SPECTOR® Owners Club

[Barticus]

Someone else asked the same question the other day. The consensus was to give the guitar a once over, then let it rest in its case/gig bag to let it get acclimated.

Yes, I know it's hard but at least it will be at your place in YOUR hands. Unless someone else more experienced than me (everyone ) has another suggestion...that'd what I'd do.

Giving it a "quick once over" is no different from just opening the bass, which is the problem in that the finish could be damaged with a quick change in temperature. That's the reason for leaving it closed up for 12 to 24 hours before attempting to open it. I've read stories, with nitro, where someone opened it as soon as they brought it in the house and it immediately checked the finish due to the rapid change in temperature.

YMMV, depending on the type of finish, but I would err on the side of caution and let it rest for at least 12 hours inside the house before attempting to open. That's typically what I do.

 

[madmaskbass]

Wow that is cold!

Did a comparison with my 3 spectors and no surprises the LHZ euro won hugely over the Dimension (Darkglass) and NS5 (Aguliar)!

So because the NS5 is now my main bass I gutted the euro for now and swapped in the LHZ. I honestly think i am going to just do all three with them.
I knew the minute that i started playing the NS5 that it would be my main guitar. So much so I sold my beloved Dingwall AB1 this week as I have been battling the ergonomics of it. The NS5 still as such a defined and clear B string that the benefits of the Ding where just not there for me and I was getting wrist issues in certain songs with it. (fast songs at full reach)

LHZ in the NS5 elevated it yet again. Now to bring my euro back to life.

 

[scuzzy]

Sadly, this ck-4 is going back to GC tomorrow. With the saddles bottomed and the neck straight, action is still a bit higher than my preference. Shame, it sounds and plays really nice. Very pleased with the build of this Korean made Spector.

 

[Barticus]

Sadly, this ck-4 is going back to GC tomorrow. With the saddles bottomed and the neck straight, action is still a bit higher than my preference. Shame, it sounds and plays really nice. Very pleased with the build of this Korean made Spector.

Pictures?
It's been less than 12hrs since receiving in -3° weather… might be worth letting it sit overnight IMO

 

[scuzzy]

Pictures?
It's been less than 12hrs since receiving in -3° weather… might be worth letting it sit overnight IMO

Inside of box was 55* when I got it, temps were up to 23* outside at that time. I let it sit for 2 hours. Then started messing. I'll check in the morning, but I don't think I can get the saddles as low as I like. E string is at 2.5mm at the 12th bottomed out. Not terrible, but I'm pretty picky.

 

[scuzzy]

 

[_Some Dude]

View attachment 7157398

2.5mm with the saddles slammed, I was going to ask if the neck was bowed. Now I'm wondering if the knuckle duster is lifting the bridge up?

 

[scuzzy]

2.5mm with the saddles slammed, I was going to ask if the neck was bowed. Now I'm wondering if the knuckle duster is lifting the bridge up?

not bowed, and the knuckle thing goes around the bridge, not under. Neck is pretty straight, with minimal relief. I also tried with no relief. 12th fret was still too high for my liking. If it was a bolt on, I would do a very small shim, and all would be well.

I could file the saddles, sand the bottom side, or route the bridge recess. It's not terrible, but to me it's not worth it. For $300, i would do any of those things. But for $600, I'll just return and move on.

This does have me wanting to find a nice korean neck through though. really love this neck profile.

 

[Barticus]

not bowed, and the knuckle thing goes around the bridge, not under. Neck is pretty straight, with minimal relief. I also tried with no relief. 12th fret was still too high for my liking. If it was a bolt on, I would do a very small shim, and all would be well.

I could file the saddles, sand the bottom side, or route the bridge recess. It's not terrible, but to me it's not worth it. For $300, i would do any of those things. But for $600, I'll just return and move on.

This does have me wanting to find a nice korean neck through though. really love this neck profile.

That's a bummer, it's such a cool bass.

 

[johndb]

Thank you for your asking. Here, it is on Reverb:
https://reverb.com/item/86731567-sp...ng-electric-bass-guitar-trans-cherry-red-ohsc

Yes, for sure those are sloppy fitting inlays. Unfortunately, they are routing the fingerboard openings much too large for the inlays, then setting them in colored epoxy which fills the gaps. Maybe the US produced basses have tighter fitting inlays.

 

[LowzFreq]

Is this the new model with the Legacy preamp?

Sorry for the late reply, it's been a while since I last logged on. The preamp is a tonepump
but I don't have it anymore because the varnish started to crack on the screw thread of the battery case, so the store took it back and refunded my money.
And I was able to find another, the same model elsewhere.

 

[Bass Viking]

Wow that is cold!

