Sean

2 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

Nil points  

You beat me to it, Chris. 

These VAVs don't know what they're missing. And a valve pre-amp with a Class D is like Guinness Zero (I knows, I got one).

I don't have a No.1 per se, they're all favorites for different reasons. 

With the "drive-time Rock covers" band, I use a pair of Spectors (a Euro 4 and a Euro LX 4) that have the same pickups, same pre-amps, same set-up spec, same Eb standard tuning and same strings. It's run/standby redundancy. They're tools, albeit very pretty ones, to do a job. 

With the "obscure covers" band, I use a Spector Euro 5 LX with a BBP35 as backup, although I would like to find a Euro 5 or NS5CR. All four are absolute peaches but they get used out in the real world. 

I have basses that don't go out at the moment but that's mainly because they aren't what I use in these bands. They've all been gigged in the past except the one Spector and that's just because it's new and I haven't taken it to jam night yet. 

These are the bomb. I use mine with a Spector with EMGs (proper ones, not the X versions) and the HAZ clone pre, through GK amps and I kid you not, even punters tell me my bass sounds good. 

Is this neck-thru?

That'll sort it. Probably double the cost of the pickups but...

.145

I've just got back in from seeing SatchVai Band in Wolverhampton. 

Two words...

Kenny Aronoff. 

I've seen him a couple of times before but I swear he keeps getting better. He can do it all. It was like like 2 hours of some guitar blokes and Marco Mendoza keeping Kenny company while he wiped the floor with 99.99% of other drummers. And he's 72 and as fit as a butcher's dog. 

The people I went with said that the guitar playing was decent but then again, I wouldn't have thought Kenny would have played with anybody shoddy for a minute 😉

It's a Mesa thing. I've searched and searched and can't find it but there was an article or some written explanation by Randall Smith about why they did it that way. It used to annoy me when I gigged my 400+, Carbine M9 and Walkabout. The explanation made sense from a tone point of view but was in practice, nothing but an inconvenience.

I ended up using a DI and that just killed the whole point of having the Mesa as a gigging amp. Only the band could hear it.

I still love Mesa amps, though but it'll be a GK Fusion 550 behind me on Friday evening. 

On 15/06/2025 at 19:40, SteveXFR said:

I took my Euro LX along to an audition today. It sounded amazing. The band is fairly chilled our alt rock so I wasn't sure if the Spector might be a bit out of place but it was spot on, it cut through lovely and had a huge bottom end. 

I swapped to my Fender P bass after a couple hours but after the Spector, it just didn't hit the spot and felt a bit awkward. 

The band must have liked it, they asked me to come back next week. 

That's so positive to hear, Steve.  I've had a similar experience with my new band recently. 

What rig are you playing the Euro LX through? 

I'm back where I was 15 years ago playing Spectors with HAZ preamps through GK heads into modern quality cabs. 

How is this still here? Really?

Simple rock covers band board. 

A pedal snake covers all connections: instrument chain to amp, send and return loop and 9v power. They all sit on a PedalTrain Nano.

Right to Left:

1. SFX Microthumpinator (essential, wonderful, genius).

2. Korg Pitchblack XS Bass tuner (novelty over-priced trendy bass-specific tuner)

3. Origin Effects DCX Bass (always on posh tone enhancer/drive, sparkle box).

4. Origin Effects Cali76 Compressor (always on posh compressor)

5. TC Electronic Chorus (uses TonePrint Duff Chorus but dialled down a bit. Used for quite a lot of the set). 

26 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Me too. Probably get told its wrong (by the guitarist), and no one else will notice 🤣

Let's compare notes. 

3 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

I guess my biggest surprise is all the tutorials over the past 30+ years have all been wrong. 

Right then, I'm going to play it that way at full rehearsal next week and see if I get a reaction. I'll let you know.

I've played that song for years and it's one of those that in the verses I improvise. A bit different every time. My band are all over any harmonic anomalies and no one ever says a word.

I bought an Ibanez from Graham and it was an excellent transaction throughout. great comms, everything up to scratch. 

Another great Basschatter.

It's a superb example of Carol Kaye's bass of choice from 2002. These don't come up too often.  Condition is remarkable for the age. It's even got the plastic film on the cavity covers. It's Korean-built and we know they know how to do neck-through properly. The build quality is stunning as is the grain of the ash wings.

The neck profile is what I'd call slim modern J.

Controls are: Vol, Blend, Treble, Bass. 

It's been deep cleaned and set up beautifully (med/low) with D'Addario EXL170BT strings. that's a balanced tension set. As per all my rosewood board instruments, it's been treated with Montypresso. Frets are level and polished to 7000 grit. 

All electronics have been checked and all pots cleaned. New battery fitted today. Truss rod is perfect. 

It's 4.4kg.

I've got proper packaging and am happy to ship insured at buyers expense, which will be about £30. 

If you're undecided and fancy trying it out, I can usually accommodate a try-out with some notice weekdays or weekends. 

I've never before had a rig that has a sound that gets so many positive comments. I've got some amazing amps full of bottles that I love dearly but a "proper" 😉 Spector into a Cali76 then into the big GK Fusion 550 through a Barefaced (or two) is where we've got to. 

@deadbabies nice bass.  There's a very knowledgeable group of Spectorphiles here if you need any help or support with any technical questions you get. 

Good luck with the sale. 

Subtle but Handy Mod for Older Spectors

One of today's little jobs on the bench was to address a very minor niggle that some of us have with older Spectors.

I converted a Euro 4 and a Euro 5LX so that they now have captive brass ferrules and machine screws holding the rear cover on instead of the old self-tapping wood screws. 

I put a 3mm drill through the holes on the cover and used a sharp countersink to give the countersunk screws somewhere to sit.

I drilled out the existing screw holes to 3.5mm to accommodate the ferrules and popped them in with a deadblow fretting hammer (total overkill but it's a lovely tool). All done.

I think is the very one.

How close are we to helping the OP in making a decision on what to buy?

😉

It has the 2.5mm hex intonation adjustment screws and screws either side to lock the saddles.

It's off a 2017 Euro 4 LX. It's gold.

It weighs 442g.

It's pretty much as new and came off an NOS bass. 

It's a useful upgrade for Spectors that don't have the adjustment screws.

1 hour ago, BassTractor said:

Indeed: please change the click bait thread title, @Sean
It's not funny, and even if this was not on purpose, I have no words ...

There you go.

Stuart Zender on this video. Fabulous. What an influence. At such a young age too.

What post-Jamiroquai should we be listening to? He really dropped off the radar. Well as far as I could see.

So many great bassists have fake deaths here on Basschat. Yet again I thought we'd lost one.

Oooh, I've got an idea.