Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
- Status
Your NS-2A has a Haz copy in it now?
I may be mistaken but only the EMGHZ pickups will work with it.
I recommend the EMG P/J with either the BT or a TonePump (w/trim pot)
The NS-2A I just sold and my current NS-2A has Active EMGs with the BT and it sounds great. I also tried the Tonepump in the NS-2A and it also sounded great.
I'm now making mental plans & notes for my next USA SPECTOR, the Forte 5...I realize that you can customize order a SPECTOR bass the way you'd like it...has anyone here owned a SPECTOR 5 string bass with PJ pups installed? I love PJ pups and wonder what it'd sound like on a 5r???
For me (I totally miss my Euro 5 that I had to sell to pay for my daughter's college bills), it was a combination of everything. The look, the comfort of playing, the tone, the build quality, and the feel. My Euro had excellent balance with no neck dive and the body shape and weight was easy on the shoulder and as comfortable to wear as it was on my lap.
I don't hate on Warwick for wanting to utilize the BEST BASS DESIGN EVER for their Streamer and I like Streamers a lot. Every company out there rips off somebody in some way. The Streamer was just so obviously a carbon copy of the NS design that it cheesed off a lot of Spector fans. I remember the first time I saw a guy playing one at a show in the late 80's and thought, "what a beautiful Spector!" only to see on closer inspection that it was a Warwick.
I've owned a Spector and played a Warwick several times and the high-end Streamers feel a lot like a Spector. The wood combos on a Streamer are different as are the pups so you do get distinctive tonal differences between the two. The Wicks always seem a little warmer and the Spectors more punchy and growly. I also like that Spector's finishes seem to hold up better. Why pay for a beautiful finish if it's just going to wear off after a year or two?
Bottom line, I wouldn't kick either out of bed for eating crackers but if I had my choice, I'd take a Spector over a Streamer every time - just personal preference.
worshiprocker
Tonepump Junkie
- Aug 12, 2011
- 4,683
- 1,782
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Spector Basses
LimaGuy said:
Well it may not be a haz copy
I didn't really inspect it when I was checking the battery...(just wanted to play it) it is a grey board with the battery clip.. It's a samick made ns-2a so I'm sure its a cheap 9v knockoff I'll look at it when I get home. I'm in san Diego
When they mention the Warwick issue, they are talking about the Streamer body style. Up until very recently, I had a Corvette $$ which i really liked but was just not playing it so I sold it. I am not in a band or anything so I didn't fell it was worth it to keep around a bass worth that amount of money that I rarely played.
This is probably turning into a "my SPector story" but I wanted a 5 string and I was just about to buy another Warwick bass but saw the Euro 5LX for sale here on Talk Bass for a price that I couldn't pass up. To make it even better, the guy was local so I met up with him and got the Spector even cheaper. Mind you, I had never played a Spector in my life but owning one was always a dream of mine so I went for it.
When I got home and held that Euro 5LX and plugged it in, it was just an amazing feeling. This bass had the lowest action I had ever felt and it was almost effortless to play. The neck felt so comfortable in my hands and I couldn't believe that a bass with action this low had zero fret buzz. That is where it all began for me. I don't hate Warwick basses, I just really like the feel of the Spector in my hands and it almost makes a crappy bass player like myself begin to sound like he knows what he is doing
Plus, the contoured body really does help a guy with a gut like me 
Fire up that camera Limaguy, it actually sounds like I might have a Spector story, LOL!
worshiprocker said:
I got a kramer era NS2A and I recently put on it EMG-X and they sound very good. I highly recommend them. I'm not using them with a preamp though...
Evil Undead said:
Basically, Warwick copied the NS shape way back when and never payed the licensing fees that were agreed to when they got caught.
As far as the NS shape goes, I prefer Spector. However, I really like the look an sound of warwick's thumb model. If I was to own a Warwick, it'd be a thumb. But when it comes to the NS shape (and I've said this before) there's no substitute for the original.
