Spector Club - Part 7

[JPSBassist]

Ordered THIS:

Spector NS5-H2 FM
quilted maple top /
mahogany back
ebony fretboard / mother of pearl inlays
black cherry stain matte
Hardware black
2 EMG 40CSTW Humbucker
Aguilar OBP-3 preamp
with Case

Last Thursday.
Now the wait begins...

Awesome. I've played several... you're going to absolutely love it. And after NAMM the wait shouldn't be too bad. Did you get an estimated delivery date yet?

 

[JPSBassist]

I don't pick...tried it a few times, thought it sounded too much like a guitar...

Well... not to be a smarty-pants... but the bass IS a guitar. It's a bass guitar. And think about all the artists who've made memorable bass lines with a pick. Pretty much anything you've heard of Sting's white NS-2 was done with a pick.

Listen to this and tell me if a pick with a Spector is "too guitarish" LOL. This was the song that made me stop paying attention to the crew filming him and I focused on that bass. I was in the first row of this very concert.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZmkjfPrBZo

one of my electric guitar players in our band made a statement,"That's a Bass. It should sound like a Bass,not an electric guitar." LOL

As a former guitarist... I understand how intimidating a good bassist with a great sounding bass can sound. When you listen to songs like this one by Trent Reznor (NIN) and realize that the main riffs and melody are all handled with a bass (the outro is a guitar tuned in C... which might as well be a bass)... a killer bass can do so much... you start wondering if you need a guitarist in your band at all.

You make them scared for their own job security. So good.

Ignore them.

That's his opinion only.

Yeah... and IMHO he has a pie hole... it should be stuffed with pie so we don't hear his pathetic whining. When a dog yaps and whines... sometimes you gotta smack it to get it to shut up. LOL. Seriously. Just kidding.

I do have little patience for prima-dona guitarists. I KNOW the mentality... and thankfully I saw the light and moved over to bass. Which honestly is a more dynamic instrument IMHO.

Maybe as I get more playing under my belt I'll find a time when a pick gives that certain song the right sound.

There are many. Don't let the 6-string short-short scale fools in your band tell you that you can't play the way you feel is best (because it treads in their territory). When musicians start talking like that you've already lost the battle. Music should be about expression, fun, and the sound... not who gets to do what.

Bassists have been held back, not considered "full musicians" and all that BS for way too long. My own father, a talented guitarist, didn't want me playing a bass because "bassists play one note at a time... monkeys can do that"... No joke... words that came from his mouth. I've since made him eat his words with what you can do with a bass.

True...it takes a little more cleaning to keep gold looking shiny...but it looks sooo GOOD!

It does. For me, I think I'm more of a basic black sort of guy. My wedding band is Tungsten (because tungsten is important in the film industry... so it's symbolic) and my watches are all stainless steel.

I don't wear gold... so if I had my way... I'd have chrome or black hardware on all of my Spectors. Just because I prefer silver to gold. Black to flashy.

But there's nothing wrong with gold. Gold is pimpin'... "G". LOL.

 

[Murphys Law]

Awesome. I've played several... you're going to absolutely love it. And after NAMM the wait shouldn't be too bad. Did you get an estimated delivery date yet?

E.T.A. is 8 weeks from now.
And there will be pics. Even if i have to buy a new camera for that. But there will be pics!

 

[crimson_basser]

E.T.A. is 8 weeks from now.
And there will be pics. Even if i have to buy a new camera for that. But there will be pics!

Im excited to see that. Thats pretty much exactly the bass I want to get
Except, if possbile, I would have a few adjustments made to the neck.
And as Ive stated before, not sold on the TWs until they even out the volume drop.

 

[crimson_basser]

Talk with PJ.

He's the NAMM/Artist decision maker. NAMM gives us so many badges. So once they are assigned, that's it. Some of our artists sometimes get in with other endorsements. Like EMG or Aguilar or a string company. It just depends on what's available, etc...

It can be a juggling act. But PJ does an awesome job of accomodating people who really want to make and appearance.

Hotels in the area are not cheap. Anahiem is insane any time of the year because of Disney Land... but NAMM is a set deal so every year musicians from around the world book rooms.

NAMM is insane. Guitar makers to tuba makers and every instrument in between.

