Spector Club Pt. 3 (Insert Clever Title Here)

[NS2A]

Originally Posted by Murphys Law

Okay guys, I bought a Rebop 5 DLX recently to test it and still I'm not sure wether or not to give it back..

The sound is the most awesome thing i ever heard, the B string is killer, action is great and the maple top is simply ridiculously awesome.
though, it IS a little neck heavy and I can't stand that...

so... keep it or not?

Can you adjust the location of the straplock?

[bassboy01]

Originally Posted by Murphys Law

Okay guys, I bought a Rebop 5 DLX recently to test it and still I'm not sure wether or not to give it back..

The sound is the most awesome thing i ever heard, the B string is killer, action is great and the maple top is simply ridiculously awesome.
though, it IS a little neck heavy and I can't stand that...

so... keep it or not?

You might actually try a little trick. Put some lead weights inside the control cavity. Use like fishing sinkers and rap a little foam around them so they don't move around. Stuart actually suggested this when I got my first USA Rex bass and it helped.

[PhatBasstard]

Originally Posted by Murphys Law

Okay guys, I bought a Rebop 5 DLX recently to test it and still I'm not sure wether or not to give it back..

The sound is the most awesome thing i ever heard, the B string is killer, action is great and the maple top is simply ridiculously awesome.
though, it IS a little neck heavy and I can't stand that...

so... keep it or not?

I just got one of these as well, and after owning several Spectors over the years, this is the first bolt on and the first that is neck heavy. I'm not surprized as I was rather shocked when it arrived and I saw how much thicker the neck was than my other Spector 5 (NS5CR).

I always move the bottom strap button to dead center on all my Spectors (they feel better this way) and this helped a bunch, but I'm still surprised at the thickness, and weight of the neck on these. I'm a big guy so this won't really be an issue.

But like he said, the tone, playability, feel and especially the B string are awsome.

I really didn't need a 5. Mine's a keeper until I find the right Spector 6.

[Murphys Law]

Well, thanks for your ideas!

I tried the lead thing, but it feels like i'd have to pack a full pound of lead down there to change the situation.
This said:
The neck heavyness isnt as bad as with other basses at all, the balance is simply not where one would expect it. With the temporary strap I put on the neck stops sinking at a acceptable playing location, it just feels a little awkward at the moment.
Well, I'll take it to rehearsal tomorrow and see if the handling is hard playing longer durations. And a wider strap is also planned.

If its a keeper, I'll throw some pics in here fore sure as it has, as mentioned before, the most crazy flamed/quilted maple top I ever saw.

[Wraithwrider]

Do you have your John East pre yet Crimson?

Here's a for sale link as I'm looking at parting with my HazLabs 9v pre to help fund a U-Retro.


http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=595558


Peter

[crimson_basser]

Originally Posted by Wraithwrider

Do you have your John East pre yet Crimson?

Here's a for sale link as I'm looking at parting with my HazLabs 9v pre to help fund a U-Retro.


http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=595558


Peter

Just finalized the purchase on Friday actually. John said it would ship today!

As soon as my next visa month starts im purchasing the new Euro 5 I posted a while back!

This is going to be a gooooood month


Im also in talks with Glen Morris (of Morris Amplification, if anyone has heard of him) a canadian amp builder from Ontario. I will be trying out a couple of things from him, a rackmount distortion unit and a rackmount pre amp.

Im quite excited!

[Wraithwrider]

Looking forward to your update Joel. I've emailed John about the possibility of the U-Retro deluxe with a push/pull passive pot (and no switches) or a 5 knob U-Retro deluxe with the blend and volume combined.

I was at a large bass gathering this weekend where gear was put through it's paces individually to an audience of bass players.

My U-Retro'd NS5 through a double channel Aguilar 500 head and one GS112 was the tonal heaven of the day for me and quite a few others. The Euro was good but not the same. So the U-Retro route is likely for the Euro too although I don't think it'll ever compete with the NS.

[bobunit]

Originally Posted by Wraithwrider

Looking forward to your update Joel. I've emailed John about the possibility of the U-Retro deluxe with a push/pull passive pot (and no switches) or a 5 knob U-Retro deluxe with the blend and volume combined.

Are you planning to change the pickups too?

[Wraithwrider]

No the EMG DC40's will remain.

