Congrat's! You'll love the sound of the mahogany body on a Roscoe. It's definitely become my favorite.
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Roscoe Club
- Thread starter JOME77
- Start date
Congrat's! You'll love the sound of the mahogany body on a Roscoe. It's definitely become my favorite.
Century Custom
Mahogany body
Walnut Burl top, with a Wenge shim
Maple neck with Wenge center (with volute)
Wedge fingerboard with a custom stealth 12th fret marker
Weighs 9.4 pounds on the bathroom scales.
I'm not set up for recording, maybe I can persuade JOME to record one or two.
Attachments
Century Custom
Mahogany body
Walnut Burl top, with a Wenge shim
Maple neck with Wenge center (with volute)
Wedge fingerboard with a custom stealth 12th fret marker
Weighs 9.4 pounds on the bathroom scales.
I'm not set up for recording, maybe I can persuade JOME to record one or two.
Walnut coming out of the wood works lately!
I continue to be surprised how much I am loving my 'new to me' Roscoe Century Signature. That classic Roscoe voice just speaks in a mix, and the low end is still very supportive of the band.
It took me a couple weeks to get used to the 35" scale with the slightly more narrow string spacing (even though I played 35" instruments for many years back in the day), but now all is good. That 18mm spacing is really very nice... doesn't feel cramped at all, and it really does bring that neck width in nicely.
The B string is just stupid good... big and full and fat, but zero flub or 'overextension' due to the pickup voicing and placement, and I assume some woodworking magic also. You can actually PLAY this B string up and down the neck. VERY little difference, if any, between the open E and the 'E on the B' (with my 45-125 DR Hi Beams). Extremely impressive!
Also, still amazed by the stunning attention to detail. Every bit of the finish, the neck pocket, the amazing laminates, the headstock detail, etc., etc. is literally perfect. VERY impressive. The ability to quickly match the preamp gain to my other instruments with the exposed trim pot on the cavity cover, and the separate battery compartment... bonus features that reinforce the feeling that a LOT of thought went into the design of these basses.
Really fun to play, sounds great, beautiful aesthetics. I can see where, similar to the wonderful Fodera and MTD basses, guys tend to get more than one
There might be a PJ5 Century Standard+ in my future someday.
It took me a couple weeks to get used to the 35" scale with the slightly more narrow string spacing (even though I played 35" instruments for many years back in the day), but now all is good. That 18mm spacing is really very nice... doesn't feel cramped at all, and it really does bring that neck width in nicely.
The B string is just stupid good... big and full and fat, but zero flub or 'overextension' due to the pickup voicing and placement, and I assume some woodworking magic also. You can actually PLAY this B string up and down the neck. VERY little difference, if any, between the open E and the 'E on the B' (with my 45-125 DR Hi Beams). Extremely impressive!
Also, still amazed by the stunning attention to detail. Every bit of the finish, the neck pocket, the amazing laminates, the headstock detail, etc., etc. is literally perfect. VERY impressive. The ability to quickly match the preamp gain to my other instruments with the exposed trim pot on the cavity cover, and the separate battery compartment... bonus features that reinforce the feeling that a LOT of thought went into the design of these basses.
Really fun to play, sounds great, beautiful aesthetics. I can see where, similar to the wonderful Fodera and MTD basses, guys tend to get more than one
There might be a PJ5 Century Standard+ in my future someday.
Here is a picture of it (Century Signature, flame maple top, ash body, maple wenge 'wedge' neck, Roscoe Barts and 3 band Bart preamp, highly figured BEM fretboard) in the new Reunion Blues Continental bag (WONDERFUL bag.... great pocket space, super quality, super protection, and the Roscoe Century fits nice and snug!).
I agree 100%. So much so, that I may also consider a five string SKB with Roscoe Bartolini Soaps to accompany my SKB jazz Roscoe. Currently I have a Roscoe SKB six string but still stumble on the extra strings playing live.
I moved from 4 string to 5 string very early on (in the 80's), and it took me about one gig to totally be comfortable with it. I dipped into a six string in the 90's for about 6 months and never was able to get comfortable with the neck size, the additional muting complexity, nor the sound of that C string. I guess it is all relative, but a 5 works great for me!
The Roscoe Barts stacked reasonably close to the bridge is a unique and wonderful playing experience for sure. I'm digging it, and I'm surpised at the nice, modern P tone I can get by slightly favoring the neck pickup and boosting 800hz a bit. Nice! It relaxes the 'burp' nicely with that setting, sounding a bit more 'traditional and supportive'.
