SPECTOR® Club - Part 55

[Splods]

I have been looking around for a while, but I cannot find any decent costing ones.

Would anyone be willing to part with a 5 string rebop to a crazy Australian?

 

[worshiprocker]

nothing at all. It's dead. I even used a real life diagram by fat240 and nothing. But Lima and I spoke and think its maybe the power wire somewhere. I'll check it later.

10-4

I not seeing anything obviously wrong here. Its tough, I cant see everything.

Donny?

hmm I only see 3 pots. the master volume pot looks strange to me. The black wire off the TP should be going to the shielding from the EMGs and the white to the "hot" wire. On the pots I use (except on the blueburst) the shielding is soldered to the pot and the "hot" wire to the solder tab coming off the edge. I can't see all the connections very clear on that volume pot... maybe its there?

 

[Ian Perge]

With all these Family Photos being posted, I realized I need to get the siblings together for some shots. It'll have to wait a few days as the downstairs is full of boxes of High-Definition audio & video gear as The Better-Half finally worked out the budget to make the move to Hi-Def & Blu-ray! (the decent raise that came with her defending her Doctoral Dissertation and finally being hooded Dr. Better-Half was a major help ) Come to think of it, I don't believe I've posted pictures since I executed my ToneDump™ for my multiple-custom Nordstrand Big Singles and Aguilar OBP-3SK/PPs!

Tuesday at latest: the installation/calibration is Monday afternoon, and the Cable upgrade is Tuesday noon-ish. After that, my lovely SpectorJazz tone based on the bolt-on neck, Zebrawood or Flame Maple & Alder bodies, and the Lance Armstrongs of the Single Coil pickup world...

 

[worshiprocker]

got the new D'Addario balanced tension strings in today... I'll be putting them through the paces tonight. They actual sound a lot like steels.

I was pleasantly surprised. I am normally a steel player, but these nickel strings really performed tonight. the tension was really nice, the perfect amount of roundness with a nice agressive almost steel like attack. fairly mid present and VERY punchy. The tension was a little "looser" than the Dunlop steels of the same gauge, but this allowed the notes to breathe. I primarily like new strings, so I am basing this off of the new string impression. The next big step is to see how long they keep the zing.

i should also note that these strings really allow for an aggressive finger style attack. I may be a converter...... I'm really digging these new strings

 

[Torn Bassist]

My preamp test.

No particular order....
NS2a tonepump
ns2a aguilar obp2
NS2A kramer era USA 9volt HAZ

Which is which?

...or which one do you like best?
https://soundcloud.com/jeremy-stephens-4/sets/ns2a-preamp-test

I like the sound of each, they are very close and sound like the systems are loaded into the same bass....the second test sounds a little better to me, which one is this?

 

[Torn Bassist]

WOW...looks like most of the posts are liking #2 and calling it the HAZ on the Clearwave test, I was thinking the HAZ was #3?

 

[JeffplaysBass]

My preamp test.

No particular order....
NS2a tonepump
ns2a aguilar obp2
NS2A kramer era USA 9volt HAZ

Which is which?

...or which one do you like best?
https://soundcloud.com/jeremy-stephens-4/sets/ns2a-preamp-test

For me to give a more accurate answer I would like to hear it
a) live through either 2/12's, 4/10 or 8/10 (etc.)
b) live in a band mix....

through these headphones I won't be able to tell big differences but put in those environments The winner stands TALL!!!

 

[Clearwave]

I think I like....

2. 3. 1.

1 and 3 were hard to decide for me.

Is one of the preamps worth $250 more?

Keep in mind its a unscientific test. I adjusted the tone knobs on the test to what ever made the bass sound good at the time. I didn't try to match them with each other. All basses have DR lo rider steels, one of them is .105-.45 the other two are .100-.40. The wood seems noticeably on each bass.

No processing on any bass. Just straight in the computer.

My preamp test.
No particular order....
NS2a tonepump
ns2a aguilar obp2
NS2A kramer era USA 9volt HAZ

Which is which?

