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That unmistakable Spector tone.

#6
it's a combination of a few things if you're talking about the NS2 sound that everyone knows. EMG pickups, neck through construction with heavy ass hardware, and the hazlab preamp which makes a little natural overdrive, and the aforementioned elves. oh, and all that maple. :)
 
#9
NS2A said:
I've always wondered if EMG's in a Pedulla would produce the same result?
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hard to say without knowing a couple of things.

is it a neck through or bolt on bass? will the pickups be placed in the same positions? will it have the same preamp? in the old MVP basses, which is probably the most comparable to the spector (all maple construction, neck through, 24 fret) the p pickup is arranged in the traditional P bass format with the E and A string coil closer to the neck than the D and G string. Spector reverses this layout. that by itself will yield a different result. Depending on the preamp it could also sound pretty different. Spectors definitely sound different depending on the preamp.
 
#10
j.kernodle said:
hard to say without knowing a couple of things.

is it a neck through or bolt on bass? will the pickups be placed in the same positions? will it have the same preamp? in the old MVP basses, which is probably the most comparable to the spector (all maple construction, neck through, 24 fret) the p pickup is arranged in the traditional P bass format with the E and A string coil closer to the neck than the D and G string. Spector reverses this layout. that by itself will yield a different result. Depending on the preamp it could also sound pretty different. Spectors definitely sound different depending on the preamp.
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+1000

The preamp makes a world of difference. I always liked the sound of my CRFM (EMG pre) and Euro LX (TonePump pre) basses, but the first time I heard my USA NS-2 with its Spector/Haz Labs 9-volt preamp, I knew I'd found the sound I had been searching many long years for. :bassist:
 
#11
what about the actual amp itself? I find tube amps with the gain cranked right up really gives that ballsy sound we all love, in addition to the pre-amp on my Legend 4. I have a Marshall MB4210 which has a solid state channel and a tube channel and with the solid state it just doesnt give that same Spector tone that the tube channel gives. But then I'm just comparing to other Spector artists I like such as Rex Brown and Mike Starr who used tube amps or overdrive effects
 
#12
j.kernodle said:
hard to say without knowing a couple of things.

is it a neck through or bolt on bass? will the pickups be placed in the same positions? will it have the same preamp? in the old MVP basses, which is probably the most comparable to the spector (all maple construction, neck through, 24 fret) the p pickup is arranged in the traditional P bass format with the E and A string coil closer to the neck than the D and G string. Spector reverses this layout. that by itself will yield a different result. Depending on the preamp it could also sound pretty different. Spectors definitely sound different depending on the preamp.
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I was thinking the MVP which is all maple, neck thru and has a big bridge.

I think the reverse P and regular P will make a difference, you should get the vibe (or not) either way.

I had an Ibanez Doug Wimish model that had the P/J soapbars and a heavy bridge. The neck was maple/bubina and the body wings are ash. I put a tonepump in it thinking it it should sound real close to a Spector and it really didn't. Now it COULD have been the soapbars, but shouldn't have been.

My basswood body bolt on neck Ibanez with P/P EMG's/Tomepump sound closer to a spector with a pick. Fingers not so much.
 
#14
Noob question for all Spector experts...
I have been playing a USA 1997 4 string, with soapbar pickups, sounds incredible, that is what a Spector should sound like to me, however, I also have been playing a 5 string USA bolt on with just one pickup that looks like two single coils together, anyway, it sounds nothing like the other one.

Also, been playing a Euro 5 string that sounds nothing like the USA 4 string, and finally a Korean neckthru Rex model that sounds nothing like the USA.

So, can anyone tell me what these other models are supposed to sound like? I believe the previous owner modified them all with Aguilar preamps. I'm just trying to get them all to be as close in sound as the 1997 USA 4 string, that plays and sounds amazing.
 
#17
j.kernodle said:
I think that's a part of it but not the the biggest part. I had a Bart equipped MVP pedulla that sounded nothing like a Spector and it was all maple. I had an all maple ken smith bass that also sounded nothing like a Spector. on the other hand I played a walnut winged NS2 reissue that sounded very much like the traditional Spector tone.
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hmm I take that back then , Brass nut maybe :D
 

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