Spector or Warwick?

philco · Post by **philco** » Sat Dec 13, 2003 8:27 pm

I'm planning on getting a nice Spector NS style bass, but I noticed that the Warwick Streamer design is basically a ripoff on the Spector NS design. Does anybody here have any experience with either or both of those particular basses? Both designs are available in several different models at vastly different price levels. Spector has models available from Asia, Czech Republic, and USA in bolt-on and neck-thru styles. Warwick has Asian and German made instruments, in bolt-on and neck-thru also. MSRP ranges from $500 to over $5000 depending on model and options. I'm most interested in a midrange model, as my OLP SB4 is equivalent to the low end models from both manufacturers. Which brand is the best, with the low end models excluded from consideration?

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 3:22 am

I have a Spector NS-4, natural finish/neck-thru, left-handed.

I have had it since 1996, It is a Czech model---probably the first left-handed one ever made for it was brought back from the NAMM show from the Spector booth in '96 by a store in the D.C. area. At the time, the US-made Spectors had a 18V preamp, my bass is a 9V. There was another guy at the store trying out Spectors the same day I bought it, and he couldn't believe how good this lefty NS-4CRFM sounded. In fact, he went through every one they had in the store and didn't find one that pleased him. It does have a killer sound.
I paid almost $1600 for mine when new(1996), but at that time the only other alternative was a US made Spector and a left-handed model would have been about $3200. Other than the headstock logo and a dot-inlay fretboard, it is on-par with the US Spectors of its time. I love mine, and still play it quite often. The figure in the maple is awesome and it has a neck second to none.

philco · Post by **philco** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 5:05 am

Both Spector and Warwick have different pickup arrangements in the various NS and Streamer basses. It makes it a real crapshoot buying one sight unseen. The bridge has even changed on the entry level Spector Performer 4, and besides that there are several different wood combinations as you move up the model line. The thing I dislike about Warwick is that you don't even get fretboard dot inlays without paying $150 extra as an option. There are also far fewer Warwick Streamers available on eBay, and I would die of old age before seeing one around here. The Streamer is the only Warwick body design that I really like. The Korean Spector Professional series is interesting, as they have a semi-hollow NS model that has an EMG soapbar neck pickup and a piezo bridge pickup. I can get a new one for around $550 without case. That would be interesting to have as it would be lightweight with a different sound and better than a Hofner bass. I also like the neck on my OLP SB4 even though it is not a real Spector. It is the bass I want to play the most right now. I hear the Euro Spectors and USA Spectors are relatively heavy due to the solid hardwood bodies. The maple/basswood body has spoiled me as far as weight goes, and it almost sustains as long as my Rickenbacker. Even the cheapest Spectors have a very deep neck pocket with 5 bolts. If you took the bolts out of my OLP SB4 neck, you would probably have to tap it off with a rubber mallet, that's how tight the neck joint looks. I would never say that about the P-bass I had. And you know what, those cheaper Gotoh tuners actually seem to work better than the Schallers on my Rickenbackers. I have read where others say they now prefer Gotoh to Schaller, and the Gotoh tuners on my Tacoma Chief seem better than the Schaller tuners on my RIC 650D.

philco · Post by **philco** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:10 pm

John, I am also a proud Spector owner now! I lucked out and got a Euro Spector made in the Czech Republic, but mine is a bolt-on ReBop 4 with alder body and EMG soapbar pickups. Mine has the 18V Aguilar preamp. I wanted the lighter alder body even if I lost some looks in the deal. Mine cost me a whopping $436.56 delivered from a No Reserve eBay auction. Why buy chinese or Korean at that price?

philco · Post by **philco** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 1:49 pm

John, I think I'm going to be sick. I saw a mint condition bolt-on Spector NS2000Q4 with hard case go for $202.50 on eBay (MSRP is $980). I recently saw a neck-thru Korean model go for $300 in mint condition. Somebody just listed a beautiful neck-thru Euro Spector in flamed maple with hard case for $600 minimum bid. Now I feel like a crazy spender giving $230 for my OLP copy. From now on, I'm buying used REAL Spectors instead of any new copies. Give it 6 months, and you can get a used OLP SB4 for $150 or less on eBay. I saw a mint condition OLP MM2 go for $118 the other day.

I'm been waiting for deals like that on used Rickenbackers, and I guess I'll be waiting a while longer.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 3:31 pm

My Spector NS4CRFM has a J/P EMG setup, unlike the block-style p/ups seen on a lot of the US models.

I played mine Sat. nite at one of our regular gigs, and it really does the trick. I like it just as much as my Wal, and from a weight standpoint even better. It plays like buttah.

philco · Post by **philco** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:28 am

I was wondering about the weight aspects of he maple Spectors. I got a bolt-on ReBop in alder wood body because I wanted lighter weight like my basswood OLP copy. Is your maple Spector as light as a Rickenbacker 4004 at 8 pounds?