Spector NS Pulse 4 Review - Spector, It's time to ditch the Tone Pump Jr... - LowEndLobster Review
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
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Spector NS Pulse 4: www.spectorbas...
Hey everyone! Today we're reviewing the NS Pulse 4 from Spector's new Pulse line featuring a mean looking sandblasted Cinder Red finish and Active EMG picks paired to a Tone Pump Jr. preamp. After replacing the faulty bridge pickup (Big shout out to Anthony @ EMG for the EXCELLENT support!), we're ready to put this bass through its paces!
This bass and all my other basses with rounds are strung with MJC Ironworks Nickel Plated Stainless Steel 45-105(130) unless otherwise noted. Check them out at www.mjcironworks.com
Info on my signal chain, setup and more: • FAQ: My Signal Chain, ...
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EMG pickups and customer service leave nothing to be desired! Top notch all the way! Great review again, my friend! I can’t wait to hear this with a better preamp!
Thanks Joseph! I actually sold this, I already have a Spector that I upgraded in a similar way and thought it'd be a bit redundant. We have way cooler stuff on the horizon anyways ;P
Gotta add my two cents - your humor with the claw and honesty with the reviews are two personality traits that will take you very very far in life. Keep on keeping on!
Thank you Skin the Moon :)!
Gotta say this is the most wholesome bass channel on RUclips, I've really been enjoying your reviews since I found you a year ago
Thank you Liam!
On my Spector Legend 4 Neck Thru I replaced the screws on the battery/electronics cover with magnets. Much easier and no fear of losing a screw on a dark stage side. BTW I really enjoy your channel.
Great idea Egroeg! Thank you :)
Been eyeing up this bass as my first "big boy" bass, and your review process has gained you a sub. lol
Totally agree on the Tone Pump.
I had my buddy rewire the EMG/Hz's in my Rebop 5-string to totally bypass the preamp, partly because it sounded better and partly because it went through batteries like crazy...
Thanks Sean! Yeah man, Korg needs to drop the pump!
The legit TonePump (not the jr.) is fantastic but it needs to be trimmed back to about 50%. The price is extremely good. Installation is easy enough.
I plan on getting a pulse 5 and throwing in a hazlab clone tbh the tonepump jr is mid
I got a Pulse NS 4 and I freaking love it. I love how many different crazy sounds I can get out of it. I know it’s got kind of a odd tone but man it works for me I can add so many layers of effects and it almost sounds like I am playing two instruments at once the effects are full and clear but you can still hear the definition of the bass sound. It gives you a huge sonic landscape to work with. (Edit) I’ve never ever heard any buzz noise even with a huge amount of tube gain and everything pushed to the limit.
Thanks for sharing! Great comment :)
Could u please record short DI clean demo of your NS 4? :)
I installed an EMG PJ-X pickup set, and the EMG BQC System preamp, in my main bass, and I absolutely love it. I can get any tone I am after, and every tone I get sounds absolutely great!
I know you said you were totally pleased with the PJ set in that bass, but if you are ever tempted to try out a different set, I would definitely recommend the EMG PJ-X set. My bass has the P pick-up mounted just like that bass, with the treble side of the pickup closer to the neck and the bass side closer to the bridge, which doesn't seem like much, and probably isn't noticeable to some people, but I definitely prefer to mount my P bass pickups in that orientation. To me, the treble strings ring out just a little bit louder (better balance with the bass strings), a little bit more full, my ex bandmates believed that they have a little more punch and a little more snap in this orientation (I modded a Squire bass body to mount the P pick up this way, and we all could hear the difference). We also felt that the lower strings have less tendency towards excessive, "boominess," or muddiness.
