SPECTOR® Club - Part 36

[worshiprocker]

Well to preface this I have used steel Dunlops, DR Lo Riders, DR Fat Beams, and DR Hi Beams and each set had similar qualities that I simply disliked.

For one, steel strings have a very unique feel to them. Unlike nickles (which I find to be smooth and slick), steels tend to have a harshness to them. It almost feels like they're cutting into my skin, and it makes slides very uncomfortable.

In addition, I've always found them to be less bright than their nickle counterpart (which seems to be a weird anomaly that only I experience). Whenever I put a fresh set of steels on a bass they already sound like they've been broken in for at least two weeks. Any sort of high end zing is long gone, and all that's left is this dark grind. That said, they seem to maintain this tone for a long time despite how often you play them. Nickles, on the other hand, seem to constantly lose their tone the more and more you play them.

Lastly, and this is a really silly reason, I just hate how they look. They always have this darkness to them that reminds me of rusty nickles. As stupid as it sounds, that bothers me a lot about them too because I want my strings looking fresh!

Thats cool man... use what you like. No better reason! i've only use the non trim TP in a band setting a few times. It was a worship team and I had a performer dlx with EMG hzs and non trim TP... so I wasn't really cutting, but didn't need to.

 

[delucajohn2000]

I just got an e-mail from Jammit, the people that make the Jammit app and only have 5 words to say: Eddie Jackson isolated bass tracks!

They said coming in July, they are going to release Queensryche's Empire CD for the Jammit app which is the coolest thing ever. If anyone hasn't used this program, you should check it out since they use the actual multi-track masters from the studio so you can hear the actual bass track the way it was played. I bought the whole Vulgar Display of Power CD from Pantera for it and could not be happier. It seems pricy but when you see that you are getting the actual master, it really makes it worth it since you can drop the original bass part out and record yourself playing along with the song.

I am really excited that they are going to release Empire but really hope they do Mindcrime as well since that one is my favorite.

 

[thisSNsucks]

I used them on all my fours....sometimes humidity, heat and sweat can create issues....simple trick is a little 3 in 1 oil of even liquid wrench or wd40.......

You know, I've noticed on my Spectors with the brass nuts that once I tune they go a little sharp on their own. Two different basses (CRFM and a Euro) and two different types of strings (Hi Beams and Sadowsky Blacks). Is that due to friction on the brass bridges? Anyone else experience this?

They make this stuff.....no joke...Big Bends Nut Sauce....also on brass a little graphite powder from a hardware store can fix that problem.

Yeah I think its just a little extra maintenence to just make sure the brass nut gets some lubrication, It is metal on metal after all.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll try some wd-40 in the meantime before the "guitar grease" gets here.

 

[5string_phunk]

I just got an e-mail from Jammit, the people that make the Jammit app and only have 5 words to say: Eddie Jackson isolated bass tracks!

They said coming in July, they are going to release Queensryche's Empire CD for the Jammit app which is the coolest thing ever. If anyone hasn't used this program, you should check it out since they use the actual multi-track masters from the studio so you can hear the actual bass track the way it was played. I bought the whole Vulgar Display of Power CD from Pantera for it and could not be happier. It seems pricy but when you see that you are getting the actual master, it really makes it worth it since you can drop the original bass part out and record yourself playing along with the song.

I am really excited that they are going to release Empire but really hope they do Mindcrime as well since that one is my favorite.

SWEEEET! I am going to have to check out this JAMMIT that you speak of!

 

[superdick2112]

They make this stuff.....no joke...Big Bends Nut Sauce....also on brass a little graphite powder from a hardware store can fix that problem.

Yep. I use powdered graphite in the nut slots of all my guitars & basses. It took my Robby Krieger SG from being almost unusable because of tuning issues, to holding tune even when dive-bombing the Maestro vibrato like a Floyd Rose.

 

[5string_phunk]

I had a bass instructor in college that used a standard pencil to make the nut slots slick and fluid! He would just loosen the strings and color the slots until they were a nice dark grey! It works GREAT for me!!

 

[Tat2dHeart]

Me too. And it wouldn't surprise me. I know D'Addario is one of them, LaBella's another as is DR, Fodera actually makes their own in a little shack, GHS is another, and Ernie Ball is one as well. Not sure about the rest. It's one own those known/unknown mysteries of the bass world.

I can picture Leonard Nimoy doing an "In Search of... bass string manufacturers"

Aaaaaaand I just dated the s%^t out of myself big time.:scowl::scowl:

It's alright. I was old when that show was on. You're not entirely aged yet.

 

[Gabriel51]

Nut slot could be "pinching" the string also, I've had that happen.

 

[loend68]

They make this stuff.....no joke...Big Bends Nut Sauce....also on brass a little graphite powder from a hardware store can fix that problem.

+1 on the graphite. Usually the stuff they make to lubricate locks. I have hipshots on all my basses and I have no issues if I use Hipshot's tune/flip/tune/flip method until everything stays in tune.

