Conklin GTRP-4 Rocco Prestia Signature - This Groove Tools Bass GROOVES! - LowEndLobster Fresh Look
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
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Hey everyone! Today we're taking a deep dive into a VERY special bass, the GTRP-4 Rocco Prestia Signature Bass from Conklin Groove Tools! This particular example was owned by Rocco himself, so it's extra special. Less than 30 of these basses were ever made, and they're origins are shrouded in mystery.
I reached out to Mike @ Conklin Guitars for more info, here was the response:
"The Rocco Prestia model was a collaboration between Bill Conklin and obviously Rocco. There were a few prototype USA Custom Shop instruments made to get things right for Rocco and Bill Bartolini worked with Rocco to capture the sounds and feel of one of Rocco’s older preamps and pickup that he loved. Once everything was designed they made one or two prototype overseas instruments to get final approval and then they ran a run of them for as many pickups and preamps as they could get at the time from Bartolini that was 25 to 30 instruments I believe. Of course around that time Bill Bartolini was having a tough time (for whatever reason) getting out a lot of the customized pickups and preamps. To the best of my knowledge from everything that was going on at that time and from what I was hearing was the factory couldn’t ever get any more electronics from Bartolini and the instrument kind of fizzled out because of it.
Years later Bill Conklin, Rocco Prestia and myself redesigned the instrument a little and created another US Custom Shop bass and got several different pickups and one or two preamps from Delano Pickups to try and revive the model and rerelease it. Unfortunately that was right as everything was kind of falling apart with the Groove Tools line due to issues with the distributor/importer who was essentially the company that licensed the instruments from us and was having them made overseas. When the Groove Tools was officially discontinued obviously the new redesign never ended up coming to fruition. Rocco did receive the US build of it but it never got any further than that.
The first part is from what I’ve been told over the years from discussing the situation with Bill (Conklin). I started working with Bill right around the time as Rocco’s model was being released as the Groove Tools bass. So I did deal with the situations first hand of trying to find out when the factory was going to be able to get more electronics and to the best of my knowledge that was a big factor in there not being more instruments produced. Probably not the only factor but it was definitely an issue that never got resolved for some reason. I know we wanted more made and Rocco wanted more made because I talked to his manager about it more than a few times. I was told by the distributor, there was possibly even another run that was made but never got the electronics for them so those never saw the light of day if that indeed was the case.
Hopefully that kind of gives you a little history and why there are so few out there."
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My dad was a promoter and hired tower of power twice. I got to watch Rocco side stage both times in the early 2000s. One of the many legendary musicians I got to see do their thing from feet away. Cant recall what he was rocking then but it didnt matter it could have been a washtub bass.
Wow! That's awesome! Definitely a once (or twice) in a lifetime experience! Thank you for sharing
@@LowEndLobster fuck yeah he could groove for sure. They were the only act that got the people out of their seats and dancing. This is in a old restored theater so it wasn't designed for that at all but the people couldn't help themselves. I wonder why maybe it was that awesome bass playing.
I'm guessing Rocco was a big influence on your style - you've both got that ghost-note-funk thing going on. Amazing guy.
A little bit heh
@@LowEndLobster Your muted notes are as much a part of the groove as the notes you play, it's pretty inspiring. I'm doing a lot of Rocco's exercises as part of my routine. Keep the vids coming!
You’re the only channel that I give a like when they ask. I gotta help out that claw hand
I appreciate it!
I am IN LOVE with the tone of a precision pickup being more neck forward. This just put me further over the moon.
Right?! It sounds reaaaaally good with a pick
I'm amazed! I've seen one mention of this bass, maybe two years back, but other than the names involved, not much other than a friend saying it sounded either extremely great or horrifyingly awful. When I saw your other video a few months ago it blew me away. Certain aspects of the shape of the body, like the sherp, aggressive upper horn, the deep cutaway for EASY upper fret access are similar to a few designs we offer as one of our own. The use of figured woods for the pick guard, Birdseye Maple fret board (ours is Sugar/Rock Maple from WI), this is my preferred position and configuration of PJ pickups (except the slant J), the Hipshot hardware, stainless steel frets, and the multi-laminate neck, are all design and build elements that are offered (if not recommended) on custom builds (but obviously not for any of the builds done with other people's names on the headstock). However, the design elements that REALLY caught my attention was one that was quite unique, not at all commonplace in the bass market, but in many ways similar to numerous basses built in my shop over the past 15 or so years, and that is the "continuous contour" joint between the neck into the body. I'd never seen this bass, and rarely seen similar concepts. Just motivates me to get into my shop...
Cool video!!!! Thanks!!!
Nice bass! Both LEGENDS gone! R.I.P Rocco & Bill.😔🎶🙏🏾🕊👍🏾
Thank you! Indeed, very sad.
This is one of the coolest looking basses ever. A cross between a p bass and a conklin... so weird but so cool.
Damn that sounds godly
Thanks Robert!
Such a pretty bass. (A wooden pickguard! Who woulda thunk it!) Great tone, too.
Thank you!
You should do a Lobster explores Plectrums episode. It would give you a chance to hear and feel the difference between different materials and thicknesses and would help you discover your preference.
