Spectrum

There are eight (8) models of Spectrum basses:

1. Spectrum DX (X635)

Production

Matsumoku  to Jan 1987, 1985-87

Description

First appears in the 1985 catalogue and the Jan 1985 US price list.

Last appearance is in the Sept 1987 price list.

Available in Metallic Black or Pearl white.

Specs

  • Maple body
  • Canadian Hard Maple neck
  • Rosewood fingerboard
  • graphite nut
  • 22 fret
  • 34″ scale
  • single Westone Magnabass II pickup
  • single vol and passive tone control

Spectrum DX bass Spectrum DX bass

 

2. Spectrum GT (X650)

Production

Matsumoku  to Jan 1987, 1985-88

Description

First appears in the 1985 UK catalogue, available in Candy Red or Metallic Black.
Listed in the Jan and April 1985 US price lists at $399.50, available in Candy Red or Metallic Black.

The price rises to $425 in the Sept 1985 pricelist and $549 in the August 1986 price list.
Then drops to $475 in the Sept 1987 and Jan 1988 price lists.

Specs

  • Solid Maple body
  • Hard Maple neck
  • Rosewood fingerboard
  • graphite nut
  • 34 inch scale
  • 22 frets
  • Magnabass III (Neck) and IV (Bridge) pickups
  • single volume (Push/pull pot for phase reverse) and two tone controls
  • Magna Cast bridge
Update March 2011: Thanks to Forum member Bowenjaybee for this black 1986 model (click to enlarge):

Spectrum GT bass

3. Spectrum LX (X695)

Production

Matsumoku  to Jan 1987, 1985-87

Description

This model came with two necks, a fretted and a fretless.
It was also available with just the fretted neck (22 fret, 34″ scale).

The fretless neck had position dots along the top side, white in all the normal positions (3, 5, 7, 12 etc) and red for the rest.

First appears in the 1985 UK catalogue, only available in black with a dull black graphics stripe. The catalogue lists an option of ‘fretless neck and case available’. The 1986 catalogue gives the option as ‘only fretted instrument available’.

So, in 1985 you could buy the bass with an optional fretless neck and case, in 1986 that was the default.
Listed in the Jan and April 1985 US pricelists at $659.50 with case, rising to $679.50 in Sept 1985, $899 in August 1986 with a 2 neck case, dropping to $749 in Sept 1987.

The LX bass does not appear in the Jan 1988 pricelist.

Specs

  • Maple body
  • Canadian Hard Maple neck
  • rosewood fingerboard
  • graphite nut
  • Two Westone Magnaflux unbalanced coil pickups (One Magnabass II, one Magnabass IV)
  • active tone controls
  • coil tap and phase switches
  • Thanks to the unbalanced coil pickups, switching on coil tap doesn’t result in any significant  loss of volume.
New Pictures! May 2020 courtesy Forum member Corsair

This bass was found on eBay UK  in less than pristine condition but looks to have been well played! In particular note the black centre accent stripe which is a similar treatment to the Spectrum FX guitar.

And the necks are true “bolt on” design, using hex head screws and nut inserts, not wood screws.

Click on an image to Enlarge:

Archive picture:
Spectrum LX bass

4. Spectrum ST

Production

Matsumoku  to Jan 1987, 1985-88

Description

First appears in the 1985 UK catalogue, available in Black or White with chrome hardware (Black hardware optional).

Appears in the Jan 1985 US price list at $299.50, only in Black.
Black or White available on the April and Sept 1985 price lists (Same price).

Price rises to $399 in August 1986, drops to $339 in Sept 1987 and Jan 1988

Specs

  • Solid Maple body
  • Hard Maple neck
  • Rosewood fingerboard
  • graphite nut
  • 34 inch scale
  • 21 frets
  • single Magnabass I pickup
  • volume and tone controls
  • Glide Trak bridge
Spectrum St bass front
Spectrum ST bass back
Spectrum St bass front
Spectrum ST bass headstock

5. Spectrum Series II

There were 3 models in the Spectrum Series II range of basses, SPB102, SPB221 and SPB 311.
All of these models only appear in the 1988 UK catalogue,  so while some may have been made by Matsumoku, the majority of Spectrum Series II guitars and basses were made in Korea  1987-88.