I also had an issue with an EMG pickup a while back (first time in 38 sets of bass and guitar pickups over many years), and I have to say that working with the people at EMG to get that problem addressed, as well as the technical support staff at EMG helping me to install their competitor's pickups onto an EMG preamp, which the manufacturer of the pickups would not do, and the way the EMG tech support people went about responding the very next day, every time I sent them a question. They tracked down answers, and had already shipped out replacement product before I even requested that product. They knew what needed to be done and they simply took care of business, took care of the customer, and every one of them were great to deal with on a person to person level.
Also, they have dozens of pickups, active and passive sets, and are way, way, way more than just the 81 / 85 pick up set (that is on 18 of the top 25 metal albums of all time). That pickup set is probably my least favorite from EMG,, and it's a set I almost never install in a client's custom built guitar.
The preamps and pots, the solderless wiring sets, are as good or better than anything on the market, at that price point, and they have some really great bass pickups (NEVER have noise issues with them, NOT a fan of that preamp, that bass is crying out for a BQC or BTC preamp... PLEASE...
... looking forward to the review video when you replace that preamp 👍🏼). With the EMG pickups already in that bass, and the solderless wiring you get with EMG american-made products, it's probably the easiest modding project you'll ever do. It will definitely be a noticeable and significant improvements, in terms of the noise level, the quality of the tones, the reliability of the EMG preamp and wiring plus the absolutely top notch customer service and technical support EMG offers. One suggestion I would make would be to, when you install the EMG preamp, also install either the 18 volt modification, which involves two nine volt batteries, or go online and purchase the 24 volt mod, which uses two small 12 volt batteries, that resemble AAA batteries. Two of these 12 volt batteries fit within the 12-volt mod battery adapter, and this adapter snaps into the standard 9-volt battery terminal. So there is absolutely no wiring change needed to be made, you just purchase the 24 volts mod adapter, which is very inexpensive, and the 12 volt batteries are actually cheaper than 9 volt batteries in many locations (I buy my 12-volt batteries online and they are extremely inexpensive), it definitely makes a difference in the sound of the bass going from 9 volts to a higher voltage, and since it's actually cheaper to go with the 24 volts than it is an 18 volt, plus you don't have to create space for an additional 9 volt battery, it's just made all the sense in the world to me to go that route, and I am very glad that I did.
Sorry for the excessive yammering
Hey! Wow, thank you for the awesome comment! I'm right there with you, I love the X pickups. My Eurobolt has some EMG-X and a BTC preamp (I like the two band w/ tone control over the 3 band in some applications). You're right on EMG's service, they work hard to ensure that issues are addressed and customers are satisfied.
Good review man. I appreciate it that you actually give your honest opinion the negatives of any given bass. I agree the Pulse would sound much better with a preamp upgrade.
Many reviews gloss over those kinds of things and or use a ton of processing to make even terrible instruments sound good. Thx for keeping it real.
Also, perfect timing on this video!
I've got a Spector Ethos in the mail and I'm curious to see how the Aguilar pickups stack up vs the traditional EMGs you normally see in Spector basses.
Thanks Kevin! That's how we do things around here :)
Kevin, how do you like your Ethos? Do you think it was worth it over the Pulse? Can't go wrong with Aguilar electronics and both finish options on the Ethos are absolutely stunning.
I bought the Pulse 2 (satin finish).I replaced the tonepump jr with an EMG BTC and the original tuners with Goto res-o-lite. The bass balances perfectly and sounds just how I like it.
I think that bass sounds killer in your demos regardless of your preamp opinions. (You didn't really explain why you didn't like it other than the buzz). The Tonepump is widely misunderstood (and maligned), largely because people just try to run everything full up as they would with a typical preamp. The flat settings on bass and treble pots are typically only 2 to 3/10, not the midpoint. And Spector fans always recommend cutting the gain back by 50%. Depending on which Tonepump you've got in there, there might be an adjustable gain trim pot inside. Try cutting that back to 50% and then see if you still hate the sounds. I'd also consider shielding the cavity to cut the noise down.
I learned this strait away I'm surprised people didn't work that out.
