SPECTOR® Club - Part 57

[JPSBassist]

My Spalted Wimbish/faux Forte is on the UPS truck out for delivery today ...I work at home so I am close to the front door..Just waiting

Can't wait to see it!

 

[bunkaroo]

Dude! I don't think that PJ would mind me saying thank you to you for always being such a positive guy and being so active in spreading the good word.

I make suggestions about adding artists to the site here or there, but make no mistake, PJ has the final say on everything.

I do what PJ wants. Really he's the man. I'm just sort of like a contractual elf... The magic comes from those guys. I'm just happy to do what I am asked to do.

Well thanks to you both for sure. I have been in contact with PJ a lot lately on another build I want to do and we had a great conversation about music in general when I was doing my build orders in January. He has also been such a great help to me - like I said dream come true that I can play and be associated with these basses.

 

[TK4261]

Can't wait to see it!

Me too and you will...I will blow this thread up with pics! lol

 

[JPSBassist]

Continued from Part 56...
I understand the TonePump was designed to mimic the US9V in European builds due to US export restrictions or somesuch.
?

Actually... because the USA 9v is made by hand... the cost and time associated with making the circuits wasn't logical for a bass that Spector planned on making at least twice as many on a monthly basis.

Also, the JFET tech is really much better. There is no signal loss from the pickups through the circuit due to oversaturation during the note's attack.

PJ and Stuart saw it as a way to get the newer tech into Spector basses and improve the overall performance of the circuit.

The ONLY op-amp based circuit Spector uses anymore is the USA 9v. And that circuit is so growly because Henry (at Haz) and Stuart designed an array of op-amps to handle the over-sat issue, but this distorts the tone (as in overdrive type distortion).

PJ flew over to the Czech Republic with his famous Brooklyn NS-2 #603 (you can see this bass here next to PJ's biography: Link Removed ) and sat side-by-side with the circuit's designer to get the tone-color of the TonePump as close to his NS-2 as possible.

So regarding the TonePump, PJ's main bass (which I know he plays more than any other that he owns... I've played it and it's AMAZING!) is the master "template" for the TonePump.

Some history that that's not on any of the official sites for you TonePump lovers out there.

 

[brotherbassj]

As far as tuners go, get two:
1. A nice strobe that stays home for purposes of setup & intonation,
2. A Snark headstock tuner. In a live situation, the audience, even other musicians, are not going to notice or care how perfect your tuning is plus or minus 3 cents. Your pitch varies that much just due to how you fret the notes, how hard you pull on the neck, etc. They will notice how much time they had to wait while you were tuning. The Snark is easy to read and tracks well even down to the low B, so you can whip that bass into shape in a few seconds and leave it on there to monitor your tuning all night. I wouldn't use it for setups, though, I have a Pitchblack for that.
I find the new tiny PlanetWaves headstock tuners don't track that well, especially the B string. Snark is way faster to use.

I use SNARK tuners almost exclusively live.......they work as well as any BOSS tuner or pitchblack. I find it quick to tune all strings at the 12th fret using the harmonic also

For a chorus, get a TC Electronics Corona Chorus! They're reasonably cheap & are wicked on a bass!!! 3 chorus options, too.

I'm going to be adding an MXR BOD soon, but my board consists of a Korg PitchBlack (Best tuner EVER for Low A/B), a Boss LMB-3 Limiter (although it's really more of a compressor), a TC Electronics Corona Chorus, and an EHX Bass Big Muff Pi.
My only beef with the setup is the LMB-3. I don't like buffered pedals.

I have been told in a chain of true bypass pedals its important to include a buffered signal pedal so as to not loose so much.....this comes from a professional.......other wise you will need to use some kind of signal booster in a long chain of effects.........

Quick note to ANDREW BUNK...

Congratulations dude. You're one of the featured artists on the Official Spector Website on the Signature Artists page...

If memory serves me correctly you play an Alex Webster Signature Edition Spector.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Thanks for being such a great ambassador for Spector my friend! Rock on!

Andrew........congrats.......you rock man!

Omer Cordell owns the Forte-4 page on the Official Spector Website... BTW.
Omer is another great guy who has been so vocal and active in promoting Spector in all that he does.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Omer is definitely a cool Spector cat........and a great human being also!

If you don't mind me throwing my opinion into the hat here... I have three NS-2s and an NS-4... so I'm very familiar with the differences in the tone.

