Czech Spector at Pawnshop

Billnc · #1 04-22-2011, 05:05 PM

There's a clear purple Czechoslovakian Spector 4 string bass at a local pawnshop. The bridge saddles are all gone, a knob is broken. The Pups are EMG. The wood and frets though, look really clean. The neck is straight. Tag says $749, but we all know that means nothing. What is a good offer? My guess is $300 for the wood. Just find a bridge later and electronics if needed

throbgod13 · #2 04-22-2011, 05:10 PM

get it as cheap as you can.. get the parts from spector, and be happy...

90k · #3 04-22-2011, 05:10 PM

The wood is everything in these! buy it and sell it to me if it is what I think it is. That price seems to be the market value at the moment.

JimiLL · #4 04-22-2011, 06:58 PM

Little pricey condsidering whats there... offer him $400. Im sure he didnt pay over $300

mmbongo · #5 04-22-2011, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimiLL

Little pricey condsidering whats there... offer him $400. Im sure he didnt pay over $300

I wouldn't even do that. There's one for sale in the emporium for $500 shipped and it's in NICE shape.

Texan · #6 04-22-2011, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

I wouldn't even do that. There's one for sale in the emporium for $500 shipped and it's in NICE shape.

Where is this at?

mmbongo · #7 04-22-2011, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texan

Where is this at?

FS: Spector NS2A Cherryburst

It's a Kramer era NS2A. I'd buy that before a Euro myself.

Billnc · #8 04-22-2011, 08:53 PM

Do the headstocks always say Czech Republic? Do the older ones say Czechoslovakia? it's a Euro 4 LX by going to the website. The bass is so clean even if I don't get it I might try to turn a student on to it.

mmbongo · #9 04-22-2011, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billnc

Do the headstocks always say Czech Republic? Do the older ones say Czechoslovakia? it's a Euro 4 LX by going to the website. The bass is so clean even if I don't get it I might try to turn a student on to it.

I don't know why you'd want that pawn shop one over the one in the Emporium though...unless he'll take like $200 for it.

Billnc · #10 04-22-2011, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

I don't know why you'd want that pawn shop one over the one in the Emporium though...unless he'll take like $200 for it.

I don't need another bass, if it's a real deal I can lay it away or turn someone on to a bass that needs just a bit of work. If it's a really sweet deal there is a killer bass looking for a home. Kind of like finding a puppy in a not so great shelter. On a wall in a tough neighborhood sits a boatload of really cheap guitars, an Epiphone Dot (pristine) and the Spector. I'm sort of hopin' for the 200 clams, it's happened before with a 1971 SVT.

JPSBassist · #11 04-22-2011, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billnc

Do the headstocks always say Czech Republic? Do the older ones say Czechoslovakia? it's a Euro 4 LX by going to the website. The bass is so clean even if I don't get it I might try to turn a student on to it.

Some of the first ones don't say anything. But by the time that Stuart worked the deal to open the factory there, the government had changed its name to the Czech Republic. None of the Czech-made SPECTORs should say Czechoslovakia on them.

The "Precision-Made in the Czech Republic" stamps were common by 1996.

To see if the model at the pawn shop is a Euro4 or Euro4LX model, look at the sides of the bass. The Euro4 models had solid Maple wings.

Euro4LX models have a sandwich wing, Maple front, Alder back with a thin slice of Walnut in the center (usually darker than the other two woods). So if you see what looks like a dark line running through the center of the bass along any of the edges, it's an LX model.

If the wings are solid and the headstock has the SPECTOR Double-S, it could be an NS-4CR-FM model or a Euro4 model.

Either way, a new bridge from SPECTOR will run about $140.
Bridge - Euro 4 LX Gold

Considering these basses sell used (if in good shape) for between $1000 and $1200 used... you could get it for half, pop another couple of hundred bucks into making it shine, sell it and pocket $300-$400...

Or keep it because it's a great guitar. I own 2.

JPSBassist · #12 04-22-2011, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

FS: Spector NS2A Cherryburst

It's a Kramer era NS2A. I'd buy that before a Euro myself.