@@Steve-nq8jcI've just bought a pulse. What is it that's supposedly wrong and what am I supposed to do. It hasn't arrived yet.
I love it and the sound. No problems here.
Yeah i actually love the tone pump jr matched with emgs and i dont get the hate at all
the thing is you shouldn't have to root around in the control cavity to mess with internal controls if you pay above 1000 dollars for a bass
You're really bringing me around to EMGs. I think I might grab a set to check out :)
They're awesome! They have so many different sets for so many scenarios
This is exactly how I feel about my Epiphone Thunderbird Pro... It’s crazy how much a mediocre preamp can ruin an otherwise excellent instrument. One of these days I’ll get around to replacing it!
Thanks Gino! Indeed, I feel like I should revisit the Pro (4 string this time) as a TB mod platform.
I like everything about this bass, the looks the style the sound except for one thing. I hate not having a battery compartment on an active bass lol. That’s why I chose my stingray I can swap the battery out in seconds and then get back to playing no screwdriver no plate one and done. But specter bases are awesome.
Thanks Ross! I agree, battery doors are a MUST.
Just watched Rodneys vid for the Pachyderm Claypool P ....they sounded NICE and knowing how you like your tone ...I would say you will love them!!!...he has a Schecter Avenger that he routed out for a dual p config ..its a KILLER!!!....can't wait to see what the Crustacean Sensation does with them!!!!!
Thanks dude! Yeah I really want to get my hands on those Claypools! They sold out when the first batched dropped.
Idk why but when I hear silence in LowEndLobsters vids, idk why but it’s funny, if he just stared at the camera I’d probably just laugh for like 10 minutes straight, even thinking about it is just utterly comedic 😩😂😂😂
XD Thank you :)
Since you don’t like the tone pump jr, would you be willing to try the LHZ preamp ? It’s a clone of the hazlab pre from the 80’s spectors.
3 weeks ago i posted a comment about how good this bass is, and about how it sounds, however,,, i went and got me a tone capsule and a dual volume pot and a brass nut, sustain on this thing is unreal! the darkglass did gave the bass a wider range of sound, but its not as loud as the tone pump jr. but you can get more out of this bass with the darkglass all day, i have on my spector ns $1400.00 and it sounds as good as some $3,000.00 basses i own
Dude! Awesome! Great to hear about the mod. Enjoy :)
Wow! That sucker looks incredible. Now you need to do a video on how to convince my wife that I need one. 😉
A Lobster guide to convincing your significant other to let you have another bass - coming a book store near you ;P
@@LowEndLobster Brilliant idea! I'm glad that you thought of it. 😉 Sign me up for the pre-order.
I have a regular tone pump in my Spector Euro and I like it. Had it for a year with Barts and its my main bass in the past year. Just bought an NS Pulse II with the tonepump jr and it's a hot piece of garbage. Has EMG DC40's and the Jr somehow makes them sound bad. My tech has the bass now installing an EMG BQC preamp.
I gig out with my Spector Pulse II, Cinder red 4 string almost every weekend and out of all of my top end basses this one has the most oomph and clear definition when going direct without an amp. Arguably my Bongo and Lakland may produce a wider tone pallet through my amp. But when going direct with only a monitor , it's this tone pump jr that cuts without being overbearing or weak sounding.
Looks incredible and kind of growls like a Spector. For real savagery out of one a Darkglass or Sansamp preamp pedal and an Ampeg. I don't really like the plain jane on board preamp of my Performer Holoflash and want to swap it out for a Darkglass one. Nicki Tedesco has the EMGs in her Euro with a Darkglass preamp in it and her tone is absolutely monster!
Thanks Boomer! I really dig how they're doing the DG from the factory now. I need to get my hands on one of those hehe
I go Orange with my Tech 21 Pinnick sig. For extra mayhem, I throw on Wampler Lowblow. Number one bass these days is a 1980 BC Rich Eagle deluxe.
