The Fenders were/are nice, but it’s good to see the Roscoe’s out again.
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Roscoe Club
- Thread starter JOME77
- Start date
This post is a bit off topic but some of you Roscoe guys might be interested so ......
Most of us long time Roscoe users remember Roscoe making the statement concerning not recommending the use of taper wound strings on Roscoes due to significant issues with proper intonation in the upper registers of the B & E strings (and really odd overtones in the upper register).
Personally, I've never tried taper wound strings on a Roscoe and the only bass that I had them on (a Ken Smith) didn't seem to experience any negative issues but I found out first hand this weekend the issues that Keith and Gard were talking about.
One of my bass students wanted me to help find him a decent bass guitar for around $600-700 so I found him a nice bang for the buck Sterling by Musicman HH4 with a roasted neck. Beautiful instrument and a perfect intermediate instrument for him. It arrived last week and I set it up and dropped it by his house so it would be there when he got back from a youth trip at the beach. Saturday night I got a text from him stating the bass had (in his words) double notes in the upper registers of the E and A string. I'm thinking that he must be hearing things so I texted back asking him to clarify and asked if it was just when playing unplugged or was it coming through the amp. He said it happened plugged in and unplugged. Well since I had just set it up I figured he couldn't know what he was taking about so I told him to just bring it to church Sunday and I'd take it home and go over it again.
Well sure enough when I go home and checked out the bass he was absolutely correct. I checked everything out and couldn't find anything wrong except the intonation seemed a bit odd on the E and A. The bridge saddles were much more forward than the other saddles (and of course they're usually further back). I changed the strings to a new set and still had the issue. I raised the action and the problem was still there.
Then I thought about the issue caused by taper wound strings (even though taper wound strings weren't installed on the bass) and thought maybe it was an issue caused by the string being too close to the pickup (magnet). At this point I was running out of ideas so I figured why not just lower the pickups way down and see if it corrects the problem. Bingo! Problem went away. Crazy! I had to lower the pickups (on the bass side) almost 1/2" away from the strings before the problem went away. After that I was able to correctly set the intonation on the E and A strings. Those MM double humbucking pickups must have very strong magnets!
..... I guess it's true, you can learn something everyday!
Most of us long time Roscoe users remember Roscoe making the statement concerning not recommending the use of taper wound strings on Roscoes due to significant issues with proper intonation in the upper registers of the B & E strings (and really odd overtones in the upper register).
Personally, I've never tried taper wound strings on a Roscoe and the only bass that I had them on (a Ken Smith) didn't seem to experience any negative issues but I found out first hand this weekend the issues that Keith and Gard were talking about.
One of my bass students wanted me to help find him a decent bass guitar for around $600-700 so I found him a nice bang for the buck Sterling by Musicman HH4 with a roasted neck. Beautiful instrument and a perfect intermediate instrument for him. It arrived last week and I set it up and dropped it by his house so it would be there when he got back from a youth trip at the beach. Saturday night I got a text from him stating the bass had (in his words) double notes in the upper registers of the E and A string. I'm thinking that he must be hearing things so I texted back asking him to clarify and asked if it was just when playing unplugged or was it coming through the amp. He said it happened plugged in and unplugged. Well since I had just set it up I figured he couldn't know what he was taking about so I told him to just bring it to church Sunday and I'd take it home and go over it again.
Well sure enough when I go home and checked out the bass he was absolutely correct. I checked everything out and couldn't find anything wrong except the intonation seemed a bit odd on the E and A. The bridge saddles were much more forward than the other saddles (and of course they're usually further back). I changed the strings to a new set and still had the issue. I raised the action and the problem was still there.
Then I thought about the issue caused by taper wound strings (even though taper wound strings weren't installed on the bass) and thought maybe it was an issue caused by the string being too close to the pickup (magnet). At this point I was running out of ideas so I figured why not just lower the pickups way down and see if it corrects the problem. Bingo! Problem went away. Crazy! I had to lower the pickups (on the bass side) almost 1/2" away from the strings before the problem went away. After that I was able to correctly set the intonation on the E and A strings. Those MM double humbucking pickups must have very strong magnets!
..... I guess it's true, you can learn something everyday!
My G.Gould came supplied with taper wound SS strings. They sounded lousy to me. I put on D'Adarrio XL's and the tone is wonderful. Of course we each have our own valid ideas about tone so YMMV.
Playing a very different gig tonight. I almost always play jazz but was recently contacted to play with a high energy dance band and we are playing our first gig tonight. I will use my Century 3005 and play through my Mesa Subway rig....D-800+ into a pair of SW 115's. It should be a blast.
Playing a very different gig tonight. I almost always play jazz but was recently contacted to play with a high energy dance band and we are playing our first gig tonight. I will use my Century 3005 and play through my Mesa Subway rig....D-800+ into a pair of SW 115's. It should be a blast.
Part of my Father’s Day gift from my wife (for my music room) …
How special!!
Which means you've been bound to keep each one of those basses.
Which means you've been bound to keep each one of those basses.
In the first pic, with hat forward,
I think "AC/DC"
In the second pic, with hat backwards,
I think "jazz player"
Beautiful basses, but I really like the first one.
And not get any moreHow special!!
Which means you've been bound to keep each one of those basses.
How special!!
Which means you've been bound to keep each one of those basses.
And not get any more
My original agreement when I purchased my last Roscoe was that I’d sell one of my Fenders to recoup some of the funds. When I put it up for sale she suddenly ask me to just keep it. Now I know why. She had arranged to get the picture made and wanted me to still have them all.
I think I can live with that! I do love them all!
Hopefully, she doesn’t start a trend on how wives can get their husbands to stop buying more basses!
Hey, if it limits me to seven basses, that ain't all bad!....Hopefully, she doesn’t start a trend on how wives can get their husbands to stop buying more basses!
Are you even married? Talking like that! The horrible infection has already started.Hey, if it limits me to seven basses, that ain't all bad!....
That is amazing! What a beautiful piece of art, and a tribute to a beautiful instrument (bass) and set of instruments (your basses). Can you share the story of how she had it done (did a photographer come in while you were away, etc.)?
Thanks Adam! I had actually been messing around several weeks ago taking photo's of my basses on a black table cloth and I showed her a few of the pictures and apparently when I wasn't around (but my phone was) she sent a copy of that picture to her phone and contacted Shutterfly and they created the canvas picture. I was quite surprised when she gave it to me. Wonderful gift!
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