Spector Club Pt. 4 (Insert Clever Title Here)

[milo]

wood ,wood and more wood

 

[cetera]

Back in the club!
I just scored a wicked deal on a genuine Made in the USA gloss black Spector NS2 (built 30.29.1989 during the Kramer years). Somebody was asleep at the wheel when they priced this one!

I just have to wait for a month before it's in my hands.

Only just seen this..... OMG!!
STEAL of the Century!!! Congrats

 

[Nino Valenti]

I was a little bored today:

 

[Spanky(Andy)]

Hi guys,

The basscentre.com.au site lists this simply as a used USA Spector NS4. I hadn't seen a 3 knob/concentric knob Spector before. Are these common, are they still being built, and what kind of price is reasonable for one? The store is asking AU$3299.00 for it.

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Cheers

Andy

 

[Nino Valenti]

That's a beautiful bass. The US basses with 18V preamps have the stacked pot. It's usually on the Neck Thru models.

I'm not sure of the conversion rate but these basses sell new for about $5000 USD. Pre-owned, they sell for less, I've seen them sell from anywhere from $1800-$2600.

Here is a US NS5 I used to own:

 

[MrBEAR]

I'd like to request a comparison, from the collective Spector knowledge base, of the output levels of the, to me, incredibly hot, Euro Tone Pump vs. the 9 volt Haz Lab preamp option. It's already enticing due to my preference for vol/blend vs. vol/vol.

Cheers,
Mr. BEAR

 

[rockstarbassist]

I'd like to request a comparison, from the collective Spector knowledge base, of the output levels of the, to me, incredibly hot, Euro Tone Pump vs. the 9 volt Haz Lab preamp option. It's already enticing due to my preference for vol/blend vs. vol/vol.

Cheers,
Mr. BEAR

I have an original 9V Haz in my '85 NS2.

The output is almost weak, IMO. My charvel just has EMG actives and passive tone controls, and it's got a hotter out. I almost wish it was 18V and then I could turn down the Gain some.

But, that also doesn't "overdo" the active sound of the bass, and let's the Spector sound flow through really well.

Course this may be b/c it's a true-blooded Brooklyn deal, but I remember playing my friend's ReBop 5 and it has the TP pre, and yeah it was too hot for comfort. You couldn't run the volume flat-out and it not take away from the natural sound of the ax, which I def didn't like.

 

[marchone]

This was all really great information. The Spector crowd seems divided on the TonePump and now it makes sense why. Without owning each a TonePump and HazLab equipped Spector I've been hard pressed to understand the difference. I have a TonePump in my Czech-made NS-2-JA-R.

Hot, I understand. I've even taken to playing at the bottom of the fingerboard to round out the sound with everything flat when I need it.

A HazLab-equipped Spector is next on my GAS list. Or retrofitting this one as theaterbass29 has suggested I do. Which he did.

 

[Thingus995]

Nino; Just saw your I Stand Alone cover... 5* playing, but if that is the tone on your TW, then I am in for one HELL of a treat

 

[iceboxbass]

Hi folks,

Does anyone here string their Spector basses with flatwounds? Just curious.

Secondly, last year (?) I noticed Bass Central were selling a Euro "Sting" model - ie white. Was that an official model and if so, is it still available?

Also how come so many heavy rock/metal guys use Spectors? I play funk, r&b, groove and pop and love my Spectors as they are perfect for it.

I own 12 pro basses, from a 1st year Steinberger L2, Rickenbacker, 4 EBMMs (Sabre, 2 x Stingray and 1 x Big Al), Lakland, Warwick, Fender Gibson etc and my two Euro Spectors (1 x Euro 435LX & 1 x 535LX) crap all over them in terms of build quality, feel, and most importantly, tone and playability.

I'll ask for a member number when I can upload pics. My laptop was stolen in a recent burglary.

Cheers

Andy

I have flatwounds on my Spector Legend 4. It came with slinkies, I didn't like the sound...FWs have a more warm and deeper sound. That's all I string on my Bass's. GHS SS FW.

 

[Justin Beck]

Just got home from youth group where I played my NS4CRFM for the first time outside my home. DANG!!! This thing sounded massive. I'm not sure I've liked the tone of a bass this much since, well, I don't know.

I am a happy camper.

Best,
Justin

 

[crimson_basser]

Thats what we like to hear!