My favorite on-board EQ setup is active bass boost in conjunction with a passive tone control I never want to cut the bass and will very rarely want to boost the treble.
Thanks Chris! I really wish more active circuits would utilize the passive tone control.
When I get the chance I'm going to get one and put a set of mec pickups in it.
Lobster is the men for details. Do you have German ancestors 🤣🤣
I love to listen and learn you see everything and go always deep into detail 🍺👍
Thank you J! I do have some German ancestry (my IRL last name is pretty german)
@@LowEndLobster ha..I didn't see the name. Na dann ist mir ja alles klar 🤣😂👍
Yes. EMG replacement preamp is gonna happen. And the Claypool pickups would be a great way to top it off. But........it needs an extra string😂
I waaaaant the Claypool pickup so bad. Checking their site every day
I ran a EMG J set back in the days you has to solder them. A few years back I thought I would give them a shot again and bought the basic J set and they were super noisy. I removed the copper shielding per EMG’s recommendation and even sent them in to be tested and sadly they were just noisy. I have heard that the X labeled sets don’t have this issue.
I was having that same issue with the Spector Ethos with Aguilar P and J if i went to boost treble I have loud humming and even could hear radio sometimes its was my first Spector and was so disappointed and disappointed with how the store handled the situation as I am a lefty and im sure you know how hard it is to find a left handed one. Great coverage on this one.
On my Pulse 5, I swapped the EMG 40DC in the neck for an EMG 40P5. Planning to put a J-style EMG in the bridge.
The 40DC is a little too hifi and nasally for my taste, I think it’s going for a little of that Aguilar sound.
Nice! You swapping the pre too? It wants a BTC stack with a tone control ;P
@@LowEndLobster if that $1400 stimmy comes in soon, I might convert the Spector to passive Nordys! But for the meantime I AM looking at the BTC.
LowEndLobster does it again. Love your down-to-earth approach to reviewing. That's weird about the noise with the jazz pickup. But I have never been a fan of the Tone Pump Jr. preamp. I bet if you dropped in one of EMG's BQC preamps like you intimated - the noise would cease. Plus you could add an extra battery for more headroom. Sigh........
Agreed, missed opportunity here and a lame use of the budget TP Jr. preamp. BQC or even a BTC would be a big improvement. I was going to mod this, but I already have my Eurobolt with the EMG-X'ers :)
That finish looks amazing.
Thanks Peter!
I just got my Fender Dimension bass with active 3 band EQ. Dead quiet boost and cut. It was roughly the same money as the Spector. Hopefully Spector will come up with a new pre-amp design. Thanks
Thanks Sparks! Congrats on the dimension :)
I've got 2 Spector CodaPro4s,I was going through a battery about 2 to 3 weeks,I thought just turning off volume shut the draining on the battery but no, the patch cord has to be pulled from the bass,since I realized that been on the same battery for 6 months.
i purchased this bass a week ago, and it does not have any of the problems this guy shows here, no ground noise no preamp issues, no emg pick up issues, i even try to have noise thru an optical compressor, with no ground lift,,,, and nothing, this guy have a unique problem, and its not the bass or electronics, an interesting thing is,,,, he keeps saying that he called emg, but never called spector about the problem, something its wrong in here, this bass on this video, its as good and sounds almost as good as my pedulla mpv 4, and i own both, the spector ns pulse its an absolute monster of a bass, for $1,100.00 its a deal and a half and the finish is astonishing!
Thanks A! I usually don't go directly to the manufacturer unless it's warranted. I reached out to the vendor here first, followed by EMG who provided the replacement pickup which helped. I don't think it's a bad bass, I just think the preamp here is doing it a bit of a disservice. Thanks for sharing your experience, though. I only have one example most instruments I review (SUBs don't count ;P), and base my reviews on the instrument I have.
i think your problem its unique,,, and it could be caused by something else or you have a factory freak! lol!!! you always have to test more than 3 to have an accurate review, reviews like this are basically russian roulette reviews, maybe there is a bullet there? maybe not. i see this all over youtube, and its very unprofessional and it hurts brands, costumers, and music in general, because some of this instruments can really help people write or sound better on their music, i appreciate the review you did, and your opinion, but to claim that is a disservice,,,,, well thats a bit wrong.