The USA 9v is all op-amp and solid state. The USA 18v is a mix of op-amp and JFET tech (like the Aguilar OBP-3 but with 2-bands instead of 3).

It's a weird thing to me. In a live setting... in the mix the USA 9v sounds better to me. It has the right tone and growl to punch through the other instruments and crowd noise. It's really the best circuit for live performances if you want a growly, aggressive tone with punch.

In the studio, hands-down the USA 18v has my vote. It's very articulate and clear, but has growl and grit and can be aggressive and punchy. It also can be cleaned up much better than the 9v can. I've been a little -ho-hum- with the NS-2 in studio at times (depending on the application) and the need for a more traditional tone. It's a howitzer cannon really.

The NS-4 is a joy to work with in the studio... that bass has such an amazingly wide tonal range.

But put the NS-4 out there live and it has a harder time punching through.

I'd ask you if you want the bass for live performances or studio. And ideally I'd have one for each. I realize that's not an good option for most. But I said "Ideally"

The TonePump is actually a great circuit for both live and studio. Being JFET but having been colored for growl and grit. If you get comfortable with the output trim pot inside the control cavity and you tinker with it... you can tone it down for the studio and you can crank it up for live performances.

Also, you can easily wire it for 18v. The Spector Pimp-Godfather Sam has some experience with this as do others.

I have a TonePump in my 1988 NS-2A (which looks like a USA NS-2 now with the USA Bridge). It sounds GREAT.

I hope this helps.

Patrick makes a good point here and I'm going to have to agree about the NS-4 and the 18 volt pre. I use mine with my three piece though and it definitely adds depth, especially when the singer/guitarist drops out for a solo or break.......I use that bass as a "hole filler" so to speak......lol

With a two guitarist band I would agree that the p/j with the 9 volt is BETTER (Hey Lee............) to be heard over the guitard's loud amps. It really can dial in some extreme cut when needed.......

On that note, one day I will own a true NS-2 in some old form.......Mike (fat240) has been generous enough to agree to lone me one for a bit.....so it's a matter of driving to his place a few hours away to get one!

 

[NOLA Bass]

Awesome and well deserved!!!!

 

[JPSBassist]

Well thanks to you both for sure. I have been in contact with PJ a lot lately on another build I want to do and we had a great conversation about music in general when I was doing my build orders in January. He has also been such a great help to me - like I said dream come true that I can play and be associated with these basses.

He's really an awesome guy and what you see is what you get with him.

Very straight forward and his word is gold. He's proven to me through the years I've assisted him that he's truly an integrity person.

I feel the same way. I am pretty freakin' lucky to have met these guys (PJ and Stuart) and be able to combine several of my passions into one nicely wrapped package.

I'm hoping this summer I'll have time to get a bunch more of my documentary on Spector finished. It's been slow, but it's coming along really well. I've gotten such much better an understanding into what makes Stuart and PJ tick.

It's been a lot of fun.

 

[delucajohn2000]

Continued from Part 56...





How does the US18V sound compared to the US9V?

I have a TonePump right now and it sounds pretty freakin' fabulous. I understand the TonePump was designed to mimic the US9V in European builds due to US export restrictions or somesuch.

How does the US18V sound compared to the TonePump?

Here is a clip Sam posted in the last thread I believe. When I went over his house, he recorded my NS-4 that has the 18V USA circuit with the P/DC pickup configuration. It should give you a good idea of the differences in tones even though the pickup config is not exactly the same.

 

[JPSBassist]

I have been told in a chain of true bypass pedals its important to include a buffered signal pedal so as to not loose so much.....this comes from a professional.......other wise you will need to use some kind of signal booster in a long chain of effects.........

I'm a systems analyst if you really want to know the truth.
People think this title applies to computers and programming. And for the most part they are right.

But a systems analyst looks at systems and looks for the potential bottle-necks and/or points where the system can become unstable or break down.

I've used this in medicine (my first career) and in branding/marketing (my second career).

I have the sort of mind that craves details and facts, technical and non-technical. I need to understand the full range of information in a "system" before I feel comfortable working inside of that system.

For the past year I've been slowly getting my mind around pedal systems and effects.

Sorry... sometimes I get really techie and I just like to explain why. It's a natural habit for me.

>>>I agree with Brother J here.

In a signal chain you have resistance caused by pushing a signal through multiple points where the signal is halted and then modified and then placed back into the signal chain.

