SPECTOR® Club - Part 62

[iceboxbass]

Question for my Spector brothers. Who introduced you to Spectors ? Was it your favorite bass player ? For me it would have been the late 80s, I remmeber seeing Rachel Bolan of SkidRow with his white NS 2 in the Youth Gone Wild video. After all these year I finally got my first (and second) Spector this year. No white one though....yet.

For me it was an interview with Doug Wimbish in Bass Player magazine back in Dec. 2009...Bought my 1st Spector, a 2009 Legend 4, Dec.2009, on eBay that was only 5 months old that stayed in a guys basement and never gigged. Looked brand new still. Doug's dedication to Spector and his amazing tone just really impressed me. I figured since he still has and plays his first 80's NS-2 that speaks volumes!

 

[djaxup]

I am trying to figure out if my next Spector should have 34" or 35" scale. I have no opportunity to test 35" before ordering... is it very different in feel? It should help with lower tunings and benefit the B string in general, but what are the other differences?

I mean, 34" scale is the standard, and i guess for a reason.

 

[johnsonabq]

Are you kidding me?!?! That's so wrong...A friend of mine told me about another local band that made a phone call making believe they were my friends band and cancelled their gig date...then called again to book their band in their place! So my friends band shows up and what the heck there's another band on stage.
I'd have a very hard time...and we're talking small town not big city.

Yeah, it sucked but what'cha gonna do? This isn't my main project. Just a chance to make some extra money (not this time ) and play my Spectors.

 

[bunkaroo]

I am trying to figure out if my next Spector should have 34" or 35" scale. I have no opportunity to test 35" before ordering... is it very different in feel? It should help with lower tunings and benefit the B string in general, but what are the other differences?

I mean, 34" scale is the standard, and i guess for a reason.

I played 34" scale 5-strings for years, and my feeling is a 34" scale Spector will be just fine provided you get strings that provide the proper tension for a low B.

I got my first Spector, a 35" scale Euro 5LX a few years ago, and after playing a Stingray 5 regularly for years before it, I could feel a difference. It's mostly when I'm playing something that requires me to play the 1st fret C on the low B and especially when I have to hold that and play a 4th fret Eb. I can feel it somewhat too on the E string in the same conditions, but after that it's not much of a difference. As I go to the higher frets it's more of a non-factor.

Since you have no opportunity to try one first, my opinion would be get a used one that you can turn around without much loss if you don't like it.

 

[gpx1200]

Question for my Spector brothers. Who introduced you to Spectors ? Was it your favorite bass player ? For me it would have been the late 80s, I remmeber seeing Rachel Bolan of SkidRow with his white NS 2 in the Youth Gone Wild video. After all these year I finally got my first (and second) Spector this year. No white one though....yet.

I got into spectors simply because I played one that belonged to a friend, a chery red ns2a , never got one of my own and quit playing for about 10yrs, pict it up again last year and played another friends ns2a in his practice room and decided right their "IT'S TIME TO GET ME A SPECTOR" now I have a euro4 lx and a rebop 5 and i'm selling my other 2 Ibanez basses to get another spector

 

[johnsonabq]

I am trying to figure out if my next Spector should have 34" or 35" scale. I have no opportunity to test 35" before ordering... is it very different in feel? It should help with lower tunings and benefit the B string in general, but what are the other differences?

I mean, 34" scale is the standard, and i guess for a reason.

I'm thinking 34" is the standard because Leo Fender said so many decades ago (please correct if wrong). 35" will feel a little different and yes, will benefit the low B and drop tunings. My guess is that C and C# tunings HAVE to have the 35" scale. You don't say if you're talking 4 or 5 string. All my fivers have been 35" scale. Todd (Guitar House of Tulsa) though, has a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] that I hear sounds and plays great but I wouldn't tune it down.

Like Bunk said the strings make a difference too.

 

[iceboxbass]

I almost did bring it up with him on a recent email when I had some other questions, but since the price list was specific I thought different of it. I'm not really as concerned with the tension of the 34" vs. 35" as much as I would be having a different feel when I'm not looking at the fretboard.

When I had the Kramer, I did a couple rehearsals with it, and I was getting thrown off when I would look away from the fretboard to sing backups because I was used to the 35" scale fret placement. Sounds weird but it happened. Not sure if that would be an issue with a Coda since it's only 21 frets to begin with and would hang different than the NS models.

I didn't find the 21 frets vs. 24 fret an issue getting used to...mostly I had issues with string spacing between my former NS-2000/5 and my Coda 5XL. I've custom ordered things that were not on the price listing before i.e. OBP 3 in the Forte 5, for one. Ask...the worse Pj would say is sorry but no.

 

[iceboxbass]

I played 34" scale 5-strings for years, and my feeling is a 34" scale Spector will be just fine provided you get strings that provide the proper tension for a low B.

I got my first Spector, a 35" scale Euro 5LX a few years ago, and after playing a Stingray 5 regularly for years before it, I could feel a difference. It's mostly when I'm playing something that requires me to play the 1st fret C on the low B and especially when I have to hold that and play a 4th fret Eb. I can feel it somewhat too on the E string in the same conditions, but after that it's not much of a difference. As I go to the higher frets it's more of a non-factor.

Since you have no opportunity to try one first, my opinion would be get a used one that you can turn around without much loss if you don't like it.

