Roscoe's Gone Country!

XavidmanX · #1 08-26-2007, 05:51 PM

I listen to just about all types of music besides hard core rap or death speed metal stuff, and was flipping through some of my favorite music channels when I came across Country singer Jason Michael Carroll playing an outdoor concert and BEHOLD!...there was a beautiful Roscoe LG3005 in the hands of the bass player!

I couldn't really tell what the woods were but it looked beautiful, especially in the sunlight.

Not that it is that big of a deal in the first place, but this was the first non-jazz type or non-country type bass that I've seen in a country band. It seems as though each genre has a list of "approved instruments" that the musicians are allowed to play (maybe with the exception of jazz and maybe R&B?) and country might be the pickiest. I mean, why can't they just play an instrument that sounds good and gets the job done?

Sounded great!

Jerry Ziarko · #2 08-26-2007, 09:34 PM

I think the answer to your question is easy. First off most country acts you see today are road acts. Many players do not carry high end basses on the road. Their gear is loaded on and off buses so often the chance of damage is high. Secondly, many "road" players are given endorsements, They play the gear supplied to them either for free, at cost, or at a greatly reduced price. I don't know if you really get to hear many country acts, but many players not only are extremely good at their craft, but sound great as well.

**T. B. Player** · #3 08-27-2007, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Ziarko

I think the answer to your question is easy. First off most country acts you see today are road acts. Many players do not carry high end basses on the road. Their gear is loaded on and off buses so often the chance of damage is high. Secondly, many "road" players are given endorsements, They play the gear supplied to them either for free, at cost, or at a greatly reduced price. I don't know if you really get to hear many country acts, but many players not only are extremely good at their craft, but sound great as well.

True - if I was a road player and a reputable company gave me a bass to play, it wouldn't matter if it sounded like crap - I'd just ask them for another style/type that would fit the sound the producer wanted to hear. Those people are hired guns doing a job, and if the right tools are supplied, the talented players will get the job done.

If you're in your own band playing the music that you want to play, then you can play whatever you want....or, whatever you can afford.

I also don't know of too many bass players that are fronting country bands. As for a band like Rush, however, I'm sure that Geddy tells Fender what he wants in a bass to get the sound he needs, so that they can market the Geddy Lee signature model.

Z

XavidmanX · #4 08-28-2007, 12:06 AM

I'm not sure if I got my point across in the first post. I listen to country a lot, watch the videos and the concerts, etc. Many of the road players are playing expensive instruments i.e. Lakland USA and Sadowsky NYC. I'm sure that they might have some endorsement deal, but I know a lot of those guys' names and don't regularly see them on endorsement lists.

I also don't know how the original post came across but the front man is not the bass player.

I think that if they are good enough to get endorsement deals, it's a little strange that this is the first guy to play a Roscoe as opposed to a jazz type bass.

Peter Parker · #5 08-28-2007, 08:32 AM

One thing that probaly is the reason for the Roscoe is that Jason Michael Carroll is from NC near the Greensboro area. His bass player may be a local here though I don't know him.

Gard · #6 08-28-2007, 09:46 AM

Actually, I believe that the bassist in JMC's band is Jonathan Perry, who resides in Nashville. He's a long time Roscoe-head though, and has another (fretless this time) bass in production.

Williamsburgjim · #7 08-29-2007, 10:18 AM

Yeah, I've recorded some Country stuff with my Roscoe. Actually, the string spacing on the smaller body bass works better for country anyway.

www.myspace.com/jimmcgreehan

Blake Bass · #8 09-11-2007, 09:14 PM

Yeah, I've recorded some Country stuff with my Roscoe. Actually, the string spacing on the smaller body bass works better for country anyway.

How does the string spacing on a smaller body bass make it better for playing country, or any other style for that matter?

Williamsburgjim · #9 09-14-2007, 12:17 PM

The way I figure, since you're not having to do much if any slappin, you can work your way around the bass better.

Personally, I like wider spacing for funk playing as I do not use that bass for that purpose (aka: classic rock and funk cover band/weddings). And that is so because of all the popin you need to do between the G and D strings.

Now, some people don't have that problem...but I prefer more room.