional elegance. The grain in the natural-finished ash body is nicely highlighted, with the satin finish an attractive alternative to the gloss found on most Roscoe’s. The lined fretless diamondwood board is a thing of beauty, with swirls of grey running through the predominantly black finish. The lines are embedded aluminium, which is a very nice touch. The satin and chrome hardware compliment each other, and work well with the ash & diamondwood. Overall, the construction, choice of materials, and finish of the bass are of the highest quality, with close attention to detail throughout. It arrived with a great set-up from Roscoe, which required no adjustment.
At around 8.5lbs, it is lightweight and balances perfectly on a strap or seated. The Century bodyshape, in particular the top horn, helps with this I am sure. The neck profile feels a fraction slimmer than my SKB3006 and plays extremely well. The diamondwood board is just gorgeous, and is very fast for a six. It is extremely responsive and keeps rewarding and inspiring the player.
The Bart pre coupled with the Bart CB’s work very well together. They sound more open and less compressed than the Roscoe Barts in my SKB (which I love too), helping to bring out the character of this instrument. Every note rings out and has clarity and depth in equal measure. Adjusting the EQ reveals a wide tonal palette that the player can draw from. Favouring the bridge pickup gets you a classic Jaco-esque vibe, and the neck pickup a full P bass-like hollowness.
The bass shows its true class when played with a band. It sits beautifully in the mix, with a strong, deep, focussed tone that really locks with the band. Then when you step out and solo, it sings with clarity, warmth, and sweetness. The best of both worlds…
Overall, this bass is every bit as good as I hoped it would be. As a design it works incredibly well, and feels very organic and comfortable to play. Nothing is superfluous or over-designed, and the construction is as close to perfect as I have seen. The attention to detail really is first rate. It will stand a lifetime of gigging and more.
