Any love for spector euro-lx

[Mog]

Currently running through a Hartke LH 500 but I just pulled the trigger on a Trace Elliot 4x10 combo. Either way, the basses will sound incredible.

[Basszilla]

It's the scorpion of basses. Plently of sting in the tail :-)

When i get the mixes back ill upload some hip hop sessions i've not long done with my spector.

Gotta love that emg p pup solo'd. Phat richness

[ern500evo]

I love my NS2000, I imagine the Euro LX's would be fantastic. If I ever decide to move my Warwick Streamer on then a Euro LX will be replacing it. The tonepump controls on my NS2000 are notched in the middle.

[Conan]

I've never played a Spector. In a nutshell, what am I missing?

[JD1]

You'd love them mate - great slap tone! Welcome to pop round anytime for a go. I converted Dave Anderson, which reminds me I must speak to PJ about some commission.

[Mudpup]

[quote name='ern500evo' timestamp='1362470591' post='2000055']
I love my NS2000, I imagine the Euro LX's would be fantastic. If I ever decide to move my Warwick Streamer on then a Euro LX will be replacing it. The tonepump controls on my NS2000 are notched in the middle.
[/quote]

The NS2000 has an EMG BT preamp - not a Tonepump. Tonepump isnt notched.

[ern500evo]

[quote name='Mudpup' timestamp='1362522437' post='2000896']


The NS2000 has an EMG BT preamp - not a Tonepump. Tonepump isnt notched.
[/quote]
Ah, that would be why it's different then!!

[Mudpup]

[quote name='ern500evo' timestamp='1362546927' post='2001086']

Ah, that would be why it's different then!!
[/quote]

Yup, that would be it

[Conan]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1362470726' post='2000058']
I've never played a Spector. In a nutshell, what am I missing?
[/quote]

Heh heh! Not for long! I've just pulled the trigger on a Euro 4LX on here, so within the next 48 hours I should be able to answer my own question!!

One thing that does confuse me slightly is the talk about the active preamps. There doesn't seem to be much love for the Spector Tone Pump. Why is that? I can see the advantage of the EMG systems (particularly the ones with the midrange controls) as presumably they are highly compatible with their own pickups; but what do people see (or hear) as the shortcomings of the TP circuit?

[RhysP]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1369740155' post='2092104']
One thing that does confuse me slightly is the talk about the active preamps. There doesn't seem to be much love for the Spector Tone Pump. Why is that?
[/quote]
I love the Tonepump circuit, I think it sounds fantastic.
I think a lot of the reason people don't like it is compared to things like the East preamps it's quite limited. To me that's it's main plus point, you don't spent all your time messing with it trying to find a sound you like, it just sounds great as it is.

[Conan]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1369744607' post='2092188']
I love the Tonepump circuit, I think it sounds fantastic... it just sounds great as it is.
[/quote]

Now [i]that's[/i] what I wanted to hear!

[RhysP]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1369753157' post='2092327']
Now [i]that's[/i] what I wanted to hear!
[/quote]
Do you know if the one you've just bought has the Tonepump with the volume trim control or not?

There's a "sweet spot" for the setting of these - there's a good video on the Spector website that talks about how to set it up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9x1TNtUKI0&feature=youtu.be

[Conan]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1369756230' post='2092374']
Do you know if the one you've just bought has the Tonepump with the volume trim control or not?
[/quote]

No idea I'm afraid. It has been owned by a couple of basschatters to date, but that is a question I haven't asked. When it arrives, where would I find the trim pot? Is it external or in the control cavity?

[RhysP]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1369766211' post='2092553']
When it arrives, where would I find the trim pot? Is it external or in the control cavity?
[/quote]
Watch the f***in' video - that's what I posted it for!
It's on the side of the little box that contains the pre amp gubbins inside the control cavity.

[Conan]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1369768904' post='2092604']
Watch the f***in' video - that's what I posted it for!
[/quote]

I was saving the video until I had the bass.... don't want to jinx it or something - you know what these couriers can be like!!

Then all will be revealed...

[Conan]

Hmmmm. I watched the video. Twice in fact! But I'm still a little confused about their use of the term "sweet spot".

All you are doing is adjusting the actual output signal level of the tonepump aren't you? Or am I missing something?

