WTB: Spector Euro 5LX
- Thread starter Ermz
- Start date
KillDivision
Member
kev
Im guybrush threepwood
Are these things gold dust 2nd hand or something?
MarcusGHedwig
Member
The best raw DIs I've ever heard. Admittedly that was on the standard Quilt Maple tops. Here in Oz we only seem to get the exotic tops, so I'm hoping that the Burl Poplar veneer doesn't make it too much darker... There was a Spalted Maple model, but at that point you might as well smear feces on your guitar and call it a finish.
Will be keen to shoot out the Spector TonePump electronics vs the EMG QBC in it.
Will be keen to shoot out the Spector TonePump electronics vs the EMG QBC in it.
MarcusGHedwig
Member
Awesome, can't wait to hear it! And as long as it's still neck-thru maple, I doubt you'll have any problems with brightness 
(and also since veneers are so thin)
(and also since veneers are so thin)
Well, believe it or not my BTB705DX is a maple neck-thru too (albeit with some bubinga strips thrown in). That and the ash wings seemed to be all it needed to lo-fi the tone. Spector do some different stuff though... there is a slice of walnut wedged in on the body somewhere, the neck is all maple with graphite rods, and of course the wings are alder, with the finish being high gloss for maximum top-end. Above all I think dropping the ash will be the biggest improvement. That wood seems to globally deteriorate the tone of anything it's in.
KillDivision
Member
Pictures please
I've been drooling on the poplar finish.
De sound of my Euro 5LX is really deep and bright.
Oh, and there is no fineer layer, it's real thick wood.
I've been drooling on the poplar finish.
De sound of my Euro 5LX is really deep and bright.
Oh, and there is no fineer layer, it's real thick wood.
FrancescoFiligoi
Count Blastula
egan.
daylightdies.com
Ash is actually brighter than alder on every bass I've ever tried with a comparable neck. Spector uses the alder to give basses a fatter sound versus their all maple models. I'm not sure on the euros but on the USA's I've played the top is half of the wood so it's still really bright but I'd be leery of the other tops since they're an unknown and define the tone in a big way (no veneers, it's like an inch of wood).
The only negative I can think of with spectors is that the necks are super thick.
Anyway, best luck finding a nice one.
The only negative I can think of with spectors is that the necks are super thick.
Anyway, best luck finding a nice one.
Thanks.
Worst case scenario, it ends up being a bass with alder-esque sounding wings and maple neck thru. Should still be fine. I've been relatively fond of most alder bodied basses I've heard so far, and in this case the neck wood should take some more precedence due to the design.
Really curious to know where they wedge that slice of walnut.
egan, out of curiosity, do you know what effect high gloss finishes have on the tone of a bass? That's been bothering me to no end, and I've had no chance to test it objectively.
Worst case scenario, it ends up being a bass with alder-esque sounding wings and maple neck thru. Should still be fine. I've been relatively fond of most alder bodied basses I've heard so far, and in this case the neck wood should take some more precedence due to the design.
Really curious to know where they wedge that slice of walnut.
egan, out of curiosity, do you know what effect high gloss finishes have on the tone of a bass? That's been bothering me to no end, and I've had no chance to test it objectively.
egan.
daylightdies.com
I think the walnut is just a pancake layer between the alder and the top.
In general the high gloss tends to knock off a little of the mid-mid and high-mid stuff IME. The high highs seem to come straight off the strings rather than through the wood if that makes sense so it's much more dependent on the pups. It really depends though. There is a big difference between a nice poly and the super thick schecter style paint job which IMO really congests the tone. I've really come to the determination that the acoustic sound of a bass tells you a ton about what you're getting.
I think the neck stringers are the damnation of that ibanez (even though I think it sounds pretty good). Nothing I've heard is better for snappy tones than a regular maple neck. I guess guys are trying to add stability but using softer woods in the neck always seems to round the tone some.
I do think you'll like the spector. Generally they're bright and agressive basses with alot more top/bottom than any of the standbys.
