SPECTOR® Club - Part 52

[Baird6869]

Oh man, that had me in tears. Love those guys.

+1.

I saw This is Spinal Tap with my first band when it first came out in 1984 on my 15th birthday. In one of those multi/mini-plex theatres. Good times.

We have been quoting it ever since.

 

[sumgruuvz]

tomorrow is the big Album release show! I'm super excited! I'd say the best part is that our very Joe (mrbassie) is coming out.

good luck buddy. wish i could be there too. have a great time

 

[keeperofthelows]

Right on, man. Stay positive and kick its miserable C ass.

I've been to that Chicago Music Exchange and Bass Club Chicago and they both have some great basses. Which one were you at? If it's Bass Club, I think I've played the buckeye you are talking about --- its a nice one!!! They had it on a rack as I walked in the door. First bass I saw - for real! Nice way to greet the new customers.

yes it was bass club chicago. first bass i saw too and thank you.

 

[chrisloe]

thank you for your prayers and kind words. i was diagnosed last feb. i do have strong faith and i KNOW i will win!

You're Gawl Dang right you will! lots of loving supportive amazing people here, you are in the right place brother!

NBD for me too!!![/URL]

Just stunning! congrats Todd!

I think I am going to do the same to mine when I get my tax refund. I really like the look of black hardware with the buckeye.

That would look Awesome!

 

[sifi76]

Hey all! Just got hold of a LX 435 from a tb'er and it's winging it's way here as we speak. I'm a little green on the 35's though, and was wondering if anyone can tell me how they compare in terms of the neck length to a standard 34 euro. Maybe a pic of the two side by side would be cool (but also a bit far fetched lol) I used to own a BTB and also a ESP F404, both of which are 35 scales. But I know in most cases, different 35's tend to be apples and oranges depending on the brand etc.

also, is there any noticeable degree of extra stretch for those low frets? I'm a big enough guy and have long arms so figured I should be able to handle things, but having played 34's solely for about ten years, I figured some advice wouldn't go amiss.

anyone?

 

[awilkie84]

Hey all! Just got hold of a LX 435 from a tb'er and it's winging it's way here as we speak. I'm a little green on the 35's though, and was wondering if anyone can tell me how they compare in terms of the neck length to a standard 34 euro. Maybe a pic of the two side by side would be cool (but also a bit far fetched lol) I used to own a BTB and also a ESP F404, both of which are 35 scales. But I know in most cases, different 35's tend to be apples and oranges depending on the brand etc.

also, is there any noticeable degree of extra stretch for those low frets? I'm a big enough guy and have long arms so figured I should be able to handle things, but having played 34's solely for about ten years, I figured some advice wouldn't go amiss.

anyone?

You won't notice much of a difference in size. It's really only 1/2 an inch extra above the 12th fret, and that's spread out across all the fret spacing, and the same from the 12th fret to the bridge.
I've switched effortlessly back & forth between a 34" and a 35" and really couldn't tell without looking closely. The only thing I really noticed was the fundamental notes being slightly more prominent on the 35" and the lower strings being a teeny bit tighter.

 

[sifi76]

You won't notice much of a difference in size. It's really only 1/2 an inch extra above the 12th fret, and that's spread out across all the fret spacing, and the same from the 12th fret to the bridge.
I've switched effortlessly back & forth between a 34" and a 35" and really couldn't tell without looking closely. The only thing I really noticed was the fundamental notes being slightly more prominent on the 35" and the lower strings being a teeny bit tighter.

Aha, and seeing as my old beater is an ATK, so wide-spacing, I should be just fine with this baby..

I blame chrisloe for this though, he ruined me ever since I got his euro wimbish.. and then had to sell it to cover a job loss (sorry chris!).. so I saw the sweet looking plum 435 on here and snapped it up quick fast.. even if it was a 35, figured it's a speccy so it's freakin worth it

 

[anton72]

Hey all! Just got hold of a LX 435 from a tb'er and it's winging it's way here as we speak. I'm a little green on the 35's though, and was wondering if anyone can tell me how they compare in terms of the neck length to a standard 34 euro. Maybe a pic of the two side by side would be cool (but also a bit far fetched lol) I used to own a BTB and also a ESP F404, both of which are 35 scales. But I know in most cases, different 35's tend to be apples and oranges depending on the brand etc.

also, is there any noticeable degree of extra stretch for those low frets? I'm a big enough guy and have long arms so figured I should be able to handle things, but having played 34's solely for about ten years, I figured some advice wouldn't go amiss.

anyone?