 

[Basstovsky]

I think I have come to the conclusion that the haz sounds better with finger style and the pump better with a pick. The haz gets that cool burpy clunk with fingers but gets a little clacky with a pick. The pump seems to get clacky with fingers but loads up a little with the pick and gets that burpy grunt that the haz does with fingers. Kinda wierd. Anyone else hear that?

Agreed, love the pump with a pick but its just missing something when played finger style.

yep, every video, every track you have heard of me is all NICKELS.....I refuse Steels because they eat the frets and I like them to play for more than a couple of months/year.

Niclkels for LIFE I love the way the mids of DR Sunbeams goes on a Spector.

 

[smadder]

I just got an e-mail from Jammit, the people that make the Jammit app and only have 5 words to say: Eddie Jackson isolated bass tracks!

They said coming in July, they are going to release Queensryche's Empire CD for the Jammit app which is the coolest thing ever. If anyone hasn't used this program, you should check it out since they use the actual multi-track masters from the studio so you can hear the actual bass track the way it was played. I bought the whole Vulgar Display of Power CD from Pantera for it and could not be happier. It seems pricy but when you see that you are getting the actual master, it really makes it worth it since you can drop the original bass part out and record yourself playing along with the song.

I am really excited that they are going to release Empire but really hope they do Mindcrime as well since that one is my favorite.

That is so f$%^&ing cool, I don't know what to do with myself. I'm going to go look all of this up right now.

 

[husky123]

Hmmm. Forte + HAZ. I can't imagine my Forte getting any better but this does give pause....

It will. I used to think my Corvette was fast until I installed a supercharger.

 

[husky123]

I just got an e-mail from Jammit, the people that make the Jammit app and only have 5 words to say: Eddie Jackson isolated bass tracks!

They said coming in July, they are going to release Queensryche's Empire CD for the Jammit app which is the coolest thing ever. If anyone hasn't used this program, you should check it out since they use the actual multi-track masters from the studio so you can hear the actual bass track the way it was played. I bought the whole Vulgar Display of Power CD from Pantera for it and could not be happier. It seems pricy but when you see that you are getting the actual master, it really makes it worth it since you can drop the original bass part out and record yourself playing along with the song.

I am really excited that they are going to release Empire but really hope they do Mindcrime as well since that one is my favorite.

I will pay whatever they charge for that!!!

 

[delucajohn2000]

That is so f$%^&ing cool, I don't know what to do with myself. I'm going to go look all of this up right now.

Here is a link to all of the bass tracks they offer:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

They have demo videos of the software for each track but here is one showing Pantera's Walk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJdFgBtCGCQ&feature=player_embedded

 

[Buskman]

Niclkels for LIFE I love the way the mids of DR Sunbeams goes on a Spector.

+1 I've used D'addarios on my Spector before (which sounded pretty good), but I find that the Sunbeams add a little more "sweetness" to the tone. The slightly lower tension feels nicer to me too.

 

[Gabriel51]

Here is a link to all of the bass tracks they offer:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

They have demo videos of the software for each track but here is one showing Pantera's Walk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJdFgBtCGCQ&feature=player_embedded

Man that is so cool! Bass players today have it so much better.
In the 60's and 70's there was Notation and the # system and that's it, which meant you had to have some skill level to even figure out a song, I kept a six string guitar and a reel to reel just for that purpose. Tab is strange to me, I can do it but only if I know the melody and a lot that I find is incorrect.
I really like this, thanks for sharing!

 

[2meterbassman]

Hi folks,
as a Spectorfan without a Spector bass (I wanna buy me one in the future) I have a question:
does one of you have 2 Spectors with identic specs but one bolt-on and one with neck through - and could you describe the difference in sound?

thx a lot,
greetz

 

[bunkaroo]

So question for you Jammit users. if you just buy the bass track isolated, can you still play along to the whole song with the bass muted? Or do you have to buy all the tracks to do that? I was interested in buying Images and Words but it's fairly pricey for only one album.

 

[delucajohn2000]

Man that is so cool! Bass players today have it so much better.
In the 60's and 70's there was Notation and the # system and that's it, which meant you had to have some skill level to even figure out a song, I kept a six string guitar and a reel to reel just for that purpose. Tab is strange to me, I can do it but only if I know the melody and a lot that I find is incorrect.
I really like this, thanks for sharing!

I know. I really wish they had some of these tools back in the day.

So question for you Jammit users. if you just buy the bass track isolated, can you still play along to the whole song with the bass muted? Or do you have to buy all the tracks to do that? I was interested in buying Images and Words but it's fairly pricey for only one album.

Yes, you can still play along to the whole song with the bass muted. The only time you would have to buy the other tracks is if you would want to isolate the guitar, vocals, or drums. I only play bass so that is not a problem for me but I could see how it could get expensive if someone would want to isolate other parts as well.

 

[bunkaroo]

Ahh cool thanks for the info. Here I was thinking I'd have to buy all the parts to hear the whole song. For some reason I thought they had the whole Images and Words record out for Dream Theater. I'll probably check out Pull Me Under at least. Used to play that out in a Queensryche tribute of all bands years back and it's always a good exercise. Curious to hear how far off I was in a couple spots.