I really love the My Spector Story thing. It's so interesting to see how people started to love a certain instrument and then end up owning one (or ten)
I've watched LimaGuy's and JPSBassists as well as the others up on the site, and hopefully there will be more from TB'ers some time. I might even make one of my own, but it probably wouldn't be that interesting - wanted one, bought one.
I've watched LimaGuy's and JPSBassists as well as the others up on the site, and hopefully there will be more from TB'ers some time. I might even make one of my own, but it probably wouldn't be that interesting - wanted one, bought one.
worshiprocker
Tonepump Junkie
- Aug 12, 2011
- 4,683
- 1,782
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Spector Basses
As an eBay Associate, TalkBass may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Jun 5, 2008
- 216
- 65
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Spector, Godlyke, Hartke, Hipshot, & AMT Electronics
iceboxbass said:
Iceboxbass,ive never played a 5er with PJ's , but Im sure it eould sound awesome. The great thing about EMG's though are that they are interchangeable. have a Forte X, and I discussed having the 35 p&j pickups in it with PJ. He suggested I do it aftermarket. I went stock with it, and liked the sound. I just recently swapped out the DC's for the PJ's (took like 10 minutes) and it sounds great. Now, if I want to go back I now have some tonal options if I want. I say get it stock, grab a set of 40 P&J's, and give 'em a go. Don't think you'll be disappointed.
OK... this is an oversimplification. I have talked with Stuart and Ned at length about this and have seen the original agreement signed by Wilfer in 1985.
Wilfer's first version of the Streamer was an near identical copy (even down to headstock shape) of the NS. He started making it BEFORE getting any approval or OK from Ned or Stuart.
When Stuart and Ned were made aware of WW's "Streamer" they went to Wilfer and threatened legal action. Remember that in 1985 Stuart had been in business 10 years, WW had been in business 3. Before Ned's NS-Body design there had never been a bass like this designed or made; it was a completely original concept. In 1985 the NS was as unique as the Aston Martin or Rolls Royce in the auto world. Everyone had heard of them but other than TV and movies probably never seen one in person.
They worked out a license agreement that would allow WW to continue to make the Streamer, but it would have to be marked "Licensed by Spector Guitars" and a very small % of Streamer sales would go to Ned and Stuart.
In 1984 something amazing had happened in the guitar world... for the first time since the electric guitar's creation the largest guitar company in the world wasn't Gibson or Fender... it was Kramer in Neptune, NJ. And when Kramer offered to purchase SPECTOR so they could expand into the high-end bass guitar market and Stuart and Alan (his original business partner) decided to sell, WW's position became that the original deal was signed with Stuart, Ned and Alan, not Stuart, Ned, Alan and Kramer.
And honestly one of the reasons Kramer failed was because they guys running it were acting like rock stars themselves... women, jet-setting, Ferraris and Lamborghinis... the whole nine. And they were lovers not fighters. As they saw it, they were the biggest guitar company on the planet and WW was this small custom shop in Germany... who cared? So they didn't pursue it, against Stuart and Ned's wishes. Shortly after SPECTOR sold to Kramer, Ned would sell Steinberger Sound to Gibson.
When Kramer failed it took Stuart 7 years of legal fighting to get the SPECTOR Trademarks back. By the time Stuart got the trademarks back 13 years had passed since the original agreement with WW was signed and SPECTOR had gone through two legal company changes: Spector Guitars to Kramer to Stuart Spector Design, LTD.
Another unrelated development was that there had been a huge legal battle fought in the US courts over copyright and design ownership between Fender and a bunch of other companies and the US Courts decided this: That the only design aspect of any guitar that can be protected under US Copyright Law is the shape of the headstock (which is why the Coda has the shape it does)... WW changed the shape of the Streamer's headstock and it was over.
The issue with WW has never been that they copied the NS-Body design. Everyone copies... the Coda is a vintage Fender copy for that matter. The WebCaster is a version of a vintage Strat... WW has copied designs from SPECTOR, Status, BC Rich, Gibson, Fodera... etc... Everyone gets ideas from one another.
