Roscoe Club

[staccatogrowl]

This Bubinga has the Nordstrand DC and Nordie preamp with tone control and coil taps. It is more Modern and clear

What do you mean by "Modern?" Many characterize that as scooped. If the Nord pre is scooped, it would make sense that the Bart pre is "thicker" with more mids.

That Koa top was really nice. Only thing I didn't like about it was that it was so polite tonally in a mix that it didn't cut through as good as I liked.

A Roscoe that is "polite in the mix?" I don't think I've experienced that, at least with Roscoe Bart soapbars. Sometimes I might use the onboard pre to tame things a bit. .

 

[MattLplaysBass]

It’s somewhat frustrating (and expensive ) as to how many variables there are with tone. I’ve started playing with some guys locally - Dead & Phish stuff (among others), which is NOT my wheelhouse, but it’s been fun and I’m starting to get it. The last few times I’ve bought my Century, and while it’s not growly, like I’d hoped, it does cut through 2 guitars and a keyboard player pretty well, and gives a nice warm low end, so I’ve been happy with it. Of course, this is through my MarkBass 210 combo (and with the D’Addario XL’s Keith sent on the bass- yes, I should play more so strings don’t last months ) , which does sound really good in a band setting. But once I bring my Berg rig, then I’ll get a more “accurate” sound and can really judge. But for now, it ain’t broke, so…

 

[JOME77]

It’s somewhat frustrating (and expensive ) as to how many variables there are with tone. I’ve started playing with some guys locally - Dead & Phish stuff (among others), which is NOT my wheelhouse, but it’s been fun and I’m starting to get it. The last few times I’ve bought my Century, and while it’s not growly, like I’d hoped, it does cut through 2 guitars and a keyboard player pretty well, and gives a nice warm low end, so I’ve been happy with it. Of course, this is through my MarkBass 210 combo (and with the D’Addario XL’s Keith sent on the bass- yes, I should play more so strings don’t last months ) , which does sound really good in a band setting. But once I bring my Berg rig, then I’ll get a more “accurate” sound and can really judge. But for now, it ain’t broke, so…

Sounds like a fun gig Matt!
I suspect that the Berg rig will have a more cutting tone than the MB combo.

I’ve been struggling a bit over the last month getting the live sound that I want from my Roscoe Custom PJ.
It’s just a bit too warm and politely U was just about to give up on the Aguilar OBP-3 preamp and Aguilar PJ pickups when I thought that I’d try one more set of strings. Just before the pandemic hit I set up a buddies (from Atlanta) old Curbow 5 and after playing it (after the setup) I was so impressed with the tone. It had a Bart/Bart configuration and I suspect that the p/u’s we’re quad coil (based on sound and the fact the Keith and Greg Curbow were mentors if each other). I asked My buddy what strings were on it and he said a 2-3 year old set of DR Hi Beams. I told him that I loved the sound and a couple weeks later a new set of DR Hi Beams arrived in my nail box (complements of my good buddy Roland).
So I installed them on Blondie and the sound was just a bit too bright sounding for my ears (so I took them off).
At any rate I thought I wonder how the Hi Beams would sound in my Roscoe PG.
I got another set (couldn’t find the others) and installed them on my Roscoe PJ.
They sounded as I remembered (bright) but I thought I should B leave them on a while and use them in a gig.
I finally got a chance today and wow!
I have found THE strings for that bass! The tone was the perfect grand piano tone (imagine Dave Hope’s sound on Song of America). The guys in the jam loved the tone too. Wonderful contrast from the Da’ddario nickel strings on Blondie.
And they seem to be breaking in now and are getting a bit warmer sounding while still retaining that great grand B piano bass tone.
Suddenly I love the Aguilar combo in the PJ (again).

 

[armybass]

Strings can make a huge difference. Many times I have found that changing strings has changed my opinion entirely on a bass. I’ve tried dozens of different string brands and my favorites for the modern tone are DR Pure Blues. TI flats are my flats of choice unless it’s a P bass then they are LaBell 760FLs. I think lots of people really underestimate how much of your tone comes from your strings. Find what you like and buy a bunch of sets lol.

 

[staccatogrowl]

Mr. Keith mentions the "Waterfall Bubinga craze in the shop" on The Real Roscoe Guitars FB page. He continues to post progress pics of one beautiful bass after another. Here's a recent:

 

[staccatogrowl]

And, to revisit the pic that likely started the craze, featuring Mr. Kyle:

 

[staccatogrowl]

Then, there was the pic of this Signature model headstock rear, with my favorite woods. It's an example of a rear veneer that stuns, along with the rest of it:

 

[SteveC]

I don’t even know what I’d order if I had money to build a new Roscoe. The woods tops are beautiful. I just have standard plus basses from years ago (not the”plus plus” like they are doing now) but they are still awesome. I so have a fiesta red P bass that looks awesome so I’m good with either wood or paint. The “waterfall” type basses are seductive for sure. My “needs” are covered with what I have. I’ve gone away from “jazz” type basses the last decade or so. Soaps have been my thing, with a new love/appreciation for a good old P bass. After seeing a couple nice examples, I wouldn’t mind a shell pink 5 string jazz bass. It seems like a classic jazz 5 in shell pink with matching headstock, rosewood board with block inlays would be a simple solution. The only thing is I’m not a fan of the “4 over 5” headstock. I don’t think a century 5 body would look good pink.

