Roscoe would ever made their own Bridge / Tuners

otto B · #1 04-21-2010, 08:04 AM

I have a good question being that Roscoe Basses are amazing basses. Have Roscoe ever consider to have your own signature Bridge or tuners like Warrior basses, Ken Smith Basses?

Darkstrike · #2 04-21-2010, 08:10 AM

I don't see any reason for them to, when the Hipshot hardware they use now is of such high quality.

PlanetEarth · #3 04-21-2010, 08:34 AM

I'd also venture to guess that much of the signature equip. on other basses is just re-branded by the OEM's and purchased in bulk.

Personally, I say specialize - I'd prefer an instrument with hardware and electronics built by OEM's that do nothing but spend all their R&D on that hardware and electronics coupled with a luthier who specializes in the intricacies of the materials they work with and the ergonomics/quality/playability of their instruments. I.e. Roscoe IMHO!!!

-BVB

JOME77 · #4 04-21-2010, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlanetEarth

I'd also venture to guess that much of the signature equip. on other basses is just re-branded by the OEM's and purchased in bulk.

+1

Not much benefit in having "Roscoe" stamped on the bridge or tuners. As long as the Roscoe "R" is on the headstock I'm for the good!

CliffD · #5 04-21-2010, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

I don't see any reason for them to, when the Hipshot hardware they use now is of such high quality.

My thoughts exactly. The only proprietary stuff I've seen on basses that looked cool and functioned well came out of a serious need and lack of availability, which I just don't see with Roscoe's hardware, they look and work great.

LilRay · #6 04-21-2010, 09:19 AM

My question would be, what could Roscoe design in hardware that'd be an "improvement" over their current Hipshot stuff?

In other words, the only reason I see for them to design a "Roscoe Hardware" set would be if they could design something that'd be more effective than Hipshot.

Personally I could care less for a Roscoe stamp. IMO.

God Bless, Ray

Darkstrike · #7 04-21-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CliffD

My thoughts exactly. The only proprietary stuff I've seen on basses that looked cool and functioned well came out of a serious need and lack of availability, which I just don't see with Roscoe's hardware, they look and work great.

Yup, I can't see a need at all, with the severly sturdy yet featherlight tuners, and heavy duty quickloading stable bridge.

And, fwiw, the bridges are special made for Roscoe, not stock model A's, so in a way, they do.

JOME77 · #8 04-21-2010, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

And, fwiw, the bridges are special made for Roscoe, not stock model A's, so in a way, they do.

Oh yeah. This is true. The radius of the top bridge plate matches the radius of the finger board.

Darkstrike · #9 04-21-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOME77

Oh yeah. This is true. The radius of the top bridge plate matches the radius of the finger board.

Yup! But slightly higher on the lower strings, so the saddles are closer to bottomed out when at low action.

PlanetEarth · #10 04-21-2010, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilRay

if they could design something that'd be more effective than Hipshot.

+1 on that - Have to admit I've been curious in the past about some of the basses using the string-through-the-body approach.

Can think of a few ways on paper those numbers could work, though never followed it through to practical application.

-PE

Darkstrike · #11 04-21-2010, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlanetEarth

+1 on that - Have to admit I've been curious in the past about some of the basses using the string-through-the-body approach.

Can think of a few ways on paper those numbers could work, though never followed it through to practical application.

-PE

Hipshot make all their bridge models in string through, so Roscoe could easily get their current bridges with it, if they wanted.

Also, string choice can be difficult as is, with their 35" scale, adding string through, would make it extremly difficult to get strings for(I know, I've tried, hard to get, involves a wait, and often more expensive), which means most would be top loading them anyway.

LilRay · #12 04-21-2010, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlanetEarth

+1 on that - Have to admit I've been curious in the past about some of the basses using the string-through-the-body approach.
Can think of a few ways on paper those numbers could work, though never followed it through to practical application.

-PE

PE,

My Jazz Bass is string through only, and it's the only bass I've ever broken a string on. There's supposed to be resonance difference, but I can't tell it.

I don't care for string through. IMO it puts the strings under severe angles unneccessarily. I'm sure you being a math whiz could formulate a .00475328% difference in resonance or something but I've yet to know of a "practical" advantage.

