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Roscoe Club

Yeah, that’s probably the nicest fretless I’ve played or owned. Dumb to sell it. The soap bar quilt maple is really nice as well.

I believe all of us have done that Steve. I’ve sold or traded 5 Roscoe fretless basses (all were really good) because I didn’t use them as much as my fretted basses (and I felt I couldn’t justify having a bass that expensive sitting in the case). I thought another fretted bass would be used more. Truth is it never worked out that way. All I really accomplished was having an expensive fretted bass sitting in the case instead.
 
Exactly. My original plan was a "matching pair" of fretted and fretless 5's. But then I got the P and found I used that for "jazz" type stuff. And it does sound great. I used my fretless at church a lot which worked out well. I thought I needed a different fretted bass. Turns out, I just play my Century 5 or P. I still can't really justify a fretless I suppose, but if the right one became available...who knows.
 
So, after saying the above, this is still around For Sale - Roscoe Classic P bass 5 string and tempting me, but I'm not sure. I used my Century 5 last night and it was great. But, my sound guy says my P (with flats) has more definition out front. I'm not sure how that can be. It seems my active soap Century 5 should be equally as defined? Yet, I go to gigs (Train, Jason Isbell, Pink, on and on) and everyone is playing a P bass and they sound so amazing. Full, smooth, deep, etc. But I don't feel like I get that sound. I tried putting rounds on my P but I just didn't like them on that bass. And I like to use it with flats for other types of gigs, not the cover band.

So what can/should I try? The band seems to like the 5. Sound guy likes the P. I'm torn. Maybe I should try rounds again and play the bass at a gig? I only tried them at home.

Not looking to "justify" a purchase. I'd rather not as we have $3K in wisdom teeth removal coming up for the kids. But...
 
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I used my Century 5 last night and it was great. But, my sound guy says my P (with flats) has more definition out front. So what can/should I try? The band seems to like the 5.
a) Boost the mids and or treble a smidge, or b) roll a smidge off the bass of the Century 5. c) If you slightly favor the bridge pickup in your blend, add some low mids to that. I use all of these in my Roscoe experience according to the mix need.
 
So, after saying the above, this is still around For Sale - Roscoe Classic P bass 5 string and tempting me, but I'm not sure. I used my Century 5 last night and it was great. But, my sound guy says my P (with flats) has more definition out front. I'm not sure how that can be. It seems my active soap Century 5 should be equally as defined? Yet, I go to gigs (Train, Jason Isbell, Pink, on and on) and everyone is playing a P bass and they sound so amazing. Full, smooth, deep, etc. But I don't feel like I get that sound. I tried putting rounds on my P but I just didn't like them on that bass. And I like to use it with flats for other types of gigs, not the cover band.

So what can/should I try? The band seems to like the 5. Sound guy likes the P. I'm torn. Maybe I should try rounds again and play the bass at a gig? I only tried them at home.

Not looking to "justify" a purchase. I'd rather not as we have $3K in wisdom teeth removal coming up for the kids. But...

Both of my Soundmen tell me that they prefer my Pbass (5 and 4) with flats over my modern 5’s with rounds in the the live mix. They say it sits in the mix better and they can run me hotter and it never gets boomy sounding. It probably has something to do with our church sanctuary (it’s quite large). It really makes sense though because rounds tend to bloom much more while flats decay quickly and the flats are more focused.
 
a) Boost the mids and or treble a smidge, or b) roll a smidge off the bass of the Century 5. c) If you slightly favor the bridge pickup in your blend, add some low mids to that. I use all of these in my Roscoe experience according to the mix need.

I have done/do "a" and "c" options. I do think that helps.

Both of my Soundmen tell me that they prefer my Pbass (5 and 4) with flats over my modern 5’s with rounds in the the live mix. They say it sits in the mix better and they can run me hotter and it never gets boomy sounding.

Interesting. Pretty much what mine says. I like to have a B string so that's why the Roscoe P5 is tempting.

It really makes sense though because rounds tend to bloom much more while flats decay quickly and the flats are more focused.

I guess that makes sense. Someone suggested (as I don't really want to buy a bass right now) that I try some flats on my 5. I may. That won't make it a P bass though.
 
