Bass of the Week: Sugi Guitars NB5 Dream Catcher 33 Bass
When you look at this bass, you might suspect it was built in the Southwest due to its design and turquoise coloring. However, the NB5 Dream Catcher 33 is a custom bass made by Japan’s Sugi Guitars for bassist Takumi “Fire” Matsuda.
Built with a 33-inch scale, the unique instrument has a Native American theme. “The eye-catching woodwork and fretboard inlays were designed based on the [American] Indian dream of the Ojibwa tribe, the dream catcher and rug pattern,” Sugi writes. “The model is named after its dream catcher. The head is equipped with a pierced earring made by DiA.”
Its five-ply neck is made of maple, some of which is supplied by Aqua Timber, a company that supplies old-growth lumber recovered from under water. The body back is mahogany, while the ebony fingerboard is inlaid with abalone feathers. Other features include Sugi custom shop single-coil pickups, Gotoh hardware, and a lacquer finish.
While this clip is a demo for an amp, you can hear Matsuda digging into his bass:
Sugi Guitars NB5 Dream Catcher 33 Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 33 inches |
| Body top: | Dream Catcher |
| Body back: | Mahogany |
| Neck: | Maple x Aqua Timber Maple x Maple 5-ply angled head-stock ?14 degree) |
| Finger board: | Ebony |
| Pickups: | Sugi Original Single-coil Pick-up |
| Controls: | Volume X 1, Balance X 1, Master Tone X 1 |
| Tuning Machines: | GOTOH GB350 |
| Bridge: | GOTOH S510B (19mm Pitch) |
| Parts Colors: | XG (Gold) |
| Finish: | Lacquer |
