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Buying my daughter a Spector

djero44

djero44

Mar 3, 2009
484
118
Hotchkiss, Colorado
#1
I guess I should have researched a bit more before bidding 350 on this bass, but i'm pretty sure it's going to be a good investment and it is really beautiful. I'm not even into blue basses! Everything i've heard about Spectors is good, and i've seen some great Korean made basses over the years.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=120431660776

If she doesn't play it enough, i'll help her out. :)
 
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#2
I had the exact same bass in Black for about 2 weeks. It had a warped neck and it was used so i traded it in. But, on the 3 strings that weren't affected by the warp (A,D,G) it played wonderfully. IT felt good. Sounded good. Shoot, even looks good.

Awesome present for your daughter!
 
#9
I owned one a few years back. Great players and have that classic EMG sound. Not my cup of tea, but to each his own. I've got little baby hands, so unless your daughter is a neanderthal, she'll feel right at home.

neanderthal.jpg
 
#11
Cool! If you want to adopt a son, let me know.

Just so you know, the listing says it has 3 band EQ but, if it's like my Q5, the control layout is: Vol, Vol, High, Low. No mid control. Still very usable and lots of options for different tones.
 
#15
I hesitate to buy instruments online, but I purchased a Warwick Corvette Std. fretless about six months ago (my first e-bay buy ever) and it has become my favorite instrument i've ever owned. Ironically it's neck wasn't as true as my Korean made Hohner B-Bass, but I have a good friend who is a master with basses so he fixed that right up. If this one has any minor needs I can have them addressed, but I have a feeling it will play well.

It sure has a awesome piece of figured maple, it looks like a picture of the ocean!

I wish my folks were more supportive of me musically. I've always had to buy my own equipment too. My mom didn't think music was a good career choice, so I was on my own. I sold my prize Diamond Back bicycle at age 13 to get a Harmony strat copy, which was the beginning of a long road of music for me. My daughter (and my roomates son) are very lucky, i've got a drum set, bass amp, p.a., guitars, ect... around and they've been really getting into it lately. She's been a drummer for about three years, but I have a feeling she will be more into the bass. In the end it's her voice that will really take her somewhere, but I can't think of a better way to get aquainted with the musical experience than being able to play in a rythym section. I know with a good head start they will be so far ahead of where I could be at their age.

Family band, incoming!
 
#16
$350 is a steel for that bass. I've gopt the six string version, and it is one of the best buily basses I've ever laid my hands on. It sounds good, plays really well. Also, this model is no longer in production, so you definately have something there. Although I will tell you this; the ad is wrong about one thing. It doesn't have a 3 band eq or "3 band bass boost" as it was put. The knobs work as such, Neck pup volume, bridge pup volume, treble boost/cut and bass boost/cut. No mid control. Sweet bass though. Good choice. Very modern sounding.
 
#17
Those Q Spectors are nice basses and your daughter will appreciate the smaller body. The price is also good and nice color too.

On a personal note, I'm glad you're encouraging your daughter's interest in music. My daughter wanted to play violin so I got her one. She plays in the city's youth symphony orchestra, is a straight A student and was just awarded National Merit Scholar! Music absolutely helps keep kids on the right track!
 
#18
I think you caught yourself a deal - Spector is a great bass - comfortable to play - I have a Spector legend and i found it exceptionally versatile - my main bass for the last 30 years has been a Fender precision - so it took a bit of gettng used to the shorter frets on the spector - but you can really have a lot fo fun with it and it delivers a very nice versatile tone -
 
#19
The Spector arrived yesterday, it was packed well and shipped quickly. All in all i'm pleased with the bass, though I have a couple of minor gripes.

Firstly the input jack is effed. It works but needs replaced. I think someone mentioned on this thread that it was likely, and from my experience with basses this is all too common. ***? Why do they make so many instruments with crappy jacks? Oh well, it's easy to fix.

The neck and body are in good shape, I did a quick set-up, adjusted the truss a bit and the G string at the bridge. I then went to check the intonation and was shocked at the poor design of this bridge. I should have looked more closely at it! It wouldn't have stopped me from buying it, but jeez, a bridge with saddles that are held in place by friction only? That is pathetic to say the least. They could easily come out when changing strings, so setting up the intonation could be a common thing with this bass. I mean it's not like she'll be changing or breaking strings often, and i'm happy to set it up for her, but what a poor design.

So it's minor complaints really, perhaps to be expected from a bass that probably cost the manufacturer a hundred bucks to build. It plays very well now and has a good tone, though I wouldn't want the HZ's personally. I think the bubbly tone is kind of fun and will be good for her. I need to put a new battery in it and see if that affects it at all. The review of it on e-bay said it was passive pickups! I'm impartial but it's a bit annoying there was mis-information on the bass. Considering the humbucking pickups I expected a bit more balls, but it does sound good, especially for a modern slap tone (not my thing but who knows where she will go with it.)

The best part is she is a natural bass player. I guess the years of drumming and fiddling around on my basses have paid off. She learned a whole song in about 15 minutes, one that she usually plays drums for. Granted it's easy, I Don't Care by Fall Out Boy, but she nails it rhythmically and has a great sense of muting and timing. She's going to pick it up really fast. I'm teaching my roomates son to play bass too, so they are working together on bass and drums taking turns. This makes me very happy and definately makes the purchase more than worthwhile. :D
 
#20
djero44 said:
The Spector arrived yesterday, it was packed well and shipped quickly. All in all i'm pleased with the bass, though I have a couple of minor gripes.

Firstly the input jack is effed. It works but needs replaced. I think someone mentioned on this thread that it was likely, and from my experience with basses this is all too common. ***? Why do they make so many instruments with crappy jacks? Oh well, it's easy to fix.

The neck and body are in good shape, I did a quick set-up, adjusted the truss a bit and the G string at the bridge. I then went to check the intonation and was shocked at the poor design of this bridge. I should have looked more closely at it! It wouldn't have stopped me from buying it, but jeez, a bridge with saddles that are held in place by friction only? That is pathetic to say the least. They could easily come out when changing strings, so setting up the intonation could be a common thing with this bass. I mean it's not like she'll be changing or breaking strings often, and i'm happy to set it up for her, but what a poor design.

So it's minor complaints really, perhaps to be expected from a bass that probably cost the manufacturer a hundred bucks to build. It plays very well now and has a good tone, though I wouldn't want the HZ's personally. I think the bubbly tone is kind of fun and will be good for her. I need to put a new battery in it and see if that affects it at all. The review of it on e-bay said it was passive pickups! I'm impartial but it's a bit annoying there was mis-information on the bass. Considering the humbucking pickups I expected a bit more balls, but it does sound good, especially for a modern slap tone (not my thing but who knows where she will go with it.)

The best part is she is a natural bass player. I guess the years of drumming and fiddling around on my basses have paid off. She learned a whole song in about 15 minutes, one that she usually plays drums for. Granted it's easy, I Don't Care by Fall Out Boy, but she nails it rhythmically and has a great sense of muting and timing. She's going to pick it up really fast. I'm teaching my roomates son to play bass too, so they are working together on bass and drums taking turns. This makes me very happy and definately makes the purchase more than worthwhile. :D
Click to expand...

No, it's not unusual for the jack to be messed up after a while. Why they don't put switchcraft ones in to start with makes no sense. As far as the bridge goes, the saddles are not just held in by friction. You need to tighten the saddles down with an allen wrench inserted into the side of the bridge. Once you tighten that up, they won't move.

Glad to hear that your daughter is doing well. That's great. :)
 

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