Spector Club - Part 11

[JPSBassist]

It is the Best Recorded Rock Tone.

The bass sound in Operation:Mindcrime is the reason I decided to buy a Spector bass over a Warwick one.
It was the best decision I could ever make.

It's a shame Eddie doesn't use his Spector basses as he used to... Not to mention about their latest records...

And don't forget about Phil Soussan's work with Ozzy and Billy Idol in the 1980's...

Want to hear some awesome SPECTOR tone? Listen to the song that put Billy Idol on the map in the USA...

Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face

 

[JPSBassist]

It was just wrong to have a SPECTOR bass in an Ibanez HSC so...
Got 2 SPECTOR cases coming from Sam..

Oh... man you scared me for a moment. After all the work you did to bring back "Smokey"... my nick-name for your Fire Sale NS-2J... I'd hope you'll never part with it.

And I remember you being crazy for your new Ian Hill... so I was confused.

It's early and I had a mountain lion on my back porch at 4am... and heck broke loose and I wasn't able to get back to sleep.

Please forgive me.

 

[delucajohn2000]

And don't forget about Phil Soussan's work with Ozzy and Billy Idol in the 1980's...

Want to hear some awesome SPECTOR tone? Listen to the song that put Billy Idol on the map in the USA...

Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face

I thought Sal Cuevas recorded bass for that song? Did he use a Spector for that?

Wow, I totally forgot about Phil Soussan. The playing he did on The Ultimate Sin was just top notch. Everyone knows "Shot in the dark" which Phil actually wrote but "Killer of Giants" is the one that always got me. I love that song.

 

[ysand]

And don't forget about Phil Soussan's work with Ozzy and Billy Idol in the 1980's...

Want to hear some awesome SPECTOR tone? Listen to the song that put Billy Idol on the map in the USA...

Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face

Awesome Spector tone indeed!!

 

[delucajohn2000]

This tone is what made me want a Spector!!!!!!! Far beyond driven's bass tone is pure awesomeness in my opinion!!! Such a great album!!!! The bass tone on "Floods" is another one that is just totally amazing in my book!!!!

Pantera is probably my favorite metal band!

I have to say, the tone you have on that "Yes sir, the check is in the mail" track is downright awesome. Are you using that Axe-Fx for that? It's like you are getting a pick sound but playing with your fingers. I was like, I need to buy.....oh wait, look at the price tag, LOL.

It was just wrong to have a SPECTOR bass in an Ibanez HSC so...
Got 2 SPECTOR cases coming from Sam..

Isn't Sam just the coolest guy? Being the crazy Spector guy is a great thing and it helps that I love only 45 minutes from him I need to go over and jam with him again but work needs to calm down a bit.

 

[JPSBassist]

I thought Sal Cuevas recorded bass for that song? Did he use a Spector for that?

Wow, I totally forgot about Phil Soussan. The playing he did on The Ultimate Sin was just top notch. Everyone knows "Shot in the dark" which Phil actually wrote but "Killer of Giants" is the one that always got me. I love that song.

You know I need to look into this. I know that Soussan toured and supported this album... I saw one of Billy's first US tours back in the early 1980's... so I had assumed that he was the studio guy for it.

Good point. I'll check into it. Phil's done some amazing stuff.

He gave Jason Newsted his (Jason's) first SPECTOR... a Kramer-Era Gloss Black NS-2.

Phil's been a huge SPECTOR supporter through the years. And he owns a bunch of customized NS-2s. At last count I had him with 9... this was when PJ and I were doing the new SPECTOR site last year.

Newsted with NS-2 from Phil Soussan...

 

[delucajohn2000]

You know I need to look into this. I know that Soussan toured and supported this album... I saw one of Billy's first US tours back in the early 1980's... so I had assumed that he was the studio guy for it.

Good point. I'll check into it. Phil's done some amazing stuff.

And by the way Patrick, it's not like I am out to prove you wrong on that. If that is a Spector being used on that song, it makes it even better in my opinion That was the only reason for me saying that.

 

[JPSBassist]

I thought Sal Cuevas recorded bass for that song? Did he use a Spector for that?

Wow, I totally forgot about Phil Soussan. The playing he did on The Ultimate Sin was just top notch. Everyone knows "Shot in the dark" which Phil actually wrote but "Killer of Giants" is the one that always got me. I love that song.