SPB102

  • Hard Rock Maple neck
  • Rosewood 350 radius fretboard
  • 34 inch scale
  • 22 frets, 2.7mm
  • Magnabass II pickup, master volume and tone controls
  • Chrome hardware
  • Trak IV bridge
  • Available in Black (SPB102BK), Snow White (SPB102SW) and Red (SPB102RD)

SPB102SPB102 bodySPB102 headstock

SPB221

  • ‘Solid wood’ body (The 1988 catalogue only states this for the SPB221 and 311 – perhaps the 102 was a laminate?)
  • Canadian Hard Rock Maple neck
  • Rosewood 350 radius fretboard
  • 34 inch scale
  • 24 frets (Early models had 22 frets)
  • Chrome Magna Cast bridge
  • two pickups: Magnabass II pickup (Neck) Magnabass III pickup (Bridge)
  • One volume and two tone controls
  • 3-way pickup selector

spectrum 2 basscloseup

SPB311

  • Solid wood body
  • Hard Rock Maple neck
  • Rosewood 350 radius fretboard
  • 34 inch scale
  • 22 frets, 2.7mm (Early models – by the time the August 1988 price list came out they had 24 frets)
  • Position markers are larger than on the other models
  • Magnabass IV (Neck) and V (Bridge) pickups
  • master volume
  • tone and equalizer tone controls
  • dual tone and active on/off switches
  • Black hardware
  • Available in Black (SPB311BK), Pearl White (SPB311SW) and Candy Apple Red (SPB311CAR)
Update July 2011: Thanks to Forum member Bowenjaybee for these new pictures (click to enlarge):

6. Spectrum I (WEB110)

Production

St. Louis Music (SLM) Korean  1989-90

Description

First appears in the 1989 ‘New Horizons’ catalogue

The 1990 A Sign Of The Times catalogue states that the body is ‘hardwood’.

Script logo on headstock. Available in Black (WEB110BK), Red (WEB110RD) and White (WEB110WH)

Specs

  • Body (Wood unknown) has a beveled heel
  • satin Maple 24 fret neck
  • Rosewood flat radius fingerboard
  • tilt back headstock
  • 1 dual coil covered pickup
  • master volume and tone controls
  • chrome diecast bridge
  • black dome knobs
  • W ‘Bird’ logo on headstock (Presumably,  it’s not pictured, but all other models in that catalogue have that logo)

1990 Spectrum I bass
Apart from the headstock logo, this model seems identical to the Spectrum Series II bass model SPB102 shown in the 1988 UK catalogue.

7. Spectrum II (WEB220)

Production

St. Louis Music (SLM) Korea  1989-90

Description

First appears in the 1989 New Horizons catalogue.
The 1990 A Sign Of The Times catalogue states that the body is solid Poplar.
Script logo on headstock

Specs

  • Body (Wood unknown) has a beveled heel
  • satin Maple 24 fret neck
  • Rosewood flat radius fingerboard
  • tilt back headstock
  • 2 dual coil covered pickups
  • master volume and 2 tone controls
  • 3-way pickup switch
  • chrome die cast bridge
  • black dome knobs
  • W ‘Bird’ logo on headstock (Presumably – it’s not pictured, but all other models in that catalogue have that logo)
  • Available in Black (WEB220BK) or Red (WEB220RD)

1990 Spectrum II bass

Apart from the headstock logo, this model seems identical to the Spectrum Series II bass model SPB221 shown in the 1988 UK catalogue.

8. Spectrum V 5-string

Production

St. Louis Music (SLM) Korea  1989-90

Description

Info from 1989 and 1990 catalogues and pricelists.
First appeared in 1989, new price in Oct 1989 was $599, available in Black (WEB520BK), Red (WEB520RD) and White (WEB520WH).

Body style looks similar to the Spectrum Series II models, headstock similar to the Dimension IV and Dynasty.

Specs

  • 5 string bass
  • 24 frets
  • 2 pickups
  • Scale length 34 inches
  • Controls:  3-way switch
  • single volume and two tone controls

Spectrum 5 string bass blackSpectrum 5 string bass white

New! December 2014 —Courtesy of Forum member Racing:
(Click to Enlarge)

SLM Westone Spectrum V -front 1 SLM Westone Spectrum V -body front 1SLM Westone Spectrum V -body rear 1
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SLM Westone Spectrum V -controls

SLM Westone Spectrum V -bridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SLM Westone Spectrum V -headstock 2SLM Westone Spectrum V -headstock rear 1

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