+1! What Bunk said

 

[gpx1200]

this empty hook on my bass wall is realy buging me.
any one got a nice rebop4 for sale? preferably natural.

 

[5string_phunk]

Question for my Spector brothers. Who introduced you to Spectors ? Was it your favorite bass player ? For me it would have been the late 80s, I remmeber seeing Rachel Bolan of SkidRow with his white NS 2 in the Youth Gone Wild video. After all these year I finally got my first (and second) Spector this year. No white one though....yet.

I was in Nashville for a family gathering and my girlfriend at the time, also a musician, and I decided to go to what is Now Sam Ash Nashville and they had a used Oil finished Euro 4 hanging in the used section. I played that thing for like an hour and didn't want to put it down. I didn't get a chance to buy that one but it always stuck in my head how amazing it looked, played and sounded!

A few years later I had to buy a new bass for school and my memory kept going back to that magical bass I had played in Nashville several years earlier! I eventually found out it was a Spector and a few days later I had a Bubinga Legend 4 (w/ the P/J config and 3 band EQ) headed my way via Musicians Friend. It was a great instrument and the gateway bass to the addiction known as S.A.S!

 

[FunkySpoo]

I am trying to figure out if my next Spector should have 34" or 35" scale. I have no opportunity to test 35" before ordering... is it very different in feel? It should help with lower tunings and benefit the B string in general, but what are the other differences?

I mean, 34" scale is the standard, and i guess for a reason.

Not for me. I played 34 inch Stingray5's for years before I got my Euro5. I can go back and forth from 34 to 35 without any issues. Heck I even go to my 32 inch hollow body and it only takes a few minutes to get used to it. The only one that gives me problems is going to the 43 inch upright. Not just the size but also not having frets means where your finger is really makes a difference. IMO,YMMV and all that.

 

[bobunit]

Hey Gang,
Just returned from vacation out in LA/San Diego and picked up a rare bird.

Nice!

 

[basser05]

Thought I'd pass along where we stand on the issue of what color hardware we all think looks best with the new color UltraViolet combined with an ebony fingerboard.
There have been 23 responses to the question...

Black - 10
Chrome - 8
Gold - 5

Those of you who gave more than one answer I only entered your #1 choice. I want to thank everyone who responded and let you know I really appreciate your input here. Looks like I need to make up my mind soon if I want a chance to get this bass before the end of the year.

For me it's a choice between black (which was my first inclination) and chrome. Not that gold isn't good too, but the vast majority of USA Spectors have gold hardware and I want this one to be different.

I've put together one last pic, this time showing the same bass in a more standard setting (Stuart's Office). The Photoshop work is not as good but you get the idea. I'm only showing the black and chrome. Feel free to give further opinions.

You guys ROCK!!

That's funny bc I literally just posted on the one that's for sale in the classifieds last night and said that the only thing I could do to make me like it more would be if it had black hardware on it or if it was mine!

 

[Betrayer_Bass]

BLACK!

 

[Betrayer_Bass]

Speaking of black, is it possible to get an Ebony fretboard on a Euro?

 

[bunkaroo]

Speaking of black, is it possible to get an Ebony fretboard on a Euro?

I would think so since they use them on the Webster. Would have to confirm with PJ.

 

[johnsonabq]

That's funny bc I literally just posted on the one that's for sale in the classifieds last night and said that the only thing I could do to make me like it more would be if it had black hardware on it or if it was mine!

We all have our own views on this. Many said that with the BEM fretboard they like gold. BTW, this is the bass that's for sale. I just added the ebony fretboard and the black/chrome in Photoshop. From this mockup I decided to place an order for an ultraviolet NS-2 with ebony fretboard and black hardware.

 

[basser05]

We all have our own views on this. Many said that with the BEM fretboard they like gold. BTW, this is the bass that's for sale. I just added the ebony fretboard and the black/chrome in Photoshop. From this mockup I decided to place an order for an ultraviolet NS-2 with ebony fretboard and black hardware.

Very very true..the ebony fretboard will be awesome! I do like the BEM fretboard too tho! It's not something seen quite as often on spectors..well, I haven't even seen maple necks a quarter as much in general! BUT I do like them!

 

[bunkaroo]

Very very true..the ebony fretboard will be awesome! I do like the BEM fretboard too tho! It's not something seen quite as often on spectors..well, I haven't even seen maple necks a quarter as much in general! BUT I do like them!

The BEM's seem to be gaining prominence lately. There was a pic on the Spector FB page that showed 10 or so basses in progress, and I swear at least 6 were BEM. It's got to be the most significant thing Spector has done to cultivate Spector GAS in a long time. Glad to see it paying off for them.

 

[PhatBasstard]

GREAT snag phat! Beautiful! Definitely need gold tuners back on. A backside shot plz? Headstock shot with numbers etc... Is this your first USA Spector? I don't recall you talking of any in your arsenal.

Thanks.
Actually I have.
If you remember I said my current Euro4 (early, oil finish, see avatar) actually replaced my NS2 (Kramer) as my #1.

The backside is nothing special. This bass originally was painted, so Spector didn't use any real flamed/figured wood on this.
You can even see the wings are somewhat mismatched (lower side slightly darker).
This is quite common for the ones they know will be painted.

Todd and I spoke again this morning and made a deal.
As soon as the correct, period specific gold Schallers that I got off eBay show up, this bass will be on it's way to Tulsa.