Spector Club Pt. 5 (Insert Clever Title Here)

[JPSBassist]

JPS,
Do you guys sell hardware? I may refinish mine to a quilted amber like Dan Briggs', but I have gold hardware. I would need to buy a new bridge and tuners/tuning pegs in black.

Hey there, if you mean does Spector sell hardware... "you guys"... absolutely. I am NOT a Spector employee. I do contract design work for them.

You've already been directed to the current Spector website/shopping cart. But just in case that link is:

Invalid Link Removed

And yes it looks like the bridge you want is $149.00

I also agree that before you click to purchase, you check with PJ Rubal about any potential differences the screw patterns may have.

I can tell you from my own personal experience that the different bridges get really tricky. I wanted to go with a gold bridge on my vintage NS-2A and the only one which would fit the insert in the body was the cheaper (non-brass) Korean model. So I thought I'd just have the body insert routed slightly larger and move up to the Euro or USA bridge.

NOPE! Don't do it. The string spacing on the Euro bridge, (larger/wider than the Korean) and the USA bridge (larger/wider than the Euro) are different enough that you'd have your E and G strings too close to the edge of the neck that above the 12th fret they are too easy to knock off the neck.

ALWAYS default back to Spector's Customer Service/Support before doing ANYTHING with an older Spector.

That email address is:

mailto://[email protected]

If it was a Euro5LX then you'd be OK. Everything on the models has been standardize since the LX models came out.

Best,

JP

 

[marchone]

That sort of post is what makes TB a great place to come to learn things. It's also the kind of information that would be great as a Spector Forum sticky.

 

[PhatBasstard]

NOPE! Don't do it. The string spacing on the Euro bridge, (larger/wider than the Korean) and the USA bridge (larger/wider than the Euro) are different enough that you'd have your E and G strings too close to the edge of the neck that above the 12th fret they are too easy to knock off the neck.

Not quite.
Although the "outer" dimensions of those bridges differ, all Legend, European and USA basses are listed at .75" spacing at the bridge for the 4's and .66" for the 5 and 6's (excluding the new wide 5 option which is back to .75"). I've owned, or have owned all 3 series and have never noticed different string "spacing" on comparible models. Also a couple NS2A's and their spacing was the same as My USA NS2, although the overall bridge was a little less massive.

They've even found a few of the last (Kramer) NS2A's were actual leftover USA bodies and necks that had inserts put in so they could be retro fitted with the NS2A sized bridge. There were no string spacing issues.

 

[PhatBasstard]

That sort of post is what makes TB a great place to come to learn things. It's also the kind of information that would be great as a Spector Forum sticky.

Not just yet. See post above. ^^^

 

[M@ddest_H@tter!]

$150 for a bridge? wow.

I have an NS5CRFM

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I'm going to change my pants now!

 

[tbass2010]

Just got my new Pro series Rex 4 string and it kicks major ass. I am amazed at how the EMG HZ's sound. I was totally ready to upgrade to DC35's like in the American series but I may just stick with what I have.

 

[whatawaste]

Family portrait Spector.

 

[Ian Perge]

I almost pulled the Natural, but man yeah that white just looks insanely classy and tight. The black really offsets it. I think Mike Starr's first Spector w/ AIC was a white NS2 also.

Can all of us White-Finished Spector lovers please start trying to work your mojo on my Better-Half? I'd love to have a White ReBop DLX with Black Hardware (which in a post a few pages back PJ clarified that it was possible to custom-order on all Euro-built basses ) but she's pulled out the rarely-used "Veto Card"* on that, saying "White makes a Spector look like a marshmallow"

*To be fair, this is a woman who has let me purchase far more as well as far more expensive basses than I need because she understands that "this is what you do". It's positively amazing that when you first find your Partner one of the factors of her attraction to you is the fact that you're indeed a musician and specifically a *Bassist*!

Also for the white-owners out there, is "Spector White" a super-bright "Nuclear White" or more of a "Pearlescent White" that has a type of "optical depth" and AFAIK refracts some of the visible light? (the Link Removed of Pearl White I could find on short notice, especially the almost "glowing" body). I think the latter to be a much nicer color than the former, but then again I'm the guy that would kill to have a ReBop finished in a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] finish (along with a Kahler trem and a Bass Sustainaic driver) because a) I've always loved flip-flop/multicolor finishes, and b) I especially think it would work greatly on a Spector with its completely curved body, which would have the finish be constantly be changing.

