Sean

A used Spector Euro 4 LX.

Thank you very much for your message. We have now closed your ticket after resolving the issue beyond reproach.

Next!

There's a lot of Spector activity going on behind the curtain right now (not necessarily my curtain or the one in Warwickshire). All will be revealed soon, I'm sure.

Anyway, I think I need to press the emergency Spector button > @cetera to get some advice.

I saw this https://rurumusic.ocnk.net/product/1435

Read the description. 3kg? It's got paulownia backs on the wings,  roasted maple neck and board. 4A maple on the front of the wings. 

Are we thinking that a strap is going to stop this neck-diving?  Surely this is engineered to hit the deck?

Is roasted maple that much lighter than "raw" maple that it balances with Empresswood (Paulownlia)?

I had a custom G&L L2500 with lots of Empresswood in the body once. Very light, a bit divey.

For those you ancient enough to remember, I wonder what wisdom BigBeefChief would offer if he read this thread?

14 hours ago, FugaziBomb said:

When I was planning out the rig, I posted a few times looking for specific info on biamping only to literally be called an idiot for wanting to do that.  I did it anyway and after a few years really perfected the art.

So, whoever that was, was calling Tom Petersson, Billy and Geddy idiots too.

I think a lot of the people subscribing to this have been incredibly patient and forgiving of something that is just not reliable and never going to deliver. The lack of comms is what gets to me.

It's a nice gesture but if it were me, I'd have kicked it into touch a while back.

6 hours ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

I once also owned this beauty. Again, Japan only run (signature bass for Layer, bassist in the Japanses band RAS (Raise a Suilen)). Only sold it because of the chunky neck.

 

 

Who did you sell it to? 

I reckon there’s probably a dangerous fault with it and we should do a product recall...

When it comes to charity events I've always taken a hard line with venues expecting bands to play for free (in reality, at a loss).

I've asked the venue whether the bar staff are working unpaid shifts and if the venue is making a loss on the event. Then I explain that if the band takes that booking, which will be at a loss to each member, it also fills the calendar for a potential paid booking.  The unpaid gigs were always the ones that divided opinion in bands and sometimes led to bitchy squabbles.

Some of the bigger charity events I've played in the past like British Heart Foundation and CF Trust pay really well as they value having a quality act to give the paying punters professional level value for money.

Not because of chops or technique but just the Bill Wymanness of it, Beast of Burden. Ended up watching Darryl Jones doing it live and copied what he does.

Actually it's really tough to emulate Bill Wyman's playing, it's just really odd, I find. Note choices, note placement, attack, it's all very unnatural to me. It's years since I played a Stones song but I suppose the approach I'd do next time is either copy Darryl or compose a DIY version and graft on the bits that stand out in the mix.

1 minute ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

Why is Japan always getting these cool special runs? Look at this beauty. That's how the CST is supposed to look like (just compare that with the amateurish bursts and washed out burls that we get to buy here, see page 3 in this thread for some examples in case you missed them):

 

 

 

Gorgeous. Maple. That one fits the brief of the CST.

I had a black cherry 5 that I bought from a Basschatter in about '08. This one looks nicer.

That's pretty much what I used.

I was over the Moon with my last order until "the wise one with the all-seeing eye" said, "another company trying to ingratiate themselves with their customers by sending out "free" landfill. You are the last person that needs another sticker or a ballpoint pen."

I will be putting comments on any future orders to politely decline free pens and stickers however because US and Euro Spectors are made of ethical wood, I'll be accepting those as alternatives.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/187080491926?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=VLVxzDI0Swq&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=6MnoMIQiQQC&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Now I need advice, if you'd be so kind folks...

Simple Q. It's this going to be about £3250 landed?

I've added to my list

1. Rich - Trace Elliot TE-1200 amp, Barefaced Super 12T cab, earplugs , Shuker custom 5, other stuff TBC.

2. Woody - Rickenbacker 4004-L5, maybe Sei Flamboyant, Same old basschat 12" with some amp, other stuff TBC

3. Pinball (tbc) - some interesting basses

4. Stubsy - Joyo BadASS, GRBASS AT212 slim - only 50W but that should give 120dB at one metre 😇. (or I bring my TE 1110 combo). Some fun pedals. Perhaps the AVII 1960 precision, the Sire P10 and maybe the Fender Performer and something unexpected...

