SPECTOR® Club - Part 38

[Jaymi]

Keep in mind also that Sting's bass was loaded with a HAZ...

 

[free_Bassd]

hello Spector club! I found this on Craigslist, I can't tell much from the picture, but then again I don't know anything about Spectors. any idea what model this is and if it is a good deal?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[smadder]

Smadder - thanks for posting this!
I just realized that this is the same pre in my CRFM, so I'm going to have some fun tonight experimenting with the 4 different treble EQ curves.
I love the EMG BT pre - it may not have the low end grunt of the Tone Pump, but what it lacks in low end, it more than makes up for with increased mid & treble articulation.

I really want to buy or build a "Smadder Setup" Euro someday. I think I would really dig the unique tonal differences of your setup, and I wouldn't have to mod any of my existing Spectors - each of which already has a great voice that I'd like to keep intact.

Glad to be able to help man. Anything I can do, just ask.

 

[smadder]

Wowzer

I wonder who ended up snagging this and if it was another GC mis-pricing or it was really worn down enough to only be worth $549....

 

[JPSBassist]

So earlier "vintage" EMG pickups may have sounded warmer and growlier like the sting bass? I love that tone but didn;t really care for the EMGs in my Euro and I was wondering what was so different.

In my experience, yes. But it's a subjective thing. Logically I can say that there was a trend in the 1990's (studio stuff) to "clean up" the signals of electric instruments... this came about because with ADD and DDD recording, hum, buzz and so many other things that didn't register with analog recordings and vinyl/tape/cassette output were lost in the overall noise of the playback systems.

Knowing this bit of history and living through it, from the late 1970's as a kid getting interested in music and then trying for a decade in the 1980's to play... then remaining an avid audiophile until now; I can say that the changes in the 1990's had to effect almost every guitar pickup maker's process in one way or another.


With tech advances comes change that you can't avoid.

I honestly wasn't that excited by post-Roger Waters Pink Floyd albums, but that guitar tone was so great! It is why I put together my own Strat type guitar.

OK. Let's be fair. The post Roger Waters Pink Floyd work can't be called "Pink Floyd". It's more like Gilmour's solo stuff. Which alone I dig. I don't really think of Floyd post Waters as anything other than an extended Gilmour solo project.

And in that, looking at his first solo album and then the work he contributed to other artists such as Pete Townsend's "White City" concept album ("Give Blood" starts with a classic Gilmour muted/delayed riff that sounds like something right off "The Wall") and his own movement towards more guitar/melody driven music... the post Waters Floyd stuff is really, really good. It's not Pink Floyd. But I really liked it a lot if you did what I did and just made it about Gilmour in your mind and separated it from anything Pink Floyd had done before.

His red Strat's tone was awesome. Haunting and clear... sharp and warm... not too hot or muted. And without too much single-coil hiss. It's now in my mind the optimal Strat tone. And I've fallen in love with the idea of building a Spector Dave Gilmour styled guitar. Perhaps seeing if Stuart would be willing to do like the Coda-Deluxe and use some beautiful tube quilt for the top. Do it instead of Fiesta Red... in Black Cherry or Black on Black like The Black Pearl.

Who knows? I can sit here and dream of exotic ways to spend money I don't have all day! LOL. But that's the beauty of dreams. They can remain ideal and perfect...

I think now that I have a new ARC6 *used but new to me, on the way and I know eventually the one I ordered will show up... I might just order a set of Web and Podcasters to give me a totally killer Spector Guitar collection too.

One last thing... I was told that work has started on The Blue Dream. So by BPL I hope to have a USA Doug Wimbish in Blue-Black burst with two J pups. LIFE IS AWESOME!

I'm actually off to play The Black Pearl some. Been diving into some oddball bass solos lately. They're a great way to say "goodnight" to the sun as it sets and make the neighbor's bassett hound howl along.

 

[JPSBassist]

hello Spector club! I found this on Craigslist, I can't tell much from the picture, but then again I don't know anything about Spectors. any idea what model this is and if it is a good deal?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Chinese Made Performer 4 Deluxe.
If it's in decent shape (the finish for some reason chips easily) it's not bad for that price. I'd see if they'd take $125-$150 for it.

All passive... no active circuit or pups. Flat body. NS-2000 body shape. One piece solid maple neck.

Definitely a decent practice or starter bass.

 

[worshiprocker]

Chinese Made Performer 4 Deluxe.
If it's in decent shape (the finish for some reason chips easily) it's not bad for that price. I'd see if they'd take $125-$150 for it.

All passive... no active circuit or pups. Flat body. NS-2000 body shape. One piece solid maple neck.

Definitely a decent practice or starter bass.

sorry Patrick I don't think that is a Performer DLX... a Performer, yes. The DLX was the flat NS2 body. The chrome tuners are a give away also...

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[JPSBassist]

Keep in mind also that Sting's bass was loaded with a HAZ...

And because I have so much respect for you as a musician and an endorsed Spector artist (plus you live in my home-town and you're a great guy)...

I'm going to try and be gentle about this... LOL.

