SPECTOR® Owners Club

[RedNuk]

That sucks...I've experienced the same thing...had my parts ready to go, excited for the end result, only to find out I had the wrong part, screw head breaks, etc.

And with bass parts, it's often not a quick fix/run to the hardware store kind of thing...it's order and wait...delayed gratification.

Actually it's worse as there is nothing I can do about it without modifying the bass. Won't do that so I'm screwed. Good thing it sounds good as-is

 

[grubdumpling]

My contribution to the purple Spector friday...

 

[VeryTallBassist]

Here's my contribution to purple Spector day

 

[scuzzy]

Bad surprise today... wanted to swap out the EMG P/J set in my euro4 from 2009 with a set of EMG P/J-X. Well the form factor of the pups is not the same I would have to re-route the table to get them in there... first piss-off. Second: wanted to drop-in Gotoh GB350 tuners to lower the weight... no dice, the original Schallers are 12mm and the Gotohs are 14. I don't want to drill or reroute anything on this bass. I'll at least replace the TP with an LHZ-04 I have, unless another stupid thing happens. This weekend is not going to start on the right foot. /end useless but relieving rant.

what about the p'ups is different? did you get a long Jazz? I replaced my 02 pickups with X's without issue.

 

[Wicked G]

My contribution to the purple Spector friday...View attachment 7495072

Whoah!!! Now that is a beautiful bass. I would love a Spector like that . Kind of reminds me of my Ray34 in Purple Sunset but different of course.

If they made a Dimension in either one of those finishes, I would be purchasing immediately. Wishful thinking.

 

[grubdumpling]

TLDR: whoa!

I'm really good at turning simple stuff into long stories, but I have never owned a Spector before. Only held two, and was never given a chance to play either of them. I have owned dozens of basses and have been playing for 20 years. The last year I had been casually looking around for a five string, and just this last week the need to have one became more urgent. I checked inventory for all the nearby stores and when I saw (for the first time ever) that they had a few Spectors, two in five string, I spent hours watching videos and listening carefully to be sure I could use the tone before going to have a look. I had a pbass with a 1979 EMG split coil that was fantastic before I got lost to the flats craze, so there really was only one choice as far as the euro fives went, and purple. When I walked into the store to find they had made a mistake on the website and they in fact had the purple, not black, I had almost made me mind up before I touched it....

Anyway, I am still in the honeymoon phase, but this bass is spectacular. I've always been impressed by the look and shape of Spectors, but to have one on hand is a new kind of experience with how a bass can present itself. Not sure how else to say that. Sits perfect on my lap (I hold a bass like a classical guitar), and how it hangs on the strap is odd, but I am already becoming accustomed to it. I get why people say the ergos are not ideal with these, but honestly I find Fenders to hang poorly on me.

About the tone. I'm still coming to terms with the preamp. It's not really like anything I have used before, or at least I have never found an onboard active preamp to be this touch sensitive. I find it starts to growl in the lower frequencies a little sooner than I'd like, but I have to say I do like a pristine hifi tone, but I don't find that usable for the way I want to hear myself in the mix. I haven't had a chance to play this thing with the band yet, but I can't imagine getting lost with that grind... wow this thing wants to be heard...

Do you experts have any advice for me about how to use the preamp, how to balance the pickup heights, how to choose the right stainless rounds, and maybe just some general pointers?

edit: spelling, sorry for wall of text

 

[Reedt2000]

TLDR: whoa!

I'm really good at turning simple stuff into long stories, but I have never owned a Spector before. Only held two, and was never given a chance to play either of them. I have owned dozens of basses and have been playing for 20 years. The last year I had been casually looking around for a five string, and just this last week the need to have one became more urgent. I checked inventory for all the nearby stores and when I saw (for the first time ever) that they had a few Spectors, two in five string, I spent hours watching videos and listening carefully to be sure I could use the tone before going to have a look. I had a pbass with a 1979 EMG split coil that was fantastic before I got lost to the flats craze, so there really was only one choice as far as the euro fives went, and purple. When I walked into the store to find they had made a mistake on the website and they in fact had the purple, not black, I had almost made me mind up before I touched it....

Anyway, I am still in the honeymoon phase, but this bass is spectacular. I've always been impressed by the look and shape of Spectors, but to have one on hand is a new kind of experience with how a bass can present itself. Not sure how else to say that. Sits perfect on my lap (I hold a bass like a classical guitar), and how it hangs on the strap is odd, but I am already becoming accustomed to it. I get why people say the ergos are not ideal with these, but honestly I find Fenders to hang poorly on me.

