Fender Roscoe Beck Settings

[Darkstrike]

Yes, and a note of caution: Make certain that you loosen these before you attempt to raise the saddle pieces. If you don't it is fairly easy to break the saddle piece. If you break it, a replacement will not be easily found.

Yup, should have said that when I first posted.

I also used the push-pull function quite a bit. I never opened up the bass to look at the circuit, but I think that it basically just cuts the output of the neck PU.

Yup, it just drops a resistor across the neck pickup, for a small volume cut, same as slightly rolling off the neck volume on a standard jazz, to get that extra bite and burp, but have both pickups on.

 

[TheLarch]

Love mine - it's my current #1 over my Reverend Rumblefish XL and Lakland Jerry Scheff.

I tend to run it with the bridge in single coil and the neck in series.

Favourite strings are SIT Silencers. I liked T-I Jazz Flats which are a good match but the SIT Silencers are just killer on this bass. They also were my favourite strings with my old Lakland Hollowbody.

 

[bobe01]

Well folks, I just dont get this, I put new strings, A D and G sound nice but B, and especially E are totaly death, no "new string ringing or zing at all" even when no amp connected. I think something is very wrong here

other three strings "ring" nice, they give very nice "fodera sound", but again, no punch, big bass at all. and the slap sound is still horrible

with usa deluxe jazz (w/o preamp), and same amp, in same room, eq all flat, I have had so much punch and bass...now I have to put bass and low mids to 16:00h when playing any modern pop

could anyone help me find out what is going wrong with my bass?

thank you

 

[Darkstrike]

Check your pickup heights first, maybe the B/E side is too low?


But yeah, that sounds VERY wrong.

 

[bobe01]

pickup heightis just ok, it think it something with pickups, all wiring is ok, new pots and switch, checked few times...

 

[bobe01]

Hi, I have question for RBV or RB owners,
is it normal that output volume drastically reduces when using both pickups, compared to output when using only bridge or only neck?

beside that, I have almost no low end at all when using both pickups

thanks

 

[BassBod]

Sounds like a phase issue between the pickups? Look inside for "modifications" to the stock wiring...possibly just one pickup got reversed.

 

[bobe01]

when I got the bass it had this issue, i opened it, and there were absolutely no signs of modifications, I recently changed volume pot and rewired everything, still have the same issue

 

[pfschim]

Holy zombie thread revival ....
I just got an RB IV and am working through the various tone options this bass offers.
I am a Jazz Bass guy from waaaay back (I also have a '51 P reissue when called for).
I love the feel and broad tone options the RB offers. Such a well built bass and the neck is killer.
My current regular gigging bass is a Lull M4V (V, V, T in passive mode, V, V, mid bass/treb in active)

I have the Fender RB IV Switch & Control guide, so I get what the switches all do physically;
Volume and Tone are totally straight forward Fender standard (other than the pull up option on the tone to drop the neck p/u level)
3 way p/u selector, 3 way (series humbucking, coil tap/single coil, parallel humbucking).

What I am trying to understand today is how do these terms translate into the tones I will hear as I make all the combinations that are possible with this bass.

I think I have figured out that with the p/u selector in the middle position and both mini switches in position 2 (coil tap/single coil) I am basically getting a pretty standard single coil Jazz tone with a single V and Tone.

Beyond that, I'd like to know what's the difference between Series Humbucking and Parallel Humbucking and how do I relate that to the Lull M4V that I am familiar with. Are Jazz basses traditionally Series or Parallel ?

so, anyone got insights they would share on this ?
Thanks!

 

[two fingers]

Holy zombie thread revival ....
I just got an RB IV and am working through the various tone options this bass offers.
I am a Jazz Bass guy from waaaay back (I also have a '51 P reissue when called for).
I love the feel and broad tone options the RB offers. Such a well built bass and the neck is killer.
My current regular gigging bass is a Lull M4V (V, V, T in passive mode, V, V, mid bass/treb in active)

I have the Fender RB IV Switch & Control guide, so I get what the switches all do physically;
Volume and Tone are totally straight forward Fender standard (other than the pull up option on the tone to drop the neck p/u level)
3 way p/u selector, 3 way (series humbucking, coil tap/single coil, parallel humbucking).

What I am trying to understand today is how do these terms translate into the tones I will hear as I make all the combinations that are possible with this bass.

I think I have figured out that with the p/u selector in the middle position and both mini switches in position 2 (coil tap/single coil) I am basically getting a pretty standard single coil Jazz tone with a single V and Tone.