I used to hate playing with a pick and MY pick tone in general until I stumbled upon the right thickness. Now it is my preferred style both due to the tone and the challenge of something new. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Jon! That's a great idea
The Bass Place in AZ had one, played it awesome.
I have a GT5 and it is really fantastic. Great build, great tone got it used for $275 in mint condition..
Nice bass. Thanks for your excellent reviews Lobster. 👍
Thank you Phil!
That bass sounds nice !!! Great playing LEL !!!
Thanks Al!
Lets Goooooo
Woooo!
I love my Conklin GT5 & GT7. They play & feel awesome. The tone is nothing like it. Thanks for showing this very custom bass. It's unfortunate that both builder & musician passed away within a year.
Hey Lobster, thanks very much for doing a deeper dive into the GTRP-4! I just snagged one of these on TB. I'm quite looking forward to getting it.... more so after watching your vid!
CONGRATS BRAD! That's HUGE! I didn't see that someone posted one. You have yourself quite the collectors bass
Hey Lobster, thanks for showinng us another of your rarities. Nice looking bass that.
Thanks Philip!
8:55 The cat heartily approves of this instrument.
To me Conklin is the best brand of bass. I know there is other great stuff out there but they take first place
Nicely done LEL! :) I didn't know if you were aware that Rocco was an MJC Ironworks endorser. Stay healthy! -Brent, VT
Thanks Brent! Indeed! Was hoping to get a Lobster Chat with him, but sadly we weren't able to :(.
Someone had to put their two cents in at 8:55. Gotta love the random feline overlord comment!
Very unique sounding bass. I remembering seeing this model in Bass Player magazine years ago, but I think it was a NAMM model. Thick tone!
Thank you Joe!
Great video Lobster 🦞!! You are blessed to own it!! Keep it! Lol
Exceptional Appeal 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
Thank you!
Rare bass, rare Goon sighting. What's not to love? ;)
Ahaha thank you! Goon only comes down when it's getting close to dinner time ahaha, she's soooo food motivated. All Bebe wants is pets and snuggles, I swear she photosynthesizes or something haha
Fender created a 5 string bass in the mid 60's, and the reverse p pick up design was used on that bass, but that pick up design was a Fender creation as well.
Indeed, the Bass V! Those are quite rare, though I'd love the opportunity to play one
0:00 I'm not even gonna price that but man Conklin demos are ALWAYS fun. I don't stare as hard as I do at the Ritters but they are striking just the same.
1:45 oh no. You used the k word...I didn't know Conklin had a offshored line. *pauses video*
oh man. I really wanted to watch that too.
When I have all the data I am literally going to write a book about South Korean manufacturers. Maybe I'll ask the ones who don't have people lighting themselves on fire at work because darn it management just won't listen stories about the ones that did.
Look, do you buy blood diamonds? This is apolitical. This is about humans, not governments.
And Cor-Tek will continue to obfuscate because people can't see easily from the markets they're selling into, until someone can actually force disclosure so they can get on the path of corporate atonement, whatever the hell that looks like. There are a lot of workers making incredible instruments that are being abused when they really don't have to be and never had to.
Get an interview with Kyle Kim please. I'll ask him myself WTF with this two years of what amounts to radio silence from Cort and then suddenly BLITZ TIME ON THE YOU TUBES. There are literally generational luthiers waiting to employ people to build your cost effective instruments in any country you can think of. NEPAL even (I do wish Sahana made a bass)
oh and I also found another bass with P90 dog ear pickups although it was pretty freakin random. Yes - I actually second sourced Serek, which is not to say after testing that we can't offer both in the same pickup hole, but one's an upcharge, like getting BareKnuckle on your ibby from the factory...
Specs
Top
Maple leaftop
Neck
Maple
Fingerboard
Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius
12" (304.8 mm)
Scale Length
30" (762 mm)
Nut Width
1.5" (38.1 mm)
Nut Type
Graphtech with zero fret
Frets
21
Machine Head Ratio
22:1
Neck Pickup
Godin Kingpin Bass P90 Alnico
Bridge Pickup
Godin Kingpin Bass P90 Alnico
Bridge and Tailpiece
T.O.M. Bridge w/ Brass Stop Tailpiece
Controls
1x Tone, 1x Volume, 3-way Switch
H.D.R
Not Included
Color
Cherry Burst
Finish
High Gloss
String Set
D'Addario EXL160M Nickel Wound Medium Scale
String Gauges
.050 .070 .085 .100
Case
Gig Bag
Thanks Russell! The Kyle Kim interview will happen in person in NAMM if he's able to be there. He's a wonderful dude, and a great friend of the channel.
Always wanted to hear this bass! Thanks
Glad I could help :)
I had the LTD 5 string Prestia model with very similar pickups. It was super pretty, light, and played like a dream. But I never really got on with the sound. Even with an Aguilar preamp.
I had one too that I never did a vid on. Did not like the tone either
Nice grooves man! It would be great to hear you play along with a backing track more often. Or in a band setting!🙂
Thank you! I will hopefully have some gigs in 2022 and some footage to go along with them :)
Very cool bass. I got to play a gt7 once and it was crazy! I’m sure this is a great bass.
