Help Deciding on Pickup and Preamp Replacement for Spector RST 5

[Triassic Ash]

Hello recently bought a Spector RST 5, and love everything about it except the tone I am getting out of it. I know that I am will be replacing the preamp as I feel that the stock Aguilar OBP-2 is a very heavy handed preamp that isn't giving me the flexibility I am looking for in a 2 band preamp. As for the pickups they are a bit too mid forward and seem to be going for a more faux vintage sound that doesn't really work for me when the preamp is centered.

I play mostly Funk, Blues, and Jazz, but more in the tonal spectrum of the 80's. I definitely lean towards Hi-Fi tones, but my main bass is an Alembic series and that covers the ultra Hi Fi tones, so looking for something in the Hi Fi realm, but a little rounder and warmer. Additionally, I would like to stay with a two band preamp. Thanks in advance for the communities input into this.

 

[Sid the Kid]

I would suggest starting with the preamp and if that doesn’t resolve the issues do the pickups next. You are correct that the OBP is a voiced preamp, removing the voice might reveal something you like.

For a replacement preamp I wholeheartedly recommend the LHZ 2 band preamp, it is a reverse engineered HAZ preamp from Kramer era Spectors. I installed one in an Ibanez along with EMG pickups and it is very much the Spector sound. I love it. With the EMG pickups install was a breeze, the Aguilar pickups might take a bit more work to get running.

Good luck!

LHZ Preamps – Vintage Bass Preamps

lhzpreamps.com

 

[markanini]

Gotta have EMGs, it's the Spector sound.