Edit 7/20/2024: Putting this back up for sale because I've got my eye on something. $1500 shipped will get 'er to ya! Also note the new photos. The Roscoe case was in rough shape, so I am now offering this with a Reunion Blues gig bag instead. Left the pics just because they're decent shots of the bass.
Want a great looking, playing, and sounding Roscoe that you can take to bar gigs without worrying if it gets a few bumps and bruises? Well here ya go. (Read that as: Closet queen aficionados, this isn’t your bass!)
This one has been through at least 3 owners. Near as I can tell, it’s from the mid-to-late 90s. From the previous owner’s listing and my own eyeballs:
Body: Exhibition grade flamed maple top, swamp ash body
Neck: 3-piece maple/purpleheart/maple. I’m not 100% sure about the middle piece. That’s how it was described by the previous owner. It’s brown, no purple remaining that I can see, but purpleheart does tend to turn brown over the years. Nut width is 1.52” by my calipers.
Fretboard: Again, not 100% sure. Rosewood is what I was told, but Keith does use a lot of purpleheart for fretboards, and there are many examples with the 2-tone look. There is not a hint of purple left in it, if it is.
Pickups: Bartolini
Preamp: Audere 4-band with mid switch, custom for Roscoe, according to the sticker on the preamp module.
Tuners: I swapped the originals for Gotoh Res-o-lites, which were drop-in replacements. There’s a slight bit of neck “droop” without them, but not what I’d call “dive.” Original tuners will be included.
Weight: About 8.75 lbs with the Gotohs. As I recall it was just over 9 lbs with the originals.
Condition: I’d call it very good, considering its age, but yep, she’s seen some gigs. There’s a small chip in the top next to the neck pickup. The pickup covers are worn from being (apparently) very close to the strings. The paint over the swamp ash on the back is ghosting, with some small white circle spots. I sent Keith some pics and asked about refinishing it, and he said I should probably just leave it, that it was just age and not unstable. The bottom bout of the body has quite a few scratches, not visible from the front. Back of the neck shows uneven wear. Then there’s a bit of the expected other small imperfections you’d expect on a bass that’s nearly 30.
One unusual feature is the thick ebony shim in the neck pocket. I asked Keith about this, and he says it was definitely something they did, most likely to correct the neck angle. My luthier wasn’t so sure about that explanation, said it might have been the router plunge set too deep, or maybe it was routed for one type of bridge and then they put on different. Either way, it’s glued in, and both Keith and my luthier say that it’s functionally part of the body.
It’s so much fun to play this one due to its small size and huge tone. I’m into passive, single pickup basses with wider necks these days though, so I’m letting this one go. This is one of the few I think I’ll actually miss.
I’m happy to provide provenance for any scam-leery prospective buyers. Just remember that I have no shame, so asking me to take a nude selfie with the bass will get you exactly what you ask for.
Asking $1500 shipped CONUS.
No trades, unless you have a nice guitar amp you're looking to part with.
Want a great looking, playing, and sounding Roscoe that you can take to bar gigs without worrying if it gets a few bumps and bruises? Well here ya go. (Read that as: Closet queen aficionados, this isn’t your bass!)
This one has been through at least 3 owners. Near as I can tell, it’s from the mid-to-late 90s. From the previous owner’s listing and my own eyeballs:
Body: Exhibition grade flamed maple top, swamp ash body
Neck: 3-piece maple/purpleheart/maple. I’m not 100% sure about the middle piece. That’s how it was described by the previous owner. It’s brown, no purple remaining that I can see, but purpleheart does tend to turn brown over the years. Nut width is 1.52” by my calipers.
Fretboard: Again, not 100% sure. Rosewood is what I was told, but Keith does use a lot of purpleheart for fretboards, and there are many examples with the 2-tone look. There is not a hint of purple left in it, if it is.
Pickups: Bartolini
Preamp: Audere 4-band with mid switch, custom for Roscoe, according to the sticker on the preamp module.
Tuners: I swapped the originals for Gotoh Res-o-lites, which were drop-in replacements. There’s a slight bit of neck “droop” without them, but not what I’d call “dive.” Original tuners will be included.
Weight: About 8.75 lbs with the Gotohs. As I recall it was just over 9 lbs with the originals.
Condition: I’d call it very good, considering its age, but yep, she’s seen some gigs. There’s a small chip in the top next to the neck pickup. The pickup covers are worn from being (apparently) very close to the strings. The paint over the swamp ash on the back is ghosting, with some small white circle spots. I sent Keith some pics and asked about refinishing it, and he said I should probably just leave it, that it was just age and not unstable. The bottom bout of the body has quite a few scratches, not visible from the front. Back of the neck shows uneven wear. Then there’s a bit of the expected other small imperfections you’d expect on a bass that’s nearly 30.
One unusual feature is the thick ebony shim in the neck pocket. I asked Keith about this, and he says it was definitely something they did, most likely to correct the neck angle. My luthier wasn’t so sure about that explanation, said it might have been the router plunge set too deep, or maybe it was routed for one type of bridge and then they put on different. Either way, it’s glued in, and both Keith and my luthier say that it’s functionally part of the body.
It’s so much fun to play this one due to its small size and huge tone. I’m into passive, single pickup basses with wider necks these days though, so I’m letting this one go. This is one of the few I think I’ll actually miss.
I’m happy to provide provenance for any scam-leery prospective buyers. Just remember that I have no shame, so asking me to take a nude selfie with the bass will get you exactly what you ask for.
Asking $1500 shipped CONUS.
No trades, unless you have a nice guitar amp you're looking to part with.