My experience with putting 10 or more pedals together (not that you'd ever punch them all on at once) is that the signal can become distorted (meaning that frequencies will fall out and become unclear) as you are further away from bass output.

MXR's 10-Band EQ does a really nice job of offering line boost that you can adjust with the EQ settings.

With 4 pedals plugged into it today (Compressor, Envelope, Octave, Chorus) I have it slightly scooped (mids) and I have the gain at -10db (approximately, the markings are -6 and -12 and I'm a little closer to -12 than -6) and am getting clear signal into my Aguilar ToneHammer head.

Also, you've got to look at the order in which you place your pedals into the signal chain. I've done a lot of research on that.

I hope this helps some!

Link Removed

 

[worshiprocker]

so.... I bought Jeff's black crfm, I'm looking forward to having a great BT preamp bass in my possession again. if the haz's get back in stock anytime soon I may do the swap. don't know about you guys but i think the old dot inlay Czech basses just have an understated coolness about them.

I love me some dot inlayed Czech basses

 

[NOLA Bass]

Patrick, your 18v review was helpful. My dilemma is 2 435's. i honestly don't like the Tonepump and the way the tone knobs are neither center detent nor boost only. Too much fiddling for me. I wanted the US9V but we know about the production issues.

Maybe I should get an 18v for one (studio first bass) and another pre for live (EMG, Aguilar, ?). Studio and live debut with this band is mid-May, so I need to get rolling!

 

[brotherbassj]

I'm a systems analyst if you really want to know the truth.
People think this title applies to computers and programming. And for the most part they are right.

But a systems analyst looks at systems and looks for the potential bottle-necks and/or points where the system can become unstable or break down.

I've used this in medicine (my first career) and in branding/marketing (my second career).

I have the sort of mind that craves details and facts, technical and non-technical. I need to understand the full range of information in a "system" before I feel comfortable working inside of that system.

For the past year I've been slowly getting my mind around pedal systems and effects.

Sorry... sometimes I get really techie and I just like to explain why. It's a natural habit for me.

>>>I agree with Brother J here.

In a signal chain you have resistance caused by pushing a signal through multiple points where the signal is halted and then modified and then placed back into the signal chain.

My experience with putting 10 or more pedals together (not that you'd ever punch them all on at once) is that the signal can become distorted (meaning that frequencies will fall out and become unclear) as you are further away from bass output.

MXR's 10-Band EQ does a really nice job of offering line boost that you can adjust with the EQ settings.

With 4 pedals plugged into it today (Compressor, Envelope, Octave, Chorus) I have it slightly scooped (mids) and I have the gain at -10db (approximately, the markings are -6 and -12 and I'm a little closer to -12 than -6) and am getting clear signal into my Aguilar ToneHammer head.

Also, you've got to look at the order in which you place your pedals into the signal chain. I've done a lot of research on that.

I hope this helps some!

Patrick also brings in yet another valid point to using effect pedals. There are good ways and not such good ways to order them in line from input to output, placing them in different orders can REALLY make a difference to your sound........so be careful and read up on effect pedal signal chaining........I have had my whole tone get "Sucked" from a person rearranging my board once many years ago......I will never forget it..said my tone would be much better.............trusted him..........went straight to a big stage..........oh no!!!!!!:scowl:

I was very very upset........but played until I could pull a straight line to my amp............

 

[awilkie84]

I use SNARK tuners almost exclusively live.......they work as well as any BOSS tuner or pitchblack. I find it quick to tune all strings at the 12th fret using the harmonic also

I have been told in a chain of true bypass pedals its important to include a buffered signal pedal so as to not loose so much.....this comes from a professional.......other wise you will need to use some kind of signal booster in a long chain of effects.........

Andrew........congrats.......you rock man!

Omer is definitely a cool Spector cat........and a great human being also!


Patrick makes a good point here and I'm going to have to agree about the NS-4 and the 18 volt pre. I use mine with my three piece though and it definitely adds depth, especially when the singer/guitarist drops out for a solo or break.......I use that bass as a "hole filler" so to speak......lol

With a two guitarist band I would agree that the p/j with the 9 volt is BETTER (Hey Lee............) to be heard over the guitard's loud amps. It really can dial in some extreme cut when needed.......

On that note, one day I will own a true NS-2 in some old form.......Mike (fat240) has been generous enough to agree to lone me one for a bit.....so it's a matter of driving to his place a few hours away to get one!

