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Roscoe Club

#8,501
It took a little longer than 5 years, but I would guess I have gone through maybe 60 basses over the last 10-15 years. Pretty happy with what I have right now. One bass that does everything I need it to do.
 
#8,502
Nightman said:
So, I tried to talk myself out of adding mini switches in my S/C. The cavity area is so small and cramped with wiring all over the place in there, and only the pots immediate areas are routed. And since I don't currently own a router nor a router table that that would be the end of it!
So, what size route would be recommended? :wacky:
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The mini switches are always a versatile addition and a qualified tech could easily get the job done but I would recommend against attempting it yourself if you aren't equipped with a trusty router setup.

I am a builder myself and routing out the electronics cavities is always one of the most nerve-wracking parts of the process. In clearing out the room for the pots and preamp, you're basically thinning down the inside wall of the topwood to millimeters of depth. There's NO margin for error. Every bass I've made in the last eight years receives a sheet of aluminum glued up inside the cavity to help strengthen the area around the control area.
 
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#8,507
Nightman said:
Thanks, @Lonnybass, for talking me off of this DIY mod ledge!!! And I agree, if I'm bent on having the switches, then I need to get them professionally installed and wired.
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You are welcome my friend! You will love the addition of those switches - they totally change up the voicing on the Barts in a way that is completely different from EQ - but yeahhhhh...routing out the control cavity totally sucks. It's a relatively long machining process that needs to be done in multiple shallow passes, with very precise dimensional tolerances all made worse by the fact that you basically can't see what you are doing at all!

A few years ago I noticed one of my router bases would slip even after being locked...the weight of the motor would pull the whole thing a few millimeters down past the depth setting. No amount of service adjustment could fix that stupid thing. On a control cavity, that kind of slippage would have gone right through the floor of a cavity and destroyed the topwood from the back side. Too scary! Do you get the impression routing cavities is no fun? :-)
 
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#8,508
JOME77 said:
Ray,
How'd it do in the service this past weekend? Comparable at all to the Zon?

I've got to say thar the JB pickup configuration certainly works with a fretless! Man oh man!!!
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Joe, those Roscoe Barts gave this bass a new beginning with me!!! The thing is I bought the S/C after I had the 5JB, which I liked a lot!! But the S/C seemed to just fall short in tone from the 5JB, which I just accepted as its character in voice. It's funny, because I had already packed the Zon up for Sunday, but after I installed the new pups Saturday night and heard it in the room, I immediately made the switch!!
And boy did it ruled!! I was able to record some of the service music, but I was fooling around with the EQ's and the recorder's placement in the pit and all, that my attention wasn't fully focused on my playing. So, the quality isn't worth sharing.

Compared to the Zon? Man that's a tough one now with these Barts. I will say though that the S/C is much, much closer to the Zon now than before. I have different strings on the Zon than what I have on the Roscoe, which I'll keep it that way to give them some separation. But they are now both my No. 1 fretless!!! I got a ding :rage: in the S/C from it being shipped, so now it's a keeper!!

I wonder if this S/C sound better than your 5JB??? :rolleyes:
 
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#8,509
Lonnybass said:
You are welcome my friend! You will love the addition of those switches - they totally change up the voicing on the Barts in a way that is completely different from EQ - but yeahhhhh...routing out the control cavity totally sucks. It's a relatively long machining process that needs to be done in multiple shallow passes, with very precise dimensional tolerances all made worse by the fact that you basically can't see what you are doing at all!

A few years ago I noticed one of my router bases would slip even after being locked...the weight of the motor would pull the whole thing a few millimeters down past the depth setting. No amount of service adjustment could fix that stupid thing. On a control cavity, that kind of slippage would have gone right through the floor of a cavity and destroyed the topwood from the back side. Too scary! Do you get the impression routing cavities is no fun? :)
Click to expand...

YEP!!! :thumbsup: I like challenges and I've done things for the first time with great results, but that just looked too unforgiving!! No room for 'Oops!!'
 
