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NSD - New Spector Day - Euro4 *Audio File*

discreet

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[b]NSD - New Spector Day - Euro4 (Czech Republic, 2002)[/b]

Now with Crazy-Git Warts-And-All Audio File!
[url="https://soundcloud.com/arkaymith/funk-rock-jam"][b]*AUDIO FILE* Funk Jam[/b][/url]

[b]Neck[/b]
3-Piece Maple Reinforced with Graphite Rods, Neck-Through Construction
Rosewood Fingerboard with Mother of Pearl Crown Inlays (12th fret w/Abalone Strips)
24 Frets, 34" Scale, Brass Nut (1.64" 41.6mm), 16" Radius

[b]Body[/b]
Spector Original NS Curved and Carved Body Shape
USA Solid Maple Wings
High-Gloss Black Cherry Burst

[b]Hardware[/b]
Gold Bridge (Zinc/Brass Alloy), Locking
Tuners: Schaller M4, Gold
Spacing at Bridge .75" (19mm)
Strap Buttons: Schaller Locking, Gold
Neck Pickup: EMG P, Active
Bridge Pickup: EMG J, Active
Controls: Vol/Vol/Bass/Treble - [size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][color=#000000]Spector TonePump®[/color][/font][/size] Info: [url="http://www.michalik.cz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=76"]http://www.michalik....id=54&Itemid=76[/url]
Strings: D'Addario XL-170 Nickel

If you saw my recent [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249131-nbd-x-2-spector-legends-4-5-classic-audio-clip-2/"]NBD X2[/url] thread featuring my two Spector Legends you will remember I speculated on how much better a Czech- or USA-made Spector could possibly be compared to a Korean model... because the Korean Legends are so good I wondered just how much more you got for your money. The answer is 'quite a lot'. :)

I acquired this 2002 Czech-built Spector Euro4 from Bassulike66 (Mark) who is a thoroughly decent chap and a great Basschatter. It arrived yesterday - without a case - [i]but [/i]was packed well enough to withstand a nuclear strike. Nicely done!

This is NOT a Euro 4LX - it is a Euro4. This model was made between 2001 and 2003 (a short production run resulting in far fewer basses than the LX, which has been in production for ten years) and features solid maple body wings, as does the original and current USA NS-2 and NS-4 basses. Cetera of this parish (a Spector afficionado and collector) believes this pre-LX all-maple Euro to be closer to the authentic tone of the USA NS-2s compared with the later LX models. I've also heard it rumoured that the neck on the LX Euro is slightly different too (whether thinner or thicker or whatever I'm not sure), so in all I'm pretty pleased to have accidentally bought a pre-LX Euro! :D

This example is in Black Cherry Burst High Gloss and is in very good condition for a 12-year-old bass. It has a painted neck which is a first for me - I generally prefer a satin finish, but it's very smooth and slick. We'll see how that goes at a sweaty gig. I predict I may have to get the Scotchbrite out and take a couple of molecule-thin layers of paint off... probably more importantly it's a neck-through construction, which is another first for me. Strange not to see a bolted neck-plate on the back. What I didn't know is that this makes the bass a lot more comfortable to wear and gives more access to the higher frets. Not that I go further than the fifth, but hey... ;)

From 2002 the Euro4 was fitted with a [color=#000000][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Spector TonePump®[/font][/color] - which is actually a JFET BP-4 circuit manufactured by Michalik in the Czech Republic. It has had controversial reviews on TalkBass and elsewhere, and is a bit 'Marmite' - I think this is largely because it offers such a massive amount of heft and boost that most people find it way too hot for them. It CAN be tamed, but you have to be careful - a very small turn of a control has a big effect on sound and it takes a little time to get used to.

Another cause for complaint is the lack of any centre detents on the tone pots, so people feel unsure about whether 'flat' is somewhere near the middle of travel, or fully counter-clockwise - in fact it is neither and is at a different point for each pot. Personally I prefer to make my own decisions about where 'flat' is... but overall I think these small inconveniences are well worth it to have this sort of power on tap. Later models have an adjustable output trim-pot. Before 2002 the Euro was fitted with either Aguilar OBP-1 or EMG BT circuits. One wonders if Spector fitted the Czech TonePump to later models for sonic reasons, or simply because of the expense of exporting USA circuits to the Czech Republic..?

The bass is a joy to play and [url="https://soundcloud.com/arkaymith/funk-rock-jam"]sounds great[/url] - I don't usually favour a low action, but I'm in no hurry to raise it... ;) The neck is fast and smooth, the bass is very well balanced and light - I'd guess around 8½lbs or so. It's also small, or at least the body is - I'm going to have to get down the gym as the Spector doesn't cover as much of my muscular frame as my Hayman does! :D I'd say the neck is somewhere between a Jazz and a Precision. There is a gratifying amount of wood in the hand (fnarr) but it's not a baseball bat. Very similar to the Korean Legends in size and feel, but more playable somehow.

The sound is... taut, well-defined and solid. Like every Spector I've yet played it has a huge, pillowy bottom end available that is in no way muddy or boomy. It also has a snappy, very present top, but is never strident, harsh or brittle; it's possible to set up the TonePump to provide a nice thump which at the same time has a chunky 'twang' in it - in fact it seems you can pretty much have two distinct sounds on the go at once. I usually use flats or half-wounds, but Spectors demand roundwounds if you want that Spector mid-growl - and believe me, you [i]do [/i]want it - so my compromise solution is nickel (or nickel-plated) rounds, for at least a [i]little [/i]comfort and reduction of fret-wear. :) Sounds fantastic with a pick too, it's easy to see why rock and metal players like Spectors.

