SPECTOR® Club - Part 48

[Basstovsky]

I really like the colored strings on your cherry burst, cool!
I'd love to hear your blue NS-2A with the white Duncan's!

The strings are DR Neons, which are basically the DR Sunbeams with a coating on them. I love the sunbeams (both my NS20004 and NS2A have them) so it was worth a shot. They sound good but theres a bit of plastic feel to them with a coating. I'll upload the clips and post them later, fortunately since they all had similar or the same strings the tone comparisons are somewhat more accurate.

 

[sumgruuvz]

I picked up mine before my first Spector, mostly because it had a lot of power for the price. When I got my legend and ran it though the GK, I really dug the sound. The MB series seems a tad cleaner sounding than the rbs, but with a Spector can still get a nice grit.


Thanks for the info. I think a preamp swap may be in the future then...

for the combo im looking at, i'll pay maybe $100 more for the aguilar set up.

 

[smadder]

thanks guys. so many of you are pro gk. is it because of the price or what is your determining factor? is it the sound with Spectors? let me in on it now.

Originally I was using the Shuttle stuff because of all the abdominal and spinal surgeries, I was in desperate need of getting a rig I could transport myself.

Lee and Donny both suggested GK to me very adamantly and Lee in particular said that an MB500 or 800 (if I could get either) would knock me on my ass in terms of power, features, tone, durability, and weight. I went with the 800 since I have not played anything over 600 watts since my pre/power rack days. I still have a hard time believing that I'm playing an 800 watt rig that can fit in my 10 year old 2 door Honda. I had never owned GK or GB before then (I had the 6.2 combo for only a couple of months before switching out because of the input distortion), and though I often think of selling both my GB 2x10s and going with two GK 1x12 neo cabs for a 600 watt rig that's even lighter and easier to carry, but I am and always have been a lover of 10s, especially in multi speaker arrays. All that speaker real estate creates so much volume , punch and immediacy of attack that while I still like a good 15 and a good 12, 10s are my drug of choice when it comes to bass amplification.

 

[NOLA Bass]

ok guys. looks like im going to purchase an amp. got the approval from the wife and im going to shop it out. really looking for a gk or aguilar. i know some of you guys play through one of these 2. so please, any helpful advice through one of these is appreciated. remember, i play mostly heavier music so im going to need the mids a little more outputted from the awesome spectors. and an other thing, i am pretty versatile style wise, so versatility is also key. thanks.

You can't really go wrong with a 1001RBII or 700RBII. They are a lot if amp for the money. The only thing you wont get out of them is a warmer, tubelike tone. I find the Spector/GK combo great in heavy music.

 

[JeffplaysBass]

This is my main amp and it depends on your volume needs.
First, it's the best overal sounding 2x10 combo I've ever owned or tried....and I think I've tried them all.
Their particular cab and speaker combo seems to work.
Second, it's the lightest 2x10 combo I've ever owned or tried.

That being said, for larger stages I put the 104HF cab under it.
At some point, I'm thinking of switching out the 500 watt combo head for either a LM800 or LMT800 and using the combo head as a stand alone backup. It's an easy switch as they're the same size. You just have to switch the top plate and mounting brackets between the heads.

Good info!!...all my research had me decide on this, most everyone loves it!...our PA handles most of what the crowd hears.

 

[JeffplaysBass]

I don't know about that.... You keep writing killer songs like the last two that you posted, and we might just see you on the cover of the Rolling Stone soon....

 

[JeffplaysBass]

You'll like Markbass. I also play through Markbass. I have LM250 head and Club121 cab, the lightest 400 Watt cab ever. I wanted to go for a combo at first but didn't like their piezo tweeters, they hiss.

Not if they are turned...OFF!!!...hehe

 

[JeffplaysBass]

Tweeters cannot "hiss" on their own.
If you're not hearing the same hiss from another tweeter (using same amp), it's because it's incapable of producing that frequency.
The amp produces the hiss.

None of my Markbass amps (several 500 watt models) hiss with any of my Markbass cabs or any other, FTM.
But I held off buying a SD1200, when Guitar Center online had them marked way down (+ coupon code brought it down to $570 shipped ), because the 2 I demoed in store both had a hiss in every cab I tried.

This man speaks from experience...I like that...

