New Roscoe SKB 3005 in progress……

[Basso Gruvitas]

Cool Joe! It's a great sound that the Nordy/Ash/Aggie all bring. As you and I have commented over the phone - the spanish cedar/Bart/Demeter combo cuts through the MIDDLE of the mix, but the Nordy/ash/Aggie combo seems to cut through the TOP of the mix.

Lately I have been dialing in more lower mids into the mix and it seems to fill out nicely. Speaking of strings, I'm going to try some Skjold strings on the black Roscoe to see what it does. I've played those strings on Skjold basses and they are KILLER!

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by emjazz

I had an ash body/maccasser ebony fingerboard F Bass that was really lacking in the mids. I know every bass differs but I'll never have a bass with that combo again...........of coarse I hadn't tried other strings which could've helped. For me, it was just too apparant when I heard the same thing with the bass unplugged.....

Yada, yada....I was just making the comment because I saw your commment about missing the low mids with that combo. I had the same experience. Glad your diggin it with the different strings.

I owned an ash F Bass with a maple finger board and it also lacked mids. That may just be a characteristic of the F Basses.
I guess the Mac Ebony fingerboard could be contributing to the lack of lower mids. It certainly seems to tame the upper mids quite a bit. That actually was the intent of choosing Mac Ebony as the fingerboard type (that and appearance ). It really seems to compress the tone nicely.
I really suspect though that the missing low mids may be more a product of the Myrtle top. I owned a one piece myrtle burl Roscoe LG 3005 that really lacked low mids. I really had to boost the mids quite a bit on that bass. Thankfully it had the Bart 3-band pre which really has some mid boost capability. Maybe that's more proof that the thicker (1/2") Roscoe tops do indeed affect the tone.

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by Basso Gruvitas

Cool Joe! It's a great sound that the Nordy/Ash/Aggie all bring. As you and I have commented over the phone - the spanish cedar/Bart/Demeter combo cuts through the MIDDLE of the mix, but the Nordy/ash/Aggie combo seems to cut through the TOP of the mix.

That's exactly how I hear it. The notes of the Spanish cedar bass are phat and full while the notes of the ash bass are so clear and defined.
It's kind of like a hoover craft verses a tug boat or maybe a ski boat verses a submarine!

Originally Posted by Basso Gruvitas

Lately I have been dialing in more lower mids into the mix and it seems to fill out nicely. Speaking of strings, I'm going to try some Skjold strings on the black Roscoe to see what it does. I've played those strings on Skjold basses and they are KILLER!

Let me know how they sound! After my experience's with the DR BB's I have a renewed interest in checking out different strings.

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by JOME77

Let me know how they sound! After my experience's with the DR BB's I have a renewed interest in checking out different strings.

I just wish I tried black beauties on my Roscoe before I traded it away. I put them on my Skjold last weekend and I am really impressed! However, I've been hearing from a few members here that they actually don't last as long as DR's uncoated strings. Sounds weird to me, but that is what they said....

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by xgabriel

I just wish I tried black beauties on my Roscoe before I traded it away. I put them on my Skjold last weekend and I am really impressed! However, I've been hearing from a few members here that they actually don't last as long as DR's uncoated strings. Sounds weird to me, but that is what they said....

I think that you'll be pleasantly surprised at how long they last. The first set that I purchased were on my Spanish cedar Roscoe for 2 months and played approx. 3 gigs a week (2 hour gigs). When I took them off they still sounded fresh. I was very impressed. I sent them to halftooth and as I recall he thought they sounded great even after having been played for 2 months.
I'm sure the acid level of the player and the type gigs played would have to factor in though.

[Tony G]

That is good to hear Joe. I would only have to assume that a coated string would last a little bit longer than an uncoated string.....

[Halftooth]

Originally Posted by JOME77

I think that you'll be pleasantly surprised at how long they last. The first set that I purchased were on my Spanish cedar Roscoe for 2 months and played approx. 3 gigs a week (2 hour gigs). When I took them off they still sounded fresh. I was very impressed. I sent them to halftooth and as I recall he thought they sounded great even after having been played for 2 months.
I'm sure the acid level of the player and the type gigs played would have to factor in though.

They still sound great...it's unbelievable!

[Jeff Moote]

Well, it's time to dig this thread up again!

Originally Posted by JOME77

I really suspect though that the missing low mids may be more a product of the Myrtle top. I owned a one piece myrtle burl Roscoe LG 3005 that really lacked low mids. I really had to boost the mids quite a bit on that bass. Thankfully it had the Bart 3-band pre which really has some mid boost capability. Maybe that's more proof that the thicker (1/2") Roscoe tops do indeed affect the tone.

This comment was in response to one about F-Basses and Mac. Ebony, but it relates directly to something I've been thinking about lately. As I await #5622 I'm second-guessing a couple of my decisions (ssh! don't tell Gard!). I'm notorious for changing orders along the way (though usually nothing major like wood selection, and luckily still early and before building starts).

I'm wondering about the tonal effect of the Myrtle, and if the lack of low mids you describe would be less present with a Spanish Cedar body than with the Ash (which I find in general not so much to be lacking in mids, but with the mids emphasized higher than other tonewoods).

