NBD and belated NBD that caused it

[Barticus]

So I’ve been super curious about Spectors for quite a while (several years) especially as a Warwick owner but I have never owned one and have only played a few during visits to Sweetwater Gearfest prior to the shutdown in 2020, wasn’t crazy about the ones I played then.

Belated bass day…
Then a super nice Purple Euro LT popped up in the classifieds so I pulled the trigger. It sounds fantastic, very versatile tone and light weight at 8.5lbs. I played 2 double header weekends back to back and decided it was a keeper. As a headless player for the last several years, playing a headed 35” on a gig was a big change, but this felt natural like my own headless… very comfortable. The Darkglass Tone Capsule with the Bartoloni’s provide some amazing tone, wow what an amazing bass!

New bass day…
Then I kept reading more of the Spector owner’s thread, researching, asking questions and became oh so curious about the differences in the US models. Slimmer necks, you say? Beautiful tops?

Well the Euro LT plays amazing and is super comfortable to play at a 4hr gig but the neck is a little chunky, and could be much thinner… so I talked to some dealers about detailed neck specs and thickness and did more homework. Wow, they are all very pricey for what I was looking at.

So I reach out to another owner that I knew from the Warwick owners thread, and he answered more questions and told me just how much thinner and more refined the US model was compared to his Euro LT… AND how he bought his new US model at a 45% discount… wait, whuhhh???

With those details, I was on a mission and struck the same deal on a NS 5XL right before heading off to my gig last Saturday. Got the UPS shipping info and waited… then this morning during one of my conference calls UPS rang my doorbell. I rush down to open the package to find this!

WOW, yes the neck is waaayyyyy thinner, and even the headstock is a bit more petite. It has that same amazingly comfortable curved back, plays so nice and weighs in under 9lbs and oh…
OMG that top!!!

I know these colors are not for everyone, but it matches our bands branding and theme colors (and my guitarist’s purple PRS McCarty) .

Hope I’m not giving away any trade or Spector owner secrets, but the US Spector models have amazing craftsmanship and they produce amazing playable works of art.

 

[wvbass]

That USA Spector isn’t a bass for me, but there’s no denying its appeal! Wow!

 

[elgranluis]

Fantastic looking bass ! Congratulations!

 

[Killing Floor]

Nice. Happy NB(s)D

those both are gorgeous

 

[Matt Liebenau]

So I’ve been super curious about Spectors for quite a while (several years) especially as a Warwick owner but I have never owned one and have only played a few during visits to Sweetwater Gearfest prior to the shutdown in 2020, wasn’t crazy about the ones I played then.

Belated bass day…
Then a super nice Purple Euro LT popped up in the classifieds so I pulled the trigger. It sounds fantastic, very versatile tone and light weight at 8.5lbs. I played 2 double header weekends back to back and decided it was a keeper. As a headless player for the last several years, playing a headed 35” on a gig was a big change, but this felt natural like my own headless… very comfortable. The Darkglass Tone Capsule with the Bartoloni’s provide some amazing tone, wow what an amazing bass!
View attachment 5477439 View attachment 5477440 View attachment 5477438

New bass day…
Then I kept reading more of the Spector owner’s thread, researching, asking questions and became oh so curious about the differences in the US models. Slimmer necks, you say? Beautiful tops?

Well the Euro LT plays amazing and is super comfortable to play at a 4hr gig but the neck is a little chunky, and could be much thinner… so I talked to some dealers about detailed neck specs and thickness and did more homework. Wow, they are all very pricey for what I was looking at.

So I reach out to another owner that I knew from the Warwick owners thread, and he answered more questions and told me just how much thinner and more refined the US model was compared to his Euro LT… AND how he bought his new US model at a 45% discount… wait, whuhhh???

With those details, I was on a mission and struck the same deal on a NS 5XL right before heading off to my gig last Saturday. Got the UPS shipping info and waited… then this morning during one of my conference calls UPS rang my doorbell. I rush down to open the package to find this!
View attachment 5477465
View attachment 5477467
View attachment 5477466

WOW, yes the neck is waaayyyyy thinner, and even the headstock is a bit more petite. It has that same amazingly comfortable curved back, plays so nice and weighs in under 9lbs and oh…
OMG that top!!!

I know these colors are not for everyone, but it matches our bands branding and theme colors (and my guitarist’s purple PRS McCarty) .

Hope I’m not giving away any trade or Spector owner secrets, but the US Spector models have amazing craftsmanship and they produce amazing playable works of art.

They’re both nice but the fade on the second one is fantastic.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Wow! Congrats man and rock them in good health!

 

[Iridescentone]

Thanks for the GAS...now I want a USA Spector!

God I hate this forum!

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Very nice!!! Do you plan on keeping both ?

 

[Barticus]

Very nice!!! Do you plan on keeping both ?

For now, yes… they’re different flavors for sure.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

I have a Purple Bass fetish.

Now I need a cigarette...

 

[Barticus]

I have a Purple Bass fetish.

Now I need a cigarette...

 

[Bassdirty]

Sweet yo!
Spectors are GRRRREAT! So comfy, almost just becomes an extension of your own body...


T$

 

[Gervais Cote]

So I’ve been super curious about Spectors for quite a while (several years) especially as a Warwick owner but I have never owned one and have only played a few during visits to Sweetwater Gearfest prior to the shutdown in 2020, wasn’t crazy about the ones I played then.

Belated bass day…
Then a super nice Purple Euro LT popped up in the classifieds so I pulled the trigger. It sounds fantastic, very versatile tone and light weight at 8.5lbs. I played 2 double header weekends back to back and decided it was a keeper. As a headless player for the last several years, playing a headed 35” on a gig was a big change, but this felt natural like my own headless… very comfortable. The Darkglass Tone Capsule with the Bartoloni’s provide some amazing tone, wow what an amazing bass!
View attachment 5477439 View attachment 5477440 View attachment 5477438

New bass day…
Then I kept reading more of the Spector owner’s thread, researching, asking questions and became oh so curious about the differences in the US models. Slimmer necks, you say? Beautiful tops?