About the tone. I'm still coming to terms with the preamp. It's not really like anything I have used before, or at least I have never found an onboard active preamp to be this touch sensitive. I find it starts to growl in the lower frequencies a little sooner than I'd like, but I have to say I do like a pristine hifi tone, but I don't find that usable for the way I want to hear myself in the mix. I haven't had a chance to play this thing with the band yet, but I can't imagine getting lost with that grind... wow this thing wants to be heard...

Do you experts have any advice for me about how to use the preamp, how to balance the pickup heights, how to choose the right stainless rounds, and maybe just some general pointers?

edit: spelling, sorry for wall of text

Which model did you get? What pickups and pre?

Oh yeah, and pics or it didn't happen

 

[warbassick]

Here's my contribution to purple Spector day
View attachment 7495083
View attachment 7495084
View attachment 7495085

Man that collection is amazing man. You should change your name from very tall basis to very tall sick Spector collector

 

[VeryTallBassist]

Man that collection is amazing man. You should change your name from very tall basis to very tall sick Spector collector

I still have your blue NS5CRFM too lol.

 

[humbuckaroo]

Third Friday is Purple Spector Friday.
View attachment 7494949

I always love seeing these great photos of my bass.

The only difference is mine has cobalts on it.

 

[grubdumpling]

Which model did you get? What pickups and pre?

Oh yeah, and pics or it didn't happen

Oh, it's this one, just posted pic a few hours ago. It's a euro 5 cst with emgx PJ, and the legacy preamp.

 

[Reedt2000]

Oh, it's this one, just posted pic a few hours ago. It's a euro 5 cst with emgx PJ, and the legacy preamp.View attachment 7495262

Very nice, love a PJ 5er. I've never used the legacy pre so can't help much with the settings. I've got a P/DC with an EMG 3 band. With that one its a moderate treble boost, a slightly smaller bass boost, and usually a small bump in the low midrange (its got a mid sweep from 1k down to 250 hz). I've got a PJ 5er with soapbar shells and the LHZ and with that I dime both boosts, favor the neck a bit with the blend.

The legacy is supposed to be similar to the old school HAZ, so I'd crank the boosts and fool with blending as a start. If it does what the HAZ and LHZ do, the boosts should give you a grungy breakup you can control with how hard you play it, without being overly boomy on the bottom and harsh on the top.

 

[RedNuk]

what about the p'ups is different? did you get a long Jazz? I replaced my 02 pickups with X's without issue.

Yes the J is larger and the screw holders are a bit wider apart but the P seems the same

 

[RedNuk]

My purple contrib

 

[scuzzy]

Yes the J is larger and the screw holders are a bit wider apart but the P seems the same

Yeah, Spector uses the neck size jazz pickup at the bridge spot. EMG will sell a proper set for Spectors

 

[warbassick]

I still have your blue NS5CRFM too lol.

I only have one. I have my Alex Webster and boy boy is this thing going through a complete complete rebuild. I gotta show you some pictures. It’s gonna blow you away. I always wanted a true Woodstock and I had two but the particular basis I had sounded very, very middy very Dare. I say jazzy by jazz forward so out of all the mixes and bases in this and that I kept the Alex Webster, I’ll PM you to show you the pictures

 

[RedNuk]

Yeah, Spector uses the neck size jazz pickup at the bridge spot. EMG will sell a proper set for Spectors

Well the X set was pulled from my Spector Pulse II, where the J is also in the bridge position. Either EMG changed pickup dimensions, either Spector Europe use different specs than Spector Korea. I'll settle for the non X versions, they are fine... Just a bit less headroom.

 

[Haji]

I wouldn't think there would be two different lengths between Korea and Euroa, but maybe there are. I can measure the X set J I put in my Ethos. I suspect I just got lucky ordering the correct one because I didn't know EMG made two different J length pickups until after I installed them. I'll grab the tape measure when I get home.

 

[scuzzy]

Well the X set was pulled from my Spector Pulse II, where the J is also in the bridge position. Either EMG changed pickup dimensions, either Spector Europe use different specs than Spector Korea. I'll settle for the non X versions, they are fine... Just a bit less headroom.

I doubt emg changed anything. My guess would be euro uses neck J in the bridge position, and your pulse uses bridge J in the bridge.

Measure each, easy way to find out!

 

[TonyP-]

Well the X set was pulled from my Spector Pulse II, where the J is also in the bridge position. Either EMG changed pickup dimensions, either Spector Europe use different specs than Spector Korea. I'll settle for the non X versions, they are fine... Just a bit less headroom.

Are you already running 18volts?