NBD Roscoe 3005

[E sharp]

I picked this up 3 weeks ago locally to me, on the way to a ska gig (used my regular bass), then used the Roscoe the next night at a function band gig- thought it’d be more fitting.

It came with black sticky strings, so put on some others and gave it a decent clean up.

There’s no doubt that it’s an absolutely superb bass, but still unsure if it’s for me or not. The 35” scale on it is unnoticeable really, but the 18mm spacing, weirdly is (I’m so used to 19mm).
So the jury’s still out on it for me.

 

[Mrbigstuff]

My memory of these is they pack a huge punch

[Terry M.]

It looks incredible. I've noodled on a few in between Bass Direct and BassBros and think they're incredible. The unfortunate thing (for me at least) is I don't get on with Bart pickups. I know what you mean about the string spacing. My Fender Player Plus Jazz V has 19mm spacing and when I tried its newer replacement I could feel it even though we're talking a fraction of a millimetre.

[chris_b]

Nice one. Learn to love it. It’ll pay you back in spades.

[HeadlessBassist]

Very nice E Sharp, [or should we call you Mr.F..?) It's amazing how we all notice that missing 1mm in the string spacing, isn't it?

[Grahambythesea]

A really handsome bass, I expect it sounds as good as it looks.

[itu]

18 and 19 mm are doable for me but not 17 mm. Most 5-string basses are 17 and therefore a no go. 

 

That Roscoe looks super! 

[Acebassmusic]

On a Roscoe 3005 I once had, I fitted a Babicz bridge which is 19mm spacing. The neck was wide enough to accommodate the extra 2mm per side and there was no change to the string sound balance from the pickups. Its a reversable option rather than missing out on a great bass. 👍 

[chris_b]

I play 18mm and 19mm and don't notice the difference. Any narrower and I start to suffer.

[Rodders]

Its a pretty little thing, I played a Roscoe fretless with the Diamond wood (I think?) fingerboard many years ago, sounded great, no funds to make it come home with me at the time though.

Hope you can get used to the 18mm spacing.  

[pantherairsoft]

Having owned multiple Roscoe's, I miss them all dearly. The LG 3005 is my absolute favourite of them all (and I'd totally string that with DR Black beauties - I assume that is what was on them but the strings had gone funny somehow, as they're not usually sticky at all). This bass is an absolute stunner. Giving me major Roscoe GAS!

[Misdee]

 That's a stunning bass. I bet it sounds as good as it looks, too 

 

I've wanted one of these Roscoe basses since I first saw them in the mid-1990's. Such an elegant design with an unapologetically modern tone. 

 

Regarding the string spacing, I've got 18 mm and 19 mm spacing examples and I can't get used to either. If it's not like a Fender 4 string it feels wrong to me, so subsequently I can live with either spacing, if that makes sense. It's a five string, it's meant to feel weird.

[pantherairsoft]

FWIW, you can absolutely adjust that bridge to 19mm, I did with my old Roscoe. You just have to push the B and G strings to the outer edge of the saddle adjustments, and the E and D string accordingly. These bridges allow for left and right adjustment, I've even had mixed spacing  on strings before for a Roscoe when I was trying some stuff out that was ultimately pointless. It does mean the string position on the fretboard at the 24th fret is 'slightly' closer to the edge, but it's so minor 99% of people won't notice, and who plays at the 24th fret anyway!

I'd totally have a play with that adjustment as it might just solve everything for you.

You prob know, but these Allen key slots are to move the saddles left and right. When they are all centralised (like they currently are), you get 18mm spacing.

Edited 3 hours ago by pantherairsoft