#8,510
Nightman said:
Joe, those Roscoe Barts gave this bass a new beginning with me!!! The thing is I bought the S/C after I had the 5JB, which I liked a lot!! But the S/C seemed to just fall short in tone from the 5JB, which I just accepted as its character in voice. It's funny, because I had already packed the Zon up for Sunday, but after I installed the new pups Saturday night and heard it in the room, I immediately made the switch!!
And boy did it ruled!! I was able to record some of the service music, but I was fooling around with the EQ's and the recorder's placement in the pit and all, that my attention wasn't fully focused on my playing. So, the quality isn't worth sharing.

Compared to the Zon? Man that's a tough one now with these Barts. I will say though that the S/C is much, much closer to the Zon now than before. I have different strings on the Zon than what I have on the Roscoe, which I'll keep it that way to give them some separation. But they are now both my No. 1 fretless!!! I got a ding :rage: in the S/C from it being shipped, so now it's a keeper!!

I wonder if this S/C sound better than your 5JB??? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...


Your SC may sound closer to the JB on the bridge but I suspect that neck pickups are quite different sounding. That's one thing that I found this weekend (when playing around with various settings on the JB model). On all of my other Roscoe fretless basses I rarely used the neck pickup because it just smoothed out the sound too much (very little mwah and growl). With the JB model, the neck p/u is moved back closer to the bridge and blending some of it in with the bridge p/u really creates some great fretless tones (and the mwah and growl ares still really good). The JB definitely works with a fretless (although I also totally love my fretted Roscoe JB model too; mahogany rules on a fretted).

Really glad to hear that the Roscoe Bart's made a positive difference in the overall sound!
 
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#8,512
I was lucky not to screw up my drill pressing, but the last time I added holes to an instrument, I sure was sweating it. This Modulus went from 3-pot to four plus two mini Series-Single-Parallel switches for these quad-coil Barts. The cavity was deep enough routed so I just needed to drill press from the top (with precautions).
100_1962-jpg.jpg


Also, there will be pics this weekend or early next week with a new addition to my Roscoe family! :laugh::hyper::bassist:
 
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#8,513
steelin4u said:
I was lucky not to screw up my drill pressing, but the last time I added holes to an instrument, I sure was sweating it. This Modulus went from 3-pot to four plus two mini Series-Single-Parallel switches for these quad-coil Barts. The cavity was deep enough routed so I just needed to drill press from the top (with precautions).
View attachment 2932185

Also, there will be pics this weekend or early next week with a new addition to my Roscoe family! :laugh::hyper::bassist:
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You too!! Weeeeee!
 
#8,514
I have a custom bass I had the builder install Dual Coil Barts with Bart Preamp and had him install the coil tap switch and Series/Parallel and it is the best sounding bass I've ever had. The Series Parallel makes a huge difference in tone and what I use more than anything. I've had several basses with Barts and this made a Yuge upgrade.
 
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#8,515
blmartin2215 said:
It arrived. Only disappointed with dead strings and noticed big drop off in B string volume. sounded overall like a passive Jazz with 30 year old dead strings. Going to have a set up and new strings put on before my impression is made. The look and feel are exceptional. 7.9 lbs!!!!!! It’s nearly 3 lbs lighter than my Modulus Quantum. I think it’s solud swamp ash as the rings line up at mid point. Crazy I’ve never seen anything like it
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Sounds good Jon but if you can withstand a little constructive criticism... well, it really needs some Cowbell. :D
 
#8,518
bassmahn said:
I really miss the Roscoe forum, and the presence on Facebook as well.
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Just spoke with Keith and he said that he had just got setup as the admin of the Roscoe Face Book page and plans on posting there in a more regular manner. Look for him to chime in here on TB too. I sent him the link and he said he'd make sure that he'd checked in from time to time.:thumbsup:
 
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#8,519
Bassworship1 said:
Since when has bass players ever been sincible lol...

On a side note my wife brought up in a conversation yesterday that I’ve had atleast 16 basses in the last 5 years. I didn’t want to correct her and tell her it’s been close to 30 I’ve purchased and traded or sold. Yes I have a sickness and I blame it on you guys lol.
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My wife brings up that topic all the time, since my basses are all hanging on a wall in a room where one of her closets is. I just simple shut it down by comparing the number of guitars I have to the number of shoes/boots she has,... and that pretty much ends that conversation, until the next time. :smug:
 
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