@@anieves6306 What something else could it be caused by? My environment, amp settings, interface settings, and every detail other than the bass remains the same... 'Have to test more than 3 to have an accurate review'? That's silly. Based on your logic, I need to buy not one... but three of each bass I review? Yeah, no... I just buy basses and share my thoughts on the bass that I get. In my opinion, the Tone Pump Jr. preamp sucks. I'd hardly call that unprofessional or say that it hurts brands. Constructive criticism helps brands grow.
i think it could be bridge ground issue or aground on your studio, i have that problem with a jazz bass a few years ago while on session work, it had the same noise you have in there, and it was the combination of my ampeg svt and the d.i.and a compression pedal, and it was unique to that bass, under those circumstances, i still have that bass and use it a lot live, and its very quite, as long as i dont put it thru some weird combination, i use the same combo on my spector and its very quite, go figure! lol!!!!
@@anieves6306 if you want Lobster to test 3 basses, then that implies the consumer would also have to buy 3 basses to get a good one. If a bass is that variable between examples then that is a company I would never buy from.
Do you think an aguilar obp-3 would sound good with these pickups. I have the bass and hate the pre. I didn't like the emg bts either. Any suggestions?
Looks awesome sounds awesome what a great bass 🤩
Thanks João!
🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞Yeah!! Another great vid👍
Thank you!
I have never heard you say 'not bad' with less enthusiasm.
It's a bit of a compromise all around, nice though. Sounds solid. I'd rather have your ehb though
Thanks James, exactly. At roughly the same price (5 string vs 5 string), the EHB comes a bit better equipped electronics wise and you have the option of multiscale.
Isn't it too much Quality control issues for a U$1100 bass? I mean, the pickup and noise.
From the point of view of someone who doesn't live in America. I just imagine importing one of these, paying shipping + 60% taxes and receive a half assed bass without chance of support.
Good idea. Wait for one to fall into your lap “a deal” I think you mighty be happier. Keep an eye on lobsters reverb page. Cheers Daniel.
@@PushSueAside I can't buy more basses until next..... week(?).
Seriously I need a huge excuse to buy another one.
@@DanielMiclos Cheers!!!
Awesome, I know the feeling. Good luck on your quest. Anything catching you fancy yet?
At the moment I'm looking for a excuse for one of these: instagram.com/s.martyn_custom_basses?igshid=1vcnld6jb3et1
it's against the rules to post sexual content in the comments... I'll let it slide. hawt damn
I had an european Rebop some years ago, he was a "buzzer" too, even with soapbars... Didn't regret it
Thanks! I love the look of the rebops, hoping to snag one some day :)
that bass just looks so GOOOD!
Thanks Rafael :)
Hello , have you ever tryed a ibanez sr500.?
Is the spector carbon much different from a sr 500?
Great review as always!!!
Thank you!
@@LowEndLobster keep doing what you’re doing!
I really think that, if you plan on keeping it, it needs one of the EMG system preamps, probably the one with the volume, balance, mid/sweep, and bass/treble setup on four knobs. That preamp is definitely causing some noise issues that you don't expect when you pay >$1k for a bass. Plus, it looks way too cool to warrant anything less than the best.
Thanks Shred! I was originally going to keep it, but I just modded my Eurobolt 4 with EMG pickups and pre and thought it'd be a little redundant. I'm right there with you though, given the looks and price point - I'd expect a better pre than the one found in the lower-end models.
👎
It’s fine as it is.
Why didn't you show the sound with both bass and treble fully boosted simultaneously?
My dream bass.
Thanks Parlo!
