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Performer vs Rockbass

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dereksilloway

Dec 9, 2006
439
3
Stevens Point Wisconsin
#1
Ive wanted a Spector or Warwick for a long time. But the price has always made them a little unreachable for me.
But ive decided to try one of them out and see what I like. Here is my question, I want a teaser, a taste so im looking at going for one of the entry models. So which one is better?
Specifically im looking at a Spector Performer 5 compared to a Warwick Streamer Rockbass.

I dont want to hear, you can get this or that on the used market. I want a new one.
So if you had the dough, which one would you go for?
 
#2
If you're going price-wise, the performers are cheaper. The Legends are more along the lines of a new Rockbass price.

That being said, I played a Warwick Rockbass Corvette last week that really impressed me. Felt AND played better than the Spector Legend I tried, too. Both of them had good setups. This coming from a guy who owns 2 Spectors & won't be without one.

For Performer 5 vs Streamer 5, I'd go Streamer. The Rockbass streamers do still look a little cheap, though. Definitely not as flashy as their Corvette brethren.
 
#3
Performers are made in Korea. And Rockbasses in China.
I have Korean made Ibanez BTB Prestige which is wery high quality in terms of finish and woodwork. I would recommend it over any chinese bass i have dried or borrowed. Including mtd Kingston Z and AG:bassist:
 
#4
Digital Man said:
Performers are made in Korea. And Rockbasses in China.
I have Korean made Ibanez BTB Prestige which is wery high quality in terms of finish and woodwork. I would recommend it over any chinese bass i have dried or borrowed. Including mtd Kingston Z and AG:bassist:
Click to expand...

Country of origin really has little to do with anything nowadays. It's the quality control in the plants that matters. The Chinese Rockbasses (the new, revamped line, not the old ones) are VERY high quality & I'd put them up against any of your Korean basses.
 
#6
For those who may be thinking of the OLD rockbass line, here's a comparison:

OLD ROCKBASS STREAMER:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

NEW ROCKBASS STREAMER:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

All the hardware is German Warwick hardware. The pickups are the same MEC pickups used in the Korean & German models and the wood/finish quality is on par with the Korean Pro series.
 
#7
awilkie84 said:
Country of origin really has little to do with anything nowadays. It's the quality control in the plants that matters.
Click to expand...
If it's made in Korea, it's a Cor-Tek and the QC is fairly predictable, at least compared to what I see from anyone's Chinese product.

The Chinese Rockbasses (the new, revamped line, not the old ones) are VERY high quality & I'd put them up against any of your Korean basses.
Click to expand...
Which "new, revamped line"?

I've had second-generation Rockbasses on the bench that were worse than the originals, and in fact worse than about anything I've ever seen.

I've also seen some very nice, nearly perfect, first-generation Rockbasses. :hmm:

Supposedly, we're into the third-generation of Rockbasses according to the fanboys and they're finally OK. [shrug]

I'd add that the really atrocious Rockbasses I saw were Streamers sold by Amazon, and numerous builders were then dumping their QC rejects there to be sold by Amazon as "A-stock" items. If Warwick was doing this, it would explain much, but I wouldn't expect them to admit it.

If so, it's a penny-wise, pound-foolish way to screw up your reputation by letting out terrible product with your name on it when it should have just been destroyed.

If not, then I just don't know what to say.
 
#8
Ill vouch for the Spector legend line. I bought mine sight unseen from the classifieds here and haven't looked back. It plays really well, and I never have any trouble getting a good sound from it. I can't speak for the new rock basses, but they really seemed to have stepped their game up.

But the big thing for me is sound- the Korean made spectors give a good representation of the classic 'Spector sound'. The older rockbass models I played didnt really sound much like their German counterparts. Again, I can't speak for the newly revamped line.

I know the OP said performer, but another poster above was correct in saying that the legend line is more of an equivalent to the Warwick rockbass line.
 
#9
They're both very different feeling and sounding basses. Depends on what you're going for and what you like. Spector will have a thicker neck than the Rockbass and weigh more. I had one of the new Rockbasses and they're very nice, and very lightweight. Extremely thin neck. Lightyears better than the old Rockbass line which had necks like baseball bats.
 
#10
awilkie84 said:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

I have this exact bass (by the way, this is the Streamer LX model, there is a standard Streamer with different pickups), and it is the best made bass I have ever played. I sold two basses after I got it because it is so versatile I could cop both of their tones, and it is super comfortable to play. Honestly, after I got it, every time I picked up my American Fender P Bass, I was disgusted with how clunky it felt.

