cetera

I know there are quite a few people, myself & Eldon included, who haven't bought one because of the poor bursts. They'd sell even more if they sorted them out

Like one of these please 😉💜🎸

Dark purple quilt would be awesome, not pinky-purple though...

I have an original solid maple Euro 4 (pre-LX) in that exact colour with a lovely quilt but without the DW neck. Looks and plays lovely! It was a standard colour back in the day....

Congrats! The holy grail 💜💜💜

They WERE there, but only one head and cab on the new European distributors stall in the guitar area of the show. NOT the new heads though as they haven't shipped over here yet.

Interesting words from amp/cab maker Phil Jones: "Why It’s Impossible to Manufacture Bass Amplifiers & Loudspeakers in the U.S. Without China—A Reality Check By Me: Phil Jones, Founder of Phil Jones Bass With over 40 years of experience in amplifier and loudspeaker manufacturing, having owned factories in the UK, the U.S., and now China, I have witnessed firsthand the global shift in production. The idea of manufacturing amplifiers and loudspeakers entirely in the United States—without relying on China—is not just unrealistic, it’s economically impossible. And even if someone attempted it, the final price would be nearly five times higher than the same product made in China or Southeast Asia. The Industry Shift: Why Manufacturing Left the U.S. Since the early 1990s, the loudspeaker and amplifier industry has gradually relocated from the U.S. and Europe to Southeast Asia. Initially, production shifted to Taiwan and Thailand, but today, China dominates. The reason is simple: China built an unmatched supply chain, workforce, and cost-efficiency that no Western country can compete with. In the past, speaker manufacturers in the U.S. could still source components domestically. There were factories producing cones, voice coils, magnet assemblies, steel frames, and crossovers. But over the years, these facilities shut down because they couldn’t compete with the lower costs of overseas production. Today, virtually every speaker and amplifier company—regardless of where they are "assembled"—depends on Chinese-made components. What Would It Take to Make a 100% American-Made Amplifier? If you were to start a fully domestic amplifier and loudspeaker production facility in the U.S., you’d face insurmountable obstacles: 1. Raw Material Sourcing is Impossible Without China Neodymium Magnets: China controls 90% of the world’s neodymium supply, which is critical for high-performance loudspeakers. Steel & Aluminum: Used in speaker frames and amplifier chassis, these materials are cheaper in China due to government subsidies and high domestic production. Paper Cones: Most cone paper pulp comes from Southeast Asia. No U.S. company produces high-performance speaker cones anymore. 2. Electronic Components Are Made in Asia PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards): Nearly all amplifier PCBs come from China or Taiwan. There is no cost-effective alternative in the U.S. Capacitors, Resistors, and Semiconductors: Essential amplifier components, all mass-produced in Asia. Wiring, Connectors, and Power Supplies: Even the smallest parts—like jacks, power switches, and wiring harnesses—are imported. 3. Labor Costs Would Skyrocket In China, skilled factory workers earn between $500-$800 per month. In the U.S., that same job would cost $3,000-$4,000 per month, plus healthcare and benefits. Assembly line automation in the U.S. would cost millions in investment—still unable to compete with the highly skilled yet affordable workforce in Asia. 4. Factory Setup Would Be Astronomically Expensive China already has fully developed speaker and amplifier factories with optimized processes. A new U.S. factory would require hundreds of millions in infrastructure costs. The break-even point would take decades. The Cost Reality—Five Times More Expensive Let’s take an amplifier that sells for $1,000 today when manufactured in China. If it were made in the U.S., here’s how costs would change: "If an amplifier sells for $1,000 when manufactured in China, producing the exact same product in the U.S. would drastically increase costs. The raw materials, such as magnets and steel, would rise from around $100 to $250 or more. The cost of PCBs and electronic components, which are predominantly made in Asia, would jump from $150 to over $400. Speaker components like cones, voice coils, and frames would go from $200 to $600 or more since there is no longer any domestic supply chain for these parts. Labor and assembly costs would surge from $50 in China to over $300 in the U.S., and factory overhead would increase from $100 to at least $500 due to higher wages, regulations, and operational expenses. In the end, a product that costs $600 to produce in China would cost over $2,000 to make in the U.S., which means the final retail price would rise from $1,000 to somewhere between $3,500 and $5,000—making it completely unviable for the average musician. This means that a product which sells for $1,000 when made in China would likely cost $3,500 to $5,000 if made in the U.S. No consumer is going to pay that kind of premium for an identical product. What About Tariffs? Do They Help? Some believe that tariffs imposed on Chinese goods will bring manufacturing back to the U.S. That is a complete misunderstanding of how the industry works. Tariffs don’t rebuild factories—they just make products more expensive for consumers. U.S. manufacturers still need Chinese components, even if tariffs are added. If tariffs make Chinese production too costly, companies will simply move to Vietnam, Indonesia, or Mexico—not the U.S. The MAGA Myth: “I Only Buy American” Many Americans, particularly in the MAGA crowd, claim they refuse to buy "Chinese crap" and only support U.S. products. The reality? Even the most “American” brands rely on China. Harley-Davidson: Uses Chinese-made wiring, electronics, and even some engine components. Ford & GM: Source critical parts from China, from semiconductors to brake components. Gibson & Fender: Even their “Made in USA” guitars use imported tuning machines, bridges, and electronics. It is simply impossible to buy a fully American-made product unless it is a boutique, high-priced item with limited production. Final Thoughts: The Future of Manufacturing China is not just a low-cost labor market—it has developed the most advanced supply chain infrastructure in the world. No Western country can compete at the same scale and efficiency. While there will always be niche U.S. manufacturers assembling products domestically, mass production of loudspeakers and amplifiers will never return to America. The cost difference is too high, the industry expertise is long gone, and no amount of tariffs or political rhetoric can change that. As a manufacturer who has run factories in multiple countries, I can say with certainty: China is the present and future of loudspeaker and amplifier production. If you want high-quality products at reasonable prices, you have to accept that they will be made overseas. A fully American-made amplifier would be unaffordable for the average consumer. This is not about politics—it’s about economic reality."