You're right. That bass kind of has a very pedestrian/middle of the road tone to it. Looks killer but, it does not stand out tonally. 2nd hand or used at the right price might make me overlook that issue.
Thanks Iggy! It's the damn Tone Pump, more like Tone Suck amirite!? ;P
@@LowEndLobster or tone dump 🤪
What pre-amp do you suggest? As I have this bass and I think you are correct with your thoughts.
I'd probably go EMG TBH. Easy to source, plug and play with these pickups (though you may need to get new pickup wires with the plugs on both ends, EMG can provide them).
Hey 🦞Great Vid as always, I'm thinking of adding a NS PULSE II to my collection, Possibly swapping the preamp out for the Spector 2 band Dark Glass Tone Capsule, Would you say its worth looking into ? all the best. Stu
I see an EMG preamp in this one's future! A center detent is a MUST for a cut/boost pre...which is probably why it was wrongly listed as boost only. This bass is definitely lacking IMO...and obviously yours as well. For $1099.00, I could buy two or three basses and be fine with modding them. If I had to mod this bass to be happy with it, I would not be happy with it. Thanks Lobster!
Thanks BCC!
@@LowEndLobster funnily enough 10-13 year old korean Legend 4 Custom models omitted the tonepumps and straight up used EMG B30 back then. Though the EMGHZ back then were weak, I asked Spector recently what to use as a replacement and they suggested 35DC(X)
Nice compact bass, upgrade project especially with the pre-amp
Thanks Ralph! Indeed, it's a preamp away from being a much better instrument. The feel is quite nice.
This Bass sounds great. I got the NS Pulse 4 in charcoal grey but I agree with you in terms of the preamp. Any suggestions for a better preamp or pickups to get more definition?
Same question!
Hey Lobster nice review as always! As for growl how much of a Euro Lx or your Eurobolt with the EMGs does this get? Would you prefer a German Warwick Streamer? thanks
Looks great and all but i dont wanna drive myself crazy about picking a third option when i've just made my mind up about either collecting money for troy sanders jaguar or ibanez ehb1005/1505(depending on how much i can get together).... Damn it, here we go again.
Hehe, thanks Dragonauts! EHB over this all day IMO.
The cap on the jpickup is the problem as an emg usrer
Thanks Timothy!
I have a Spector NS-2000 with EMG HZ and TonePump Jr. active preamp. I have the same noise when I boost treble. Any recommendation for a new preamp is welcome. Thanks!
Lobster... 3rd time lucky, as you said upgrade the pre amp. 💙👊😎
Thank you!
another great review 🙂
That doesn't sound as agressive as other EMG pickups I've heard but definitely a bright one. I wanna play alice in chains on that 😂
Hehe thanks Hetul!
What newer Spector version would you suggest to buy in order to play Alice In Chains?
I just got the NS Pulse II and the Tech21 dUg Piinick pedal and I have the AIC tone.
I would love to see you put the Claypool pickups into a custom bass!
I want those pickups sooo bad
Hey Lobster!
I want to install the EMPG PJ set in my P.
Do you know the distance between the front of the nut and the centre of the split coil?
And also the distance between the split and the J??
that sounds like the dreaded 60 hz hum, from perhaps a bad ground, or in my case, the amp was plugged into a socket that had a dimmer on it.
i only don't like not having a notch marking where the preamp is flat
Indeed, and the offset bass boost/cut makes it harder to find that true "center" as well.
This stock v.s charvel sam dimas stock? Both seem great besides shit pre amps but at least the Charvel's can be bypassed
Great question. It's a tough call as both have some glaring flaws. I think the Spector would require less work (EMG preamp swap and done) than the Charvel but I personally liked the neck and finish of the Charvel better
You can't go wrong here, Spector bass with EMG pickups, I would probably get a EMG preamp for that one, thanks LowEndLobster!!!
Thanks Guy!
What do think of the Chinese Warwicks?
