SPECTOR® Club - Part 74

[johnsonabq]

Since I bug joe so much with questions...ill ask you guys....this matte finish is starting to buff out by being played so how would I buff the rest out by hand? Or do I need a buffer wheel?

To be honest (IMHO)? Leave it as it is.

I know the gloss finish is "prettier"... For both my custom made Spectors I ordered the high gloss finish to the tune of an extra $999 (list) each. And they are gorgeous.

But with that said, my next one will be the matte poly like yours. I prefer the "feel" of it to my left hand and I love not having to constantly worry about fingerprints.

I never realized this until I owned a matte poly Euro4 and I really liked it.

 

[D.A.R.K.]

You guys should consider the older MacroTech series from crown if you ever come across one. I'm not sure if they still make them, probably the best amps crown ever made. These are from when crown made amps for touring companies. Can be found used for a decent price.

Sure, they weigh a ton, but its electric bass. **** is supposed to be heavy.

I've owned quite a few, had a 2400 in my rack for a while.
The XLS gets me there as far far that brunt of iron power, albeit with a bit less headroom. Things are coming along quite well in the technology end of power amps, what is out there is getting quite impressive. No need to kill yourself as much as you used to. I'll just bring more speakers instead of amp weight!

 

[Basstovsky]

Thanks! So, all I have to do is go get a stereo jack. I knew something didn't seem quite right.

The lack of ground from the TP to the jack shouldn't cause any issues, as long as the jack's grounded, right?

I finally found a diagram with colors that match your tonepump! Why did spector make different versions with different colors????

Note: ignore the pickups on this diagram, only use this for your bass/treble pots and for the jack.

Jack wiring:

The black wire from the battery goes to the lug on the jack that connects to the short prong that will touch the shaft (laugh if you must) of the cable's plug.

The purple wire from the tonepump is the output so that goes to the lug on the jack that connects to the long prong that will touch the tip of the cable plug

In the diagram above, see the black wire from the tonepump that goes to ground on one of the pots?
Note: you have 2 options for this wire, you can:
1. Solder this wire to ground (on the pot, or wherever you have all your grounds connected together) and solder another wire that goes FROM ground TO the lug on the jack that connects to the ground ring
2. Solder this wire to the lug on the jack that connects to the ground ring, and another wire FROM this lug TO your ground (whether on a pot, or where all your grounds meet)

What this does is complete the circuit from the negative on the battery back to the tonepump when a cable is plugged in, because the shaft of the cable touches both the ground and the short prong which is the black wire from the battery.
You will have 3 wires going to the jack, and the jack shares the ground with the rest of your bass. You will need a spare wire not supplied with the tonepump to connect the grounds of the jack and the rest of the bass together

You should have the yellow and black, and blue and gray pairs soldered to the bass and treble pots as shown in the diagram above

 

[NOLA Bass]

I imagine they are the standard emg size.... and boy do I want to try these out, must resist

Don't worry, I won't resist and can tell you all about them!

 

[NOLA Bass]

Dudes, anyone in here us the Darkglass Vintage Microtubes?

I have all 3, the B3K, Vintage Microtubes and Duality Fuzz. Here is my quick synopsis since Darkglass seems to be so popular with Spector guys.

First off, I have found many od/distortion/fuzz pedals don't play well with Spectors and other EMG equipped basses (and trust me I have owned plenty of them, just look at my classifieds feedback). The Darkglass work great with the Spectors. The best I have ever found.

B3K - A true distortion. You can get more of an overdrive out of it at lower gain settings however. It is a really nice pedal. The switches to fatten things up, etc. are quite nice. If you need a versatile distortion that can go from dirt to breathing fire, this is the one.

Vintage Microtubes - Probably my favorite one for sure. I play though the overdrive side of my Fender 100T tube head because "real tube overdrive" is what I want. I will say the Vintage Microtubes is by far the closest thing to the real thing I've ever tried (including many pedals that have a tube in them). Running it on my GK 1001 RB II, it really adds a warm, tubey overdrive while maintaining clarity. If you want to add that to your rig, this is the pedal. I will admit it is a little redundant on my Fender 100T with the way I set the amp.

Duality Fuzz - I hate fuzz for the most part. I rolled the dice and got this. I have only really messed around with it at home. I like it better than other fuzzes I've tried, but I'm not sure if it is a keeper for me. It is the most "extreme" of the pedals imo. I

 

[NOLA Bass]

However, has anybody had a chance to compare Duality with You're Doom fuzzez? I own the Duality for about a week but can't sqeeze it through the mix while band praticing I bet it might be awful onstage if your bass just disappears when you switch your fuzz on...

I'll bring it to my next rehearsal and see how it fits in the mix (with everyone tuned down to C, it can be tricky to cut through even more than normal).

 

[Basstovsky]

Does anyone in the club have the Darkglass B7? I like the idea of the B3, but for that much money, I might as well go all the way and get a 4-band EQ with it like in the B7.

