Teeny-tiny, boy toy bus!
Say that 7 times really fast and then play "Stairway to heaven" backwards and see if it doesn't sound just like "Highway to Hell"!
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Roscoe Club
- Thread starter JOME77
- Start date
FYI i got it at a little before noon.. just put it down a few mins ago...it only took me about 3 mins to get used to the neck width as compared to my LG3005....
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Are Roscoe Basses sensitive to changes in body wood? If the electronics are the same will a mahogany body sound different than ash? Or is it the neck wood that affects the tone?
I think all basses are influenced in tone by wood selection. There's certainly a difference between the end result of a bass with a Mahogany body vs. Ash. Likewise, there's going to be a difference between a bass with a Maple fretboard and Wenge. Personally, I've always felt that the fretboard material influences the overall tone more than body wood, but both play a role. Now, does anyone hear that in a full band mix, I think it's unlikely, but there is a small difference. With that, I think no matter what, your typical two soapbar Roscoe will still sound inherently Roscoe no matter what, especially when equipped with the Roscoe-spec Bartolini pickups.
I agree with the above with exception to the statement stating that the fingerboard has the most influence on the tone. It certainly influences it but I believe the signature Roscoe tone has more to do with the neck construction (Keith's use of graphite reinforcement) and the Roscoe Bart pickups and pre. Of course everything contributes to the overall tone. For several years I just wasn't a huge fan of ash bodied Roscoe basses. They just sounded too aggressive to me. But when I traded for a Roscoe with a wenge wedge neck everything changed. The aggression of the ash was totally tamed by the oily wenge wood and the "in your face tone" was replaced with a nice growly compressed singing tone. Add then I traded for another Ash bodied Roscoe with a wedge wenge neck and a maple board (which requires Keith to use MORE graphite in the neck) and WOW! Suddenly that tone is still growly and compressed but it sounds clearer sounding and has a really nice snap to it.
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I’m of the perhaps contrarian opinion that fingerboard wood will make little (if any) tonal difference on a fretted bass, as the strings are vibrating between the metal of the fret and the metal of the bridge. Body and neck woods will, I believe, have more influence on sound, though on a solid body instrument the choice and placement of pickups, strings, and electronics are likely to make the biggest differences. And the player, of course.
That’s my firmly held opinion, and I’m sticking to it until I change it!
That’s my firmly held opinion, and I’m sticking to it until I change it!
Just to clarify on my comment so there’s no misunderstanding, I believe of the fretboard and body materials, the fretboard material has more impact between those two, not out of everything. There’s no doubt in my mind that the biggest factors in the tone of a bass are pickup location, the pickups themselves, and the preamp (if any).
You scared me there for a second!!! When I first saw your photo I only saw the neck of the Gecko and the body of the DB and immediately thought you had come up with some weird looking bass!!! 
Where is my Tito’s?
Where is my Tito’s?
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A stiff neck (not the we get in the morning the older we get
) is an important factor for the strings resonating- don’t forget Roscoes (not all the classics, but the Century, LG and SKB- in alphabetical order, no preference shown 
) have quarter sawn necks, which imho really make the notes jump out and emphasizes certain frequencies as opposed to flatsawn necks... which is better is up to the player, i have basses with both (and 2 graphite necked ones as well), but a talented luthier (which I believe Mr. Roscoe qualifies as) knows how to combine the parts to make an instrument that works, and not just a bunch of off the shelf parts thrown together.
Stiff morning necks are real and are a pain in the butt!!
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Oh yes I do!
But you can keep the $5!
View attachment 3602471 View attachment 3602469 View attachment 3602470
Glad I didn’t bet $100!
She’s a beauty!
I’ve never had to learn a James Jamerson’s bass line before, but the new band I’m playing guitar and bass for wants to do What’s Going On and other songs by Marvin Gaye. Of course, I grew up grooving to the Motown sound, but that’s a whole different experience to actually understanding the music and playing it.
Usually, the bass and the drummer are in sync setting the groove, but what I’ve notice about Jamerson is that his groove is in sync with the Congo player with added pauses and very little repetitive phrasing which is a whole new ball game from ‘usual’ bass playing.
Just my observation. YOMV
Usually, the bass and the drummer are in sync setting the groove, but what I’ve notice about Jamerson is that his groove is in sync with the Congo player with added pauses and very little repetitive phrasing which is a whole new ball game from ‘usual’ bass playing.
Just my observation. YOMV
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