Dollar for Dollar the Kramer-SPECTOR Korean-Made NS-2A is the best buy for getting a great guitar.

I have one and I'd sell one of my Euro models before parting with it.

These are really great quality USA Spector copies. The Euro models are European-Made versions of the USA models... there are differences. They were meant to be their own thing... stand on their own. The NS-2A was a copy. A more affordable carbon-copy of the USA NS-2 of the day.

So yes. They are awesome guitars. And this one looks mint. So long as the Kramer-Made Korean 9v tone-circuit that is original to this model is still in there and working. The sound out of this bass is incredible.

The Euro models are hand-made in the Czech Republic and are honestly nicer guitars. But again, they are different. The NS-2A is as close to a USA NS-2 as you can get without buying one.

Billnc · #13 04-22-2011, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPSBassist

Some of the first ones don't say anything. But by the time that Stuart worked the deal to open the factory there, the government had changed its name to the Czech Republic. None of the Czech-made SPECTORs should say Czechoslovakia on them.

The "Precision-Made in the Czech Republic" stamps were common by 1996.

To see if the model at the pawn shop is a Euro4 or Euro4LX model, look at the sides of the bass. The Euro4 models had solid Maple wings.

Euro4LX models have a sandwich wing, Maple front, Alder back with a thin slice of Walnut in the center (usually darker than the other two woods). So if you see what looks like a dark line running through the center of the bass along any of the edges, it's an LX model.

If the wings are solid and the headstock has the SPECTOR Double-S, it could be an NS-4CR-FM model or a Euro4 model.

Either way, a new bridge from SPECTOR will run about $140.
Bridge - Euro 4 LX Gold

Considering these basses sell used (if in good shape) for between $1000 and $1200 used... you could get it for half, pop another couple of hundred bucks into making it shine, sell it and pocket $300-$400...

Or keep it because it's a great guitar. I own 2.

THANK YOU that's the info I was looking for! (and I've got connections for parts)

77PBass · #14 04-23-2011, 07:10 AM

The bass was manufactured in the Czech Republic, not Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovkia split in 1993.

Just sayin....

JeffplaysBass · #15 04-23-2011, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

FS: Spector NS2A Cherryburst

It's a Kramer era NS2A. I'd buy that before a Euro myself.

????...I had a NS2a, its made in Korea, I sold mine on Craigslist last year for $400 with case and in mint condition. I have a couple of Euros which I had at the time of the NS2a, you cant compare. Its like comparing a fender mexican to a sadowsky. Good bass for under $500 but you can never compare that to a $2k Euro please....the guys at practice told me to get rid of the Korean bass after I brought the Euros to practice....Volume is lower, doesnt have the punch, doesnt stay in tone for more than 30 minutues and I can go on and on.

kjpollo · #16 04-23-2011, 07:52 AM

I had ans NS2A back in the day. I dont remember anything THAT exciting about it. It was a solid bass and I dont recall problems with it staying in tune or anything bad.
I do remember that the it was VERY resonant when I would just pick it up and play without an amp. When I did a little slapping & popping, I could really feel it vibrate through the bass.

JeffplaysBass · #17 04-23-2011, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjpollo

I had ans NS2A back in the day. I dont remember anything THAT exciting about it. It was a solid bass and I dont recall problems with it staying in tune or anything bad.
I do remember that the it was VERY resonant when I would just pick it up and play without an amp. When I did a little slapping & popping, I could really feel it vibrate through the bass.

Dont get me wrong...for a $500 bass its a very, very good bass ..BUT... comparing it with a $2k Euro?????...C'mon man!!...just like a metro Sadowsky very, very good bass but comparing it with a NYC Sadowsky, C'mon man!!!

Dr. Cheese · #18 04-23-2011, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffplaysBass

Dont get me wrong...for a $500 bass its a very, very good bass ..BUT... comparing it with a $2k Euro?????...C'mon man!!...just like a metro Sadowsky very, very good bass but comparing it with a NYC Sadowsky, C'mon man!!!

I guess Roger Sadowsky is clueless because he says the Metros and NYC basses are comparable!

I once owned a sweet SSD five and I am a huge Spector fan.