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SPECTOR® Club - Part 64

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#806
iceboxbass said:
NICE set:) That's a really cool looking stage. Do you play there weekly?
I can barely see Iris in the dark. :cool:
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Sorry been camping for the last few days. I get invited to play there probably once every couple of months and I mostly play at the main campus (we have three facilities) and the Carthage and North campus are set up to be more contemporary with future plans to change the main campus....there are over 2200 people who attend.
 
#807
johnsonabq said:
Aggie-Rig_zpsc4db0acf.jpg


OK... First impressions. Finally got the house to myself and so I put new strings on my Euro5LX and rolled the rig into the living room. Set the controls to a somewhat neutral setting and fired it up.

Very nice!

I proceeded to muck about with all kinds of minor and extreme changes in the settings. All the while the tone controls on the Euro were flat with full volume. (I always leave the volume full up.) The Euro has an OBP-3 pre @ 18v. Where I ended up setting the amp to was with the -10db input pad engaged and the gain at 10:00. Drive at 12:00, Bass-Mid-Treble all at 1:00 and the Mid Freq at 12:30.

I also broke out the 4 string Spector (NS-4CR) and tried that out leaving the amp set up as is. This bass has an EMG BT pre @ 18v with bass full up and treble 1/2 up. (these are the settings I've been using so when I switch from the Euro I don't have to change the amp settings.) Interestingly this yielded a more hi fi tone. And actually this was good because I mostly play this bass with a pick so I can get that sound. (Think Golden Earring/Twilight Zone which I use it on.)

On the DB212... It's a little heavier than I'm used to for a single cab. My two other cabs are a TCE RS212 (52lbs) and 210 (46lbs). It's about 18 pounds heavier than the RS212, but so far sounds like it alone will sound better than the RS212 and RS210 together. So all in all, less total weight and fewer cabs to move.

Of course, this is just me by myself and we all know the trick is to "cut through the mix" so now I have to take it to rehearsal and play it with the band. (Three piece playing Classic Rock and Alternative Rock covers). I'll put it up on a Quick Lok WS-650 stand so it's up where I can really hear it. The gain/drive will have to change straight away because the output of my pedalboard is less than the bass alone so I'll have to mess with that again to see what works. (I'm sure the pad will come off)

Well that's it for now. Can't wait until this (next) weekend when we rehearse again. I also can't wait to hear this with my USA builds. :bassist:
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Great news on the new sound machine! lol
 
#809
thisSNsucks said:
Well I'm not 100% finished yet, but my old Brooklyn NS-2 is looking a little more back to normal after this weekend.

Here's how it was when I got it, EMG's wired up V/V/T/T. No preamp :(

KGrHqJrFGT-tibZUBRl6RYFfg60_57_zps6dd2a0cc.gif


After playing it for a few months as is, I decided it was time to get it back to somewhat original.

So I ordered a bunch of parts and took it apart to start the rebuilding process:

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The rear cavity had some funk in it. I think someone used glue to attach aluminum foil to shield the cavity. I didn't take a pick of the foil, but you get the idea.

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So after I cleaned that up, I put some fresh copper foil in there:

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Then I was ready for mounting the pickups. I lucked out and scored some old Dimarzio P/J's. These even had the PAF stickers on the bottom, so I knew they were from the same era that the bass was made.

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So then I mounted them to the body, and had the bridge ground wire run, and reinstalled the bridge (after a light cleaning of course)

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Then it was time to start wiring. I was able to find a MM114 HAZ copy preamp on ebay, so I dropped that in. I also wired up one of the switches to its original function which was a phase switch for the P pickup. It actually sounds pretty cool. The other switch would have been a passive switch, but I couldn't figure out how to wire it correctly given the layout of the MM114.

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Now it sounds good but I will need to replace the balance pot on the preamp to work correctly with passive pickups. It sounds great when you solo either pickup, but when they're blended the tone gets really thin and dull. I suspect its because the value (25K) is for active pickups. I'll have to source out a new pot.

I also have a TP on the back burner with a very cool idea of how to wire it up one day, should I not be able to get the MM114's blend knob to work correctly with these passive pickups.

But thats all for now!
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Looking very nice, glad your wanting to take it back to original and trying very hard to get that done...maybe PJ might have a wiring suggestion for you???
 
#811
WOLFTOWER5 said:
About a year ago I was throwing around ideas of NS-2X or a Forte4X. JPS was more than helpful with photos and ideas, I wanted to pull the trigger, but life has a way of sidetracking your best laid plans. After a death in the family and a move to another state I never got the chance to order it. Now this comes out. I will have one, maybe not on the first run of orders to the US. But but by this time next year, I will have a nice matte white one in the collection.
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Been there brother, but things finally fell into place not for one bass but two....but....still missing a Coda P bass!
 
#812
bunkaroo said:
Maybe if it was something that was street priced under $1K, but I can't see someone spending $1400 just because they like FFDP, but maybe I'm underestimating their popularity. I don't listen to them.

It's like the Webster. I love feel and sound of the bass, and the design is awesome for what it's supposed to be. But I am always at odds with myself about gigging it because I don't want people to think I'm a Webster or Cannibal Corpse disciple. Don't get me wrong, Alex is a phenomenal player, but truth be told I have barely listened to anything he's done. I'm not a fan of CC, and I just haven't had a chance to absorb the Blotted Science stuff. So that's one of the reasons why I expect to eventually move it.
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I agree that we have two sets of people who would want these basses, it's a good thing you can get the Webster without the blood pattern to keep it neutral...
 
#813
husky123 said:
I'm having them do a walnut burl on walnut bass, Pau board, abalone and gold HW. I'm pretty excited. Stuart said its one of the nicest pieces of walnut burl that he's ever seen. Strong words from THEE man!
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That will be a great build, we need some build pictures on this one and I bet it will increase the excitement of Spector on this page...not saying that you have to build a US bass, just saying that this is how all facilities build basses for the player!
 
#814
Worldeeeter said:
Does it stay in tune relatively well? If not, it's gotta be a HUGE pain in the butt. I bet it takes 20 minutes to tune that thing.
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No, it stays in tune fine. It is a US Hamer, so build quality is very good. They invented them after all!
 
#815
To all those who have talked about the Trim Tone Pump conversion to 18v, I would like to say WOW....... And thank you. I know that the wiring diagram was posted numerous times and I had saved a copy. I was going to bid on EBay for a NS-2A copy Haz until I found out it was a fellow club member doing it for his on stage professional bass. So I opted for the 18v Tone Pump upgrade. For me the sound clarity and punch was evident immediately. Ran through a couple favorites like , War Machine, Radar Love, Dreams by fleet wood Mac and topped it off with some Megadeth Holy Wars........... Everything on my SWR set flat and the Tone Pump at 65%, was amazing. So again, thank you to all those who have suggested it over the years. The ZeBop was growling and I like it.
 
#818
bunkaroo said:
So for everyone drooling over the Euro8LX, what would you see yourself using it for? Special songs? Or as a main bass?

Every bass I've ordered so far I have a very specific use for, but if I got something like a 10-string, I'd really have to justify it with regular use.
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I'd use it for the same stuff I currently play on my Hamer 12-string - original metal songs, and the occasional Cheap Trick cover.
Being in a 3-piece band, I like to break out the 12-string & Moog Taurus pedals every now & then to lay down some wide sonic landscapes for the drummer & guitarist to have fun with.
My Hamer (import version) has had the nut broken & glued several times, a hairline crack is developing on the rear of the headstock just above the volute, and I've never been able to get the action as low as I'd like.
A Spector 8-string would be a perfect replacement for the tired old Hamer.
 
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