Nibody Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 A good few months ago I cane across two Spector 5 string bolt on necks on ebay for not very much money. After some minor work (tidying and scraping mostly) Kept one the other replaced the neck on a Warwick Rockbass Streamer Standard which I ended up selling. After much waiting and looking (and considering making my own body) the same seller advertised another Spector factory reject - a 5 string body in Holoflash. Cant stretch to a set of EMG40HZ or DC so a pair of Artec Superpower soapbars will suffice for now - ordered from https://tlcguitargoods.com . Also an Activator2 Jfet onboard pre-amp from https://www.guitar-repairs.co.uk Have used one of these before with pleasing results. New set of Gotoh tuners to boot, and a Warwick 5 string fender size bridge (should fit fine) left over from my Rockbass Streamer LX's conversion to a two piece bridge. Have been wanting a Spector for ages but funds were never to hand so Im looking forward to this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 Body and tuners now arrived 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 Best I can ascertain is the body was going to be a Spector Performer Classic - it has the curved body shape but is a bolt on (the Legends were neck through I believe). There are a few flaws on the finish - next to the bridge rout the conductive paint had run towards the hole for the pots. Also a few dinks and finish chips so its easy to see why it was rejected - but its nothing MAJOR. Cant get a control cavity plate for love or money, the one place that stocks them is out of stock and can only get a truss cover from the states. Obviously as the neck was a factory second (they had cut the maple larger than the rosewood so there was a lip of about 0.5 mm both sides of the neck) and again there were some minor blemishes. But its not things you notice unless looking really close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted June 6, 2020 Author Share Posted June 6, 2020 Well that’s the Artec pickups arrived. Debating wether to use the preamp I’ve ordered or one of the two Artec active eq’s Ive accumulates. Have a tele style recessed jack holder incoming and waiting for neck screws and ferrules (the ferrules I bought blind are two small and the associated screws too big) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted June 8, 2020 Author Share Posted June 8, 2020 After much printing resizing measuring and a bit of jigsaw action managed to rough a truss rod cover and backplate. Still not 100% happy with the truss rod cover so may at some point have to bite the bullet and buy one from the states. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 And done. FINALY . Last few parts arrived, neck fitted, strung up and I love it. Was destined to end up being smashed but it will now be played. At some point I will sort the truss rod cover properly and invest in a set of EMG’s but for now I’m done 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Good work, Sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 (edited) Thanks. Ive put together quite a few P basses and Jazz's but this was a challenge just getting parts to fit - stupid things like the ferrules on the neck screws. And plastic parts are a nightmare to get - truss rod cover is stocked by three sellers - 2 in the states, one in (I think) Korea. One of the 2 US suppliers didnt ship outside of the US, the other wanted around £30 postage on a £16 bit of plastic. No one stocked the backplate.. or neck screws/ferrules... Using the Artec soapbars with an Artec SE-2 active circuit - sounds pretty nice. Also have the option to tap the coils giving it two single coils if I want to in the future. Be nice to drop some EMG's and one of the pre-amps made by the guy in Czechoslovakia who made the original TonePumps for Spector at some time in the future. Was also hoping to have a gotoh bridge paired with the tuners but they dont do a 5 string version of the 201 as far as I can see, Edited June 12, 2020 by Nibody 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Great, I thought I had got over gas for the holoflash Spector's and now you have gone and started it again Lovely looking bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted June 17, 2020 Author Share Posted June 17, 2020 6 hours ago, Roger2611 said: Great, I thought I had got over gas for the holoflash Spector's and now you have gone and started it again Lovely looking bass! It's a really subtle one - Ive seen some that are really OTT. Just ordered a BP-4 preamp from Petr Michalík in Czechoslovakia to drop in it (the original Tone Pump). Lovelly guy, very helpful. Was lucky the old Warwick bridge just about fitted as even the fender typr bridges on the legends and performers are a propriatary size 😲 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.