I don't have the chops for the 'favor the bridge pickup and boost 250hz, but that is a wonderous tone also if you are a gun slinger... Jaco on steroids sort of thing!
Beautiful. That bridge placement due to the short scale makes it look like a boutique guitar. Dig it.
After cover band gigs this weekend I've had more time in a band setting and my love of this bass is only growing. By far my favorite bass I've gigged with. It makes my mini rig ( all markbass, 2x10s and a 12 with LMT 800) sound better than it ever has. The low b is SUPER FAT. I had multiple band members comment on how great the low notes are.
Also- One band mate said when he normally hears chords on a bass they sound " mushy". But on the roscoe he could hear each note of the chord the few times I held chords.
I know roscoes aren't necessarily known for their slap tone but I'm loving the tone I can get out of this bass. I don't want to change a thing.
I'm also loving the obp1 pre amp. Its very clean, clear, and natural sounding. Over the last 8 months i had gigged with a mustang and got used to the ease of rolling the tone knob for different sounds( I also had to use a vt pedal with the mustang). This pre amp is just as easy to change sounds( no pedal required!). I can quickly move between the tones I prefer by only adjusting the tone control and highs. Greg's( rocket music) clips had convinced me to try it and I'm glad I did. It's very different from the obp3 which I didn't like at all( in a different bass).
And on top of everything I love about the sound/tone of the bass- it weighs 8lbs and has a small neck which is very easy on my hands, shoulder, etc.
I love this bass.
Also- One band mate said when he normally hears chords on a bass they sound " mushy". But on the roscoe he could hear each note of the chord the few times I held chords.
I know roscoes aren't necessarily known for their slap tone but I'm loving the tone I can get out of this bass. I don't want to change a thing.
I'm also loving the obp1 pre amp. Its very clean, clear, and natural sounding. Over the last 8 months i had gigged with a mustang and got used to the ease of rolling the tone knob for different sounds( I also had to use a vt pedal with the mustang). This pre amp is just as easy to change sounds( no pedal required!). I can quickly move between the tones I prefer by only adjusting the tone control and highs. Greg's( rocket music) clips had convinced me to try it and I'm glad I did. It's very different from the obp3 which I didn't like at all( in a different bass).
And on top of everything I love about the sound/tone of the bass- it weighs 8lbs and has a small neck which is very easy on my hands, shoulder, etc.
I love this bass.
Thanks man. When I first opened the case I laughed at how much it looks like a guitar. But I love the way it looks.
BTW- I love the birds eye on your bass. I had a roscoe sixer with birds eye that was similar and it was beautiful. I would open up the case just to look at it.
Century Custom
Mahogany body
Walnut Burl top, with a Wenge shim
Maple neck with Wenge center (with volute)
Wedge fingerboard with a custom stealth 12th fret marker
Weighs 9.4 pounds on the bathroom scales.
I'm not set up for recording, maybe I can persuade JOME to record one or two.
Congrats! Looking forward to checking it out at the gtg.
Do basses have a "break in" period? It seems like my Century has "found its voice" over the last couple weeks. I did put on new stings yesterday, but even before that it has really been growling and awesome the last couple weeks. Sounding really good and really fun to play.
Our band is the "house band" for a regional church retreat next weekend so I'm anxious to see if it keeps on sounding/playing like this.
Our band is the "house band" for a regional church retreat next weekend so I'm anxious to see if it keeps on sounding/playing like this.
No, but your ears definitely have a break-in period. It takes a while to adjust to the tone of a new instrument or amp. Also, technique has a bit of a break-in period, and it sometimes takes a week or two to slightly adjust hand position, touch, etc. to bring the most out of an instrument that has a different feel or tonality.
+1 to the above. I've never considered an instrument to have a break in period ( whether it does or doesn't I can't say for sure). But I definitely agree with everything else stated.
I tell you what, going from the 19mm, 34" relatively low radius instruments I've been playing for the last 7 or 8 years to the 35", 18mm, relatively high radius Roscoe kind of snapped my head around a bit. It took about two weeks to really bond with it. The way the body and neck kind of move first position out a bit on the strap also threw me a touch.
All is good now. All is VERY good now. TOTALLY digging it.
I hear you. I've been used to high radius basses with tight spacing for about four years now. So when I recently picked up a sadowsky pj it felt like playing a baseball bat( of course I'm exaggerating) The bass sounded great but I much prefer my High radius tight spaced basses.
However they all have their own pros and cons.
However they all have their own pros and cons.
