Stuart Spector Unveils First Bass Model From Esopus Guitars
Since launching Esopus Guitars, Stuart Spector has focused on making acoustic guitars. Now he’s back to building basses.
“I am proud to present the Tailwater bass, a bass that I have spent the last three years perfecting,” he writes of his new model. “The Tailwater is a culmination of all of my 45 years of experience, knowledge, and passion for bass guitar crafting. I am so eager to hear what fellow musicians create with this exciting new instrument.”
The Esopus Guitars Tailwater is a 32-inch scale instrument handcrafted by the legendary luthier. It features a fully carved spruce top, which is carved on both its exterior and interior surfaces. The top’s carve includes a built-in thumb rest for an elegant approach to playing comfort.
Other features include a fully chambered alder body, a custom Fishman piezo pickup, and a super hard Caranuba wax finish.
A press release explains, “Each Tailwater bass is hand-signed and numbered on the back of the peghead by Stuart Spector. A very limited number of Tailwater basses are handcrafted each year at the Esopus workshop.”
We checked out a prototype at NAMM this year and can say it is super comfortable, easy to play, and acoustically louder than you think. It features the Esopus TonePort, which is a removable port on the back of the body that’s held in with magnets.
The Esopus Tailwater is available with a price point of $4,995.
Esopus Guitars Tailwater Acoustic/Electric Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 32″ |
| Body: | Hand Selected Alder Hollowbody with Top Binding |
| Top: | Fully Carved Select Solid Spruce with Thumb Rest Carved Into Top |
| Neck: | 3-piece Quarter Sawn Maple |
| Fretboard: | Rosewood |
| Frets: | 21 |
| Inlays: | Esopus Paua Abalone Trout Inlays |
| Electronics: | Fishman Custom Piezo Pickup Wired Directly to Output Jack. External Fishman Preamp Included |
| Tuners: | Hipshot Ultralite |
| Hardware: | Ebony Bridge, Tailpiece, and Truss Rod Cover |
| Other: | Esopus TonePort, Hand-signed and Numbered by Stuart Spector |
| Options: | With or without Thumb Rest, Lined or Unlined Fretless, Walnut Stain on Body, Ebony Fretboard |
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