There are a few original thinkers out there. My friend Mike Pedulla, Stuart and Ned, Vinny Fodera, Jans Ritter... but there are more "copycat" companies. There's NOTHING wrong with Lakland or Sadowsky... but what do they make? Really... their number 1 thing is doing classic Fender basses better than Fender.
And as an outside consultant who loves the companies he works for (or else I wouldn't do work for them) I can be fair and objective...
WW makes nice guitars. Some really nice guitars. And they build them out of some really nice materials. They sound really good. But they are as original as the Coda bass is. And there's nothing wrong with that. I'd be two-faced to sit here and say it's NOT OK for WW to make the Streamer while the Coda line that SPECTOR started two years ago is growing and selling faster than he can make them. And that's a fact.
But what I can say is that WW and HP Wilfer knows that regardless the "name" of the company, the designer was Ned Steinberger who took an original design from Stuart and modified it into something SPECIAL and one-of-a-kind... and he agreed to "do the right thing" and pay these guys for the right to copy their original work and then didn't.
Start making copies of artwork by Salvador Dali and then sell them and see how fast you get told to stop or else. Or perform someone else's song live before an audience while filming a movie or TV show and broadcast it without paying for the rights and see what happens.
This is the heart of the fall-out. It's not that he copied the bass... it's that he agreed that he would pay Ned and Stuart for their 10 years of hard work and then never did. And as if that wasn't enough, he thumbed his nose that them.
It's like a kid agreeing to buy your bicycle but then not paying you, riding off on it and then when you catch up to them they 're standing on the other side of an 8ft barbed-wire fence and taunting you about it.
I wish HP Wilfer had chosen to act differently. If he had we all could be going on about how cool BOTH manufacture's versions of SPECTOR's original bass are. But instead the Streamer is stained... and to those of us who have met and befriended Stuart and PJ, two of the most honest, nicest people you're likely to ever meet, that stain becomes an eyesore. And it becomes something that's upsetting.
Wilfer could make everything right by honoring his original agreement. But that's not who he is. And if SPECTOR was the only company he'd run afoul of I might be inclined to think it was a fluke or misunderstanding. But there are others that actually have just as much distain for his actions regarding THEIR designs that he's copied.
You guys should look up the WW lawsuits over the Buzzard design... there's a bunch of stuff out there that doesn't involve SPECTOR. As far as I can tell taking other people's work and making copies or even claiming the design was yours first is business as usual for those guys.
There's nothing against ANY musician that chooses to play WW's guitars. NOTHING in any way. My issue is with those people who don't understand the history thinking that it's the other way around and that SPECTOR copied WW (which that rumor was started overseas at a time when SPECTOR was SSD and wasn't really represented overseas)... little things like that irk those of us who understand and know what happened and it's like salt on a wound that doesn't ever completely heal.
I say that if you've done something you're not proud of... sorry... but it's yours and you should own it. But to try and muddy the water or twist things in a way that you pass blame or mislead people into thinking the situation was something different that it was... that's wrong. And it says a lot about the character (or lack thereof) when a person does that.
So for those out there that love their WW bass guitars... I say I'm really happy you've found something that makes you happy and makes you proud to represent the low-end as a bassist. But know the history of the company whose guitars you play and therefore vicariously represent and don't get defensive when you learn the truth.
The facts are the facts. And EVERY bit what what I've said above is well documented. Articles have been written about it and published... and there's that signed agreement I've seen... that many people have seen.
If you play a Streamer then you play a copy and perhaps you might do yourself a favor by trying the original.
The fact is that the Streamer and the NS, other than sharing a very similar body shape, couldn't be more different. From neck profiles to tonal profiles, they are different basses and have their prospective place in music. That's why I say try both before knocking either. I think if most people try both (I have) they'll see that at this point there are more differences than similarities and you'll either like one or the other, neither or both. And there's nothing wrong with that.
Like I said about my good friend Andy Irvine, who despite his change is still my good friend... love the bassist... love the bass (as an instrument)... who really cares about the manufacturer... If you don't like what someone plays look past it and be glad that you've found the right instrument for yourself.
