Suggestion for the Roscoe Website

[LilRay]

First of all I'm no IT guy and I don't know if there is a software capable of doing this; but follow me on this (If I can convey it correctly).

I'd like to see a Photo Shop esque program on Roscoes site that you could marry available tops with different fingerboards, finishes, hardware etc, so you could see what the different combinations resemble aesthetically somewhat.

It wouldn't have to be "exact" but I think that'd be a good selling tool if there's such a thing available.

Being able to see what a blue finish looks like with a Quilt Maple Top vs Flame Maple Top. Seeing a Buckeye Top with a Birds Eye Fingerboard vs a Cocobolo Fingerboard. Those types of things?

What do you think? Is something like this feasable?

God Bless, Ray

[PlanetEarth]

Totally do-able, no different then for example when you go to a retail site that offers a product in color variations and the image display lets you swap out the colors, same sort of idea....

Of course in this instance you run into the fact that even tops of the same wood are very different from one cut to the next so at best it's just a estimate/point-of-reference to mess with in its simplest form.

[Addison]

The Peavey Cirrus Custom Shop website has something similar to what you're talking about...

http://shop.peavey.com/customshop/cirrus/

Doing it the way that site does is wouldn't be too hard I guess... from a graphic designer/web developer's standpoint. The hardest part would be getting a pro photo of every Roscoe body style with every possible top combo, as well as the headstock.

Technically, you could use one body "shape template" and then "photoshop" different woods onto it, but the results wouldn't be nearly as cool as getting an actual photo of a body with that exact wood glued onto it.

All of the different fingerboard woods would all have to be photograpphed, as well as all possible fretted/fretless/lined/unlined combos... once again, it could technically all be photoshopped as well, but the results wouldn't be the same.

There's quite a bit more to it than that, but... I guess that what I'm saying is that it technically wouldn't be that hard to do it, it's that it would probably take a long time to get it together, if you wanted it done right. And since time is money, it would be rather expensive.

I'm kind of a perfectionst though... so maybe I'm shooting too high.

But, either way, I'm guessing that Roscoe doesn't have marketing dollars to throw around like Peavey does, so I doubt it will happen... but who knows.

I don't work for Roscoe.

[Gard]

...man, I can't keep up with what we have NOW, and you want me to do MORE?










...this is just punishment in advance for what the Saints are going to do to the Cowgirls next month, right?

[Darkstrike]

Its a fantastic idea, IMO, to get it to work best, would be to keep it basic.

For example, have a sample of eact top type, quilt maple, flame, buckeye, walnut, etc.

The same with fingerboards, one wenge, maple, ebony, pau-ferro, etc.

Rather than each top they have, which would be way, way too much work.

A simple mix and match, to see how you like the different combos.

[PlanetEarth]

Originally Posted by Addison

The hardest part would be getting a pro photo of every Roscoe body style with every possible top combo, as well as the headstock.

Just a thought, given a consistent set of body style shots/templates with a single shot of each available wood; separate the body, neck, and headstock - should give you a template to work from. Even though there are several combinations, you only need one shot of each available material option - it's the end-user who will execute and play with the various combinations.

As a starting point (per the Roscoe website) you have 7 body styles, 6 body woods, 24 tops, 13 color options, 19, finger boards, 3 nuts, 4 neck inlays, 3 hardware combos, 2 pickups. The application would need only those broken down into individual components, the permutations happen as a result of the app being used.

[Freddels]

That sounds like a great idea but it'll be a lot of work and time. Until then, why not just have a page or two or three of the pics of all the basses that have been produced and the types of woods that they are? That would give a good idea of what some of the woods look like, the finishes, the fretboard wood, etc. Heck, Greg could even send in some the of sound examples of these instruments.

[VroomVroom]

Just a thought...

Having seen a number of Peavey Cirrus basses in-the-fles, I'm not a fan of their configuration tool. IMO there's just no real way to know how an instrument will look, and things like this really just set you up for disappointment.

Personally, I'm more of a fan of having a fairly extensive gallery, perhaps with tagging functionality to go along with a nice search tool. This way you can look at real instruments, with the underlying theme that each one is unique. Still the same result, I suppose...just a different way of getting there...

[Addison]

Originally Posted by PlanetEarth

Just a thought, given a consistent set of body style shots/templates with a single shot of each available wood; separate the body, neck, and headstock - should give you a template to work from. Even though there are several combinations, you only need one shot of each available material option - it's the end-user who will execute and play with the various combinations.

As a starting point (per the Roscoe website) you have 7 body styles, 6 body woods, 24 tops, 13 color options, 19, finger boards, 3 nuts, 4 neck inlays, 3 hardware combos, 2 pickups. The application would need only those broken down into individual components, the permutations happen as a result of the app being used.

Yes, I agree... that's what I was (or was trying) to say.

I didn't mean to imply that you would need a buckeye SKB3006 with an ebony board and then need another buckeye SKB3006 with a Pau Ferro board...