Alright, maybe next year... Ill have to make some friends in California so I have a place to stay for a week haha

 

[JPSBassist]

Alright, maybe next year... Ill have to make some friends in California so I have a place to stay for a week haha

Yeah I need to make some friends in Anaheim.
I live on the complete opposite side of LA.
Anaheim is a 3 hour drive for me. So I'm paying for the hotel...
If it was like BPL (which is in Hollywood) I could commute and stay at my own house.
Oh well.

 

[Mr.Bassie720]

Here's pics of my Rebop 5 before/after replacing the nut with a brass nut. It's EVERYTHING I've heard and expected it'd be! WOW! :O The note sustainability is reeaally much much longer! Comparable to a neck-thru now. The tone is huge! Clearer! Bigger! Louder! I'd highly recommend it! I fell DEEPER in love with my Rebop 5! ;D BTW you can buy the brass nut for your Rebop 5 thru Spector by calling and talking with PJ Rubal. $25.00. Can't wait for the other 2 brass nuts to get here for my NS-2A & Legend 4 Classic. And yes...there will be pics for those 2 also. ;D

Regarding the improved tone/sustain. Do you notice a difference across the length of the fretboard or only on the open strings?

 

[Ian Perge]

Regarding the improved tone/sustain. Do you notice a difference across the length of the fretboard or only on the open strings?

I can't believe there would be any change in those departments, as once a note is fretted the fret material takes the place of the Nut in that respect. That's been the current way of thinking in regards to discussions on Stainless Steel frets vs standard "Nickel" frets and how they impact fretted notes in the past few years they've been available on instruments (JPS, any possibility of Stainless Steel frets on a Spector as an option? I'd certainly pay for that as an upgrade on US-built models) and long before that the usage of a Zero Fret and how that gives you the sound of a fretted note on open strings by "replacing" the Nut with fret material... but only open strings.

 

[crimson_basser]

I can't believe there would be any change in those departments, as once a note is fretted the fret material takes the place of the Nut in that respect. That's been the current way of thinking in regards to discussions on Stainless Steel frets vs standard "Nickel" frets and how they impact fretted notes in the past few years they've been available on instruments (JPS, any possibility of Stainless Steel frets on a Spector as an option? I'd certainly pay for that as an upgrade on US-built models) and long before that the usage of a Zero Fret and how that gives you the sound of a fretted note on open strings by "replacing" the Nut with fret material... but only open strings.

This.

I have Spectors with both plastic and brass nuts (although Im still unsure if the nut on my NS 2000/5 is brass or something else).

The only time I notice a real difference is when I hit an open string. It "may" affect the overall tone, but it's such a small change that it's barely noticeable.

 

[Christian Waiau]

Alright, maybe next year... Ill have to make some friends in California so I have a place to stay for a week haha

if you go the hotel route... book EARLY!! ugh... being from vegas i should have know how hotels get around convention time...

a tip would be to get a place a few blocks away.. you can still get a decent room at a good price within 10min away

 

[iceboxbass]

Regarding the improved tone/sustain. Do you notice a difference across the length of the fretboard or only on the open strings?

All across the fretboard

 

[iceboxbass]

This.

I have Spectors with both plastic and brass nuts (although Im still unsure if the nut on my NS 2000/5 is brass or something else).

The only time I notice a real difference is when I hit an open string. It "may" affect the overall tone, but it's such a small change that it's barely noticeable.

IMHO...to me, the fretted notes, especially on the E & A strings sound fatter/fuller. Not just the open strings.

Anyone tried bone?

 

[rockstarbassist]

I just wanted to point out in case anyone else isn't as big an AIC nut as me, is that pretty much ever since the reunion in '05, pretty much the majority of all Mike's YT vids have him with his cherry-burst NS2. And if you watch full concerts and see when/where he picks up the Streamer P/J after or before, you can see why... The NS2 just pwns it tonally. So much more full and not as twangy and pingy as the 'Wick. And that's a true A/B with the same rig, same show, environments, etc.. I know he's forever been associated with that silver/blackburst Streamer, but yeah. It's nice to see him reaching for the cherryburst as his main ax since they got back together.

