Sean

You've certainly come to the right place for modded Spectors [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=67071&st=20"]Go here[/url] and listen to Peter's and my clips of various NS5s and Euro5s with John East U-Retros and EMGs. I have had a small revelation today as you'll see. Tomorrow I'm fitting some (Kiwi Specials) Wizard Gems to my NS5 and seeing how they sound with the U-Retro.

Don't forget to add the cost of upgrading the preamp to the proper one

And for completeness and as a control comparison , I've done the same with my Euro4. [url="http://plunder.com/761d860f4c"]Spector Euro4 LX EMG P/J [/url]

I've done more samples now to reflect the pickup change so that both basses have a DC in the neck position and a J in the bridge. They still sound hugely different. [url="http://plunder.com/6307a138c4"]Spector NS-5XL EMG DC/J[/url] [url="http://plunder.com/8b92fddb63"]Spector Euro5 EMG DC/J[/url]

I've just found out the pickups in my NS5 are EMG-40Js The pickups in the Euro are EMG-40DC as expected. The big difference could be mainly due to the pickup difference. Th J pickups are dated 06 and 07 so are retro-fitted. I must say that these are monsters for single coil J pickups.

Lovely bass. What's that nut all about? Never seen one before.

A very unassuming couple asked us to learn Laid by James. We even double checked because of the lyrics but it's what they wanted. [i]This bed is on fire With passionate love The neighbours complain about the noises above But she only comes when she's on top My therapist said not to see you no more She said you're like a disease without any cure She said I'm so obsessed that I'm becoming a bore, oh no Ah, you think you're so pretty Caught your hand inside the till Slammed your fingers in the door Fought with kitchen knives and skewers Dressed me up in womens clothes Messed around with gender roles Dye my eyes and call me pretty Moved out of the house, so you moved next door I locked you out, you cut a hole in the wall I found you sleeping next to me, I thought I was alone You're driving me crazy, when are you coming home [/i] It's stayed in the set as it goes over very well.

[quote name='OldGit' post='655570' date='Nov 15 2009, 11:26 PM']I have a Bailey pork pie too but was planning to wear my Jaxon Newsboy cap [/quote] I quite fancy those but the Jaxon Deadman Topper is very tempting. I feel a dress code for the bash coming...

I've modified the links and used Plunder now.

I've not done the guessing game with these. I've recorded both my Euro 5LX and my NS-5XL which both have U-Retro preamps and are both strung with Elixirs of near enough the same condition, both basses have the same set up and both had EQ flat and pickup blend in the mid position. I recorded through a Pandora 5 with no effects. The riff I nicked earlier this evening from the Lakland website where it is used to demo sounds - it's called Fingerfunk. If it's not quite right, please forgive me, it was a quick transcription :blush: . The tracks were hurriedly recorded with Garageband and I used Drums On Demand Appleloops. My playing's a bit clunky but I came back from Italy yesterday with a couple of bottles of [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limoncello"]Lemoncello[/url] and opened one earlier. I haven't had a drink in months and it's hit me like a ton of... lemons. :brow: [url="http://plunder.com/77c6511a6e"]Spector Euro 5 Fingerfunk[/url] [url="http://plunder.com/1e6f920bce"]Spector NS5 Fingerfunk[/url]

Tough one. I think I'm going to have to use the headphones.... Ah, I remember your NS5 is Redwood/Walnut and you Euro5 is Maple/Alder. I'm guessing that the first one is the Euro5 as it's slightly tighter and sounds a bit more maple-ish (compressed). The second one is a bit warmer and I'm guessing is the Redwood/Walnut. 50/50, I'm either a genius or a fool. No, I'm definitely a fool for playing along.

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='658366' date='Nov 18 2009, 06:03 PM']being a bad bassist doesn't make me a bad person [/quote] No, very true. In the same way, me being a bad person is totally unrelated to my bad bass-playing, just a coincidence

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='658078' date='Nov 18 2009, 01:44 PM']I put the U-Retro Deluxe into the Euro yesterday and it's totally transformed it as a bass bringing it closer to the NS5XL.[/quote] Interesting, Peter. My NS5 (solid maple) and Euro 5 (poplar/walnut/alder sandwich) are hugely different in tone even though they have the same pups and preamp. Some people say that 90% of the sound of a bass comes from the pups and pre but I am now absolutely convinced beyond doubt that the wood plays a huge part. My Euro 4 (maple/walnut/alder) sounds very different again but there are more obvious differences like scale length and pick ups. Wizards haven't arrived yet but I can feel some before and after sound samples coming on...

I'm going to put some Wizard Gems in my NS-5XL just to see what they're like and how they get on with the U-Retro. I'm really intrigued by some of the reports I'm getting from CK and being a fettler I just have to have a go. There might be toggles on this bass yet, who knows I'll document the transplant for all to see and do some before and after sound files too. I don't know when the Wizards are arriving so please be patient.

