Spector Euro LX

[jammie17]

The model I chose, is the Euro 4 LX Natural Oil. Please see the pics of it's stunning looks as well as unsurpassed quality. Never have I purchased a bass, no matter what brand, that can compare with the flawless quality of this bass. Not one imperfection in its construction.

The Bass has the Spector "Tone Pump" active pre amp, which works on a 9volt battery. The wiring is all point to point, hard wire, covered by a copper shield. Controls are, Volume, Volume, Treble, Bass.

The first thing I noticed, is that I had to turn down my Gain significantly on my amp, as the output was much hotter than my 'Rays. Both use a 9 volt circuit, but the difference in output is stunning...to say the least.

EDIT: I have just learned that Spector uses a voltage doubler in this pre amp. That explains the higher output.

Playability is comparable to the 'Ray. They both have oiled/waxed necks, and they are very similar in this fashion...with a slight quickness going to the 'Ray.

The 'Rays neck is broken in now as the Spector is brand new. This may have an effect in the future, but as it stands now, the 'Ray is a bit "easier" to play. I have stated before, that the 'Ray is one of the only basses that allows me to really play well, because it is such a joy to play. That has not changed. However, the Spectors, IMHO, more aggressive tone, makes it fun to play for the reason to just hear how nasty this bass can sound.The Spector neck is more "even" than the 'Ray. More like a Ric's neck. Dead spots and fret problems are a non issue with this bass.

I lowered the action, threw on a set of Ernie Ball Super Slinkys, and the Spector sings. With the individual volume controls, you can easily dial in a "Blend" of the two pups. The neck pup add bass, but not an overwhelming warmth...the bridge pup adds a growl, similar to my Ric's.

As I hear it, the Spector is like a beefed up Rickenbacker....with an attitude......while the 'Ray...aggressive as it may be....just does not have the same output and growl as the Spector. The tonal variations of the Spector seem unlimited....boosting bass and treble...Rickenbacker on Steroids tone....
cutting and blending the pups...a more Fender Jazz tone...play with the controls..and you can dial in a similar tone as the 'Ray....but only a 'Ray sounds like a 'Ray.

Carved Solid Alder Body, a slice of walnut, and a Figured Maple Top. Can't beat that for a HUGE tone, from a smallish bodied bass. Weight is 8.5 lbs and the balance for a 35" scale bass is great. It does have a long neck...and the fret work and inlays, are, well, perfect.

Some of you know how anal I can be about quality and I can't say it enough about this bass.....

Quality..non issue..Spector has it hands down. No comparison between the 'Ray, or the Ric...IMHO. It is truly the first flawless bass I have ever owned.


EDIT;

I have just finished playing for hours..and the controls on the Spector are quite a bit different than the 'Ray. The 'Ray, has a greater treble boost, almost tinny, when compared to the Spector. My observations are, when playing each bass, set up with controls at full clockwise...the MM is very, VERY bright. The Spector is bright, but with a upper midrange bite to it.

I would say, that the Spector has more output and power than the 'Ray...but the 'Ray has a greater presence in the top end.

However, I play bass.









Footnote;

I had, or my wife had, the pleasure to order a pick guard from EBMM Customer Support, for my 'Ray, (which is a gift from my wife). From the email asking what part number to order, to delivery, (48hrs total), it was the most pleasant and efficient Customer Service she has ever received. Thank you Dan, at EBMM Customer Service.

Edited June 13, 2007 by jammie17

[Hit&Run]

How much did the spector set you back then?

Looks pretty tasty!

[Sugden]

Spector Euro's really are something great. Wouldnt really agree with the Rickenbacker comparison but they do have a great aggressive tone.

Glad you found a bass you love they are stunning. I shall always be on the look out for another.

[Josh]

But they need quite a bit of taming!

[Basszilla]

Absolutely stunning. My main bass is practically identical except for the flame top I have.

To me spector basses are the pinnacle of sound, aesthetics, ergonomics, playability and build quality. All boxes ticked everytime! I seriously have a hard time switching to other basses as I'm so used to the curved cutaway body. Beautiful basses!

Slap tone is to die for. And we all know how well these basses cover hard rock, metal and pop. Well just about any style or genre really.

Edited June 12, 2007 by Basszilla

[Dan_Nailed]

The Tonepump preamp is essentially a Spector version of the Aguilar OBP-1 and is 18V. There is one 9V battery in there but Spector use a voltage doubler to bring the headroom up to 18V. This shortens your battery life but seeing as a 9V lasts about 60 hours of playing time normally(if you don't leave your bass plugged in all the time) then it doesn't have much of an effect on lifespan, but the tone is well worth the trade off.