Well the Euro LT plays amazing and is super comfortable to play at a 4hr gig but the neck is a little chunky, and could be much thinner… so I talked to some dealers about detailed neck specs and thickness and did more homework. Wow, they are all very pricey for what I was looking at.

So I reach out to another owner that I knew from the Warwick owners thread, and he answered more questions and told me just how much thinner and more refined the US model was compared to his Euro LT… AND how he bought his new US model at a 45% discount… wait, whuhhh???

With those details, I was on a mission and struck the same deal on a NS 5XL right before heading off to my gig last Saturday. Got the UPS shipping info and waited… then this morning during one of my conference calls UPS rang my doorbell. I rush down to open the package to find this!
View attachment 5477465
View attachment 5477467
View attachment 5477466

WOW, yes the neck is waaayyyyy thinner, and even the headstock is a bit more petite. It has that same amazingly comfortable curved back, plays so nice and weighs in under 9lbs and oh…
OMG that top!!!

I know these colors are not for everyone, but it matches our bands branding and theme colors (and my guitarist’s purple PRS McCarty) .

Hope I’m not giving away any trade or Spector owner secrets, but the US Spector models have amazing craftsmanship and they produce amazing playable works of art.

Amazing basses here !

A difficult question if I may ask : how would you describe the Bartolini pickups vs the EMG ?

Typically, I’m not a fan of EMG except for a few Spector basses but I’m wondering if the Bartolini option would give it a more "organic" sound than a typical EMG set.

Also, do you feel the low B (open string) is more convincing on one of the two or is it about the same ? I never heard any low B better than the one on a USA Spector anyway but curious to get your point of view………….

 

[BaltBass5]

Amazing basses here !

A difficult question if I may ask : how would you describe the Bartolini pickups vs the EMG ?

Typically, I’m not a fan of EMG except for a few Spector basses but I’m wondering if the Bartolini option would give it a more "organic" sound than a typical EMG set.

Obviously this is a very subjective question but FWIW...I own 6 Euros.
3 are Euro Classics which have the stock EMG and EMG BTS Pre.
2 are Euros LT's that had Barts and the DG Pre.
The last one was an LX that had EMG's and the Tone Pump Pre.

I pulled out the Barts and DG Pre's in my 2 LT's and replaced them with EMG's and the EMG BTS. There is nothing wrong with the Barts or the DG Pre but I found them to be very dark and less "Spector" sounding. To me the best combo of all the different Spector configs I have owned / played is EMG with the EMG BTS.

 

[scuzzy]

SPECTOR!!!

 

[Gervais Cote]

Obviously this is a very subjective question but FWIW...I own 6 Euros.
3 are Euro Classics which have the stock EMG and EMG BTS Pre.
2 are Euros LT's that had Barts and the DG Pre.
The last one was an LX that had EMG's and the Tone Pump Pre.

I pulled out the Barts and DG Pre's in my 2 LT's and replaced them with EMG's and the EMG BTS. There is nothing wrong with the Barts or the DG Pre but I found them to be very dark and less "Spector" sounding. To me the best combo of all the different Spector configs I have owned / played is EMG with the EMG BTS.

Thanks for replying.

That’s exactly what I was thinking. Although I’m supposedly not a fan of EMG in general, I too witnessed the match of Spector USA with EMG is just perfect.

 

[Goatrope]

Holy moley that's sweet.

 

[Al T.]

Barticus is obviously a man of good taste and a connoisseur of the finer things in life.That is the Spector of all Spectors, play it every day.

 

[Barticus]

Thanks for replying.

That’s exactly what I was thinking. Although I’m supposedly not a fan of EMG in general, I too witnessed the match of Spector USA with EMG is just perfect.

This is a great question and nice response.

A difficult question if I may ask : how would you describe the Bartolini pickups vs the EMG ?

I really like the tone of the combination of the Darkglass and the Bartolini pickups, and I’m not sure if it’s the pickup themselves or the preamp that gives that sparkly clarity that I really like. There’s almost a compressed sound that comes from that combination that makes it punchy and dynamic that appeals to me. One of the key factors is that the low mid control is set in the control cavity and when I adjusted it up or down, it took the sound to a place that I did not like. I found the default setting for the low mid was, in my opinion, pretty perfect for the high mid and the bass to control the rest.

I pulled out the Barts and DG Pre's in my 2 LT's and replaced them with EMG's and the EMG BTS. There is nothing wrong with the Barts or the DG Pre but I found them to be very dark and less "Spector" sounding. To me the best combo of all the different Spector configs I have owned / played is EMG with the EMG BTS.

I have EMG‘s and the BQC in another bass and really like the sound from that instrument. I’m new to the EMGs + HAZ tone, and after some pickup height adjustments, I like the tone from this combo as well but it is very different from the other. I’m not sure if it’s as much of liking one versus the other at this point I like and appreciate the tone that I’m getting from each which again sound very different to my ears. So at this point, that’s why I intend to hang onto both instruments to figure out which may be a better fit for some of the material that I cover and where I would use one instrument versus the other. Once I get through this grace period, I may end up swapping what’s in the US version or I may decide I’m perfectly happy once I get my head wrapped around how to manipulate the sound that I want hear.

I don’t think I can go wrong with either of the electronics in these two instruments.

 

[Barticus]

Barticus is obviously a man of good taste and a connoisseur of the finer things in life.That is the Spector of all Spectors, play it every day.