 

[Spanky(Andy)]

That's a beautiful bass. The US basses with 18V preamps have the stacked pot. It's usually on the Neck Thru models.

I'm not sure of the conversion rate but these basses sell new for about $5000 USD. Pre-owned, they sell for less, I've seen them sell from anywhere from $1800-$2600.

Here is a US NS5 I used to own:

Nino, thanks so much for your reply and information. Unfortunately I cannot see the pic of your NS5 from work, but will try from a net cafe.

Judging from your used prices, it seems like a good deal, and is a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than a new Euro Spector here.

Thanks!

Sincerely

Andy

 

[cetera]

I have a TonePump in my Czech-made NS-2-JA-R.

I thought the NSJA-R had an EMG preamp in it....

 

[JPSBassist]

I thought the NSJA-R had an EMG preamp in it....

My NS-2JA-R will be here Friday. According to the invoice from Bass Central, the JA-R has the following:

"NS-2J, 4-String, Ltd Edition , Only 83 Made in this
Color!!!!! Solid White ,Bolt-on Neck, 2 Jazz EMG
Pick-ups With EMG BT Pre-Amp, Chrome Hardware, Badass Bridge"

Taken right off the invoice. So if they have the tone-pump in their JA-R it's a retrofit.

 

[marchone]

I could have been misinformed. I'd be happy to be corrected and get the facts straight.

 

[JPSBassist]

Hi folks,

Does anyone here string their Spector basses with flatwounds? Just curious.

Secondly, last year (?) I noticed Bass Central were selling a Euro "Sting" model - ie white. Was that an official model and if so, is it still available?

Cheers

Andy

Andy,

I have chrome flats on my vintage NS-2A. It's currently at the luthier's being defretted. I also recently upgraded it from the passive "Spector" branded P/J's that were stock on this bass to Active EMG P/J's.

I like flats on a fretless. Not sure how I'd feel with them on a fretted. If I want a flatter sound or less finger noise I'll put half-wounds or ground-wounds on.

As for the "Sting" model. I've done a ton of research on Spector, and I've never seen a signature Sting bass mentioned.

I've stated numerous times that the 1984 Synchronicity Police tour was where I fell in love with Spector Basses. And I've seen that bass up close and personal. It's a white P/J, Brooklyn NS-2 with silver hardware, notably a BADASS bridge, and is an early MOP inlay neck model.

The only solid white Spectors I've seen since 1998 (both USA and Euro) have the brass Spector bridge and brass tuners. The USA models have abalone inlays.

The only way to truly get a "Sting" Spector is find someone who is selling a Vintage Brooklyn NS-2 with the specs mentioned above.

Good luck. I've looked for years.

 

[JPSBassist]

This the one that started it for me.

I sat in the crowd for two hours listening to that incredible bass and I kept thinking... who makes that bass?

Note the BADASS bridge. It's an early MOP inlay model.
Great bass.

The Police were the biggest band in the world in 1985 and I'm sure Sting choosing to play his white NS-2 exclusively gave Spector a big boost.

It was also 1985 when Kramer purchased Spector.

I spoke with PJ Rubal on the phone the other day and he told me that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame says the Police Spector Exhibit is still the most popular in the museum. If you want to see this bass in person, go check it out.

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[JPSBassist]

I could have been misinformed. I'd be happy to be corrected and get the facts straight.

No worries... have you looked inside and seen the tone circuit?

Since the JA-R is a recent Euro model, if you do have the TonePump it will be a black box strapped to the top side of the compartment above the input jack and will be stamped with the Spector logo.

The EMG circuit looks like a computer chip and will be attached to one of the tone pots.

I'd be curious to see what you have. And not that you wouldn't have a TonePump, it's completely possible. If they had an order for it and didn't have the EMG available they may have thrown a TonePump in there. Or if you are not the original owner, the previous owner might have done it.

Who knows?

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[marchone]

Thanks for that. I appreciate it. I just opened the back and it is like the photo on the right of the EMG BT pre-amp.

Could you now give me a primer on the different pre-amps Spector currently uses and what their characteristics are? I may be the least technical guy here but I'd love to learn about them.

For instance, 1, 2 and 3-band circuits and what they do in terms of sound? Thanks in advance. I want to be able to make informed decisions for the future. Like why so many Spector players seem to prefer the HazLab? And why are so many players split on the TonePump?