I've never played a Spector, so I can't quite compare, but I will toss my vote into the Rockbass hat.
 
#11
Owned both in the 5 strings!

Based on the ones I've owned, the Spector Performers have a few QC issues (I've owned two), including poorly cut nut, hummy electronics , and crackly pots. However, the overall tone of the instrument is very pleasing and versatile to my ears (if you don't have the hummy electronics).

The Warwick Rockbass has better quality control from my experience. Only problem is that the pickups are low output, and not very trebly at all.

Personally, I would go for the Rockbass Corvette $$ 5 instead of either of these. Doesn't have a ton of treble on the bass either, but at least it's a solid quality instrument with a powerful and usable sound, and a lot of options.
 
#13
EagleMoon said:
They're both very different feeling and sounding basses. Depends on what you're going for and what you like. Spector will have a thicker neck than the Rockbass and weigh more. I had one of the new Rockbasses and they're very nice, and very lightweight. Extremely thin neck. Lightyears better than the old Rockbass line which had necks like baseball bats.
Click to expand...

Uhh...the Performers don't weigh much at all. They're not the maple neckthru Spectors of the Euro/USA line. My ReBop's neck is also thinner than the Rockbass Corvette I was playing at the shop. The neckthru Spectors tend to be a little thicker, but nowhere near the baseball bat necks of some of the bolt-on thumbs I've played. The Rockbass line has very comparable necks to the Performer & Legend, for dimensions.
 
#14
awilkie84 said:
Uhh...the Performers don't weigh much at all. They're not the maple neckthru Spectors of the Euro/USA line. My ReBop's neck is also thinner than the Rockbass Corvette I was playing at the shop. The neckthru Spectors tend to be a little thicker, but nowhere near the baseball bat necks of some of the bolt-on thumbs I've played. The Rockbass line has very comparable necks to the Performer & Legend, for dimensions.
Click to expand...

That's not been my experience. I've had several Spectors, Legends and Euros. The Euros have big necks, wide and thick. The Rockbass had a neck thinner than a Fender Geddy Lee jazz bass whereas the Legends had necks slightly larger than a regular jazz bass. The Legends also varied hugely in weight. From over 9 lbs. to around 7. Basswood isn't always lightweight like so many people seem to think. The Rockbass that I had was around 7 lbs. and the others I've played have all been light. But then they were also alder.
 
#15
cjmodulus said:
But the big thing for me is sound- the Korean made spectors give a good representation of the classic 'Spector sound'. The older rockbass models I played didnt really sound much like their German counterparts. Again, I can't speak for the newly revamped line.
Click to expand...

So this above was one of the things I was most worried about.
Im play technical death metal and have noticed that a large amount of my fellow bassists play Warwicks. Which is part of the reason my interest was piqued. If it is true that the Rockbass line doesnt sound like the German counterparts than that might be a big blow to them. I want the Warwick sound if Im getting a Warwick you know?

Anyone else feel this way?

Secondly, upon research, I have noticed the Spector Legend series USED is of comparable price...but I still dont know how much I fancy buying a used one.

It would seem so far its split down the middle...maybe Ill just get both :D
 
#16
I had a Rockbass Streamer Standard and it was one of the worst basses I ever owned. Turned it over faster than the SX's that stuck around longer. The pickups were very weak and the trussrod was always needing adjusted. It is the budget Warwick for a reason but I don't know why the company would risk their reputation selling them.
 
#17
dereksilloway said:
Secondly, upon research, I have noticed the Spector Legend series USED is of comparable price...but I still dont know how much I fancy buying a used one.
Click to expand...


I know you stated that you didn't want to go used, but truth is, a used Legend is so much more bass for the money that it's really a no brainer... They are very consistant in quality of construction - fit, finish, playability, and sound are all pure Spector... I see 'em on GC's used gear pages all the time for around $300 - I would definitely go that way before spending money on a Performer or Rock Bass... I rocked a pair of Q5s - which aren't much different from a Legend - for awhile before deciding that I wanted to go 34", and they always killed in the mix...


- georgestrings
 
#18
I will say that I hate both the spector and the older warwick basses in terms of neck and playability. I will say that they changed the neck radius on the newer style warwick rockbass and it is a much sleeker feel and the MEC pickups sound pretty good too
 

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