...as for Mike Starr, I believe his first Spectors (including a white) were NS2As, but once they hit with "Man In The Box" the band's viability was high enough that he moved up to NS2s - mostly another White as well as a Cherryburst (as seen in the "Them Bones" video). Actually, thinking about the "White Spector" I'd like to have most would be modeled on Mike Inez's "Pearl Whiteburst" Warwick that he's used during most of his time with AIC/Ozzy/AIC again - black edging makes for a killer looking bass!

Well, there'd be Eddie Jackson, Rachael Bolan, and Gene Simmons that used white ones also.

In my case, there was also Kip Winger...

Just got my new Pro series Rex 4 string and it kicks major ass. I am amazed at how the EMG HZ's sound. I was totally ready to upgrade to DC35's like in the American series but I may just stick with what I have.

I've found HZs to be criminally underrated pickups, and find a great deal matter on what preamp they're teamed up with. He's not "my guy", but Mike Kroeger of Nickelback has spent many thousands of dollars on his Exotic-topped USA Spectors yet run EMG-HZ with no preamp straight to the output jack, as he wants "the cleanest signal from the wood to the amp" and that the passive HZs give him that clean reproduction.

 

[JPSBassist]

Not quite.
Although the "outer" dimensions of those bridges differ, all Legend, European and USA basses are listed at .75" spacing at the bridge for the 4's and .66" for the 5 and 6's (excluding the new wide 5 option which is back to .75"). I've owned, or have owned all 3 series and have never noticed different string "spacing" on comparible models. Also a couple NS2A's and their spacing was the same as My USA NS2, although the overall bridge was a little less massive.

They've even found a few of the last (Kramer) NS2A's were actual leftover USA bodies and necks that had inserts put in so they could be retro fitted with the NS2A sized bridge. There were no string spacing issues.

I'm just going by what PJ told me.

When I discussed the bridge options with him about a month ago, he warned me that yes, the understood string spacing at the bridge is .75... but he's seen issues where this was attempted on NS-2A models and several early neck-thru Korean models before the legend series and that there IS a string spacing difference.

Perhaps a slight variation in string spacing alone wouldn't be an issue; but we've all discussed how the necks vary in width and/or thickness. So the combination of the two can lead to your strings being placed too close to the edge of the fret board and he seriously recommended against it.

And you also have to take string spacing at the nut into consideration. It comes down to geometry.

And I can guarantee you that although my NS-2JA-R has a Badass Bridge, so it doesn't really count (it's not a "Spector" bridge) the spacing on it is definately wider than that of my NS-2A or my Euro4LX.

So... Let me get my digital calipers out and measure the spaces...

The findings are:

STRING SPACING AT BRIDGE SADDLES - E to A Strings:
NS-2A (Korean Spector bridge)
15.5mm
NS-2JA (Badass Bridge)
17mm
Euro4LX (Spector Euro Bridge)
16.5mm

STRING SPACING AT 24th FRET - E to A Strings:
NS-2A (Korean Spector bridge)
14mm
NS-2JA (Badass Bridge)
15mm
Euro4LX (Spector Euro Bridge)
14.5mm

STRING SPACING AT NUT - E to A Strings:
NS-2A (Korean Spector bridge)
8.25mm
NS-2JA (Badass Bridge)
8.8mm
Euro4LX (Spector Euro Bridge)
9mm

LET'S MEASURE NECK WIDTHS AT THE 24th FRET:
Korean NS-2A: 59mm
NS-2JA-R: 65mm
Euro4LX: 59mm

LET'S MEASURE NECK WIDTHS AT THE NUT:
Korean NS-2A: 43mm
NS-2JA-R: 40mm
Euro4LX: 41.4mm

Isn't that interesting. There's a .5mm string width difference between the NS-2A and the Euro4LX, but they have the same neck width at the 24th fret and the Korean model is wider at the nut. But note that the Euro's bridge and nut are slightly wider regarding spacing that the Korean model. So there is a difference, but it's in favor of your argument.

