• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Roscoe Club

Lol
I figured the sound of the Roscoe would get the nod on the Roscoe thread!:)
But do you think it sounds like a P bass with rounds?
That’s what I was going for.
IMO the sound of the P bass with flats is a broader sound while the Roscoe is more focused. Probably greatly influenced by the strings.
Yea I’ve always thought the Roscoe with the soapbars and only the neck pickup with treble rolled back sounds very much like a P bass. I think the Bartolinis have split coils so that plus the neck pickup is in the P bass area gives it that tone
 
Alright Genzler/Aguilar/Epifani/Bergantino guys... and really, anyone, heck, everyone, else who wants to throw in on this one-
Those are all great choices. I’m particular to Aguilar because I really like their Amps and I tend to not mix brands. The NEO stuff from all the brands you mentioned are top notch. Each make ceramic versions to but if you want solid lows and clear highs, not sizzle then Aguilar..
Baseline: My experience is with Eden and SWR Cabs- but now that they're no longer Eden and SWR but Marshall and Fender, I'm no longer interested. I've always GAS'd over Bergantino, but I haven't played through any of their stuff that's newer than an HT322 (which if I find locally, I'm buying).

So I'm not a fan of tweeters, they just seem too harsh to me. I'm a big fan of the low B thunder I can get from both of my Roscoes (The fretted PJ and Fretless with the Roscoe Barts). And I really like the midrange bark (like 70Lb pitbull bark, not 5lb chihuahua) that I can get out of the PJ, and the midrange sweetness and mwah that I can coax out of the fretless, even with the diamondwood fingerboard, without getting clanky.

The problem with my Eden 15s is that they're a bit muddy, but I could never get into the SWR or Eden 10s, they just seemed too hot on the high side. I went through a few 210 cabs, perhaps before I realized that I didn't like tweeters, and as a result ended up with 2 Eden 15 cabs.

So what do you guys think? Where should I be looking for excellent low end with a great midrange, but not a hot top end? Again, that Berg 322 with the tweeter off sounded great- but that behemoth is a) heavier than my first high school girlfriend (we've all been there) and b) been out of production for so long that the search just isn't worth it.
 
All of those brands are great. The NEO lines are exceptional too. If you’re looking for deep lows and clear highs without sizzle look at Aguilar . I happen to think their amplifiers are the best of the bunch and I tend to match cabs with amps. The SL 212 and Bergantino Hdn 212 packs a punch and will shake pictures off walls
 

Attachments

  • D2443049-E5D4-4056-B2C7-EE07E71B3CB4.jpeg
    D2443049-E5D4-4056-B2C7-EE07E71B3CB4.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 18
  • Like
Reactions: emjazz
I should have known better than to try and sneak one by you and your Roscoe radar. Yes, I’d reached out to him with an offer a week or so ago, and after some back and forth, we made a deal. I didn’t notice he was in Alaska until afterwards- he shipped it 2 day air, so pretty cool. I wanted to try a Century very badly, but this will be my 3rd ash body/maple ‘board bass (and I have an F Bass on order with that as well) so we’ll see if it’s a keeper.

On the plus side, now you can buy my SKB that you’ve asked about :D

Well first off, not all tweeters are the same. I was an SWR guy back in the day (R.I.P.), and other than maybe EBS, there’s not a lot of stuff out there with that high end/sizzle that SWR has. Also, most places wire their speakers full range and the tweeters get just the super highs, so you’ll still have a full range cab even if you roll off the tweeters.

I have had Aguilar (SL112 cabs and the DB112NTs) and they are very nice, but they have the “Aguilar sound”, which I would describe as “modern vintage”. They are clear, but not hifi, more lows and low mids than high end. I do like Aguilar stuff a lot, but you really have to tweak to get rid of the baked in tone (I happen to like that sound, so no worries foe me, but if you’re a slapper/hifi person, you might want to look elsewhere- I don’t think you are, but just in case...). I actually liked the DB cabs better- they have mids and low end to spare, but at 44lbs apiece with a side strap handle, they’re not the most portable. The SL112’s are 25lbs apiece, I’ll make that trade any day. The SL112s are better in pairs though, the DB’s could stand on their own. Also, most Aguilar cabs are rear-ported, FYI. This bothers some people.

I also have had a Bergantino HDN212 cab (with the B amp) and I loved it. Also not super sizzly, great full range tone, plenty of oomph, and easy to schlep. Bergantino stuff is very clear and pretty hifi (but not sterile). I only sold it because I didn’t need two rigs and I got what I had into it. Bergantino has several lines of cabinets and uses different tweeters in a lot of them, right now the REF and HG series are supposed to have the best tweeter/crossover set up in all of them (I haven’t tried them yet). A buddy of mine just got a NV115, haven’t heard it but he digs it. Describes it as “chocolatey goodness.” With the exception of the NV stuff, the Berg stuff is pretty transparent and doesn’t add a lot to your tone.

