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SPECTOR® Club - Part 47

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#321
Baird6869 said:
What are the coveted Euro 5ers one should be looking for?

Sorry about the newbie question but the Euro line can confuse...
Click to expand...

In the space of about 3 years I have wound up with 5 Euro's, all LX variety. I've got a couple 4-string P/J, and 5 and 6 with the TW's and the Webster.

To my ears they're all just varying degrees of awesome. I do have an NS-5XL and I briefly had a Forte 4 with the Haz so I have a frame of reference for the US sound vs. the Euro. The Euro is really most of the way there.

Right now the Webster has been my main player for my metal band. The DC's + EMG BQC preamp make for a nice and somewhat cleaner sounding Euro. One of the 4-stringers has the 18v mod done and I really like the sound of that with the TonePump. I'm tempted to do that to my other 3 9v Euros.

So my opinion would be any of the new Euros are worth getting. Doing the 18v mod make it even better but is not necessary. A lot of good deals pop up on them. Only two of my 6 Spectors were bought new, and the other 4 were all as good as new when I got them.
 
#322
:eyebrow:

For those so-inclined... Bass NW has a pair of Forte 4X's for $1699 & $1799 respectively. For some reason, these seem to always come up in pairs for sale (at least they did the last time on ebay).

http://www.bassnw.com/Used%20Basses/spector_usa_forte_4x.htm
Spector%20USA%20Forte%204X%20BNW%20Close.jpg


http://www.bassnw.com/Used%20Basses/spector_usa_forte_4x_2.htm
Spector%20USA%20Forte%204X%20Close.jpg
 
#323
ebradfordrich said:
For those so-inclined... Bass NW has a pair of Forte 4X's for $1699 & $1799 respectively. For some reason, these seem to always come up in pairs for sale (at least they did the last time on ebay).
Click to expand...

I am really considering a Forte 5X as my next Spector just based on looks, the fact that I played Gibsons for years, am very comfortable with a TBird body and how awesome my Forte 5 is.
 
#325
smadder said:
Smadder is an a$$hole and spoke before he knew if he could get the money together. He can't. So it's still up for grabs. Deep apologies to Chris (I wrote you a separate note, man).

I was up all night trying to figure out how to make it happen and I just can't get it together. A custom painted 35LX for $1050... it's such a ridiculously good deal it's almost illegal.

But until I have stuff to move, I can't do it. S.A.S. really is a disease. I didn't get it until now.
Click to expand...

HEY!
Don't be talking smack about Smadder!
I'll come over and kick the SAS out of ya!
 
#327
bunkaroo said:
In the space of about 3 years I have wound up with 5 Euro's, all LX variety. I've got a couple 4-string P/J, and 5 and 6 with the TW's and the Webster.

To my ears they're all just varying degrees of awesome. I do have an NS-5XL and I briefly had a Forte 4 with the Haz so I have a frame of reference for the US sound vs. the Euro. The Euro is really most of the way there.

Right now the Webster has been my main player for my metal band. The DC's + EMG BQC preamp make for a nice and somewhat cleaner sounding Euro. One of the 4-stringers has the 18v mod done and I really like the sound of that with the TonePump. I'm tempted to do that to my other 3 9v Euros.

So my opinion would be any of the new Euros are worth getting. Doing the 18v mod make it even better but is not necessary. A lot of good deals pop up on them. Only two of my 6 Spectors were bought new, and the other 4 were all as good as new when I got them.
Click to expand...

This is the exact reason my Euro 5LX is setup with that exact preamp and pickup configuration. I love that combination and it has the ability to get very mean if you want it to :) I don't have the Ebony fingerboard though like the Webster bass does though and have the standard Rosewood that comes with most of them.
 
#328
I have to admit I was a little concerned the Webster would be a little too clean sounding, but somehow it retains that Spector sound without being too dirty. Wish I had it when we recorded our album but the 5LX did a very nice job too.
 
