Purchased noew in 2007. Probably manufacured sometime in 06. I believe the stock configuration changed somewhat in mid 07.

A couple things distinguish the slightly more pricey Custom from the Classic (at least as of early 07): Classic model has a bolt on neck, thicker neck profile, two-band EQ, maple top and some different finish options.

I own 3 other basses (Lakland, ESP and Fender) I looked for a 2nd 5er that felt right for over a year (Fender, Squire, Ibanez, Yamaha, Lakland, ESP, Peavey) before choosing this one. My choice was based almost entirely on the amazing slim, fast neck and string spacing. It's the easiest playing 5 I've seen.

If you like the EMG sound, the sound of this bass is pretty much EMG stock-in-trade. Throaty, aggressive, more growl than thump, plenty of top end. Zingy (in a good way) from the stock round wounds. Bridge pickup is a punchy treble grind, forward blues sound. Center pup is warm, almost mellow. No mud here.

The low B is solid and well defined thanks to the 35" scale. Big improvement over my fat, flabby never-in-tune 34" 5er (not mentioning the brand it could be any in the mid price range) _Plenty_ of sustain. Not as thick and rich as some might like. I'm happy with that but I suspect you could fatten it up some by swapping in your preferred strings.

To my ears this bass is better suited to rock, blues or country. Somewhat less to funk or reggae, though some dfferent strings, twiddling with the preamp and your technique could change that. But the setup and tone are good for slapping.

No problems keeping the guitar in tune. The setup was fine out of the box. Very low and even. The fretboard is flat as Kansas.

There is plenty of variation in the tone with the 3-band EQ. Having a control for the mids is probably the most important factor and a 3-band eq was one of my criteria. But the pre-amp (or perhaps how the pups are wired to it) is probably the weakest feature of this bass. Though there is plenty of variation in tone, the output is no more than it needs to be. I have passives that are as loud, though the active electronics makes the bass very responsive (arguably the reason for active in the first place) and using the two volume controls in tandem has unpredictable impact on the sound.

I can't say enough about the neck. Comfortable, slim and fast. It's the primary reason I bought the bass. It is broad with a shallow profile. The string spacing makes it feels like a J. Think Fender Geddy Lee with 5 strings, not quite that slim but that's the idea. If you've tried a Spector bolt-on 5, this is a considerably different feel. The natural finish makes it smooth and fast.

I also like that compact Spector body shape. It will take you by surprise if you're used to standard P or J shapes, which now feel like dinosaurs when I pick them up. It also makes the bass light. There is some neck dive but it is moderated by the overall design and not really an issue.

The tuners are super smooth. Control knobs are metal, not plastic.

I'm still not reconciled to all that gold hardware. But I'm getting used to it. I bought the bass for the way it felt, not the way it looked.