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NBD:Spector Legend 5? Seems different than most.

M

melarson

Feb 11, 2009
165
76
Utah
#1
I bought my first Spector off eBay entitled "Spector Electric Guitar 5 String with Hard Case" sold by a pawn shop. I've always kinda wanted a Spector and it was a pretty good deal. It's in better shape than I was expecting, I'm not sure it's actually been played. It came with a Spector hard case that had obviously been sitting around, new in the box Dunlop strap locks, a 4" Levy strap and a new set of D'Addario NYXL strings. Desperately needed a setup, pretty much unplayable as it was. I think it's a Legend 5 (made in Indonesia), but the controls are different than anything I can find online and it doesn't seem the Legend had Fishman pickups? The controls are (from top to bottom in the closeup), Volume, pickup blend (?) left middle, treble right middle, bass and a 3 way microswitch (not sure of function).

Anybody know exactly what I've got? Thanks!
 

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#3
DWBass said:
Definitely a Legend. I had the 4 string version for a while. Very good basses. Yours looks like it has some pickup upgrades. They typically come with the Tone Pump Jr. preamp. Let us know what's actually in there. I put a US EMG preamp in mine along with US EMG pickups. Was beastly to say the least.
Click to expand...
I definitely don't know what's in there! :laugh: Official info is a little sparse for these, I can't seem to find anything about the Tone Pump Jr to see if that's what I've got. As far as pickup upgrades, I don't think anyone really played it, so upgrades seem unlikely. But then there's the 3 way switch! I can't really find anything Spector that uses it. The whole thing seems odd.

I'm reading a little more about the pickups, it seems they come with a pre-amp? From the website:

Edit: Found this and it explains everything...
 

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#4
I have one my son found in a mom n pop store last Fathers Day. He gave it to me as a gift. I did my usual setup and put some D'addario rounds on it. Setup went easy and the bass plays well with no surprises. I gigged it a couple of times and it held it's own. I changed nothing other than strings. I (will) and would play it in the mix anytime.
 
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#6
melarson said:
I bought my first Spector off eBay entitled "Spector Electric Guitar 5 String with Hard Case" sold by a pawn shop. I've always kinda wanted a Spector and it was a pretty good deal. It's in better shape than I was expecting, I'm not sure it's actually been played. It came with a Spector hard case that had obviously been sitting around, new in the box Dunlop strap locks, a 4" Levy strap and a new set of D'Addario NYXL strings. Desperately needed a setup, pretty much unplayable as it was. I think it's a Legend 5 (made in Indonesia), but the controls are different than anything I can find online and it doesn't seem the Legend had Fishman pickups? The controls are (from top to bottom in the closeup), Volume, pickup blend (?) left middle, treble right middle, bass and a 3 way microswitch (not sure of function).

Anybody know exactly what I've got? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Hey! You got a nice Spector with some cool upgrades 🤘. Welcome to Team Spector 👍
 
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#11
As others have said, that Legend has been upgraded with the Fishman Fluence pickups. The switch is meant to toggle between different voicings on the pickups. You should take the neck pickup or to verify which set you have. There is the standard Fluence set, and the Mike Inez set. The Mike Inez set has the same bridge pickup and electronics, but the neck pickup is voiced to sound grindy like vintage Alice In Chains. I installed a set in a friend's Bantam 5. I thought they were meh, but he absolutely loved them. Just goes to show YMMV.
 
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#14
funkinbottom said:
As others have posted, looks to be modified/upgraded pu's and pre with added switch. If I remember correctly, the Legend was/is manufactured in Korea. If yours says made Indonsia it's more likely a Performer. Does it have a flat or curved back?
Click to expand...
It has a curved back. In my digging it seems the earlier Legends were made in Korea and the newer ones are made in Indonesia?

It seems so weird that it would be modified. It looks like someone went into the music store, asked the salesman what he'd need, stuffed the new case with the accessories suggested and then lost it in the back of the closet never to be played!
 
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#15
funkinbottom said:
As others have posted, looks to be modified/upgraded pu's and pre with added switch. If I remember correctly, the Legend was/is manufactured in Korea. If yours says made Indonsia it's more likely a Performer. Does it have a flat or curved back?
Click to expand...
The new Legends are made in Indonesia and the Performers don't have figured tops.
 
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