My .05c

God Bless, Ray

Darkstrike · #13 04-21-2010, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilRay

I've yet to know of a "practical" advantage.

It looks cool.

I had one bass, where when I strung it through body, I got a noticeable sustain increace, which is odd, because with 3 others, it had no effect whatsoever

ubone · #14 04-21-2010, 03:04 PM

Frankly, I'd love it if Roscoe designed and produced their own bridges. Then maybe I could get them to build my dream bass. SKB 6x2 lined fretless

VroomVroom · #15 04-21-2010, 03:20 PM

Not to add to the thru-body discussion, but I believe the Hipshot 'A' bridge is manufactured with that option in mind anyway...so it'd be a function of the body, not the bridge. In any case, two of my basses offer the choice - one of them on all four strings, and the other just on the low-B. I've tried hard to tell the difference between the two, and I can't. Except in trying to find strings long enough for the 35" bass.

Anyway, I apologize to all my Roscoe cronies here. Somewhere in this discussion is a lame joke about the bridges having to be black in color or else Joe & I will revolt....but I can't find it.

Darkstrike · #16 04-21-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ubone

Frankly, I'd love it if Roscoe designed and produced their own bridges. Then maybe I could get them to build my dream bass. SKB 6x2 lined fretless

Have you spoken to Hipshot about making a bridge to suit?

I saw one thread on TB, where a guy bought two Schaller 8 string bridges, and took enough saddles off of them to make a 6x2 bridge, and had a custom bridge made by someone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

Anyway, I apologize to all my Roscoe cronies here. Somewhere in this discussion is a lame joke about the bridges having to be black in color or else Joe & I will revolt....but I can't find it.

Ooh! Imagine Roscoe making their own hardware, and not offering it in black, Joe would be ill...

**Bipslapper** · #17 04-21-2010, 03:29 PM

My 2 Cents: Both my Roscoe's and Modulus have the Hipshot A bridges and Me Likey the way they are.

One negative I have on stringing the stings from the back of the bridge is on occasion I have had the string rub on the inside of the hole and it not only sounds bad but I feel like it's filing down the strings. Not often, but when it happens I cringe

RocketMusic · #18 04-21-2010, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ubone

Frankly, I'd love it if Roscoe designed and produced their own bridges. Then maybe I could get them to build my dream bass. SKB 6x2 lined fretless

Roscoe actually uses a Hipshot bridge that was designed in part by... Keith Roscoe

The saddles on Roscoe bridges rest in trays that follow the radius of the fretboard. So when all of the saddles are all the way down (i.e. with maximum metal to metal contact), the strings are properly radiused with the fretboard (and ideally set to the perfect string height).

The trays in a stock Hipshot bridge are flat across, so you HAVE to raise the middle saddles, thus giving up that metal-to-metal contact.

I don't think that's a secret, but Gard can delete my post if it is...

Fun fact, eh? And hopefully it's accurate... I heard it mentioned on one of my quick trips through the Roscoe shop, so I might have it slightly wrong...

**Marcus Willett** · #19 04-21-2010, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RocketMusic

The trays in a stock Hipshot bridge are flat across

I just got a new Hipshot type A bridge a few weeks ago and it has a radiused (stepped) baseplate. Dunno if this is something new perhaps?

RocketMusic · #20 04-21-2010, 03:37 PM

Oh, and for anyone interested in bridges... I put this bridge on my personal Koa fretted Roscoe.

It uses 2-part saddles that are ramps. You can raise and lower your saddle height while always maintaining solid metal-to-metal contact. The only downside is that changing your saddle height changes your intonation (due to the "ramp" effect). But once I have my bass setup properly, all I usually tweak is the neck anyway. So it's no biggie for me.

I did hear a slight but noticeable improvement in note clarity and sustain. My B-string was not so hot at one point, and I was trying everything I could to fix it. The bridge was one thing I changed. That helped but did not cure 100%. After that, I changed the nut and that solved it. My B-string nut slut had been widened at some point, so the string was actually moving down there at the nut. Note to self - don't do that!!