I'm free so I'll come. It'll be my first ever Bash (of the bass kind, that is.) [b]Basses:[/b] [list] [*]Lakland DJ4 "AC" w/Chisonics [*]Lakland DJ4 LPB [*]Spector Euro4LX w/ U-Retro [*]Spector Euro5LX w/ U-Retro [*]Fender CIJ Precision OW w/ Badass and Wizard Stealth [*]Spector NS5-XL w/ U-Retro - (could have Kiwi-style Wizard Gems in by 29/11) [/list] [b]Other stuff:[/b] [list] [*]My Rack - Markbass LMK, Korg DTR2000, TC Electronic G-System, DHA rack preamp (if it's finished in time) and stuff all in a clever wheeled case. [*]Bergantino AE210 cabs. [*]Bailey Jett Pork Pie Hat [/list]

[quote name='Toasted' post='653603' date='Nov 13 2009, 01:59 PM']Greeneking's has a gloss coated body+neck, and many of these others look satin finished. What's the score there?[/quote] Some have a "high gloss" finish and some are oiled. Mine's oiled. I reckon there's a difference in tone between the two finishes but never done a direct A/B comparison of two instruments identical except for the finish.

[quote name='MythSte' post='653798' date='Nov 13 2009, 04:48 PM']80's Jap. But thats only because i know how good mine is![/quote] This is very true but new Jap stuff is fantastic. I've never seen one that wasn't superb. Personally I'd go for item no. 325928501 at [url="http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/"]Ishibashi Ubox[/url] but I've always had a weird man-crush on Duff I have a Jap P from the 90s and it's absolutely bangin'! I've gigged it solid for the last month and I just can't find a fault.

[quote name='Toasted' post='652328' date='Nov 12 2009, 09:53 AM']I didn't know we had so many NS-5XL owners here. Maybe some of you could post some pics for me to look at? [/quote] Click on the link in my sig for mine.

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='652281' date='Nov 12 2009, 08:56 AM']As Sean says, the all maple instruments do have a compressed response when popping. I like that personally. I have custom made Wizards in both mine to pump up the warmth, sweeten the attack and supply coil splitting. The single coil response is really nice too, a bit more definition in the mids.[/quote] Are you using toggles to do the coil splitting or what? I'm seriously thinking about using the splittable EMGs in place of the existing ones but don't want to spoil the look with mini-toggles. Just a thought on this slapping volume issue... If the Hazlab preamp is running flat out or high you may be getting clipping in the amp which will cause a loss in output. Is it a Spector/Hazlab unit or is one of the other preamps that they fit? Like an Aguilar?

I have East U-Retros in all my Spectors and they suit the EMGs beautifully. My NS-5XL is slightly quieter than Euros (maple vs. maple/alder and maple/poplar) but I don't have an issue with volume when slapping though if it's a solid maple one you will find that the wood has a natural compression effect to it. I wasn't over the moon with the original pre in the NS-5XL and I swapped it out after only one gig and rehearsal and the U-Retro is a panacea that I wouldn't be without. I'd suggest that it isn't the pickups but the preamp. Lots of stuff on fitting East preamps to Spectors on here if you do the search.

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='652066' date='Nov 11 2009, 10:20 PM']I did a 110 mile round trip for years and it only stopped because the singer split. Distance is less of an issue if the group is right for you. Now I have less than a 3 mile round trip but I'm less busy. Happy with it though[/quote] Mine's a 110 mile roundtrip every Saturday. Rehearsal room is free for us and we use the place to store gear too. I also write this up as expenses, the mileage is brilliant at reducing tax bills We generally use the rehearsal space from 11am or 12pm to about 6pm on a Saturday so it's a long session and worthwhile. It's absolutely the right band too so it never becomes a chore.

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='651290' date='Nov 11 2009, 08:13 AM']I reason that if you switch to passive to cope with the onset of a low battery then the pickups will drain a lot less and be less effected by a reduced voltage.[/quote] Cunning

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='650896' date='Nov 10 2009, 06:07 PM']So that will be vol/blend, treble cut and boost/bass boost (with bright pull), sweepable mid frequency/mid cut and boost, passive tone (with pull for passive) and no switches.[/quote] Peter, will the push/pull "de-active" the pickups too? I tried running my EMGs in the NS5 with the U-Retro off and it sounded really thin and horrible. John East is fab - he did a modded U-Retro for my Spector Euro 5 and I'm absolutely over the moon with it. If anyone is thinking of putting a U-Retro in a 4-Knob Spector, you can do it with a standard 3-stack U-Retro. You just tuck the toggle switches away in the cavity and use a spare pot with an extra East knob (ordered seperately) in the spare hole; it means you have a functionless redundant knob (yes, I know there's miles of material in that statement ) but it will look good and you can do the upgrade to your Spector using a second hand U-Retro (£100 ish). I've done this exact thing to my Euro 4 and its great.