Keith Roscoe Century 3005 J Custom 34" scale bass guitar with Exhibition Quilt Maple top, Delano Jazz Bass pickups and East Retro J Retro 1 Deluxe active preamp
***new pics added. Finally had a sunny day, so I took some better shots outside w/ my iPhone***
First of all, this is a best offer listing. Don't be shy. Make me an offer.
This bass is beautiful. It looks beautiful, plays and sounds beautiful. Don't even look at it.
Also, you read that correctly. 34" scale. You can order any of Keith's upscale model basses (Custom or Plus models) with a 34" scale. This is like the ultimate Jazz bass tone with 5 strings and an active, clear as a bell preamp. The neck is hard as a rock and has never ever needed a truss rod adjustment.
The neck was sent back to Roscoe very early on to have the width narrowed. It is now 1&3/4" at the nut and 2.5" at the 12th fret. You can email Roscoe with the serial number to verify this. The result is the most playable Roscoe I've ever held.
The stock Bartolini pickups and preamp were swapped in favor of Delano active split coil humbucker Jazz bass pickups and an East J Retro 1 Deluxe preamp. There was a lot of additional shielding added to the control cavity as well. The result of this electronics swap is the most articulate Jazz Bass tone I've heard, and all that without the nasty hiss. I've heard other systems that achieved a similar level of clarity, but all of them had that extremely annoying high frequency hiss artifact that studio engineers end up having to removed with noise reduction plug-ins that end up being pretty counterproductive to the whole clear high end thing the player is going for to begin with. So, really, this is the best I've heard in my subjective opinion.
The finish is oil, so there really is no stain or other tricks creating the drama in that exhibition quality figured maple top. Its just an incredible deeply figured beautiful piece of maple. And that Spalted Purpleheart fingerboard is stunning too.
The last 3 photos are of the bass in its original condition before the pickups/.preamp were swapped, so the knobs and rear control plate look different in those shots.
This bass had a retail price tag when new a few years ago of $5250.
Features Model: Century 3005 ($3750) Top: Exhibition Grade Quilted Maple (+$800) Body: Swamp Ash Finish: Oil Preamp: Bartolini 18V/3-Way (preamp since changed to an East J Retro 1 deluxe) Pickups: Bartolini J-style Humbuckers (+$200) (pickups since changed to Delano Jazz bass pickups) Neck: 3-piece Maple/Purpleheart/Maple, 34" Scale (+$300) String Spacing: Standard Fingerboard: Spalted Purple Heart 12th Fret Inlay: Standard Nut: Hand Carved Graphtech Hardware: Black Original Roscoe Hardshell case (+$200)
The bass weighs in at 8lbs 2oz. So, its really not a burden to play.
Cosmetically, if you look very closely you can find a couple of small impressions here and there. So, its not perfect. They are impossible to photograph. So, not really something that anyone is going to notice from even 3' away. But, just wanted to mention that there is a little minor buckle rash on the back, and some some impressions on the top of the body near the controls and output jack. But, its an oil finish, so there really is not a heavy finish protecting it, so its kind of hard to avoid a few small impressions. That being said, the wood is pretty hard, so, its surprisingly durable for just an oil finish.
This bass was original sold by Rocket Music and if you google the serial number and the make and model of this bass, you will easily find the TalkBass thread discussion the bass and its original sale.
Feel free to message me with any questions you might have concerning the bass.
Some of the pics show the bass without the tone knob. There is a tone knob there now - its an 80s black knurled Jackson/Charvel knob that matches fairly well. You can see it in some of the indoor pics. (And, obviously the 2 guitars pictured in the indoors pics - a Gibson Les Paul and an 80s DiMarzio kit bodied San Dimas era Charvel guitar are NOT included)
The bass has ZERO functional issues. ZERO fret wear. The neck is straight and has action that I would describe as perfection. The tone of the low B is plenty tight, not flabby, I guess in part due to the combination of tone woods and the preamp and pickups. This is basically a fantasy J Bass with 5 strings.
As I mentioned before, this is a "best offer" listing. So, don't be shy. Trades would be considered as well. Guitars and saxophones are my thing. So, hit me up.
Buy with confidence from a reputable seller with a 30-day money back return policy
