Anyone know how to get a hold of the 4 string pickups? I noticed some of the 5's look like two jazzes with wings cut off but the 4's look like a soapbars with wings?
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Roscoe Beck Forum?
- Thread starter Ezbass
- Start date
You can add me to the club! Just pulled the trigger on a Lake Placid Blue RBV dated to 2003. It is, however, virtually brand new. The previous owner had never played it. Still got the plastic protector on the pickguard, and not a single scratch or blemish anywhere. Even the tuners have still got plastic wrap on them. It's away being set up by a luthier for a couple of days, but will post pics when I get it back. Interesting, the case that it's in has a metal tag on it that says G & G. It looks like a very expensive case. Is this what the RB's came in?
Mine's an '03 as well. I got it NOS two years ago. Came with a nice tolex case.
Five months on, and my RBIV has been my #1 at every gig - it's utterly flawless sonically, physically and ergonomically.
Here's a clip from a gig last weekend. The bass isn't particularly prominent, but it's not that kind of song. Neck pickup solo'd in series, Lakland flats.
Here's a clip from a gig last weekend. The bass isn't particularly prominent, but it's not that kind of song. Neck pickup solo'd in series, Lakland flats.
My first string bass is a red RBV. I like it so much I bought a backup in shoreline gold just in case the other blows up or is stolen. 
Got my as new RBV today. Here's a crappy cell pic.... I think it's Lake Placid Blue, but it's got a greenish look, so maybe its Teal?
That is in fact teal, and not LPB. The Roscoe Beck V was only offered in 4 colors: 3 tone sunburst, shoreline gold, candy apple red, and teal green metallic.
However, the 4 string version WAS offered in LPB later on.
However, the 4 string version WAS offered in LPB later on.
I'm not a club joiner, but must report having added an RBIV to the arsenal. I'd just sold all of my four-strings, as I'm a 5-string kind of guy, but an attractive 2005 red one, with parchment pickguard and ramp, heaved into view. I'd had one of these briefly, a long time ago, and increasingly regretted the sale.
Don't know if I will keep this over the long haul...but it is a really nice axe. The wood is resonant, the condition is excellent, and I'm most appreciative of the excellent ergonomics - great body shape and cutaway for full upper-fret access. My only beef is design-related - I'd prefer to have V/V/T instead of V/T/Selector.
It's a shame Fender discontinued these. The quality seems on a par with custom shop offereings.
Don't know if I will keep this over the long haul...but it is a really nice axe. The wood is resonant, the condition is excellent, and I'm most appreciative of the excellent ergonomics - great body shape and cutaway for full upper-fret access. My only beef is design-related - I'd prefer to have V/V/T instead of V/T/Selector.
It's a shame Fender discontinued these. The quality seems on a par with custom shop offereings.
I am the proud owner of a 1998 Shoreline Gold RBV. Very nice bass, nice and solid feeling, great B string. I have a few questions for the experts out there.
1) The bass sounds HUGE, but all the settings are on the thick end of the spectrum rather than the lively and bright end. Compared to my '62 RI Jazz it's a very dark and thumpy sounding instrument. Is this normal for the model?
2) My bass has a Badass V bridge. Would I find any positive/negative changes to the sound if I switched back to the original bridge?
3) What kind of strings do you guys like for a very midrange-strong, articulate and defined sound and a good low B on this bass?
1) The bass sounds HUGE, but all the settings are on the thick end of the spectrum rather than the lively and bright end. Compared to my '62 RI Jazz it's a very dark and thumpy sounding instrument. Is this normal for the model?
2) My bass has a Badass V bridge. Would I find any positive/negative changes to the sound if I switched back to the original bridge?
3) What kind of strings do you guys like for a very midrange-strong, articulate and defined sound and a good low B on this bass?
I thought it was on the beefy side of j land but not dark. Strings and setup making it thumpy maybe?
Original bridge may be impossible to find, so moot. BA5s are ok. Annoying to work with but good sound.
I liked DR high beams and DA prosteels on the two I had. Each one preferred that specific string and none other. I suggest experimentation.
Original bridge may be impossible to find, so moot. BA5s are ok. Annoying to work with but good sound.
I liked DR high beams and DA prosteels on the two I had. Each one preferred that specific string and none other. I suggest experimentation.
1 - It totally depends on what strings you use, and which pickup settings you dial in. I find that in the standard Jazz bass setting (pickup selector in the middle position, both coil taps in middle position) I can get a reasonably bright tone.
2 - Roscoe was very particular about that Gotoh bridge for the 5 string version of the bass. He had apparently been working on his signature model with the Fender Custom Shop for a while and wasn't completely satisfied. Then he tried it with the Gotoh bridge and he said that the tone of the instrument really turned around. Also, word is that when Fender could no longer get that Gotoh 5 string bridge, and that may have been what brought about the end of the RB5.
3 - I've strung my RB5 with Dean Markley Blue Steels for years. They've worked pretty well for me, but I'm actually trying out some DR Fat Beams on this bass right now. Those actually sounded pretty nice in the studio last night.
Yeah, that's the brightest position, but it's also scooped, as jazzes get full up. When I compare it to actual single coils, it sounds muted *in comparison*. With my loud rock band, the setting that cut through the best was the bridge soloed in series mode.
I wonder if there would be much of a sound difference if I was able to find the original bridge... But as pickles said, I probably couldn't find one anyway.
I was thinking about Fat Beams, Circle K's, or Sadowsky Blue Label Steels.
Try pulling out the tone knob. That way you engage the variable midrange control, and you can beef up the mids.