I've got a Tonepump in my fretless and I leave the bass flat, but the treble seems voiced at exactly that 'zing' frequency of my strings. I generally just turn it up the older my strings get. When it's up to about 3/4 full I know it's time to change strings! This preamp gets a bad rep, especially on Talkbass, but I think it's great. My EMG BTS in my REX is more hi-fi sounding but my fretless seems a little more alive with the Tonepump.

As for genres, you only have to look at how many different artists use Spectors to see what they can do. Doug Wimbish to Alex Webster, Sting to Nikki Sixx, it's pretty well covered.

Edited June 11, 2007 by Dan_Nailed

[jammie17]

[quote name='Dan_Nailed' post='15536' date='Jun 11 2007, 11:44 AM'][b]The Tonepump preamp is essentially a Spector version of the Aguilar OBP-1 and is 18V. There is one 9V battery in there but Spector use a voltage doubler to bring the headroom up to 18V[/b]. This shortens your battery life but seeing as a 9V lasts about 60 hours of playing time normally(if you don't leave your bass plugged in all the time) then it doesn't have much of an effect on lifespan, but the tone is well worth the trade off.

I've got a Tonepump in my fretless and I leave the bass flat, but the treble seems voiced at exactly that 'zing' frequency of my strings. I generally just turn it up the older my strings get. When it's up to about 3/4 full I know it's time to change strings! This preamp gets a bad rep, especially on Talkbass, but I think it's great. My EMG BTS in my REX is more hi-fi sounding but my fretless seems a little more alive with the Tonepump.

As for genres, you only have to look at how many different artists use Spectors to see what they can do. Doug Wimbish to Alex Webster, Sting to Nikki Sixx, it's pretty well covered.[/quote]


I did not know this...thank you...explains the drastic output difference between the Stingray and the Spector. The low end between these two basses is just tremendous, with the 'Ray sounding full, but thinner than the Spector.

Edited June 11, 2007 by jammie17

[Machines]

Great review and what a lovely looking bass..

Has my Spector GAS rekindled :ph34r:.

[jammie17]

[quote name='Josh' post='15383' date='Jun 11 2007, 12:02 AM']But they need quite a bit of taming![/quote]

Yes they do...i've noticed.....but that is half the fun...such a nasty tone...I LIKE IT!!

[Josh]

[quote name='jammie17' post='16009' date='Jun 12 2007, 01:15 AM']Yes they do...i've noticed.....but that is half the fun...such a nasty tone...I LIKE IT!![/quote]

When I had my Spector (Formerly Basszilla's then El Sugden's and now Ruhai's) it took me at least 3 weeks to realise that having everything full up can raise the dead but also destroy the amp but the Spector tone is un-deniably great but unluckily I couldn't get on with it after a while simply because I needed that jazz punch and honk!

It was a damn beautiful instrument and a learning curve and my first real high end bass, though it was ginger

Edited June 12, 2007 by Josh

[cetera]

Great review of my all time favourite make of bass.

I've NEVER had any issues with the build quality, tonal colours, feel, playability or just damn horny looks that these basses are blessed with.

It don't get any better!

[ednaplate]

I purchased one of these very same basses from MB1 a regular contributer on here. It was originally a backup bass tuned to Eb but I found the tone completely addictive (it reminds me of a Geddy Lee type growl on certain bass runs) that it is played just as often as my 92 Warwick Streamer. Build quality is every bit as good as the Warwick and anybody buying one would not be disappointed. They are probably the only brand that I would buy blind ie. from an onlne retailer without playing it first as the quality control is first class and puts other better known brands (did I hear Fender?) to shame.

[Russ]

As a little anecdote to add to the Spector love here...

I'm in the US, visiting the in-laws right now, and one of the things I wanted to do while I was out here was to take my Spector NS5-CRFM up to the Spector workshop just outside Woodstock, NY to get a problem with the truss rod sorted out (the previous owner had broken the nut off the end of the truss rod... ). So, we headed up there, and found them, out in the middle of nowhere, in a rather anonymous workshop right opposite a big industrial welding company. So we went in, and handed the bass over to Jimmy (Spector's tech) for him to take a look at. The secretary (whose name escapes me, alas) directed us to a shop a few minutes down the road that stocked lots of British stuff (amazing to find Marmite, Golden Shred, Cornish pasties and Double Deckers in a tiny shop miles from anywhere)... when we got back, Jimmy had fitted a new truss rod, filled in a small crack at the top of the fingerboard, then gave the bass a proper setup for me... for free! I also had my Spector GAS re-ignited when I got the chance to have a go on a USA Spector NS-5 with buckeye burl facings... what an absolutely amazing bass! Best customer service I've ever experienced. I didn't get a chance to meet Stuart Spector though, alas... apparently he was off fishing with Michael Tobias (who's also from around there).

