Spector thread

[cetera]

I had no issues with mine. Though I have swapped out the Aguilars for EMGs and BTS circuit as I'm not a fan of Barts or Aguilars in Spectors...

[ahpook]

12 minutes ago, cetera said:

I had no issues with mine. Though I have swapped out the Aguilars for EMGs and BTS circuit as I'm not a fan of Barts or Aguilars in Spectors...

 

Glad to hear it ! I really wish it had worked out for me, I was just averse to having to 'fix' a new bass as soon as it arrived.

 

I'd also asked both retailers to check for any grounding issues before purchase, both said they had and the basses arrived with obvious problems - if a retailer fibs to me I'm not really that keen on giving them any money.

Edited January 5, 2023 by ahpook

[Chris2112]

I thought I had posted my 1993 NS-5CR here but apparently I hadn't. I actually got this one in from the Black Sea region of Russia in 2021 (obviously you couldn't do that now). I was half looking for a Spector at the time when I saw this one and I had to have it. Pretty much the dream spec for me - black and gold, dot inlays, EMG soapbars and BTS circuit, solid maple wings and 34" scale. 

 

I was quite pleased when it turned up as it sounds absolutely great. It also has the lowest and cleanest action of any bass I've ever played. It almost feels like a touch guitar, so little effort is needed to get a note out of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Risk101]

Very nice, but I think you need gold controls as well to complete the effect!!

16 hours ago, Chris2112 said:

I thought I had posted my 1993 NS-5CR here but apparently I hadn't.

 

 

 

 

 

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, Risk101 said:

Very nice, but I think you need gold controls as well to complete the effect!!

 

 

my 2000 green euro has gold hardware but black knobs, 

[Risk101]

In fact they all seem to don’t they! Maybe good controls would be too much? Let’s see some pics from Spector any owners with gold controls!!

Edited January 8, 2023 by Risk101
Typo!

[Chris2112]

5 hours ago, Risk101 said:

Very nice, but I think you need gold controls as well to complete the effect!!

 

 

I actually love those Spector controls most of all. They look great and feel great to use (the smaller circumference gives them a really accurate, low-geared feel). I always thought Anthony Jackson's 'Career Girl' jazz bass was much improved by the Spector knobs it had on it. 

 

 

[Rigetto]

Hi there,

Do you know how is the neck of a 1999 NS5CR compared to a, let's say, P-bass?

[cetera]

Are you comparing it to a 5-string P bass?

 

[Rigetto]

@cetera

yes, e.g. an American deluxe p-bass V

Edited January 11, 2023 by Rigetto

[lee650]

Had a look for mine and didn't find them. Here's my 2, 2007 Euro4 LX in Ultra Amber Gloss with a beautiful Tiger maple. Such a fantastic sound! it's a non trimpot so hotter than the sun 🤣 

My second is a 2011 Euro5 LX TW in a natural Matt with a lovely subtle Quilted top. Very different sound to the 4, smoother and warmer with a lot more low end. It has the splittable Humbuckers which can be ran as single coil, however splitting creates a volume drop, which still can be used for different Tones. This has the trimpot so it's set a bit lower.

 

Been a Spector fan for as long as ive been playing, and use both these for my rock/Soul band, my Fender and yamaha handle the jazz rock fusion 😁

Edited January 17, 2023 by lee650

[lee650]

On 07/01/2023 at 21:35, Chris2112 said:

I thought I had posted my 1993 NS-5CR here but apparently I hadn't. I actually got this one in from the Black Sea region of Russia in 2021 (obviously you couldn't do that now). I was half looking for a Spector at the time when I saw this one and I had to have it. Pretty much the dream spec for me - black and gold, dot inlays, EMG soapbars and BTS circuit, solid maple wings and 34" scale. 

 

I was quite pleased when it turned up as it sounds absolutely great. It also has the lowest and cleanest action of any bass I've ever played. It almost feels like a touch guitar, so little effort is needed to get a note out of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is very sexy indeed 😍 

[Risk101]

So I was attempting to turn the truss rod on my NS5H2 and couldn’t get it to move with the supplied “Allen key”. In fact there’s not enough width in the slot to turn it anyway!

 

You probably know this already but for those that don’t know, T handled wrenches (like the Fender ones) are available for a few £ and using that it shifted easily!

 

It only needed a quarter turn and the relief is now perfect 👍🏻 

[mattbass6]

2 hours ago, Risk101 said:

So I was attempting to turn the truss rod on my NS5H2 and couldn’t get it to move with the supplied “Allen key”. In fact there’s not enough width in the slot to turn it anyway!

