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Roscoe Club

#4,481
jwr said:
So I am selling my house this year or early next year. With the profits (there will be a lot), my wife told me I could get a new bass! So I'm leaning towards Roscoe because I miss the hell out of mine and have wanted a new one ever since I made that fatal mistake of selling it. :(

I've owned two or three Roscoe's. SKB 3005 and Century Signature 4 (Regret this one BIG time). So my question is where should I look? I want a good deal, and I want a well balanced bass. I found the SKB model to be slightly off balance with some neck dive, but a good strap fixed that. Are they all like that? From what I understand the LG models do that as well. So I'm swaying away from them, but maybe I'm misinformed?

I want a passive/active with barts. I LOVE bart pickups. I would do other obviously as I want something a bit different than what I have, but I'm pretty much loving that tone. Any suggestions are welcome! :)
Click to expand...

I have an LG3004 and I don't think there's any neck dive at all. Of course, it's a 4 string and only 34" scale so that might have something to do with it. I had an SKB3006 and it was a bit heavier and I don't recall any neck dive. I didn't have it too long and had to sell it to make a mortgage payment. I do use wide straps though. The Century with the longer upper horn will probably balance the best but I've never tried one.
 
#4,482
I don't remember if I asked this besfore, but has anybody installed a set of Nordstrand Big Singles?

I'm primarily a J bass w/ single coils player. I get nice growl, super lows if I want them, and extremely clear and articulate highs. Whenever I switch to another style of bass I feel like a put a blanket over my cab. I absolutely love my Roscoe Century 5 Sig but I don't play it all that often because of what I described. I've thought about swapping out the Roscoe Barts for something else and I've been checking out the Big Singles as they sound like they'd probably give me what I want...

Thoughts?
 
#4,483
Dave W said:
I don't remember if I asked this besfore, but has anybody installed a set of Nordstrand Big Singles?
Click to expand...
I don't know if you've asked before, but the topic does come up.
If you go to the search box, paste in Nordstrand, check the Search This Thread box, and you'll get a couple of pages of Nordstrand posts. Some of them are preamp references, and probably most are not Big Single. But you can sift through a couple hundred pages in a few seconds.
 
#4,484
Dave W said:
I don't remember if I asked this besfore, but has anybody installed a set of Nordstrand Big Singles?

I'm primarily a J bass w/ single coils player. I get nice growl, super lows if I want them, and extremely clear and articulate highs. Whenever I switch to another style of bass I feel like a put a blanket over my cab. I absolutely love my Roscoe Century 5 Sig but I don't play it all that often because of what I described. I've thought about swapping out the Roscoe Barts for something else and I've been checking out the Big Singles as they sound like they'd probably give me what I want...

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I put Big Singles in my SKB-3005 and it completely opened the sound of the bass up. I'm also more a jazz bass with single coils player and the Big Singles got my Roscoe exactly where I wanted it. FWIW, mine is ash body, sapwood wenge fretboard with an Aguilar OBP-3.

BEB588C8-D2DE-4740-AB41-6DE35C156613_zpsyaejwory.jpg
 
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#4,485
I highly recommend a set of Nordstrands. I put the NJ5Fs (single-coils) in my Century Standard 5, replacing the stock Bartolini hum-cancelling pickups, and it totally opened up the sound. Humbuckers are a bit too tame and dark-sounding for me. I kept the NTMB preamp in there but I usually set everything flat. Maybe a little mid boost at 400hz, but those pickups sound so good by themselves.
 
#4,487
Dave W said:
I don't remember if I asked this besfore, but has anybody installed a set of Nordstrand Big Singles?

I'm primarily a J bass w/ single coils player. I get nice growl, super lows if I want them, and extremely clear and articulate highs. Whenever I switch to another style of bass I feel like a put a blanket over my cab. I absolutely love my Roscoe Century 5 Sig but I don't play it all that often because of what I described. I've thought about swapping out the Roscoe Barts for something else and I've been checking out the Big Singles as they sound like they'd probably give me what I want...

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I have a Century six with Nordy p/u's and a Bart preamp. That's a nice combination. The Nordy's are much more open and articulate.
 
#4,488
So I recently received two Roscoes. A SKB3005 and a LG3005. Man these basses play and sound so sweet. It's good to be back in the club. But I'm thinking I really prefer the SKB body style. So just wondering if anybody might be interested in a trade arrangement involving a SKB or Century for my LG. Send me a "conversation" (PM) if you are interested.
 