Having the output at its highest setting might cause some distortion of your preamp I guess, and having the trim set at its lowest value will mean a quiet output from the bass that would entail turning the gain upon the amp. But is there anymore to it than this? Are we simply talking about matching the output of your Spector bass to the output(s) of your other bass(es)?

I think I must be missing something here!

Also, it is my understanding that the Tonepump only [i]boosts[/i] bass and treble - whereas that video talks about boost [b]and cut[/b] of the two frequencies...

Edited May 29, 2013 by Conan

[RhysP]

Thread from a while ago about the Tonepump, including info from the guy who designed it who says it is indeed cut/boost:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/93320-spector-tonepump-is-not-boost-only/page__hl__tonepump"]http://basschat.co.u...e__hl__tonepump[/url]

Edited May 29, 2013 by RhysP

[Conan]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1369851653' post='2093553']
Thread from a while ago about the Tonepump, including info from the guy who designed it who says it is indeed cut/boost:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/93320-spector-tonepump-is-not-boost-only/page__hl__tonepump"]http://basschat.co.u...e__hl__tonepump[/url]
[/quote]

What a fascinating thread! Cheers for pointing that one out

So if you put the treble control in its midpoint, it will be pretty much flat - but the bass control in a similar position will still be giving a reasonable amount of boost! Assuming linear travel on the pots of course.... How odd!

[RhysP]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1369856651' post='2093655']
What a fascinating thread! Cheers for pointing that one out

So if you put the treble control in its midpoint, it will be pretty much flat - but the bass control in a similar position will still be giving a reasonable amount of boost! Assuming linear travel on the pots of course.... How odd!
[/quote]
That thread explained it all far better than I ever could.

The Tonepump is pretty quirky to say the least, but it just sounds so good IMO.
The other active basses I've owned have always had a slightly compressed, processed quality to the sound that I've never really been 100% happy with - to me the tone pump doesn't suffer from that, it just seems really responsive & "open" sounding.

[Conan]

Oh well, as it turns out this particular bass doesn't have the trim pot anyway!

It arrived yesterday and I had a quick noodle. Despite the old, dead strings it still has an amazing amount of top-end available from the tonepump - almost too much!

I gave it a good clean, some new strings and a bit of a set-up and will try putting it through its paces later today. Plays very nicely, but what a skinny neck it has! Not "front-to-back" but "top-to-bottom" if you know what I mean. Totally the opposite to my Status... feels nice in my hands though.

[RhysP]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1369989832' post='2095181']
Plays very nicely, but what a skinny neck it has!
[/quote]
Really? I've always found them to be on the chunky side which is why I like them.
It's not the Doug Wimbish signature model is it? That has got a very skinny neck apparently.

[krispn]

On a slightly different note I tried a Far East made Spector recently and really liked it. it was a lilttle too much price wise maybe £50 overpriced but its certainly put Spectors on my radar. A;sp i notice a lot of nashville country guys have a Spector fpr their 'heavy sessions' over the usualy Fender style bass.

[Conan]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1369992830' post='2095241']
Really? I've always found them to be on the chunky side which is why I like them.
It's not the Doug Wimbish signature model is it? That has got a very skinny neck apparently.
[/quote]

I'm not sure exactly [i]which[/i] model it is! There is not much by way of identification on the bass at all... The headstock has the Spector logo on the front, and on the back there is the usual "Handcrafted in the Czech Republic etc" and an ID number - NB4273. I bought it as a "Euro 4LX". Obviously the 4 refers to the number of strings... but does the LX refer to the scale length? I've measured it and it appears to be 35".

I'll take and post some pics later, but the finish is natural and looks like maple.

I was not expecting the neck to be so slim, as I say. It is almost reminiscent of an Alembic series I neck, and it does not appear to get much thicker (i.e. wider) from nut 24th fret! It is taking a bit of getting used to, but is nice to play.

[RhysP]

I don't think the LX refers to the scale length but they did make a 35" scale option for the four string.

[Conan]

This is the particular bass... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/207063-spector-euro-4lx-natural-finish-for-trade/page__p__2090017__hl__spector__fromsearch__1#entry2090017"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/207063-spector-euro-4lx-natural-finish-for-trade/page__p__2090017__hl__spector__fromsearch__1#entry2090017[/url]