I personally will always enjoy ragging on WW just because until such a time that HP Wilfer decides to apologize to Ned and Stuart (and notice in this subject I always put Ned first... he's the one that was really wronged by WW because WW has copied more than ONE of his designs... the very FIRST WW bass guitar was a Steinberger headless copy made of wood instead of graphite)... so until such time as WW makes things right, I feel it's the least I can do to show respect and support my friends.
I really love the My Spector Story thing. It's so interesting to see how people started to love a certain instrument and then end up owning one (or ten)
I've watched LimaGuy's and JPSBassists as well as the others up on the site, and hopefully there will be more from TB'ers some time. I might even make one of my own, but it probably wouldn't be that interesting - wanted one, bought one.
You should. It's not about how interesting the story is as much as do you want to play guitar more as a result of having a SPECTOR...
And there are many more that I'm going to post shortly... Doug Wimbish, Ra Diaz, John Montagna, Carlton Armstrong and many more...
- Jun 16, 2005
- 3,584
- 31
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Spector, Aguilar, Darkglass
I agree with not hating players that play WW.. I have no issue making the story "right" if the subject comes up between Spector and WW..
In fact.. There was a recent show with my band that I couldn't make because I was going to be out of town... My replacement was my friend Chris(yes I replaced myself with someone with the same name lol) who plays a streamer.. I can't hate on it much.. It's very similar to mines
lol would I trade him? Never..
In fact.. There was a recent show with my band that I couldn't make because I was going to be out of town... My replacement was my friend Chris(yes I replaced myself with someone with the same name lol) who plays a streamer.. I can't hate on it much.. It's very similar to mines
lol would I trade him? Never..
Thanks for going in to that detail JPS, much appreciated. I understand - it's terrible for anyone to work so hard on designing something only for it to be ripped off, and to not be paid for it is, well, just not cool!
I don't play a streamer, but a corvette - it was my first decent bass and I have a huge emotional attachment to it. I sold it recently but regretted it, and when it came up for sale again (the exact same one) I took the chance and bought it back.
I've always thought though that WW basses (the German ones) are very good quality but they're massively overpriced.
I'm extremely excited to try my first Spector - I've bought LimaGuy's NS-2A and it will arrive in a few weeks. Woo!
I don't play a streamer, but a corvette - it was my first decent bass and I have a huge emotional attachment to it. I sold it recently but regretted it, and when it came up for sale again (the exact same one) I took the chance and bought it back.
I've always thought though that WW basses (the German ones) are very good quality but they're massively overpriced.
I'm extremely excited to try my first Spector - I've bought LimaGuy's NS-2A and it will arrive in a few weeks. Woo!
Tracebassplayer said:
Oh man, i'm already GASing terribly. The week after I bought my Rebop I was already looking at Euros and CRFMs.
On a side note, I actually went to a local guitar center to pick up a Music Man (I was making my first major bass purchase) and I was totally set on it, looking forward to the tone and the legacy, etc. I walked in the shop and noticed a Spector sitting there with a crazy Zebrawood top and I just had to pick it up--it's a Spector. I couldn't believe the comfort, ease of use, the tone--everything about the bass was incredible. I AB'd it against the MM and I just didn't have eyes for the Ernie Ball anymore. I felt like I cheated on my significant other, but man it felt good. Needless to say, I took home the nearly mint Rebop for 900 bucks (compared to the 1700 I would've dropped for the MM) and have been addicted since. I have to hold myself back from buying another Spector at the moment, but boy am I burning for a Euro in Poplar!
You can get "Museum Wax" sometimes called "Earthquake Wax" to help with that problem.I know I'm lovin' my NS-95. Plugged into my head and 410 cabinet yesterday and literally shook some stuff off the shelves. Luckily it wasn't anything breakable.
It goes on the bottom of items and then "sticks" to the shelf they sit on.
pretty cheap stuff money wise but a very good investment.
- Jun 5, 2008
- 216
- 65
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Spector, Godlyke, Hartke, Hipshot, & AMT Electronics
- Status