Beyond that, I'd like to know what's the difference between Series Humbucking and Parallel Humbucking and how do I relate that to the Lull M4V that I am familiar with. Are Jazz basses traditionally Series or Parallel ?

so, anyone got insights they would share on this ?
Thanks!

First off, the single/series/parallel switches are for EACH pickup, not both. In other words, you can not switch how the neck and bridge are wired, but you can switch how the two coils of EACH pickup are wired.

I got overwhelmed when I first got mine too. It was a head scratch for sure.

Then I started some self analysis regarding the main tones I wanted. Once I figured that out, I set about finding them in that bass (and they are ALL in there).

Neck pickup single - Big, fat, similar to P bass tone. Not exactly P bass but similar. Maybe a little "rounder" than the P.
Neck pickup single and bridge pickup series - Thick, punchy more modern rock tone.
Bridge pickup series - Bright but still punchy. Not a dead ringer for a Stingray but certainly in the neighborhood.
Neck pickup parallel - getting near the Gibson mud-bucker tone
Both in single - scooped Jazz tone (rarely useful to me)

Have fun. It's a ride for sure. I really enjoyed my time with that bass.

 

[pfschim]

Hey RB owners .. coming back to ask if anyone has any info on, and/or knows where to find the bridge saddle length adjustment (intonation) screws for an RB IV ?
I discovered that my A string is missing one (which as an aside, seems very odd to me, but there you go ).
anyone got any ideas here ?
thanks

 

[Chuck M]

Hey RB owners .. coming back to ask if anyone has any info on, and/or knows where to find the bridge saddle length adjustment (intonation) screws for an RB IV ?
I discovered that my A string is missing one (which as an aside, seems very odd to me, but there you go ).
anyone got any ideas here ?
thanks

I had to replace one on my RBIV and just went to a fastener supply and they had them. It is a common screw and you should have no problem getting replacements.

 

[pfschim]

I had to replace one on my RBIV and just went to a fastener supply and they had them. It is a common screw and you should have no problem getting replacements.

cool. I don't suppose you remember what the size/length was ?

 

[Chuck M]

cool. I don't suppose you remember what the size/length was ?

No. I just took one of the other screws and they matched it.

 

[Robert Bass]

Hey RB owners .. coming back to ask if anyone has any info on, and/or knows where to find the bridge saddle length adjustment (intonation) screws for an RB IV ?
I discovered that my A string is missing one (which as an aside, seems very odd to me, but there you go ).
anyone got any ideas here ?
thanks

For the Roscoe Beck 5 - string bass --the intonation screws are type M3, 30 mm long with a 5 mm diameter screw head. I think this is also described as an "M3 x 30mm" screw in the hardware store.

I am not sure what screws are used for the Roscoe Beck IV -- but maybe they are the same ones described above?

 

[pfschim]

For the Roscoe Beck 5 - string bass --the intonation screws are type M3, 30 mm long with a 5 mm diameter screw head. I think this is also described as an "M3 x 30mm" screw in the hardware store.

I am not sure what screws are used for the Roscoe Beck IV -- but maybe they are the same ones described above?

Thanks much. I’ll check that out.

 

[pfschim]

For the Roscoe Beck 5 - string bass --the intonation screws are type M3, 30 mm long with a 5 mm diameter screw head. I think this is also described as an "M3 x 30mm" screw in the hardware store.

I am not sure what screws are used for the Roscoe Beck IV -- but maybe they are the same ones described above?

I found them on Amazon ... M3 x 30mm with a 5mm head width. The thread pitch is listed as 0.5mm.

does this sound right ?

thanks

 

[jasonmatthews]

I found them on Amazon ... M3 x 30mm with a 5mm head width. The thread pitch is listed as 0.5mm.

does this sound right ?

thanks

Hey fellow RBV brother!

I made a post about these screws a while back. It might help you.

Roscoe Beck Forum?

Only place I could ever find the damn things was from a Chinese seller on eBay. I bought 20. I needed 2.

 

[pfschim]

thanks man. I checked your link but it shows Philips head screws, and the intonation screws on my RBIV are hex head.
Small matter as long as they are M3 x 3omm with a 0.5mm head, they should work fine.
I found plenty of them on Amazon, but it looks like the smallest number I can buy is 10 pieces for $4.83. So I guess I'll have some spares.
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Model...8-6&keywords=m3+x+30mm++hex+head+screw+10+pcs

 

[jasonmatthews]

Ah, I misread. Didn't realize you had the RBIV. I have no idea about the screws in that bridge. But for the Gotoh bridge in the RBV they are absolutely Phillips!