Spector
Cody Michael Stumpo
very much appreciate it if this group could help me by filling me in on
Spector's reputation and history, what is the difference between the
NS2 and the NS2A (It is a NS2A), and what might be a good price. Feel free
to reply by e-mail to co...@uclink.berkeley.edu or to this group. When
I've heard Spector's on records, I've quite liked the sound. But they
are not in either of the last two Bass Player buyer's guides. Mr. Spector's
personal history might be useful as well.
Thank you, brothers of the bass,
Cody M. Stumpo
~?
David Horton
Michael Stumpo) wrote:
The early Spectors were Ned Steinberger's first bass design. Used fairly
conventional passive pickups (Dimarzio??) with an on-board preamp and EQ.
The Spectors were one of the best basses around when I first looked at
them in 1980. Steve Bailey played a pair (w/ & w/o frets) and I went to
school with him, so that's why I checked them out. Never bought one though.
I don't know the story of why they were off the market for awhile, but at
this years NAMM (in Jan.), the new 'Stuart Spector' company was making a
big deal about recovering control of the company and being allowed to
market the 'original' Spector (with some improvements) again. The NS1s had
one pickup, the NS2s had two pickups, and I beleive the NS2As are new
version.
To me, they were a nice oil-finish bass, good feel, but the neck was too
thick (front to back) for my tastes.
For more info:
Stuart Spector Designs
P.O. Box 142
Woodstock, NY 12498
(914) 246-1385
--
+------------------------------+-------------------------------+
| David Horton | Warwick 5-String Thumb Bass |
| Motorola DSP Digital Audio | Pearce B2p Amplification |
| rxx...@sps.mot.com | "Wisians" & "Moire Effect" |
+------------------------------+-------------------------------+
I only wish Motorola agreed with my opinions, hasn't happened yet !
Barry A. Warsaw
>>>>> "DH" == David Horton <rxx...@sps.mot.com> writes:
DH> I don't know the story of why they were off the market for
DH> awhile, but at this years NAMM (in Jan.), the new 'Stuart
DH> Spector' company was making a big deal about recovering
DH> control of the company and being allowed to market the
DH> 'original' Spector (with some improvements) again. The NS1s
DH> had one pickup, the NS2s had two pickups, and I beleive the
DH> NS2As are new version.
Close. The NS2A is the "Kramer Spector" version of the NS2. Stuart
sold the rights to make less expensive knock offs to Kramer. Still,
since you can find an NS2A used for $350 - $500, it makes (IMHO) a
great inexpensive, 2-octave bass. Slap some EMGs in there and I've
got a great sound and feel for not a lot of money.
Of the new SSD basses (Stuart Spector Design), I like the SD model,
oil finish, with a piezo option -- if I was in the market for a
fretted bass.
-Barry
Peter O'Malley
I've been told it's Japanese-made. It's a two-octave neck with a single
active P-bass pickup. Plays nice, has a very useful tone control. Same shape
as the NS-*.
Peter
Len Moskowitz
As I write this I have a 1987 Spector ("a division of Kramer") catalog
in front of me. It shows three bass models (NS-2, NS-2A and NS-2B) and
a guitar (NS-6) model.
All the basses had 34-inch scales on a three-piece laminated maple neck.
The NS-2 had a Bolivian Rosewood or Pau Ferro fingerboard with large
mother-of-pearl inlaid fret markers. It had a two-way adjusting truss
rod. The -2A and -2B had East Indian Rosewood fingerboards and dot
markers. The -2A's dot markers are mother-of-pearl; the -2B's are
unspecified. No info on the -2A and -2B trussrods.
The NS-2 used standard active EMGs (one "P" and one "J") and had four
knobs: a pickup selector, a volume control, and two active (+/- 15 dB)
tone controls. The NS-2A and 2B both used passive EMG "Select" pickups
and had two volume controls and two tone controls. The -2A tone
controls were active. The -2B were passive.
The NS-2 had gold plated hardware, Schaller machines, and a Strap-lok
type system. The NS-2A had a black Spector bridge and black Schallers.
The NS-2B had a chrome bridge and tuning machines (both weren't
specified as to manufacture).
The NS-2 came in a wide range of stains, sunbursts and figured maple
finishes. THe -2A came in white, red, black, two stains, and cherry
sunburst. The -2B came in the three solid colors only.
The NS-2 had a lovely carved back. I've seen at least one Kramer
Spector that was dead flat on back -- it was likely an NS-2A or B.
If anyone's interested, I also have an NS-4, SD-4, NS-5, and SD-5 spec
sheet and price list dated 10/1/92.
--
Len Moskowitz
mosk...@panix.com