Not a fan but I need to give them another chance.
@@LowEndLobster I think the corvette is Korean and the streamer is Chinese? I love the Warwick tone but seems you have the cheaper models and then a huge jump in price to get the German. Like 4-5 times the price. They need something in the middle. You should do some Warwick stuff bro.
Can someone suggest a good Pre-amp upgrade for the pulse 2 to compliment the EMG's? Dark Glass tone capsule is an option for me since it's now in the new 2023 HP Spectors. The Pulse 2 is my first proper bass, but i'm on a budget. I want it to be close Jason Newsted's NS2 Metallica tone. I'll be using it for Modern Hard Rock/ Metal tones and It's being played through an Ampeg.
how much better would it sound if i replace the tone pump jr with a darkglass tone capsule??
You should check out the 5 string with EMG DCs
Thanks Klay! We have another interesting Spector 5 string coming very soon ;)
I think i'm going to buy the 5 string model, cause i need a 35 inch bass for my deathcore band (we usually play in G standard or Drop F, and with certain low tunings i don't think my 34 inches Marcus Miller is tight enough)
But i was wondering, what if i replace the preamp with a Delano Sonar 2 or a Darkglass Tone Capsule?
Hey Steffo! Great question. YES, swapping out the terrible Tonepump Jr with a DG or Delano will yield excellent results
@@LowEndLobster hell yeah, the problem here is: They're both good af, but i don't know which one sounds better if we talk about mids and definition
I'd go for the DG with your particular genre of music.
0:00 love that Mayonnaise finish everyone's putting on their guitars now
Spector has a great neckthrough introduced this year but bolt ons that don't have anything new except a finish that's new to its own fans but nobody else that's ever seen anyone do dyed grain finishes (I first saw Mayones doing it years ago) are becoming completely uninteresting to me.
The race to the bottom was finished in 2019 and now the playing field is not only leveled but DEEP in derivative products that either just grab style points directly or try to mash them in with something else, usually to the company's dismay. You can't miss with a striking finish but you're still not going to sell as many of those as say a sunburst or natural finish....the black/red grain is a modern classic, so it seemed out of character for spector but it really wasn't a risk.
Les Claypool does have a P set from EMG this year! TIL
So now I know what to put in that center slot for the P pickup
James LoMenzo is my copilot lol
So the Billy Sheehan set, installed as it should be, and then the Les Claypool P (which is asymmetrically tuned for hi/lo response per split coil, different build in either side) in the bridge with the reversed P config to attenuate highs and boost lows in the bridge position...
ALL PASSIVE. :-)
Okay I have to run now to Walmart and get my limited edition Metallica colored vinyl lol
Yeah man, the finish is cool but it's thick and (though I have nothing to back this up) feel like they're using less desired pieces of wood for the back and giving it a book matched swamp ash top.
You mean Ethos as this neck-thru? Or the Legend Neck-thru?
i dont know...never get along with spector that much...all of the spector basses i handled i didnt like...body finish looks great i have to say...
would love to see you review a fender nate Mendel Bass in the future( i love mine;))...pickups are a little noisy have to say, but i still love it soooo much;)
Thanks Crusader!
This bass has already flown the Lobsta coup ...right????
Yup, gonezo!
I contacted a music store I sometimes go to, it's in Germany. They told me they could pre-order it and it would be available in June/July.
Do you think these are the exact same ones they're shipping out then?
Because I'm really digging this tone, I love it. But I'm just a tiny bit worried about the noise it makes at times.
Is there any chance they will have fixed that? Cause that's like the only con for me about this bass.
Thanks Daniel! Great question. Everyone's setup is different, so nothing is for certain. That being said, the noise of this pickup combo with the preamp (with the treble boosted especially) is something I attribute to the preamp and its combination with the pickup, and IMO noise like that is a lot more constant and repeatable vs something like single coil hum which is often directional and can vary based on the environment. I hope that helps :)
@@LowEndLobster Thanks a lot for responding.