I've had two 435s before and had no problem at all with the fret spacing or neck lenght although my hands are not big. Actualy on 435 the extra inch of scale is achieved by bridge moved closer to the body end rather than the overall lenght of the instrument.

 

[sifi76]

I've had two 435s before and had no problem at all with the fret spacing or neck lenght although my hands are not big. Actualy on 435 the extra inch of scale is achieved by bridge moved closer to the body end rather than the overall lenght of the instrument.

sooo basically, I get what feels like a standard spector, with a bit of extra tension to handle my drop D and C stuff by shifting the bridge? This makes more sense than just extending the neck.. well now I know what to expect when it gets here I guess.. would you recommend using extra-long scale strings? like say DR DDT's? or can I stick to my 45-105 dragon skin's without any issues? maybe just a bit of extra tightness on E tuning?

 

[Dluxe]

#1119 05-02-86 your is probably the older brother.

#887 06-15-85

 

[anton72]

sooo basically, I get what feels like a standard spector, with a bit of extra tension to handle my drop D and C stuff by shifting the bridge? This makes more sense than just extending the neck.. well now I know what to expect when it gets here I guess.. would you recommend using extra-long scale strings? like say DR DDT's? or can I stick to my 45-105 dragon skin's without any issues? maybe just a bit of extra tightness on E tuning?

The neck is actually a bit longer, but it's longer within the same instrument lenght, i.e. does not stick one inch aside. Of couse there's a bit difference in fingers stretching but it's minor and since you have long arms you won't notice it. Personally I felt more difference between 34'' and 35'' when playing higher notes up the 12th fret where 34 seems tighter in fret spacing.
DDTs 65-120 won't fit the bridge slots, I tried their 65-120 set for BEAD tuning. But if it's drop D you can try their 55-115 set, would be enough and they may just sqweeze in the bridge slots..When selecting strings for your Spector keep an eye on tapered strings as they will fit the bridge easily, at least the 1st and 2nd strings (E and A or whatever you tune your 435 to).

 

[sifi76]

The neck is actually a bit longer, but it's longer within the same instrument lenght, i.e. does not stick one inch aside. Of couse there's a bit difference in fingers stretching but it's minor and since you have long arms you won't notice it. Personally I felt more difference between 34'' and 35'' when playing higher notes up the 12th fret where 34 seems tighter in fret spacing.
DDTs 65-120 won't fit the bridge slots, I tried their 65-120 set for BEAD tuning. But if it's drop D you can try their 55-115 set, would be enough and they may just sqweeze in the bridge slots..When selecting strings for your Spector keep an eye on tapered strings as they will fit the bridge easily, at least the 1st and 2nd strings (E and A or whatever you tune your 435 to).

Thanks man! all good advice.. I was thinking of DDT's simply because I prefer DR's in general, but yeah wasn't too sure about them fitting the bridge.. the other option for extra long's was prosteel's.. but not a big dd fan, damn things snap faster than most other brands.. not sure who else makes x-long strings, especially tapered.. have to do some research now

 

[Mr.Bassie720]

Got to try out the Brooklyn at full throttle today and compare it to the Kramer’s. The Brooklyn was slightly lighter than the Kramer’s and has the original drop tuner pretty cool. I would say the tone is almost identical to the blue figured maple that Jeff had (the double boxed bass). Which is pretty &*%*ing unbelievable. Only difference was the Brooklyn was a little brighter due to the .95 vs. the .123 on the Kramer era. The neck on the Brooklyn was just slightly thicker than the figured maple Kramer era not much at all (so Jeff would not want it) and the Flamed maple is a bit thicker than both. The Brooklyn has been played quite a bit. The Schaller post mounted on the front horn is worn completely thru The blue flamed maple Kramer era, has a new 9v in it and all I can say is that they don't make them like they used to. That was the first to come and when I played it I thought "Nothing could beat this" well.... I was wrong twice. These will be passed down to my son for sure. I really hope to get some time to record these comparisons and the modded Rebop 5 soon. Gonna head up and pay a visit to MrBassie at the end of the month for a refinish on the figured maple Kramer era..

