This screw, however, must be loosened if you want to adjust the saddles. This feature functionally makes the bridge one piece of metal, giving the instrument even greater sustain. Another standout feature of this bridge is the option to push the saddles together via a tightening screw on the side of the bridge. Each saddle is roughly an inch in length, and sports two points to adjust not only the height, but the pitch of the saddle. The bridge on this bass is a massive, hi-mass bridge almost identical to the bridges found on their European models. There are four knobs on the preamp, (two pickup volume knobs, treble boost/cut, and bass boost/cut), with both the treble and bass knobs having a mid-point with the assuring click that lets the user know they are neither boosting or cutting the signal. I did not find this to be a problem when playing, as the dots are easy to see. There are no fret markers on the top of the fingerboard, but there are dots on the side of the neck. The pickups have exposed pole pieces, but the way that the pickups are oriented prevents the undesirable string-on-pole-piece click that we all know too well. From a round Motown tone, a thick rock tone, or a Jaco/Latin style (mid-focused) tone, this bass can do it all. The control layout (P-pickup volume, J-pickup volume, treble, bass) can produce a wide array of sounds, and unlike the Euro that I had previously used, there isn’t one “sound” for this bass the user can set the knobs in any configuration and achieve a good, useable tone. The EQ is responsive, simple, and versatile. Their comfort in executing a product with this pickup configuration is obvious upon picking up the bass. The P/J pickup configuration has been employed by Spector since their first NS-2s produced in 1979, and it shows. The bass features a Precision/Jazz pickup combination, a pickup set that will familiar even to players new to the company. You can feel a certain confidence when playing this bass Spector has had decades to hone their craft, and it shows. The intonation was a bit off, and the action needed minor adjustment, but these things are to be expected when shipping an instrument across the country. Straight out of the box, this bass plays beautifully. The bass is as comfortable to hold as it is to play. On paper, this choice seems like it would produce a less comfortable instrument, but when one actually picks up the instrument, these concerns go away. One of the most obvious differences between this Spector and the normal product line of Spector basses is the lack of a curved body, with this bass instead opting for a flat-backed body. The bass is very well-balanced for being an import model, but this is a testament to Spector’s quality – even with their more “budget” models, one can expect the same quality that Spector is known for. The bass has four strings, with a 34” scale length, a P/J pickup configuration, and 24 frets. The craftsmanship, comfort, and tone present in this instrument are a testament to the design and quality control Spector is capable of. If I didn’t know that this bass was an import from Indonesia, I would have believed that it was part of Spector’s European line. I had previously used a Spector Euro LX, so my expectations for this bass were high. This brings us to the bass in question: a four-string import P/J in sunburst. Import and distribution of the Euro series (from the Czech Republic) and the Legend series (from Asia) were taken over by Korg USA in 2015. The company continued on throughout the ‘90s, and in 2006 introduced CNC machines to their production line, allowing for the company to introduce new models and features (namely the ARC6, Kenmare electric guitars, and carved-top basses). near Woodstock, New York, and by 1998, they purchased back the rights to the Spector trademark, resuming the instruments from their original product line. The two started the company Stuart Spector Designs, Ltd. In 1990, Kramer filed for bankruptcy, and Spector saw a two-year hiatus before Stuart Spector and a new business partner, PJ Rubal, began producing instruments again (under a different company name, as the now-bankrupt Kramer still owned the Spector trademark).
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