Maybe Keith would go “John Mayer” for me and put a “standard” Roscoe 5 setting neck/headstock on a classic body? Like Mayer did with the PRS neck/headstock on a strat body. Anyone good with photoshop?

Sorry, that got long and a little OT.

 

[staccatogrowl]

Maybe of additional interest? The Bubinga choice is nothing new. It's been a build option for a while. Check out this gorgeous, solid Bubinga top on an older fretless SKB, currently for sale on Reverb (I have no affiliation with this bass or seller).

Apparently, it is about 11 years old, with a birdseye Diamondwood fingerboard (supply now depleted).

The grain on that top. . WOW. Of interest, too, are the Nordstrand DC5 pickups, indicating a choice that has been around a while.

Last, is a Roscoe feature that is testimony to artisan builder Keith Roscoe: the timeless beauty and function of his work! What's old holds its own with the new. .

 

[Bassworship1]

Here is a video of my Buckeye bass with the Nordstrand DC pickups mentioned above with a Bart preamp run in series mode and flat. Only using my pedal board setup. This is gospel of that offends anyone. Tone is really nice and warm.
https://youtu.be/Y8nBYrwmP3s

 

[JOME77]

California Claro Walnut, aka California Black Walnut, going to Australia.

View attachment 4325749

Enough of the “waterfall bubinga”. Let’s see some more California Claro walnut.

 

[staccatogrowl]

Here is a video of my Buckeye bass. .

Shane, your tone is present in the mix, with discernible note definition and plenty of Roscoe tone down low. If it were me, and I wanted more "openess" or "air," I would start with:

• Slightly rolling pickup balance to treble pup until reaching a sweet spot
• Adding some treble
• Use an HPF cutting below 55 hz (maybe you already do all 3 of these)

Also, the recording seems to have a lot of "auto leveling" going on, especially apparent with many singing voices. The band "disappears" in that context. It may have been present in the house, but not the recording. So this type of recording may not be the best representation of your tone.

Don't know about the acoustics of your room either. If it has low ceilings and long depth, that by itself affects your tone in a challenging way.

I don't know what your ideal live tone is, or how it differs from what you have. I think what you have is good, as do the people in your room, evidenced by their level of engagement.

Dude, you have chops, and the right hammers (tools). Just gotta' keep putting those to good use and play!

 

[Bassworship1]

Shane your tone is present in the mix, with discernible note definition and plenty of Roscoe tone down low. If it were me, and I wanted more "openess" or "air," I would start with:

• Slightly rolling pickup balance to treble pup until reaching sweetspot
• Adding some treble
• Use an HPF cutting below 55 hz

Also, the recording seems to have a lot of "auto leveling" going on, especially apparent with many singing voices. The band "disappears" in the context. It may have been present in the house, but not the recording.

Don't know about the acoustics of your room either. If it has low ceilings and long depth, that by itself effects your tone.

I don't know what your ideal live tone is, or how it differs from what you have. I think what you have is good, as do the people in your room, evidenced by their level of engagement.

Dude, you have chops, and the right hammers (tools). Just gotta' put those to good use and play!

Appreciate the feedback. I'm actually really happy with my tone and love the 2 main Roscoe's I have right now. They differ enough with the preamps and the coil taps with Single-Series-Parallel make for a lot of diversity. The best purchase I've made was investing in a good quality pedalboard. Sure beats the old 100 pound plus Ampeg SVT rig I used to lug for years lol.

 

[staccatogrowl]

Dang, look at that waterfall top under the lights. .

 

[bgartist]

Just a personal observation. I’ve tried a lot of preamp/pickup combinations in Roscoes (and other basses) and in most cases I greatly preferred the sound of preamps paired with same manufacturer pickups (Bart/Bart, Aguilar/Aguilar…). It makes sense to me that manufacturers would design both to optimize the other.
The exception to this (IMO) would be the Nordstrand, Demeter, East and Pope preamps. If you look at the list it becomes obvious that the preamps that sound best with other manufacturer pickups don’t manufacturer pickups (with exception of the Nordstrand).
It makes sense that if you manufacturer only preamps you would design a preamp that sounds good with as many different manufacturers pickups as possible. At least that would be the goal.

Of course just my opinion….

Bubinga schmaminga! I’ll take a nice quilted maple any day!

I tend to agree with Joe’s statement above. I think most pickup makers build their pickups and preamps to work optimally together. If you follow MTD basses, Mike Tobias use Bart pickups and preamps for his signature sound but also uses Aguilar and Nordstrands, using matching pickups and preamps. I’ve used a lot of pickup and pre combinations and liked most but I don’t like when Bart pickups are mated with Aguilar preamps.

 

[armybass]

Some Roscoe goodness I found on YouTube.

 

[Bassworship1]

Some Roscoe goodness I found on YouTube.

That Signature Roscoe was on Reverb for over a year and I thought of buying it several times. Roscoe’s to me sound like what a true bass should sound like.

 

[armybass]

That Signature Roscoe was on Reverb for over a year and I thought of buying it several times. Roscoe’s to me sound like what a true bass should sound like.

Same here man. After decades of playing and literally hundreds of Basses I finally got my first Roscoe’s and I was hooked. It was the sound that was always in my head and the absolute easiest playing bass I’d ever played. My happiest gig moments have been on Roscoe’s…. And I’ve been gigging a long time lol.

 

[Freddy-G.]

Just spoke with Keith about a new build.

 

[JOME77]

Just spoke with Keith about a new build.

Hey Gary!
You can’t make a post like that without sharing the specs!