Roscoe Club

[mmbongo]

My Classic P is awesome. The nit is wide, which ji thought I wouldn’t like, but I do. I have a Honey Badger pickup. HipShot Ultralight tuners. I think Greg had those requests from his shop. I think it’s one of the first Classic basses made. It’s light weight, but sounds huge. Honestly, the band usually likes it better than my Century 5.

My Classic J has the Honey Badgers too. Sadly they are no longer available but I have a set of Fralins that Keith said he would install. The weight is the only thing holding me back, as he said he could get it under 9 pounds but I really want to try for something around 7.5 pounds.

 

[SteveC]

Yeah, J bodies seem to always be heavy. My P and Century 5 are really light. My fretless century is a little heavier as it’s mahogany, but it’s still pretty decent.

 

[Skip Chucker]

@Joe BassPlayer

you must be talking about this one? He’s finishing the headstock and load electronics. Should ship this week. Be the first Classic I’ve ever seen in person so I’m hoping I like the neck and body style.

View attachment 4402078 View attachment 4402079 View attachment 4402080 View attachment 4402082 View attachment 4402085

I love that spalt pattern in the middle!

 

[JOME77]

Uh oh- Joe is subverting this group

Although he sold the Fender too, right?

We’ll I did sell my Fender PJ but I still have a Fender Precision.

 

[kevk]

So who has a 4 string Classic Roscoe P? Tell me about the neck..nut width, general shape, etc. I got a quote from Keith on a build and I will probably decide which way I want to go this weekend. I think if I do it I will ask him about oiling the neck, as the back of the neck on my Classic J gets very sticky very quickly.

I have a passive (alder body) Classic P4 (pj)…8.5 lbs, with a 1-1/2” jazz neck. Very comfortable bass—the body is sculpted nicely/sleeker than other P’s I’ve tried. I really like the feel of the neck, too…my hands don’t tend to sweat, and not much humidity out my way, so “sticky” has not been an issue. It has the Hipshot USA tuners.

I’ve not been happy with the Aguilar pickups though, so I picked up some Bart’s, that Keith is going to install for me. (He needs to cut another nut for it anyway.) Taking a chance—anyone familiar with these?

My passive swamp ash (lightest weight that Kyle could find) Classic J4 will be completed soon. I just sent him some Nordstrand NJ4SV’s for it…thought I’d give them a try. Taking a chance on those, too.

 

[mmbongo]

I have a passive (alder body) Classic P4 (pj)…8.5 lbs, with a 1-1/2” jazz neck. Very comfortable bass—the body is sculpted nicely/sleeker than other P’s I’ve tried. I really like the feel of the neck, too…my hands don’t tend to sweat, and not much humidity out my way, so “sticky” has not been an issue. It has the Hipshot USA tuners.

I’ve not been happy with the Aguilar pickups though, so I picked up some Bart’s, that Keith is going to install for me. (He needs to cut another nut for it anyway.) Taking a chance—anyone familiar with these?View attachment 4402530

My passive swamp ash (lightest weight that Kyle could find) Classic J4 will be completed soon. I just sent him some Nordstrand NJ4SV’s for it…thought I’d give them a try. Taking a chance on those, too.

Interesting! Is 1.5" their normal nut width for a Classic P? I really want something wider as I already have a wall full of basses with 1.5" nuts

 

[kevk]

Interesting! Is 1.5" their normal nut width for a Classic P? I really want something wider as I already have a wall full of basses with 1.5" nuts

Normal is 1-3/4”… (I specifically requested the 1-1/2” neck)

 

[tleebassist11]

I had a Roscoe Classic J with Curtis Novak J pickups and it was the best J I've ever played behind some old fenders. I would highly suggest those pickups to anyone wondering which route to go especially if you want accurate vintage vibes

 

[SteveC]

Mine is 1.75”. The only thing I have to adjust to a bit is the string spacing. I’m very used to the standard 18.3mm on my century basses. The 19mm on the classic is something I definitely feel/notice when I play it.

