- Jun 16, 2005
- 3,584
- 31
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- Endorsing Artist: Spector, Aguilar, Darkglass
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JP - the pic has me wanting to call PJ and see if Spector would do a "Custom Rebop" (I simply like the woods and "Traditional Curve" of it better than a USA bolt-on, and I gut the electronics for my own setup anyway...) with the Red Crown Inlays and a Red-Stained Zebrawood top... since when did the Black-Stained Zebrawood ReBops get Invalid Link Removed (if I had the money that would be my BEAD-tuned Peter Steele/TON Tribute Bass), and for Pete's sake why isn't it being advertised?!? (stained Zebrawood like that is a killer wood choice for me
)
OK. You can always ask about a custom-special order option. We don't offer certain colors with certain instruments as a stock option because trends have shown they don't sell... so for instance, the black zebrawood and the black cherry figured maple models sell way more than the other colors did, so we made those the default.
It doesn't mean you can't request a special color. You have to go through the proper channels. If you are an endorsed SPECTOR artist you know the deal... contact PJ. If you are NOT an endorsed SPECTOR artist, contact the dealer of your choice.
The deal with that green ReBop at BC is most likely it was a special order that fell through. Which, BTW, would mean someone lost a deposit. Special order basses/guitars require a 1/2 down deposit.
And also know that they will take longer to make.
Beaver is good about ordering "special order" basses for stock in his store. He almost always has at least one gloss white and one gloss black Euro4LX in stock. And these are special order colors.
As for your pups/electronics... those may be an option with a special order as well. Say you'd like DC pickups in a ReBop.
I agree with you on the body styles. I like the full curvy NS-body found with the ReBops and the NS-2JA/NS-2JA-R bodies better than the newer USA Bolt-Ons. Not that I'd turn my nose up at a USA Bolt-On. They are amazing instruments. Stuart is constantly evolving new ideas, new designs.
Talk with one of our dealers or if you are an Artist or want to know if PJ would be willing to do it, because it'll end up on his desk for his approval or denial, contact PJ.
To recap: You can always ask. Just remember that any modification of a "stock" design will require that 1/2 up front deposit, additional funds (depending on the request) and more time.
I'm tracking it Chris...
It's on schedule for delivery at my office on Tuesday.
So let me know when you're driving down.
It'll be fun to chill and play some bass with you.
Understandable... however, it would be nice to have some indication that the above is possible via the Website and not just TB, if only for the potential customers that don't frequent here. Also, I understand the love for Black Cherryburst (It was the color of my first Spector
) but I'm somewhat surprised that the Black Zebrawood took over as the "standard color" for the ReBop EX Zebrawoods. In all honesty, I'd seen too many "ZeBops" that had decent, but not amazing tops and thought the black stain was a way to increase the "WOW! Factor" for tops that didn't quite have it in a Natural Finish (and I'm extremely lucky that my 4 & 5-string ZeBops were purchased used, getting the ability to see the tops before purchasing, and winding up with "10-Tops" - easily in the top 10% that I'd seen) Also aware of this and PJ and the company in general's fantastic work with non-endorsed, plain-old customers. I've told it before, but due to a screw-up by the dealer (and not Spector) the special order for my ReBop 5 DLX FM Lined Fretless that doubled my wait time. Due to this, and the fact that the order for my bass hadn't hit the factory yet, I asked PJ if it were possible if the bass could be sprayed in "Blue Blackburst" as a "Sister Color" to her fretted sibling - at the time, there was no indication that this color was available on the ReBop line. PJ got it done, I have a fretless I'd put up against 97% of fretlesses, and Spector got themselves a Lifelong Customer.
The last time I spoke to PJ (Sept/Oct?) I was ecstatic about the newly-installed Nordstrand Big Single/Aguilar OBP-3 set I had done to 3 of my 4, and was giving him the Hard Sell about expanding the available pickup selection to something other than EMGs... and only as a highly excited customer of both - I truly think more choice in that area could only be good for the customer such as non-EMG, passive pickups for atypical bolt-on players such as myself not looking for the "Grindy, N/T Spector/EMG Protypical Tone", but I also don't know the business-end of things, such as if EMG & Spector have an Exclusivity Clause or something to that effect.
...but even if EMG & Nordy couldn't become "partners", the option for them as a Special Order would be very welcome, I'm sure.
100% agreement on everything above. I favor the ReBops for the "fully curvy" body shape, but also the body woods available compared to the USA Bolt-Ons: I'm simply not a Mahogany body guy. If that were workable via a Special Order, things might very well be different.
And again, for myself and others here, thanks for the detailed post - it's greatly appreciated, as well as your continued work on bettering "The Spector Experience" with your Behind-The-Scenes pics and info, quick fact checks, fantastic photography of the instruments, and everything else in the name of Spector.
The last time I spoke to PJ (Sept/Oct?) I was ecstatic about the newly-installed Nordstrand Big Single/Aguilar OBP-3 set I had done to 3 of my 4, and was giving him the Hard Sell about expanding the available pickup selection to something other than EMGs... and only as a highly excited customer of both - I truly think more choice in that area could only be good for the customer such as non-EMG, passive pickups for atypical bolt-on players such as myself not looking for the "Grindy, N/T Spector/EMG Protypical Tone", but I also don't know the business-end of things, such as if EMG & Spector have an Exclusivity Clause or something to that effect.
