Nik Huber & Michael League Collaborate on a Semi-Hollow Bass with a Twist
Snarky Puppy leader and bassist Michael League has collaborated with German guitar maker Nik Huber to create a signature instrument. Based on the company’s Rietbergen Bass model, the semi-hollow design is crafted with a swamp ash body, flame maple neck, and an open pore swamp ash top. It also has a medium 32-inch scale length.
Other appointments include a Curtis Novak H22 Goldfoil pickup, Hipshot hardware, and vintage celluloid block inlays.
“We delivered an initial prototype to Michael in his studio last year,” explains Nik, “and there wasn’t much he wanted to change – always nice to get close on the first try! He loved the swamp ash and thought it was almost a shame to ‘hide’ it on the back, so why not show it off as a top too? We loved that idea, and combined with a few other tweaks – and the excellent Curtis Novak pickup – it’s a bass that sits somewhere different tonally and aesthetically to the standard Rietbergen Bass, though still with that same DNA.”
Full details on the Nik Huber Michael League Signature Bass are being finalized, so a price point is not available at this time. The prototype shown at NAMM is currently listed online for $8,089.
Nik Huber Michael League Signature Rietbergen Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 32″ |
| Body: | Swamp Ash |
| Top: | Swamp Ash |
| Neck: | Flame Maple |
| Neck Profil: | Standard Rietbergen Bass Neck Carve |
| Fingerboard: | East Indian rosewood |
| Frets: | 20 |
| Inlays: | Black Vintage Celluloid |
| Pickup: | Chris Novak H22 Gold Foil |
| Tuners: | HipShot UltraLite |
| Bridge: | Hipshot SuperTone |
| Knobs: | Black Brushed |
| Weight: | 7lbs 3oz |
| Finish: | Natural |
| Other: | Signature Mother of Pearl headstock inlay |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