 

You probably know this already but for those that don’t know, T handled wrenches (like the Fender ones) are available for a few £ and using that it shifted easily!

 

It only needed a quarter turn and the relief is now perfect 👍🏻 

Great idea. What is the exact size, and do you have a link to the one you purchased please? Thank you ☺️

[Risk101]

For the Spector USA they confirmed to me on E Mail it was 4mm

 
I can’t seem to copy the link so here is a screenshot.

[mattbass6]

9 hours ago, Risk101 said:

For the Spector USA they confirmed to me on E Mail it was 4mm

 
I can’t seem to copy the link so here is a screenshot.

That’s ace. Thanks so much ☺️

[Tokalo]

I’ve just bought a used Coda 4 Pro.

 

I wanted a Spector and I was also looking for a jazz-style bass (so this means I can keep below the max number of basses allowed in the house!)

 

I want to change from two volume controls to a volume + balance.

 

My options seem to be:

Get a 4-pot preamp replacement;

Get a 4-pot passive loom (eg from KiOgon).

 

My question is whether going passive will necessitate new pickups - are EMH HZs powerful enough without a preamp?

 

(And is going passive a huge No No for a Spector?!)

 

 

[Bassman666]

43 minutes ago, Tokalo said:

I’ve just bought a used Coda 4 Pro.

 

I wanted a Spector and I was also looking for a jazz-style bass (so this means I can keep below the max number of basses allowed in the house!)

 

I want to change from two volume controls to a volume + balance.

 

My options seem to be:

Get a 4-pot preamp replacement;

Get a 4-pot passive loom (eg from KiOgon).

 

My question is whether going passive will necessitate new pickups - are EMH HZs powerful enough without a preamp?

 

(And is going passive a huge No No for a Spector?!)

 

 

I've just fitted a sadowsky preamp to a lakland jazz bass of mine and I can highly recommend it. It's 4 pots, vol balance tone and a stack bass treble. Has a push pull passive switch on the tone pot. I got it from thomann for about £160 and it sounds awesome. I usually run it passive but the active controls are there should I ever need them 

[Rich]

I'm sure everyone's sick of the sight of my resurrected Q4, but here it is anyway

 

I know nothing about the various Spector preamp types, does anyone know what the standard fitment for the Q4s was? It's V/V/Bass/Treb and seems to work really well; I've toyed with the idea of various mods (maybe V/Bal rather than V/V**) and the addition of a passive tone might be interesting too, but it sounds so good stock I end up thinking "why bother?".

I might well try a pickup swap at some point though, in particular I'd really like a P-configuration at the neck (e.g. EMG 35P4) and perhaps a tapped hb at the neck (e.g. EMG TW). In no real hurry though, and see previous statement re: "why bother?"  

(EDIT: ** I'm going to have to do something even if it's just renewing an existing pot, as the neck volume appears to be the wrong taper or something... absolutely everything happens in the last few degrees of turn) 

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by Rich

[cetera]

17 minutes ago, Rich said:

I know nothing about the various Spector preamp types, does anyone know what the standard fitment for the Q4s was?

It should be an EMG BTS circuit inside, so you have passive pickups with an active circuit. Upgrading the pickups to full active EMGs is something I tend to do, but if you're happy with the Hz pickups why bother, as you say?!

 

It's worth flicking the two tiny mini switches on the BTS into each combination of 'off' and 'on' to see which sound you prefer. I, and many others, like having both switches 'on' for a more biting Spector tone, but playing dub/reggae etc you may find a different combination preferable. Enjoy experimenting!

[Rich]

9 minutes ago, cetera said:

It should be an EMG BTS circuit inside, so you have passive pickups with an active circuit. Upgrading the pickups to full active EMGs is something I tend to do, but if you're happy with the Hz pickups why bother, as you say?!

 

It's worth flicking the two tiny mini switches on the BTS into each combination of 'off' and 'on' to see which sound you prefer. I, and many others, like having both switches 'on' for a more biting Spector tone, but playing dub/reggae etc you may find a different combination preferable. Enjoy experimenting!

 

Aha, I'd seen the two DIP switches but I didn't realise it was a BTS. More experimentation ahoy!  

[Grahambythesea]

Coda 4 - my birthday present.

[WHUFC BASS]

In the words of the script from the Life of Brian ....

 

"Ooohhh, you lucky barsteward"

[mattbass6]

Here’s a very lovely Forte 4 for sale at Bass Bros 😉

 

https://bassbros.co.uk/product/2018-spector-forte-4-usa/

[Rich]

On 10/08/2023 at 18:49, Grahambythesea said:

Coda 4 - my birthday present.

Ooooh lordy... nurse, quick, my pills... 

 

You're in good company there.