And the NS-2JA-R has a monster wide neck at 65. It also has the most narrow neck at the nut. Meaning that there is very little room to mess with changes in string placement with this bass.

It also would not be advisable to put a Badass bridge on an NS-2A because you'd definately have string/neck alignment issues.

By these measurements; you are right. The Euro bridge from my 4LX, if properly routed and installed... should work fine with MY NS-2A. But who's to say there are not width variations and inconsistancies between some models?

When my USA NS-4 arrives in another month, I'll measure it against my NS-2A and we'll see how that goes.

So the bottom line is... there are differences that although Spector tries to standardize things; there are going to be differences you might not have accounted for and therefore get a little surprize when you try to mix it up.

My point being, before anyone here attempts to modify their guitar, seeing that Spectors are not cheap and represent an investment to anyone who purchases one... check with the authorities at Spector before listening to anyone here.

PJ is the authority on that sort of stuff. So I was recommending he contact PJ, just to be safe.

That's all.

 

[JPSBassist]

Can all of us White-Finished Spector lovers please start trying to work your mojo on my Better-Half? I'd love to have a White ReBop DLX with Black Hardware (which in a post a few pages back PJ clarified that it was possible to custom-order on all Euro-built basses ) but she's pulled out the rarely-used "Veto Card"* on that, saying "White makes a Spector look like a marshmallow"

Spector White is a Bright White. It's not Glow in the dark white but it's definately a "true white" and not off white or creamy like the Gibson White is.

Best advice is to watch the Police's Sychronicity Concert from 1985. Sting's white NS-2 will give you a good idea what a white Spector looks like on stage.

And don't feel bad. Your wife's comments are tame compared to my wife's about me and my white Spector. She calls my white Spector "Milkalicious" and says I look like that guy from the "Milk-topia" commercials, "White Gold" when I play it.

She'll see me playing it and she starts singing, "One Gallon Man... It's supernatural..." from the commecial... It sort of freaks me out sometimes.

I'd rather look like a marshmallow honestly.

 

[PhatBasstard]

PJ is the authority on that sort of stuff. So I was recommending he contact PJ, just to be safe.

Usually, but I've gotten vague, inconsistent and sometimes out and out wrong info from him and Stuart (sometimes a "We don't know") over the years (especially about Spector history), so I don't always take their word as gospel if it's something I can check myself.

Like in the other thread where SirMike has an actual Euro4 that, according to it's serial number and year of manufacture, PJ and Spector's lit says it should definately not have a Tone Pump (too early). It should absolutely be an Aguilar OBP-1. Yet this bass has been unmolested, but there sits a Tone Pump. PJ made him send a pic.

Spector's fingerboards have always left little room for error as far as how close the edge is to the strings. So on the rare case you have one where the strings are not absolutely centered, you're probably going to have an issue with either the top or bottom string wanting to slip off when manhandled a little.

I just know as far as spacing, I never noticed it (a difference between) on the various series I owned.

 

[NS2A]

In my case, there was also Kip Winger...

I was going to mention Kip, but usually Gene Simmons is enough to get people on TB.

I don't remember Kip playing a white Spector. I'm pretty sure all Kip played was a red NS2 and black (with sticker stripes) NS2A. When I saw them play a club (after OZZY's tour was cancelled), he just played those 2 Spectors you see in the videos.

A few months later when Seventeen hit and they got on the Cinderella tour, he already switched over to Jacksons. So he really didn't play Spectors much.

 

[Ian Perge]

Spector White is a Bright White. It's not Glow in the dark white but it's definately a "true white" and not off white or creamy like the Gibson White is.

Best advice is to watch the Police's Sychronicity Concert from 1985. Sting's white NS-2 will give you a good idea what a white Spector looks like on stage.

Gotcha. And living up right by the RARHoF I've seen (and even touched, don't inform the Security Guards ) Sting's Synchronicity-era Spector, I was just wondering what the current shade of "Spector White" was. Oh well, perhaps PJ could do me a favor if I ever have that done... actually, PJ and the Wife. Actually, The Wife then PJ.