...or which one do you like best?
https://soundcloud.com/jeremy-stephens-4/sets/ns2a-preamp-test

 

[husky123]

It's hard to tell recorded but live in front of a 215 or 810 pumping at 300 glorious tube watts it's very easy to hear (and feel) the difference IMO. So, yes, it's worth the extra $250 to me. Easily.

BUT, that's the tone in MY head.

 

[Clearwave]

It's hard to tell recorded but live in front of a 215 or 810 pumping at 300 glorious tube watts it's very easy to hear t(and feel) the difference IMO. So, yes, it's worth the extra $250 to me. Easily.

BUT, that's the tone in MY head.

I'm the opposite. To me, live is much more forgiving. I slave over tiny details when recording.

 

[Fat240]

It's hard to tell recorded but live in front of a 215 or 810 pumping at 300 glorious tube watts it's very easy to hear t(and feel) the difference IMO. So, yes, it's worth the extra $250 to me. Easily.

BUT, that's the tone in MY head.

True

 

[husky123]

Did you put out the answers on which is which yet? I may have missed them.

 

[worshiprocker]

I think that it may be worth it if you are buying NS2s... at the price tag what is an extra couple hundred . I actually really love the tonepump, for me its the tone in my head. I think of the Tonepump as a Ford f150... affordable, workhorse, proven time after time and the US 9v as the Lincoln Mark LT, its can do everything the F150 does, but it does it a lot more comfortably and with a little more "style"



Ya I missed the results too

 

[mmbongo]

On that preamp test....#2 is the clear winner.

 

[husky123]

I think that it may be worth it if you are buying NS2s... at the price tag what is an extra couple hundred . I actually really love the tonepump, for me its the tone in my head. I think of the Tonepump as a Ford f150... affordable, workhorse, proven time after time and the US 9v as the Lincoln Mark LT, its can do everything the F150 does, but it does it a lot more comfortably and with a little more "style"



Ya I missed the results too

Well put.

 

[superdick2112]

Is one of the preamps worth $250 more?

I'll let you know tomorrow when my NS-2 gets delivered.

For now, my #1 Spector preamp/pickup combo is the USA 18-volt/EMG DC setup in my NS-4.

And I also prefered 2,3,1 - in that order.

 

[JeffplaysBass]

It's hard to tell recorded but live in front of a 215 or 810 pumping at 300 glorious tube watts it's very easy to hear (and feel) the difference IMO. So, yes, it's worth the extra $250 to me. Easily.

BUT, that's the tone in MY head.

Lee speaks the Truth!!!...."300 glorious watts!!!!"..hehe..

 

[superdick2112]

I think of the Tonepump as a Ford f150... affordable, workhorse, proven time after time and the US 9v as the Lincoln Mark LT, its can do everything the F150 does, but it does it a lot more comfortably and with a little more "style".

QFT.

 

[JeffplaysBass]

I'm the opposite. To me, live is much more forgiving. I slave over tiny details when recording.

Me the opposite unless you have "3oo glorious watts" in your recording gear....I once tried two car's going 20mph....both seemed about the same...took those same two cars in the highway doing 80-90 mph each, THEN I could feel the differences...

 

[Clearwave]

1. Aguilar OBP 2
2. 9v HAZ
3. Tunepump

https://soundcloud.com/jeremy-stephens-4/sets/ns2a-preamp-test

Not much of a surprise I guess. I'm kinda surprised how many got it right! Way to go guys!

Seems like the aggie doesn't have the lo mid spector bite that two have. Not a bad preamp though.

#3 tonepump bass has been put up for a while and needs an adjustment. The strings are a little to low. When adjusted, I think it would sound better. .105-.45 DR lo riders

#2 HAZ is the prototype NS2a bass. The wood is prettier and is probably a better wood for tone. .100-40 DR lo riders

#1 aggie bass is setup perfect and is the easiest to play. .100-40 DR lo riders

#2