You'd only need one individual body shot of each style and each top, and then fingerboard wood options could pretty easily be matched, etc.

[CliffD]

A cool idea, but I'm with Jerry, a nice gallery of completed basses would do the job. I mean Gard needs time to find beautiful pieces of, oh, I dunno, say koa, not work on some long and drawn out stuff like this.

[Freddels]

Gard doesn't have time for this piddly stuff. He's busy working on the football schedule/predictions.

[Gard]

Real answer:

Each piece of wood is unique in appearance and coloration, and trying to get a reasonable way of setting this up on a website so that it would be "plug & play" for anyone visiting the site would not give a very accurate representation of how YOUR bass would look.

I'm not saying "no way", I'm saying I don't see it happening in the short-term.

[Gard]

Originally Posted by Freddels

Gard doesn't have time for this piddly stuff. He's busy working on the football schedule/predictions.

I spend less than 10 minutes a day on that, and a large portion of that time when I'm at home.



(You're just starting crap with me because you know my Saints are gonna spank the Patsies... )

[Joe Gress]

Originally Posted by Gard

I spend less than 10 minutes a day on that, and a large portion of that time when I'm at home.

Is that why your record is that low?

[Gard]

Originally Posted by Joe Gress

Is that why your record is that low?

1) If you wanna talk NFL smack, try the correct thread.

2) Show me YOUR record, smart guy.

[PlanetEarth]

Originally Posted by Gard

would not give a very accurate representation of how YOUR bass would look.

Maybe I misunderstood, I didn't take it as being an app for actually building YOUR bass, but rather a tool that served as a starting point in making decisions about what combinations you might want and a way to visually see them prior to calling and placing an order. That way, and perhaps this doesn't apply, any "sounds nice but I can't really picture it" inquiries and the subsequent follow-up to try and make that realized could be negated....

But I'm with you, for actually building and ordering a bass, NO WAY... In addition to every reason you stated, it totally goes against the grain of the Roscoe *vibe* which is so personal and (for lack of a better word) family-like.

[LilRay]

Originally Posted by Gard

...man, I can't keep up with what we have NOW, and you want me to do MORE?










...this is just punishment in advance for what the Saints are going to do to the Cowgirls next month, right?

YES YOU MUST DO MORE!!!! You've got too much time on your hands for Missus Gard, Drinking Brews, Eating Sushi, Etc.

Cut out all that leisure time and do something useful

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Its a fantastic idea, IMO, to get it to work best, would be to keep it basic.

For example, have a sample of eact top type, quilt maple, flame, buckeye, walnut, etc.

The same with fingerboards, one wenge, maple, ebony, pau-ferro, etc.

Rather than each top they have, which would be way, way too much work.

A simple mix and match, to see how you like the different combos.

This is primarily my idea Bill. Simple but effective "what does X body Top look like with Y fingerboard" "What would a Roscoe look like with Gold vs Black hardware" Those types of things.

I'm very aware that specificity would not be viable but more or less impossible and unmanageable.

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

Just a thought...

Having seen a number of Peavey Cirrus basses in-the-fles, I'm not a fan of their configuration tool. IMO there's just no real way to know how an instrument will look, and things like this really just set you up for disappointment.

Personally, I'm more of a fan of having a fairly extensive gallery, perhaps with tagging functionality to go along with a nice search tool. This way you can look at real instruments, with the underlying theme that each one is unique. Still the same result, I suppose...just a different way of getting there...

Jerry, Think from my perspective. I've never purchased, played , felt, seen, or heard a Roscoe bass in person. The idea would be more or less for others in the same boat as I am. Our ideas would serve aesthetics only. Because of you and other Roscoeheads I'm quite aware of Roscoe being completely custom, and NOW I could more or less picture most of the combinations available within a certain limit.
But if I were to come across Roscoe on the web, not being a member of TB, I could see tools like this being useful.

Two roads leading to the same goal. BUILDING MORE ROSCOES!!!!

Originally Posted by Freddels

Gard doesn't have time for this piddly stuff. He's busy working on the football schedule/predictions.

That's enough out of you Freddles. Report to Principal Lewis' office immediately

Your infraction "Breaking thread topic" now carries discipline of one Roscoe demerit.




God Bless, Ray

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by Gard

I spend less than 10 minutes a day on that, and a large portion of that time when I'm at home.



(You're just starting crap with me because you know my Saints are gonna spank the Patsies... )

What's the matter? You don't have enough people to fight with over this stuff? And to think I was rootin' for your Saints yesterday. We'll see in a few weeks.

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by LilRay

That's enough out of you Freddles. Report to Principal Lewis' office immediately

Your infraction "Breaking thread topic" now carries discipline of one Roscoe demerit.




God Bless, Ray

Give me all the demerits you want, I'm about to have TWO Roscoes!!!

So, it's time to get off the pot (as they say).

[ubone]

It can be done using 3d models with set uv mapping, an easily updated library of wood types in .jpg file format. It could also be further advanced to include hardware selections.