However I'm on the fence about what this pedal truly sounds like with Spector, I want a distortion pedal (I already have a good overdrive and fuzz, I just need a decent distortion) but most sounds I've heard with the B7 are people trying to get warm tubey/OD sounds out of it, not really more aggressive distortion tones. I like the warmth and tubiness, but I'd be going through an Ampeg V-4B which gives me plenty of that already.

 

[superdick2112]

I have all 3, the B3K, Vintage Microtubes and Duality Fuzz. Here is my quick synopsis since Darkglass seems to be so popular with Spector guys.

First off, I have found many od/distortion/fuzz pedals don't play well with Spectors and other EMG equipped basses (and trust me I have owned plenty of them, just look at my classifieds feedback). The Darkglass work great with the Spectors. The best I have ever found.

B3K - A true distortion. You can get more of an overdrive out of it at lower gain settings however. It is a really nice pedal. The switches to fatten things up, etc. are quite nice. If you need a versatile distortion that can go from dirt to breathing fire, this is the one.

Vintage Microtubes - Probably my favorite one for sure. I play though the overdrive side of my Fender 100T tube head because "real tube overdrive" is what I want. I will say the Vintage Microtubes is by far the closest thing to the real thing I've ever tried (including many pedals that have a tube in them). Running it on my GK 1001 RB II, it really adds a warm, tubey overdrive while maintaining clarity. If you want to add that to your rig, this is the pedal. I will admit it is a little redundant on my Fender 100T with the way I set the amp.

Duality Fuzz - I hate fuzz for the most part. I rolled the dice and got this. I have only really messed around with it at home. I like it better than other fuzzes I've tried, but I'm not sure if it is a keeper for me. It is the most "extreme" of the pedals imo. I

Thanks for the review. Sounds like the Vintage is the flavor I'm looking for.

 

[Holdsg]

To be honest (IMHO)? Leave it as it is.

I know the gloss finish is "prettier"... For both my custom made Spectors I ordered the high gloss finish to the tune of an extra $999 (list) each. And they are gorgeous.

But with that said, my next one will be the matte poly like yours. I prefer the "feel" of it to my left hand and I love not having to constantly worry about fingerprints.

I never realized this until I owned a matte poly Euro4 and I really liked it.

a matte finish can also match with your stage presence (if you're a blend in kinda player) whereas you may need a gloss finish if you're trying to keep up with those flashy guitar players. just sayin....

 

[worshiprocker]

Don't worry, I won't resist and can tell you all about them!

 

[MDBass]

I have all 3, the B3K, Vintage Microtubes and Duality Fuzz. Here is my quick synopsis since Darkglass seems to be so popular with Spector guys.

First off, I have found many od/distortion/fuzz pedals don't play well with Spectors and other EMG equipped basses (and trust me I have owned plenty of them, just look at my classifieds feedback). The Darkglass work great with the Spectors. The best I have ever found.

B3K - A true distortion. You can get more of an overdrive out of it at lower gain settings however. It is a really nice pedal. The switches to fatten things up, etc. are quite nice. If you need a versatile distortion that can go from dirt to breathing fire, this is the one.

Vintage Microtubes - Probably my favorite one for sure. I play though the overdrive side of my Fender 100T tube head because "real tube overdrive" is what I want. I will say the Vintage Microtubes is by far the closest thing to the real thing I've ever tried (including many pedals that have a tube in them). Running it on my GK 1001 RB II, it really adds a warm, tubey overdrive while maintaining clarity. If you want to add that to your rig, this is the pedal. I will admit it is a little redundant on my Fender 100T with the way I set the amp.

Duality Fuzz - I hate fuzz for the most part. I rolled the dice and got this. I have only really messed around with it at home. I like it better than other fuzzes I've tried, but I'm not sure if it is a keeper for me. It is the most "extreme" of the pedals imo. I

Very accurate synopsis of the Darkglass gear in my opinion, the bold emphasis I absolutely find to be true as well.

 

[MDBass]

Does anyone in the club have the Darkglass B7? I like the idea of the B3, but for that much money, I might as well go all the way and get a 4-band EQ with it like in the B7.

However I'm on the fence about what this pedal truly sounds like with Spector, I want a distortion pedal (I already have a good overdrive and fuzz, I just need a decent distortion) but most sounds I've heard with the B7 are people trying to get warm tubey/OD sounds out of it, not really more aggressive distortion tones. I like the warmth and tubiness, but I'd be going through an Ampeg V-4B which gives me plenty of that already.

The B7K is the most versatile distortion pedal I've ever used.

The B3K can do anything from a touch of tube grit to raging, vicious distortion a la Meshuggah or Dillinger Escape Plan, and the B7K is the exact same circuit with an added EQ.

I own both and honestly couldn't recommend them more highly.

If you're still on the fence, check out these two videos; both are Spector basses playing straight through a B3K to the FOH:

 

[husky123]

Thanks for the feedback NOLA. I ordered one earlier so I'll know soon what all this fuss is about.

