Project Spector is Underway!

[funkinbottom]

Part of me likes the EMG-X with the HAZ Preamp

Have you played a bass with a HAZ preamp? I mostly play passive basses and I agree on the simplicity and love that sound but the HAZ is something special IMO.

Love the HAZ. I put one in my old Q4Pro with Emg's. Digging it much.

 

[DaveParker39]

Good point tbh. Spector doesn’t have a boost only pre they normally use on US models. They’ve done some one offs with them. They also don’t generally do solid walnut or dimarzio pickups.

Those are all options potentially but your chance of finding an already built model, for sale a year from now, with those specs is low to nonexistent.

Well, I will have to try some to see what works for me. I'd be confident custom ordering an NS-1 with a passive pickup. A big part of what I like is in the construction and the physical feel of the NS and Euro models. But we'll see if I like what I play. Worst case I don't like what I play and don't buy/order.

 

[DaveParker39]

Are you sure you want a Spector NS-2? @Relayer71 is right. The NS body, HAZ and EMG P/J defined the NS-2.

What I want is a bass with the construction, quality, and dimensions of the NS-2. The body and neck are part of the selling point for me, I enjoy how they feel. I even enjoy how the strap buttons are located.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Well, I will have to try some to see what works for me. I'd be confident custom ordering an NS-1 with a passive pickup. A big part of what I like is in the construction and the physical feel of the NS and Euro models. But we'll see if I like what I play. Worst case I don't like what I play and don't buy/order.

This isn’t my bass, but my first exposure to the Spector brand was an NS-1 just like this one. A local bassist had one, and he let me play it through his vintage SVT stack. I was totally blown away by it’s sound and it’s ergonomics.

 

[Relayer71]

They were "set up" as well as possible without doing more extensive fret and nut work; and, in the case of the green one, final prep of the fretboard itself as it felt like rough, dry cardboard instead of the normal luscious almost waxy exquisite feel normally associated with pau ferro-equipped Spectors of yesterday.

Wonder if it's just the fretboard drying up due to low humidity or other conditions? Could have left the factory fine and just dried out in the store. Was it a new build?

A little fretboard conditioner will fix that right up. Unless you mean there was a structural defect in the wood.

 

[tbz]

Well, I will have to try some to see what works for me. I'd be confident custom ordering an NS-1 with a passive pickup. A big part of what I like is in the construction and the physical feel of the NS and Euro models. But we'll see if I like what I play. Worst case I don't like what I play and don't buy/order.

That’s why folks generally work up to a NS2 via other basses in the line. Very few stores have a number of Spectors on hand. Of those that do you’re mostly going to find Maple Tops, EMGs and Haz pres.

NS1s don’t really exist in the wild outside of custom orders or that one from the recent NAMM basses (that are being sold as The Spector Collection or w/e.)

This really sounds like you’d be best off starting with a used Euro and playing with pickup and pre combos there before moving forward.

 

[DaveParker39]

That’s why folks generally work up to a NS2 via other basses in the line. Very few stores have a number of Spectors on hand. Of those that do you’re mostly going to find Maple Tops, EMGs and Haz pres.

NS1s don’t really exist in the wild outside of custom orders or that one from the recent NAMM basses (that are being sold as The Spector Collection or w/e.)

This really sounds like you’d be best off starting with a used Euro and playing with pickup and pre combos there before moving forward.

Starting with a Euro is certainly an option.

 

[tbz]

Wonder if it's just the fretboard drying up due to low humidity or other conditions? Could have left the factory fine and just dried out in the store. Was it a new build?

Yeah this person’s description is kinda odd.

Fretboards dry out. This is why people buy fretboard oil lol.

It’s not like a specific piece of wood would just be magically moist forever. Or magically unable to be oiled.

 

[marchone]

Starting with a Euro is certainly an option.

I hear ya.

I had a Czech made Spector NS-2 JA-R for a couple of years. That was a reissue of a Woodstock model with 2 single coils. They made less than a couple hundred.

Although I moved it on the ergonomics of the NS body left an indelible impression on me. That’s why I’m now at the point of ordering a US-made NS-2.

 

[tbz]

Starting with a Euro is certainly an option.

I’d postulate that your money would be best spent on a used Euro. Then use maybe $500 just swapping stuff. Try different preamps. Try different pickups.

Make sure you get a SNC haz clone or an actual Haz of some sort. Figure out if you like that flavor of preamp.

In most cases you’ll be ok selling the used components for 60-80% of what you paid, assuming you keep them nice.