Looking forward to it brother. Congrats on yet another wicked Spector. NBD for me as well. A couple of months ago I ordered an, what I call, MMBop. I was intrigued by the idea and figured it would work well for the punk rock thing that I do. To be honest I was a little underwhelmed by the sound clips that were released. The bass sounded a little sterile. The players that reviewed the MMBop are all excellent, so it was not their fault. I was concerned enough that I started plotting different pickup options and electronics. I purchased an 18V circuit that I have on standby. I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Let me start over The bass arrived from Czech Republic via the NY shop. This one has serial number 11452. The finish. Excellent! Beautifully done. Subtle, not garish. Neck pocket. Booty hole tight! My JAR was the same in that regard. Excellent neck to body contact. Some of you guys know that I favor a thinner neck profile. I fully expected to have to shave the neck down. All the reviews pointed to a very substantial neck. The MMBop did not disappoint. The neck is pretty thick. But here is the kicker, it's comfortable! I probably will shave it down in the future, but it is definitely not a critical situation. It's has a classic C shape that stays very consistent as you head up towards the body. This substantial neck is certainly contributing more than a little to the amazing tone that this bass brings to the musical table. Yep, the bass sounds wicked! I know some of you will say "It's a Spector, what do you expect". As I said I was not expecting what I got. The thing cuts through. I hooked it up to the SVT CL with the mandatory 8x10, and it destroys. It snarls and growls in a very aggressive, yet pleasing way. I believe thats the inherent problem with sound clips. They cant give you the whole tonal picture. You need to play this thing nice and loud to fully appreciate its capabilities. The MMBop is equipped with an EMG HZ dual coil pickup. This is EMGs passive MM type pickup. In normal dual coil mode it gets the job done in a big way. To my ears it sounds thick, with strong mids and high mids. The low end is fat as, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Not boomy or muddy in the slightest. Spector chose to use the Tonepump 9V circuit. A move that was questioned by many, including myself, hence the US 18V circuit on standby. I believe the internal trim is set at 50%, I did not want to fiddle with it because it is perfect for me, as is. Pulling up on the volume puts you in single coil mode. Surprise again. I expected a thin not usable tone. Wrong! Slightly less output, but more clarity. Very nice for taking excursions into upper fret land. Some other pleasant surprises. The control plate has inserts and machine screws, very cool. Inside is well shielded and neat. No hum was detected in dual coil mode. In single coil you get a small amount, but you have to be listening for it. Your audience certainly would not notice it. Weight on this one is a very very comfortable 8.6 LBS. Spector aluminum alloy bridge in black. No intonation screws on this run. Hopefully soon. This is something I want, not for me so much but for my tech. Intonation screws make his life a lot easier. It is my understanding that, one day all Spectors will have intonation screws. Regardless of country of origin...I have a dream. The tuning machines are Gotoh style and work they way they should. Very smooth and, so far, are holding tune just fine. Here is something that I have to say is cheesy. Disclaimer, I am a Spector player, and obviously, a fan. Huge fan, but cheesy is cheesy. Honestly it's not a big deal. I'm just having fun with it. The cheese factor is the side fret markers. The dots. They appear to be painted on. If they're not painted on, then they were put in sloppily. Also, I understand wanting to use black to match the black crowns but, white is a lot easier to see on a dark or dimly lit stage. Another minor complaint. No strap lock buttons. Cheesy. But heck, if these are my only complaints so far, then what we have is a really solid instrument that sounds fantastic. Like the bass for which it is named, its not going to be a tone chameleon. But the things that it does, it does exceptionally well. Killer rock and roll tone. Punk rock? Fuggedaboutit! Wicked!! Another thing I should have mentioned earlier. This bass came with the absolute best setup I have ever played. Incredibly low, buzz free action. Out of the box! I was floored by this. At this point I have played various Spectors at different price points. My own and ones owned by other club members. This thing slayed them all. Including US made NS-2s. I'm just talking out of the box setup. Brilliant. Sadly, I can't keep my Forte and this MMBop. I have to sell one. This very painful for me, I feel that my Forte is a work of functional art. In my opinion it looks and sounds like no other. The fact that I am entertaining that very ugly prospect should indicate how amazing the new Spector ReBop-4 is. It's crucial!