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by Jeff Moote

Well, it's time to dig this thread up again!



This comment was in response to one about F-Basses and Mac. Ebony, but it relates directly to something I've been thinking about lately. As I await #5622 I'm second-guessing a couple of my decisions (ssh! don't tell Gard!). I'm notorious for changing orders along the way (though usually nothing major like wood selection, and luckily still early and before building starts).

I'm wondering about the tonal effect of the Myrtle, and if the lack of low mids you describe would be less present with a Spanish Cedar body than with the Ash (which I find in general not so much to be lacking in mids, but with the mids emphasized higher than other tonewoods).

Jeff,
IMO I think that your choice of Spanish cedar/myrtle will sound excellent. The Spanish cedar has a good bit more low mids than the ash but the ash has a good bit more upper mids than the Spanish cedar. I guess it depends on which you prefer.
I really love the phat warm sound of the Spanish cedar but after playing out with the ash/myrtle Roscoe a few times I really liked how it sat on top of the mix. Very clear tone. It's nice to be able to choose.
I will say though that it seems to be a little easier to warm up the tone of the ash/myrtle bass than it is to tighten/clear up the tone of the Spanish cedar/spalted maple bass.

Over the last couple weeks Gard had a chance to A/B my bass (ash/myrtle/Nord pu's/Aggie OBP-3) with Basso's bass (solid ash/Nord pu's/Aggie OBP-3) and while they sounded similar, he thought that mine had a slightly warmer tone. Maybe due to the myrtle top verses Basso's solid ash or maybe due to my Mac Ebony FB verses Basso's birdseye FB. .....hard to say which.

[Jeff Moote]

Originally Posted by JOME77

Over the last couple weeks Gard had a chance to A/B my bass (ash/myrtle/Nord pu's/Aggie OBP-3) with Basso's bass (solid ash/Nord pu's/Aggie OBP-3) and while they sounded similar, he thought that mine had a slightly warmer tone. Maybe due to the myrtle top verses Basso's solid ash or maybe due to my Mac Ebony FB verses Basso's birdseye FB. .....hard to say which.

My guess is the mac ebony board, but the answer is probably a bit of both. I find maple boards to be a bit brighter as a rule, but ebony is not so much "warm" as compressed. It doesn't matter much anyway if we're all happy.

So, thanks for answering my questions and reassuring me on my wood choices. The spanish cedar tone really is my thing - to go back to something you and Basso said about the Roscoes before, the cedar cuts through the middle of the mix, while the ash cuts straight to the top. That sounds about right to me, and I think a low-mid emphasis is just what I look for when I try to find my place in the mix.

[maurilio]

Damn..... you know what?..... I've always wonder about Ash vs. Cedar and now I wish I had ordered a S.C. body for my Century..... I find myself boosting the low-mid/mid (250/500.... yes, I've change the upper mid frq from 800 to 500) every time!

...still, I like what I can get out of my Century!

M

[Basso Gruvitas]

So Joe.........

nice to have your baby back home?






I hope to experience the same joy.....................someday.

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by Basso Gruvitas

So Joe.........

nice to have your baby back home?






I hope to experience the same joy.....................someday.

Oh yeah!
It sounds even sweeter than I remembered!

Just for those that are wondering why it was gone......it had a minor issue with some raised grain on the neck purpleheart stringer and I sent it home for some quick sanding and neck refinishing work.
Keith and Gard fixed it right up though!

Did I mention that Roscoe has awesome customer service?

Oh yeah, many times!

Don't worry Basso, your homecoming is just around the corner!

[JPJ]

Did I mention that Roscoe has awesome customer service?

Don't be fooled Joe...Gard did that on purpose just so he could get it back from you to play for a couple of hours!

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by JPJ

Don't be fooled Joe...Gard did that on purpose just so he could get it back from you to play for a couple of hours!

LOL!

Do you actually think that Gard would stoop that low?

.......well......better not answer that one Jay!

[Gard]

Originally Posted by JPJ

Don't be fooled Joe...Gard did that on purpose just so he could get it back from you to play for a couple of hours!

....who, me??? I'd never do such a thing....






Joe, glad we were able to get it back to you for the weekend, hope all went well on the gigs.

John, you're next....

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by Gard

Joe, glad we were able to get it back to you for the weekend, hope all went well on the gigs.

Gard,
The gigs went great! It's unanimous too (band and sound crew). The ash Roscoe had more clarity and still retained a nice thick tone as compared to my Spanish cedar 3005. It didn't matter whether it was lower or upper register stuff, every note was clean and even.
In some of the smaller rooms I really like the Spanish cedar Roscoe but in a hall the size of this one (40ft. ceilings) the ash Roscoe just does a better job.
Thanks for getting the bass out and to me prior to the weekend! The neck looks and feels awesome too!

You guys totally rock!

[Gard]

Good deal Joe, I really dig the look and sound, and the feel of that bass. Glad it works live as well.

For the record - thanking me for the work done is appreciated but not accurate, all I do is essentially clerical, just organize and schedule. Give all the credit to Keith on that one.