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Advice from Roscoe Owners!

#43
I took a chance actually. I loved the look of the bass (I didn't order this one, bought it "stock" from Greg at Rocket Music) and I got to play one last summer with that configuration.

Long story short, the combination of a mahogany body and that pickup placement = the most killer sounding and playing fretless I have ever played or heard.

I have debated trying to sell my fretted 5 so I could buy Jon's 6 or pay off debt but I think the fretless will stay. I think it's easier to find a good sounding/playing fretted than than it is to find a great fretless.
 
#44
mexibass said:
well... I just found this from Gard on another thread.

"The JB setup is very mid-forward, and cuts through"
Click to expand...

Yeah, for fretless electric, for a modern 'non DBish' tone, the more midrange the better (the mwah thing). Bartolini's in general have a very strong mid component, the J models in that unique 'stacked close to the bridge' sort of thing (similar to that Zon fretless model that also kills.. Sonus Special or whatever that one is called) means all the midrange you could possibilty need. On fretted, those pickups in that placement would result in 'mega burp':D
 
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#45
KJung said:
Yeah, for fretless electric, for a modern 'non DBish' tone, the more midrange the better (the mwah thing). Bartolini's in general have a very strong mid component, the J models in that unique 'stacked close to the bridge' sort of thing (similar to that Zon fretless model that also kills.. Sonus Special or whatever that one is called) means all the midrange you could possibilty need. On fretted, those pickups in that placement would result in 'mega burp':D
Click to expand...

True, but if I roll off a little treble and move my right hand over the fingerboard, I get a very "useable" tone for jazz. Not upright of course, but very nice in the electric guitar/bass/drum trio I fill on with from time to time.
 
#46
KJung said:
Yeah, for fretless electric, for a modern 'non DBish' tone, the more midrange the better (the mwah thing). Bartolini's in general have a very strong mid component, the J models in that unique 'stacked close to the bridge' sort of thing (similar to that Zon fretless model that also kills.. Sonus Special or whatever that one is called) means all the midrange you could possibilty need. On fretted, those pickups in that placement would result in 'mega burp':D
Click to expand...

Based on repeated experimentation on the fretless -

Link Removed

(i.e., that's been my main gigging bass for about 2 years now... ;) )

...and a bit of time spent QC'ing the fretted brother of that one -

Link Removed

...as well as having owned one of the Zon Sonus Specials, I can attest, this is all accurate.

:)
 
#47
Gard said:
Based on repeated experimentation on the fretless -

Link Removed

(i.e., that's been my main gigging bass for about 2 years now... ;) )

...and a bit of time spent QC'ing the fretted brother of that one -

Link Removed

...as well as having owned one of the Zon Sonus Specials, I can attest, this is all accurate.

:)
Click to expand...

And it looks darn cool also!
 
#48
SteveC said:
True, but if I roll off a little treble and move my right hand over the fingerboard, I get a very "useable" tone for jazz. Not upright of course, but very nice in the electric guitar/bass/drum trio I fill on with from time to time.
Click to expand...

+1 Just the perfect combination for fretless, and lots of tone in there! If I didn't massively suck on fretless, that is the exact configuration I would choose!
 
#49
SteveC said:
I took a chance actually. I loved the look of the bass (I didn't order this one, bought it "stock" from Greg at Rocket Music) and I got to play one last summer with that configuration.

Long story short, the combination of a mahogany body and that pickup placement = the most killer sounding and playing fretless I have ever played or heard.

I have debated trying to sell my fretted 5 so I could buy Jon's 6 or pay off debt but I think the fretless will stay. I think it's easier to find a good sounding/playing fretted than than it is to find a great fretless.
Click to expand...

Wow, I'm debating if I should fretless or fretted on my first Roscoe, I guess you have a very good point about that! I also buying from Greg but online, wish I could visit his store one day. Nice Guy to deal with too!

KJung said:
+1 Just the perfect combination for fretless, and lots of tone in there! If I didn't massively suck on fretless, that is the exact configuration I would choose!
Click to expand...

I guess I'd go with the JJ in JB position if I go fretless (and Century body), and CB in regular position if I go fretted (Century or LG, still making up my mind). Either way, pickups will be slanted since that screams Roscoe to me! :smug:

Regarding the body shape, I'm starting to realise that by all means, Century looks more balanced and comfortable than LG, while LG looks more like, well... a Roscoe. In the end I think I can't go wrong with either!
 
#50
I wish I could offer advice. I couldn't decide between fretted or fretless so I bought both!

I haven't played every fretless, but I can tell you Roscoe makes an amazing fretless bass. I could probably find another fretted bass I liked, but I don't think I could find another fretless I like as much.
 
#53
Just had to share this. I made this collage with all the different colours I can get on a Standard series for no charge, taken from the back of different instruments, since it's more or less the way they will look on a bass without an exotic top (it seems that I can't make up my mind colour wise neither :P, they all look gorgeous IMO), and then posted it on my FB page to see what colour my friends would choose, musicians or not, guess which one is the most favoured?...

Aqua! Just the one I like the most!!!! Not sure if it will look that good with a diamondwood fretless fretboard as the trans white does though, am I right Gard? ;)
 

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