...but even if EMG & Nordy couldn't become "partners", the option for them as a Special Order would be very welcome, I'm sure.
Well for example on the USA bolton models Barts are listed in the Options:
Invalid Link Removed
So theres your passive Pickup
rockstarbassist
Inactive
Ampeg SVTJust kidding. That Rebop 5 should be generating Babylon crushing low end. Flats on a five string with a preamp should be getting massive low end with good clarity. Playing a little closer to the neck should get you a wonderful tone. Also a light touch is a plus.[/QUOTE
With the tonepump preamp ? I haven't read too much good with these on the forum. What's your take on them ? I Haven't heard it through my 2-15 yet either but my passive Lakland D.J. Has a warmer tone with less "buzzyness". I'm willing to modify to maybe Nordy Big Singles and a new preamp if need be.
I'd suggest using your ears and don't worry about what others say. Use the internal trim pot and use the pots which aren't boost only.
I have the Tonepump in a couple of my other EMG equipped basses and like the pre a lot. In a bolt on basswood bodied bass I get more of a thump along with the aggressive tone. Honestly though, in the mix they sound about 80% the same.
Ampeg SVT
With the tonepump preamp ? I haven't read too much good with these on the forum. What's your take on them ? I Haven't heard it through my 2-15 yet either but my passive Lakland D.J. Has a warmer tone with less "buzzyness". I'm willing to modify to maybe Nordy Big Singles and a new preamp if need be.
I am perhaps in the minority in that I actually favor the Tonepump. I dont subscribe to the "Tonedump" mentality. I have an older Spector that came with an EMG preamp(the one with the adjustable micro switches) I replaced it with a tonepump that I got here in the classifieds. Simply the Tonepump works better for the music I play. Which by the way includes a lot of reggae/dub. I just love the tone. I am pretty sure your Lakland sounds"warmer" unplugged than your Spector. Different wood, bolt on neck, bridge. Spectors are generally much brighter unplugged than a lot of basses. Neckthrough,massive brass bridge,maple bodies ect..
It's a great tone circuit IMHO.
It doesn't have the latency peak issues that a lot of other tone circuits have, where at the beginning of the note the circuit is overloaded with the signal and thus a 2-3 millisecond delay or loss of signal as the circuit adjusts to the signal input.
And this is my best interpretation of the technical white paper the engineer who designed it for us wrote.
The TonePump has a great "gritty" "dirty" analog sound. And for comparison, the Aguilar circuits, which are great circuits, are very clean and very... well... crisp. You know you are listening to a computer chip processing the sound. Whereas the TonePump can sound like the solid-state USA 9vold Circuit (the HazLabs Circuit) as it was designed to do.
People hate on the TonePump, but honestly, I've said this before... when the man who created the "SPECTOR BASS SOUND" listens to it and likes the sound from it... who am I to question that?
And Stuart and PJ helped engineer the sound from the TonePump. It was made to their standards. Three of my Spectors have the TonePump. And I'm perfectly content with it.
rockstarbassist
Inactive
Re: the TP pre; my only gripe is boost-only. I think it sounds fine as far as an actual onboard pre goes.
THAT is a Kramer Spector NS-2C, it is NOT USA made though... bolt-on, passive...I have one just like it
..actually it could be an NS-2B...cant tell for sure if its bolt on or neck thru....looks like someone has removed the finish from the back of the neck to me.Thanx a lot jarrhead, i'm going to check them up later on, you're the man
I have a POS guitar, so you can remove some of the noise gates if yours is better. I have seven noise gates in the chain.
Try playing along with that on the Icarus Lives Casey Sabol version!
Or, for more kicks, here's what I threw together yesterday. Yes, the guitar part is SLOPPY, but I haven't gotten around to getting that recorded clean yet.
Used the Bulb Bass preset I gave you, with the signal going in from my GK Amp Post-EQ.
Spector NS5CRFM -- Bass/Treb flat, volume maxed, rolled SLIGHTLY toward the bridge pickup.
GK --
Contour 1:00
Presence 3:00
Treble 11:00
Hi-Mid 10:00
Low-Mid 2:00
Bass 3:00
Boost 2:00
Tweeter 12:00
Woofer 12:00
4 string voice filter
both hi-cuts engaged
-0db Direct Out
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Forgot to add the third guitar, but oh well.
I know why they think it's a USA... the NS-2C had a metal plate on the back that the 4 bolts went through that says "Kramer, Neptune, NJ"
People often mistake this for it being a USA.
Looks like a SPECTOR NS-2C to me.
Looks like the neck is wood... so that'd be a (Kramer) SPECTOR NS-2C model.
Pretty rare.
Passive pups, Active tone.
NS-Body shape... but not curved. They had these beveled edges.
The NS-2B is the same, but neck-thru.
$450 isn't bad if you consider I see 1 or two of these a year for sale.
They are more rare (because less were made) than the NS-2A
I don't have a problem with the boost only design (seriously, who here actually cuts bass or treble?), but I hate that there are two volumes instead of a volume and a blend (at least on mine, I know it's an easy fix but still...). And also it's a little too clean compared to the other Spectors I have/have had. Maybe it's the fact that I gravitate towards the EMG pre/EMG pickup loaded basses but to me and many, many others that's the Spector sound. And lastly, the Tonepump is too damn hot! No matter what amp I've used, I've always had to kick on the dB pad and crank the gain way down. To me, it just seems a little bass-akwards compared to every other bass on the market.
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