Actually Steve Webster was the studio bassist.
And who knows what he played it on.

There was a fair amount of "studio trickery" on that album... and there was a lot of controversy and drama according to Steve Stevens.

So the slight growl you hear might be something that was engineered to give the bass tone more bite. When Soussan played it live, the noted during the bridge and chorus screamed with growl... So I could be coloring my opinion of the studio track with what I remember from the live performances.

It is notable that Steve Stevens was a huge Kramer artist at the time and he used Kramer guitars in the studio. But the album was recorded 1 year before Stuart sold SPECTOR to Kramer. So if it had been after the purchase we might assume that it was a SPECTOR.

So there's no real documentation on it.

 

[JPSBassist]

And by the way Patrick, it's not like I am out to prove you wrong on that. If that is a Spector being used on that song, it makes it even better in my opinion That was the only reason for me saying that.

No dude... I'm perfectly OK with it. I try to juggle so much in my head I'm very guilty of jumping to "logical" conclusions like in this case.

And I don't care about being wrong... at all. I actually care about being right... meaning if I'm out talking about something I want to make sure I've got my facts straight so I don't sound like some idiot or something.

So I appreciate you bringing it up. Better safe than sorry. So no worries bro! I really do appreciate you doing that.

 

[Christian Waiau]

not sure if anybody in this club is a fan, but Five Finger Death Punch got a new bass player and he uses a Spector Rex!

that he does! ....just wait until you see the new music video theyre filming

 

[LimaGuy]

Sam, the crazy Spector guy. I like it. LOL.

I changed my user title to The Crazy Spector Guy

 

[bassgiant15]

I have to say, the tone you have on that "Yes sir, the check is in the mail" track is downright awesome. Are you using that Axe-Fx for that? It's like you are getting a pick sound but playing with your fingers. I was like, I need to buy.....oh wait, look at the price tag, LOL.

Thanks delucajohn2000!!!!!

Yeah its actually a combination of the Axe Fx, Sansamp, and Ampeg SVX.

The Axe Fx is expensive, but in my opinion and for what i use it for it is TOTALLY worth every penny! I have an Ultra, and they just came out with the Axe II, so i think Ultras and Standards you will be able to pick up used for really cheap soon.

 

[chrisloe]

And while Eddie Jackson's tone on Mindcrime is pretty much perfect, it's this melt your face tone that always makes me just shake my head

‪Pantera I'm broken bass track‬‏ - YouTube

I know it's totally a different style and Rex might not be for everyone but he sure can get a great tone out of his Spector's.

Love Rex also. He is such a great power groove player, and yes, such a great tone as well. This is why I love Robbie from Godsmack as well. Great Grooves, great tone, I know people get down on him sometimes because they think he isn't (In their opinion) a very technical player, but there is so much to be said for not overplaying and just laying down a mean groove for a heavy rock song in my book.

 

[chrisloe]

Forgot about Phil. This is one reason I wanted to bring it up, get some stuff to listen to I have not heard for a while. "The Ultimate Sin" was always one of my favorite Ozzy records, I love Jake E Lee's guitar playing, and yup, great bass tone from Phil. Time to go get it out and give it a listen along with the first C+C record.

Among the people I saw play Spectors when I was young that made me want one was Rachel Bolin from Skid Row. I had front row seats in Minneapolis for the Slave to the Grind Tour, right in front of his bass cabs. he was so loud and I never had really noticed his tone before that, but sounded great that night. His bass sounded the best when they covered Blitzkrieg Bop. Now, about the bright pink sparkly color...

 

[delucajohn2000]

Love Rex also. He is such a great power groove player, and yes, such a great tone as well. This is why I love Robbie from Godsmack as well. Great Grooves, great tone, I know people get down on him sometimes because they think he isn't (In their opinion) a very technical player, but there is so much to be said for not overplaying and just laying down a mean groove for a heavy rock song in my book.

You know, it's funny that you mention Robbie Merrill. I remember reading a post on this forum where someone said he was not a good player and hated the bass line for Voodoo. It just made me laugh since that bass line pretty much makes the song. Watch some of the covers people made on Youtube....most of them are totally over-playing the bass and it doesn't fit.

Robbie's a great player and I wish I could have checked out that Rock Dawg thing he did but money's been a bit tight lately.