 

[kevk]

At one point, I had one of each (top 1-1/2” nut, bottom 1-3/4” nut)

I kept the jazz neck version, gave the other to a student bass player.

 

[Nightman]

Mine is 1.75”. The only thing I have to adjust to a bit is the string spacing. I’m very used to the standard 18.3mm on my century basses. The 19mm on the classic is something I definitely feel/notice when I play it.

A few years ago I realized I had basses with bridge string spacing ranging from 16.5mm to 19mm and my consistent finger plucking speed was impacted. I settled in on 18mm to 18.3mm and sold all the others. Now when I buy a bass it has to meet a weight limit, have a quality build reputation and must be 18mm to 18.3mm bridge string spacing.

 

[SteveC]

A few years ago I realized I had basses with bridge string spacing ranging from 16.5mm to 19mm and my consistent finger plucking speed was impacted. I settled in on 18mm to 18.3mm and sold all the others. Now when I buy a bass it has to meet a weight limit, have a quality build reputation and must be 18mm to 18.3mm bridge string spacing.

So, a Roscoe.

 

[JOME77]

Mine is 1.75”. The only thing I have to adjust to a bit is the string spacing. I’m very used to the standard 18.3mm on my century basses. The 19mm on the classic is something I definitely feel/notice when I play it.

A few years ago I realized I had basses with bridge string spacing ranging from 16.5mm to 19mm and my consistent finger plucking speed was impacted. I settled in on 18mm to 18.3mm and sold all the others. Now when I buy a bass it has to meet a weight limit, have a quality build reputation and must be 18mm to 18.3mm bridge string spacing.

Oddly, I feel the same on 5 and 6 string basses but on a 4 I don't even notice the 19mm spacing. I'm not even sure that I've ever played a 4 string with other than 19mm string spacing (unless my original Gibson Les Paul bass had 17 or 18mm).

 

[SteveC]

Played the Classic P w/TI flats in church again today, through the Empress/4OTF/REDDI rig. It’s everyone’s favorite bass. They love the Century 5, but there’s something about the attack/tone of the P that they love. I do, too.

 

[Nightman]

So, a Roscoe.

Two Roscoe basses are in the house!

 

[JOME77]

Played the Classic P w/TI flats in church again today, through the Empress/4OTF/REDDI rig. It’s everyone’s favorite bass. They love the Century 5, but there’s something about the attack/tone of the P that they love. I do, too.

Hard to believe that a P-bass was the first attempt at an electric bass design and designed by someone that didn’t even play. Talk about standing the test of time!
He got so many things right!

 

[ArtechnikA]

Update to my relief issues:
So my truss rod is indeed completely loose and I was still having not-enough-relief.
Set about adjusting the bridge saddles and discovered that evidently, through time and vibration, the screws had backed out A LOT. And not consistently side-to-side so a couple were cockeyed...
Got those touched up and playability is much better.
I should probably put a teeny drop of VibraTite on the screws - that's a viscous/sticky repositionable thread dressing that doesn't set up brittle like most LocTite compounds do...
But it's a reminder to myself (and possibly others) to check stuff like that periodically. I'm kind of a set it and forget it type, but evidently stuff like that doesn't like being forgotten...

 

[fretno]

Dual action truss rods on the Roscoe instruments right ? So keep turning that thang .

 

[ArtechnikA]

Dual action truss rods on the Roscoe instruments right ? So keep turning that thang .

no.
And further...
The board is straight, as verified with stopped strings and straightedge. If there were a dual-action rod, I'd be in backbow territory...
The fingerboard is OK, I just needed more bridge height. This was actually fine when last I checked it a couple of years ago, but things change... I expect the lessened tension from the TIJF's allowed the saddle screws more freedom to vibrate loose.

 

[steelin4u]

Had a great session at CRC this weekend. Brought the Roscoe LG PJ 4 (Aguilar and TI flats) and a F*_<)%* P (F!@#$% pickup and La Bella flats) with the Noble and a B15. I won't tell you which take we ended up liking more.