And don't feel bad. Your wife's comments are tame compared to my wife's about me and my white Spector. She calls my white Spector "Milkalicious" and says I look like that guy from the "Milk-topia" commercials, "White Gold" when I play it.

"Tame" is indeed the word to use. Mine just says "No" and that's the end to it... yours uses it as bait for ridiculing. You're not the only one in that boat, mine does the same when I use eBow on bass.

I was going to mention Kip, but usually Gene Simmons is enough to get people on TB.

Long ago I decided to be true to myself, even if that meant bringing out Kip Winger and Rick Savage of Def Leppard as the skeletons from my closet.

I don't remember Kip playing a white Spector. I'm pretty sure all Kip played was a red NS2 and black (with sticker stripes) NS2A. When I saw them play a club (after OZZY's tour was cancelled), he just played those 2 Spectors you see in the videos.

You're absolutely correct - for some reason (most likely that it's in B&W with a few color "splashes") I thought that he played a white NS2A in the video for "Heading For A Heartbreak", but I've go back and checked and it's a black model, either a new one or his "Album cover pinstriping" removed.

A few months later when Seventeen hit and they got on the Cinderella tour, he already switched over to Jacksons. So he really didn't play Spectors much.

For a brief time in-between Spectors and his Jackson signature model (which actually was a really nice bass - Lacewood body, Maple neck and Ebony fretboard, EMG soapbar pickups, Kahler bridge, etc) he also used Hamers, such as the "Beatle Bass w/ Hamer headstock" in the "Hungry" video, appearing in ads for their "Impact" bass and using them on a few one-off MTV appearances between their first and second albums. But even though you're correct that in amount of time he used Spectors, since the band "broke" while he was endorsed by them I believe he's most connected with them in people's heads.

...and 3, 2, 1, mock!

 

[jarrhead]

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I'm going to change my pants now!

And to think I got it shipped with a case for $695.

 

[splitcoilsenior]

And to think I got it shipped with a case for $695.

I started learning Alaska and Need for Repetition last night, Now I want a new Spector and new fingers.

 

[JPSBassist]

"Tame" is indeed the word to use. Mine just says "No" and that's the end to it... yours uses it as bait for ridiculing. You're not the only one in that boat, mine does the same when I use eBow on bass.

Yeah... another thing my wife has done is name all of my basses. She calls them my mistresses.

It's not so much ridiculing me as I sincerely think she's a little jealous at how much time I sometimes spend playing.

It's amusing to me. And yes, like being jealous of other "women", her names for my basses are not flattering ones. LOL.

 

[JPSBassist]

I just know as far as spacing, I never noticed it (a difference between) on the various series I owned.

Yeah, when you are talking differences that are in mm... that's really small. I can say that my NS-2JA-R is the only one that I could see and feel the difference on.

But my NS-2A and my Euro4LX do feel the same. And as the measurements show... they are almost identical. Like I said, it'll be interesting to see what the neck on my USA feels like compared to these.

So no worries.

 

[jarrhead]

I started learning Alaska and Need for Repetition last night, Now I want a new Spector and new fingers.

I am learning the entire colors album with my friend who plays guitar. Deadline August 1st.

So far I have learned Foam Born A, Half of Decade, Intro to Informal (until they change tempo), All but 9 measures of Prequel to the Sequel, AND JUST FINISHED VIRIDIAN BABY!

And the intro to white walls until a few measures after he starts singing.



I am also typing with bleeding fingers. Not the first time I've done it, my keyboard has blood all over it.
I played for 11 hours straight yesterday. Five so far this morning. Going to clean the house now.

 

[splitcoilsenior]

I am learning the entire colors album with my friend who plays guitar. Deadline August 1st.

So far I have learned Foam Born A, Half of Decade, Intro to Informal (until they change tempo), All but 9 measures of Prequel to the Sequel, AND JUST FINISHED VIRIDIAN BABY!

And the intro to white walls until a few measures after he starts singing.



I am also typing with bleeding fingers. Not the first time I've done it, my keyboard has blood all over it.
I played for 11 hours straight yesterday. Five so far this morning. Going to clean the house now.

How long have you been playing?

 

[Christian Waiau]

And to think I got it shipped with a case for $695.

deal of the year for sure! congrats sir