SPECTOR® Club - Part 25

[5string_phunk]

I want in the Spector club please! I play an all-original 1985 NS-2JA. Original owner. Purchased at the old K&K music on Columbus St. in SF in 1986. Original EMGs. There is a small wear groove from my thumb nail above the bridge pickup and buckle rash on the back from when I foolishly let a friend wearing a jean jacket play with it 20 years ago. But besides that, it is still pretty cherry. S/N 212B, imprinted on the back plate.
View attachment 249512 View attachment 249513

Welcome!! I love me some classic Spectors!

 

[Clearwave]

INCOMING: Spector Kramer era NS2A bought from the classifieds here. This will be my FIRST Spector. I'm very excited. I'm a diehard EBMM fans and currently my number 1 is a Sterling HH. I love aggressive, growly basses. I've really been digging the Spector tone lately and hoping this one can get me there.

Congrats on the NS2a!

 

[Latinferno]

I do love the badass on my jar except if I'm chugging with a pick... It's easier cut up my hand... But that's pretty rock and roll!!

+1

 

[rockstarbassist]

Lots of fuss. I just Mic my 810 with a beta 52. Gives all the growl, snort and low end I could want. Finally happy with the simple set up . Playing through a svt2p and a power amp. Just gotta watch how ya run the bass boost off the bass. Eating guitars in the mix for lunch he... he....

Lol nah... more fuss is getting my whole rig into the studio for only a few hours of tracking...
It's funny because over time I've gotten more used to a blend of DI signals and kinda prefer it. Even 2 years ago, no fekkin' way.
Plus my signal through the Mesa (which is already in studio) is ridiculous for my overdriven parts. Pedals are nice live but when you have a really nice guitar rig to split a signal through, there's just no comparison.

 

[MindRise]

I asked this a couple week ago and the answer is the BEAD setup is apparently available as a factory option, although the Spector site does not list it as far as I can see. Also, it's not free either, which I find odd as I would guess at least 50% of people interested in a 35" scale 4-string are probably going to be looking at a tuning like BEAD.

Thanks, I couldn't find any info.

 

[delucajohn2000]

Question:

I found the Spector Euro 435 LX online (neck-through, 35" scale, active EMG PJ pickups) and I'm wondering if it comes with a BEAD or standard tuning from the factory. Also, how different does it feel a Spector 4 string bass in 35'' scale?

I asked this a couple week ago and the answer is the BEAD setup is apparently available as a factory option, although the Spector site does not list it as far as I can see. Also, it's not free either, which I find odd as I would guess at least 50% of people interested in a 35" scale 4-string are probably going to be looking at a tuning like BEAD.

This was taken from the current 2012 price list on the Spector web site:


SPECIAL ORDER OPTIONS
• 35" extended scale: all Four String Models with standard tuning No Charge
• Custom tuning / special set up. Includes BEAD Low Tuning .065 -.130 $150.00

That is list price just so you know.

 

[iceboxbass]

Interesting, scale was never an issue with me either. I let about 8 people play my bass at gc the other day. First remark was "wow, the electronics were hot". Second was this thing really hugs your body!. Third was the neck felt in-between their p and jazz but different.

None mentioned scale at all.

+1! Same here...I've jumped back & forth in the same gig between 5r 35" scale and 4 string 34" scale with no problems adjusting.

 

[bobunit]

Hey fam!

So I've had about 5 days of playing Legend with the new upgrades and I have to say that I'm still a little on the fence about them. The EMG 45TW's with the TonePump Sr. sound way better than the stock SSD's and TP Jr., and I like having the option to go single coil, but the volume drop is so drastic, going to single coil mode becomes more than just pulling up on the volume knobs. I have to dime the volume knobs, and then possibly turn up the main volume on my amp. In dual coil mode, the tone gets really beefy and punchy, and retains a nice high end. With my rig I only have to turn the treble up to about 30% to add a little sparkle to my sound. The sound is pretty dark though, and I'm thinking I may like the EMG DC's better. Since I was still able to retain most of EMG's Quick-Connect system swapping out the pups won't require any resoldering, so I may look into purchasing a DC for the Bridge position. I actually like the single coil sound though, and was also considering trying the 45J's.

If you don't like the volume drop of the TW pickups in single mode, you may be disappointed with the J pickups as they have significantly less output than the DC or CS pickups.

 

[iceboxbass]

INCOMING: Spector Kramer era NS2A bought from the classifieds here. This will be my FIRST Spector. I'm very excited. I'm a diehard EBMM fans and currently my number 1 is a Sterling HH. I love aggressive, growly basses. I've really been digging the Spector tone lately and hoping this one can get me there.

You picked up a real good Spector! You'll be loving it!
Congrats!

 

[iceboxbass]

I asked this a couple week ago and the answer is the BEAD setup is apparently available as a factory option, although the Spector site does not list it as far as I can see. Also, it's not free either, which I find odd as I would guess at least 50% of people interested in a 35" scale 4-string are probably going to be looking at a tuning like BEAD.

Yeah when they said its a $150.00 option I don't get it either...All you're talking is a different nut and beefier strings???

 

[JPSBassist]

I asked this a couple week ago and the answer is the BEAD setup is apparently available as a factory option, although the Spector site does not list it as far as I can see. Also, it's not free either, which I find odd as I would guess at least 50% of people interested in a 35" scale 4-string are probably going to be looking at a tuning like BEAD.

On the front page of the website is a link that says: "CURRENT PRICE LIST"
It links to this page: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
On this page is a link: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
On this page (a PDF file) is the option John mentioned above.