Thanks James! I had a GT7 in highschool briefly (bought it off someone on TB). I thought I was so cool (I had no idea how to handle the thing)
@@LowEndLobster with a fretboard like an airplane landing strip it’s hard to do anything.
@@jamesmarkham7489 LOL well said
The first time I saw a Conklin it was John Myung playing one
Hi Lobster! Congratulations as always for your channel! Would you be able to tell me the current pricing on this bass? Thanks!
Hey Marco! Can't give pricing for a bass that never made it to production. They were ~$1500 when listed, but less than 30 were ever made and they're impossible to find. Some sold for cheeaaap a while ago, (6-800) and I got mine for around $900 two years ago and was VERY lucky
@@LowEndLobster Thnx! 🙏✌
How do you get your cat to stay on a harness and leash? Mine can't go outside because he's a dork and likes to run off and get lost and/or stuck somewhere. I tried an expensive "guaranteed escape proof" harness; he was out of it in less than a minute.
Great question! There's some training and acclimating involved. I've had Bebe since she was around 8 months old, she's around 9 years now. Started her young, got her used to the feeling of the harness by having her wear it inside. Our other cat Goon is well behaved outside (supervised, never alone) but Bebe will jump fences and cause havoc. Pairing the harness with something positive like food (have the harness near but not on the cat st first to pair) could help (my behaviorist girlfriend suggested this, she's very smart)
I have one cat that loves wearing it. He carried it around until he got too big for it (he's too big for the biggest cat harness on the shelf). I have two that will let me put it on them but not leash them and one that won't even sit if it sees you holding it.
And then there's sweetpea. Pulled her out the woods a year ago in a week and she lets us pick her up now but it still costs blood. I don't think she's ever going on a leash.
Make sure you get a harness for a CAT. They have *significantly* different anatomy than dogs, even though my one that likes a harness will wear just about anything as long as he can't see it while wearing it.
It's an interesting behavior, but it's a lot of fun to cruise around the yard with your cat - I've seen people on the bus with their cats (usually in a pack but leashed) and that's way more training than I think I have the skill for.
But getting the correctly built (some will market them as universal, stay far away from those, they usually don't work for either cat or dog well) and getting used to correctly fitting it to the cat is the most important thing. As long as they are comfortable, can move freely, and when restricted it doesn't hit their joints in a painful way (dog harness can do this, if you can even get them into it right) they'll soon forget they're wearing it because there's so much cool stuff outside. After a while, like my one cat, they associate it with play time outside and may even get excited to see you pick it up.
My cat harness that worked well had two adjustment rings in the chest and abdomen area and then it was simple because the front legs just go in two loops and you bring the two ends up and clip them behind the cat - there should be a double ring up on top between the shoulders where some of the loops run through and it makes it easy to lay the harness out in your hands with the right alignment as the rings, the clips, and the rest of the loose ends all gather behind the cat basically below where they'd normally get scruffed.
Once I saw the right harness it all clicked and made sense why Dodge couldn't run in the dog harness...(we have two small dogs and two of our cats are bigger than our dogs, so we tested harnesses on them first of course, it was awkward and hard to even get them on a *willing* cat).
Sorry for the blather but I went through a process and that was with an animal that was already interested in wearing it - and I cannot fathom what's in that cat's mind, so I have no answers for why it basically was *always* interested in the harness outside of maybe it saw the dogs wearing them and felt left out.
Thanks!
Rip mister Conklin
Indeed, was very sad to hear about his passing
Don't remember the last time I heard of Conklin. (guitarist not bassist!!)
It's been a loooong time for me too
Can't tell from this review but there's more than one type of reverse P. Sometimes they are flipped at the same vertical axis point as a Fender P. This one looks like the EA pickup might be in a regular P position with the DG pickip placed forward. What's the setup on this bass?
Great comment and question Martin! I believe the bass side of the pickup is in the correct traditional spot, and the treble side is just on the 'other' side of the bass side, as opposed to swapping the positions of both halves. I hope that makes sense.
@@LowEndLobster Perfect sense 👍 Thanks!
@@LowEndLobster I like the sound a lot, it also looks the same pickup configuration as Rocco's super light weight ESP built for him. He used to use it on full P pickup with the J dialled in a bit for clarity
Bill was a good guy & built nice stuff. ☹
Indeed :(
I watch most of your videos on my phone and that is obviously not the best reproducer of bass tone. This bass sounds good in moderate settings but not with anything cut or boosted drastically. For the money I would opt for something else
Thanks Keith!
Nice but weird, that is a collector bass.
Thanks Rick!
Are you sure that's swamp ash?
Yup! I got some old brochure from Mike at Conklin
I always fancied a 5 string Conklin after seeing ads in the magazines..... Then I found Warwick.
Wow I'm the first to comment
WOOOO!
To me it is not a beautiful looking bass but sounds amazing.
Thanks Meyers! Indeed the signature Conklin styling was definitely not for everyone, but yeah the tone is definitely awesome and unique