I have a friend that's like really good with replacing these kind of things and just has a lot more knowledge about it than I do. Do you think it would be worth to maybe replace the preamp. And maybe put one in there from EMG (if they have one)?
I understand that some people might think that it's not worth it and that a $1099 bass should have no issues like this.
And I guess that makes sense too, I get their view on this.
I just really reallyy like the sound of this bass!!
what about the weight? is it lighter or heavier or is it the same as a Spector standard one?
What do you think about swapping the electronics with the fishman from the dimension?
Great question! Fishmans won't fit in here sadly, but I am a fan of their stuff
I'm pretty sure there's an ethos with 2HBs right?
@@citizennozmeda7232 Ah yes, I thought you were talking about this specific bass. It looks like the Ethos is using the G4 (DC40 sized) pickup, which is the same as the Fishmans.
@@LowEndLobster Sorry I've been looking at all three of the new spectors. I actually meant the pulse. I've seen pics of both the pj as well as dual soaps on the pulse.
@@citizennozmeda7232 yep, the 5er is rocking same sized pickups and could absolutely be swapped for Fishmans too
I think the bass sounds really good.
Thanks Sam!
You’d expect this kind of issues to be non-existing in a bass that’s over 1,000 bucks. It is a gorgeous bass, and the pickups sound marvelous, but I can’t stand the idea of spending that much and still having to spend more and work stuff out to get it to its full potential.
Thanks Xavier. I agree, they should not be using the cheapo Tonepump Jr. here.
I want to see your cat review a bass. Felines are known for their wisdom of string instruments.
Hahaha that'd be hilaroius
Groovy!
Thanks Lav!
Good looking bass i love the coloure .please wake up the beast +your cat back up vocals loud and clear !😉🐱
That bass looks very nice. The electronics could be replaced. Go with dark glass.
I have this bass what preamp do you recommend?
I like the EMG BTC or BTS preamp for spectors.
@@LowEndLobster I installed the BTS and now I love this bass. Thanks
I like this bass, like you I'm confident that the pickups are great, and the preamp just plain sucks. I will say I'm listening on my phone ,I think, we all know how well that doesn't work. I really expected more from a company with Spector's reputation.
Thanks Jason! Well said
sick bass
Thank you!
That gorilla shirt is dope💰
Thanks!
Beautiful bass ,I kind of with you played more metal for their demo .some thing like mudvayne .but thanks anyway man
Thanks! I'm not much of a metal player/listener ;P
That neck pickup is a sweeeettttttt flavor of P Bass!
Thanks Matthew!
No center indent? Seriously? Eh it looks pretty tho.
Yeah that kinda stuff irks me. Only pass is for my SR Classic
that buzz sound
I have way more to say than I’m ready to about this whole thing right now. So it might be better if I just shut the feck up. Cheers buddy. You’re awesome
The hum is pretty annoying. One of my basses sometimes acts that way with the treble knob as well. Nice sounding bass otherwise.
Sounds like a jazz that’s what I hear with my iPhone earbuds
That bass almost sounds high end,bartolini pickups and a 3 band bartolini preamp would make that bass,take on a ken Smith..emgs are good but no match in clarity and definition against bartolini pick ups
Hey Derick! I like barts too and I appreciate what they both bring to the table. I LOVED the Bart MM pickup from the Ultimate Stingray Mod Guide (I bought a second one for my Ray24 that I haven't installed yet).
@@LowEndLobster looking forward to a review video once you install them
Omg the pre amp the pre amp!!!
Oh wow, was about to buy one tomorrow because it's down from $2300au to $1700au... but that preamp sounds disgusting :/ It's really put me off
You definitely tell the pickups have some awesome potential, but the preamp is holding it back...
Thanks Alex! Agreed
the body shape looks different.. almost like a zon bass..
Spector! :D
:)
And they kept the TP Jr for Round 2 ffs