- Apr 1, 2000
- 17,398
- 9,830
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Roscoe Guitars, DR Strings, Aguilar Amplification
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Roscoe Club
- Thread starter JOME77
- Start date
Lately Keith has put some bodies together out of some tops body blanks according to a post he made on Facebook a few months ago
I go between DR Pure Blues and Roscoe bulk D'Addario Nickel RW's. Both sound really good. The DR's (which have bit more highs) would probably sound closer to the Dunlop Super Brights.
Beautiful bass! Love everything about that one. The fingerboard is totally off the charts! I've seen some really nice Katalox fingerboards but this is the first time that I've heard it referred to as "Mexican Ebony".
I had never heard of it and that was actually what Keith called it.
So I recently purchased a Nordstrand 3B-4a (2-Pickup 4-Knob 3-Band Vol/Vol Stack - Tone P/P A/P - Mid P/P - Treb/Bass Stack) preamp. I purchased it for my Fender Elite P-Bass but was really tempted to install it in my Signature Roscoe 3005. In the end I went ahead and installed it in my Elite and it sounds just awesome. Huge improvement over the stock Fender preamp.
I say all this to because I'm really leaning on ordering another one to install in my Roscoe. The preamp really reminds me of the Pope Flexcore. Really smooth bass and mids and nice glassy highs. It has a really nice passive tone control (which works in the passive and active mode) and the ability to fine tune the EQ freq's using different value caps.
This is the first Nordstrand preamp that I've heard. I've used their pickups on several basses but never their preamp.
This might just be my replacement for the Roscoe Demeter (with the additional features of the Pope and East preamps). Super easy install too.
I say all this to because I'm really leaning on ordering another one to install in my Roscoe. The preamp really reminds me of the Pope Flexcore. Really smooth bass and mids and nice glassy highs. It has a really nice passive tone control (which works in the passive and active mode) and the ability to fine tune the EQ freq's using different value caps.
This is the first Nordstrand preamp that I've heard. I've used their pickups on several basses but never their preamp.
This might just be my replacement for the Roscoe Demeter (with the additional features of the Pope and East preamps). Super easy install too.
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So @Joe BassPlayer, you are going this route instead of adding a tone control to the Roscoe Bart preamp?
I did get a couple of sets of piccolo strings to install, but I decided not to put them on a Roscoe because one of them has lifetime flats with Demeter preamp and the other one is going to Keith in a couple of weeks and I’ll probably keep D’Addario EXL on it.
I put the piccolo strings on a 34” scale jazz bass. Interesting tone!
I put the piccolo strings on a 34” scale jazz bass. Interesting tone!
Not totally decided yet Ray.
I've received the Pot and stacked knob set from BBG but haven't wanted to install it yet (even though Frankie at BBG says my installation diagram will work). I know it's reversible but I don't want to do it until I'm sure that's what I want to do. Plus, after hearing the sound of the Fender 3rd Gen noiseless pickups with the Nord pre I get kind of excited thinking how much better the Nord pre might sound with the Roscoe Bart's!
Seems you have options and all are reversible. I think we Roscoeheads would like to know your comments about the options on the table, actually. So, .... 
Indeed- be our guinea pig
I would have never put it quite like that!!!
Think of him as our beloved Roscoe R&D person!! Yea!! That’s the ticket!
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This could be the day Ray. I feel froggy and might very well jump on it!
I figure if it works well, I only spend $30.15 (stacked knobs and concentric pot). If I don't like the sound, then I order another Nordstrand 3B-4a and replace the Bart pre.
Well I did some more thinking of the mod and decided that I really want the mod to also add an Active/Passive switch. I can do that but I'd have to add a micro DPDT switch and I don't really want to permanently modify my bass (by drilling a hole).
The Nord preamp sounds so good in my Fender Elite that I'm just going to order another one for the Roscoe. It provides all the functions that I want with just 4 custom knobs (and will not require permanent modifications to my bass.
You could replace the volume pot with a push/pull pot, all the bart pre’s i have with active/passive have them. No drilling required.
I’d already be replacing it with a concentric pot for the vol and new passive tone control.
I don’t think a push-pull pot would be available in a concentric configuration.
Actually it is and I have one with black metal knobs if you’re interested.