And actually, just trying to offer a different perspective, a 35" 4-string in EADG is a great bass for Drop D and Drop C tuning. Being a big NIN fan (and knowing most of TR's NIN catalog) a majority of the songs are Drop D and a few are Drop C... which when you start getting into Drop C territory it's nice to have that extra scale.

So I think it can go both ways honestly. A lot of bassists would want their typical EADG and then want to do alternate drop tuning... and then I had one as a replacement for a 5-string with BEAD.

But I think either application is common and the drop tuning one even more so which is why it's the default option.

 

[rockstarbassist]

Sorry to semi spam some bros but.... is Spector related so!
I put my Euro4 up FS/FT in the Classy's. Really as I mentioned a little bit back I really just need another 5'er. I'm open to ANYTHING (non-US ) in the Spector line for trade so just hit me up. This Euro is amazing and sounds as close to my old Brooklyn as I've ever heard but just need that low B, no bones about it!

 

[iceboxbass]

Thanks, I couldn't find any info.

It can be an option for just about any of the 4 strings if you want it. And pay the extra $150.00. I ordered a five string brass nut for one of my former basses a couple years ago thru Spector and only cost $25.00.
I also order thru [email protected] for custom made nuts of material of your choice. $20-25.00 each

 

[grendle]

Lol nah... more fuss is getting my whole rig into the studio for only a few hours of tracking...
It's funny because over time I've gotten more used to a blend of DI signals and kinda prefer it. Even 2 years ago, no fekkin' way.
Plus my signal through the Mesa (which is already in studio) is ridiculous for my overdriven parts. Pedals are nice live but when you have a really nice guitar rig to split a signal through, there's just no comparison.

What are you using for a DI? I've been looking at them lately but not sure which to get. Active? passive?

 

[rockstarbassist]

What are you using for a DI? I've been looking at them lately but not sure which to get. Active? passive?

Live I usually run Post-Pre from my Mesa or someone throws a house mic on there.
My personal DI is the Radial JDI which is passive. For tracking I've been using the engineer's Countryman 85 which is active. When I go re-track my stuff, I'm thinking about going into one of his API 512c's, actually.

 

[JPSBassist]

Yeah when they said its a $150.00 option I don't get it either...All you're talking is a different nut and beefier strings???

I imagine (now that I've met Petr, the manager of the Czech shop) that it's because like the USA Workshop there is very little automation in that factory... and it's a "factory" if you consider there are only 35 people employed there.

It's basically a larger-scale version of the workshop in NY where the basses are made majority by hand. So the BEAD tuning requires additional time because that bass would have to be pulled from the standard assembly process, a customized nut would have to be hand-fitted and any adjustments to the truss rod and the string/setup would be different than the typical Euro4LX. So now one of those 35 employees is pulled off the normal build process to "custom-fit" a single instrument.

I'm willing to bet money that's why there's a surcharge for that setup.

I can tell you from first hand experience that Stuart and PJ discuss ways of keeping production costs down, not trying to find ways to add this or that to drive price up.

They are not like that, which is one of the biggest reasons I have so much respect for them. They're not your typical business guys looking to squeeze every penny out of their customers.

They know that times are tough and their guitars are not cheap so they look for ways to save money in their construction and not add it. So when you do see something that costs more there's usually a "human" reason for it and costs like those have to be addressed.

Another reason I love Spector guitars... they ARE still made by hand (the exception is the Korean Imports which are run off an assembly line like most guitar company's products). But the USA and Czech models are still mostly made by hand.

Lastly, I got to see the price list of a... similar shaped European builder at NAMM. And a "Custom Shop" bass, which is still mostly made using a CNC with little human sanding shaping and assembly, which produces a guitar along the lines of our Euro models with slightly nicer hardware... was nearly $10,000 US. It BLEW my mind. I looked at the bass in question and thought... perhaps a little nicer than Spector's Euro line... but for sure NOT on the same level as the USA models... and TWICE as expensive as the USA? Yeah... sign me up for any two NS-2s to one of those. LOL.

 

[grendle]

On the front page of the website is a link that says: "CURRENT PRICE LIST"
It links to this page: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
On this page is a link: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
On this page (a PDF file) is the option John mentioned above.

And actually, just trying to offer a different perspective, a 35" 4-string in EADG is a great bass for Drop D and Drop C tuning. Being a big NIN fan (and knowing most of TR's NIN catalog) a majority of the songs are Drop D and a few are Drop C... which when you start getting into Drop C territory it's nice to have that extra scale.

So I think it can go both ways honestly. A lot of bassists would want their typical EADG and then want to do alternate drop tuning... and then I had one as a replacement for a 5-string with BEAD.

But I think either application is common and the drop tuning one even more so which is why it's the default option.

+1

we play in dropped C i use 45-105 strings with no tension issues. They are defiantly floppier on my 34", but still decent. I switched up to 110's on the 34" for a little better feel.

 

[silvertripper]

What are you using for a DI? I've been looking at them lately but not sure which to get. Active? passive?

You might also look at a Countryman DI, I have one and its sweet! The reviews are highly recommended as well.

 

[rockstarbassist]

You might also look at a Countryman DI, I have one and its sweet! The reviews are highly recommended as well.

The tonal difference between the JDI and 85 are negligible, IME, but I like the fact that the JDI is 100% passive whereas the 85 needs phantom power or a 9V, and I've definitely played places where they'd ONLY take a true DI "box" yet no phantom available... But yeah either would work for me. I used to have a J48 which is also active.

 

[grendle]

Clips of any DI's? Any preferences on them?