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So, after saying the above, this is still around For Sale - Roscoe Classic P bass 5 string and tempting me, but I'm not sure. I used my Century 5 last night and it was great. But, my sound guy says my P (with flats) has more definition out front. I'm not sure how that can be. It seems my active soap Century 5 should be equally as defined? Yet, I go to gigs (Train, Jason Isbell, Pink, on and on) and everyone is playing a P bass and they sound so amazing. Full, smooth, deep, etc. But I don't feel like I get that sound. I tried putting rounds on my P but I just didn't like them on that bass. And I like to use it with flats for other types of gigs, not the cover band.

So what can/should I try? The band seems to like the 5. Sound guy likes the P. I'm torn. Maybe I should try rounds again and play the bass at a gig? I only tried them at home.

Not looking to "justify" a purchase. I'd rather not as we have $3K in wisdom teeth removal coming up for the kids. But...

I saw that P5 as well
But I had a classic PJ5 for about a week and moved it quickly, because the neck was huge and uncomfortable. That neck was nothing at all like a SKB. Century or an LG. That experience scared me off on the P5
 
Both of my Soundmen tell me that they prefer my Pbass (5 and 4) with flats over my modern 5’s with rounds in the the live mix.
Confirmation bias, perhaps? They hear with their eyes. .

I have done/do "a" and "c" options. I do think that helps.
If you try "b," add some (makeup) gain to the signal to make it stand out more.
 
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I am permanently retired from playing out. Sold all my PA equipment and a bass cabinet. Wasn't going to sell any basses but I've got a fretless Roscoe SKB 3005 from roughly 2002 that I'm not playing and it really should be used. I've had it for a little over ten years. Only gigged with it once. Here's a link from when I purchased it.

roscoe-skb-3005-fretless.974352

If anyone is interested let me know and I'll post it in the classifieds. Otherwise I'll probably hold on to it.
 
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Ordered 2 sets of Dunlop flats (40-100/120) for my P4 and Century 5. See what happens.

Great strings Steve. I prefer the EB Cobalt flats on my Jazz but the Dunlops feel and sound great on my P basses (now converted to PJ basses). Somewhere between the LaBella DTF’s and the modern flats (D’addario Chromes and EB Cobalt flats).
 
I'm old school cause I am....old. But I've been using flats for over 40 years and never change a set unless one breaks. Never have broken a string. Mostly Chromes, TI Jazz & LaBella DTF.

Totally love the TI flats on my Roscoe fretless. I’ve tried taking them off (in favor of nickel RW’s) several times but the RW’s never last more than a few hours. So much wonderful growl and they feel so good!;)
 
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Hi all! New owner of a circa ‘97-‘98 LG 3000. It’s far from a closet queen, but I like ‘em a bit rough around the edges.

One oddity though. I’ve done several searches of this thread and others, and I think I figured it out, but I don’t see the exact same issue. Forgive me if I missed something.

There’s a thick black layer (“Uber shim”?) between the neck and the body, looks like ebony. Seems like this may have been done to facilitate swapping the original bridge for a brass Hipshot A, based on what I’m reading here about the proprietary Roscoe bridge being thinner. Any thoughts?

FA63AFFF-E7EE-432D-9C6A-6A34E8B4B46E.jpeg 8603CC7C-5B2C-4989-AB34-67B4CCCE1FBD.jpeg
 
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Hi all! New owner of a circa ‘97-‘98 LG 3000. It’s far from a closet queen, but I like ‘em a bit rough around the edges.

One oddity though. I’ve done several searches of this thread and others, and I think I figured it out, but I don’t see the exact same issue. Forgive me if I missed something.

There’s a thick black layer (“Uber shim”?) between the neck and the body, looks like ebony. Seems like this may have been done to facilitate swapping the original bridge for a brass Hipshot A, based on what I’m reading here about the proprietary Roscoe bridge being thinner. Any thoughts?

View attachment 5190000 View attachment 5190002
The Roscoe bridge is thicker, it follows the radius of the fingerboard- the one you have on there now looks like it. The stock Hipshot (from Hipshot, not the Roscoe special order one) type A has a thinner base plate.
 
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