 

[farboozle]

This bass came with the absolute best setup I have ever played. Incredibly low, buzz free action. Out of the box! I was floored by this. At this point I have played various Spectors at different price points.

My rebop can get lower action than either my NS-5XL or the US bolt on I have . . .

 

[ysand]

Nice review Mr.Bassie!! I would love to try an MMbop myself.
Could you take a pic of the side fret markers?

 

[anton72]

Thanks man! all good advice.. I was thinking of DDT's simply because I prefer DR's in general, but yeah wasn't too sure about them fitting the bridge.. the other option for extra long's was prosteel's.. but not a big dd fan, damn things snap faster than most other brands.. not sure who else makes x-long strings, especially tapered.. have to do some research now

Man you don't need x-long strings sets, any regular 4 string set will do for your Spector, you can believe me. Extra long's are made mostly for basses with strings-through body construction and it's not this case.
Just keep in mind that if you want BEAD tuning and you try to string your 435 with 4 low strings taken from regular 5string set and if strings B and E are not tapered, they in 90% won't fit the bridge slots. But if B and E are tapered you'll be ok with them. If you don't drop below D then you could try DDT 45 or DDT 55. They are good for staying in tune.

 

[anton72]

Congrats to Mr.Bassie! Awesome MMBop, the color and finish is superb. Strange that they could not put straplock buttons as they do on Euros. I'm thinking on bolt-ons...

 

[awilkie84]

The neck is actually a bit longer, but it's longer within the same instrument lenght, i.e. does not stick one inch aside. Of couse there's a bit difference in fingers stretching but it's minor and since you have long arms you won't notice it. Personally I felt more difference between 34'' and 35'' when playing higher notes up the 12th fret where 34 seems tighter in fret spacing.
DDTs 65-120 won't fit the bridge slots, I tried their 65-120 set for BEAD tuning. But if it's drop D you can try their 55-115 set, would be enough and they may just sqweeze in the bridge slots..When selecting strings for your Spector keep an eye on tapered strings as they will fit the bridge easily, at least the 1st and 2nd strings (E and A or whatever you tune your 435 to).

While the instrument length is the same, the scale length adds 1/2" to each side of the 12th fret. Sorry if that wasn't clear by what I was saying.

Man you don't need x-long strings sets, any regular 4 string set will do for your Spector, you can believe me. Extra long's are made mostly for basses with strings-through body construction and it's not this case.
Just keep in mind that if you want BEAD tuning and you try to string your 435 with 4 low strings taken from regular 5string set and if strings B and E are not tapered, they in 90% won't fit the bridge slots. But if B and E are tapered you'll be ok with them. If you don't drop below D then you could try DDT 45 or DDT 55. They are good for staying in tune.

I did a test using a 35" scale string thru body & regular strings vs extra longs...the extra longs were still too long. A string thru body doesn't even end up adding a whole inch to the length of the string. Those ferrules are set DEEP.

Curious, but can the intonation on that thing be right, with the A string having a longer scale length than the E??

 

[lippylou]

Good stuff Mr.Bassie720! Definitely a fan of that deep blue! Outstanding review bro!

 

[NOLA Bass]

No issues for me transitioning between the 435LX and my standard Spectors. I used a set of 110 Blue Steels for C tuning and that longer scale length makes a big difference in the bass not sounding floppy. I think I may try a 115 next time though.