#329
Is it just me or are the pickups on Rebops a little closer together in comparison with the neck through models? I can't tell if that's the case or if the visible neck heel is just playing tricks on my eyes.

I only ask because I'm debating between different pickups to replace the HZ's, and if they are closer together what kind of effect might that have (if any) on say, a P/J combo?
 
#330
delucajohn2000 said:
You can't go wrong with a Euro. I have 2 USA Spector's and play my Euro just as much so if you are eyeing one up to possibly buy further down the line, you will not be disappointed.
Click to expand...

I like mine. No, I LOVE mine. Gets all the tones I need and then some. Feels great. It's really responsive to technique. Most of the time I dont need to tweak the EQ to get different tones, just move my hand position a bit. Plays like a dream and looks great.
 
#332
Ok, there are too many good Spectors up....Im considering posting my Wick SS2 fiver to buy the right pair of Spectors..........Im not so sure I want to do this but a couple people are actually looking for this in the wanteds...........ugh
 
#333
superdick2112 said:
+1000

I rotate weekly between my USA NS-4, my CRFM & my Euro, and they all kick @$$. I played my white Euro at rehearsal last night, and it lacked for nothing. :cool:
Click to expand...

Supes, John, Bunk, Jaymi and Jamie (and probably everyone else in the club) will tell you that Euros from any period are absolutely top-of the line-instruments. They are a bit more "working man" simply because the woods are a bit less expensive and the electronics are as well, but as far as build quality and materials (and let's not forget the tone) they are awesome instruments (and a scroll through the Spector Site's artist roster, you'll see that most of them use Euro basses). A lot of us actually prefer them simply because they tend to weigh less than their USA neck-through counterparts and there's also a fair bit of customization you can do with the Euros to get them uniquely yours or get them close to the USA tone signature by upgrading the electronics (something I am on a slow quest to accomplish - it'd be going faster but those 9v are eternally back-ordered).

My favorite Euros are the NS -CR models and the Euros from right at the beginning of the millennium because they had matte finish solid brass bridges and solid maple body wings. But the recent "sandwich" models don't give up much in terms of tone at all and the lighter weight is definitely a huge plus. And then when you get down to cost... well, except for a Forte, a Euro is the best buy around if you want to get as close to a completely authentic Spector experience as possible without selling off your wife, house or kids.

Having played US models of all kinds, there is definitely something special there and the woods used are absolutely to die for. However, financially I am happy with the Euros and just upgrading the electronics to US circuits as I am able to afford to. That way I get about 95% of the sound at half the price. I can live with that and still have "my" tone.
 
#334
brotherbassj said:
Ok, there are too many good Spectors up....Im considering posting my Wick SS2 fiver to buy the right pair of Spectors..........Im not so sure I want to do this but a couple people are actually looking for this in the wanteds...........ugh
Click to expand...

If you know the Spectors will get you where you want to be in terms of tone, go for it.
 
#338
JPSBassist said:
Oh! No offense taken. I just actually had a huge lightbulb moment myself last June-July when I was in NY and saw how things are made.

That trip gave me so much more appreciation for what Stuart and crew do... but also, it really illustrated how things we think might not be really complex, can become really complex.

I think the issues with the Czech Shop templates vs. Stuart's workshop is probably more to do with the different types of machines used, etc...

I'll post a video before NAMM with some of the HD footage I shot. One of my favorites is how every horn on every USA Spector NS is shaped by hand. NO JOKE. Not kidding. It BLEW ME AWAY. I was like, really?

So if you've ever seen Spectors where the lower horn looks a little smaller... could be totally possible. Nice thing is that the master craftsman that does that at the shop... he's worked with Stuart for 19 years.

It's an amazing place. Santa's Workshop has got nothing on Stuart's. :D
Click to expand...
Wow! That's a lot of hand sanding to shape the horns. I think it's really amazing how Stuart can complete 40+ basses every month.
Looking forward to your videos of the shop! :)
 
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