SPECTOR® Club - Part 72

[johnsonabq]

Green????

I'm telling ya... Green is the new Bahama Blue/Ultraviolet.

 

[Mr.Bassie720]

I'm telling ya... Green is the new Bahama Blue/Ultraviolet.

You can have any color you like as long as it's green . The finishes, regardless of the color, have been amazing this year.

 

[johnsonabq]

I'll take this opportunity to shamelessly show my new green one more time.

Can't see this baby too many times Ho!

 

[gravesbass]

woah mama!!! That's by far my favorite Euro 5 to date!!! Beautiful!

Thanks man. Took a while but this one was worth it.

 

[gravesbass]

Very cool bass. Are those special knobs you got or is EMG using new knobs for the BQC? I remember the previous BQC knobs said "EMG" on them but I really like the ones you have on your bass.

Hey John.... they are EMG style metal knobs. I think I get them from bestbassgear (or used to). They are on almost all my Spector's. Here's the link: Its the 2 top ones I use.

http://www.bestbassgear.com/knobs.htm#

 

[johnsonabq]

You can have any color you like as long as it's green . The finishes, regardless of the color, have been amazing this year.

Absolutely, You described my bass to me before I got to see it and you were right. But Ho, I took it out into the noon day sun the other day and... OMG. How do they do it!

I do know one thing though, my next bass (lord knows when) will be a matte finish. I love the look of gloss but I love the feel of matte. Word!

 

[Mr.Bassie720]

Yes! In the natural light you can really see the detail in the wood grain. They explained the process to me and it immediately went over my head. I do know that it's a multi step process of staining and sanding and painting and sanding and painting and buffing. They could definitely skip a couple of steps and get great results. But doing it the way they do yields that deep beauty.

 

[Torn Bassist]

I'll take this opportunity to shamelessly show my new green one more time.

Todd has a couple NS2 basses with the Badass bridge and walnut wings, they look very nice....just like yours!

 

[superdick2112]

I'm in! Don't go getting me a number, yet but it's due to arrive next week!

Joe

Wow!

Nice....

 

[Mr.Bassie720]

Todd has a couple NS2 basses with the Badass bridge and walnut wings, they look very nice....just like yours!

I've seen them on his site. They are what let me know that it was doable. They are beautiful in a very simple way.

 

[awilkie84]

I'll take this opportunity to shamelessly show my new green one more time.

Is it possible to get an NS-5XL with a badass bridge & a traditional P/J route?

I have determined a way to purchase a NEW US Spector near the end of next year, but would love to have something truly unique.

 

[Mr.Bassie720]

Is it possible to get an NS-5XL with a badass bridge & a traditional P/J route?

I have determined a way to purchase a NEW US Spector near the end of next year, but would love to have something truly unique.

Wow! That would be truly unique. Stuart and PJ are the ones to give the ok on something like that. I have found that it never hurts to ask. I'm not sure if the original Quan bridges came in 5 string. I can tell you, with almost certainty, that if they say yes. You would have to provide the bridge.

 

[JPSBassist]

Wow! That would be truly unique. Stuart and PJ are the ones to give the ok on something like that. I have found that it never hurts to ask. I'm not sure if the original Quan bridges came in 5 string. I can tell you, with almost certainty, that if they say yes. You would have to provide the bridge.

Yes. The original Leo Quan bridge was made in a 5-string version.

And I haven't seen any in ages. Actually, the only ones I've seen in person are on PJ Rubal's Brooklyn Era NS-5... the first NS-5 ever made. Vinny Fodera did custom inlays in the neck.
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And Ho is absolutely correct. You'd have to supply the bridge if you wanted that done.

 

[JPSBassist]

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[johnsonabq]

Wow! That would be truly unique. Stuart and PJ are the ones to give the ok on something like that. I have found that it never hurts to ask. I'm not sure if the original Quan bridges came in 5 string. I can tell you, with almost certainty, that if they say yes. You would have to provide the bridge.

I would say contact Todd Cooke. I know the NS5 can be had with P/J pups and a USA 9v. The bridge? I don't know. What I feel, is that if the 34" scale, pups, and pre are what you want, the bridge is but a small part of the whole. And if you can't get a five string Badass bridge. Why let that stand in the way of all the rest. IMHO

I know there are those that can discern the sound of a Badass bridge but I question the real difference it would make.

