About the spector. Probly top 2 favorite brands for me but i had the same problem you did with with one. Preamp was insanely hot. And everyone said it was the sound guy not knowing how to do his job.
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Worst bass = the bass I just sold
Best bass = the bass I just bought
Rinse, repeat.

To be fair I weighed the Rick comment heavier despite receiving an SX with a dead pickup and a broken nut. Those were easy fixes on a cheap bass. I had an old Gibson EB something or another way back in the day (SG shaped 2 pickups) that sounded like pewp and played horribly, but that model isn't really in the same league as a Rick 4001 or a Fender Jazz.
I'm also half expecting this thread to be closed, hate threads rarely thrive for long.
my first bass was by far the worst of the three i've owned. it was a late 60s early 70s copy of a gibson eb. i don't think it even had a logo on the headstock. for the first six months, or so, i would pick up the bass, put the strap over my shoulder, take a couple of deep breaths and close my eyes before playing because i knew what was coming. the action was so high, even after a setup, playing it caused my fingers to bleed after just a few minutes. every time i played that thing i had to wipe the blood off of the fingerboard. even thinking of it now brings a shutter along my spine!
my brother was home on leave and i rode along with him to a music shop in toledo called Ron's Music. he was looking for some speakers and i wandered over to the bass isle. there on display, in all it's glory, hung a brand new 1978 natural T-40. it was like in cartoons when everything else goes dark but a spotlight was shining on that peavey. no more bloody fingerboards for me and i can still remember the new bass smell every time i opened that case.
It was my first bass, a squier precision 5 string, two jazz style pickups, heavy as all get out, massive string spacing. It's funny when I bought that bass, I think I was 11 years old the salesman said that it was "better" because it was a 5 string and that I should get one now because ill eventually want one down the road. I thought it was hilarious for years to come until now, as I own 2 five string basses, a 6 string, and a 7 string......

I own it right now. The headstock is my Avatar(up ^ left < of post)
But it looks beautiful, has my name on it and was a gift from and very special singer.
So there it hangs in the studio. The list of things wrong and out of whack with it's playability are too numerous to list but I'll never utter a word of displeasure....except to my TB pals.
It is truly a "wall hanger, period"
How did high action cause your fingers to bleed? That sounds terrible.
This one
Ibanez AEB10BBE
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I bought it brand new. This is what I received.
Decal falling off and lots of wax by the neck.
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A nice factory fresh scuff.
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Sweet headstock ding.
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Horribly misaligned A tuner.
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Another super terrific body blem!
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my first bass back in 2002 was a cort p copy. cost 129. that thing is still kicking and sounds great.
funny to see the contrasting good and bad experiences within a brand