I'm currently running a nonTrim Tonepump with a set of EMG 40J pickups in my ReBop 5DLX at 18V. It sings, and is easily able to cut through the muddy mix of our 2 guitar band. Our guitarists don't understand anything about tonal range, balance, or finding your own sonic space. They play the same lines over top of each other (or try to copy me), so I really have to be sure that I'm sitting in an unoccupied pocket and cutting through their washed out mix.

I mean, I love these guys, but they reach for their capos any time there's a key change to a song, instead of adjusting their chord usage or using a bar chord. Anyone have any suggestions on how to get 2 musically illiterate (they can't read sheet, don't understand scale progressions or anything beyond how to finger chords or read tab) guitar players to balance better?

 

[brotherbassj]

I'm currently running a nonTrim Tonepump with a set of EMG 40J pickups in my ReBop 5DLX at 18V. It sings, and is easily able to cut through the muddy mix of our 2 guitar band. Our guitarists don't understand anything about tonal range, balance, or finding your own sonic space. They play the same lines over top of each other (or try to copy me), so I really have to be sure that I'm sitting in an unoccupied pocket and cutting through their washed out mix.

I mean, I love these guys, but they reach for their capos any time there's a key change to a song, instead of adjusting their chord usage or using a bar chord. Anyone have any suggestions on how to get 2 musically illiterate (they can't read sheet, don't understand scale progressions or anything beyond how to finger chords or read tab) guitar players to balance better?

Louisville Slugger? Sorry first thing that came to mind........second is mentally manipulate them into getting their proverbial shite together

 

[Rockin Mike]

Here is a clip Sam posted in the last thread I believe. When I went over his house, he recorded my NS-4 that has the 18V USA circuit with the P/DC pickup configuration. It should give you a good idea of the differences in tones even though the pickup config is not exactly the same.

John thanks a bunch for the sound clips. I can hear a big difference and definitely prefer the USA9V. In fact I think I like my TonePump better than the USA18V. It would be a shootout between the TonePump and the USA9V.

Love the tone on the JJ in clip A. I can hear how that would stand its ground in a mix.

 

[Rockin Mike]

I'm currently running a nonTrim Tonepump with a set of EMG 40J pickups in my ReBop 5DLX at 18V. It sings, and is easily able to cut through the muddy mix of our 2 guitar band. Our guitarists don't understand anything about tonal range, balance, or finding your own sonic space. They play the same lines over top of each other (or try to copy me), so I really have to be sure that I'm sitting in an unoccupied pocket and cutting through their washed out mix.

I mean, I love these guys, but they reach for their capos any time there's a key change to a song, instead of adjusting their chord usage or using a bar chord. Anyone have any suggestions on how to get 2 musically illiterate (they can't read sheet, don't understand scale progressions or anything beyond how to finger chords or read tab) guitar players to balance better?

They're adults, right? You can explain it to them and if they don't want to hear it that's as far as it goes.

You know what would be nice is if there were example videos on YouTube where you could point out the differences between a good mix, how you can listen for each instrument and hear everything it's doing clearly, versus a junk mix and show them that you can't hear what guitar 1 is doing because guitar 2 is stepping on his tonal space, etc.

 

[husky123]

One last thing on the pedals. BassEFX.com has lots of great demo videos on the different pedals they sell.

View attachment 326081

I like that. A nice, tidy little pedalboard. Nola, you got to talk to me about that Vintage. I pulled my order after all the incessant delays (makes me nervous). But now it's up and running I'm curious again. I have the B3K (USA) now so I'm familiar with that OD.

 

[Rockin Mike]

Does adjusting the TonePump trim pot do anything other than alter the volume?
You could always just turn the volume knob if that's the case.

Does the trim pot have anything to do with tone?

 

[awilkie84]

Does adjusting the TonePump trim pot do anything other than alter the volume?
You could always just turn the volume knob if that's the case.

Does the trim pot have anything to do with tone?

It's more of a gain control before the EQ. Turn it down & you get a more gradual adjustment on the EQ that doesn't get harsh and tends to be a teeny bit warmer. Turn it up & you get balls deep punch & growl, but can get kind of harsh on the treble control when turned up past 12 o'clock.

 

[husky123]

On that note, one day I will own a true NS-2 in some old form.......Mike (fat240) has been generous enough to agree to lone me one for a bit.....so it's a matter of driving to his place a few hours away to get one!

Do it. Do it like yesterday.