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#4,489
OK! So I'm still undecided on the body I want. I did just buy a Dingwall (today) but I sold pedals to fund it, so my wife said I can still buy a Roscoe next year (maybe sooner!!!!).

So I need advice.

The Roscoe's I've owned have been

2 SKB 3005's
1 Century Sig 4 Koa top with Mother pearl inlays and...ugh!!!!!!!!! SO much regret!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I want a 4 for sure. Dream would be-[

Koa or Buckeye top
Barts with Darkglass pre
Wenge fretboard (fretted) Or ebony (epoxy unfretted with NO lines)
Drop tuner on the E peg
Custom inlay artwork on the board, especially for a fretless
Black hardware
3 way pickup selector switch (do they do these??? I swear that's what my Century had???)
Matching headstock with the top

So probably a 5k bass new? Maybe a bit more? BUT! I'll have the money!!! So I really, really am considering this for real. Like going all custom.

What do you guys thing?
 
#4,490
Ebony is a huge upcharge at Roscoe. So much that it sort of tells me they don't like working with it.
You'd probably do better with Diamondwood if you go fretless.

I don't think they'll do any inlays on a fretless (except for lines if you want them)

I'd be interested to hear the Darkglass.
 
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#4,494
It's all personal preference. Sometimes not veering too far from the standard gets the best results. Between Koa and Buckeye Burl, there's a huge price difference. Again, it would depend on the top. I have no idea what the Darkglass will sound like.
 
#4,495
Freddels said:
It's all personal preference. Sometimes not veering too far from the standard gets the best results. Between Koa and Buckeye Burl, there's a huge price difference. Again, it would depend on the top. I have no idea what the Darkglass will sound like.
Click to expand...

That's true too! See I need this kind of feedback! :) lol

I don't even know what electronics where in my previous Roscoes. They had barts, but I don't know what the pre's were. I LOVED the tone for sure and want it close to that. The Darkglass thing is not a huge thing for me. I can deal either way.
I really, really like Koa. So I'm leaning more towards that.

I've got time, just want to kind of mentally have things lined up before I buy. Even if I end up buying used you know? It's a tough decision.
 
#4,498
jwr said:
OK! So I'm still undecided on the body I want. I did just buy a Dingwall (today) but I sold pedals to fund it, so my wife said I can still buy a Roscoe next year (maybe sooner!!!!).

So I need advice.

The Roscoe's I've owned have been

2 SKB 3005's
1 Century Sig 4 Koa top with Mother pearl inlays and...ugh!!!!!!!!! SO much regret!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I want a 4 for sure. Dream would be-[

Koa or Buckeye top
Barts with Darkglass pre
Wenge fretboard (fretted) Or ebony (epoxy unfretted with NO lines)
Drop tuner on the E peg
Custom inlay artwork on the board, especially for a fretless
Black hardware
3 way pickup selector switch (do they do these??? I swear that's what my Century had???)
Matching headstock with the top

So probably a 5k bass new? Maybe a bit more? BUT! I'll have the money!!! So I really, really am considering this for real. Like going all custom.

What do you guys thing?
Click to expand...

Go with the Signature, that way you get the matching headstock both front and rear, and the extra stingers in the neck (which I love). Like the others said, diamond wood for the fret board. I'm sure they will do whatever custom inlays you want.

Stick with the Roscoe Barts and preamp. I have two Century Sigs, one quilt maple top with Roscoe Barts; the other Koa top with Aguilar pups. I like the Roscoe Barts better, but I don't dislike the Aguilars.

It will cost you a little more than 5K, but you will not regret it. I will never part with my Roscoe's, and may get another!! In my worthless opinion they are a killer bargain when you compare to other boutique brands (one of which buys parts pre made)

Good luck and enjoy your new build.


Mark
 
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#4,500
SteveC said:
Go diamond wood for fretless
Click to expand...

Do it sooner than later if you want diamondwood - we are already completely out of Bird's Eye Maple diamondwood, and the supply of black diamondwood we have is it. The factory that produced it burned to the ground about a year ago, and they announced not too long afterward that they will not be re-opening. We have a decent supply of the black, and some odd-bird boards (weird colors like blue or red) left in stock, and I am searching for alternatives, but at this time, have not found anything suitable.

If you REALLY want a diamondwood fretless, don't blink - or we may not be able to accomodate you. :(
 

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