Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

[Jethro_Dull]

Hi Folks,

I have played guitar for 39 years and I just bought my first bass, a Spector NS-2002B for $165 including shipping. First of all, it appears that Spector is a relatively nice brand. Would you agree or disagree that the NS-2002B is a good first bass? Secondly, I haven't bought an amp yet. Any recommendations for an inexpensive practice or low-end amp?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[kilphody]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

Ashdown. Or an EBS T90. But good speakers don't come cheap.
And welcome to the forum.
PC

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

tc electronic bg250-112.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

How inexpensive? And what wattage? I picked up a Kustom 30w practice combo that's very workable, but that would probably be too weak for anything bigger than coffee shop gigs.

And yes, Spectors are good gear. I've got a Legend Classic and an NS2000-4.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[blueman335]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

Im have one of the current models of Peavy Max 110, which is small practice amp, 100 watts and a 10" seaker so it can do gigs in small venues too. Has a bunch of tone/EQ options. A lot of amp for the money.

 

[Jethro_Dull]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

How inexpensive? And what wattage? I picked up a Kustom 30w practice combo that's very workable, but that would probably be too weak for anything bigger than coffee shop gigs.

And yes, Spectors are good gear. I've got a Legend Classic and an NS2000-4.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

It's 10 watts - single speaker. I just need it for when I start recording stuff for youtube and or soundcloud. If it's anything like my Crate practice guitar amp, it should be okay. I guess the question becomes, how high should I bid (including shipping) before abandoning it and looking elsewhere? Glanced at reviews here: http://www.activebass.com/r5223--Crate-MXB10

 

[Jethro_Dull]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

My bid on the Crate is $56.90 and I really don't want to blow more than $75 on an amp for an instrument I'm not yet proficient at.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

My bid on the Crate is $56.90 and I really don't want to blow more than $75 on an amp for an instrument I'm not yet proficient at.

I dunno, you may want to bump your budget up to 150. You can get a wide variety of decent 100w solid state bass amps for that. Like with guitar, a bad amp can really ruin the experience. Granted, you don't need a lot of gadgets on a bass amp, but a full and rich tone is important. Also, if you're going to play with anyone, you'll need a fair amount more wattage than the guitarist. Unless you play with SEASONED players.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

go to Guitar Center Used
search on "digitech"
get one of the "BP" series pedals
most are less that $50
they have several amp models
headphone out ( sose you dont aggravate everyone with you newbishness )
it has drum loops to practice with
because bass, unlike guitar, is part of the rhythm section

when you become proficient, get a powered speaker
Carvin makes one some 400W 15's that are nice
but again, GC used has them in droves

or just jack into the PA

had a friend that never carried an amp to the gig
just his bass and a preamp

he sounded just fine

 

[jtougas]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

This is where someone mentions the Swiss Army Knife for bass: the SansAmp Bass Driver.


Sent from my iPad using a bunch of electrons, copper, and probably some fiber optical cable

 

[ArtisanLuthiers]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

I own two Spector NS-2002B bass guitars (bought from original owners). As a luthier/tech shop I obviously do all luthier/tech work on them. Here's my take on them:

For the current market price of $250-$300 they are a very good buy. I think it originally sold for around $500 USD. Spector marketed this model as being along the lines of a performance guitar at an entry-level price. Unmodified it's a decent bass but you'll need a quality amp setup to find real satisfaction. They are a solid instrument which should be on any list of best bass guitars under $300. With a minor investment, you can push it up to play like a $800+ bass.

Some people want to know about the NS-2002B vs NS-2000 or similar era models. Here's info on that:

Overall the 2002B is a good quality bass in regards to style, finish, electronics, hardware, etc. It makes for a very good for an affordable entry-level to intermediate level bass. Mine are at the 20-year mark and they have held up very well. It's comfortable to play - neck feels good, weight is good, etc. The same can be said for the NS-2000 bass.

Electronics are the defining difference. The NS-2002B has EMG-SSD pickups which are passive pickups made by EMG per Stuart Spector specifications (thus the SSD). For me, the stock EMG-SSD pickups are decent with a good bass amp pickups but don't deliver a "big tone". Fortunately, but for a few dollars, you can make a solid upgrade using Seymour-Duncan pickups. The NS-2000 has EMG-HZ active pickups with EMG BTS Tone Circuit. Comparing the two, this is a huge difference. Obviously you can upgrade the NS-2002B with a preamp and immediately have a bass as good or better than the NS-2000. There are several good options for preamps and the upgrade is relatively straightforward. Check out theSeymour-Duncan Active Bass Preamp Wiring Kit to get an idea of what you can do to get more from your NS-2002B bass.


Bottom line, the NS-2002B is a good buy for a beginner to an intermediate player. It can easily be upgraded to take things to an entirely higher level of playability.

 

[donaldr]

Re: Soliciting opinions on: Spector NS-2002B and a practice or low-end amp

Do you currently have a PA powered speaker? If so, it's a good bass practice amp. For cheap you can get a Behringer BDI21, a Zoom B1 Four, a Tech21 BDDI/VTBass, or (what I did) an Ampeg SCR-DI.
You can also look for old Peavey bass amps, they are cheap and reliable.