 

[PhatBasstard]

if you go the hotel route... book EARLY!! ugh... being from vegas i should have know how hotels get around convention time...

a tip would be to get a place a few blocks away.. you can still get a decent room at a good price within 10min away

Thank God I have in-laws that own a several houses in the Riverside/Carona area.

 

[CTbass613]

No I totally understand what you are saying and I feel the exact same way... in regards to the Coda is not something I'd purchase or want to own. I'm not a J-bass player either.

But I have a good friend who is a great jazz bassist and all he plays are old Fender J's and his 1967 Mustang bass. And he's seen and played my NS-4 and other NS-Body Spectors and they don't do a thing for him. He doesn't care for them.

And he's dying to get his hands on a Coda. He was touring when I had one here and missed the chance.

What I can say is that yes, it seems uninspired, but to someone who lives, eats, sleeps Jazz, that 1962 Fender J is the end-all-be-all. And you can buy a lot of very expensive... let's call them tributes. Because they are way too nice to be "knock-offs" It's that formula of shape, materials, electronics that makes that bass sound and play the way it does.

So if that's what you are into, you're very picky about anything that's not the original deal. And builders can't stray too far from the original formula before they have something that isn't going to sound or play the way these dedicated bassists expect it to play. So the designs are all going to be similar in a way. They have to be.

What Stuart does and does better than anyone I know, is add his own spin to whatever he does. And his ability to construct necks that you want to slap someone over (because they are so good) is mind-blowing. So he's put his signature flair for sound, tone, playability and impeccible contruction quality into this well-known formula and come up with something just different enough that it's a breath of fresh air.

And I watched two dozen hard-core, well known J players all sit down and have that look of... "OK here's another one..." and not be excited... only to watch their faces light up and them get excited playing it.

Think about what makes the NS so special to you... the Coda is doing that for the "J" players. And it's just further proof to me that Stuart has a rare gift when it comes to building instruments.

So I'm a believer. I have no doubt the Coda is to the J world what the NS is to us neck-thru active/active junkies.

And just as those J guys are totally unimpressed with the NS... it's natural for us to be "ho-hum" about the Coda.

My thing is that looking at pricing... you're getting a hand-made top quality J for thousands less than some of the other big names in that market. And it's hand-made by Stuart. So you can't go wrong with it in my book.

Exactly coda is best sounding playing jazz i have tried and I have tried just about everything. Being a jazz bass guy, the price actually isn't bad when you compare them to american made fender deluxes, or any boutique style jazz bass...priced fairly for there components and construction.

 

[crimson_basser]

IMHO...to me, the fretted notes, especially on the E & A strings sound fatter/fuller. Not just the open strings.

Anyone tried bone?

I have both bone and brass blanks to get cut and Ill try both before I decide which I go with

 

[Chrisk-K]

I've been lobbying for intonation screws, like the new USA Solid Brass Bridges have. They make life so much better if you change strings often (and I do).

The bridge is the only thing that I don't like about my Euro LX. Why would it be difficult to implement intonation screws?

If the price of the new USA bridge were reasonable, I'd buy one in a heartbeat. But for $200, I'd rather deal with my current bridge.

 

[iceboxbass]

I have both bone and brass blanks to get cut and Ill try both before I decide which I go with

Cool!!! Can't wait to hear your report! I love
Experimentation...it's my nature.

 

[PhatBasstard]

The bridge is the only thing that I don't like about my Euro LX. Why would it be difficult to implement intonation screws?

It wouldn't. I have considered modifying all of mine for years now until I saw the new USA.
The one thing they missed though is both height screws should now be moved to the front of the saddles.
There really is no real reason for any kind of tilt adjustment (and probably not much of one now anyway with the intonation screw keeping it level).
Puting both screws at the front would greatly help in stabilizing the saddle.

FWIW, I always felt the saddles would have been greatly improved (pre-intonation screws) by having a height/tilt screw at all 4 corners, not just the 2 kitty-corner ones.

 

[iceboxbass]

The bridge is the only thing that I don't like about my Euro LX. Why would it be difficult to implement intonation screws?

If the price of the new USA bridge were reasonable, I'd buy one in a heartbeat. But for $200, I'd rather deal with my current bridge.

I too would love to have intonation adjustment screws on the bridges. I hope STUART agrees to have them available for the Euro/Korean bass'.