[cetera]

[quote name='Russ' post='63315' date='Sep 20 2007, 08:52 PM']As a little anecdote to add to the Spector love here...

I'm in the US, visiting the in-laws right now, and one of the things I wanted to do while I was out here was to take my Spector NS5-CRFM up to the Spector workshop just outside Woodstock, NY to get a problem with the truss rod sorted out (the previous owner had broken the nut off the end of the truss rod... ). So, we headed up there, and found them, out in the middle of nowhere, in a rather anonymous workshop right opposite a big industrial welding company. So we went in, and handed the bass over to Jimmy (Spector's tech) for him to take a look at. The secretary (whose name escapes me, alas) directed us to a shop a few minutes down the road that stocked lots of British stuff (amazing to find Marmite, Golden Shred, Cornish pasties and Double Deckers in a tiny shop miles from anywhere)... when we got back, Jimmy had fitted a new truss rod, filled in a small crack at the top of the fingerboard, then gave the bass a proper setup for me... for free! I also had my Spector GAS re-ignited when I got the chance to have a go on a USA Spector NS-5 with buckeye burl facings... what an absolutely amazing bass! Best customer service I've ever experienced. I didn't get a chance to meet Stuart Spector though, alas... apparently he was off fishing with Michael Tobias (who's also from around there).[/quote]

That's a great story.... and further cements my opinion/working experience of them. Great guys, great service...

[Basszilla]

Cool story! I would SO love to go over to the workshop!!

[dub_junkie]

couple of weeks back I aquired an earlier 5 string version of yourss with the solid maple body wings I - from tonyf here on basschat - and its absolutely lovely to ogle,inspiring to play and sounds the dogs danglies - awesome stuff !!
and I'm glad I did cos it kind of broke the whole MM/G&L spell cast on me many moons ago
DJ

[King Tut]

Can any one of you guys with a tone pump please draw me out a wiring diagram, as i have a tone pump knocking around in a drawer I'd like to make use of!

Cheers

[jammie17]

[quote name='King Tut' post='80092' date='Oct 27 2007, 11:48 AM']Can any one of you guys with a tone pump please draw me out a wiring diagram, as i have a tone pump knocking around in a drawer I'd like to make use of!

Cheers[/quote]

I checked the website. It has changed. It used to have schematics of their different tone pumps as I remember. Try giving Spector a call.

[jammie17]

[quote name='King Tut' post='80092' date='Oct 27 2007, 11:48 AM']Can any one of you guys with a tone pump please draw me out a wiring diagram, as i have a tone pump knocking around in a drawer I'd like to make use of!

Cheers[/quote]

Would posting pictures of the wiring and the connections help you at all? My goodness, she's naked!!!

Edited December 21, 2007 by jammie17

[noisedude]

Hmmm .... interesting stuff. I've been looking at a 5-string Rebop but part of me wonders whether I should save a little extra to do it properly and get a Euro .... any thoughts, Spector owners?

Cool review, good to see how it stacks up against some pretty worthy competition.

[Brave Sir Robin]

For something as cool as a bass like that, I would always save money and buy what I really want, and accept not a substitute.

That's a stunning bass btw.

[spinynorman]

[quote name='noisedude' post='132192' date='Feb 1 2008, 08:37 PM']Hmmm .... interesting stuff. I've been looking at a 5-string Rebop but part of me wonders whether I should save a little extra to do it properly and get a Euro .... any thoughts, Spector owners?[/quote]

I've recently bought a pre-2004 Rebop 5. If I did a review of it, it would say pretty much the same as is said here. It's fantastic to play, the neck particularly is superb. I love it. My advice would be, if you have a big hang up about bolt on vs neck through, or if you can get the extra money easily, then maybe get the Euro. On the other hand, if you'll have to wait a while to save up, I really don't think you'd be disappointed with the Rebop. (Only caveat, I don't know what the new ones are like, but the specs don't look that different, except probably a nicer body finish.)

Edited February 5, 2008 by spinynorman

[majo57]

I've got a spector euro since 3 years (and made some vids on youtube under khan57)

And it's a great bass really, the rebop are good to but i think the euro is more jazzy.