Spector NS5-CRFM

[gravesbass]

I just landed an old NS5-CRFM from the early Chech Republic days. It's a 1999 NS5-CRFM (if you didn't know, CRFM stands for Chech Republic Flame Maple). The body wings on these older basses were SOLID Flame Maple. They sound so damn good. They are currently a 3-piece (*top/walnut slice/alder back).

This was the bass that was listed a few times on craigslist for sale but he wanted too much for it. We worked a more than fair deal and I landed it to California. I couldn't be happier. It's 10lbs 8.4oz, not over 12 as originally noted. Its a 9.5/10 condition. The fingerboard was dry as hell and intonation, setup was all over the place. It sat unplayed for near 10 years. After my magic, its one of my fav Spector's in my arsenal AND..... It's the older 34" scale. I prefer 34" scale over 35" in a 5 string.

Here are a few shots after my hours working on it and conditioning the rosewood fretboard.

[superheavydeathmetal]

Is this the bass that was in Detroit and the guy wanted $180 to ship it?

Man, it looks nice! It's great to see a grrat bass restored to its former glory and ready to thump again!

[gravesbass]

<Detroit>.... Yup. The seller is great. All it needed was some mojo and setup, conditioning. The neck was all over the place. Took many adjustments to get it right.

I love working on Spector's.

[paulo]

Glad you picked up this beauty! Looks awesome!

[andrew]

This was the bass that was listed a few times on craigslist for sale but h It's 10lbs 8.4oz, not over 12 as originally noted.

Great score man, glad you're digging the bass.

12 lb. weight was told to me by the seller, likely he used an inaccurate bathroom scale to weigh it.

Years ago I had a guy do the "cheap bathroom scale" method, weighing himself with and without the bass and informed me the bass weighed "around 20 lbs."

[J-meister]

Great stuff man! Spectors always have a coolness to me.

How exactly did you treat your fretboard? I also want to give mine a treat.

[AzWhoFan]

congrats!

[gravesbass]

How exactly did you treat your fretboard? I also want to give mine a treat.

Wiped down well, used some steel wool (x0000) first on the frets, light used not he fretboard but covered all the magnetic electronics (pickups, etc) so no wool dust touched. Used some Beafifer Fretboard Oil and applied several times (it drank it like water). Wiped off and let dry before restringing. The fingerboard was light tan. So damn dry. Finished off the frets with Gorgomyte.

WALA..... Clean conditioned fingerboard.

[J-meister]

Like magic!

[superheavydeathmetal]

This has me curious. How can one tell when a fretboard is getting dry?

I tried to do a search, but all I got were results about how to remedy a dry fretboard, not how to tell if it is dry.

[gravesbass]

ˆˆˆˆˆˆˆ

[superheavydeathmetal]

Thanks, Graves!

Judging by those pictures, I think my fretboard is okay. It isn't quite as dark as the second picture, but not anything like as ashy as the first.

I have had the thing for 12 years or so, and never have I oiled the fretboard. But, it is always been in a climate-controlled environment.

It probably wouldn't hurt to give it some oil, though.