 

[JeffplaysBass]

Yep. I have two Shuttle 2x10 Genz Benz cabs (each only weighs between 35-40 and has just a top strap-style carrying handle). The model itself is new (STL-2-210T EXT) and was updated and redesigned when they recently re-did the entire shuttle amp and cab line. I originally had the 6.2 combo and I was running my Spectors too hot so no matter what, they were making my cabs fart out, even at low volumes. So, I sold the Shuttle 6.2 combo and used the money to get a MB800 (only $499 at the time off of Amazon) and a new, matching 2x10 shuttle cab which normally go for close to $800 (the relatively recent neodymium rarity and US manufacturer must be why they are so much $, but I got a great discount through someone who owns a music shop and needed work done which I happily did in exchange for the cab) and got the GK MB800 which amongst other features has a nice -10db pad at the input. Plus, running it with both cabs gives me the full 800 watts (each cab takes 400 watts, has a fully adjustable tweeter and is rated at 4 ohms) that the amp can generate and what the cabs are rated for when paired together. It's one of the best amp set ups I've ever had while also being quite loud and musical at the same time. And let's not forget the weight factor, which is a huge selling point with this particular set up. It's so nice not to have to beg someone for help getting a ride to and from practices and/or shows. Now I can focus that energy on helping my drummer get unpacked and set up

The other cool thing: 800 watts. 800 very full, very loud, very well-defined, very lightweight watts of bass amp power. It's a dream rig, honestly Donny. The only thing that sounded better to my ears (or as good, let's say) was the DB750 and two GS 2x10 (all Aguilar), my EBS HD350 into two Aguilar GS112s, and the ultimate rig (when I didn't worry at all about the weight of anything) which was my Q10BX-D Bag End 105 pound 4x10 with a coaxial tweeter and an original, 575 watt (WAY, WAY underrated on those power specs) England-made Ashdown ABM 500 (in the original baby blue rack chassis).

Same here my Spectors were to hot for my Shuttle 6 & 9...sold both.

 

[sumgruuvz]

Originally I was using the Shuttle stuff because of all the abdominal and spinal surgeries, I was in desperate need of getting a rig I could transport myself.

Lee and Donny both suggested GK to me very adamantly and Lee in particular said that an MB500 or 800 (if I could get either) would knock me on my ass in terms of power, features, tone, durability, and weight. I went with the 800 since I have not played anything over 600 watts since my pre/power rack days. I still have a hard time believing that I'm playing an 800 watt rig that can fit in my 10 year old 2 door Honda. I had never owned GK or GB before then (I had the 6.2 combo for only a couple of months before switching out because of the input distortion), and though I often think of selling both my GB 2x10s and going with two GK 1x12 neo cabs for a 600 watt rig that's even lighter and easier to carry, but I am and always have been a lover of 10s, especially in multi speaker arrays. All that speaker real estate creates so much volume , punch and immediacy of attack that while I still like a good 15 and a good 12, 10s are my drug of choice when it comes to bass amplification.

ditto. 10's are my cab of choice, but i dont want anything too big because first they get heavy. not like it matters because im in good health, but it is a pain a pain in the a$$. second, 12's just have something about them i dont like. cant pin point it, but its there. 15's....no. but i need to move air so a 4x10 would seem more realistic without getting a 8x10 (although it would rock \m/) i know aggie cabs are heavy and not cheap. but would it be worth the tone?? perhaps. but when i played the gk in gc it was a 1001rb through a neo 4x10, and it was rockin mad!

You can't really go wrong with a 1001RBII or 700RBII. They are a lot if amp for the money. The only thing you wont get out of them is a warmer, tubelike tone. I find the Spector/GK combo great in heavy music.

yeah with the 1001rb through a neo 4x10....awesome! i just have that ? of what if the aggie is more awesome for me. i guess i could try it and if i dont like it, i could return for the gk rig :/

 

[TK4261]

In with the Plum Wimbish

I really, really like this color the more I look at it. It is so weird that Spector Basses make you appreciate colors on a Bass that you never thought of choosing on any other Bass.

Beautiful Bass Fat240!

 

[thisSNsucks]

You can't really go wrong with a 1001RBII or 700RBII. They are a lot if amp for the money. The only thing you wont get out of them is a warmer, tubelike tone. I find the Spector/GK combo great in heavy music.

+1

Spector and GK go together really nice. I am particularly fond of the now discontinued 800RB. Gives you that nice GK growl and punch but has more warmth IMO than the higher wattage RB heads.

That being said the 800RB won't go as low as the 700 or 1001 RB's.

 

[JPSBassist]

I just noticed the Spector online store says:

Due to Sandy and other unrelated health issues (illness) at our NY Workshop, orders may be delayed by 10 -14 days.

Everybody ok over there?

Yes. Jo Ann, the office manager who handles packing and shipping things bought online hurt her hand and it's in a cast. So she's not able to pack things like she usually does.

But everyone is fine.

