Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Why is Spector so popular on TB?
- Thread starter Just Wrong
- Start date
I want to try out a spector. I like pj's (and _j's). Also, a preamp = more headroom, and the guy mixing likes to have more headroom. Seems to make sense to me.
Incidentally, I saw Priest live last year and Ian Hill's bass tone was friggin' amazing!!Because the guy from Judas Priest plays one?
I don’t claim to know anything about Spector’s popularity here on TB. But most Spector players seem hang out in their club thread when they talk about them. I don’t see much mention or discussion of them elsewhere on TB.
However, in the Metal world Spector and Warwick 5-strings are very popular due to their tone which is pretty much the quintessential Metal bass sound.
However, in the Metal world Spector and Warwick 5-strings are very popular due to their tone which is pretty much the quintessential Metal bass sound.
Last edited:
IMHO Spector is not that popular, but I would like to try one. I like a very clear and focused tone that has growly, grindy mids. AFAIK these are hallmarks of the Spector sound...at least for the vintage basses.
Doesn't mean you will like a Spector.
I suspect I would like the sound and the way a Spector plays. But AFAIK they are prone to neck dive, which IMHO is a huge negative.
I wonder if that’s a more recent phenomenon? My late 90s Euro is one of the best balanced basses I own. But is one of the bolt-on models rather than a neck-thru. Interestingly, most of the basses I’ve played that exhibited noticeable neck dive were neck-throughs, so I wonder if that is a contributing factor in the equation.
Still, some (but not all) Spectators can be on the heavy side. Alejandra Villanova of The Warning recently got her own signature Spector and requested it have a redwood body to keep the weight down. So now I’m hoping Spector will start doing more basses with lighter woods going forward.
First, I have always been interested in Spectors (outside of the already mentioned Mike Starr w/ Alice In Chains), because of Doug Wimbish and his work on Living Colour's killer album Stain (and everything since). If you're not familiar, go check that out now.
Not only are Spectors ergonomically different than most basses, but they are great if you want easy access to the entire neck, if you slap, tap, play with a pick, or use any kind of modern playing style, while also being very versatile for traditional tone and playing styles as well.
They can get clean, crisp, punchy and cutting if you want them to be. Not to say that other basses can't, but they were one of the very early basses that delivered this type of tone. Being first, or early, carries some weight.
At one point, 30-40+ years ago, they were one of the few basses that sounded like they do, while also looking nice, being well-build, well-designed and engineered, offering modern tones and playability, etc. They're still made today, and the company has gone through a lot of changes, which makes discussion about Spector's different eras and models a topic with a lot of angles to discuss, a lot of different interested parties over a long period of time, etc.
To your original question, a LOT of things are popular on Talkbass, and popularity ebbs and flows, but originality, uniqueness, quality, good tone and playability, etc. will always garner attention. They're collectible, they're expensive, they're hard to come by, and even the "budget" models not made in the U.S. aren't available in an ultra-cheap version, so perception of quality is maintained.
At the end of the day, all you need to start a cult is one really charismatic guy with some time on his hands. Maybe that's how the Spector fan page at TB got started and still gets so much action (compared to Ken Smith, Pedulla, Sadowsky, Alembic, Steinberger, Carl Thompson, etc.).
Not only are Spectors ergonomically different than most basses, but they are great if you want easy access to the entire neck, if you slap, tap, play with a pick, or use any kind of modern playing style, while also being very versatile for traditional tone and playing styles as well.
They can get clean, crisp, punchy and cutting if you want them to be. Not to say that other basses can't, but they were one of the very early basses that delivered this type of tone. Being first, or early, carries some weight.
At one point, 30-40+ years ago, they were one of the few basses that sounded like they do, while also looking nice, being well-build, well-designed and engineered, offering modern tones and playability, etc. They're still made today, and the company has gone through a lot of changes, which makes discussion about Spector's different eras and models a topic with a lot of angles to discuss, a lot of different interested parties over a long period of time, etc.
To your original question, a LOT of things are popular on Talkbass, and popularity ebbs and flows, but originality, uniqueness, quality, good tone and playability, etc. will always garner attention. They're collectible, they're expensive, they're hard to come by, and even the "budget" models not made in the U.S. aren't available in an ultra-cheap version, so perception of quality is maintained.
At the end of the day, all you need to start a cult is one really charismatic guy with some time on his hands. Maybe that's how the Spector fan page at TB got started and still gets so much action (compared to Ken Smith, Pedulla, Sadowsky, Alembic, Steinberger, Carl Thompson, etc.).
Spectors are power house basses, where punch and clarity are undeniable. I remember when I got my first Spector, I had also just gotten my first US Stingray, and was loving it. Then when I plugged in the Rebop 5, and played it for a few days straight, when I finally got around to plugging in the Stingray 5 again, it just seemed “weak” in comparison, and I’ve been a Spector guy ever since
Inez does play a Spector, but in that video he's playing a Warwick.
His main bass is a silverburst Warwick Streamer (which has an NS body shape).
His Spector is red. I think he uses it for drop D or drop C#.
I first saw and played one in the early 90's maybe as early as 89. Pedulla and German Warwicks as well. I did not particularly care for them. Flirted with a couple on sale during the COVID year one US , one Czech, still no. I also got my Pedulla back that year and balance wise the Pedulla was much better and the sound of the Pedulla to me is more versatile. I think the paint job on the Spector was better. I definitely give them that.
Let's just say that I'll rather have a Warwick or a MIJ BTB Ibanez than a Spector. But I understood why some are die hard fans.
Let's just say that I'll rather have a Warwick or a MIJ BTB Ibanez than a Spector. But I understood why some are die hard fans.
I learned of a bunch of brands I never heard of when I joined TB. And lots of enthusiasm for brands I never considered decent basses. I'm not sure Spector is "popular" on here, but it's a big community, with people around the world, so a lot more Spector fans than one is likely to encounter in a small or medium community.
Frankly I'm more surprised how popular Gibson, Guild and Rickenbacker are, but it's the same kind of thing.
Frankly I'm more surprised how popular Gibson, Guild and Rickenbacker are, but it's the same kind of thing.
Well I'll be damned, you're right! Never looked that close till now. Still awesome!
Another great design from Ned Steinberger
I’ve only played the Czech Euro models....all were superbly made.
It’s great Spector are still going and musicians enjoy their instruments
I’ve only played the Czech Euro models....all were superbly made.
It’s great Spector are still going and musicians enjoy their instruments
I think Spectors are somewhat unique in that there are die hard metal players who swear by them but they are also used in lots of other genres like pop. They are pretty highly regarded in the metal and hard rock scenes which I think helps their reach a lot.