I knew the minute that i started playing the NS5 that it would be my main guitar. So much so I sold my beloved Dingwall AB1 this week as I have been battling the ergonomics of it. The NS5 still as such a defined and clear B string that the benefits of the Ding where just not there for me and I was getting wrist issues in certain songs with it. (fast songs at full reach)

This is how I felt about my Dingwall Afterburner. Especially the first few frets on the B string, the finger stretch was uncomfortable. A number of 34" scale basses I've owned had a low B that was more than good enough!

 

[Bass Viking]

not bowed, and the knuckle thing goes around the bridge, not under. Neck is pretty straight, with minimal relief. I also tried with no relief. 12th fret was still too high for my liking. If it was a bolt on, I would do a very small shim, and all would be well.

I could file the saddles, sand the bottom side, or route the bridge recess. It's not terrible, but to me it's not worth it. For $300, i would do any of those things. But for $600, I'll just return and move on.

This does have me wanting to find a nice korean neck through though. really love this neck profile.

An option that wouldn't require modifying the bass is to use taper wound strings e.g. Labella Supersteps. They sit lower in the bridge saddle.

 

[adamrobertt]

You can't really assess action without making sure the nut is at the correct height.

Try holding down each string at the first fret and measuring the action at the last fret. Will give you a more accurate picture of the true string action.

If this measurement differs significantly with the open string at the 12th, you probably need to file the nut slots.

 

[VeryTallBassist]

not bowed, and the knuckle thing goes around the bridge, not under. Neck is pretty straight, with minimal relief. I also tried with no relief. 12th fret was still too high for my liking. If it was a bolt on, I would do a very small shim, and all would be well.

I could file the saddles, sand the bottom side, or route the bridge recess. It's not terrible, but to me it's not worth it. For $300, i would do any of those things. But for $600, I'll just return and move on.

This does have me wanting to find a nice korean neck through though. really love this neck profile.

I've got one in the classifieds.... just sayin'

 

[9YGBass]

Got a 2004 Legend 5 a month or so ago and just can't get the tone right. It's too tinny and thin for me. It has the J bridge pickup and HB Bridge pickup.I replace the EMG Pre with a LHZ 02 I had. Wanting to replace the pickups next. Does anyone have and recommendations? Currently has EMG HZs. Want EMGs just don't know where to start. I would like to get it closer to my Pulse 4 that also has an LHZ-03.

 

[Ellery]

Yes, for sure those are sloppy fitting inlays. Unfortunately, they are routing the fingerboard openings much too large for the inlays, then setting them in colored epoxy which fills the gaps. Maybe the US produced basses have tighter fitting inlays.

Might vary specimen to specimen, suppose I should inspect carefully when buying used.

 

[Drifter8230]

Got a 2004 Legend 5 a month or so ago and just can't get the tone right. It's too tinny and thin for me. It has the J bridge pickup and HB Bridge pickup.I replace the EMG Pre with a LHZ 02 I had. Wanting to replace the pickups next. Does anyone have and recommendations? Currently has EMG HZs. Want EMGs just don't know where to start. I would like to get it closer to my Pulse 4 that also has an LHZ-03.

I swapped the EMG-HZ pickups out of my Rebop for EMG-DC 40 series pickups and it was a new bass. I also swapped the Aguilar preamp for an EMG BQC...but if you've got the LHZ preamp in there a set of active EMGSs should do it for you.

I also swapped out a set of Bartolini pickups in my Euro for EMG-X pickups, and I like the X-series even more than the DC series.

 

[Ellery]

Got a 2004 Legend 5 a month or so ago and just can't get the tone right. It's too tinny and thin for me. It has the J bridge pickup and HB Bridge pickup.I replace the EMG Pre with a LHZ 02 I had. Wanting to replace the pickups next. Does anyone have and recommendations? Currently has EMG HZs. Want EMGs just don't know where to start. I would like to get it closer to my Pulse 4 that also has an LHZ-03.

I'm sorry you are having this problem, that is such a nice bass. I have a 2004/5 legend five with the same pick ups, and when I got it, I had it in my mind that I was going to put active EMG and an LHZ in it. But I played it for a little while first and I found that all the tones I wanted were there with the passive EMGs and the B30 preamp. Actually I was surprised, I really thought some mods would be necessary. What is your signal chain and amp rig?

 

[Reedt2000]

Got a 2004 Legend 5 a month or so ago and just can't get the tone right. It's too tinny and thin for me. It has the J bridge pickup and HB Bridge pickup.I replace the EMG Pre with a LHZ 02 I had. Wanting to replace the pickups next. Does anyone have and recommendations? Currently has EMG HZs. Want EMGs just don't know where to start. I would like to get it closer to my Pulse 4 that also has an LHZ-03.

Id go EMGX P at the neck and either DC (a little tighter, more focused) or reverse J (a little looser, more classic Spector) at the bridge. The reverse puts the coil on the neck side of the soapbar shell which i think is better for a legend cause the bridge pickup is really close to the bridge.