I have had the Mesa SW 210 and 115. Great build quality, easy to move (love the flip up handles), I like the 115 as a stand alone/full range cab. Good lows, nice mids, not too much highs, but clear and not muddy. Didn’t care for the SW amps too much though- the mids were weird to me. That deep switch though is the best I’ve ever heard...

My current rig is a Genzler MG800 and 3 12-3 array cabs (1 slant and 2 straights). Punch, clarity, mids and highs (but not sizzle/hiss)- it has it all. Really nice setup that doesn’t add a lot of color. Some guys do stack the cabs sideways, ymmv. The arrays are designed to work vertically, and when you stack them they align and couple with each other for more of a good thing. And with the slant, unless you’re standing right on top of it, they kick back a bit and help you hear yourself. My only complaints with the Genzler stuff is a)I used to used stainless steel strings, imho they sound very scooped with the arrays, switched to nickels and it’s all good (except I have a bunch of packs steel strings sitting on my shelf ;)). And b) playing alone in my basement, running the amp flat, the mids can be a little “honk-y” (I’m an average sized honky myself :D). In a band situation though, no worries, sounds great and cuts through. Also good with distortion and effects, none of the tweeter harshness.

No experience with Epifani, but they look nice.

There’s a lot of excellent amp options out at the moment, lots of competition and companies are bringing their A game, so it’s hard to go wrong, but even the ones that are “transprent” don’t sound exactly the same, at least not to me. Plus the amp you use will effect it a lot too. Good luck, hope all my rambling was helpful.

That seems to be where I'm at. I may be a fan of the Aguilar SL410, but I'm really curious about their 212 as well.

And then there is Berg.

I'm curious- does the Genzler stuff have as shrill of highs since they have little speakers rather than tweeters?


Nothing much for me to say here. Fred covered about everything. I will add though that based on what I've played through lately, the Berg Ref (or former HD) cabinets have the best overall tone (for my ears and basses).
I experienced the same thing with the Genzler 800 and 12-3 Array cab's (scooped sound). I actually love that tone but I found that it disappears quickly in a live mix.

Skip, I believe that you recently purchased an Aguilar AG700 and if that's still your amp of choice I'll just say that it totally kills though Berg ceramic cabinets (not heard it through the Neo's). One of the best tones that I've heard in a long while.:)

And the Berg tweeters are quite smooth sounding. I run mine just below 1/2 and they sound great.

I'll also add that I owned a couple of the UL Epifani cabs and they sound nice. But for my ears they were a bit too polite sounding. It's just hard to beat a Bergantino cab.

My intitial GAS for Bergantino cabs is what is making me hesitate on anything else. I wish it were simple- 20 years ago there were only a few cabs that were worth a darn... Now? So many options.


All of those brands are great. The NEO lines are exceptional too. If you’re looking for deep lows and clear highs without sizzle look at Aguilar . I happen to think their amplifiers are the best of the bunch and I tend to match cabs with amps. The SL 212 and Bergantino Hdn 212 packs a punch and will shake pictures off walls

I've got the AG 700 and I really like it, Now the question seems to be whether a 410 or 212 is right for me...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fred312b
So it’s been a busy few days
That seems to be where I'm at. I may be a fan of the Aguilar SL410, but I'm really curious about their 212 as well.

And then there is Berg.

I'm curious- does the Genzler stuff have as shrill of highs since they have little speakers rather than tweeters?




My intitial GAS for Bergantino cabs is what is making me hesitate on anything else. I wish it were simple- 20 years ago there were only a few cabs that were worth a darn... Now? So many options.




I've got the AG 700 and I really like it, Now the question seems to be whether a 410 or 212 is right for me...
i don’t think the Genzler highs are shrill, they’re actually pretty smooth and nice. They are different than a tweeter though.

I’ve never played through the Aguilar 410 or 212- had 2 112’s and liked it a lot. I really like the vertical 212 schlep factor- narrow and balanced, easy to lift and carry. The 410 is wider and might be a knuckle buster on doorways.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Skip Chucker
I'm not a fan of tweeters, which is why this makes me even more curious. I need to find a shop near me that I can play through a Genzler cab, stat....
I thought this is a pretty good representation of them, although he keeps mispronouncing the name (he is German though, so...)



I had the AG700 and the SL112s at the same time as the Genzler rig I have now, and I didn’t like the AG700 through the Genzler cabs as much as I did through the Aguilar cabs (and vice versa). The Aguilar stuff has more of a low/low mid focus and I think their cabs are voiced better for this. And their tweeters are NOT overbearing or hissy, they integrate really well. But ymmv. And you might not have as bad a case of matching OCD as I do :D

I really like the AG700 amp- thought it was very well done, great eq points, the “magic buttons” do what they’re supposed to do and sound good doing it. I had a Tone Hammer 500 before and at the time I liked it, but the AG eq is easier and it’s hard to get a bad sound out of that amp, whereas I feel the TH isn’t as intuitive and you have to mess with it more.
 