I know it's easy to say, "Haz". But it sort of drives Stuart and PJ crazy when we all do that... I'm guilty of it too. And they corrected me numerous times when I was with them earlier this month.

It's the USA 9v Circuit. Stuart's design. Stuart's specs. I know "Haz" is easier to say. I'm teaching myself to say, "USA 9v".

We could also call it the NS-2 circuit. Because really it was designed for the NS-2 and that's the bass it comes standard in. The USA 9v circuit is THE STOCK/STANDARD tone circuit for the NS-2. And it's ONLY stock in the NS-2.

I used to love seeing Ebay listing for NS-2 models where the poster would make a big deal out of the NS-2 having the USA 9v "Haz" circuit, like that was something extra or special. It's not. It's the stock option for the NS-2.

Haz is only a contractor. It's not their circuit. They have had the contract to make it for Stuart. But they can't make it for anyone else. And it was Stuart's tonal genius that dreamed the thing up anyway. He was on a serious "Tonal Journey of Discovery" in the late 1970's when he dreamed it up.

There are copies out there. But none of them are ever quite the same.

So YES! Sting's bass had an OLD first-gen USA 9v circuit.

I say first-gen because over the years some of the components that were used, transistors and pots, etc... that were part of the "formula" were discontinued by their makers. The USA 9v Circuit is made from a series of separate components by hand. So if one of those components "went away", a replacement had to be found and tested, to ensure it didn't change the tone too much.

And over the years the tone has changed some. It's unfortunately not possible to have it remain the exact same because some of the original components aren't made anymore.

So that's why (to me) the vintage circuits are so cool. They are noisy and more prone to breakage. But they have a slightly different growl than the modern circuits.

In all, I played a modern NS-2 against two Brooklyn models at PJ Rubal's office and the sound is so close you really have to strain to hear it.

And perhaps because I was trying to hear something, I think I did. I don't know.

Guys like Gene Fox and Todd Cooke are to me the best resource for understanding the subtle changes in the NS-2 over the years because they both own so many great examples of them.

Lastly, sometimes a magical combination came together. Who know what the real variables are. I sat in amazement listing to a late 1980's Kramer-Era NS-2 played by Dave Fowler in Bakersfield, CA a couple of months ago and it was like being back in the Omni. Dave's NS-2 has a unique tone and it's amazing sounding.

That's why it's like chasing the dragon. You'll never really be able to catch one. But if you're lucky you might get a glimpse of his tail or wings in the mist before you.

 

[JPSBassist]

sorry Patrick I don't think that is a Performer DLX... a Performer, yes. The DLX was the flat NS2 body. The chrome tuners are a give away also...

Invalid Link Removed

Totally correct.

Yep. Sorry. That's a standard Performer. In reality, I've never seen a Performer DLX. LOL.

 

[Jaymi]

And because I have so much respect for you as a musician and an endorsed Spector artist (plus you live in my home-town and you're a great guy)...

I'm going to try and be gentle about this... LOL.

I know it's easy to say, "Haz". But it sort of drives Stuart and PJ crazy when we all do that... I'm guilty of it too. And they corrected me numerous times when I was with them earlier this month.

It's the USA 9v Circuit. Stuart's design. Stuart's specs. I know "Haz" is easier to say. I'm teaching myself to say, "USA 9v".

I am still working on that... LOL

 

[worshiprocker]

Totally correct.

Yep. Sorry. That's a standard Performer. In reality, I've never seen a Performer DLX. LOL.

I had one, cool bass... actually my first Spector.

 

[husky123]

And because I have so much respect for you as a musician and an endorsed Spector artist (plus you live in my home-town and you're a great guy)...

I'm going to try and be gentle about this... LOL.

I know it's easy to say, "Haz". But it sort of drives Stuart and PJ crazy when we all do that... I'm guilty of it too. And they corrected me numerous times when I was with them earlier this month.

It's the USA 9v Circuit. Stuart's design. Stuart's specs. I know "Haz" is easier to say. I'm teaching myself to say, "USA 9v".

We could also call it the NS-2 circuit. Because really it was designed for the NS-2 and that's the bass it comes standard in. The USA 9v circuit is THE STOCK/STANDARD tone circuit for the NS-2. And it's ONLY stock in the NS-2.

I used to love seeing Ebay listing for NS-2 models where the poster would make a big deal out of the NS-2 having the USA 9v "Haz" circuit, like that was something extra or special. It's not. It's the stock option for the NS-2.

Haz is only a contractor. It's not their circuit. They have had the contract to make it for Stuart. But they can't make it for anyone else. And it was Stuart's tonal genius that dreamed the thing up anyway. He was on a serious "Tonal Journey of Discovery" in the late 1970's when he dreamed it up.

There are copies out there. But none of them are ever quite the same.

So YES! Sting's bass had an OLD first-gen USA 9v circuit.

I say first-gen because over the years some of the components that were used, transistors and pots, etc... that were part of the "formula" were discontinued by their makers. The USA 9v Circuit is made from a series of separate components by hand. So if one of those components "went away", a replacement had to be found and tested, to ensure it didn't change the tone too much.