I have all 3, the B3K, Vintage Microtubes and Duality Fuzz. Here is my quick synopsis since Darkglass seems to be so popular with Spector guys.

First off, I have found many od/distortion/fuzz pedals don't play well with Spectors and other EMG equipped basses (and trust me I have owned plenty of them, just look at my classifieds feedback). The Darkglass work great with the Spectors. The best I have ever found.

B3K - A true distortion. You can get more of an overdrive out of it at lower gain settings however. It is a really nice pedal. The switches to fatten things up, etc. are quite nice. If you need a versatile distortion that can go from dirt to breathing fire, this is the one.

Vintage Microtubes - Probably my favorite one for sure. I play though the overdrive side of my Fender 100T tube head because "real tube overdrive" is what I want. I will say the Vintage Microtubes is by far the closest thing to the real thing I've ever tried (including many pedals that have a tube in them). Running it on my GK 1001 RB II, it really adds a warm, tubey overdrive while maintaining clarity. If you want to add that to your rig, this is the pedal. I will admit it is a little redundant on my Fender 100T with the way I set the amp.

Duality Fuzz - I hate fuzz for the most part. I rolled the dice and got this. I have only really messed around with it at home. I like it better than other fuzzes I've tried, but I'm not sure if it is a keeper for me. It is the most "extreme" of the pedals imo. I

 

[awilkie84]

I finally found a diagram with colors that match your tonepump! Why did spector make different versions with different colors????

Note: ignore the pickups on this diagram, only use this for your bass/treble pots and for the jack.

Jack wiring:

The black wire from the battery goes to the lug on the jack that connects to the short prong that will touch the shaft (laugh if you must) of the cable's plug.

The purple wire from the tonepump is the output so that goes to the lug on the jack that connects to the long prong that will touch the tip of the cable plug

In the diagram above, see the black wire from the tonepump that goes to ground on one of the pots?
Note: you have 2 options for this wire, you can:
1. Solder this wire to ground (on the pot, or wherever you have all your grounds connected together) and solder another wire that goes FROM ground TO the lug on the jack that connects to the ground ring
2. Solder this wire to the lug on the jack that connects to the ground ring, and another wire FROM this lug TO your ground (whether on a pot, or where all your grounds meet)

What this does is complete the circuit from the negative on the battery back to the tonepump when a cable is plugged in, because the shaft of the cable touches both the ground and the short prong which is the black wire from the battery.
You will have 3 wires going to the jack, and the jack shares the ground with the rest of your bass. You will need a spare wire not supplied with the tonepump to connect the grounds of the jack and the rest of the bass together

You should have the yellow and black, and blue and gray pairs soldered to the bass and treble pots as shown in the diagram above

Thanks. I picked up a stereo jack after work today & have it wired up as shown in that diagram. Luckily, I hadn't unsoldered the treble/bass pots. I just soldered in the new jack with the wiring as above and now I just have to create a control cavity to house everything. I picked up a piece of thin wood for a control plate that I'm going to paint black and I hope my dremel will do the job on the routing.

 

[worshiprocker]

The B7K is the most versatile distortion pedal I've ever used.

The B3K can do anything from a touch of tube grit to raging, vicious distortion a la Meshuggah or Dillinger Escape Plan, and the B7K is the exact same circuit with an added EQ.

I own both and honestly couldn't recommend them more highly.

If you're still on the fence, check out these two videos; both are Spector basses playing straight through a B3K to the FOH:

you're digging that JAR huh? have you swapped out aggie stuff in it?

 

[Fat240]

I like the Darkglass gear but it just didn't do it for me over the long haul. I have been searching for a unique tone for our originals.

 

[MDBass]

you're digging that JAR huh? have you swapped out aggie stuff in it?

LOVE that JAR...just need to shave the neck profile down, it feels like a boat oar compared to my Coda and NS-2.

I actually installed a set of JAX pickups after that House of Blues show, which have the same clarity to the standard flavor but with more grind and midrange; strongly considering swapping the EMG pre for a 18v US circuit as well

 

[jnumme]

Hope all is well for my Spector family .

 

[iceboxbass]

my new spector forte custom. Wooohoo

Congratulations!

Hmm, wonder how these might sound in one of my 435lx's?

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They sure sound great on the video!

To be honest (IMHO)? Leave it as it is.

I know the gloss finish is "prettier"... For both my custom made Spectors I ordered the high gloss finish to the tune of an extra $999 (list) each. And they are gorgeous.

But with that said, my next one will be the matte poly like yours. I prefer the "feel" of it to my left hand and I love not having to constantly worry about fingerprints.

I never realized this until I owned a matte poly Euro4 and I really liked it.

I love high gloss body but a oil finished neck. Really a fast neck on my Coda 5XL

 

[iceboxbass]

Hope all is well for my Spector family .

Hey Jody! Good to see/hear from you in the club.