Way better way to get your toes in the water than spending 5-6 k on a custom build without knowing what you want. Even outside of pickups and pres there are a ton of options with Spector.

Neck width. Neck front to back profile. Recessed or exposed strap locks. Inlays. It really is best to know what you want and frankly it’s hard to impossible to get that knowledge without spending time with these basses.

I feel like those of us that bought Fortes when they were sub-2k used or ns2s when they were like 2800-3000 used really had an advantage in this case. Worst case back then you’d buy used and resell at a loss of 200-400. Gave us the opportunity to learn what options were good or bad while pseudo-“renting” the basses, for a reasonable fee.

 

[marchone]

I feel like those of us that bought Fortes when they were sub-2k used or ns2s when they were like 2800-3000 used really had an advantage in this case.

I’m still kicking myself for not buying a Rolex Submariner for $4000 a dozen years ago.

 

[DaveParker39]

I’m still kicking myself for not buying a Rolex Submariner for $4000 a dozen years ago.

Please don't get me started on watches. This could easily become Project Daytona.

 

[steelbed45]

Just saw this thread - stick to it and get what you want, OP!

 

[BaltBass5]

Nice collection. That Euro in the middle, especially, is so sweet! Let's see some full frontal shots!

 

[FFEJY]

 

[Relayer71]

View attachment 4664640 View attachment 4664641

That's a beauty! Has a real US NS2 vibe with that finish and maple board.

 

[Relayer71]

Does it?

 

[BaltBass5]

Not sure…but this bass melts faces!

 

[ThisBass]

What makes the NS2 special, aside from those absolutely stunning glossy finishes and lovely figured maple tops, is the HAZ which has such a unique tone signature. Good luck, OP.

I agree that these bass guitars have stunning glossy finishes and lovely figured maple tops but, I dsagree with the opinion the HAZ would have a "unique tone signature".

I have got both, an US spector NS-2O (with the HAZ inside ) and also an EU spector NS4-CRFM (with a EMG BTS 2 band EQ control).

Although both bass guitars are nearly of just the same design of construction, regarding body wood (full maple wings) and the neck (three stripes of maple) and also the bridge, whenever the instrument is played unplugged from an amplifier then the basic (unpluged) sound of each instrument is noticeable different to each other.

The difference may be mainly caused by the fretboard and its different wood. Pau Ferro wood for the fretboard of the NS-2O and at the other side Rosewood for the EU spector.

Some years ago I played a US NS2 in a music store that had an Aguilar 2 band EQ inside. When plugged into an amplifier this "special" NS2 pushed out just the same unique spector growl as if it was a HAZ inside, but it was not!

For my NS-2O I can tell that the US spector growl is there even with the (HAZ-)EQ knobs in flat position. And even if I would fully bypass the HAZ the instrument would push out its "naturally given" spector growl.
I could even swap the HAZ for a EMG BTS and the unique spector growl would still remain, even with the BTS.

I have got a HAZ clone here in spare that I could any time install into my EU spector, but I don't. And as far as I can tell there wasn't any benefit "soundwise" if I would do it.
The BTS control fits soundwise very well to the basic sound of the instrument that is anyway a little bit snappy. If I would install the HAZ clone then the sound would become even more snappy than already is. .
The basic sound of my NS-2O is a lil more to the "mellow side" if both instruments are directly compared each other, thus the somewhat more "agressive" trebel control of the HAZ fits for sure way better to the NS-2O rather than to my "snappy like" EU spector.


The archive of the classifieds is full with sold EU spectors that are upgraded with the US HAZ or at least with one of its clones.
It makes me very very wondering WHY so many spectors are frequently offered for cheap, and all of them pretended to be really "truly" as close as possible to an US spector.
Personally I think that most part of all these sellers had experineced the hard and expensive way that the HAZ can't transform a EU spector into an US like spector.
Very likely the shot backfired soundwise with the HAZ upgrade, and in the end these instruments are all sold cause they still remain what they are, EU spectors with a distinct "unique" sound!

 

[ThisBass]

Do it now and make sure that that series of basses and the different configs is exactly what you want and like before saving and spending on something that may not be as good as you dreamed it was. I've made this exact mistake before and spent a lot of energy rationalising to myself that it was awesome, when it really didn't live up to the dream I'd made for it.

So true!

And especially for the rather costy HAZ I can tell that there is nothing "magical" or somethimg "unique" in it.

Actual its the instrument itself that provides the "unique" sound that I love. I could swap the HAZ electronic in my US spector for anything else, the "unique" sound would remain, no matter what preamp EQ was inside