And over the years the tone has changed some. It's unfortunately not possible to have it remain the exact same because some of the original components aren't made anymore.

So that's why (to me) the vintage circuits are so cool. They are noisy and more prone to breakage. But they have a slightly different growl than the modern circuits.

In all, I played a modern NS-2 against two Brooklyn models at PJ Rubal's office and the sound is so close you really have to strain to hear it.

And perhaps because I was trying to hear something, I think I did. I don't know.

Guys like Gene Fox and Todd Cooke are to me the best resource for understanding the subtle changes in the NS-2 over the years because they both own so many great examples of them.

Lastly, sometimes a magical combination came together. Who know what the real variables are. I sat in amazement listing to a late 1980's Kramer-Era NS-2 played by Dave Fowler in Bakersfield, CA a couple of months ago and it was like being back in the Omni. Dave's NS-2 has a unique tone and it's amazing sounding.

That's why it's like chasing the dragon. You'll never really be able to catch one. But if you're lucky you might get a glimpse of his tail or wings in the mist before you.

I totally hear ya Patrick and I get "why" you have to say that but the term "Haz" haz just become kinda....the word for that pre. It sounds cool, it looks cool, it's just cool. "USA 9V" as small as it looks is 5 syllables and not near as sexy. Haz - just one syllable that rolls off your tongue.

You and the gang at Spector have to know that no offense is meant when we call it a "Haz". It's just us kids and our crazy street vernacular.

 

[brotherbassj]

I totally hear ya Patrick and I get "why" you have to say that but the term "Haz" haz just become kinda....the word for that pre. It sounds cool, it looks cool, it's just cool. "USA 9V" as small as it looks is 5 syllables and not near as sexy. Haz - just one syllable that rolls off your tongue.

You and the gang at Spector have to know that no offense is meant when we call it a "Haz". It's just us kids and our crazy street vernacular.

Is "HAZ" spectorbonics for USA 9v preamp? LOL

 

[Gabriel51]

I find the sound I'm looking for in this Rebop, Enough bottom to tell it's a Bass, the right mids to get that Spector grit and growl.

 

[Basstovsky]

I call it the Spector 9V tone control... not all that concise though haha

 

[JPSBassist]

I totally hear ya Patrick and I get "why" you have to say that but the term "Haz" haz just become kinda....the word for that pre. It sounds cool, it looks cool, it's just cool. "USA 9V" as small as it looks is 5 syllables and not near as sexy. Haz - just one syllable that rolls off your tongue.

You and the gang at Spector have to know that no offense is meant when we call it a "Haz". It's just us kids and our crazy street vernacular.

Dude I hear you. I'm in the dog house with everyone here. LOL. I also routinely call it "The Haz" and it was funny. PJ stopped correcting me after a while. But I could see him cringe a little.

I don't think anyone takes offense to it. But if you look at what Spector has contracted me to help them do... which is strengthen their brand (with the new websites, logos, etc...) then it's like a stoning offense for me to keep doing that.

So no worries. I'm just trying to correct something (slowly) that I'm sure I contributed to myself.

If that makes sense.

 

[superdick2112]

I wonder who ended up snagging this and if it was another GC mis-pricing or it was really worn down enough to only be worth $549....

Dang!
And I thought $700 for my CRFM was a steal - that is a smokin deal for an LX! I see a few dings, but still... Dang!

I've said it before & I'll say it again - a used Spector Euro has to be one of the best bass bargains ever.

 

[Dluxe]

I do know that I really like mine!

 

[husky123]

Dude I hear you. I'm in the dog house with everyone here. LOL. I also routinely call it "The Haz" and it was funny. PJ stopped correcting me after a while. But I could see him cringe a little.

I don't think anyone takes offense to it. But if you look at what Spector has contracted me to help them do... which is strengthen their brand (with the new websites, logos, etc...) then it's like a stoning offense for me to keep doing that.

So no worries. I'm just trying to correct something (slowly) that I'm sure I contributed to myself.

If that makes sense.

Yeah man, I hear ya. I'm going to try to correct myself too in the future. We have a cuss jar at work though and I have A LOT of dough in that joker so.........it'll take some time.

Ad you're not in anyone's doghouse BIG DOG.

 

[LimaGuy]

Dude I hear you. I'm in the dog house with everyone here. LOL. I also routinely call it "The Haz" and it was funny. PJ stopped correcting me after a while. But I could see him cringe a little.

I don't think anyone takes offense to it. But if you look at what Spector has contracted me to help them do... which is strengthen their brand (with the new websites, logos, etc...) then it's like a stoning offense for me to keep doing that.

So no worries. I'm just trying to correct something (slowly) that I'm sure I contributed to myself.

If that makes sense.

Yeah man, I hear ya. I'm going to try to correct myself too in the future. We have a cuss jar at work though and I have A LOT of dough in that joker so.........it'll take some time.

Ad you're not in anyone's doghouse BIG DOG.

I also have to get myself use to saying USA 9V Circuit.
I also have been very guilty of calling it the Haz.

And its true what JPS said, I saw PJ cringe a little when I called it the Haz, when John and I met him a few weeks ago.