Stuart Spector’s Stonefly Bass #026 Turns Reclaimed Redwood Into a Six-Pound Fretless
Legendary luthier Stuart Spector has continued to innovate even after stepping away from his namesake brand. He launched Esopus Guitars several years ago, and this week we’re featuring an immaculate version of his Stonefly bass design.
Spector handcrafted, signed, and numbered Stonefly Bass #026 himself. It features a fully carved, reclaimed redwood top with real history.
“Our Reclaimed Redwood was originally used as barn beams in Humboldt County, California and was over 800 years old when harvested! This tree endured centuries of earthquakes, droughts and fires,” Esopus writes. “Redwood is known for its rich overtones and dynamic complexity.”
Notice the top has a unique thumbrest carved directly into it for playing comfort. The rest of the fully-chambered body is alder and has the Esopus TonePort on its back. Held in place by magnets, the removable sound port cover can be opened to make the bass louder with a more open-sounding acoustic tone, the company explains.
Spector gave the 32-inch scale bass a three-piece quartersawn maple neck fitted with an unlined ebony fretboard, which nicely complements the body’s Antique Violin Finish. Ebony is also utilized for the bridge, tailpiece, peghead veneer, and truss rod cover with the Esopus Trout inlay.
The Esopus Stonefly Bass #026 is rounded out with a custom Fishman Piezo pickup in the bridge that’s wired directly to the output, Dunlop Dual Design strap buttons, and Hipshot Ultralite tuners. Remarkably, it weighs approximately six pounds.
“I am proud to present the Stonefly™ Bass, a bass that l have spent the last three years perfecting,” Spector stated when he introduced the design. “The Stonefly is a culmination of all of my 50+ 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.”
Esopus Guitars Stonefly Bass #026 Photos:
Esopus Guitars Stonefly Bass #026 Specs:
| Scale: | 32″ |
| Body: | Hand-selected Alder, Fully Chambered with Binding |
| Top: | Fully Carved Reclaimed Redwood |
| Neck: | Three-piece Quartersawn Maple |
| Nut: | Graphtech |
| Fingerboard: | Ebony |
| Frets: | Unlined Fretless |
| Inlays: | None |
| Pickups: | Custom-Made Fishman Piezo Pickup in the Bridge, wired directly to the Output Jack. |
| Bridge: | Ebony |
| Tuners: | Hipshot Ultralite |
| Finish: | Hand Rubbed Super Hard Carnauba Wax Finish |
| Other: | Handcrafted, Signed and Numbered by Stuart Spector; |
| Weight: | Approx. 6 lbs |
| Body Dimensions: | Length 22″, Waist 10.25″, Upper Bout 11.25″, Lower Bout 15.5″, Body Depth 2.15″ Top to Rear. |
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.
