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Roscoe Club
- Thread starter JOME77
- Start date
That's the old model Wilkinson bridge. Keith definitely recommends replacing those. The new hipshots are pretty good.
There's a straight drop in? The screw pattern looks different to any hipshot product.
Don't know. I've got the newer wilkinson on my mid90s LG. When I took it to him last summer to get the fingerboard plek'd and the preamp swapped out he told me that if I had the old wilkinson bridge he'd want to replace with with the new hipshot.
You can always call Keith and ask what the process is like and decide whether you want to leave it as is, swap it out yourself, have someone else do it, or have Keith do it.
Not a straight drop in. You'll most likely have visible indentations in the finish (unless you get a bridge with a large footprint).
That being said, there's nothing wrong with the Wilkinson bridge. It's really a cool design. Basically it consists of an aluminum extrusion that's cut to accommodate as many saddles as the bass requires. The saddles just slide into the side of the bridge and you lock them down with set screws (so spacing can be adjusted a great deal). For 6 string basses you just cut a longer piece of the extrusion and install 6 saddles. Carvin and several other bass builders used the Wilkinson bridge back in the 80's.
My first Roscoe had the Wilkinson bridge and I thought it was great.
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Thanks for the description. That's a unique design. It still looks strange that the extruded plate is offset towards the G string but I'm sure there's rationale behind it.
It's most likely human error. But it also looks like you can loosen the neck and shift it towards the E side..
This bad boy showed up today:
As I got my NBD buzz on, I was savoring a bunch of little badass details:
I can't wait to try this out on a real gig. (Alas, I'm going to have to - for at least a couple months...)
As I got my NBD buzz on, I was savoring a bunch of little badass details:
- excellent gig bag
- love the accent stripe that goes all the way around, and the way they darkened the alder base so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb on the forearm bevel
- panel style output jack in an Electrosocket cup (my favorite - never see that on a modern axe!)
- 18V
- nifty layout with the most-used knob most accessible (blend) and the next most-used (passive tone) right behind it
- good balance across the registers
I can't wait to try this out on a real gig. (Alas, I'm going to have to - for at least a couple months...)
That's the second Roscoe that looks like the bridge was installed at a slight angle. Now, is that an optical illusion or is the bridge slanted backwards a little?
I need to get my eyes checked and new glasses!
I need to get my eyes checked and new glasses!
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Actually you just loosen the saddle set screws and slide all of the saddles over (to center the strings with the neck).
Love the classic look of that bass and would love to hear your opinion of the sound of the P/J configuration. I seem to be favoring that combo in other brand basses but haven't gotten a chance to hear it in a Roscoe yet.
Other than my Roscoe's, one of my favorite other brand basses were my previously owned Pedulla MVP basses (which had the P/J p/u configuration).
Great sounding basses!
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Now that you mention that, I seem to remember that that was the case with mine too. If I remember correctly it was due to the offset design of the saddles (where the string notch/witness point was located). It was offset (not centered) in the saddle.
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Well this beauty landed yesterday and is everything I could have anticipated.
Picture courtesy of JLY... I'm looking forward to to spending some quality time with it but I have two more scheduled to land today. I'm totally overwhelmed and thankful to be getting my Roscoe on in such a wonderful way. Way. More news and pictures to come.
Picture courtesy of JLY... I'm looking forward to to spending some quality time with it but I have two more scheduled to land today. I'm totally overwhelmed and thankful to be getting my Roscoe on in such a wonderful way. Way. More news and pictures to come.
Well this beauty landed yesterday and is everything I could have anticipated.
View attachment 4117460
Picture courtesy of JLY... I'm looking forward to to spending some quality time with it but I have two more scheduled to land today. I'm totally overwhelmed and thankful to be getting my Roscoe on in such a wonderful way. Way. More news and pictures to come.
B-E-A-utiful! Classy top!
You are quickly becoming my new favorite Roscoe bass hoarder!
B-E-A-utiful! Classy top!
You are quickly becoming my new favorite Roscoe bass hoarder!
LOL. I try. I really do....
I was thinking it was just the photo shot off axis, and that you should probably consult your optometrist.
But as a matter of fact, inspecting in person, the bridge does look to be a couple of degrees CCW.
Given the quality of construction elsewhere, it's hard to imagine that was done by accident. It does look like it gives the saddles more room to travel when setting intonation.
Sure, why not?
I used to have a Pedulla Rapture P/J 5-string! (That thing did have a nice, mix-friendly tone. The P sounded great but was very microphonic and the blend with the J was awkward.)
These Aguilar pickups are different from the Barts I was used to. The P is rather dark - have to crank some active treble boost to match the sizzle even from other passive neck pickups. (I suppose it makes the blend knob that much more effective.) My passive P with flats and a Lollar pickup has more "bite" and more blunt impact - looks like I probably won't be letting that one go, just yet.
The blend is nice and gradual, with the optimal slap sound right on the center detent (the Rapture was not like that and it bugged me...). Not as scooped as a J with single coils but not harsh, either. Halfway between the detent & bridge settings, I can get more growl but still keep some body. Bridge solo'd seems OK - that's never really been my thing on any bass. (I do like how the inner magnet poles are raised - that probably contributes to the impressively even all-round response.)
It's just a preliminary impression - new strings will likely bring out more snap. The real test of course will be a gig. If the "bedroom" tone seems a little subdued, my hunch is that this setup is going to crush it, onstage. I'll report back on that in 4 months.