 

[Mr.Bassie720]

I don't know. I think, everything else being equal, you could probably hear a noticible diference in tone. The Spector bridge is a full two pounds of solid brass. Massive. Most other bridges, including the Badass, don't have that much mass. Though in a side by side I probably couldn't tell you which is which

 

[awilkie84]

Yes. The original Leo Quan bridge was made in a 5-string version.

And I haven't seen any in ages. Actually, the only ones I've seen in person are on PJ Rubal's Brooklyn Era NS-5... the first NS-5 ever made. Vinny Fodera did custom inlays in the neck.
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And Ho is absolutely correct. You'd have to supply the bridge if you wanted that done.

Wow! You REALLY have to pull the B & G in quite a bit to get the spacing right! It doesn't have a tendency to jump out of the slots, does it?

I would say contact Todd Cooke. I know the NS5 can be had with P/J pups and a USA 9v. The bridge? I don't know. What I feel, is that if the 34" scale, pups, and pre are what you want, the bridge is but a small part of the whole. And if you can't get a five string Badass bridge. Why let that stand in the way of all the rest. IMHO

I know there are those that can discern the sound of a Badass bridge but I question the real difference it would make.

I actually prefer the 35" scale. I'd go NS-5XL. But that seems to be humbuckers...so I might have to do some pleading to get the P/J setup, and I have no qualms with buying the badass V.

I don't know. I think, everything else being equal, you could probably hear a noticible diference in tone. The Spector bridge is a full two pounds of solid brass. Massive. Most other bridges, including the Badass, don't have that much mass. Though in a side by side I probably couldn't tell you which is which

I can't discern the difference between a Fender HMV, Bent plate or Badass, but I'm more into it for the looks. Black badass bridge, black tuners, etc...paired with a BEM board, black MoP inlays & maybe a trans-white finish? That being said, if the strings jump, like I think they might, I'd just stick with the Spector bridge.

 

[JPSBassist]

Wow! You REALLY have to pull the B & G in quite a bit to get the spacing right! It doesn't have a tendency to jump out of the slots, does it?

Actually, this photo is of the first NS-5. And the whole bass was an experiment. So not being sure how wide to make the neck, the string spacing had to be brought in to keep the strings from jumping off the side.

Also, it was an early, experimental Quan Bridge. So it may have had normal .75 spacing. In which case it makes since that the spacing would need adjusting if the neck was the normal width.

There are so many things about the early Brooklyn building/design process that Stuart has ironed out over time and improved. But back in those days changes and new models were as much an experiment in flying by the seat of your pants to discover what works as anything else.

The first NS-5 is really not horribly playable. It's beautiful. But not really comfortable or tonally impressive. And so Stuart learned and changed things and improved them. And a few years later while at Kramer the first viable NS-5 models were designed and made.

The first NS-5 had an experimental pickup built by Ned Steinberger because no one was making 5-string bass pickups.

 

[JPSBassist]

Here's a better photo.
And actually I think I was mixed up about the pup. Sorry.
I am not sure who did it, but someone created a triple split coil DeMarzio bass pickup for this bass.
Ned Steinberger created an experimental bass pickup for the first NS-1 bass...

 

[awilkie84]

Actually, this photo is of the first NS-5. And the whole bass was an experiment. So not being sure how wide to make the neck, the string spacing had to be brought in to keep the strings from jumping off the side.

Also, it was an early, experimental Quan Bridge. So it may have had normal .75 spacing. In which case it makes since that the spacing would need adjusting if the neck was the normal width.

There are so many things about the early Brooklyn building/design process that Stuart has ironed out over time and improved. But back in those days changes and new models were as much an experiment in flying by the seat of your pants to discover what works as anything else.

The first NS-5 is really not horribly playable. It's beautiful. But not really comfortable or tonally impressive. And so Stuart learned and changed things and improved them. And a few years later while at Kramer the first viable NS-5 models were designed and made.

The first NS-5 had an experimental pickup built by Ned Steinberger because no one was making 5-string bass pickups.

Here's a better photo.
And actually I think I was mixed up about the pup. Sorry.
I am not sure who did it, but someone created a triple split coil DeMarzio bass pickup for this bass.
Ned Steinberger created an experimental bass pickup for the first NS-1 bass...

Ah...that makes sense. That bridge did look a little different, too. The intonation screws are dead centre on the saddles. Not like the offsets of the newer bridge.