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Roscoe Club
- Thread starter JOME77
- Start date
A little confusing though looking at the bottom of the pickup. The etching does not match the box info. If I remember they would etch the CBC portion of the pickup as well. Can anyone confirm the etching on a standard Roscoe Bart or perhaps check with Keith?
I wrote to the guy who is selling the pickups, and he admitted that it's a box from a different set of Barts....geez. The K on the bottom of the pickups is an older marking for a brighter voicing of Bartolini pickups. I'll upload what I found...
The box is for classic CBCs. Here's what CBCs look like. Notice 3 wiring posts per side, 6 total.
Contrast the CBC underside to a Roscoe Bart underside (notice 5 wiring posts, 10 total):
The Reverb seller stated the pickups were removed from a 3006 (6 string). The 6-string models have 2 holes, as pictured.
The 5-string models have 3 holes.
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This is the bottom of the for sale pickups...it's an old bright version
Not sure my reason behind posting this, other than just want to get it out there and see if any other Roscoe folk have had similar experiences, or any thoughts.
I have a 2005 LG3005 - Signature or Custom I guess, as it's a carved top. Ebony board, multilayer neck etc. It is far and away the nicest bass I've ever played. But there are a few things keeping it from being #1, and perhaps even keeping it from being a keeper.
1) It has frets. I have been playing almost exclusively fretless lately.
But 2), the other more fundamental issue is that it won't take a low tension setup. When I put on my favorite strings - the DR Blues Vic Wooten Sig (040, .055, .075, .095) I have the truss rod pretty much completely disengaged, and the saddles quite high and still get some dead spots and buzzing at 5th position on the G string. When I put on normal tension strings I can engage the truss, and get a nice low action setup.
I keep saying I can live with the thicker strings, since the bass is so amazing otherwise, and it would cost so much to replace. But then I also feel like something is missing.
I emailed Keith and this is what he said;
"Sounds like the lighter strings will not pull the neck forward enough to work.
There is a fix but we have to go deep, pull the frets, plane the fgbd, refret, set up.
Otherwise you have to use regular tension strings.
Regards,
Keith B. Roscoe"
Anybody else faced this issue? Any thoughts beyond what Keith said?
I have a 2005 LG3005 - Signature or Custom I guess, as it's a carved top. Ebony board, multilayer neck etc. It is far and away the nicest bass I've ever played. But there are a few things keeping it from being #1, and perhaps even keeping it from being a keeper.
1) It has frets. I have been playing almost exclusively fretless lately.
But 2), the other more fundamental issue is that it won't take a low tension setup. When I put on my favorite strings - the DR Blues Vic Wooten Sig (040, .055, .075, .095) I have the truss rod pretty much completely disengaged, and the saddles quite high and still get some dead spots and buzzing at 5th position on the G string. When I put on normal tension strings I can engage the truss, and get a nice low action setup.
I keep saying I can live with the thicker strings, since the bass is so amazing otherwise, and it would cost so much to replace. But then I also feel like something is missing.
I emailed Keith and this is what he said;
"Sounds like the lighter strings will not pull the neck forward enough to work.
There is a fix but we have to go deep, pull the frets, plane the fgbd, refret, set up.
Otherwise you have to use regular tension strings.
Regards,
Keith B. Roscoe"
Anybody else faced this issue? Any thoughts beyond what Keith said?
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There is another fix and I'm surprised that Keith didn't mention it. You can remove the truss rod and install it backwards so that it adds relief in the neck when you tighten it (instead of removing relief). I've had a couple buddies that have it done and it works for necks that are convex when the rod is fully relaxed.
Note: I've never had to do it but I know that Keith has and can provide any specific directions (although it sounds pretty straight forward).
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Thanks, yeah Keith is pretty straight to the point most of the time. Out of interest what are the Roscoe recommended strings? Or are they instrument specific?
Interesting. It makes sense, although I would be nervous to do it. Perhaps I could ask them to do if/when I send it back for a plek. I guess this is why folks now use dual action rods.
Heard back from the seller of those Roscoe pickups...here's what Doug from Bartolini had to say....
Well, that's interesting, to say the least. Did they try to scratch out the K and put a C above it? But only on the bridge pickup? Curious indeed.
These pickups have a 100mm string sensing width, they are the P4 shape, for a six string bass, K is a derivative of C both are original series voicing the K will be 'brighter" with a broader spectrum and lower output than a C. These are in all likelihood specials for Roscoe, well and others too but the K and the very much the same CX voicings were never catalog items.
Now what was the question.....
These would be the Roscoe Specials.
So these are a brighter version of the usual pickups. I'm probably going to pass on them since I want more output (I don't use a preamp) and would prefer the original darker voicing.
Well, that's interesting, to say the least. Did they try to scratch out the K and put a C above it? But only on the bridge pickup? Curious indeed.
These pickups have a 100mm string sensing width, they are the P4 shape, for a six string bass, K is a derivative of C both are original series voicing the K will be 'brighter" with a broader spectrum and lower output than a C. These are in all likelihood specials for Roscoe, well and others too but the K and the very much the same CX voicings were never catalog items.
Now what was the question.....
These would be the Roscoe Specials.
So these are a brighter version of the usual pickups. I'm probably going to pass on them since I want more output (I don't use a preamp) and would prefer the original darker voicing.
This one is killing me...but not for that price! Would love to have a 34" or even a 33" scale 6 string Roscoe....make it headless, and even better!
https://reverb.com/item/46634248-ro...ibition-grade-quilt-maple-top-faded-blue-jean
https://reverb.com/item/46634248-ro...ibition-grade-quilt-maple-top-faded-blue-jean
Yeah thats a stunner. Although an LG without slanted pickups looks a little off to me.
Apparently they have been building a few 33" 5s lately.
My 33" scale 5er should be ready by February/March. I got a progress shot of the body a few days ago.