I stayed up most of last night playing this bass, finally got some sleep for a while, then got up and played it some more. Its comfortable, sculpted shape and smooth finish makes it very easy to play and it just oozes quality. It really makes you want to pick it up and play it. I have found it quite difficult to put it down for long enough to take these pics today and upload them. I think this tells you pretty much all you need to know about this bass! It's a cracker and I'm very pleased with it. :D





























So where do you go from here? A hand-crafted USA NS-2 or NS-4..? Better get saving...
I thank you! :)

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1417176631' post='2617774']
I nearly bought this bass from Mark but decided against as I didn't really like the colour. Your pics are making me regret that decision.
[/quote]

Don't worry, they're all Photoshopped. It doesn't look like that really. :D

[quote name='Bassulike66' timestamp='1417176924' post='2617779']
Can I have it back !?!?
[/quote]

No. :D

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1417176997' post='2617781']
I do have a streamer which is basically a Spector knock off, so i'm sure it plays fantastic too! :D
[/quote]

It does - but if I understand the Internetz correctly, it's totally different to a Streamer. But I've never played a Streamer, so...

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discreet Grand Master

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[quote name='r16ktx' timestamp='1417177564' post='2617794']
Congrats & just in case they were missed; US spectors [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/247736-is-an-ns2-really-worth-the-money/"]http://basschat.co.u...orth-the-money/[/url] Tonepump [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/93320-spector-tonepump-is-not-boost-only/"]http://basschat.co.u...not-boost-only/[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks very much for the links. I didn't think the Tonepump was boost-only, somehow. :)

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1417177796' post='2617800']
Looks a doosie Mark, absolute stunna. Can't wait for the sound files. Any chance you could do some isolated with just the bass?
How would you describe the profile of the neck? Also I'm wondering what the depth is from the back to the first fret?
[/quote]

Sure, if you don't mind listening to my crappy technique, fret buzz, squeaking and bum notes! The distance from back of neck to fret 1 is 20mm. As far as I know anything about neck profiles, which is not much, I'd hazard a guess that it's close to a 'C' profile. :)

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1417178545' post='2617814']
It's actually white with a maple neck isn't it...
[/quote]

Yes. Yes, it is. :D

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Damonjames Mentor

Damonjames

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[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1417176631' post='2617774']
I nearly bought this bass from Mark but decided against as I didn't really like the colour. Your pics are making me regret that decision.
[/quote]

From the pics I've seen of black cherry prior to this I'd agree. This looks stunning though!!
With regard to neck profile, when I jump between my fender jazz and my euro, the jazz feels slightly more to handle. I cant imagine many having issues getting on with the euro, unless you have a bunch of bananas for hands and can only really feel comfortable on a baseball bay sized neck.

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[quote name='ern500evo' timestamp='1417179885' post='2617847']
Congrats Mark, that's a beauty! I'm gonna have to own one of these at some point, I love my NS2000! Enjoy!
[/quote]

I have a euro 4 and an NS2000/5. I have also played a korean legend. I think the gap between the legend and a euro is big enough to justify the additional spend, the NS2000/5 however is much closer IMHO, with it being neck through and curved top.the electronics in the NS2000 is probably it's weakest point, ad that's only being picky as it has the EMG pre.

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ern500evo Mentor

ern500evo

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[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1417188073' post='2618000']


I have a euro 4 and an NS2000/5. I have also played a korean legend. I think the gap between the legend and a euro is big enough to justify the additional spend, the NS2000/5 however is much closer IMHO, with it being neck through and curved top.the electronics in the NS2000 is probably it's weakest point, ad that's only being picky as it has the EMG pre.
[/quote]
That's interesting to know, I did toy with the idea of an electronics upgrade before but didn't end up doing it as I was using my Warwick a lot more at the time. I've never played a Euro or USA Spector but have said many times on various Spector threads that (IMHO of course) the NS2000 has to be one of the best budget basses ever! I've had mine from new, I can't even remember how much I paid for it in 2000 but it doesn't look out of place alongside my far more expensive Warwick and MusicMan basses, particularly the fit and finish.

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discreet Grand Master

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[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1417187882' post='2617994']
...when I jump between my fender jazz and my euro, the jazz feels slightly more to handle. I can imagine many having issues getting on with the euro, unless you have a bunch of bananas for hands and can only really feel comfortable on a baseball bay sized neck.
[/quote]

I got the impression that the neck is chunkier than a Jazz but not as chunky as a Precision. Mind you, I haven't actually played a Precision for ages and don't own one at the moment - and I haven't had a Jazz bass for months either, so you could be right! The neck definitely doesn't feel thin to me, though. I'd say it's definitely not as thin or narrow as an Ibanez neck, for example. :)

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discreet Grand Master

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OK, as Mr Apple wanted an isolated bass-only audio file, here it is. There is a (very quiet) drum track in the background, but you can certainly hear the bass, which because of the mighty Tonepump and active pups is a much hotter signal than usual - hence all the clicks and pops! If you're listening on decent monitors you should be able to hear the Spector heft and hopefully the growl, too.

As will become obvious, this is one take - I haven't bothered to correct the mistakes. This is the Spector Euro through my Streamliner 900 and Bill Fitzmaurice J12 (Kappa 3012HO) with no processing or FX, recorded onto a Zoom H1 as an 128kb mp3 file.

All string noise, crazy-git mistakes, fret-buzz and crap technique is copyright © discreet enterprises.
I've posted the link in the OP as well. :)

[b][url="https://soundcloud.com/arkaymith/funk-rock-jam"]*AUDIO FILE* Funk Rock Jam[/url][/b]

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