Full curved NS body shape.

Yes, seen a few Pulse II's about on the used market! The Pulse I is pretty good as well. Seen those about too...

https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/immediate-family-qa-164125/ This is happening next Tuesday in London! Lee Sklar has shared on Facebook that he will be there for the Q&A.

I own 41 x Spectors of all years and models. I would take a £2k Euro over a current £5k US model any day. There's just not enough difference to justify £3k and the resale price drop on a US model would be more substantial due to the smaller market at that price. The thinnest neck is the 'Doug Wimbish' model (think 'Jazz' bass). Most comfortable necks are found on the old Kramer Spector NS2 (US), NS2A, NS2B, NS2C (all Korean) and Spector (Euro) 'Ian Hill' signature models (all are discontinued). On current models I believe the Ethos and Dimension HP have the most comfortable gloss necks. The Pulse II has an outstandingly comfortable smooth satin roasted maple neck. The Euro model does have a slightly chunkier neck but is the most accurate to the legendary US NS2 in all other ways, at a cheaper price and is the most popular model. There are various Euros though. The LX, the LT (with Barts - yuk!) and the weight relieved Euro Classic. IMHO the best all round value for money for me is the Pulse II though. Looks and feels great and with a preamp upgrade to the LHZ, or an EMG BTS it becomes a monster. https://www.spectorbass.com/series/pulse-ii-series/ If you need any further assistance please reach out!

Blimey..... hell must have frozen over., I'm actually finding myself nodding in agreement with a post by TimR No offence.... lol!

Not yet, sorry...

You old charmer, mate..... 🥰😘 Actually, it's just tied back...... what's left of it. It'll all be coming off at some point soon though, when I can be bothered... lol!

Splendid weekend of shows with From Gold To Rio (Spandau/Duran show). 99% sold out show at the lovely St Austell Keay Theatre on Friday to start off.... great sound... and staff were fab. Audience were up for a party from the get-go too 😃👍 Then it was off to the beautiful Littlecote House (a Warners Hotel) for our Saturday show. A stunning (and haunted) place... with a posh venue within. Audience older and not as demonstrably enthusiastic as the night before but they seemed to enjoy it, so job done!)

Very nice! If that's a DC in the bridge just upgrade the neck to the P version 1st and then see if you like it combined with the DC in the bridge. Many people do..... so it might save you money on the J in the bridge.

News just in.... Canadian prog rock band 'Rush' have introduced a devastating 5/8 tariff on all tempo exports to the United States....

I'm looking forward to playing with Duran Duran/Spandau Ballet tribute show 'From Gold to Rio' at St Austell Keay Theatre tomorrow (Friday) and at the Warners Hotel 'Littlecoate Hall' near Hungerford on Saturday

Cracking day at the show yesterday.... lots of fab product and a perfect networking opportunity with not only fellow bassists, but some of the manufacturers and distributors too. It was lovely to hang out with Pete from Barnes & Mullins (Spector), the @Bass Direct chaps, @walshy & @AndyTravis, Clive and Andrew at Anaconda in the bass room..... as well as my good mates Chris Childs (Thunder) & Mike Hicks I almost didn't visit the guitard show downstairs, but glad I did as there were also some tasty basses down there from AC Guitars and many others. Was great to meet Tom at Audio Distribution Group who are now handling Gallien-Krueger.... and also to chat to the D'Addario chaps about endorsement opportunities. Will definitely be there next year!

Damn, you're making an old bassist blush! lol! 😊 So lovely to finally meet you in person too mate! And, of course, Walshy as well.... So many stunning basses and I finally got to try that ebony Ripper!

I hope so, that's what I'm doing....!

Yep, enjoying these. Seen the Gene and Tom Morello ones. Will watch the Wolfie one soon but not sure I can face the Sharon Osbourne one...