Peter

[crimson_basser]

Originally Posted by Wraithwrider

Looking forward to your update Joel. I've emailed John about the possibility of the U-Retro deluxe with a push/pull passive pot (and no switches) or a 5 knob U-Retro deluxe with the blend and volume combined.

I was at a large bass gathering this weekend where gear was put through it's paces individually to an audience of bass players.

My U-Retro'd NS5 through a double channel Aguilar 500 head and one GS112 was the tonal heaven of the day for me and quite a few others. The Euro was good but not the same. So the U-Retro route is likely for the Euro too although I don't think it'll ever compete with the NS.

I will be posting pics of the bass, plus of the fitting of the pre as soon as everything arrives. From everything you've described, and from the talks with John I think it will be a great fit . Im really excited to hear it. If it goes well, i will getting for all my spectors.

Mine is a special order U Retro, with 2 stacked mid selects/boost/cut so that I can get a boost in the lower and higher mids for some growl and bite without the crackliness and sparkle of the highs. Im making myself a separate EQ to boost the highs for the distorted sections, where highs would be needed.

Just my luck, I have an Aguilar DB 750 myself . Spector and Aguilar are a great mix, the Aguilar heads really bring out the definition and punch that Spector has. Now I just need me some Aguilar cabs to complete it!

[bobunit]

Originally Posted by Wraithwrider

No the EMG DC40's will remain.

Peter

Ok. I'm curious... Since the pickups are active, what would be the purpose of a push/pull passive pot?

[crimson_basser]

Originally Posted by bobunit

Ok. I'm curious... Since the pickups are active, what would be the purpose of a push/pull passive pot?

If im not mistaken, with John's pre, the push/pull active pot would de-activate the battery, making the system completely passive. One of the switches does the same, but Peter wants to have that option in the pot?

Correct me if im wrong..

[bobunit]

Originally Posted by crimson_basser

If im not mistaken, with John's pre, the push/pull active pot would de-activate the battery, making the system completely passive. One of the switches does the same, but Peter wants to have that option in the pot?

Correct me if im wrong..

I believe you're right. My question is, since the EMG pickups are active how are they to work if the system is switched to passive?

[Double Agent]

Originally Posted by bobunit

I believe you're right. My question is, since the EMG pickups are active how are they to work if the system is switched to passive?

bob, I think you are heading down the right path here. EMGs will not work if the battery is bypassed. Many basses have passive pickups with an active preamp, so you can bypass the battery and run the bass passive. THIS WILL NOT WORK WITH EMG PICKUPS! They have an internal preamp that requires a 9v battery to power. You can not bypass that internal preamp, so EMGs with no battery = no sound. You could do this with EMG HZ pickups, since they are passive, but not with the 40DC or any other active EMG pickup.

[fretless_guy]

Originally Posted by crimson_basser

If im not mistaken, with John's pre, the push/pull active pot would de-activate the battery, making the system completely passive. One of the switches does the same, but Peter wants to have that option in the pot?

Correct me if im wrong..

Is it possible that just the preamp will be bypassed so that the EMG's still get fed power?

[Wraithwrider]

Absolutely

The power supply for the pickups is independent of the power supply for the pre (although the batteries remain the source for both of course).

Selecting passive for the pre doesn't isolate the batteries. A low battery that causes issues with the pre-amp may still power the pickups sufficiently. The passive tone is like the Sadowsky VTC and is a simple tone passive control situated before the o/p jack.

I'm trying to save drilling a hole in the bass.

[bobunit]

Originally Posted by Wraithwrider

Absolutely

The power supply for the pickups is independent of the power supply for the pre (although the batteries remain the source for both of course).

Selecting passive for the pre doesn't isolate the batteries. A low battery that causes issues with the pre-amp may still power the pickups sufficiently. The passive tone is like the Sadowsky VTC and is a simple tone passive control situated before the o/p jack.

I'm trying to save drilling a hole in the bass.

Excellent idea!

[AtomicPunk]

Just picked this one up, the previous owner told me the model is a Q5 Pro with bubinga body, but I figured maybe some real Spector fans would have more information. Not much available on the web. Nice playing and sounding bass, but if anyone can provide more info, I'd appreciate it! Has a pre-amp, stacked knob for bass / treble boost.
Thanks in advance!

[PhatBasstard]

I'm thinking that's a Legend Custom.

[bassboy01]

Spector announces new USA Forte bass line. Here is a link to my post here on Talkbass.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...81#post8194981