Spector Tonepump is NOT boost only!

[Chris2112]

Of all the myriad preamps I've come across over the years, the Tonepump has been one of the better ones. A friend of mine used to have two Spectors, one US made with a Hazlab preamp and one Euro with an Aguilar preamp. The Hazlab was the best sounding of the two, but when I A/B'd my Euro against his basses it sounded a lot better than the Aguilar and not far behind the Hazlab one. The Hazlab preamp sounded amazing, absolutely great. Thats what Fodera used to use, and I believe Victor Wooten's #1 Monarch has this preamp. The Spector in question certainly sounded said fairly "Wooten".

[ead]

Does all this mean that my trusty Legend 4 with 3-band EQ is now a poor relation?

[Conan]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1294615560' post='1083765']
Have you adjusted the preamp gain? If you open the back panel you will see a little white dial on the preamp - it tends to be on full when they leave the factory (I think) but you can easily turn it down with a flat screwdriver. When they are turned up full the output is a little bit much.
[/quote]

Depends when the bass was made. The adjustable tonepump (the one with the trimpot) was only installed in Euro models from 2008 onwards.

Mine is a 2005 and is the non-adjustable version. Yes, the output is very hot, but can be tamed by judicious use of the bass and treble controls. And if you have an amp with an input/preamp volume (which I don't!) you can just reduce that until the distortion goes away.

Of course, some people like that raspy, growly, gritty distortion and complain when they [i]can't[/i] get it!

[cocco]

I really need a go on a Spector.

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1294670184' post='1084261']
Of all the myriad preamps I've come across over the years, the Tonepump has been one of the better ones. A friend of mine used to have two Spectors, one US made with a Hazlab preamp and one Euro with an Aguilar preamp. The Hazlab was the best sounding of the two, but when I A/B'd my Euro against his basses it sounded a lot better than the Aguilar and not far behind the Hazlab one. The Hazlab preamp sounded amazing, absolutely great. Thats what Fodera used to use, and I believe Victor Wooten's #1 Monarch has this preamp. The Spector in question certainly sounded said fairly "Wooten".
[/quote]

Interesting, that.
My NS CR5 EUB has a Hazlabs EQ in it. And it's very, very good indeed. Sounds like it's been voiced to suit the instrument, not just plonked in the cavity and left to get on with it...

[TorVic]

I found this Spector manual (un-dated): [url="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/25/001/434/190/DV040_PDF_Copy_BFA6F1D3-6667-467D-BC29-A7F655BC61C1.pdf"]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/25/001/434/190/DV040_PDF_Copy_BFA6F1D3-6667-467D-BC29-A7F655BC61C1.pdf[/url]

They have listed Aguilar OBP-1 for the Europe series instead of the current TonePump, so I am not sure to which time period this corresponds. [size=4]The manual states the following in the pickups and preamps page: [/size]

[size=4]"IMPORTANT: As opposed to the EMG[/size]
and the Spector Preamp, the Aguilar
design calls for the Bass and Treble
controls as FLAT (no boost) when the
controls are in the FULL
Counterclockwise Position. Most
preamp designs utilize a “center
detent” on the potentiometer which is
their reference point for “flat”"

Perhaps the boost-only attribute of the Aguilar OBP-1 preamp ([url="http://www.aguilaramp.com/products_preamps_obp1.htm"]http://www.aguilaramp.com/products_preamps_obp1.htm[/url][size=4]) was [/size][size=4]misconstrued for the TonePump preamp that followed it.[/size]

[TLBX]

Great info Davidak. I'm trying out a 2004 Euro XL this week with the TP. Ill be listening for what would be the flat and keeping an eye on my input gain on my amp (bringing the Mark along). Not sure if its vol/vol/bass/treble or vol/pan/bass/treble. I'm use to the EMG bqc in my bass so I'm sure it will be very different. Let you know what I think. Nice1

[M2whittaker]

Just turn the tone pump down. There's a video of how to do that on YouTube. Just type in the search "how to adjust your tone pump on your Spector". My 2020 Spector 5lx matte black is amazing!!!

[M2whittaker]

Just turn the tone pump down. There's a video of how to do that on YouTube. Just type in the search "how to adjust your tone pump on your Spector". My 2020 Spector 5lx matte black is amazing!!!

[LeftyJ]

Did you just join a forum especially to tell someone he was wrong 11 years ago?