 

[JPSBassist]

Awesome Patrick! You had mentioned this briefly in a recent posting and now that you've fleshed it out, it sounds VERY interesting indeed. Like you, I think the secret is getting the EMG humbuckers running at their full 18v load so that the preamps built into them are working at their full potential, which simply adds to the Spector tone. Can't wait to hear someone try it out at the full 18 on something like a Euro and let us know how it works out. If ever given the opportunity to own and upgrade another Euro 5 of some kind and am unhappy with the pre, I will definitely be choosing a OBP-3 run at a full 18v.

But my dream American Spector is still a white NS-2 or a tube-quilt blue NS-2 like supes'. But another Euro 5 of some sort comes across my table, I will be trying the Aguilar combination you described.

I want to hear the USA 18v circuit (or the OBP-2 @ 18v) with dual J pups. Anyone done the OBP-2 @ 18v with dual J's?

I'm really loving the two basses at BPL with the J/J setup... there was a bolt-on 4-string and 5-string there with J/J and they both sounded great. But were both running 9v OBP-2 circuits.

 

[JeffplaysBass]

+1

Spector and GK go together really nice. I am particularly fond of the now discontinued 800RB. Gives you that nice GK growl and punch but has more warmth IMO than the higher wattage RB heads.

That being said the 800RB won't go as low as the 700 or 1001 RB's.

I sold mine a few years ago for like $400 with a case.

 

[Jaymi]

Just when I need a good project bass....

 

[Clearwave]

Is it weird that I don't really have any SAS right now? Or any GAS at all?

I mean the only Spectors I haven't really played are USA models, and the new Rebop MM, and I prefer my modified Korean Spectors to the EMG equipped Euros I have played.

Now I still love beautiful USA Spectors, but I don't think I will ever be able to afford one, I mean paying more than $1000 for a bass when you make less than 30K a year is a bit crazy...

My Korean Spectors make me happy!

Yes. Jo Ann, the office manager who handles packing and shipping things bought online hurt her hand and it's in a cast. So she's not able to pack things like she usually does.

But everyone is fine.

 

[Clearwave]

I want to hear the USA 18v circuit (or the OBP-2 @ 18v) with dual J pups. Anyone done the OBP-2 @ 18v with dual J's?

I'm really loving the two basses at BPL with the J/J setup... there was a bolt-on 4-string and 5-string there with J/J and they both sounded great. But were both running 9v OBP-2 circuits.

How do you think a OBP-2 18v would sound in a NS2a? I paid for a USA 9v on 9-10-12 and its still not here. I don't think its gonna happen. You have me thinking about a OBP-2...

 

[JPSBassist]

How do think a OBP-2 18v would sound in a NS2a? I paid for a USA 9v on 9-10-12 and its still not here. I don't think its gonna happen. You have me thinking about a OBP-2...

Well. Unfortunately the NJ contractor (Haz Labs) that makes the USA 9v and 18v circuits for Spector has been behind on producing the circuits.

Make no mistake, I've recently gone through the history of the USA 9v circuit and it was designed by Stuart. The creation of the "NS-2 sound" was something Stuart worked on for over a year.

The circuits are made, one at a time, by hand. Haz Labs location is pretty far inland from the coast in NY, and I haven't heard that there was any damage there.

But for now, there's a shortage of NS-2 circuits... if circuits come in, unless there's enough to fill the orders that are waiting for circuits, they won't be made available for sale in the store.

If you've already paid for one, you WILL get your circuit. The orders will be filled in the order in which they were taken.

So I know it sounds like... well, like they're not ever going to send you your circuit. But they will.

My new NS-2 is waiting for one to come in too. So I'm in the same boat you are.

 

[Fat240]

Well. Unfortunately the NJ contractor (Haz Labs) that makes the USA 9v and 18v circuits for Spector has been behind on producing the circuits.

Make no mistake, I've recently gone through the history of the USA 9v circuit and it was designed by Stuart. The creation of the "NS-2 sound" was something Stuart worked on for over a year.

The circuits are made, one at a time, by hand. Haz Labs location is pretty far inland from the coast in NY, and I haven't heard that there was any damage there.

But for now, there's a shortage of NS-2 circuits... if circuits come in, unless there's enough to fill the orders that are waiting for circuits, they won't be made available for sale in the store.

If you've already paid for one, you WILL get your circuit. The orders will be filled in the order in which they were taken.

So I know it sounds like... well, like they're not ever going to send you your circuit. But they will.

My new NS-2 is waiting for one to come in too. So I'm in the same boat you are.

I am looking so forward to putting one in the plum, I switched the TP with my 9v tonight to see how it sounded in that bass and my band didn't believe that it was the same bass. Maybe I need to keep tweaking the TP but, I'm just not feeling it.