5. Sean - Mesa 400+, Laney Nexus Tube 400 [oh jeez], MJW Taranis 200 (Filthbox Matamp clone with extra channel and EQ), GK MBF500, GK Fusion 550, 2 x BF TWO10S, Spectors TBD, Valenti #005 Super P, Yamaha BB2024x, Yamaha BB1300, plus a mini walk-in bass surgery if interested

6. Rosie - likely I'll bring my upright, set up for bluegrass/folk/jazz if anyone's not played upright before and fancies a go

7. Phil - BassChat cabs, maybe some sort of shootout?

8. MikeD - Laney Digbeth, Zilla 212, Dingwall Combusion, Revelation PJ, pedals, try to finish home made bass🤞🤞🤞🤞

Just now, neepheid said:

 

Ooh, that's a BB oddbod I'd be keen to have a shottie of!

She's a peach and will have had the pickups rebuilt/rewound by then.

Not that there's anything wrong with them as they stand, they just need a glow-up and a sort out to bring them on par with everything else about this absolute gem of a bass that I foolishly sold about 4 years ago.

On 23/03/2025 at 13:02, neepheid said:

Yamaha BB1200

 

 

 

 

Thanks.  It reminds me. In addition to my list already submitted, I'll be bringing my very recently repatriated BB1300. Rocking horse hen's manure tooth back home. 

4 hours ago, ern500evo said:

By far the best class d head I ever had. I went through a phase of trying lots of class D amps, I tried TC, Mark bass, Aguilar, Genz Benz, Darkglass and the MB fusion easily my favourite. I kept it much longer than I kept any of the others. I now use a GK Fusion 550 but have often thought of picking up another MB Fusion for rehearsals and to take to gigs as a back up 

What's the 550 like in comparison as far as tone? Same preamp, very different tech in the power amps, how does that translate?

11 hours ago, ahpook said:

Always worth taking a break from any online environment IMHO.

 

It's easy to forget they're not real life.

I think that's really good advice. I've had a few breaks from BC over the years. It changes and evolves over time, like anything. If you're ever in the UK when There's a basschat event on it's worth attending.

I intend to do the South West, and if it goes ahead, the South East bashes this year.

4 minutes ago, FugaziBomb said:

 

I'm not sure how often the moderation team turns around, but it's always felt like they were very censorial over trivial stuff.  I had another strike against me when I replied to the thread "Does the bass player from Korn use all 5 strings?" By saying "He barely uses the fretboard." They have very little tolerance for acerbic humor over there.

That’s hilarious. We love you already. You’ll fit in beautifully but the pressure is on you now to maintain that level of wit and repartee 😃

Welcome to Basschat. I’m in my 18th year of it and if I’d spent that time practising instead of chatting, I’d still be mediocre on a good day. 

I haven’t been on there since Chef passed away in 2021. He was a mod and always very helpful (in a very direct way) with Mesa and G&L related issues. 

27 minutes ago, Jolltax said:

 

Hungry like the Wolf (Duran Duran) - fun when I get tired after the above

 

J

That’s on my learn list for the next few days. One of the few on the list I’ve never played before. After that it’ll be Bohemian Rhapsody.

A few questions to get started:

1. What’s the construction/config of the pickups? They look to me like each one could be a pair of J pickups in a humbucker wiring with a big cover over the both. This would be about 92Lx35W if it was. If that’s the case, there are some interesting possibilities.
2. Are they coil-tappable on push/pull pots as it stands? 
3. Can you take them out, take photos?
4. Can you put a multimeter on the tip and ring of a lead to get the various pickup resistances?

If you think it sounded good then I’d question the need to replace the pickups and preamp. 

It depends on what you want from it. A keeper beater? As soon as you start spending money on it, it won’t add resale value unless it’s a general refresh and original hardware is replaced. 

If you want to see how far you can take the modding, then the world is your oyster.

On 21/03/2025 at 09:31, cetera said:

GK are very popular in R&B/soul/funk circles. Check out the Legacy 800 head.

I've just bought the GK MB Fusion 500 that Gary Mac was selling. Mainly as a very portable amp to drive the 8x10 in the rehearsal room (cos the resident Elf doesn't cut it). 

After spending a good few hours with it, it can, as you might expect from a GK, pretty much do anything.

It's even got a "Spector Switch”. Now, they don’t call it that, obviously but it’s there and it’s labelled up as “-14dB”.

Also, one of the many benefits of a GK is that they're beautifully made and can be repaired.

GK-ology came flooding back to me quite quickly, it's surprisingly (or not) similar to the 700RBii I had when I was playing in a function band years ago.  After about 30 minutes I was left feeling a bit miffed with myself for not having owned a GK in 15 years.

@Jonrh98

Have you bought anything yet?