In general the high gloss tends to knock off a little of the mid-mid and high-mid stuff IME. The high highs seem to come straight off the strings rather than through the wood if that makes sense so it's much more dependent on the pups. It really depends though. There is a big difference between a nice poly and the super thick schecter style paint job which IMO really congests the tone. I've really come to the determination that the acoustic sound of a bass tells you a ton about what you're getting.
I think the neck stringers are the damnation of that ibanez (even though I think it sounds pretty good). Nothing I've heard is better for snappy tones than a regular maple neck. I guess guys are trying to add stability but using softer woods in the neck always seems to round the tone some.
I do think you'll like the spector. Generally they're bright and agressive basses with alot more top/bottom than any of the standbys.
Cheers.
What do you mean by 'neck stringers'? The slices of bubinga that are running through the neck? I always thought it to be a combination of that, the wings and the lack of paint and/or gloss. You're adamant that gloss actually knocks off high mids?
Just wondering whether a stain/matt finish is valid on a bright, snappy bass. I've always preferred Matte Black Stain to just about any other finish, and would be nice to eventually get a bass that looks the part as well as sounding it.
Kinda like this, mmmm:
What do you mean by 'neck stringers'? The slices of bubinga that are running through the neck? I always thought it to be a combination of that, the wings and the lack of paint and/or gloss. You're adamant that gloss actually knocks off high mids?
Just wondering whether a stain/matt finish is valid on a bright, snappy bass. I've always preferred Matte Black Stain to just about any other finish, and would be nice to eventually get a bass that looks the part as well as sounding it.
Kinda like this, mmmm:
MarcusGHedwig
Member
Yeah, that's about as gorgeous as it gets - aren't satin finishes pretty much invariably less dent/ding resistant than gloss though? (this has always been my experience)
Given my experience with the BTB, I'd say you're right. For a studio instrument it's not such a big deal though, so long as your clients aren't deep-sea retards.
egan.
daylightdies.com
Cheers.
What do you mean by 'neck stringers'? The slices of bubinga that are running through the neck? I always thought it to be a combination of that, the wings and the lack of paint and/or gloss. You're adamant that gloss actually knocks off high mids?
Just wondering whether a stain/matt finish is valid on a bright, snappy bass. I've always preferred Matte Black Stain to just about any other finish, and would be nice to eventually get a bass that looks the part as well as sounding it.
Kinda like this, mmmm:
Yeah, I just mean the bubinga in the neck and IME it definitely reduces the snap. Bubinga is generally a mid-centric wood (see warwicks) so it adds stuff I think you don't like at all. Personally I don't want anything less bright than maple in my necks.
I definitely feel like the thicker the finish the more dampened and congested the sound gets but I haven't played every bass in the world. It might be that it damps the overall sound and resonance of the bass but I generally notice the highs the most.
I'm big on oil finishes right now it terms of look, feel and sound.
BTW, I looked up poplar and I think you should avoid it given what you want. It's supposedly a "balanced" wood but I think you want the maple snap.
One last aside, literally the only reason I don't own a Spector is the necks. I really want to try one of the Alex Webster's with the thinner profile.
Well, it's too late for that regardless. It was sent out of the warehouse and will likely arrive today. Should be interesting to hear how it compares with the maple topped models I've got clips of. I've got my fingers crossed it'll still be largely usable, as the maple models are very bright and hi-fi.
Shame about the necks then. Hopefully we can sort that kink out with the Strictly 7 guys. We've been drafting up Simone's signature bass for a few weeks, and we've arrived at something fairly similar to the 5 LX, so hopefully the guys can reduce the neck profile and make it more BTB-ish.
Shame about the necks then. Hopefully we can sort that kink out with the Strictly 7 guys. We've been drafting up Simone's signature bass for a few weeks, and we've arrived at something fairly similar to the 5 LX, so hopefully the guys can reduce the neck profile and make it more BTB-ish.
egan.
daylightdies.com
The necks aren't terrible. Lots of guys like them obviously, but I have strong preferences and they aren't for me. I hope it does what you want it to. They're a good company that makes good instruments.
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