 

[Tracebassplayer]

Oh... man you scared me for a moment. After all the work you did to bring back "Smokey"... my nick-name for your Fire Sale NS-2J... I'd hope you'll never part with it.

And I remember you being crazy for your new Ian Hill... so I was confused.

It's early and I had a mountain lion on my back porch at 4am... and heck broke loose and I wasn't able to get back to sleep.

Please forgive me.

LOL. No sale on "Smokey".. ever. I'll take her with me when I "go".
I like the name... I'll make a gold name plate for her case.. "SMOKEY"

and I just LOOOOOVE the Ian Hill. It's so unbelievable easy to play. The 18V pre, the super low action, the tone...


Gotta love having the wild life come up to the porch... Did you serenade it with the Black Pearl????

 

[Tracebassplayer]

Forgot about Phil. This is one reason I wanted to bring it up, get some stuff to listen to I have not heard for a while. "The Ultimate Sin" was always one of my favorite Ozzy records, I love Jake E Lee's guitar playing, and yup, great bass tone from Phil. Time to go get it out and give it a listen along with the first C+C record.

Among the people I saw play Spectors when I was young that made me want one was Rachel Bolin from Skid Row. I had front row seats in Minneapolis for the Slave to the Grind Tour, right in front of his bass cabs. he was so loud and I never had really noticed his tone before that, but sounded great that night. His bass sounded the best when they covered Blitzkrieg Bop. Now, about the bright pink sparkly color...

I like the bass line to Ozzy's "Spiders"...

 

[delucajohn2000]

I have to say, everyone is talking about some great music today I have already spent most of the day digging up old CD's from my basement and listening to them again.

It's tough for me to pinpoint who's playing really got me wanting a Spector but the examples everyone brings up definitely are vivid memories I have of Spector basses way back when. That Police concert with Sting, Gene Simmons videos, Eddie Jackson, Phil Soussan, Rachel Bolan, Rex, they all stuck with me through the years.

I think the one that may have stood out the most though was when someone posted that version of "Higher Ground" that RHCP did on the Arsenio Hall show. I remember watching that with one of my buddies and I really wasn't too familiar with RHCP at the time but knew they were weird. When Arsenio announced them, I can still remember to this day saying "These guys are wierrrrrrrr......" and Flea started in with that slap bass line and i was speechless. I was glued to the tv for the whole performance and even can still remember that it was a blue Spector that he used.

 

[Tracebassplayer]

Want to hear some awesome SPECTOR tone? Listen to the song that put Billy Idol on the map in the USA...

Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face

Between this, Sting, and Queensryche... these are the bass sounds I grew up with and like most of all.

Isn't Sam just the coolest guy? Being the crazy Spector guy is a great thing and it helps that I love only 45 minutes from him I need to go over and jam with him again but work needs to calm down a bit.

Yes, Yes he is.
Very cool. He held the cases for over a week till I could actually pay for them, then another couple weeks so I could afford the shipping. I had just started a new job when he offered them up for sale...
and he DID talk me into getting the Ian Hill first and offered to wait on the payment for the cases.
THAT makes him AWESOOOME. I would not have got the Ian Hill without his advice and being willing to wait.

Sam, Thanks again for your generosity! I can't tell you how much I appreciate all that you did.

work, schmerk, make time and go play!
I wish I could, Sam could teach me a lot of new stuff on the bass.

I changed my user title to The Crazy Spector Guy

LOL

 

[Tracebassplayer]

It's tough for me to pinpoint who's playing really got me wanting a Spector but the examples everyone brings up definitely are vivid memories I have of Spector basses way back when. That Police concert with Sting, Gene Simmons videos, Eddie Jackson, Phil Soussan, Rachel Bolan, Rex, they all stuck with me through the years.

I can....
Though I was not familiar with SPECTOR then...
I got a hold of some Alexis Sklarevski stuff and loved the sound of his bass. Then I found his video "The Slap Bass Program" and actually SAW for the first time a gorgeous SPECTOR NS-2,
IIRC with cream colored PUPs.
I loved the look and the sound that came from it...
Then I started noticing Sting's white NS-2 and a few others using Spector...
I was hooked.
Since I couldn't afford an NS-2, I bought a gloss black NS-2A and my EDB600 Ibby took 2nd seat...