I thought this is a pretty good representation of them, although he keeps mispronouncing the name (he is German though, so...)



I had the AG700 and the SL112s at the same time as the Genzler rig I have now, and I didn’t like the AG700 through the Genzler cabs as much as I did through the Aguilar cabs (and vice versa). The Aguilar stuff has more of a low/low mid focus and I think their cabs are voiced better for this. And their tweeters are NOT overbearing or hissy, they integrate really well. But ymmv. And you might not have as bad a case of matching OCD as I do :D

I really like the AG700 amp- thought it was very well done, great eq points, the “magic buttons” do what they’re supposed to do and sound good doing it. I had a Tone Hammer 500 before and at the time I liked it, but the AG eq is easier and it’s hard to get a bad sound out of that amp, whereas I feel the TH isn’t as intuitive and you have to mess with it more.


Dude, you're the man, thanks for the insight! This helps my focus a lot!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fred312b
My intitial GAS for Bergantino cabs is what is making me hesitate on anything else. I wish it were simple- 20 years ago there were only a few cabs that were worth a darn... Now? So many options.

l10.JPG


I think most everything currently offered today sounds really good. But I also think Bergantino is great. I've been using this rig for about 3 years and never long for anything else.

Mark
 
I thought this is a pretty good representation of them, although he keeps mispronouncing the name (he is German though, so...)



I had the AG700 and the SL112s at the same time as the Genzler rig I have now, and I didn’t like the AG700 through the Genzler cabs as much as I did through the Aguilar cabs (and vice versa). The Aguilar stuff has more of a low/low mid focus and I think their cabs are voiced better for this. And their tweeters are NOT overbearing or hissy, they integrate really well. But ymmv. And you might not have as bad a case of matching OCD as I do :D

I really like the AG700 amp- thought it was very well done, great eq points, the “magic buttons” do what they’re supposed to do and sound good doing it. I had a Tone Hammer 500 before and at the time I liked it, but the AG eq is easier and it’s hard to get a bad sound out of that amp, whereas I feel the TH isn’t as intuitive and you have to mess with it more.


I agree. I’m a huge fan of Aguilar Amps if nothing else they look good, they don’t look like WiFi boxes on their side. The AG 700 just plugged in with everything set at noon sounds great as is. Same with the Tonehammer. I think you can overdo stuff with notch filters and style selectors. To me Aguilar does what they say, Amplify yourself.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Skip Chucker
Guys I have been offered a endorsement through Devon basses and he’s making me a Blue Quilt bass to my specs. So in a few months I will have my like new 2019 SKB Exhibition Roscoe for sale. It was a $5400 build with the top being a $1000 upcharge and $200 set of D-Cline designs knobs. I will be taking a big loss if anyone is interested. Could do a layaway play with some down and pay as you want. Message me for details. Will sale shipped with everything for $3900. View attachment 3492354View attachment 3492355View attachment 3492356View attachment 3492357View attachment 3492359
Congrats on the endorsement! That's a very reasonable deal for your new Roscoe. You don't see quilt maple like that everyday.
 
Guys I have been offered a endorsement through Devon basses and he’s making me a Blue Quilt bass to my specs. So in a few months I will have my like new 2019 SKB Exhibition Roscoe for sale. It was a $5400 build with the top being a $1000 upcharge and $200 set of D-Cline designs knobs. I will be taking a big loss if anyone is interested. Could do a layaway play with some down and pay as you want. Message me for details. Will sale shipped with everything for $3900. View attachment 3492354View attachment 3492355View attachment 3492356View attachment 3492357View attachment 3492359

Why I just can't tell you how surprised we are to hear that!:)
 
Guys I have been offered a endorsement through Devon basses and he’s making me a Blue Quilt bass to my specs. So in a few months I will have my like new 2019 SKB Exhibition Roscoe for sale.

Congrats on your endorsement deal!!! I suspect the Devon will be amazing! Every time I see that blue quilt I start to drool.
 
  • Like
Reactions: campbems
Guys I have been offered a endorsement through Devon basses and he’s making me a Blue Quilt bass to my specs. So in a few months I will have my like new 2019 SKB Exhibition Roscoe for sale. It was a $5400 build with the top being a $1000 upcharge and $200 set of D-Cline designs knobs. I will be taking a big loss if anyone is interested. Could do a layaway play with some down and pay as you want. Message me for details. Will sale shipped with everything for $3900. View attachment 3492354View attachment 3492355View attachment 3492356View attachment 3492357View attachment 3492359

Congrats and GLWTS! Wish I could take that one off your hands!
 
  • Like
Reactions: campbems